Tag: Foodie Friday

Alison Chino with French Peasant Soup {Foodie Friday}

t’s that time of year when we really need two things from our food: warmth + health. 

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I always think I’m going to eat really healthy after Christmas, but then the cold winds of January blow and I just want to be comforted by heavy casseroles. And pizza. The good news about this soup is that it packs a lot of comfort in every bite while still being easy on your caloric intake. 

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In fact, it’s so good for you that you can feel just fine about having a big slice of bread with butter on the side!

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French Peasant Soup
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Ingredients
  1. 2 tablespoons olive oil
  2. 4 large leeks, sliced thinly
  3. 3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
  4. 8 ounces sliced mushrooms (225 grams)
  5. 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
  6. 1 tablespoon herbes de provence
  7. 1 cup french lentils (250 grams)
  8. 3 medium zucchini/courgettes
  9. 8 cups chopped Kale (200 grams)
  10. 1 1/2 quarts vegetable stock (around 1500 ml)
  11. 1 1/2 cups pasta, cooked and drained (optional)
  12. salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. In your heavy bottomed pot, Dutch oven or Le Crueset, pour in the olive oil and bring to medium heat.
  2. Add the leeks and garlic. Cook for about five minutes. Add mushrooms, thyme and herbes de provence.
  3. Cook about 10 more minutes until vegetables are soft.
  4. Add stock and bring to a simmer. Pour in lentils and cook for about 30 minutes or until lentils are done.
  5. Add zucchini (called courgettes in the UK) and Kale leaves. Cook about ten more minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Serve warm with hearty bread or over pasta (kid-friendly option)
Arkansas Women Bloggers https://arkansaswomenbloggers.com/

alisonChino 

Alison Chino is a wandering pilgrim who loves telling stories. She moved from Arkansas to Scotland with her husband and four kids in 2013 and they are on a journey to hike as many trails in the UK and in Europe as possible during their season as expats. Sometimes this means contending with gale force winds and thrashing rain. Living in Scotland has given them a new appreciation for waterproof gear and hearty soups. You can follow their adventures on Instagram.

Jeanetta Darley: Feel Good Soup {Foodie Friday}

Scratchy throat.  Achy head.  Uncontrollable sneezing.  Or maybe you’re so stuffed up you’re spending your nights as a dreaded mouth breather.

Have I got the soup for you.  It’s quick and easy and full of lots of natural remedies.  So easy that even if you’re unsure of your ability to remain upright for more than a few minutes throwing this Feel Good Soup together in a big pot shouldn’t be any problem.

We’ve long heard that onions and garlic are chock full of compounds that mimic many over- the- counter cold medicines in that they dry out congested nasal passages and prevent mucus from building up.  Spinach leaves provide your body with much needed vitamin C, potassium, and iron that help you feel like getting back to your old self.  

And then there’s the bacon.  I mean come on.  Bacon cures a lot of what ails you.  The fresh stuffed pasta can be your own choice of tortellini or ravioli.  I use a chicken and bacon borsetti I always find in the deli section at Kroger.  You can easily leave the pasta out and replace it with thinly sliced potatoes.

Feel Good Soup Ingredients Collage

 

Feel Good Soup
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Ingredients
  1. 1-2 onions sliced
  2. 2 cups sliced mushrooms
  3. 1-2 tablespoon minced garlic
  4. 6 slices of bacon cut into inch pieces
  5. 3 boxes of chicken stock/broth
  6. olive oil
  7. salt and pepper to taste
  8. Fresh stuffed pasta or thinly sliced potatoes (or both)
  9. Bag of baby spinach greens
Instructions
  1. Heat olive oil in a heavy stock pot.
  2. Cook bacon, onions and mushrooms until bacon is nicely browned.
  3. If you are adding potatoes put them in at this time. Add garlic, salt and pepper, and chicken broth. Bring to a rolling boil.
  4. Once you can pierce the potatoes with a fork, add the fresh pasta and boil as long as recommended on the package. Stir in the fresh spinach greens. Serve with bread and butter.
Arkansas Women Bloggers https://arkansaswomenbloggers.com/
 
Feel Good Soup in the stock pot
 

Headshot-Jeanetta Darley

 

Jeanetta is a crocheter & coffee addict, chicken keeper & goat wrangler, a farmer girl & maker of drunk jellies. You can find her online at www.jeanettadarley.com or on twitter, pinterest & instagram @jeanettadarley

 

 

Jerusalem Greer: Wylie’s Triple Treat Lasagna

 When my son Wylie was younger he had a bit of an obsession with Garfield, the lazy, fat cat with a lasagna habit, which in turn led Wylie to develop his own lasagna habit. A few years ago, while working on my book, A Homemade Year: The Blessings of Cooking, Crafting, and Coming Together , I needed an Italian pasta recipe for the chapter on St. Joseph, so I turned to Wylie for inspiration. Together he and Sweet Man (my husband Nathan,) developed the following recipe which calls for three cheeses, three meats, and three sauces – a triple threat of deliciousness that will please a crowd!

jerusalem lasagna

Wylie's Triple Treat Lasagna
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Ingredients
  1. 1 pound bacon cut into bite size pieces cooked crisp and drained
  2. 1 pound ground beef chuck browned and drained
  3. 1 pound ground pork browned and drained
  4. 1 cup grated Parmesan
  5. 3 cup shredded Mozzarella
  6. 1 15oz tub Ricotta cheese
  7. 1 24-ounce jar of your favorite prepared marinara sauce
  8. 1 15- ounce jar of your favorite prepared Alfredo sauce
  9. 1 6-7 oz jar of prepared pesto sauce
  10. One egg
  11. Prepared Italian or Panko bread crumbs
  12. 2 boxes lasagna noodles (We prefer the smaller square pasta sheets that have no ruffles. You probably will not use all of both boxes, but you will likely need more than one.)
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 400
  2. The best way to build a pan of lasagna is to first create a buffet of the various ingredients.
  3. Mix the cooked meats together in a large bowl.
  4. Mix the Parmesan and mozzarella in another large bowl.
  5. Put the ricotta in a third bowl and mix in the egg.
  6. Pour the marinara sauce into a fourth bowl (fairly good sized) and then refill your sauce jar with tap water, and mix this into your marinara sauce. (The extra water will be absorbed by the lasagna noodles, which will enter the baking pan uncooked)
  7. In a large lasagna pan, spread a layer of the thin red sauce, completely covering the bottom of your pan.
  8. Next place a layer of uncooked pasta on top of the sauce, followed by layers of Alfredo, meat, mozzarella/Parmesan, pesto, and ricotta/egg.
  9. Continue building layers in this fashion until you reach the top of the pan, always starting with the thin sauce
  10. The top and final layer should be composted in this way red sauce, pasta, red sauce, mozzarella/ Parmesan.
  11. Cover dish tightly with foil and place on the center rack of the oven for about 30 minutes, or until it has thoroughly cooked through.
  12. Remove foil, sprinkle with bread crumbs, and return to oven until cheese and bread crumbs are browned.
  13. Let stand for 15 minutes before slicing into portions (if you do not let it stand and cool the whole dish will fall apart into a slippery mess when you try to cut it.)
  14. Enjoy!
Arkansas Women Bloggers https://arkansaswomenbloggers.com/
jerusalem1

 

Jerusalem Jackson Greer is a writer, speaker, nest-fluffer, recent farm-gal, and author of A Homemade Year: The Blessings of Cooking, Crafting and Coming Together. She is the Minister to Children, Youth, and Families at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Conway, Arkansas. Jerusalem lives with her husband and two sons on a little farm in Shady Grove, Arkansas. As a family, they are attempting to live a slower version of modern life.  She blogs about all of this and more at http://jerusalemgreer.com

Rhonda Bramell: Breaking Bread {Foodie Friday}

bread final

As my deadline for this post approached, I was mulling over several different bread recipes that I could have shared.  I’m a bread eater; what can I say? I’ve never met a bread, roll or muffin that I didn’t like, so I knew it would be a tough choice.  As luck would have it, my  husband came home from work last week and told me the guys at work had requested that I make some cinnamon swirl bread for them. Bam! There’s my post.  I love when that happens.
 
I got this recipe for cinnamon swirl bread from my friend Reba, who was my daughter’s kindergarten teacher. She has a blog where she posts all of her family’s weekly meals and recipes, so I often look to it for fresh ideas. I hit the jackpot when I found this recipe!
 
This bread is so versatile that it can be served as breakfast with coffee, as a snack or even as a dessert. I like to eat it warm with a glass of cold milk in the mornings. In addition to feeding the guys at my husband’s work, it also goes well to potlucks and picnics. And last year I gave each of my neighbors a loaf during the holidays.
 
If you have a sweet tooth, this bread is definitely for you. Enjo

recipe collage
 
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I live in Northwest Arkansas with my husband and three kiddos. I write at Bramell, Party of Five , where I’ve been blogging for seven years.   I’m your typical Southern gal turned minivan-driving mama.  Life with twins + 1 is a crazy, busy life but definitely provides me with lots of creative inspiration.

Heather Disarro: Sausage, Leek and Mushroom Pizza {Foodie Friday}

A few years ago when we lived in Colorado we had a favorite place in downtown Boulder called The Med that had a fantastic happy hour. Sure, the drinks were good (sangria anyone?) but our favorite part was the fantastic tapas menu. There was a margherita pizza that we would order multiples of, and we always left so stuffed that there was no dreaming up dinner by the time we got home.

About a year after our first Med happy hour, we were lucky enough to get actual pizza making lessons from the founder in a traveling brick pizza oven, and it was at that point that I started dreaming up a backyard pizza oven for our future dream house. Much like the lovely Zaza’s Pizza here in Little Rock, this pizza oven fired out the good stuff in seconds flat, as a good hot pizza oven should.

While we don’t have our dreamy Pinterest-worthy backyard patio complete with wood-burning oven, I have perfected the art of pizza in our electric range. It requires no fancy equipment, no fancy pizza dough recipe, and you can choose any toppings you like. I love this cozy version with breakfast sausage, butter-sauteed leeks and sliced mushrooms all on a bed of super simple bechamel sauce. It sounds complicated, but it’s really all about rustic ingredients that will bring people closer to the table.

As for the pizza dough, I hardly ever make my own – I’ve found that Whole Foods (or a local pizza place) can supply that need in much quicker fashion than I can. BUT if you have a favorite dough recipe far be it from me to keep you from using it!

As with all food, this pizza is best served with loved ones, a nice glass of wine (if you like) and a fresh salad. Enjoy!

Make the pizza of your dreams with this guide from @heathersdish 4 #ARWB #FoodieFriday.

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Sausage, Leek and Mushroom Pizza
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Ingredients
  1. 1 large ball pizza dough (enough for one large pizza - about 20 inches)
  2. 4 ounces breakfast sausage, browned and crumbled
  3. 1 large leek, white and light green parts only, cut in half and then cut into ½-inch half moons
  4. 4 large cremini mushrooms, sliced
  5. 2 tablespoons butter, divided
  6. 1 tablespoon flour
  7. 1 cup milk (I highly recommend using cow’s milk of some kind for this)
  8. ½ teaspoon salt
  9. ½ teaspoon black pepper
  10. ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  11. 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  12. ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees and place a large cookie sheet OR pizza stone (whatever you have on hand) in the oven. You want it to be screaming hot.
  2. In a small saute pan, melt one tablespoon of butter and add the leeks. Cook until the leeks are tender, stirring occasionally, about 5-7 minutes.
  3. In a small saucepan over medium heat melt the remaining tablespoon of butter.
  4. Add the flour and whisk together to create a roux, and cook for about 1 minute to let the flour flavor cook out.
  5. Whisking constantly, pour in the milk and whisk until all lumps are removed.
  6. Add the salt, pepper and nutmeg and whisk to combine.
  7. Let the milk mixture come to a simmer, whisking occasionally, until very thick and then remove from the heat.
  8. Roll the pizza dough out until it is large enough to completely cover the pan you’re preheating in the oven.
  9. When the oven and pan are hot, carefully remove the pan and quickly (and carefully!) spread the dough on top.
  10. Return the pan to the oven and bake for 5-6 minutes.
  11. Remove the dough from the oven and spread the bechamel sauce evenly on top.
  12. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
  13. Sprinkle evenly with the crumbled sausage, leeks and sliced mushrooms.
  14. Sprinkle the top with Parmesan cheese.
  15. Return the pizza to the oven rack by sliding it gently off of the hot pan.
  16. Bake for 8-10 minutes until the crust is slightly crisp and the cheese is bubbly and melted.
  17. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 2-3 minutes before digging in.
  18. Enjoy!
Arkansas Women Bloggers https://arkansaswomenbloggers.com/

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Heather Disarro is a food-centric lifestyle blogger who is passionate about embracing the beauty that surrounds us with in our everyday lives. She is a Texan living the expat life in central Arkansas with her husband, son and two massive dogs. Heather writes her blog, Heather’s Dish, from an office filled with dust, dog fur, toys and plenty of love, grace and music.  She specializes in creating delicious and creatively nourishing recipes.  Cooking seasonally and with as many local ingredients as possible is an important component to Heather’s style of food, and she revels in the opportunity to bring the love of cooking to the world as a way to love others well! 

 

Get your holiday favs ready for our annual Holiday Linky next week. #ARWB #foodieFriday #shareurfavs

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Dishing It With Chef Matt McClure {Foodie Friday)

 By Debbie Arnold

matt mcclure

This year’s Foodie Friday preconference of #AWBU featured four outstanding speakers, including Chef Matthew McClure (@matthewrmcclure) of The Hive at 21CBentonville. He encouraged all of us  to eat seasonally and eat locally. Much of his menu at the restaurant is determined by the produce he procures from local vendors and farmers. We were treated to two of his favorites during his presentation which we devoured on the spot.  He graciously agreed to share his Roasted Chicken with Garam Masala Spice and OkraTouille recipes with us.

He brought along a little friend to help with the presentation.

penquin

We might have been tempted to lick the platter!

We are especially thankful to Taste Arkansas for sponsoring Foodie Friday and supporting ARWB. 

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How to cut up a chicken into 10 pieces.

Dishing it up with @matthewrmcclure for #AWBU #FoodieFriday.

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Roasted Chicken with Garam Masala Spices
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For the spice
  1. 2 star anise
  2. 2 guajillo pepper
  3. 1 cinnamon stick
  4. 1 teaspoon mustard seed
  5. 1 teaspoon anise seed
  6. 1/2 teaspoon pink peppercorns
  7. 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
  8. 1 teaspoon cumin
  9. 1 teaspoon coriander
  10. 1/2 teaspoon cloves
For the Chicken
  1. 1 whole chicken cut into 10 pieces
  2. 1/4 cup garam masala spice mix
  3. 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  4. 2 teaspoons sugar
Instructions
  1. Toast the spices and then grind into a fine powder.
  2. Massage the chicken with all spices, salt and sugar.
  3. Roast the chicekn in a 375 degree oven for 25-35 minutes until done.
  4. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes.
Arkansas Women Bloggers https://arkansaswomenbloggers.com/
 matt mclure chicken lindsey march

OkraTouille
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Ingredients
  1. 1 yellow onion, diced
  2. 1 pint chopped tomatoes
  3. 1 cup summer squash, diced
  4. 1 pint fresh okra, sliced 1/2-inch thick
  5. Aleppo pepper
  6. salt
  7. canola oil
Instructions
  1. Stew the onion with oil and salt until translucent.
  2. Add chopped tomato to onions and continue to stew until they are completely cooked through and tender.
  3. In a cast iron pan, begin to sear the squash and okra over medium-high heat in canola oil; do not overcook. Allow the squash to cook until it is golden-brown but not mushy.
  4. Repeat this process until all of the squash and okra are cooked and added to the stew.
  5. Once the stew is built, simmer over low heat for 20 minutes to allow the flavors to blend and to thoroughly cook the okra.
  6. Finish with a generous pinch of Aleppa pepper.
  7. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
Arkansas Women Bloggers https://arkansaswomenbloggers.com/

debbie headshotDebbie Arnold serves as a co-administrator for Arkansas Women Bloggers and pontificates and eats at Dining With Debbie.  She and her Hubby split their time between Central and Northwest Arkansas.  She loves to cook, develop recipes and have play dates with her two perfect grands.  Mostly, she has play dates with the Perfect Ones.  If you’re interested in writing for Foodie Friday, she’s the one to contact.

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Tasty 10-Minute Chicken Salad {Foodie Friday}

By Laurie Marshall of JunqueRethunque

Several years ago we began cutting wheat out of our son’s diet, so the typical sandwich solutions for lunches and snacks were right out. I wanted to come up with some quick and tasty options, and this chicken salad has become a favorite go-to. It’s even easy enough to whip up at the last minute before school in the mornings. (Especially if you take your kids to school while still in your p.j.s, like I do on occasion…) My son usually eats it with gluten-free pretzels like a dip, but it makes a tasty sandwich if gluten isn’t an issue for your family.

Foodie Friday chicken salad 4

Not only is this super easy to make, it’s also easy to be creative with the ingredients in this recipe. You can toss in your favorite ingredients to change up the flavor and texture. For example, my son likes the combination of apples, grapes and almonds, but you could substitute those for carrots, celery and pecans. I am a fan of the herbalicious flavor that is infused by the fresh thyme, but I know it might be a bit much for some. If you have suggestions for additional variations, share them in the comments section.

 Foodie Friday chicken salad 5

Chicken Salad
Yields 3
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Ingredients
  1. 1 9.75 oz. can white-meat chicken (you can use leftover roasted chicken too!)
  2. 1 small apple, diced (I use Fuji apples for sweetness and crunch)
  3. 2/3 cup seedless grapes, any color
  4. 1/4 cup roasted almonds, chopped
  5. 1/4 cup mayo with olive oil
  6. 2 Tblsp fresh thyme (optional)
Instructions
  1. In a small mixing bowl, stir together all ingredients, taking care to distribute each ingredient evenly through the mixture. If you like a creamier chicken salad, just add a bit more mayo until it has reached the consistency you prefer.
  2. Boom! You’re done! Did I mention it was easy?
Arkansas Women Bloggers https://arkansaswomenbloggers.com/

LaurieMarshall

 

lLaurie is a writer and junque-hunter living in Springdale, Arkansas with her husband, son and three goofy cats. She raises kids and chickens and makes messes in her craft room. She loves to create good food, pretty gardens, and happy kids. But when that doesn’t happen as planned, she simply reads about them on Pinterest. You can follow Laurie at See Laurie Write.

 

 

 

Cheddar Rice Souffle with Riceland Rice {Foodie Friday}

 By Talya Boerner of Grace Grits and Gardening

cheddar rice souffle- gracegrits

Cheddar Rice Souffle from @GraceGrits w/ @Riceland rice. So delicious! #ARWB #AWBU2014

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In the early 1980s, I loaded all my belongings in my yellow corvette (for realz) and headed to Texas. Moving was simple when my belongings consisted of clothes and a bulky stereo.

Today? Not so much. Moving back to Arkansas thirty-three years later is a tad more challenging. There are certain things that can’t be transported by a moving company across state lines. Obvious things like hazardous chemicals, but bourbon and wine? Hmmm. And my plants! Huh? Yeah, I’ll be the crazy person driving a carload of ferns and herbs to Arkansas.

What about food, you ask? Although pantry foods can be moved, I’d rather fill the expensive moving truck with other things. So in light of this food issue, for the past month I’ve been on a mission to cook only from our freezer and pantry. Thus, every night is a pantry raid at our house. I create whatever I can, using what’s on hand. And what’s on hand often includes rice.

 Seriously. 

Riceland Foods, Stuttgart, Arkansas

Apparently I have been stockpiling rice. Arkansas rice to be specific. My family farms rice in Northeast Arkansas, so when I eat Riceland Foods rice milled in Stuttgart, Arkansas, I am buying local. That makes me happy deep in the heart of Texas.

This cheddar rice soufflé (tweaked from my grits soufflé recipe) served as our main supper course one night last week. The soufflé part of the equation combined with rice made the dish light and fluffy. Although this is not a difficult recipe, there is planning involved so set aside two hours for prep, stovetop cooking, cooling and baking. The final result is well worth the effort. I’ll be making this cheddar rice soufflé again soon.

We love our #localflavor from @Riceland and @GraceGrits. Get the recipe. #ARWB #AWBU2014

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Cheddar Rice Souffle
Serves 8
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Ingredients
  1. 2 cups cooked long-grain Riceland rice
  2. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  3. 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  4. 1 ½ cups whole milk
  5. 1 ½ cups sharp cheddar cheese
  6. 2 tablespoons minced green onion
  7. 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
  8. 1 teaspoon Worcestershire
  9. ½ teaspoon salt
  10. ½ teaspoon Tabasco
  11. ¼ teaspoon dry mustard
  12. 3 eggs (room temperature) separated
Instructions
  1. Melt butter on low heat in a heavy saucepan. Add flour. Stir until smooth. Gradually add milk. Heat until thick and bubbly like gravy.
  2. Add rice and all remaining ingredients except eggs. Stir over low heat until mixed well. Mixture will be thick.
  3. Remove pan from heat and let cool for at least thirty minutes.
  4. Beat egg yolks on high speed until lemony yellow color.
  5. Add egg yolks to cooled rice mixture and mix well.
  6. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.
  7. (When beating egg whites, make sure there is no water, oil or yolk residue inside your mixer. Even a drop will affect your whites. Egg whites should be at room temperature before beating.)
  8. Gently fold egg whites into rice mixture.
  9. Pour into 1 ½ quart ungreased casserole dish. Bake at 325 degrees for approximately 50 minutes (ovens vary) until knife in center comes out clean and top has a nice golden color. (During baking, resist opening the oven to peek at your dish.)
  10. Serve immediately.
Notes
  1. This is a great way to use leftover rice too!
Arkansas Women Bloggers https://arkansaswomenbloggers.com/
  

talya crop


Talya Tate Boerner
Owner, Grace Grits and Gardening
@gracegrits
Facebook: Grace Grits Gardening

As the daughter of an Arkansas cotton farmer, Talya grew up making mud pies and does her best thinking wearing gardening gloves. Although she has lived in Dallas since college, she has a continued passion for the Mississippi Delta and returns home to the family farm often. Talya freelances for Front Porch, Bourbon and Boots, East Dallas Advocate and Only in Arkansas. She is working on several writing projects including her first novel.  Follow her heartfelt stories about food, farm, garden and life at Grace Grits and Gardening.   


The winner of our Giveaway for two Bacon Bowl tickets from Petit Jean Meats is Keisha P.  Congrats.  Petit Jean Meats will be in touch.

 

Have You Met Herb? Basil-Infused Lemondade {Foodie Friday}

 By Sarah E. White

There’s really no excuse not to grow herbs. Even if you don’t have a back yard big enough for a garden (or any backyard at all), herbs like basil, rosemary, thyme and mint are easy to grow in pots in a sunny window or on a balcony ledge. The only problem – if you want to think of it like that – with growing herbs is that you tend to get a lot all at once, and it can sometimes be difficult to come up with something to do with them. Take basil, for instance. It’s actually better for the plant if you harvest regularly, and all those leaves can add up quickly. I happen to love pesto (here’s my recipe), but I’d rather do other things with some of the bounty as well. All credit for this idea goes to my husband, who is enamored of the basil gimlets served at Theo’s in Fayetteville. We learned that it’s really easy to make a basil infused simple syrup, and of course you could do this with any other herb you’ve got a lot of that would be tasty in drinks (mint, anyone?).

basil-sugar

 Basil Simple Syrup

Simple syrup is a basic recipe of equal parts sugar and water. Start with one cup of each, but if you have a lot of basil or another herb, or are making enough for a party, you can easily double or triple up. Add the water and sugar to a saucepan along with a handful (maybe half a cup if you were the measuring sort) of washed basil leaves. It’s fine if they’re not looking totally pretty. Bring to a slow simmer on medium heat, stirring to melt the sugar. Let it bubble gently for 5 or 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the syrup cool with the basil inside. Strain and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.syrup-lemon

Uses for Infused Syrups

You can use yours like my husband does, in a basil gimlet (equal parts vodka and syrup, or cut back on the syrup a bit if you don’t like it too sweet, along with a generous application of lime juice), or like I do, in lemonade. You can just add a shot to storebought lemonade if you like, or make your own. Start by squeezing a lemon (or a lime, if you’d rather) into a pint glass, add a quarter cup of syrup and fill the rest of the glass with ice and water. This makes a concoction that’s not too sweet or too sour, so you can add more lemon if you like it tart or syrup if you like it sweet. 

lemonade

Lemonade for a Crowd

  • Two cups of basil infused syrup
  • One gallon water
  • Two cups of fresh lemon juice

Combine all and serve over ice. Garnish with lemon and basil if you’re feeling fancy

sarah

 

Sarah E. White is a knitter, crafter, mom and writer based in Fayetteville. She writes at Our Daily Craft about crafting with and for kids and creating the life you’ve always wanted, as well as writing the knitting websites for About.com and Craft Gossip. She’s just about finished writing her third book on knitting and getting ready to celebrate her daughter’s fifth birthday.

 

 

 

 

#AWBU 2014 Foodie Friday Presenters Announced

Debbie Arnold

The Abundant Bounty of Arkansas 

Sponsored by

TasteARLogo

 

Shewmaker Center for Global Business
Northwest Arkansas Community College

Registration and Gathering begin at 11:30 at NWACC.

For #AWBU 2014 Foodie Friday, we are channeling the inner farmer in most of us and celebrating the bounty available to all of us locally in Arkansas.  We are very fortunate to have presenters who are tremendous supporters of our Arkansas producers, farmers and crops.  They believe in utilizing the abundant bounty that can be found right here in our home state and demonstrate that belief by  highlighting the use of that abundance in their menus, photographs and work.

Taste Arkansas also believes in promoting our Arkansas farms, farmers and products.  We are grateful to them for supporting Arkansas Women Bloggers in our efforts to further tell the story of Arkansas and its bounty.

We also appreciate Great Day Farms and their sponsorship of one of our presenters, Heather Disarro. 

This year we are fortunate to be utilizing the wonderful facilities of the Culinary Classroom, the Peterson Auditorium and the Tyson Kitchen at Northwest Arkansas Community College in Bentonville for our Foodie Friday event.  With the availability of these areas and the excellent technology resources, we just know this is going to be the best one yet.  

No, we are not including one of your favorite events from the past two years — the Iron Chef Competition, but I promise you won’t miss it.  These presenters will peak your interest and curiosity while preparing you for the kitchen, the camera and the community.

So grab your gingham and denim, leave the hoes and weeds at home and come celebrate the Abundant Bounty of Arkansas.  Ya’ll don’t want to miss this!

Did I mention that there will be food?  As in nibbles.

 2014 #AWBU Foodie Friday Presenters

matt mcclure

Matthew McClure

Executive Chef
The Hive 21C, Bentonville
Arkansas Bounty

Heather Disarro_1_Lowres2

Heather Disarro

 Owner
Heather’s Dish
 Creative Food Photography: Branding Yourself with Gorgeously Designed Food Photos (Interactive) 
Heather comes to us through the sponsorship of Great Day Farms

 Great-Day-Farms-Logo 2

and will be assisted by

lyndi amy Collage

Lyndi Fultz

NWAFoodie

Amy James

Our Everyday Dinners

jerrmy

Jerrmy Gawthrop

Executive Chef
 Greenhouse Grille and Wood Stone Craft Pizza, Fayetteville 
Utilizing Summer’s Bounty: Making the Most of Your Arkansas Garden 

 Jenn Head Shot2

Jennifer Crowson Watts

 Executive Director
The Cobblestone Project
Cultivating a Community Without Need 

 Hostesses and Social Media Facilitators 

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Talya Boerner
Grace Grits and Gardening

Kellee Mayfield
Delta Moxie

Just a reminder:  Lunch is not served at Foodie Friday.

Foodie Friday 2014 #AWBU Presenters announced! What a line up!!

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For details on the #AWBU Foodie Friday pre conference, head on over to our Foodie Friday page.