Rich Chocolate Pecan Pie

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups pecans
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• Pinch salt
• Confectioners' sugar, for garnish

Directions

1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

2.  Spread the pecan pieces and the chocolate chips evenly on the bottom of the pie shell.
3.  In a mixing bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients together. Pour the filling over the pecans.
4.  Bake until the filling sets, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 30 minutes before slicing. 5.  Serve sprinkled with confectioners' sugar or whipped cream.

I've tried several new recipes lately, but this is one of my favorites, compliments of Emeril Lagasse.  If you're a chocolate lover like me, you will love it!  Try it with vanilla ice cream if you're feeling especially sinful!

A Mississippi Christmas

I hope everyone had a very happy holiday season!  We had a great time celebrating with friends and family.  Here are a few pictures from the past week.

Brooke, Emmylou, and me on the Canton Square - One week before Brooke got engaged at this very spot! Congratulations, John and Brooke!  We can't wait to celebrate a couple we love :)

On Christmas Day, Huck was very excited to dress up in his new sweater and jingle bell collar.

Huck and Bell playing together on Christmas Day.

 We had a wonderful Christmas lunch at the Ellises.

Mamie, Emma Cate, and Josie

Robin and Jack

Elizabeth and Jack

Olive and Me

Josie and Uncle David

David and Olive

Jennifer and Olive

The day after Christmas, we had lunch at our house with the Carrolls.

Ben and Mom

Dad

David and Anna

It was a joyful weekend, and I'm so thankful for all the time we had together. We're looking forward to ringing in 2012 this weekend!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

My Mom is celebrating her birthday today!  If you know my Mom, you know she is beautiful on the inside and out.  She's good at so many things, but most of all, she's a fabulous mother.  She has the most generous heart of anyone I've ever known.  When I grow up, I want to be just like her.

Mom, I hope your birthday is the best yet!  Hurry to Jackson so we can celebrate!

Zoe's Quesadillas

One of my favorite lunch places is Zoe's Kitchen, and I always order the same thing - Chicken, Spinach, and Feta Quesadillas.  They're wonderful!  Unfortunately, Zoe's Kitchen hasn't made it to Jackson, so I decided to try their tasty quesadillas in my very own kitchen (with the help of David - he's much better at flipping quesadillas than I am).  I found the recipe on a very cute blog - Sugar & Spice by Celeste.  I tweaked it just a little and would definitely recommend you try it.  This is the easy recipe for two:

Ingredients:

• Vegetable Oil Spray
• 2 Chicken Breasts
• Soy Sauce
• Ely's Seasoning (or your favorite chicken seasoning - this is optional)
• 4 8" Flour Tortillas
• 1 Box Frozen Spinach
• Feta Cheese, crumbled (as much as you would like)
• Sun-Dried Tomatoes, sliced
• 2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salsa, for dipping
• Sour Cream, for dipping
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste  

  

Directions:

1. Season the chicken with the seasoning of your choice, and drizzle soy sauce on the chicken.  I used Ely's Seasoning (a multi-purpose seasoning made fresh at Ely's, an awesome Jackson restaurant).
2. Cook the spinach according to the package instructions, either in the microwave or in a medium saucepan.
3. Spray a grill pan with Vegetable Oil Spray.
4. Place the grill pan on high heat on the stove top.  When it becomes hot, grill the chicken until completely cooked.  Chop the chicken in small pieces.
5. Drain and squeeze the excess water out of the spinach using paper towels.
6. Place a tortilla on a plate, and add a layer of spinach on top.  Follow with a layer of chicken, then feta cheese, then sun-dried tomatoes.  Cover with a second tortilla.  Put as much as you would like of each, but be sure not to load the quesadilla down too much (it will make flipping it more difficult).
7. Heat a large skillet over medium heat on the stovetop, and coat the bottom of the saucepan with olive oil.
8. VERY carefully, place the loaded tortilla on the skillet.  Let the tortilla cook for a few minutes, and then very slowly flip the quesadilla using a large spatula.
9. Once the quesadilla is golden brown on both sides, return it to the plate and use a pizza cutter to cut it in quarters.
10. Serve with Salsa and Sour Cream for dipping.

I hope you enjoy them as much as we did!

New Orleans in December

Happy Monday!  I hope everyone had a great weekend!  We returned from New Orleans last night, and our trip couldn't have been better!  We stayed at the Renaissance New Orleans Arts Hotel, and I would highly recommend it to anyone planning a trip to New Orleans.  It's located in the Arts District, but is very close to the French Quarter.  The lobby is covered with beautiful modern art and contains a restaurant that serves a delicious breakfast, lunch, and dinner - La Cote Brasseie.  For more information, see http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/msydt-renaissance-new-orleans-arts-hotel/

The highlight of our weekend was definitely dinner at Commander's Palace, a legendary New Orleans restaurant located in the Garden District.  http://www.commanderspalace.com/  The food was amazing, and it was a perfect place to celebrate an anniversary.

It was such a special weekend!  We can't wait for another exciting trip to NOLA.  Now we can focus on Christmas decorating!

Have a great week :)

'Tis the Season

It's been a busy week with little time for blogging, so I'm taking my lunch break to catch up on what's going on.  Last weekend, we had a fun weekend in Savannah celebrating not one, but two, holidays I love.  On Thursday, we celebrated Thanksgiving by indulging in a spectacular lunch at my parents' house complete with the traditional Thanksgiving spread.

Fabulous Dressing - a Thanksgiving Favorite

My Mom's work of art - she used my grandmother's sweet potato casserole recipe.  Everyone loved it!

 

A football game followed lunch.  Very impressive, McKenzie...

David and Ben showing off their skills :)

It was such a pretty fall day in Tennessee.

More good food...

Ms. Meda and me

My boys :)

We're having a Mississippi Christmas this year, so we celebrated Christmas with my cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandmother on the Saturday following Thanksgiving. 

David is wearing the shirt he received in Dirty Santa.  Anna must really love him to take a picture with him in that shirt.

A family basketball game - I must note that Molly beat all the boys in Pig.  I'm not surprised ;)

Here she is with Huck

A good time was had by all :)  We left feeling very thankful for family and the time we share.

When we returned to Jackson, we went to David's parents' house for a fabulous Sunday lunch followed by dessert with the Ellis family.  I was in heaven holding the newest members of our family - Jack, Olive, and our new cousin, Emma.  2011 has definitely been a year of blessings.  David's sister, Elizabeth, was visiting for the first time since her move to Maryland to pursue her doctorate in English.  It was so nice to spend time catching up with her, and we're glad she'll be back very soon for Christmas. 

Last night, Jon David and Brenda invited us to attend 'Twas a Night with Gail Pittman, which benefited the Mississippi Children's Home.  We had so much fun with JD and Brenda and enjoyed learning more about a charitable organization that is so worthy of your time, money, and prayers.  For more information, see their website:  http://www.mchscares.org/

This weekend, David and I are celebrating our one year wedding anniversary in New Orleans, a place we both love. On December 4 of last year, David and I exchanged vows in front of friends and family in the church I grew up in - First United Methodist Church.  Because our friends and family live all over the place, it may be the only time we have the people we love most together in one place.  It was a happy happy day and a weekend I will always cherish.

I couldn't be happier that this is just the beginning, and I know the best is yet to come :)

Hope you enjoy the beautiful December weekend!