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Southern Party Food: Creamy Pasta Salad

Summer is all about picnics, family reunions, and cook-outs.  I always want to serve something that tastes great but it also easy to make.

I took two side dishes to a family reunion last month. The Shoepeg Corn Salad is always a crowd favorite, but my Creamy Pasta Salad also got high marks, too. 

The recipe was given to me by a friend who now lives in Kansas. She served it at one of her child's birthday parties, and I liked it so much that I stalked her until she e-mailed me the recipe.  She tweaked the original recipe to her taste.   I tweaked her recipe to my family's liking. I have no idea who created the original recipe, but I'm certainly glad someone did. 

You will be, too.  It may even be the best side dish at your 4th of July Picnic.



Creamy Pasta Salad

easy, creamy pasta salad.


Ingredients 


1 16 ounces package of pasta shells (I love to use protein pasta/low-carb)
1 cup of finely diced celery
3/4 cup of black olives (optional)
1/2 cup of Parmesan Cheese
1 cup prepared Italian salad dressing
1 cup mayo
1 tablespoon of oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1 package of grape tomatoes, cut in half
2 cups of feta cheese or diced mozzarella ( I use Feta Cheese more often)

Combine cooked pasta, celery, olives, and parmesan cheese in a large bowl. Combine Italian dressing, mayo, oregano, and pepper.  Add to pasta mixture and toss gently. Fold in tomatoes and feta cheese at serving time. 




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I'm Declaring my "Sweet Independence" and am Eating Chocolate Guilt-Free

Since starting this blog, I’ve always tried to remain truthful when I write on the topic of parenting.  As a mom, I certainly have unconditional love for my children, but let’s face this simple fact.

Parenting is a lot of work! 

Yes, it’s rewarding and all, but every day is not a lovely walk in the park.  Now, add the demands of outside work, other obligations, and some wacky hormones into the mix, and life, as we know it, can get crazy.

We may all look happy here, but there is no telling what the scene was like an hour earlier.

The only way we could really get this happy photo is because they each got a
piece of  Hershey's Simple Pleasures chocolate as a reward. 
My only survival tactic on a lot of these days is to enjoy bites of chocolate, especially dark chocolate. It helps me cope. It makes me happy.  It’s like I take a bite and my body sings, “I Will Survive!”

But, as a mom in my early 40s, and toting a metabolism that doesn’t function like it did a decade ago, I have to be careful of my diet because what I eat goes straight to my hips, and it’s starting to move to my stomach now, too.  I can’t eat a whole chocolate bar like I could at 25.  One chocolate bar needs to last me weeks, not a day!

When The Motherhood on behalf of Hershey’s, asked me to sample the new chocolates, Simple Pleasures, I think it took me less than a second to say, “Yes!”  The one thing that intrigued me was Hershey’s Simple Pleasures chocolates have 30 percent less fat than the average leading milk chocolates. I couldn’t help but wonder if less fat meant less taste.

Hershey's Simple Pleasures chocolates have 30 percent less fat than average leading milk chocolates. 

Guess what? It doesn’t.  I sampled three chocolates, all with a rich and creamy center.  The varieties included Milk Chocolate with Vanilla Creme, Milk Chocolate, and Dark Chocolate.  My mom even heard there was extra chocolate at my house so she got in on the tasting, too.  She thought they were so good that she had to read the label about the less fat for herself.  She didn't believe me. 

All are delicious, but I'm going to say the dark chocolate is my favorite. 

My kids loved them, too.  What I love more than anything, though, is that the serving size is clearly labeled, and since each chocolate is individually wrapped, there is no guessing on how many calories you are getting with each chocolate.  Six chocolates equal 180 calories and 8 grams of fat.

I give my children one chocolate each for dessert, and everyone is happy.  The family favorite is the dark chocolate variety, but all flavors are great.

With Independence Day this week, I’m very happy to declare my “Sweet Independence” on Hershey’s Facebook page and enjoy my chocolate without any guilt.  I can have one chocolate with my tea in the afternoon, or one after dinner, and still have fewer calories than the serving size.  Even all the chocolates together contain fewer calories than a cupcake, a piece of cake, or slice of pie.

Hershey's Simple Pleasure Dark Chocolate with Chocolate Creme

I am going to enjoy my Simple Pleasures and maintain a healthy and balanced lifestyle throughout the ups and downs of parenting.  Join me in signing a declaration for “Sweet Independence” and get special coupons and a chance to win a weekly $100 gift card.

Sweet Independence never felt and tasted so good!
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of The Motherhood and Hershey’s. I was compensated for my time to sample the products and to write my honest opinion about Hershey’s Simple Pleasures. 
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Top Five Reasons to Visit N.C.’s High Country in the Summer

In North Carolina, we are lucky. We have the scenic coast and the beautiful Appalachian Mountains as great choices for family vacations.  In Raleigh, we can get to both within hours.

My family recently spent a few days in North Carolina’s High Country Mountain area, and our destination was the Boone-Blowing Rock area in Watauga County.  We didn’t see everything, but I thought I would share my views on why it makes a great vacation destination.

The Scenery
The Blue Ridge Parkway, High Country in the Sumner.
The Blue Ridge Parkway

The Blue Ridge Parkway, the 77-year-old highway that links Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park in the north to the Blue Ridge National Park in the south, snakes through the Appalachian Mountains.  The Boone portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway is a pivotal point along the scenic highway.  We didn’t make a trip to Grandfather Mountain, the tallest mountain in the Blue Ridge located in Linville, N.C., on this trip, but it is a must-see when in the area.  We were short on time, and we wanted Baby Diva to get a little older before making that trek across the famous mile-high swinging bridge.  This park is wonderful for families, though, who like to hike and explore.

Kid-Friendly
Jake's at the Rock in Blowing Rock, NC

I have talked about the beautiful town of Blowing Rock in a previous post, but I cannot emphasize enough how much fun it was for my children to play in the park, eat ice cream, and stroll down the main street.  Even if you are just passing through the area on the Blue Ridge Parkway, get off and take some time to stroll the streets of this charming town.


Mast General Store in Valle Crucis, N.C established in 1883
And talk about a kid in a candy store! The Mast General Store, established in 1883 in Valle Crucis, North Carolina, is on the National Register of Historic Places.  The annex, located down the street, has over 500 types of candy for sale.  I am not exaggerating.  It’s incredible. 
Tons of Candy can be found at Mast General Store in Valle Crucis, N.C.
It's hard to choose just one piece of candy
And it’s hard to get your kids out of the candy store, but if you tell them that you are going to the adorable park behind the candy store, then you may get them out of the store a little quicker.

Old-Time Adventures
Tweetsie Railroad in Blowing Rock, N.C.
Tweetsie Railroad in Blowing Rock, NC

If you ask my children what they enjoyed most about our trip to the High Country in May, both will say “Tweetsie Railroad.” So what if Baby Diva is afraid of any mode of transportation other than a car; she still had a great time at Tweetsie Railroad, located between Boone and Blowing Rock.  She didn’t get aboard the famous train, and she cried hysterically as she rode a bus to the top of the mountain, but she loved every other minute of this historic, fun amusement park.



The Cuisine

Watauga County is known for its restaurants, where chefs use the farm-to-table approach, cooking with local fresh ingredients.  It’s a mecca for little cafes with down-home charm and fine-dining establishments that will delight your palate. Since my dad was in the restaurant business for over 30 years, I make a point on my travels to seek out restaurants that are independently owned

Great food at Pepper's

On one of our nights in the area, we dined at Pepper’s Restaurant and Bar, which is a member of the Boone Independent Restaurants Organization.  Pepper’s was a great family choice for us, and the bar-type food was delicious.  They have a fabulous children’s menu, too.  Pepper’s also helps support North Carolina breweries by dedicating ten taps for N.C. beers, and they have numerous N.C. beers by the bottle on the menu as well as other popular national brews.

Outdoor Adventure, Wineries and Spas

In the winter, the Boone area is a bustling ski community, but in the summer it is the perfect playground for hiking, rafting, tubing, kayaking, biking, ziplining, and all things active.  There is also golf, tennis, and swimming plus luxury spas, and local wineries in the area that are open for tours.  In Watauga County, you can be as busy as you want or do as little as you want. ExploreBoone.com can help you plan your special itinerary.

Where We Stayed:

The Mast Farm Inn, Valle Crucis, North Carolina



This luxury bed and breakfast inn, which is now a member of Historic Hotels of America, is a luxury haven in the small mountain village of Valle Crucis, North Carolina.  We stayed in one of the inn’s family cabins, and you can read about our stay in May’s“Pack Your Bags” segment.  Our only regret was that we didn’t stay long enough.  I highly recommend renting a family cabin to explore the area.  The Mast Farm Inn does not disappoint the luxury traveler or the foodie. The historic farm house is perfect for couples who want a romantic getaway, or if you want a little more space and a kitchen, the larger cabins provide a peaceful sanctuary away from it all.  Now, that’s a vacation!




 Courtyard Marriott, Boone, North Carolina

My family also stayed one night in the brand new CourtyardMarriott in Boone before checking into The Mast Farm Inn.  This was my first time staying in a Courtyard Marriott after many years, and the first time with my kids. The hotel chain’s new slogan is, “It’s a New Stay!” I couldn’t agree more, and I think the hotel chain is doing a great job on providing guests with what I call “affordable luxury” for families.   This Courtyard looks like a regular chain hotel on the outside, but when you walk in you get the feel of a luxury boutique property.  This is why I chose it for our trip.  With special touches like a reading area, a fire-pit area, and a bistro that serves wine and beer, it embodies the quality of a four-star hotel.  Our bedding was nice, and the beds were as comfortable as I have found in the chain’s upscale sister properties.  It certainly doesn’t have a resort pool, but the small indoor pool was a fun experience for our children, and it was exciting for them to go swimming one night before bed.  I would definitely stay at the Courtyard Marriott again and would perhaps even seek one out if I was passing through town for an overnight stay. 

Related Posts:
Pack Your Bags: We're Heading to the Mast Farm Inn in Valle Crucis, NC
Why Picturesque Blowing Rock, N.C, is a Must-Visit Town



I received a media discount on my stay at the Courtyard Marriott and was a media guest of The Mast Farm Inn in order to write my “Pack Your Bags” feature.  All opinions are my own and are not influenced by the hotels. 

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Why Do Kids Make So Much Noise?

I try not to show my age.  I really do, but sometimes having young children later in life takes its toll, on the ears.

I had great dinner with a girlfriend of mine the other night at Cameron Village.  We sometimes say we are twins separated at birth. She, too, was a journalist.  We had our first child in our late 30s, both boys. We are “only children” in our families, and we grew up in small North Carolina towns.  We were even working in the same office when we were pregnant with our sons, and both of us chose to stay home with our kids, full-time.  We have a lot in common.

On this night, we were talking parental woes. It’s not surprising that we both had the same complaint.

NOISE.

She has only one child.  I have two, but my youngest doesn’t really make noise.  My first child takes the “making noise honors” in our house.  Apparently, my friend’s child is just as noisy.

Saying goodbye to the noise as we leave our children with a sitter so we can
enjoy a nice, quiet dinner. 

I had to ask:  “Do you think it’s our age, and we just can’t tolerate the noise?”

It could be.

However, my friend thinks it could be the fact that we are only children and are not used to having constant noise around us.  She pointed out that we didn’t grow up with a lot of noise.

That’s a good point.  I didn’t. The only noise I really heard was the TV. I didn’t have a lot of kids in the neighborhood to play with, either.  I had a rather boring, quiet childhood.

This got me to thinking. Does our “only child” status make us less tolerant of noise?  Probably so.  

But I still think age may play a role, too.  Noise bothers me a lot more at 4 p.m. in the day as opposed to 10 a.m.  I think by 4 p.m, I am spent. Noise at 8 p.m. is just a downright crime. 

I. Can’t. Stand. It. By that point, I want to just run in my closet and hide. Either that, or I start to yell at my children like a crazy lunatic. And it’s not just the kid noise they make.  It’s TV noise.  Music noise. Toy noise.  It’s all sorts of noise that children generate.

My son loves to use my husband’s laptop while I’m writing.  It’s hooked up in our office adjacent to my desktop. I can’t stand the noise he makes while I’m on my computer. Some game dings. He’s humming. It drives me batty.  My husband actually brought out earphones for my son to use while in the same room as me the other night.


It was an improvement, but he was still making noise with his mouth.  Singing. Humming. Talking.  It’s nonstop.  I can’t think.  He is like the Energizer bunny of noise.

But I may have the solution.  I’m the one who needs the earplugs or headphones, not him.

What do you think?  Do you have quiet children? 



Pouring my Heart Out on the subject of noise with:
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Little Feet and Topsail Beach

Little feet taking an outdoor shower. 

I will be back in this space soon, but wanted to say hello. We returned back to Raleigh on Sunday following a vacation on North Carolina's coast with my husband's family. We had a wonderful time, and this was our seventh summer on the island. I wanted to share with you a few of my favorite photos.

Fun in the surf

Crazy Curls


Beach Place Too with Topsail-Realty

Topsail Beach, North Carolina 

It's going to be hard for us to wake up tomorrow, and not have a beautiful ocean a few steps away. Once I get caught up on the mounds of laundry, I'll have more stories for you.

Have a great week!

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