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September 9 on the 9th

09.10.2016

Some people dread the going “back to school” season, and yet some parents post their “happy dance” on Facebook, that their kids are back in class. Personally, I am always excited when school is back in session! I feel like the chaos of summer is put to rest, and we all get back to a more regular routine. My house starts becoming more organized, ALL the laundry gets washed and put away, I actually have more time to fit in a workout, and my husband and I get to enjoy breakfast or a lunch date together! This 9 on the 9th, I am sharing of few of my tips, that my household utilizes to ease into our school routine, and that help our daughter Penelopi, get to school feeling confident, and ready to learn.

 

1.My husband Phillip and I, have about a 20-minute drive taking Penelopi to school in the mornings, and we use that time to have a little dance party in the car! Penelopi brings her favorite stuffed animal friends, (all of which are great dancers and singers), and we jam out to our favorite playlist. Our ‘dance in your seat’ party, helps set the tone for the day, and by the time we are dropping Penelopi off at school, she is pumped and ready to go! You can check out our playlist on Spotify.

Sweet Ladi Jane Spotify Playlist

2. Since we have to get up early on school mornings, making a hot breakfast can be a struggle sometimes. I have come up with a couple of ways to make the baking or cooking process, a little less time consuming. If we are having pancakes, the night before, I will make the batter, and store it in the refrigerator, in a carafe that has an easy to pour spout. Then come 6am, I am ready to make pancakes! I do the same thing with blueberry muffins.

 

3. Weeknights can be very busy as well, with after school activities and homework. I have a few recipes that have become popular weeknight dinner staples at our house. Penelopi’s favorite is our Campbell’s Soup Chicken Casserole, which she also likes to help mix the ingredients. I took some liberty with a few of the ingredients, for instance, instead of cooked chicken breast, I hand-shred a rotisserie chicken for added flavor. I also replace the cream of chicken soup, for cream of broccoli soup. I also like to use Ritz crackers instead of breadcrumbs, for the rich, buttery flavor and texture it brings to the dish.

chicken-broccoli-divan-large-24320

4. My new favorite weeknight supper, is Skillet Steak and Wilted Kale. I have a newfound love of the combination of steak and kale. I discovered this recipe in Southern Living’s Special Collector’s Edition “Weeknight Dinners.” This dish only takes 30 minutes to make, and is packed with protein to help nourish those growing minds!

20 Minute Steak with Kale. Pro Stylist: Heather Chadduck Hillegas. Food Stylist: Erin Merhar. Art Director: Robert Perino Photo Editor: Paden Reich

 

 

5. Lunch time is a lot of kids favorite part of the day. They enjoy their lunch, talk about what their parents may have packed them, and they tend to get a little silly! In the past, I have always packed Penelopi a sweet note, to tell her how much we love her, or something she did that was above and beyond what is expected of her. The goal was always to make her feel loved, and confident about herself. Well, now that she’s a third grader, it’s apparently “not cool”, to get mushy notes from Mommy in your lunch pack. Talk about a heartbreaker! So I decided to get a little creative with it. Penelopi is fascinated with Star Wars right now, and she also LOVES to be a funny girl. It makes her whole face light up, when she is entertaining her buddies or telling them a funny story, so when I googled “funny Star Wars jokes for kids”, I felt like I had hit the jackpot for a perfect lunch box note! Now everyday, her friends at school, ask her to share the jokes, and they all laugh together! I posted a few of the jokes on my Instagram, and I’ll give you the answers here below. Enjoy!

Lunchbox notes

 

6. I am very thankful that Penelopi, recently asked if she could help me do the laundry. Actually, I think my jaw hit the floor, when she made her request so politely too! Once I started to reflect on how I could have her help me, and not mix all her colors together or shrink them, I thought that her school uniforms would be the perfect load for her to go through. The process of sorting, washing, drying, and finally putting her clothes away in her closet, helps Penelopi feel more confident, and independent, and helps me by having one less load of laundry to do!

 

 

7. Helping your kiddos learn how important it is to study can be a difficult task to teach for sure! Although studying seemed so boring for Penelopi, I had to think out of the box, and try to make it more of a fun time, to get her interested. I have found a couple of apps that help her with studying for her spelling and math tests. “The Spelling Bee”, allows me to input her list of spelling words, and also record the pronunciation of the word too. Once I have loaded in her words, there are several options of games that make the study part seem fun. There’s also a mock spelling test, that she can take as many times as she wants for memorization. “Math Town”, is another app, that helps her with mental math, and the graphics on the game are excellent! There are a couple of versions of the game, one being set in a haunted house, and the other is a museum. To move through the haunted house or museum, you have to complete the equation with the numbers that are missing. Half of the battle of mental math, memorization.Spelling Bee

 

Math Town

 

 

8. SLEEP! Sleep is as important as eating right, and exercise. It’s hard for anyone to focus, when they haven’t gotten enough sleep. Studies have shown that kids will perform better at school, when they have slept the correct amount of hours for their age. On the opposite end of the spectrum of sleep, they have also linked Alzhiemer’s disease and other illnesses to sleep deprivation. I’ve been reading a lot about sleep deprivation and its negative effects, from the book “Sleep Revolution” by Arianna Huffington. Go check it out, and sleep well my friends!

Sleep Revolution

 

9. The school day can be a long day, so it’s also very important to stay hydrated. Every morning I fill a water bottle up for Penelopi. The bottle has a nice clip on it that she can attach to her backpack, so she can always have a quick drink of water, without leaving the classroom, or disturbing her classmates. The bottle is reusable, and her school has water fountains near her classroom, that make it easy for her to refill when she gets thirsty. Penelopi, of course, had to have a Star Wars water bottle at first, but recently has fallen in love with an “I Am Other” bottle. “I Am Other”, is an organization that for every purchase of their school supplies, they will donate supplies to other classrooms in need. She feels as though she is helping others, who may not have the supplies they need to learn and grow, and that makes her, and the whole family, feel good. Definitely go check them out if you want to help.

iamotherheader


Filed Under: Food, Nashville, Uncategorized

Lemon Drop Martini

08.26.2016

How was your week? Long? Thankfully, we are so close to the weekend! It’s almost time to kick your feet up and relax with a refreshing cocktail. A lot of my girlfriends, and I, enjoy an excellent martini. One of our favorites is a Lemon Drop Martini. This cocktail is refreshing, sweet, and tart. I have made this cocktail homemade but also have found Stirrings Lemon Drop Martini Mix at my local Publix. The company Stirring prides itself on using real juice and triple filtered water. What that means for us, is that the mix won’t give you that weird sugary feeling at the back of your throat. The homemade Lemon Drop Martini recipe is tarter than the mix, and the mix is sweeter than the homemade recipe. Pick which favor fits your taste buds, or try both ways! The key to a perfect Martini is a chilled glass and vodka, as well as the perfect balance between sweet and sour. If the vodka is not cold, the alcohol taste will be robust and unpleasant, so make sure you freeze your vodka for at least a couple of hours. Don’t have a few hours to wait? I have a life hack to help you out! All you have to do is wrap the vodka bottle in a wet paper towel, and place in the freezer for about 20 minutes. Then, you are ready to go! Cheers!

Ingredients:

2 cups frozen vodka
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup superfine sugar
1 lemon, thinly sliced
Ice

Directions:

Combine the vodka, lemon juice, and sugar and pour into a cocktail shaker with ice. Rim the glass with superfine sugar. Pour into martini glasses and garnish with lemon slices.

 

Sweet Ladi Jane Lemon Drop

Ingredients: 3 oz Stirrings® Simple Lemon Drop Martini Cocktail Mixer 1.5 oz Smirnoff® Vodka Garnish: Lemon Drop Rimmer (optional) Directions: In a cocktail shaker combine Stirrings® Simple Lemon Drop Martini Cocktail Mixer, vodka and ice. Shake well and strain into a rimmed (optional) cocktail glass.

Ingredients:
3 oz Stirrings® Simple Lemon Drop Martini Cocktail Mixer
1.5 oz Smirnoff® Vodka
Garnish: Lemon Drop Rimmer (optional)
Directions:
In a cocktail shaker combine Stirrings Simple Lemon Drop Martini Cocktail Mixer, vodka and ice. Shake well and strain into a rimmed cocktail glass.

Stirring makes a Lemon Drop Martini Rimmer that is perfect for your cocktail.

Stirring makes a Lemon Drop Martini Rimmer that is perfect for your cocktail.


Filed Under: Food, Uncategorized

Fried Brussels

08.19.2016

Yay! We made it through the first week of school, and it’s Fryday! Today’s Fryday post is dedicated to the underestimated Brussel Sprout.  I know they aren’t everyone’s favorite vegetable, but they will be when you fry them up with some sauteed onions and garlic. I won over my photographer, Hunter Airheart, during our content shoot, he mentioned that he usually passes on eating Brussels Sprouts, but not this time! Fried Brussel Sprouts are an excellent side dish, especially with a New York Strip.  This recipe is quick and easy. Let me know how you liked them, or if you added your own special touches! Have a great weekend.

 

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons crushed garlic

1/4 white onion, chopped

1 (16 ounces) package trimmed Brussels sprouts

salt and ground black pepper to taste

garlic powder to taste

Instructions:

  1. Heat olive oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat until the oil shimmers.
  1. Cook garlic, often stirring, until golden brown and fragrant, about 3 minutes.
  1. Stir in onion and cook until soft, often stirring, about 5 minutes.
  1. Add Brussels sprouts to the skillet and cook without stirring until the undersides of the sprouts turn golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes.
  2. Stir to turn sprouts over, and cook other sides until golden brown, another 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.

Yum! Sweet Ladi Jane Fried Brussels Sprouts


Filed Under: Food

Fried Pickle Fryday

08.05.2016

Hello, Fryday! Today, I am sharing one of my favorite southern appetizers, Fried Dill Pickles with creamy ranch. These have been my favorite since I was a kid. On Sundays, after church, we would head to Puckett’s Grocery for a cheeseburger and fried pickle chips. In Nashville, my favorite place to order Fried Pickles is at Whiskey Kitchen. They also make their light and creamy ranch in-house! Since I can’t always make it downtown to Whiskey Kitchen, I decided to make them at home. This recipe is easy and quick! The key to this recipe is to buy the sliced dill pickle chips. The spears aren’t my personal favorite because they get a little mushy when you fry them up. Do you have a pickled vegetable favorite? Share with me so that I can fry it next Fryday post!

 

Ingredients:

2 cups of Peanut oil

Jar of Dill Pickles

1 cup of Cornmeal

1 teaspoon of Paprika

½ teaspoon of salt and black pepper

2 eggs

SLJ Friend Pickles

 

Steps:

  1. Heat oil in a shallow frying pan.
  2. Pat the pickle slices dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, stir together the cornmeal, paprika, black pepper and salt. Dip pickle slices into the egg, and then coat with the bread crumb mixture.
  3. Fry the pickles in the hot oil, until golden brown on each side, turning once. Transfer to paper towels, and serve hot with Ranch dressing.

SLJ Friend Pickles-6

SLJ Friend Pickles-9


Filed Under: Food, Nashville

Peachy Cocktail

07.23.2016

Happy Saturday! On my last trip to Homestead Manor farmer’s market, I found some yummy juicy peaches. Since it’s almost the weekend, I decided to make a delicious summer cocktail with them. I started my recipe search on Absolut Vodka’s website, they have tons of great recipes, and I found their cocktail “Peaches.” It’s like a peach creamsicle! They even have a non-alcoholic version.

I enjoy spending time at Homestead Manor, and with the folks that work there. Farmer Steven and Nina have taught me a lot about the hard work and care it takes to grow organic fruits and vegetables. Their passion is contagious, and I enjoy being around that energy!

Do you have a  favorite summer cocktail? I love a good recommendation.

Farmers Market Find

Ingredients

2 Parts Absolut Vodka

2 Parts Peach Puree

¾ Part Peach Liqueur

½ Part Cream

1 Wedge Peach
Fill a shaker with ice cubes. Add all ingredients. Shake and strain into a rocks glass filled with ice cubes. Garnish with peach.

Peach Cocktail


Filed Under: Food

Fry Day: Fried Strawberry Pies

07.01.2016

For this week’s Fry-day, I thought I would share a scrumptious recipe that will go perfectly with your 4th of July celebration. Fried pies are a southern dessert staple, and strawberry is my favorite! This time of year, I love getting boxes of fresh strawberries from my local farmer’s market. Even better if you pick them yourself!

This time, when I was making the pies, I made the mistake of using self-rising flour on my counter, to keep the pie dough from sticking. Note to self: that will cause the dough to fall apart in the frying process. Whoops! The pies will still taste yummy, but won’t look beautiful. 😉 I love to add powder sugar and whipped cream on top, or you can add vanilla ice cream as well. This recipe is easy to customize; blueberries can replace the strawberries, etc. You really can’t go wrong, as long as you don’t use self-rising flour! Ha! Let me know how your fried pies turned out.Fried Pie-4(1)

Fried Pie-6(1)

Fried Pie-11(1)

Ingredients:
-2 cups fresh strawberries, mashed
-3/4 cup sugar
-1/4 cup cornstarch
-1 package refrigerated pie crusts
-Vegetable oil
-Powdered sugar

Instructions:
1. Combine the strawberries, sugar, & cornstarch in a saucepan. Bring strawberry mixture to a boil over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute or until thickened. Cool completely.
2. Roll 1 piecrust to press out fold lines; cut into 9 circles with a 3-inch round cutter. Roll circles to 3 1/2-inch diameter; moisten edges with water. Spoon 2 teaspoons strawberry mixture in the center of each circle; fold over, pressing edges to seal. Repeat with remaining piecrust and strawberry mixture.
3. Place pies in a single layer on a baking sheet, and freeze at least 1 hour.
4. Pour oil to a depth of 1 inch into a large heavy skillet; heat to 350°. Fry pies, in batches, 1 minute on each side or until golden. Drain on paper towels; sprinkle with powdered sugar (or serve with ice cream!).

Fried Pie-2(1)

Fried Pie-13(1)

Fried Pie-21(1)What’s on the menu for your weekend shenanigans?


Filed Under: Food

The Perfect Party Drink? Cotton Candy Cocktails!

06.29.2016

I really enjoy discovering new cocktails, so when I came across this cotton candy cocktail, I knew I had to try it. I mean, this is the Sweet Ladi Jane blog, after all. 😉 I actually found the recipe on Wayfair, where they have a whole list of cocktails you can make with cotton candy. In the summertime, my family often makes our own cotton candy using our Nostalgia Cotton Candy machine (which we love!) for our movie nights. So, naturally, this cocktail will be perfect for our next film! I could also see this being a fun drink to serve at a party because it definitely has that fun “wow” factor. This drink will take the color of whatever cotton candy you use, so could even color-coordinate to match a theme!

Cotton Cady Drink-28Note that I did replace the gin for vodka, but that’s just my personal preference. Do you have a cocktail recipe you want to share? I’d love to try it out! On a side note, what movies are you loving this summer? I’ve got a movie night to plan!Cotton Cady Drink-3

Cotton Candy French 75

Ingredients:
1 oz gin
3 oz champagne (or other sparkling wine)
1 T lemon juice
1 small pinch cotton candy
Lemon peel to garnish (optional)

Method:
Place a small pinch of cotton candy at the bottom of your champagne flute, and top with gin, champagne and lemon juice. Give it a quick stir to ensure all ingredients are incorporated, and garnish with a twist of lemon peel. I actually opted to just use the cotton candy as the garnish because I liked the look of it!

Cotton Cady Drink-18

Cotton Cady Drink-23Cotton Cady Drink-25Fun Fact: The French 75 was first developed in 1915 at the New York Bar in Paris, and is a bar staple across the world.Cotton Cady Drink-27


Filed Under: Food

Fry-Day: Arthur Family’s Famous Egg Rolls

06.24.2016

Some of my favorite memories with my family involve my dad cooking Chinese food. We have made many, many egg rolls over the years: in my kindergarten classes (see pic below!), college apartments, a cabin in the woods, hotel suites, and of course our own houses. Each time has been full of laughter and so much yummy food!

eggrolls vintage-2

On our recent trip to my aunt’s house, my cousin Benjamin asked if we could make my dad’s famous egg rolls. My cousins affectionately call my dad “Uncle Wok” because of his Chinese cooking skills. My parents brought all the food supplies and the well-seasoned wok. Everyone gets involved with helping stuff the egg roll wrappers, rolling them up, and frying them. It’s such a memorable way to spend time together, a family tradition that we will always cherish. So, gather your own gang, and try the Arthur Family egg rolls! Cheers to Fry-day!

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Ingredients:

6 TB vegetable oil for stir frying meat/veggies
3 cups vegetable oil for frying egg rolls
2 cups shredded raw Napa cabbage
2 handfuls fresh bean sprouts
3 large stalks celery, sliced thin lengthwise, then widthwise
1 ½ pounds ground pork
1 pound cooked shrimp, shelled, deveined, and chopped
4 green onions, sliced
2 cans sliced water chestnuts, chopped into slivers
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
3 TB dry cooking sherry (or rice wine)
1 TB soy sauce
2 TB sugar
Egg roll wrappers at room temp
1 egg slightly beaten
Hot mustard
Duck sauce
Salt & pepper

Instructions:

  1. Wash, chop and stage vegetables by the stove in separate bowls. Have all other ingredients measured separately and staged by the stove. The success of Chinese stir frying is to have all ingredients measured and staged for cooking, as stir frying is a quick and last minute technique. This is also less stressful on the cook…trust me.
  2. Set wok over high heat for 30 seconds, swirl in 2 tablespoons of oil, count to 20, add minced garlic and finely sliced green onions, and stir fry briskly to lightly brown and release garlic flavor into the cooking oil. Add ground pork, salt and pepper to season, and stir fry until meat is browned.
  3. After ground pork is browned and most of the moisture has evaporated, add dry cooking sherry and soy sauce around the edges of meat and stir fry for another two minutes. Remove browned and seasoned pork from the wok and drain excess moisture and grease on a paper towel.
  4. Set wok over high heat for 30 seconds, swirl in 1 tablespoon of oil, count to 20, add carrots, and stir fry for 2 – 3 minutes…at the point where color is at its peak and vegetables are still a bit crunchy (do not overcook). Remove carrots from wok to a big glass bowl.
  5. Repeat this process in three more batches for celery/water chestnuts, cabbage and bean sprouts. Cabbage will reduce in bulk considerably. All stir fried vegetables can be added to carrots in big glass bowl.
  6. Set wok back over high heat for 30 seconds; there should be enough residual oil in the wok for final stir fry. Add browned pork, chopped/cooked shrimp, and stir fried vegetables. Add sugar and combine this mixture stir frying for an additional 2-3 minutes to allow sugar to glaze meat and vegetable mixture.
  7. Return meat and vegetable mixture to glass bowl and refrigerate until ready to wrap and fry egg rolls. Mixture should be completely cooled down (at least to room temperature) prior to wrapping. Mixture can be kept for several days in refrigerator to serve at later point in time. Do not attempt to wrap egg rolls with hot mixture; mixture should be fairly well drained of any excess moisture. If pressed for time, go for Chinese take-out and serve egg rolls at later date. 😉
  8. Fill each egg roll wrapper with approximately 1-½ tablespoon of the mixture. Roll and seal with slightly beaten egg, as illustrated. Place rolls on oiled wax paper or cookie sheet. Egg rolls should be wrapped rather tightly and sealed. Do not over stuff egg rolls or loosely roll, as they tend to explode in the wok making huge mess and stressing out cook and guests.
  9. Place paper-lined serving dish in a 250° oven. Set wok over medium high heat for 30 seconds; add 3 cups of oil, heat to 375° or until a cube of bread browns (about 1 minute). Oil should not be hot to the point of smoking. Carefully place three to four egg rolls in the oil at once, and cook 4 to 5 minutes, or until golden brown, turning often. Remove from wok with a slotted spoon, drain and keep warm until ready to serve.
  10. Serve with traditional hot mustard and duck sauce. (The absolute best duck sauce in the world is sold at Publix Supermarkets.)

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Enjoy! What are you favorite family traditions? I’d love to hear about them!


Filed Under: Food, Uncategorized

Fry-Day: Farm-Fresh Fried Artichokes

05.20.2016

Today’s Fry-day post is inspired by my recent trip to Homestead Manor’s farmer’s market. Since I have been learning a lot about farm-to-table foods, I decided to share a recipe with a vegetable that’s currently in season. The great thing about buying seasonal produce is that local farmer’s markets are likely to have them available! My vegetable of choice this time was an artichoke, and I did have my challenges with cutting one up. My time-saving tip for you is this helpful how-to video. For this particular recipe, you can stop the video at two minutes and thirty-eight seconds. Once you get the hang of prepping the artichoke, it’s pretty simple! I’ve also included my favorite recipe for lemon aioli, which is the perfect dipping sauce for these delicious fried artichokes. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
-4 large artichokes
-32 fl oz peanut oil
-1/2 bunch parsley, finely chopped
-2 Lemons

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Directions:
1. Cut the lemons in half and set aside
2. Clean the artichoke, then peel the outer green edges with a knife or a peeler.
3. Squeeze lemon over the artichoke, and use the rhine to spread.
4. Heat peanut oil in a tall pot over medium heat.
5. Fry the artichokes until they are slightly golden in color. Remove artichokes from oil and drain on paper towels.
6. Turn temperature of oil up to medium high. Return artichokes to the oil and fry until they are completely opened and deep golden brown. Remove from oil, place face down on paper towels to let all the oil drain.
7. Serve warm (with aioli)!

Lemon Aioli:
-2 garlic clove
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1 egg yolk
-1 lemon, zested and juiced
-1 cup olive oil

Method:
In a mortar, pound the garlic and salt to form a paste. Stir in the egg yolk, lemon zest, and juice until integrated. Add the olive oil in a slow trickle, and blend. If you want, you can add ¾ cups of Mayonnaise to your mixture.

What are some of the farm-fresh vegetables at your local market? Do you fry them? I’m always looking for a new recipe to try, so feel free to share yours in the comments below!


Filed Under: Food, Uncategorized

Fry-Day: Super Simple Sweet Potato Fries

05.06.2016

Spring is in the air and that means lots of excuses for grilling AND frying for picnics, BBQs, and other fun gatherings! I love hosting events like these, but they do take a lot of work, so I’m always on the lookout for quick recipes that can easily be made for groups. On the menu today is a simple side dish for your next cookout, Sweet Potato Fries. Seriously, these are so easy to make that I barely consider this a recipe! The best part is that I haven’t met a kid or adult that didn’t fill up their plate with these yummy fries when they had the chance. Happy munching!

Ingredients:
-4 sweet potatoes, sliced
-salt & pepper
-vegetable oil

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Directions:
1. Fill the fryer with oil to above the minimum line, and heat to 350.*
2. In a large bowl, pour about 2 cups of vegetable oil, and add your sliced sweet potatoes.
3. Coat the potatoes, and remove from oil.
4. Salt and Pepper to taste.
5. Place a small handful of potatoes into frying basket, and let fry until golden.
6. Remove the fries, and drain.

*If you don’t have a fryer, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and place sweet potato pieces into the hot oil. Cover skillet, pan-fry for 5 minutes; uncover and turn fries.

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Pro Tip: Dip them in pure maple syrup for an even sweeter-salty treat!

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Filed Under: Food

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