Category: Featured

Jessica Bauer: Merry Monday

My eyes blinked into the morning light on Christmas Day. Yes, you read that right: morning light.

For the first time in years, no child rushed into our bedroom on December 25 until after the sunrise. When I asked my husband what time it was as Owen impatiently shifted his weight from foot to foot, he told me 7:00. Seven?? If we had a rooster, he’d have crowed long ago. Parents across the country were already picking up wrapping paper and starting breakfast, some even going back to sleep. Heck, it even took a few minutes for the boys to rouse Nora enough to realize what day it was.

I think it was the combo of Christmas Vigil Mass, followed by an obsession with the Santa tracker app. READ MORE

Jessica Bauer is a small-town girl raising her bunch in southwest Arkansas. Her cast of characters includes a husband of 10 years, three mostly sweet kids, and 11 chickens. She blogs about them all at Life With the Bauer Bunch. Stop by to check out the good, the bad, and the funny in motherhood.

Lyndi Fultz: Salad for Breakfast

Add a salad to your breakfast and start the day right.

Here is one idea you may not have thought about that ensures you get the day started off right by consuming vitamins and nutrient-rich foods from the get-go… try adding a salad to your breakfast plate.

That’s right, salad. Add it right next to your eggs and bacon. You don’t need a fancy recipe or tons of ingredients. I like to use a spring mix with lots of colored leafs, drizzle with olive oil and a dusting of cracked black pepper. I try to always have a pretty bowl filled with cherry tomatoes next to my fruit tray so it is quick and easy to grab a few and add. However, skip the tomatoes and it still will be delicious.

Nancy Kay Grace: End of the Year Reflection

The end of the year provides a great time for reflection. The process takes some time, but looking back over the past is beneficial. Does it sound too daunting? A simple plan will help you and give guidance for your next year’s goals.

Guide for End of Year Reflection

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Tasty Tuesday: National Soup Month

#CelebratingNationalSoupMonth

Brrrr. Arkansas has been in a real deep freeze so far this new year. I can’t think of a better way to chase away that chill during National Soup Month than with a brimming bowlful of warm and hearty soup. Our ARWB members have a variety of them for you to choose from this week. Be sure to pay them a visit and let them know how much you appreciate their willingness to share these savory ideas with you.

Rachel Hough: Best Damn Soup Evah

Enter….the best damn soup evah! What makes this soup so great? Well, it’s wonderful on it’s own as it’s a just a homemade vegetable beef soup, but what makes it even bettah’ is that every ingredient in the soup was either grown and harvested by me, or killed/butchered by us. I know where EVERY. SINGLE. INGREDIENT. comes from and since I’ve either frozen or canned all the ingredients, it’s super easy to make. READ MORE

Renee Birchfield: Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

I love summer so much, but it has a lack of some foods that I love. Soups, stews and chilis are some that I miss the most in those hot months. Thankfully it is just about the right temperature to eat them again. Fall started last week so even though it’s a bit warm still I am jumping in with decorations and this Roasted Butternut Squash Soup.

Last year I went to a little dinner party that we dubbed Dinner with the Doc, I wrote about it here, we had this amazing soup and finally I got around to making it. I’m so glad this is what I get to have for lunch this week and don’t have to share. READ MORE

Amy Gramlich: Stovetop Sausage and Cheese Tortellini Soup

As my husband says, you can’t go wrong with cheese tortellini. Earlier this week, I couldn’t decide which of the sausage and cheese tortellini soup recipes on Pinterest I wanted to try. None seemed healthy in any form or fashion so I couldn’t use that as a determinant. But delicious? All sounded highly delicious. The two recipes I was vollying between are this sausage and tortellini soup from Party in My Kitchen and this Crockpot sausage and tortellini soup from Little Fellows.

Ultimately, my pantry and fridge made the decision for me. I had cream cheese and did not have evaporated milk. I went with the Little Fellows recipe as a base but made a few changes. Now, y’all know I love coming home to a good slow cooker meal, but I forgot to brown my sausage before work which really messed up my whole slow cookin’ process. READ MORE

Keisha McKinney: Souper Saturday Mexican Chicken and Roasted Tomato Soup

So, for 2 weeks I’ve been wanting homemade soup. I was all ready last weekend and the lazy bug kicked in so it didn’t happen. But the almost blizzard conditions (remember I’m from TX) that blew in on Friday left me freezing to my bones and fully committed to my Saturday adventure of multi-tasking – cleaning and cooking simultaneously.

I’ll admit, it was just about throwing a bunch of junk together and crossing my fingers that it worked. I’d love to be cool like Mix n Match Mama, Dining with Debbie or Heather’s Dish and actually make up a recipe that you could duplicate. But, my style is more to tell you what I did and why I did it and let you figure out if its something you want to repeat. You see I’m all about knowing tastes and learning what makes a great food marriage (at least a good party in your mouth) and then making that magic happen over and over. READ MORE

TARAMAHOOTA SOPA CON ARROZ VIA RICELAND FOODS DININGWITHDEBBIE

Riceland Foods (Debbie Arnold): Taramahoota Pollo Sopa Con Arroz

Good friends are such a blessing. And they are especially so when they share delicious, original recipes with you and allow you to share those as you please. My good friend, Chef Liz Bray, created the original version of this Taramahoota (tear uh ma hoot uh) soup years ago when she was developing recipes for Fagor 3 in 1 Pressure Cookers. It has become a family favorite and one I have shared often with others. READ MORE

Katharine Trauger: Turkey Minestrone

Okay, I’ve been working more on being organized because I got a good start when I froze leftover turkey from the holiday, in approximately one-pound packages.

I hope you did not throw yours out or force your family to eat turkey until it was coming out of their ears!

Anyway, I’ve had three pounds of frozen turkey to look at in the freezer and have been dreaming until I just could not STAND it anymore!

So I made turkey minestrone. Sort of. Except I am not sure what that is and I did not have eggs to make noodles with (after making two cakes in a row. Well, really four, if you count mistakes…) READ MORE

Riceland Foods (Heather Disarro): Tomato and Brown Rice Bisque

I have yet to meet a person who isn’t a fan of the traditional grilled cheese and tomato soup comfort meal. For a while I may have been the only one who wasn’t a big fan of tomato soup. The canned version really isn’t my cup of tea; the flavor typically a little too sweet for my liking. However, once I came around to tomatoes in general I couldn’t help but be drawn to the homemade versions of tomato soup I then came in contact with. READ MORE

Celebrating National Soup Month with #ARWB! Check out these tasty bowls of deliciousness.

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Debbie Arnold: Lucky Black-Eyed Peas and Collard Greens Soup

#CelebratingNationalSoupMonth

It’s tradition, y’all. And in the South we’re all about tradition. Black-eyed peas and greens can be found in some form or another on just about every Southern table on New Year’s Day ensuring wealth and good luck.

Legend has it that the tradition dates back to the Civil War era (what doesn’t in the South?) when Union soldiers stripped the fields bare except for peas and greens which they left thinking they were animal feed. That was a win-win for those poor Southerners. This recipe can be found on Riceland Foods blog: READ MORE

KELLEE MAYFIELD: Gluten Free Flaxseed and Almond Meal Pancakes {Foodie Friday}

This is for all of the gluten sensitive, gluten intolerant, celiac, paleo dieters, and folks who enjoy breakfast.

According to Niall McCarthy, contributing writer at Forbes.com, “The number of Americans going gluten-free has tripled since 2009.”

“Today, some 3.1 million people across the United States follow a gluten-free diet,” McCarthy reports in his article published Jan. 17. “Seventy-two percent of them are classified as ‘PWAGs’ – people without celiac disease avoiding gluten.”

I’m a “PWAG” – person without celiac disease avoiding gluten – and I know I’m not alone. I haven’t had an official blood test done to determine my exact food sensitivities but I know how I feel when I avoid gluten. I have more energy and my skin is clear. Any stomach (read more)

Kellee Mayfield – Delta Moxie

In 2007, my family and I moved to Lake Village, Arkansas in Chicot County (I refer to it as LA…lower Arkansas) smack dab on the banks of the mighty Mississippi River.

It’s rural. To give you bigger city folks a frame of reference…there is no Starbucks within a 90-mile radius.

I am an artist, traveler, real-food-eating, sensible-shoe-wearing mother, wife and former sales representative for a medical device company.

Join me as I paint, admire art, and share the experiences that enrich our lives through travel.

And I’ll share my home base in very southeast Arkansas and the Mississippi Delta. All with a southern drawl.

Let’s connect on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Snapchat, LinkedIn and Facebook – @deltamoxie.

Bethany Stephens: How to Hostess with the Mostest

’Tis The Season!

Whether you’re hosting family for the holidays, putting together a big New Year’s Eve shindig or simply vowing to make the leap and entertain more in 2018, one thing is clear: keeping it simple is the best approach.

A common thread during my childhood was parties and get togethers of every kind. When I was growing up, we lived in a lot of interesting places… and my parents were always warm hosts with a knack for entertaining.

All that helping, observing and listening helped me glean a few tips for party hacking and laid back hostessing. Let me help you take a deep

breath and plan a fun – and survivable – party! READ MORE

Beth is President of Soapbox Influence. She is passionate about big ideas and storytelling. Prior the hatching the concept for Soapbox, she spent 15+ years in marketing, content creation, social media, PR and communication strategy across a number of sectors (nonprofit, tourism, community and economic development). As a blogger, writer and social media lover herself, she loves bridging the gap between brands and influencers by helping talented content creators work for some of the world’s biggest brands and make a living from their living rooms. Beth is exhaustingly enthusiastic, immensely fond of Arkansas and has an acute affection for coffee and technology. While most humans are made up of 75% water, Beth is probably about 40% red wine.

Talya Boerner: The Best Beef Stew Evah! {Foodie Friday}

Momma made beef stew in the fall and winter. It stuck to our ribs when the weather was frightful and noses were runny. It was an inexpensive meal, too, one that called for not much meat but lots of potatoes and carrots. And, it was a good way to sometimes sneak in peas, which I didn’t much like.

After days and days of eating Thanksgiving leftovers, John’s beef stew hit the spot. Giving credit where credit is due, he did most of the work. I only peeled and sautéed the veggies and cut up the potatoes. And I took lots of pictures, of course, because I could tell right off, by the aroma and sizzle and very first taste, this beef stew would be the best beef stew evah! READ MORE

Let @gracegrits show you how to make the Best Beef Stew Evah! #ARWB #FoodieFriday

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Talya is a Delta girl who grew up making mudpies on her family’s cotton farm in Northeast Arkansas. She blogs at Grace, Grits and Gardening and has been published in Arkansas Review, Front Porch Magazine, and Delta Crossroads Magazine. Her debut novel, The Accidental Salvation of Gracie Lee, recently placed as a National Indie Book Award Finalist for regional southeast fiction. She loves to cook and believes most any dish can be improved with a side of collard greens.

Tasty Tuesday

This week’s Tasty Tuesday brings a whole stockingful of ideas for you. From all of us at Arkansas Women Bloggers, we wish you the Merriest of Christmases. Thanks for allowing us to introduce you to some of our fabulous writers each week. We appreciate you.

Jennifer Maune: Gingerbread Decorating Party Ideas

My beloved Grandmother lived on Gingerbread Lane for 45 years, so we have a family tradition to host a Gingerbread Decorating Party each year with the cousins so I thought I would share these ideas with you! This is a highlight of our holiday. It’s a great creative outlet for the kids, they get to eat sweet treats, and play with their cousins. After theyve finished decorating their houses they can either take them home to display, or eat them! We like to do a craft as well. This year the kids made gingerbread ornaments. I love that everyone has something to bring home and hang on their tree. READ MORE

Keri Bucci: Chocolate Covered Almond Cheesecake

Chocolate Covered Almond Cheesecake is a rich and decadent treat that is sure to please any cheesecake fan sitting at your table! With a rich and velvety cream cheese filling flavored with almond butter and topped with a chocolate, how could that not be delightful, right?

I am a huge fan of cheesecakes and they are always easy to adapt to the sugar-free and low carb way of baking, which makes them one of my “go to” desserts when I am having friends and family over. I cannot tell you how many times I have made a cheesecake like this one and had some of my higher carb eating friends tell me “There is no way is this sugar-free!” READ MORE

Keisha McKinney: Cowboy Ranch Chex Mix

Call it nesting or the holiday season, but I just couldn’t let Christmas come without making some of favorite treats. My husband oversees a big processing plant and I think its so fun to love on his people any chance we get. But, when you have to make a treat for 30+ and most of it are men, you have to think on a big scale. And that crew has come to be open to my experimenting.

Growing up my mom always made what we just called Texas Trash. It was basically the Chex Mix recipe with a little something added. But, my mama taught me the art of experimenting so I usually read about 4 recipes and then decide what the @bigpittstop way is going to be.

This year i decided to go a little more spicy and on the same afternoon that I was making my chex mix, Mr. McKinney decided to marinate some steaks…and used all my Worcestershire sauce. So, I had to improvise. I had 2 bottles of balsamic vinegar on my counter so it seemed like the likely suspect and it turned out great. READ MORE

Brenda Embry: Quick and Easy Crockpot Lasagna

For the most part, living in the country, out of the city lights and noise, is a wonderful dream come true.

It does, however, have some disadvantages. As our area continues to grow by leaps and bounds, the drive to work gets longer and longer. I leave my house before seven and get home around six. It makes for a long day and the older I get, the less I want to cook when I get home.

I think this is why I rely on my slow cooker for many of our meals. Most of the time, I throw in a chicken or roast, add some veggies and let them cook all day. It’s so nice to come home to a wonderful smell and a delicious meal ready to eat.

Another great meal I like to make in the winter is Slow Cooker Lasagna. It does take a little more prep time, but you can do this the night before or, if you’re an early riser like me, the morning of. Since the cooking time is a little shorter than most meals, I usually save this one for the weekend so I’m not so rushed during the week. Unfortunately, I don’t have any pictures because it was devoured quickly and what was left was taken for lunches the next day. READ MORE

Keisha McKinney: Dragon Breath Fire Crackers

My dad and father-in-law love spicy snacks. And for 2 guys its sometimes hard to buy for, nothing seems better than showing up with a baggie or container full of a yummy little snack to say thank you for taking care of my dog or putting up with all of us over the weekend!

My brother-in-law even sent a text this week sending his “request” for a set of his own snacks. I guess since he has brought the cutest little girl in the world to me as my niece and kept her alive for almost a year, he deserves a treat too. READ MORE

Keri Bucci: Chocolate Drop Shortbread

Cookies are such a great treat in our house. As much as I bake and cook you would think that wasn’t so. But it seems I never make it around to making cookies. But lately I have been on a mission to change that. These Chocolate Drop Shortbread Cookies are heavenly and they were my first cookie recipe of the season. The buttery taste of the low carb cookie base goes so well with the dark chocolate drop in the center.

It did take a few tries at the recipe but with some minor adjustments here and there I have finally produced a crispy buttery shortbread base that is super simple and delicious. These have really been a hit with my boys! I must admit I have loved them too. READ MORE