WEDDING AT DUNAWAY GARDENS IN NEWNAN, GA

                                                                      Fresh fruit displays

 Wonderful cheeses with gourmet crackers

 Fabulous candy station by the groom's aunt.

 The lovely couple

ITALIAN SHELLFISH & PASTA

Having recently eaten at a local independent Italian restaurant this past week I was upset at how expensive the meal I really wanted was and then very disappointed with the meal I ended up getting (my husband got sick from it) and I left frustrated. You know, sometimes you just want someone else to cook! And for the prices paid, you want a good meal! So later in the week while at my local supermarket, I spied fresh clams and mussels and so I knew what would be for dinner! The meal I had REALLY wanted at that local restaurant!

So I purchased everything for the meal, including the bread and salad and a bottle of white wine to cook with, all for under $18.00. I was so happy. I rushed home and threw together the best meal in under 30 minutes (Rachel Ray could use this recipe). It made enough for 2 nights and a lunch! So, sometimes you just have to cook for yourself to get it right. We had a great evening together, could hear ourselves talk and neither of us got sick!

RECIPE for 2:

Cooked Pasta (enough for 2 servings) I used spagetti for the DH, but I prefer fettucini noodles

Olive oil
1 minced garlic clove

10 mussels, washed and beards removed

10 small clams

10 shrimp (or more)

1 can of good chicken broth

1 cup of dry white wine (cheap is fine)

6 plum tomatoes, skins removed and chopped (placed in boiling water for 5 minutes to remove skin)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

salt, pepper and Italian seasoning to taste

In a large saute pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil with garlic. Add half of the chicken broth, saute the mussels and clams over medium high heat until they open. The clams will take longer. Remove any that don't open after about 8 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl. Add the shrimp and cook just until pink- don't over cook, remove and place in bowl with other. Add the white wine and the remaining broth with the seasonings. Cook until the alcohol is evaporated (about 5 minutes) Return the seafood back to the pan and add the tomatoes and basil- heat through and serve with the cooked pasta- Fantastico!

Raspberry Lemonade Iced Fruit Tea

The name is a mouthful, but it's oh so simple to make.
Brew 2 family sized tea bags with 1 quart of water and 3/4 cup of sugar.

Let cool slightly and pour into a 2 quart tea pitcher and add 1/2 bottle of Simply Raspberry Lemonade (found in the produce section of (Publix). Slice and add one lemon & one lime then add one diced fresh peach. Stir and enjoy over a tall glass of ice. It is so refereshing!

Enjoy!

CUPCAKES

Do you like making cupcakes? I use to hate it. I could never get the batter in the papers without getting it all over the place. But recently I've discovered easy ways to do it (using an ice cream scoop or using a piping bag). I also had only one way to frost which was using the spatula or knife. But now I use the piping bag with different tips and LOVE making them. I also use the piping bag to pipe yummy fillings into them before I frost.

Aren't they cute? And so easy!

Getting ready to be delivered to Charter Bank. (I love my bank!!!)

These yellow daisies & pink swirls were for the Newnan- Coweta Chamber Golf Event.

The daisies were filled with chocolate and the pink swirl with strawberry jam.

These green cupcakes are lime- with a lime curd filling. YUM!

I like doing pretty packaging as well- I think it makes it even more special!

Well, hope you enjoyed- now go bake some delicious cupcakes for yourself!

Boone Wedding

Fabulous Background for a wedding!

Lovely estate in Newnan

Assorted Meatballs and Chicken Skewers

Fruit Display

The bride opted for a variety of different punches

and a mock Champagne. Very refreshing!

The Sweet Couple

DELIGHTFUL STRAWBERRY- CREAM TOPPED CUPCAKES

Now I know what you are all thinking. Strawberry frosted cupcakes,

what's so great about that? Well let me just tell you!!!!. This is by far the best frosted cupcake I've ever eaten!
I found this recipe in the latest ((March/April) Southern Lady magazine
under the food section titled Neopolitan Dream.
And let me tell you, it is, oh it is!
It is suppose to be made using a half chocolate and
half vanilla cupcake, hence the name Neopolitan, I just used chocolate. I digress! Back to the frosting! This stuff tastes like you're eating a

strawberry milkshake. It is so darn good! You have got to try it! Along with an amazing magazine from cover to cover,
there are also so many other fabulous Neopolitan recipes
included- just go buy the magazine- you'll be so happy you did! There are two things in the recipe I changed. It called for strawberry jam- I used fresh mashed berries. And it called for Cool-Whip topping- I used fresh whipped cream instead.
So now- rush out and GET THE MAGAZINE!

BANANA NUT BREAD

This was one of the best loaves of banana nut bread I've ever made. It was so moist and tasty.

Can't you just smell that warm banana and those toasted walnuts.

It's just screaming to be eaten and served up with a

nice steaming cup of hot tea.Mmmmm.

Just look at all that moist goodness!

Sorry Ladies, gotta run- it's calling my name..........Teresa, Tereeeesa.

Banana Nut Bread
1 Cup of Toasted Walnuts

21/4 cups of flour

1 tsp of baking soda

1/8 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups of butter (brought to room temperature)

1 cup of sugar

3 eggs, beaten

3-4 very ripe bananas, mashed

1/4 cup of butter milk

Heat oven to 350 & butter and flour a loaf pan. Stir the flour, soda & salt together. Cream the butter and sugar, set aside. Add the eggs, buttermilk and bananas to the creamed sugar and butter mixture, beat 2-3 minutes on medium. Mix the dry ingredients by hand just until moistened and stir in the cooled walnuts. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 5 minutes or until toothpick come out clean. Cool for about 15 minutes in pan, then let cool completely before serving. Enjoy!!!!

NOTE: If you do not have buttermilk, you can use whole milk or 2% but make sure to change the baking soda to baking powder.

Preparing for Brides, Looking Forward To Spring

As brides rush in to get "their" wedding dates book and menus aligned,

my mind wanders to the outdoors.

Torn between wanting to dig my fingers into the soft cool dirt and get my garden started, or sit here and get weddings priced out, blogs FINALLY updated, facebook updated, emails answered and events prepared for! If only there were more hours in the day or two of me!I'm am so blessed to be so busy again this year and very blessed to have a lot of our events out doors. So I'll tug along with "work" and look forward to each break I get to work in the yard and clean out my garden when I can squeeze a minute or two out.

Coggin Wedding

One of the three stations


Fresh and tasty mixed greens salad with green leaf, baby spinach, arugula and radicchio.

The Coggins picked such a yummy menu.

We served oven roasted chicken, roasted pork loin,

extra cheesey mac n cheese, savory mashed potatoes,

southern green beans, broccoli casserole and tossed salad.

Florals by our in house florist Stephanie, who just opened her own shop!

Formerly Patricia's Florals in Newnan.
So proud of her!

Floral on the Wedding Party table.

One of three designs on centerpieces

Brie & Crackers

Fabulous job on display by Sandy, my cheese & fruit stylist.

Three different Cheddar Cheese Balls

Gourgeous Fruit Display

Thanks for stopping by.