/ , , ,

Make a Peanut Butter Pie, Share it with the People You Love

I don't know Jennie, but I bet there is a good chance that I've made one of her recipes through the years.  You probably have, too.  Her scrumptious creations are constantly featured in national magazines.  Too many to name here.

Even though I don't personally know food writer, Jennifer Perillo, her story has touched me.  I feel compelled to share it with you.  This talented, creative mother, of two young girls, lost the love of her life this week, when her husband suffered a massive heart attack.  As Ilina Ewen, a Raleigh colleague of mine, and also a good friend of Jennifer,  wrote in a fabulous post today, " this family's life has been forever changed, in an instant."

I shed a tear over her husband's last dance with his daughter on Jennie's blog.  Unfortunately, Jennie's story sounds just like another tragedy, a good friend told me about three months ago. The story is almost identical. A wife loses her soul mate.  Three children, under the age of 5, lose their daddy.  These stories shake me to the core because as a wife, and mother, I can relate to their heartache, and pain.  I know these tragedies occur every day, and that is what makes me sad.  You never know what tomorrow may bring.

Luckily for us, Jennie is a gifted writer with wisdom to share even when her heart is breaking.  She eloquently reminds us to take some time, and spend those precious moments with those we love.

"Mikey loved peanut butter cream pie. I haven't made it in a while, and I've had it on my to-do list for a while now.

I kept telling myself I would make it for him tomorrow. Time has suddenly stood still, though, and I'm waiting to wake up and learn to live a new kind of normal. For those asking what they can do to help my healing process, make a peanut butter pie this Friday and share it with someone you love. Then hug them like there's no tomorrow because -today is the only guarantee we can count on."

---Jennifer Perillo, author of In Jennie's Kitchen


 I hugged my husband a little longer this morning. I've savored some moments with my children. I've thought about the time I've lost with my loved ones because I chose to do something else.  I do have some writing deadlines this weekend, but I've already booked a sitter, and am having a date night with the love of my life.   My family will also be making some pie.

Photo Courtesy of  The Pioneer Woman

For Jennie's version of her husband's favorite Creamy Peanut Butter Pie recipe, you can download it here. 




read article
0 notes

/ , ,

eat.live.laugh and sometimes shop!

I'm very excited to start my week this week.  Not because I need to leap out of bed quickly, take my son to his last camp of the summer, meal-plan, get a week's worth of groceries, and of course, not get to spend one bit of time doing what I enjoy.  No!  That's not the reason.  I'm excited because my printed words, and thoughts are on another blog today.  A really good, fun, smart, and entertaining blog!








I'm the guest post for Amy with eat.live.laugh and sometimes shop!    Before I started blogging in January, I never read blogs consistently.  I discovered Amy's blog in the late spring, and my life changed.   Every time, I saw a new tweet or post from her, I would stop what I was doing, and read what she had to say.   That's what I call, "real, blogging power!"  We are close in age, used to carry around fabulous business cards in the professional world, before deciding to change our career paths to stay-at-home to raise our children, and we both like some of the finer things in life.

Amy is a mom to twins. She was blessed with both, a boy and girl. In one pregnancy, she completed her family.  I'm envious of her sometimes because she's already passed the small-children years, and has a little more time to devote to her blog while her children are in elementary school, but she deserves it.  After all, she had twice the work at one time.  Don't envy that!  Like me, she sat down one day. and just started blogging.  She is quite successful and inspiring. 

When Amy asked me, "If I would like to have the keys to her little blog," while she vacationed with her family in the mountains of North Carolina, I was truly honored.   Amy's blog is appealing because she is random in her topics, and as writer, that is a good place to be because you can write about whatever appeals to you at the time.   I hope to incorporate more of that style into my own blog as it grows.

For Amy I wrote, Frankly, My Dear, It's Like Vivien Leigh 



I'll be back here this week with a luxury hotel post that will make us all want to travel to the desert, even in a heatwave.  In the meantime, don't forget to look stylish in the kitchen, and enter my giveaway for a personalized apron from 31 Gifts.  You will look so good standing in the kitchen cooking all the recipes on my "Meal-Planning Made Easy" post.

Until next time, I'm going to grab that second cup of tea, and get myself out the door.  What was to be a quick 15-minute post has turned into an hour.  Nothing is quick on the Internet!



read article
0 notes

/ , ,

Looking Stylish in the Kitchen (Giveaway)

It's been a hot, busy week! My son was in swim camp all week, and I've been on the go with little time to comment on your blogs or talk to you on social media.  I have, however, been reading all the wonderful recipes you submitted for my very first "Meal-Planning Made Easy Post."

A big shout out goes to Gina, with the blog, "Taste: Love Food: Lose Weight" for pairing red cabbage with chicken tacos.  I had never done that before.  The taste and crunch "wowed" me last night. I didn't have grilled chicken on hand, as the recipe suggests.  As a substitution,  I sauteed fresh chicken with taco spices, and paired everything with peach salsa, sour cream, and a little bit of cheese, all wrapped in flour tortillas.   I look forward to trying more of your recipes this month.  I appreciate everyone, who has taken the time to submit a recipe, and tell others about the Hines-Sight blog.  The link is open until August 15,  if anyone else wants to link up.

As we heat things up in the kitchen, cooking all these new recipes, Hines-Sight Blog sponsor, Tricia Edmundson with 31 Gifts, wants to help one of my lucky readers look stylish in the kitchen.  I'm excited to announce that one winner will be chosen at random to win a personalized hostess apron from Tricia's 31 gifts.


The personalized apron comes in two new fall patterns, and retails for $36 monogrammed.

I attended Tricia's open house last week, so I could take a photo of the new fall line for you.  She had just returned from the 31 Gift conference, and brought back new items to share.  For this month only, she is offering 15 percent off every item in the catalogue.  You can add personalization for $7.00 dollars.  It's a great deal!  I was very impressed with the Back to School Line. View the new line, and tell me what patterns catch your eye.


We even had a little fun, and she modeled your new apron.  The muffins are not included.   I ate them.


Here's How to Enter

I think most people have a Facebook account, so I am running this contest through a third party application  on my Facebook page per Facebook guidelines.  Google ID is confusing to those, who are not bloggers so hopefully, this will make it easy for everyone. 
Go to my Facebook Page.  Go to the Blog Giveaway Tab on the left side, and Enter the Contest. 
It's that simple.


If you already follow my blog in Google Reader/Friends, Twitter, or e-mail, and don't have a Facebook account, please comment below. 

For extra entries
Follow @TriciaE31gifts(1 entry)

Tweet about this giveaway (1 entry)
Have style in the kitchen. #Win a Personalized Apron from @Hinessightblog and @TriciaE31gifts 
http://t.co/A2qeaDD

Blog about this giveaway (2 entries)

Leave a comment below if you make extra entries.
The deadline to enter is Monday, August 22 at 11:59 EST

If you are interested in taking advantage of Tricia's August special this month,  visit her website.  She is available by phone and e-mail. 
read article
0 notes

/ ,

Summer is Sizzling at the Biltmore Estate with Special Travel Offers

There are only a few more weeks until summer vacation is over. Many kids, here in North Carolina, are already back in school on the year-around schedule. My son is on the traditional school calendar, so he doesn't start kindergarten until September 1.  Yes, I have another month to keep him busy.  I may be worn out by the time the school bell rings.  I think this is why I always think about vacations.

Whether your kids are in school or out, if you are thinking of taking a weekend trip, or a longer vacations this month, then now is a great time to explore North Carolina's Biltmore Estate.

I've not made the trip, which is about four hours from my home, yet with my kids, but I have been to the Estate in August, and stayed on property at the lovely Inn at the Biltmore.    Since you know about my luxury-hotel obsession, I'll tell you more about my stay there, but Asheville has lots of wonderful hotels, home rentals, and bed and breakfast inns for every family's budget.


Courtesy of the Inn at Biltmore
Special Rates are now being offered at the Inn
 
Asheville, North Carolina is a thriving arts community nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

It is a gorgeous and sophisticated destination, and is also home to one of the most beautiful, and romantic chateaus in the United States.    The Biltmore House and Gardens, which was built on 8,000 acres overlooking the French Broad River, rivals some of Europe’s finest palaces.


Photo of the Biltmore House taken by my husband
 
More than one million people visit George Vanderbilt’s exquisite mountainside vacation home each year and I had the pleasure of being one of those visitors in 2009.

Vanderbilt created the Biltmore to escape everyday life, and if you really want to experience life as Mr. Vanderbilt intended in the late 1890’s then you must make the Inn at Biltmore your home away from home while in Asheville.   It is the only inn on the Biltmore estate, and as soon as you give the gatekeeper your name, and make your way down the winding, scenic road that leads to the Biltmore House, winery, and the estate's inn, you immediately feel the daily stress of your life disappear.   It’s an enchanting journey!

I was seven months pregnant when my husband and I decided to spend a weekend at the Inn at Biltmore.  We thought it would be nice to take a break from our son, relax, rest, and just rejuvenate before our daughter arrived.     The hotel grounds were beautiful; our room was luxurious, spacious, spotless, and inviting.  The bathroom was superb and it even served as a sitting area for me when pregnancy induced insomnia had me reading “Gourmet” Magazine at 2 am in there with my feet propped up on the marble counter tops so I wouldn’t wake my husband.  It really was the most perfect setting.

Courtesy of the Inn at Biltmore.  Our room was reversed from this photo
Feeling as big as the Biltmore's stable, being 28 weeks pregnant, and recovering from a virus, I could have easily never left the inn the entire two days, and been perfectly content surrounded by magnificent views and down comforters, but we did venture out on the estate to see what it had to offer.   We stayed at the Inn at Biltmore in August of 2009, and surprisingly, the mountains had a slight heat wave that weekend.  It was above average temperatures, not like the heatwave we are currently in right now, but hot for the mountains. The gorgeous, mountainside pool was a great retreat.  

Courtesty of the Inn at Biltmore
We also had a lovely night to dine outside at the Arbor Grill adjacent to the estate’s winery.  I cannot speak highly enough about the food on the Biltmore Estate.  Every meal was truly outstanding and we still talk about our experience from time to time because I do frequently bring up our trips in our conversations because it just makes me happy.  My trips are some of my best memories.

We had an early Saturday lunch at the Stable Café, and homemade ice cream in the afternoon.  You know a pregnant woman would find her ice cream!   We took a quick ride to downtown Asheville on our last night, but decided to come back to the inn, go to the Library Lounge and have a late dinner sitting on the inn’s Veranda.   We loved being at the inn that clear, bright, starry night.   That impromptu meal on the veranda was a favorite experience, and the view was spectacular.  I still think about that wonderful Pizza Margharita, too.

Me, as big as a barn, in 2009
The Inn at Biltmore not only left a lasting impression on me, but also on my husband.  He enjoys our trips a lot, but never really says much about them except “It was nice!” And of course, since he prefers saving over spending, he never really enjoys paying the checkout bill part.   But in this case, this inn actually got the biggest compliment of any hotel we’ve ever stayed.  He said, “I would definitely go back!”  

The great thing about the Inn at Biltmore along with the Biltmore House and Gardens is that it has a new appeal every season throughout the year.   With so much to do on the estate, one can get a different experience in winter, spring, summer, and fall.   I cannot wait to take our children one day.   And if you think you may like to do the same, then now is the time to plan that trip.  

August is a wonderful time to explore the Biltmore Estate.  The estate is currently featuring a beautiful Tiffany exhibit through October 23, and special rates on admission.  

Next time, I go back to Biltmore, I’m going to stay three nights instead of two, and I’ll definitely be checking out the afternoon tea service and spa.

For a complete list of lodging in the Asheville area, visit Explore Asheville, the city's official tourism site. 
.




read article
0 notes

/ , ,

When in South Carolina, Eat in North Carolina, But You Better Make it Early!

Okay! Okay! The headline probably has you shaking your head, and thinking that I’ve gone a little cuckoo from having two kids home with me all summer.

How long have you been reading my blog?  Two seconds?  Thirty days? Six months?  Regardless of whether you are a newcomer, or an old-timer, I promise you, I will never steer you wrong on lodging, food, and good, local finds.

Here’s the scoop!  If you make a trip to North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and even decide to get cozy in my mom’s cottage rental, Surf Chalet, you need to get on Highway 17 North, and drive just 15 minutes to the North Carolina State line, and make a trip to Calabash, North Carolina. 

Calabash is a little town just inside the North Carolina border.   It’s our state’s seafood capital, and it is famous for its’ fried seafood.   When you see billboards that say, “Calabash-style seafood,” advertising restaurants in Myrtle Beach, they are actually talking about a style of food served in little Calabash, NC.  

Trust me, if you never take my advice except this one time, here is what you need to do.   Pass that billboard, save yourself some time, and just go for the original.  We do it on every trip to NMB.  We make a whole night of family fun in the little town, but apparently, we have got to be speedier on our arrival time.

We didn’t expect this at 5:30 p.m.


Hello!  I thought only the elderly, and people with small children ate at 5 p.m.  Apparently, that’s not the case in Calabash, at least not, in the busy summer.  Whether you are 6 or 60, you better get there early or you’ll be facing long lines. 

You probably want to ask me. Is it really worth it to cross a state line just to eat seafood?  I believe it is worth it for fried shrimp, fried flounder, deviled crab, fried oysters, fried scallops, and for those southern hushpuppies. 


If you are a person who likes things broiled, sautéed, or with a lot of presentation, then it may not be worth it to you.  NMB has a few local restaurants that are just as good as some in Calabash, but the problem is that they are off-the-beaten path, and are only known by locals.

Calabash-style is simple, seafood, but it’s not cheap food, just because it’s fried, and the restaurants are casual in atmosphere.  True Calabash-style experts, know there is an art to frying this seafood, and that’s why some restaurants are better than others.  As you drive down the street, the signs all say the same thing, but the food doesn’t all taste the same.  

  
We like Ellas of Calabash. The shrimp is lightly battered, and fried without a lot of grease. The shrimp tails are off , which means it is less work, and it is easier to pop them in your mouth, while they are still hot.

Calabash has a lot more to offer than just seafood.  I’ll save that for another day, but here are two hints that will hopefully, leave you wanting to know more.  If you love ice cream, and like Christmas décor, and good, gift shopping, then put Calabash, NC on your list to see. 




read article
0 notes
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

Latest Instagrams

© Hines-Sight Blog. Design by FCD.