Laura Tucker

Buffalo BBQ & Baked Bean Bacon Cups

June 20, 2017 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #RedHotSummer #IPTSOE #CollectiveBias

This recipe for Buffalo BBQ Baked Bean Bacon Cups is the perfect appetizer to serve at your next outdoor barbecue shindig, and it’s made even greater with Frank’s RedHot Buffalo, which is perfect for Summer. Check out their Buffalo Chicken Sandwich recipe and visit their site for inspiration.

With the Fourth of July right around the corner, I decided it was time to step up my BBQ game and come up with a fun and flavorful dish that’s sure to be the star of any backyard barbecue party! There are few foods on this planet that make my mouth want to jump right off my face and give myself a big ol’ kiss like barbecue does. I love it any and every kind of way. You just can’t go wrong with it! Just to give you an idea of how much I love it – I served it at my own wedding 5 years ago. It’s safe to say I’m a big fan, y’all. BIG fan!

So when it comes to playing around in the kitchen and coming up with a new way to use it, you know I’m ready to get down and get my grub on!

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Southern Fried Peach Hand Pies

June 19, 2017 by Laura Tucker 4 Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CreateWithOil #CollectiveBias

What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of summer foods? Do you think about ice cold sweets such as ice pops or ice cream? Maybe your mind takes you all the way back to your childhood years when you spent time at the county fair with your friends and dived in to a pile of fried corn dogs and funnel cakes! When I think of my summertime favorites, I always think about the fresh produce that grows in abundance right here in my home state – and all of the many ways you can take those fruits and veggies and turn them into something so sweet and tasty, you’ll have the whole neighborhood coming over to your house to eat!

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Southern Fried Chicken (Without the Guilt!) Power Air Fryer XL Review

June 14, 2017 by Laura Tucker 55 Comments

I received a Power Air Fryer XL™ as compensation in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed here are 100% my own!

When you think of southern style food, what are some of the first things that come to mind? Casseroles? Sweet tea? What about fried chicken? If you automatically thought of something battered and fried, you’re definitely not alone! It’s no secret that we love our fried foods here in the south. Heck, we even fry our vegetables! Just walk into any local diner around here and you’ll find that the majority of the menu items are fried – and if they’re not, the cooks will be more than happy to fry it for you!

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Chi Omega Gift Ideas

June 12, 2017 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

SOUTHERN MADE SIMPLE IS PART OF SEVERAL AFFILIATE ADVERTISING PROGRAMS. AS SUCH, AFFILIATE LINKS ARE INCLUDED THROUGHOUT THIS POST AT ABSOLUTELY NO COST TO YOU. ALTHOUGH I PARTICIPATE IN THESE PROGRAMS, ALL OPINIONS EXPRESSED HERE ARE COMPLETELY MY OWN.

During the fall of 2008, I nervously went through sorority recruitment at Troy University as a freshman and visited 5 different panhellenic organizations that were represented on campus. Going through sorority recruitment can be a bit overwhelming to a young girl who has very little knowledge of what a sorority is and how it can be a beneficial part of her college experience, but it truly opened my eyes to see how young women can come together with a common bond and a common goal to better their community, better themselves and better the lives of others.

At the end of a long recruitment week, I had absolutely no doubt what house I belonged to. After seeing how the active sisters communicated with each other, after learning more about the philanthropic activities and the focus on academics over social obligations, my heart was gravitating towards Chi Omega. I attended preference night to two different sororities, and underneath my dress I wore an owl pendant over my heart – knowing that a Chi Omega was where I truly belonged! The next morning, I opened my bid card and ran straight to the house where I’d spend the next 4 years making some of the best memories that I’ll always cherish. I pledged my loyalty to the Chi Omega sisterhood in August of 2008, and my heart still beats cardinal and straw to this very day!

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Sorority Big/Little Gift Ideas on a Budget

June 9, 2017 by Laura Tucker 1 Comment

Southern Made Simple is part of several affiliate advertising programs. As such, affiliate links are included throughout this post at absolutely no cost to you. Although I participate in these programs, all opinions expressed here are completely my own.

Are you currently a member of a college sorority? If so, you’re probably going to be on the hunt for some really fun and inexpensive gift ideas to spoil your little sister big time with once school rolls back around this fall! I’ve been in your shoes (currently having a hard time accepting the fact that it’s been 8 years since I first shopped for a little..#ancient) and I know how exciting and fun it can be! I also know it can be a tad bit overwhelming trying to find cute and clever gift ideas that won’t totally break the bank.

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Game On VBS Decor Ideas on Amazon!

June 6, 2017 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

Affiliate links are included throughout this post at absolutely no cost to you. I love sharing VBS ideas with you, and your support helps me continue to create VBS related content!

Alright, team! It’s time to huddle up and get our heads in the game! Lifeway just announced the Vacation Bible School theme for 2018, and it’s sure to make you shout, cheer and root for the home team all summer long!

Game On: Gearing Up for Life’s Big Game will take kids on an epic adventure in a league of it’s own as they learn about God the Father who is always with us through every obstacle and challenge we face through life. He will never leave us and never forsake us, and this theme is all about cheering for the REAL MVP who came to die on the cross and save us from our sins!
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How to Host a Kid Friendly Fiesta Fry Bar!

June 5, 2017 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

“This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of McCain Foods. The opinions and text are all mine.”

With the summer months officially here, it’s time to kick off your shoes, roll up your sleeves and enjoy these beautifully warm days with friends and family by your side! Even though the temperatures here in south Alabama keep climbing higher and higher, nothing is stopping me from creating memorable moments for my family to enjoy together! One of my favorite things to do during the long summer days is to get my creative juices flowing and put together a special food-filled evening that my entire family will be sure to enjoy.

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Sports Craft Ideas for Kids: Game On VBS

June 5, 2017 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

VBS 2017 just kicked off around the country, and millions of children all over this nation are experiencing God the Creator through Galactic Starveyors – Lifeway’s 2017 VBS theme! (You may have a few of my Galactic Starveyors Posts floating around the web: Craft Ideas, Snack Ideas or Decor Ideas)

Earlier this evening, Lifeway announced in a live video broadcast on Facebook the BRAND NEW theme for Vacation Bible School 2018. Are you ready for it? Grab those foam fingers and megaphones, because you’re going to want to holler and cheer as kids will be gearing up for life’s big game in: Game On!

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Farmhouse Dorm Decor on Amazon

June 4, 2017 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

Affiliate links may be included throughout this post at no cost to you. I love sharing my favorite decor finds with you, and your support helps me continue to create more Farmhouse focused content!

It’s been almost 10 years since I first started daydreaming about what my college dorm room would look like. I vividly remember collecting Seventeen and Pottery Barn Teen magazines and clipping out my favorite decor finds during my senior year of high school. I had a 3-ring binder where I would keep all of the clippings, and I would save up every penny I could to put towards cute things for my future dorm room. Honestly, I think I was way more excited about decorating my room than attending my first day of classes!

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Farmhouse Storage Solutions on Amazon

June 3, 2017 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

Affiliate links may be included throughout this post at absolutely no cost to you. I love sharing my favorite Farmhouse finds with you, and your support helps me to continue to create more Farmhouse focused content!

Our home building project is trucking right along, and we’re hoping to have it move-in ready around September of this year. The thought of packing up my current house and moving into our dream home in just 3 months has been sending me into a whirlwind of emotions! All of the excitement and anxiousness I’ve been feeling has been stirring up an imaginary mood board in my mind of how I’ll style each room. Earlier this week I began to think about storage solutions for our home.

It’s important to me that any sort of storage solution that will be left visible matches my home decor and doesn’t look like ordinary storage bins. Naturally, the first thing I did was hop on my favorite retailer (Amazon.com) and do a little digging to see what all I could find! I’ve put together a roundup of a few of my favorite different storage bins that go along with the modern farmhouse aesthetic. If you’re an Amazon Prime member, you can have these bins delivered to your home in just 2 days! (And if you’re not a Prime member, here’s a free 30 day trial just for you!)

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