Biltmore Restaurants Cedric's Tavern

Biltmore Restaurants Cedric's Tavern

Jan 22, 2019 · 5 Comments

When visiting the Biltmore you are probably going to get hungry! Luckily there are amazing restaurants right on the property. We had a delicious lunch at Cedric's Tavern.

Biltmore Estate Restaurants

On a recent visit to the Biltmore Estate, we found ourselves there around lunchtime. Looking through the guide, there were several options for us to choose from. We decided that we wanted to drive over to the part of the estate where the Antler Village and Winery were located. We planned on visiting the winery when we finished eating.

Antler Village has three restaurants: Village Social, Bistro, and Cedric's Tavern. We settled on Cedric's Tavern because pub fare sounded good and it was raining and it was the first restaurant that we saw!

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Sausage and Black-Eyed Pea Hash

Jan 22, 2019 · 9 Comments

Spicy sausage, sweet butternut squash and earthy black-eyed peas topped with a perfectly cooked poached egg. You'll want it for breakfast, lunch and dinner! Andouille sausage, celery, butternut squash, thyme, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, black-eyed peas, and eggs. Pure comfort food!

What is a Hash?

If you've never experienced the warm homeyness of a hash, you don't know what your missing! The term hash comes from the French word "hacher" meaning to chop. Basically a hash is some sort of meat, with some sort of potato or potato like vegetable, most likely an onion and may be topped with an egg (though in our house, an egg is never optional!)

The beauty of a hash, besides how delicious they are is that they can be served for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

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Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowls

Jan 20, 2019 · 28 Comments

Chicken Burrito Bowls are so easy and delicious when you make them in the Slow Cooker. Perfect for Game Day or any day! Chicken, tomatoes, jalapeño pepper, chicken broth, chili powder, cumin, rice, black beans and corn. Let everyone choose their favorite toppings!

Slow Cooker Game Day Food

Are you planning anything for Game Day? Sure there will be plenty of appetizers and nibbles, but I like to serve something a bit more substantial. These Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowls are super easy to make in the slow cooker and everyone loves choosing their favorite toppings.

Hearty and filling with chicken, rice, corn and black beans. No one will leave your home hungry!

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Delicious Cherry Clafoutis

Jan 20, 2019 · 17 Comments

The easiest and most delicious baked dessert ever! Made with either dried or fresh cherries, so you can make it year round! Cherries, eggs, milk, butter, sugar, flour and vanilla are all you need for this delightful cherry clafoutis.

What is a Clafoutis?

You might be one of the millions of people who don't know what a Clafoutis is. It is a classic French dessert. Basically fruit topped with a batter and then baked until it forms the most amazing custard like pie.

It is sprinkled with powdered sugar and served still just a little warm. You can top it with cream if you'd like, but you don't really need to.

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Vanilla Yogurt Panna Cotta with Honey and Candied Walnuts

Jan 19, 2019 · 46 Comments

Creamy, rich and delicious! This vanilla yogurt panna cotta gets drizzled with honey and topped with some sweet crunchy candied walnuts. Yogurt, milk, sugar, gelatin, vanilla extract, honey, walnuts, agave nectar, and brown sugar. An easy make ahead dessert that everyone will love!

What is a Panna Cotta

A panna cotta is an Italian dessert that literally means "cooked cream." It's cream (or some other creamy liquid) that has been thickened with gelatin and refrigerated. It's then either unmolded or not and usually served with some sort of sauce.

After I made my very first panna cotta, I was completely hooked. It's so easy and elegant and I love that you can make it not just with cream, but with any creamy type liquid. My formula is 3 cups of liquid to 1 gelatin packet. I've made them with Nutella and over the holidays I made one using Holiday Nog.

Once you start making panna cottas, you'll start to see the possibilities everywhere!

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One Step from the Jungle

Jan 18, 2019 · 21 Comments

I Heard a Rustling

I was minding my own business, busily dusting the house, when I heard a rustling. A weird sound was coming from the houseplants sitting on top of antique trunk. There was a rustle, rustle. A few leaves were bouncing up and down. I walked over and found the not-at-all camouflaged cat.

It looks like she's hiding, doesn't it. I think she thinks I can't see her.

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Chicken Waldorf Salad

Jan 17, 2019 · 21 Comments

Turn a classic Waldorf salad into a delightful light lunch by adding cooked chicken. Chicken, grapes, apples, walnuts, celery, mayo, yogurt and lemon juice. A delicious year round salad.

Winter Salads

I know winter is all about soups, stews and braises. Comfort foods in a bowl or plate. Just because it's winter doesn't mean you need to stop eating salads. You just need to be little bit more clever, a little more resourceful.

With global produce available year round, you can keep eating in the winter, the way you ate all summer long. But I find there is something fun and challenging about using produce with a little bit of fall or wintery slant to them.

For a side dish winter salad, I love this Superfood Salad with Beets and Blood Oranges. It's the perfect way to use blood oranges in their fleeting season - as is this Blood Orange Whiskey Sour.

For a light lunch or dinner though, my favorite has become this Chicken Waldorf Salad.

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Ginger Simple Syrup

Jan 17, 2019 · 14 Comments

Making craft cocktails doesn't have to be hard! A simple way to add some extra kick to your cocktails is with an infused simple syrup. This ginger simple syrup turns everyday cocktails into unbelievably delicious cocktails! Even better, it's ready in about 30 minutes, and all you need is sugar, water and ginger!

Ginger Simple Syrup

Have dreams of becoming a craft cocktail mixologist or just looking for an easy way to jazz up your cocktails? Then look no further than this ginger simple syrup. I fell in love with infused simple syrups with Rosemary Simple Syrup and Thyme Simple Syrup. Now I have another love. I think this ginger simple syrup may be my favorite. It adds such an elegant touch to cocktails. I also imagine that it would be heavenly in hot tea!

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Thai Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing

Jan 15, 2019 · 16 Comments

Turn rotisserie chicken into an easy, healthy and colorful Thai Chicken Salad. Coconut milk, brown sugar, peanut butter, lime juice, soy sauce, and red pepper make a spicy Thai peanut dressing that is bursting with flavor! Topped with toasted peanuts for extra crunch! Enjoy it as an easy lunch or dinner.

Rotisserie Chicken Recipes

Do you get cravings for salads in the winter? Get tired of soup and heavy foods? I do. But it's not the time for summery salads with tomatoes and basil and all the flavors of summer. I want something a bit more creamy.

Rotisserie chickens are such an easy way to get a quick dinner on the table, sometimes I do nothing more than crisp it back up under the broiler. My favorite thing to do though, is use the meat for easy soups or salads. These Brown Rice Chicken Waldorf Salad and Chicken and Sweet Potato Farro Salad are two favorites.

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Early Girl Eatery

Jan 15, 2019 · 5 Comments

Early Girl Eatery - Eating out in Asheville, North Carolina! If you are having breakfast in Asheville, then you definitely need to try Early Girl Eatery. We loved everything!

Breakfast in Asheville

When we asked around about breakfast in Asheville, almost everyone mentioned The Early Girl Eatery as the breakfast place to visit.. We were staying at the Aloft Hotel downtown and the restaurant was just a short walk aways. There are two locations of the restaurant - one downtown on Wall Street and one in West Asheville on Haywood Road.

They have been in business since 2001 and pride themselves on their Southern-inspired comfort food. They are a farm to table restaurant and list the famers that they partner with on their website.

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Triple Raspberry Sundaes

Jan 13, 2019 · 12 Comments

Triple Raspberry Sundaes - easy raspberry desserts are great for any time of the year, but especially nice as a Valentine's Day dessert or a Mother's Day dessert with their pretty pink color! Fresh raspberries, raspberry preserves, orange liqueur and raspberry sorbet!

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Raspberry Desserts

While I adore a good Flourless Chocolate Cake for dessert, there is also something to be said for trying to include fruits in your desserts. Fruits always make me feel like I'm eating healthier. Like this easy 5 minute raspberry dessert. Raspberries are a known antioxidant and they have anti-inflammatory properties.

So, you could have a purely decadent dessert or your could feel good about it and include some fruit. You could even meet in the middle like these Dark Chocolate Raspberry Tarts!

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Slow Cooker White Chili With Avocado Cream

Jan 12, 2019 · 14 Comments

The best white chicken chili ever! Rich and creamy and topped with an avocado cream that is to die for! Beans, chicken, peppers, onions, cumin, oregano, coriander, onions and more simmer all today together in the crockpot. Makes a lot, perfect for freezing, tailgating or parties!

White Chili vs Red Chili

Are you a white chili person or a red chili person? I admit it, I would never turn down any bowl of chili, but I love a good white chicken chili.

There is something so comforting about a big bowl of white beans that have simmered all day with chicken and lots of peppers and spices.

Then when you take that chili and top it with an avocado cream, it's over the top amazing!

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Slow Cooker Thai Curried Noodles

Jan 12, 2019 · 24 Comments

Rich and creamy with just the right amount of spice. This Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Curry is made all in the crockpot, even the noodles! Fresh ginger, curry paste, chicken, rice noodles and garnished with cilantro. It's an easy weeknight dinner you'll make time and time again!

Thai Curry Paste

If I had to choose one of my favorite Thai dishes, it would have to something curried. I love Thai curries.

If you have some Thai curry paste in the fridge, you are almost halfway there! My favorite Thai curry pastes are Mae Ploy Thai Red Curry Paste and Mae Ploy Thai Green Curry Paste - I have both of these in my fridge at all times.

A tablespoon or two of one of these added to some coconut milk and you have the most amazing flavorful broth.

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Luxie Cat on the Iron Bed

Jan 11, 2019 · 28 Comments

Sunny But Cold!

Just last week, I posted some old photos of Luxie as a Kitten. I bemoaned the fact that it had been rainy and gloomy for days and I hadn't been able to get any new kitty photos. I longed for sunshine.

Well, I got my wish. It's bright and sunny, with that deep blue sky. The kind of sky that you just want to stop and look up at and be thankful to be alive.

Except that it's 26 degrees outside with gusty winds. I'm still thankful to be alive, just not outside staring up at the sky.

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Celery Black Pepper Vodka

Jan 10, 2019 · 27 Comments

Celery Black Pepper Vodka - this black pepper vodka is so easy and tastes amazing! In about 3-5 days with celery, black pepper and vodka, you can have the Best Bloody Mary!

Click here to pin this Celery Black Pepper Vodka now!

Canning jar filled with brown liquid, tied with a twine bow and with text reading Celery Black Pepper Vodka - Makes the Best Bloody Mary.

I joke that infusing liquors is my hobby, but really it sort of is. I love infusing liquors, with a little prep, time does most of the work.

Vodka is usually one of the popular alcohols to infuse because it has a neutral taste, unlike gin or brandy. Though, I do like infusing gin too - Lavender Infused Gin and Spicy Cucumber Infused Gin are two of my favorites.

If you haven't walked down the vodka aisle of your liquor store in awhile, be prepared to be amazed at the number of infused vodka. Every sort of infused vodka imaginable. So, why infuse vodka at home?

Well, it's fun. It's kind of like a science experiment, though instead of making a scientific breakthrough at the end, you get a yummy flavored vodka.

It's also easy. Usually you just chop your ingredients, and sometimes you don't even have to do that, put them in the vodka and wait. You might need to shake it every day and taste test. What's not to love?

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Burial Beer Brewery

Jan 8, 2019 · 12 Comments

Burial Beer Brewery - ask local Asheville people what breweries to visit and Burial Beer Company is on everyone's list. One sip and you can see why!

Downtown Asheville Breweries

When we planned our trip to Asheville, we knew which of the bigger breweries we were going to visit - New Belgium Brewing and Sierra Nevada Brewery. We were leaving the smaller breweries up for grabs until we got there and could talk with people and ask for recommendations.

Once we got to our downtown Asheville hotel, we saw that we were barely a block from Wicked Weed Brewing and Green Man Brewing.

For the rest, we started asking around. One brewery that showed up on everyone's recommended list was Burial Beer Company. Luckily they were also just a short walk from our hotel!

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Seared Salmon on Coconut Spinach

Jan 8, 2019 · 13 Comments

Seared Salmon on Coconut Spinach - a simple, healthy and delicious salmon dinner! Salmon, ginger, sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic, red chili peppers, chili-garlic paste, coconut milk, lemon juice and spinach. Everyone loves this easy salmon dinner!

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Easy and Healthy Salmon Recipes

Have you heard how healthy the Mediterranean Diet is? I know people swear by low carb, Whole 30, Keto and whatever other diets there are out there. However, what I love about the Mediterranean diet is that it's more about including foods than not including foods.

It encourages you to eat lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans and legumes and fish and seafood. Poultry and dairy in moderation and red meat and sweets rarely. That's a diet I can live with.

Salmon is one of the fish that is highly recommended on the Mediterranean diet. Luckily we love salmon!

Now, I know today's recipe is an Asian recipe, however it embraces all the good things. Heart healthy salmon, iron and vitamin rich spinach, and coconut milk all served over brown rice.

Note - if you are going to serve this over rice, you need to start the rice first, it will take longer to cook than everything else!

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Instant Pot Mushroom Barley Risotto

Jan 6, 2019 · 27 Comments

Instant Pot Mushroom and Barley Risotto - this Instant Pot Risotto is so easy and so delicious!

If you haven't tried a barley risotto, you are in for a treat! It's pure comfort food! Barley, mushrooms, leeks, sherry, chicken broth, Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.

Click here to pin this Instant Pot Mushroom Barley Risotto now!

Brown bowl on a wooden background with barley risotto topped with shredded cheese and text overlay reading Instant Pot Mushroom Barley Risotto

Did you know that you can make risotto in the pressure cooker or in my case in the Instant Pot! We loved the Instant Pot Shrimp Risotto that I made so when I saw this barley risotto, I was intrigued. Barley risotto! To be more specific, barley risotto in the pressure cooker. Oh my goodness.

I've been trying to add more whole grain recipes to my weekly cooking, and decided that I really had to have Whole Grains Every Day, Every Way by Lorna Sass (link in recipe card.) She is already the queen of pressure cookers, so I'm not surprised that she has included several pressure cooker recipes for whole grains.

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Negroni Sbagliato

Jan 5, 2019 · 10 Comments

Negroni Sbagliato - a classic gin cocktail gets a twist with sparkling wine! Switching up gin for a sparkling wine or champagne gives this pretty red cocktail a fun bubbly flare. Sparkling wine, Campari and vermouth make an amazing cocktail!

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Negroni Sbagliato - Your New Favorite Negroni!

Last week, I told you that instead of drinking champagne at midnight for New Year’s Eve, we made sparkling wine cocktails all night long. One of those was this Grapefruit Mimosa and a French 75 Cocktail and other one was the cocktail that I bring you today, the Negroni Sbagliato.

As much as loved the other cocktails we made that night, this is the one that we made two of. Yep, we went back for seconds with this one!

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Luxie Kitten and the Black-Eyed Susans

Jan 4, 2019 · 35 Comments

Luxie Kitten and the Black-Eyed Susans

Well, I am back this week with some old photos that were never edited. I currently have 1,384 photos in my cat folder in Lightroom. Those are photos that are waiting to be edited!

Since it's the new year and I'm in the "must get everything organized" and "must declutter" phase that I go through every year, I'm doing some digital decluttering.

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Turmeric Mango Smoothie

Jan 3, 2019 · 9 Comments

Turmeric Mango Smoothie - a delicious and healthy turmeric recipe. You aren't going to believe this delicious smoothie is full of good for you ingredients, like turmeric! Mangoes, bananas, yogurt, orange juice, turmeric and agave nectar.

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Mango Smoothie

Don't you love it when you favorite grocery store has one of your favorite foods on sale?! Imagine my delight when our local Earth Fare had organic mangoes 5 for $5.00! So, I bought five of course! I brought them home and remembered that I had bookmarked this Healthy Smoothie from Cooking Light. I had bookmarked it because it sounded delicious, but also because it used fresh turmeric.

With the rest of the mangoes, I planned on making Mango Marmalade, this Avocado-Mango Salad and one of my most popular mango recipes - Mango Vinegar!

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Mango Marmalade

Jan 1, 2019 · 23 Comments

Everyone loves this small batch mango marmalade. Mangoes and lemons are the perfect pairing for a sunny mango jam, perfect for your morning toast!

Half empty jar of bright orange mango marmalade on a plate with a spoon and two jars behind it.

Most people associate canning and preserving with summer, but it can occur year-round. A perfect example of that is this mango marmalade. Several times through the year, my grocery store will put mangoes on sale and when they do, I make up a batch of this easy mango marmalade.

I love small batch preserving, with just the two of us, it's perfect. It goes much quicker, because you are preparing a smaller amount of ingredients, plus it's much easier to store and manage your treats. I link in the recipe card to my favorite small-batch canning book!

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Wicked Weed Brewing

Jan 1, 2019 · 2 Comments

Wicked Weed Brewing - we loved all of the Asheville Breweries that we visited, but Wicked Weed was closest to our hotel and became and regular stop every evening! The burgers were amazing too!

Breweries in Asheville

I mentioned in my post on Sierra Nevada Brewery that Asheville has more breweries per capita than any other city in the United States! We loved Green Man Brewery and New Belgium Brewery, but the one that we visited the most was Wicked Weed Brewing.

Wicked Weed Brewing was just down the street from our downtown Asheville hotel. We stopped in there at the end of day and filled up a growler to take back to the hotel. It was perfect!

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Green Smoothies Recipes

Dec 30, 2018 · 4 Comments

20 Green Smoothie Recipes - easy, healthy smoothies. Some with kale, spinach, kiwi, even avocado. Also dairy free smoothies and detox smoothies. Something for everyone!

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Healthy Green Smoothies

Have you jumped on the smoothies bandwagon? There is no easier and more delicious way to eat healthy! They are perfect for breakfast, lunch, dinner or snacks!

Ever since I got my Vitamix for Mother's Day several years ago, smoothies have become a regular part of our diet. It makes getting your vegetables and fruit requirements met, so easy. We like them simple or sometimes we like to bump them up with some protein powder or chia seeds.

No mater how or when you like your smoothies, you are going to find so many that you want to make from this amazing list of 20 green smoothies! I plan on trying them all!

Note that many of the smoothies overlap categories - like a smoothie may have both kale and spinach, I just had to find a way to sort of organize them!

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