My Favorite Cookbooks + Mediterranean Lentil Salad

At the beginning of a New Year I am always inspired to cook more and try new recipes.  One of my goals this year is to use my cookbooks more and make more fresh meals for my family. 

I often get requests about my favorite cookbooks, so here are my all time favorites. Now keep in mind I am a cookbook hoarder, I love to read them and collect them.   I probably own 50+.  These however are the most used cookbooks, the recipes never disappoint.  So if you are looking to add some new cookbooks to your collection or to start a collection these are all wonderful!

I just ordered this cookbook right before Christmas and it is quickly becoming a favorite.  We made the Coconut Oatmeal for breakfast this week and it was so good.  If you are looking to detox or clean up your diet it is a great book.  It has two different detox options 3 days or 21 days and it is filled with healthy recipes that are delicious.

 Clean Slate Cookbook

Our overnight coconut oatmeal, so good!

It is no secret I am a huge Ina Garten fan.  Like I am kind of obsessed with her, I should start a fan club. She knows how to entertain and do it right.   Her recipes never disappoint ever.   I own every single one of her cookbooks and love them all, but these 3 are my favorites.  

Good starting points: the kale chips, warm butternut squash salad, tomato tarts, quinoa tabbouleh,  Parmesan roasted broccoli, confetti corn, I could go on and on!

Back to Basics | Foolproof |  Make It Ahead

I also have a major crush on Gwyneth Paltrow- she can do no wrong in my eyes and trust me her food is good.  I have loved every recipe I have made from her books.

If you need ideas of where to start : The Lettuce Wraps, Stir Fry Chicken,  Roasted Cauliflower are favorites.

GP Its All Good | GP My Fathers Daughter

These two cookbooks have such beautiful pictures and recipes.  I get so inspired just flipping through them.  The Williams Sonoma Salad book is filled with salads for each season.  I am a huge fan of salads and this one has 365 salad recipes.  The Sprouted Kitchen has so many healthy delish recipes.

WS Salad of the Day | The Sprouted Kitchen

.....................................................................................

 I wanted to share a new recipe too.  I posted this lentil salad recipe on instagram and so many of you wanted to know about it!  This is a new recipe from my mom's friend that I made for lunch this week and it was so good and filling.  It is a great healthy salad full of flavor.  I recommend you use the Trader Joes precooked lentils, available in the fridge section.  They are perfect for this salad.  I think it would be delicious with feta added in as well.  You can easily make this ahead but I think it is best served at room temperature.
Enjoy!

|| M E D I T E R R A N E A N   L E N T I L   S A L A D ||

- 2 cups lentils rinsed (I highly recommend the Trader Joes precooked lentils in the fridge section)

- 1 pint cherry tomatoes quartered

- 1 green bell pepper diced

- 1/2 cup red onion sliced thinly

1/2 kalamata olives sliced

1/2 English cucumber diced

Dressing \\

- 3 tablespoons olive oil

-3 tablespoons lemon juice (juice from one lemon)

-1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons honey

- 1 teaspoons dijon

- 1 clove garlic minced

- 1/2 teaspoon oregano

-1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper

Mix lentils and all ingredients then pour dressing over the top.  This can be stored in the fridge for several days but it is best served room temperature.

Life Lately

31 days til Christmas.  Can you believe it??   I am itching to start decorating and put our tree up but Matt insists  I need to wait til after Thanksgiving.  I get it but seeing everyone's trees up on instagram is making it hard!  I want white lights, and sparkles and lots of decorations now.

Life has been busy lately and I am sure it will stay that way til the end of the year!

My mom came in town the beginning of the week for a quick visit with her friend.  We enjoyed two fabulous meals at Indaco and Zao Bao Biscuit.  It was a quick visit but I always love spending time with my mom.

Denny Cardigan | Tee Shirt | Leggings | Glasses | Booties

Sterling and I stuffed and delivered our boxes for Operation Christmas Child.  I am trying hard to teach him not everyone is as fortunate as he is.   He doesn't get it yet but I hope it will set in one day and traditions like these will help remind him what Christmas is about- giving.

I worked on my Thanksgiving Table Setting.  I will share my menu tomorrow.

 Napkins | Napkin Rings | Plates

Friday I went with Sterling's class on a Field Trip to Middleton Plantation.  It was so fun, I had never been before.  If you have kids you should visit we had a blast!  It is just gorgeous out there.  It was so nice to have some one on one time with Sterling because that never happens these days.

The animals were our favorite part.  I could not get over how beautiful the peacocks where.  Just stunning in person and the colors were so vibrant.

This little guy is a Cashmere Goat and you guessed it that is where cashmere sweaters come from. He was so incredibly soft.

After the field trip we went to Trader Joes and picked up some Boxwood wreaths and a gingerbread house kit for Sterling.  I hung three on our front windows and love them.  Hoping they stay alive til Christmas!

and I am officially obsessed with the battery powered LED lights.  I found some at TJMaxx and stocked up, they are so awesome!

Saturday night we cooked homemade Big Macs and they were insanely good. Recipe is under Main Courses in the recipe tab.

This dress I ordered for some holiday events came in the mail and I really love it.

On sale Here in select sizes.

 || Clover Canyon Enchanted Woodlands Dress

I planted a winter garden with kale and swiss chard I am so excited about!

I eat so much kale it will be nice to just go out back and pick it.

Sterling, oh Sterling.  He is such a handful these days and so exhausting but man he makes me smile.  Two favorite scenes from the week.  The first picture he came out dressed like this and said " I am business Daddy on a work call."   I could not stop laughing because he kept the same serious face expression and had no pants on. 

 and the second picture we had an impromptu dance party Friday night while we waited on Matt to get home.  Batman had some sweet moves. 

 You can see in this picture where our cabinet used to be that we had knocked down.  It is so awesome to have that space opened up into our dining room.  This week we are building built-ins around the fridge for more storage and then the cabinets will be painted.  I am looking for a great gray color any suggestions?

and this girl, she turns one tomorrow!!

Hat (use code HAPPY for 30%off)

Have a fabulous Monday.  

Creating the Perfect Happy Hour Spread + Favorite Wines

I received a request from a reader on how to create the perfect cheese tray/appetizer spread.  Honestly a cheese tray is one of my favorite appetizers.  Sometimes when Matt works late it is what I have for dinner and I secretly love it.  I really enjoy a cheese plate and a glass of wine.  My family jokes that I always make my cheese trays look so perfect.  It is my job at happy hour to put together our nibbles.  There is no real art to making it look pretty I just find the way you group things helps.  I try to keep on hand many of the items needed for a cheese tray so if we have company I can easily whip it together.

\\ A few items that I try to always keep on hand for last minute entertaining:

- pickled okra and/or mini pickles

- pepperoni and/or salami

- truffled dijon mustard (I find this at tjmaxx)

- 34 degrees crackers- I love these so thin and crispy

- pretzel thins

- cheese sticks (harris teeter and trader joes make great versions of these)

- cracker barrel cheese

- manchego, gouda, and brie are favorites

- pimento cheese

- olives

- hummus

- veggies carrots or celery

If you have the above ingredients or at least a few of them it makes throwing together an appetizer easy.

\\ A few tips:

- I always drizzle my hummus with olive oil and salt and pepper.  If I have pint nuts I sprinkle that on top. It makes it look fancy.

- I stopped buying my cheese at Costco because it was just too much and went bad too quickly.  Just buy at your local grocery store or if you live in Charleston check out Goat Sheep Cow- amazing selection of wine and cheese.

- Keep fig or apricot preserves on hand they are great served with brie

- fresh figs, blue cheese, and honey are a killer combo

- check the food section at TJMaxx, this is where I find my favorite truffled mustard, specialty jams, and pickled veggies.

- Carrots and Celery are the best veggies because they last the longest in your fridge.  I always slice my own carrots I swear they taste better than the baby ones.

- Buy the large rolls of pepperoni and salami and slice them yourself.  I also think these taste better then the packaged kind and they will last awhile in your fridge.

- The mini french pickles are the best- you can buy them in bulk at Earthfare or in a small jar at the grocery store

 - I like to keep the softer cheeses like brie or goat cheese whole and slice the harder cheeses.

- Buy a good white serving platter or wooden board- food always looks prettier on white or wood.

West Elm has some of my favorite serving ware but you can often times find a white platter for cheap at Homegoods or TJMaxx as well.

- A cute set of cheese knives is also good to have on hand.

I am obsessed with this gold set from West Elm 

I went thru my instagram and had to laugh about the amount of cheese tray/happy hour posts I had.  This girl loves happy hour:)  Here are a few pictures for inspiration.

 A few new favorite wines because you need a good wine to pair with all your delicious eats.

WACCAMAW

Loved the Chardonnay and red blend pictured below

Charlotte friends this is carried at the Wine Store.

BANSHEE

I love every single Banshee wine.  They are under $20, a great buy.

DRY CREEK VINEYARDS

I love their red blend and sauvignon blanc.  They do a wine club that I am really considering joining.

Would love any wine recs from you guys as well!  TGIF here's to a fabulous happy hour tonight!

Hosting Dinner Club : All The Details

I love nothing more then entertaining.  I love planning a menu, the table, my outfit- all of it.  About 3 months after Sterling was born we started doing a monthly girls Dinner Club.  At the first of each year we each sign up for a month and host dinner club at our house.  When it is your month to host you cook, provide the booze, everything.   Since we each only host once a year it is not too much work.  We normally time the dinner for 7 so kids can be bathed and ready for bed.  The husbands are usually banned to take care of the kids and get them to bed while us ladies socialize.   I am embarrassed to admit it has been two years since I last hosted.  I played the pregnant card last year because I was so nauseous and cooking made me ill.  So this month it was due time for me to host.

First thing I always do is plan my menu menu.  I knew I wanted to do an Asian theme, something a little different than I had cooked before.

I typically plan the menu and buy all the groceries the day before.  I do as much prep work the day before so I can enjoy myself once the girls arrive.  On Tuesday I made the Cabbage Salad, diced all the veggies, and cooked the meat for the noodles and lettuce wraps.

The Cabbage Salad also know as Asian Slaw is one of my favorite sides.  It is best made the day before so the flavors can sit.  (recipes at bottom of post)

Fresh flowers are must for any dinner party.  Thank goodness for Trader Joes and their cheap flower section.  I picked up a new orchid for our dining room table and some gladiolas, less than $20 for all flowers not bad plus the orchid will last awhile.

Next up setting the table.  I always do this early in the day so it is done.  One less thing to worry about come dinner time.

I like a fairly simple table.  I love my napkins from Furbish Studio and my crystal napkin rings from Open Door Shop.  I always use white plates.  I prefer how food looks served on a white background.  The white plates are our everyday plates from Crate and Barrel we registered for when we got married and I still love them.

Dot Napkins | Crystal Napkin Rings

Then, outfit time.  I had been waiting to wear my new Sabine Dress from Piperlime.  To say I am obsessed with it is an understatement.  I love the bright blue embellishment and it is so comfortable.  It runs TTS, I am wearing a size small.

\\ Sabine Maxi Dress

After I am dressed I assemble the appetizer.  I remember a tip from Barefoot Contessa that if you are cooking a big dinner do a store bought app- something that you don't have to cook.  I knew I wanted to serve Callie's Pimento Cheese and Dillicious Dip.  So easy just to pick it all up in one shop and throw on a platter. I added some sliced cucumbers from my CSA Basket.

Once the ladies arrive it is wine time while I start to heat up the meat I had cooked the day before.

Once all the food is ready, I find it is easiest just to serve everyone's plate and set the table.  That way no one has to reach to serve and we can all sit down at the same time.

This dinner was a huge hit.  I highly recommend the whole menu!  

Good times with my best friends.  I truly love these ladies.  So lucky to have them in my life. We are missing one friend in the picture Lindsey who came a little late!

 || RECIPES ||

LETTUCE WRAPS

I posted this recipe a few months ago from Gwyneth Paltrows Cookbook It's All Good.

View the Recipe HERE

CABBAGE SALAD

Ingredients for dressing:  (I double this)

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

1 ramen noodle seasoning package

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

Ingredients for salad:

1 small head green cabbage shredded (I buy the pre shredded kind at Trader Joes.  I used 3 bags which made a huge bowl of salad) 

4 green onions, chopped

2 packages oriental ramen noodles, crushed

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1.Make dressing by combining ingredients in a large bowl. Stir to dissolve sugar.

2. Combine all salad ingredients and then add dressing to salad and toss again.

3. Let chill at least 8 hours in fridge

DAN DAN NOODLES

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground chicken
• 8-oz dried fettuccine or linguine noodles
• 2 TB Asian sesame oil
• 2 TB cooking oil
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• ¾ cup regular soy sauce
• 1½ cup good chicken broth
• ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp Sriracha
• 6 tsp cornstarch, dissolved in ½ cup chicken broth
• 1 cucumber, peeled and julienned
• ½ cup chopped peanuts or cashews for topping
• chopped green onions for garnish

Directions

1. Set aside cooked/minced chicken.
2. In a large heavy pot, cook noodles in salted water until al dente (don’t over-cook) according to package. Drain and toss with Asian sesame oil to prevent sticking and for flavor infusion. Set aside.
3. In a saucepan, heat cooking oil over medium heat. Add garlic and stir until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add soy sauce, chicken broth, brown sugar, and Sriracha. Stir well. Add cornstarch dissolved in broth. Stir constantly while simmering, until sauce thickens.
4. Once sauce has thickened, add the minced/cooked chicken and simmer in the sauce for about 5 minutes.
5. If noodles have cooled too much, warm it up in microwave. Toss noodles with desired amount of chicken/sauce mixture, or just toss it all in! Toss in julienned cucumber to combine.
6. Divide onto serving plates or bowls. Garnish with green onions and nuts, if desired.
7. Leftover noodles should be wrapped tightly and chilled. Just heat up in microwave when ready for leftovers!