Peach Berry Flamb'e

So.

Last night our friends M and D came over for dinner.

We took all of our food up to the pool deck and ate alfresco overlooking the city of Atlanta.

What a special night it turned out to be with wonderful friends!

After that, we went back downstairs for dessert.

I wanted to make use of those yummy berries that we hand picked.

I made

Peach Berry Flamb'e.

Yum.

and.  It was really fun!

here's how it went.

this is what I used.  Blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, and peaches.

I melted 3 TBS of unsalted butter and 3 - 4 TBS light brown sugar.

I sautéed JUST the peaches first (about 3 min.)

Then I threw in the rest of the berries.  I sautéed those for a couple of minutes.

I then poured in about 1/4 cup of Rum

Using a grill torch, I lit the whole thing on fire.

note:  although mine was less than exciting, be VERY careful doing this.  Especially if alcohol is involved.  As in, if you've consumed a lot of alcohol. 

It's hard to tell but there is a low flame sweeping across the pan.

Serve with vanilla bean ice cream.

Y'all, this was delicious.  I am serious.  It is a "must try"!

Enjoy with friends!!!

Have a wonderful day y'all!

kb

Recipe

Peach Berry Flamb'e

2 peaches peeled and quartered

1/2 cup raspberries

1/2 cup blackberries

1/2 cup blue berries

3 TBS unsalted butter

3-4 TBS light brown sugar

1/4 cup rum

Melt butter in pan.  Add sugar.  Add peaches and cook about 3 min.  Add rest of fruit and cook for 2 more min.  Pour in the rum and light on fire! (be careful as this could possibly flame up)  Have a top to the pan on hand to cover the flame.

Serve over vanilla bean ice cream.

Soooo yummy!!!

Let's Go Back in Time!

When I was oh I guess 10 and 11, my mother got on a kick to make homemade jam and preserves.  I actually think it was a reason to get us out of the house in the summer because (with there being 4 of us) we drove her nuts.  She made us go pick the wild blackberries that grew about a block down from our home.  

The big fat juicy berries grew in abundance around a railroad track.

Those summers were fun at first but I quickly remember getting SOOOO tired of picking those little suckers and was SO glad when the blackberry picking season was over.

Why?

Well, because I grew up in the deep south.  First is was HOT.  And, the wild blackberries were covered in stickers.  On top of that we were sure to come home with either a good case of poison ivy or chiggers.

And if you've ever had either, trust me, you don't want them.

Why in the world did my mother insist that we go pick them?

Beats me!  Because she was the one who had to take care of us.

I can honestly say that since those summers I have never, ever picked another blackberry.

After a morning picking berries, we also had to shuck corn and shell peas.

Wow.  

Thinking back on that, it brings a fond memory.  It makes me kind of sad that I never did that with my kids.

or rather, made them do that for me. wink.

Anyway, now picking your own fruit and veges is a "cool" thing to do.

So.  I decided to find a "pick your own stuff" place in Georgia.

Sweet "W" was not really as excited as I was about this task.  

First of all it was a serious hour from where we live in Atlanta.  

in McDonough, Georgia.

Still.  I was gung-ho and he being the wonderful hubs that he is agreed to take me.

I couldn't wait to take pics of us doing this, to show everybody how "cool" we are.

Hey, we picked our own berries.  We are so "uber" cool.

After battling a let me tell you...RIDICULOUS traffic situation, 1 1/2 hours later, we made it to Southern Belle Farm in McDonough.

www.southernbellefarm.com

And let me tell you, 3/4 of the way there I wanted to turn around and go home.  But, by that time "W" was on board and refused to turn around.  

I was sure it was because his favorite BBQ place was nearby.

Anyway, by the time we got there hardly anyone was there pickin. 

We drove up to this beautiful farm with silos surrounding the log fence surrounding the property.

Y'all.  Just a beautiful place.

Since I quickly realized that my camera battery was dead, I had to resort to the cell phone.

We drove down the red dirt road until we came to a quaint little shack where we got our buckets.

An extra little surprise was a grove of peach trees

 sitting on the property!  

"W" immediately went straight for those.

I went over to the blackberries to sufficiently fulfill my childhood memory.

and yes.  I did.

The difference?

No stickers!  No poison ivy.

and

no chiggers....(I don't think).

50.00 and 1/2 tank of gas later, this is what we got......

I had to take a selfie to prove to myself that I did this :)

To top the day off, they serve you homemade Peach Ice Cream!

"W" quickly sent this picture to the kids.

They were like "YOU MADE HOMEMADE PEACH ICE CREAM"!

and....

guess what?  Next week for the first time ever, I'm going to make jams and preserves!

what a fun day we (I) had!

hope you had one too!

kb

Why are We SO Quick to Judge?

Okay.

I've been putting off writing this blog this whole week.

The news in Atlanta this week has been HORRIBLE y'all.

Here is what has happened in this last week.

1) A man left his 22 month old in a smoldering car to die.

(notice I didn't say "accidentally" nor did I say "intentionally")

2) Yesterday a 23 yr. old man bumped the back of a car.  When the lady got out of the car to check the damage, he pinned her between the front of his car and her bumper.  His foot stayed on the gas pedal until the grandmother died.  Right in front of her daughter and 4 year old grandchild.

3) An ex Georgia Tech football player and his wife imprisoned his teenage son in their home for over a year.  He was locked in a small room well equipped with a box spring and a plastic jar to be used as a toilet.  He was the oldest of 10.

Wow.

That's just a smidgen of the bad news Atlanta had to report this week.

But, I want to talk about the first story.

The one that we don't have complete facts about.

The one that has grey area.  The one that has holes.  The one that has witnesses who saw a completely distraught father upon finding his son.

This is a controversial story.  

Big Time.

and y'all should read some of the comments from people.

I have never in my life seen so many stones thrown.

You know.  When my kids were growing up I cannot tell you how many parents I heard say "oh, that would NEVER happen to me" or "my kid would NEVER do that"

really?

"W" and I would just laugh.

Because stuff DOES happen to you.  And usually it happens to those people who think it would NEVER happen.

I don't know this man or his family.  I do know people that know him.  I also know that if there is a sliver of doubt as to his guilt, I'M not throwing that stone.

The news stations in Atlanta have been the worst.  One in particular this week had a judge on that had her facts all convoluted.  It infuriated me.

Look.  I agree that the law enforcement should do everything in their power to get to the bottom of this and make sure that this was not a mistake.

Because leaving a child in a hot car COULD be a way to kill a child and get away with it.

I get that.

oh, and I know that he googled "how long does it take to kill a dog in a hot car"

you know what?

I googled something very similar to that last week after hearing a story about a woman who left her 5 dogs in a hot car in South Alabama.

And yes, I know that he went back out to his car at lunch to put something in it.  

Wonder if he was on his cell phone? Or distracted by something at work?

I'm just saying that people make mistakes.  Horrible, horrible, life changing mistakes. 

I'm NOT going to throw that stone.

I just want this man to get a fair trial, both in court and in the almighty court of public opinion.

Have a great day y'all!

kb

Get Your "True Food Kitchen" Fix!!

About a week ago I saw a Facebook post by a friend of mine (hi Debbie!)

She was at the opening of the new restaurant in Atlanta called

'True Food Kitchen"

it's a chain of healthy restaurants by Andrew Weil, MD

Dr. Weil is a teacher and best selling author who promotes Integrative Medicine.
drweil.com

This is something that interests me.

Now, I'm not one to stray from (or get weird) about medicine, but I've always believed that the mind needs to be treated with the body.  Your body needs to be treated as a whole.

Mind, body, spirit.

I personally believe that your mind is the most important tool in your body to heal yourself.

I also believe that your mind can physically destroy your body. 

This is obviously nothing new.

Anyway, I couldn't wait to go eat at this new restaurant.

So, my friend Michele and I jumped over to Lenox Mall for a treat.  We honestly had no idea what we would be in for!  It was opening day and I'll be the first to say that I'm not a big fan of going to a restaurant the day they open.  But this was different.  I just couldn't wait!

Walking in, this place just feels good.
It feels a little like walking in to a Whole Foods.
Wonder why that is so?  There is just something so warm and inviting about walking into a wall of fresh vegetables.
Just makes you want to spend some money. :)

The decor at True Food is eclectic, fresh, slightly contemporary, with an industrial mix.

add pops of bright yellow, white, green, and iron...

and you've got the makings of the perfect "environmentally friendly", "organic" looking space.

I immediately felt healthier just by walking through the door.

 
Check out this menu.
Of course, you may need a dictionary to figure out what some of the stuff you're eating is.
Like "daikon"?  Anyone have a clue?

So, Michele and I ordered this appetizer.

Um, really it could have fed 4 - 6 people and we ended up taking a lot home with us.

But it was SO good.

And believe me, I'm going to be serving this at our next dinner party.

It was served with both a cucumber/tzatziki dip and a black olive tapenade of sorts.

We then shared a bowl of brown rice with chicken (which was so good I forgot to take a picture)

After a refreshing Bloody Mary (btw, I thought they would have had that on the menu but I had to ask for it)...and they kinda looked at me like I just threw them a curve ball,

we were completely and utterly stuffed.

but....

by 3:00, I was STARVING!!!

Still, I will definitely be back!

have a great day y'all!

kb

*note.  The only thing negative I can say about True Food Kitchen is that they don't include the calorie count on the menu.  kb

Bed Swings.....The Best Thing EVER!!!

Years ago, when we were building our lake home I wanted two bed swings in one of our screened porches.

I searched every where because I'm cheap and they were all too expensive.

So.

I had a friend make them.

See them?

Right outside the door.

Truly one of my favorite things about our lake home.

(that's of course after they had been slept in.

well.

The post that I did about these bed swings was wildly popular.  It still is from so many people who google "bed swings".

Now, a Facebook friend of mine has a bed swing company that I want to share with you!

CC Bedswings

and the prices are great!!

Contact them at

205-837-0103

(they are in the Birmingham, Alabama area)

have a great day y'all!

kb

Me and The World Cup....

Before you get all hoity toity on me I know that is grammatically incorrect.  wink.

Soccer.

I know nothing about the sport.

Actually I know a few things.

I know that one of my best friends is leaving to go to Brazil with her son today to see the World Cup.

I know it's in Brazil (only because she told me she was going there and I asked why).

I also know that Italy won the World Cup in 2006.

why?

because I was in Rome when it happened and it was a freakin crazy place.

y'all.  I am not lyin.  And you know what else?

I let my youngest beautiful blonde haired blue eyed daughter go to the Paizza di Spagna with a family that I met at dinner.

I'm serious.  She was 18 at the time and she later told me that she ended up on the shoulders of some Italian guy celebrating in what was probably the craziest place on the planet at that time.

So.  I decided today I was going to learn stuff about soccer.

You know, I'm on a never ending quest to learn as much about stuff as I can before I leave this earth.

It has literally taken me 54 years (almost 55) to get to that point.  I could have cared less a year ago.

I'm serious.

So.  I was bored today because the kids had gone home and "W" had to work.  I really needed a mani/pedi.

So I went next door to the nail salon.  

This salon is huge y'all.  I mean like 40 nail techs work there.  And the World Cup was on!

Perfect!  I can relax and learn the game!  In the hour that I'm there.

So, my nail techs name is "Handsome"  no really, it's either that or "Hanson".  I couldn't understand exactly what he said, but he KNEW soccer.  Perfect learning experience!!!

oh, and my new best friend next to me was like this soccer expert.  I knew she wouldn't mind me interrupting her soccer watching experience with a few questions.

I also know that Orthopaedic Surgeons must be getting like crazy rich off soccer players.

Okay.  So they're watching and I'm asking questions.

That girl (my ex-best friend) was like "B---h" get a manual and learn the game and quit interrupting.

Head down.  oops.  So I just decide to talk with Handsome.  Well, sorta.  In my best Vietnamese accent.

He told me that there are two cards.  A warning which is yellow and then the red one means your outta the game. 

My son-in-law actually told me that same thing yesterday and he was much easier to understand.

He also told me that if you get a red card you get kicked outta the game and no one can go in for you.

It really just looks like a lot of guys running back and forth and what's with hitting the ball off your head?  Really?  That just doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.  

I really embarrassed myself when I said "wait, is that Argentina playing?"

"Don't they have someone named Smellie, or Smartie, or something like that?"

My ex-best friend was TOTALLY over me at this point.

Lionel Messi...what a cutie pie!

Check back in a couple of days!

kb

Hey There!

Just checkin in!

Gosh where in the where have I been?

Man alive.

"W" and I went to B'ham for Father's Day weekend...last Friday.

The plan was J and the kiddos were going to come back to Atlanta with us for the week.

J looked at me on Saturday and said "mom, really, why don't you just stay here for the week".  

Well, it sorta went like that.  The truth of the matter was that I put a few of my paintings on Mountain Brook Trading on Facebook.  ahem, the like greatest thing to sell your stuff on the Internet.  Well, these were pieces that I had painted to go in Ever's room that just didn't look quite right.

Well....long story, and please trust me, I'm not complaining (or bragging) but I ended up painting well, lets just say the commissions were in the double digits.

I went to the paint store, bought all new stuff and worked my butt off.  

I also wanted to stay and go to a fundraiser for a dear artist friend of mine from Birmingham, Sally Waldrop Powell who is battling ovarian cancer.  It was such a beautiful event and successful as well.

So, so glad I decided to stay and go.  When you see a friend tear up when they see you.  WOW.  just wow.

so.  J, the kiddos and I hopped in the car and drove back to Atlanta last night. whew.  I really don't know when I've been that tired.

so.

Today?

My one month check up.

I would be lying if I didn't say I was a bit nervous.

You know, those x-ray techs are all "oh, I love your pants and your shoes" and all, and then you are lying on the x-ray table and they're looking at the x-rays talking all happy and all and then everything gets quiet.

Oh, believe me.  I was certain....absolutely certain that I had bone cancer.  I knew I did because I knew that those x-ray technicians could diagnose that.

Then when she let me out she just wasn't quite as chatty chatty as before.  She knew something.

Something really, really bad.

In comes the Doctor.  Well, actually she's the Physician's Assistant.

and no, I do not have bone cancer.

and yes, this is a picture of my 40,000.00 some odd dollar brand new hip.

Damn.

I could have had a brand new car.

She goes, "Kendall, really?  how in the world were you walking?"  "Your hip was completely cracked in half".  And to think that I played tennis twice after my original pain started.  duh.

Then she proceeded to tell me that Dr. Bradbury (lovingly nicknamed Dr. Burberry by me) was so amazed that he had to take pictures.

Oh, great.  I can just see my surgeon in the middle of surgery..."OH WAIT! let me get my iPhone out and take pics of this"!  Wonder if he Instagramed me to all his Dr. buddies? I must have been quite the spectacle.

So...what did I do to celebrate?

I did what any 54 year old all-American woman WOULD do!!!

I drove through McDonalds and got me a hamburger/med. fries/and a large diet coke.

booyah!

now. I am really, really, really on the road to recovery.

There ain't nothin I can't do!

by the way.  If any of you know of anyone who is having hip replacement.  Hobble over to Bed, Bath, and Beyond and get this...

have a wonderful day guys!!!

kb

My Daddy. Happy Father's Day Weekend!

I didn't always call him "Daddy".

I used to call him "Dad".

I don't know when I decided to call him Daddy.  I guess around the same time I started calling my sister "Sister".

I use nicknames for everyone.

Anyway.

Father's Day is such a special day.  Since my mom is not around, sister and my two brothers get to give all the lovin to my daddy.

You know, (and I know you know this) Dads love in all different kinds of ways.

I love that fathers now-a-days are so hands on.  You know, Dove commercials this week have made sure that we know that.

My father was hands on before "hands on dads" was popular.

I don't mean the hands on kind that changed diapers and cleaned the house and kept the kids and (important) stuff like that.

No disrespect daddy, it just wasn't what dads in that era did.  

My dad was hands on in other things.

Lets take sports for example.

I am here to tell you that he had my siblings and me in every sport that you could possibly do.

We were swimming competitively before the age of 5, gymnastics at four, tee ball, whatever there was to do sports wise, we did it.  And I cannot tell you how supportive he was. BUT, you had to do YOUR BEST.  "Good" wasn't good enough.  You had to be great at it.

I cannot tell you the times that I was around his friends growing up and was just so embarrassed because he would brag about my siblings or me right in front of me.

He was so incredibly proud of us and still is.  I'm sure people got so tired of the bragging.

but that is just who he is and who he will always be.

now.

The one most important thing that my father told me?

YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU PUT YOUR MIND TO.

Don't ever, ever let anyone tell you different.  That comment has stayed in my mind since he told me that 50 years ago.

he also told me to wear deodorant....

that was important. :)

and

He taught me to use correct grammar....wait, correction.  He POUNDED it into my head.

he still does.  But now, he himself gets lie and lay mixed up.  Only because I think he's corrected us so much that now he's confused on the correctness of the correct. Does that make sense?

Bennett "Callaway" was named after him and shares his birth date!

and oh how he loves those great grand babies.

and Auburn.

If I had a million years, I could never tell you how proud he is of his girls.  Each and every one of them.  His cup runneth over.

He taught me how to throw a ball like a boy (that's very important for those fathers of girls out there)

I'm serious.

He tells sister and me all the time how proud he is that we are so close.

And he tells me how proud he is of me and how much he loves me all the time.

Circa 1985

We have a humongous family of kids.

and we are silly.  and we have a great time together.  That is probably what my daddy is most proud of.

To my sweet, sweet daddy!

I love you so much!

xxxooo

me