Tag: food

It’s Tasty Tuesday! {Featured Food Posts}

We have some amazing foodies in Arkansas Women Bloggers. Each week we’ll feature a few of those special ones with you here and on our Arkansas Women Bloggers Facebook. (You are following, aren’t you?) I just know you’re going to enjoy these delicious dishes they have prepared.

Amanda Farris (Embracing Grace & Living the Adventure) is a busy stay-at-home mom of 4 precious kiddos. Check out this creative way she enriched the reading of Lord of the Rings.

“I’ve been looking forward to reading all the classics with my kids since I knew I was going to be a mom. Read alouds and sharing stories is one of my favorite things about being a family.

I seriously have so many children’s picture books and classic books around my house that I just had to box some up while we are doing our house addition. If we didn’t live in the country at the end of a dirt road, I’d set up a little free library.

This summer we dived into J.R. Tolkien for our family read-aloud. Really, Sam did all the reading. He read The Hobbit to the kids this summer. The kids would sit in the floor and draw pictures as Sam read.” READ MORE

Lacie Ring (Easy Peasy Pleasy) is so ready for fall. She’s already in the pumpkin and pumpkin spice mode. Her recipe for Cinnamon Roll Pumpkin Turnovers just whets our appetite. I bet it does yours as well. Let us know when you give them a try.

“Pumpkin spice and everything nice, that’s what this recipe is made of. If you love cinnamon rolls and you love pumpkin, you are in for a treat. First of all…delicious! Second of all…super easy! These Cinnamon Roll Pumpkin Turnovers are all the taste you live for in the fall and there are only 5 ingredients.” READ MORE

Ricci Alexis (Ricci Alexis) works as a respiratory therapist in her spare time when she’s not doing some incredible blogging, including this made-for-the-season Pumpkin Spice Creamer. It’s that time of the year for all things pumpkin and we’re pleased to be able to share this one with you.

“If you have learned anything about me lately it’s that I am obsessed with anything pumpkin! I can’t wait to get my first Pumpkin Spice Latte of the season and I can’t believe how early each year they are coming out! I’m jealous if you have already gotten one. But as much as I love a yummy PSL they can get pricey. Especially if you want one every single day of your life. Ya feel me?” READ MORE

Want the recipe Lyndi Fultz’s (nwaFOODIE) mouth-watering meatballs in the featured photo? Head on over to the ARWB Facebook page now.

We’re showing off some of the best of our #ARWB foodies. See what we’re bringing to the table.

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Be sure to come back next week for more featured recipes from our ARWB members.

Holiday Food, Fun and Family LinkUp

Christmas Link-Up ARWB

Our 2015 #ARWB Holiday LinkUp is all about sharing the many ways we celebrate food, fun and family. We want to know what traditions you bring to the holidays and just how you go about sharing those with your family and friends. Got a special recipe that is a holiday must have? What holiday event do you ALWAYS attend? Or what new one will be on your absolutely-must-do list this year. Do your family members come from far or near—over the river and through the woods perhaps? Share those posts full of memories and soon-to-be memories with us. You may post as many as you wish.

The #Holiday #LinkUp will remain open through Dec. 18 for you to share your favorite holiday blog posts.

It’s time for our Holiday Food, Fun & Family LinkUp on #ARWB.

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To Have and Have Not {Foodie Friday}

I am a die-hard Hemingway fan, so you’ll just have to endure another stretch title for this post. The thought, though, is for us to think for a moment in the opposite direction of most Foodie Friday posts: about scarcity, depravation and the absence of food. Sounds awful, doesn’t it?!

Image from The Graphics Fairy

Let’s ease our way into the conversation with just the idea of giving up something you enjoy from time to time: For many, this is the season of Lent. It is observed by different religions in different manners, but I was raised to choose a well-liked item or habit and refrain from it between Ash Wednesday and Easter. Many religious denominations observe this forty day period of “fasting, repentance, moderation and spiritual discipline set aside for reflection.” Whether you are religious or not, I’ve found that this annual period of abstaining gives me better health, focus, clarity and a feeling of spring cleaning my life, in a way.

Likewise, many cultures and religious denominations around the world occasionally participate in a fast or period of abstinence for health, holiday, spiritual or other reasons. It has become more and more commonplace for diets or new year’s resolutions to kick off with a cleanse (our friend Fawn recently blogged about her motivation and experience doing a three day cleanse).

My good friend Srividya who was born in India and now lives in northwest Arkansas recently shared with me the Hindu approach to avoidance of eggs, garlic and other foods. I’m intrigued by the world’s vastly differing approach to food and learning about new ways to season or prepare meals.

That’s Ainsley discovering her affinity for Indian food at Ms. Srividya’s house.
I’ll share the details of the meal over on The Food Adventuress!

If in love absence makes the heart go fonder, the same can be said of food. In the past, my forty days have included abstaining from chocolate, bread (definitely my heart grows fonder on both those counts) and soda (in which case I remember why it is not a healthy habit in general).

Whether you have given up certain types of food in the past for spiritual, health, cultural or other reasons, would you tell us about your experience? What did you discover, what was your approach or what permanent tweaks have you made? What does a healthy relationship with food look like for you?

In having this discussion, it’s also important that we remind ourselves of our great fortune in having such a conversation. The ability to abstain from a food usually indicates its abundance and our own fortune. Food scarcity, food insecurity and utter depravation are also normal throughout the world.

There are countless noble philanthropic organizations throughout our state and nation, but as Arkansas Women Bloggers it’s important to note that Arkansas is home to two phenomenal organizations that combat hunger: Heifer International and the Arkansas Rice Depot. Dozens of charitable organizations across the state such as the Samaritan Center work to ensure that children who may not have access to three meals a day on weekends or school holidays receive support.

Heifer International is Arkansas-based, but globally-focused.

As you consider your own healthy choices, less-than-healthy past choices and developing a life that includes a healthy relationship with food, consider your good fortune in having rather than having not.

Tell us all about your thoughts on this subject in the comments below, please!

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes {Foodie Friday}

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes
Written by Jennifer Martin of Imitation by Design

If you’re like most folks, you have certain foods or flavors that instantly transport you back to your mother’s or grandmother’s kitchen table. Because I love to eat, I have a long list of these magical foods, but one in particular came to mind this weekend… snickerdoodles.

We ate a lot of these growing up because they were one of those cookies you nearly always had the ingredients in your pantry to make. I remember helping to roll the dough into balls and dredging them in cinnamon and sugar, sneaking little bites of cookie dough during the process.

As much as I LOVE cinnamon, I always forget to make these. Luckily, these incredible Snickerdoodle Cupcakes evoke the same memories of baking cookies with my mom and grandma.

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes are like crack for cinnamon lovers. Seriously.

This recipe starts with a plain white or yellow cake mix that gets a boost of flavor with the addition of butter, vanilla and cinnamon to the batter. You’d be surprised at how changing a few of the ingredients in your cake mix’s recipe can fool friends and family into thinking you‘ve baked it from scratch.

This delectable cupcake is topped off with a simple, homemade cinnamon buttercream icing. Decorate them quickly by using a decorator’s bag and a large star tip or by filling a ziploc bag and snipping off the end to make speedy swirls on each cupcake.

Even if these Snickerdoodle Cupcakes don’t transport you home to mom’s kitchen, I hope they’ll tickle your taste buds.

Recipe

Cake:

1 plain white or yellow cake mix
1 c whole milk
½ c melted butter (1 stick)
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350° and line two 12 cup muffin pans with cupcake liners or dust and flour them.

2. In a large bowl combine all of the cake ingredients. Beat on low for one minute and then scrape down the sides. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat an additional 2 minutes, scraping down the sides occasionally.

3. Use an ice cream scoop or a ¼ cup measuring cup to divide batter into muffin tins. I only got 20 muffins by using the scoop, but if you use a ¼ cup measuring cup, you can get 24.

4. Bake 20-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

5. Remove from tins and cool completely on a wire rack.

6. Frost with recipe below.

Icing:

1 ½ sticks salted butter (not margarine) at room temperature
5-6 Tbsp milk
1 ½ tsp vanilla
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
5 ½ c powdered sugar

1. In a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until fluffy.

2. With the mixer on low, add 4 tablespoons of milk, vanilla and cinnamon. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, allowing each cup of sugar to be fairly well incorporated before adding another. (You could dump it in all at once, but you’ll be cleaning powdered sugar out of every nook and cranny in your kitchen for days. Just trust me on this one. ;))

3. Once the powdered sugar is fully incorporated, increase your mixer’s speed to medium and whip for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add more milk if needed to achieve desired consistency.

Jennifer lives in Hope, AR and is a wife and stay at home mom. She enjoys cooking, decorating, gardening and spending time with her family. Her blog Imitation by Design is her way of keeping track of her family’s favorite recipes and meals and sharing them with others.

In an effort to eat more veggies, today I shall have carrot cake {Foodie Friday}

written by Shannon of Still Seeking Martha

In an effort to eat more veggies, today I shall have carrot cake!

I love a good carrot cake. Honestly, I love cake PERIOD! There is just something about a carrot cake that makes me feel like a kid again.

In a single bite it takes me right back to the “pie” auctions the Cattlemens Association used to have.

I loved going to the auction with my Godfather. What little kid wouldn’t want to go bid on cakes and pies?!? Plus, everyone always said things like “Oh, I see you brought the boss with you.” Me? The boss? Alright I could handle that.

My Godmother, in what I chose to believe was an effort to make me smile throughout the year, but was more likely an effort to keep her husband’s wallet a little thicker, started making me carrot cake any time I asked.

Yes, I was that spoiled by them.

You’re going to need:

A couple large mixing bowls
A mixer (unless you’re crazy and want to do this by hand)
A large spoon
An oven heated at 350 degrees
Either a 13X9 cake pan
OR two 8 or 9 inch round pans
A little bit of shortening
A tiny bit of flour

As well as:

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups shredded carrots
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

and to frost it you’ll need

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 to 3 teaspoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar

Now that you have everything needed, I’ll tell you just want to do with it.

If you read this from the start, your oven should already be preheating to 350 degrees. If not, do that now.

Grease the bottom and sides of the pan(s) with shortening and lightly flour them.

Get one of those large bowls and your mixer and beat the granulated sugar, oil and eggs on low for about 30 seconds or until its well blended.

To that, add the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, 1 teaspoon vanilla and the salt; beat on low 1 minute.

Stir in the carrots and the nuts. STIR, with the large spoon I mentioned earlier.

Pour your batter into the pan(s).

If you used a 13×9-inch pan you’ll want to bake it 40 to 45 minutes.

If you used the round pans, bake them 30 to 35 minutes

Either way, you want to bake them till a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Once baked, let them cool completely. You can cool the 13X9 in the pan or on a cooling rack. Cool the rounds about 10 minutes in the pan then remove them and let them finish cooling on a rack. It should take about an hour.

While that’s cooling you should probably make the icing so get the other mixing bowl and your mixer back out, or cleaned off.

You’ll want to beat the cream cheese, butter, milk and vanilla on low until its smooth. Gradually mix in the powdered sugar. Gradually… like 1 cup at a time. Your mixer should still be on low so just keep it going till its smooth and spreadable.

Since that didn’t take an hour let your cake(s) finish cooling.

Now you can frost the 13X9 or fill and frost the rounds.

If by chance you have leftovers, store them in your fridge or invite me over.

Shannon is a 30-something Mom to 5 beautiful children. Yes, 5! You could call it a modern day version of yours, mine, and ours. Her blended family of 7 keeps her on her toes and on the go. Add in working from home as a legal secretary and quickly you’ll see her life is crazy and often chaotic, but she wouldn’t trade one sarcastic moment of it. Her blog, Still Seeking Martha is just a place she goes to share the ups & downs of blended mommyhood, like mowing what feels like 127 acres with a push mower, favorite foods and recipes, mostly cake, and sometimes some DIY projects like great teaching tools. You can stalk Shannon at http://stillseekingmartha.blogspot.com, on Facebook, Twitter, or just email her at seekingmartha@gmail.com.

Blueberry Banana Oatmeal Bake {Foodie Friday}

Blueberry Banana Oatmeal Bake {Foodie Friday}
Written by Ashten Adamson at Barefoot ‘N Running

I don’t know about you, but I tend to be pretty wishy-washy with my breakfast habits. It’s not something I’m proud of, but at least I’m aware of it. Since breakfast is the most important meal of the day and starts your metabolism, I’ve been making conscious effort to eat breakfast every morning.

I’m sure you’re wondering why this is a problem. But I like to get up and lounge around drinking coffee before I want to eat breakfast. Are you like that, too? This is a problem for me because I’m living a very active lifestyle. I’m currently training for my second 10K, and I take yoga three times a week. And I have my hopes set on the St. Jude’s Half-marathon in December. So I need a good, healthy breakfast that keeps me full.

Enter Blueberry Banana Oatmeal Bake, a recipe I adapted from Fit Foodie Finds.

What you will need:

2 bananas
1 pint of fresh blueberries (or 1 C. frozen blueberries)
2 C. Old Fashioned Oats
1 egg, beaten
2 C. almond milk (I used original but I’m sure Vanilla would be delicious)
¼ C. honey
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon of chia seeds
A few shakes of cinnamon
A splash of vanilla

In the bottom of a baking dish, slice the bananas and for a nice layer. Add half of the pint of blueberries on top of the bananas.

In a separate bowl, mix oats, baking powder, chia seeds and cinnamon. Add almond milk, honey, vanilla and the beaten egg.

Pour oat mixture on top of bananas and blueberries. Top the oats with the remaining fresh blueberries.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 – 35 minutes. The top should be nice and toasty brown, and there should be very little liquid in the center.

Spoon out a nice portion and top with your favorite nut butter, Greek yogurt, honey or all three.

The possibilities for a breakfast dish like this are endless. It would also be nice dish to serve at a brunch because it can be made in large batches.

You can use whatever ingredients you have on hand, and I feel quite positive that it will be delicious. And trust me, it’s the perfect breakfast to fuel a long day.

A tribute to running, eating, graduate school woes, healthy living and story-telling, Ashten writes a slice of life blog at Barefoot ‘N Running. You will find eclectic posts and a conversational writing style that will draw you into her crazy life.

Join Us April 28th for a Meetup!

Since November we have been hinting to you about a gathering this spring. Well the time has arrived!

We want to extend a formal invitation to all of you to join us at the Historic Arkansas Museum in downtown Little Rock for an official Arkansas Women Bloggers meetup! Mark your calendars for Saturday, April 28th and don’t forget to bring all your bloggy friends! Here’s our agenda for the day:

9:00am – We’ll break into small groups lead by the ARWB Gals to discuss the blogging topics most important to you! Help and be Helped by your fellow Arkansas Women Bloggers!
10:00am – Learn a little more about the Historic Arkansas Museum, which has graciously stepped up to host our meetup.
10:30am – Time for refreshments, networking (that means chatting), and exploring the museum.
12:00noon – grab your ARWB friends, new and old, and head out to lunch in the downtown area. There’s something for everyone within easy walking distance. Then, save room for dessert and head across the bridge to the Argenta Market in North Little Rock and hit the Foodie Bloggers Charity Bake Sale (watch our website for more info on this event)!

We’ll also be giving away an attendance spot for our ARWB Conference scheduled for June 1-3 at the Ozark Natural Science Center! We’ve got some other goodies and fun in store too. In support of the Food Bloggers Bake Sale, anyone who brings baked goods for the sale to the meetup (we will transport them to the sale for you) will get an extra entry into the conference giveaway!

The Historic Arkansas Museum has reserved parking, so save your meter/garage parking money for the Museum’s fun gift shop, which is full of fantastic wares made right here in Arkansas. You can go here to RSVP for the meetup on Facebook, or you can leave a comment to let us know that you’ll be attending.

Also, don’t forget to register your blog with us by filling out our simple registration form.

We can’t wait to see you all!

Dining with Lincoln and Washington {Foodie Friday}

Dining with Lincoln and Washington {Foodie Friday}.
Written by Lyndi Fultz of NWA Foodie

On Tuesday everyone got allllll worked-up and excited about Valentines Day when clearly their focus was in the wrong place.

C’mon people… you missed Lincoln’s birthday last weekend!

Thankfully you STILL HAVE TIME for Washington’s birthday next Wednesday. Shew! I almost felt sorry for you if you had missed that one, too.

Let’s get real.

Does anyone really go all-out for President’s Day weekend?

Where are ads for that day? The gifts? The lavish family meals?

Since the powers-that-be determined that both Lincoln and Washington should have their own day, let’s dig a little deeper into the fetishes of two of our founding fathers.

Food fetishes, that is.

A quick google search reveals a surprising amount of juicy gossip when it comes to their habits and desires. “Juicy” and “gossip” may be stretching it just a bit, I realize. Although, I must admit, I am curious about the dining delights during that day and age. Aren’t you curious, too?

President George Washington

According to foodtimeline.org. [insert link: http://www.foodtimeline.org/presidents.html#washington] “George Washington’s own eating habits were relatively simple. One observer of the time said that he “took what came with philosophy”; certainly no one could accuse our first President of having been a gourmet. Custis, Martha Washington’s grandson, described Washington’s food preferences: “He ate heartily, but was not particular in his diet, with the exception of fish, of which he was excessively fond. He partook sparingly of dessert, drank a home-made beverage, and from four to five glasses of Madeira wine”…A special passion of the President’s was nuts. He would buy hazelnuts and shellbacks by the barrel.”

There you have it. He ate simply and heartily and was excessively fond of fish and nuts. If it is true, Madeira may have been his best friend. Or at least got him across the Delaware River more comfortably.

Here’s an idea. Perhaps Monday should be called Madeira-Monday instead of President’s Day?

Let’s move on.

President Abraham Lincoln

Let’s learn what foodtimeline.org’s [insert link: http://www.foodtimeline.org/presidents.html#lincoln] has to say about the man who instituted my personal favorite holiday, Thanksgiving. “Lincoln relied on food to feed the furnace. He ate well when served a tasty meal, but was usually so preoccupied with problems of politics and power that he gave little thought to food unless faced with it. Then he could enjoy a delicious meal as well as the next one…”Family meals at the Lincolns’ were routine. Early in the morning the President liked a “good hot cup of coffee.” But often he would forget about breakfast until 9 or 10A.M. John Hay, one of Lincoln’s privage secretaries, occasionally ate with the President. He noted that the frugal repast might consist of “an egg, a piece of toast, coffee, etc.” On occasion breakfast was a single egg. For lunch, Hay reported, Lincoln “took a little lunch–a biscuit, a glass of milk in winter, some fruit or grapes in summer…He ate less than anyone I know.” Lunch was usually eaten irregularly…”

Boring.

If given the opportunity, I would skip dinner with Lincoln and accept that invitation with Washington.

Here is what I suggest…

This weekend, in honor of President’s Day Weekend, take a few minutes and do a google search on “favorite foods of presidents” and review the culinary delights, passions, and good-old-fashioned-yarns about our forty-four presidents.

At the very least, pick up a bottle of Madeira. That is what I’m going to do.

It’s only right.

Eat well, my friends. Eat well.

Lyndi

Finger Foods {Foodie Friday}

by Julie Kohl of Eggs and Herbs…where creativity meets the farm

Although New Years Eve 2012 has come and gone we have developed a tradition in our home that I wanted to share. It is a tradition that would be fun to incorporate any time of the year and I hope you can find something useful in this post.

In our house New Years Eve is all about the finger foods! Every year we get together with our good friends, play games and EAT! We cover the kitchen table with all kinds of delicious finger foods, sweets and punch. There are a few must-have foods on the list but each year we always try to throw in something new. The great thing about finger foods is that many things can be made in advance, you don’t have to make a lot of anything, and everyone can find at least a few things they love.

Over the years our selection has grown from a few items (pictured below) to a big selection which this year included pigs-in-a-blanket, potato skins, Duck nuggets, spicy crescent cheese poppers, a cheese platter, veggies and dip, shrimp cocktail, cheese dip and chips, mushroom wellington cups, Christmas Punch, and chocolate mousse! The trick is to include some old favorites (pigs-in-a-blanket and potato skins) and swap in a few new things each year. Pinterest is a great place to search for new things to make.

The Super Bowl is coming up as is Valentine’s Day. This would be a great time to get together with a few friends you enjoy spending time with and have a finger foods party. Ask each family you invite to bring 2-3 favorite finger foods. Lay them all out on the table and dig in buffet style. Gather around the living room with your plates and enjoy spending time together. Playing games is also another great addition to a Finger Foods party. Some of our favorites include Mexican Train Dominoes, Taboo, Catch-Phrase and Funglish.

Life is short! Have fun and eat well!

Looking for some super Super Bowl nibbles? @EggsandHerbs has some for you. #FoodieFriday #ARWB

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Eating for Pleasure {New Year, New You}

Written by ARWB January 2012 Blogger of the Month, Lyndi Fultz of NWAFoodie.

As this new year broadcasts its frantic message of resolutions and fervent hopes for tomorrow, twitter and the blogosphere is abuzz with diet tips, calorie counters, and an overall confusion of diet, diet, diet, and denial.

A healthy diet doesn’t have to mean denial.

A healthy diet should mean eating for pleasure.

First, let’s talk about the word “pleasure.” Webster defines “pleasure” as desire, inclination; a state of gratification; sensual gratification; frivolous amusement; a source of delight or joy.

These are strong and healthy phrases. Pause and dwell on them.

When we talk about eating for pleasure, it means that we should not focus on the guilt of eating. Eating is a privilege and should be a source of delight or joy for us.

It’s all about mindset.

Sometimes we just need a little tweak or reminder of our priorities!

The RIGHT mindset when eating

1)     Slow down.
2)     Engage all of your senses.
3)     Consume half of what is on your plate.
4)     Savor by taking time to chew.
5)     Give thanks.

The WRONG mindset when eating

1)     Fret about calories.
2)     Fret about fat grams.
3)     Don’t pay attention to what just went into your mouth.
4)     Shove.
5)     Regret another dissatisfied meal.

Let’s face it. We all have gone down the wrong mindset path a time or two. But that’s okay because that was yesterday. Today we start anew…

Which would you rather choose?

Eat well, my friends. Eat well.

Lyndi

Lyndi of NWAFoodie is a girl who just happens to live in beautiful Northwest Arkansas. Much of her blogging inspiration comes from this gem of a place which she refers to as the proverbial land of milk-and-honey.