Appetizers

Simple Holiday Snowman Cheeseball

December 6, 2016 by Laura Tucker 2 Comments

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

Some people love the holidays for the the presents and gift-giving. Others like it for the lights, carols, ribbons, bows, reindeer games and jolly plump men in Santa suits. And sure, all of those things are some pretty fabulous elements of this special season, but there’s something that really warms my soul more than anything else during this time of year. For me, it’s the people. I love to visit folks. I love to be surrounded by family, friends, love and laughter. I love to entertain. I love to serve. I find my joy in being with others, and everybody knows that when there’s a group of people gathered, there’s a spread of delicious food nearby waiting to be surrounded by others, too.

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Game Day Smokin’ Spicy Onion Rings with Sweet Heat Dipping Sauce

October 14, 2016 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

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

It’s about to get real serious up in here, y’all. I mean, really serious. When game day rolls around in this house, you better strap on your helmet and bring your appetite with you, ‘cuz once our team hits the field on Saturday, you better believe our snackin’ game is in a league of it’s own. We don’t mess around with the game day grub, either. This time we’re bringing the heat and packing in some serious crunch with my Smokin’ Spicy Onion Rings with Sweet Heat Dipping Sauce – and it’s going to take your taste buds all the way to the end zone, guaranteed! Plus, I’m throwing a secret ingredient into the mix that’ll definitely make this game day snack hard to beat!

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Kickoff Mexican Caviar and Cream Cheese Chicken Taquitos

September 28, 2016 by Laura Tucker 2 Comments

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

Whether you’re tailgating with friends or homegating on your couch, there’s one thing that is an absolute must to make your game day experience a winning one: Good Food

We’re a couple of weeks into football season, and each week I’ve been thinking of new ways to “spice” up our game day spread. I could stick to my Southern roots and make a few more traditional things such as BBQ with all the fixin’s, but that’s just not saucy enough for me this time around.

This time I’m taking it way down south (as in south of the border) with a few twists on some of my favorite Mexican-inspired dishes, and we’re counting down the minutes until kickoff so we can dig in to my Kickoff Mexican Caviar and Cream Cheese Chicken Taquitos!

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Blackberry Jalapeno Pepper Jelly + Free Printable

September 27, 2016 by Laura Tucker 140 Comments

I remember very vividly the times I’d visit my Memaw during the summer months of my childhood. I can still picture all of the snacks and mason jars she had stacked up in her pantry, and how she’d always leave her tomatoes sitting in the window sill for the sun to shine on. She’d always fix me snacks while we watched The Price is Right together, and then I’d go outside to play while she caught up on her “stories” – aka soap operas.

The summer months were the very best, though, because that meant one thing in particular: Fresh canned pickles and jams. And my Memaw could make some of the very best – no doubt about it!

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10 Minute Skillet Nachos

September 20, 2016 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

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

I’m not sure what stars had to align in my life to make me love cooking as much as I now do, but I started taking a major interest in getting creative in the kitchen right after my toddler was born almost a year and a half ago. I’m always flipping to the cooking channels when I get a chance to see what my favorite chefs are up to, and I find myself dragging out all of my old cookbooks from over the years a lot more frequently now.

I’d say it’s just because I love to eat, but truthfully I think it has something to do with the experience. The same satisfaction you may get after you’ve assembled a challenging puzzle or craft project happens for me after I put together a nice and delicious meal for my family. But now that school has started back and my schedule has gotten busier, I find it harder to put together meals on the fly that leave myself and my family feeling satisfied. I long for those recipes I can throw together quickly that will still leave me feeling like a champ in the kitchen.

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3 Cheese Pizza Dip – Ready in 20!

September 6, 2016 by Laura Tucker 1 Comment

***This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #20MinutesToTasty* *#CollectiveBias***

Do you hear those school bells ringing, friends? Class is officially back in session! And while many of you may be celebrating the kiddos getting back in the classroom and getting into a good routine, there are those of you that are facing the challenges of balancing life around all of those after school activities, helping kids with homework and keeping the household afloat during all of it.

Through all of the hustle and bustle of the back-to-school season, it can be easy to let time slip away from you and have the meal you eat around the dinner table as a family be a complete afterthought. After all, many nights you may be getting home late and the busyness of the day allows little time for meal planning. But what if I told you that there’s a way that you can get a meal on the table in just 20 minutes that the whole family will go nuts for?

Hang on, folks! I’m going to show you how to rock this whole back-to-school dinner business like a boss!

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Perfect Southern Fried Okra

September 2, 2016 by Laura Tucker 1 Comment

You may chuckle at the notion, but there’s nothing more Southern than a fried vegetable. It’s true, y’all! If you’re from the South, then you know exactly what I’m talking about. But if you aren’t, you may find the idea of frying vegetables a little bizarre. Just step into any restaurant that serves Southern-style food and look at their menu! You’ll find things like fried corn nuggets, fried green beans, fried squash, and even fried pickles!

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Get Game Day Ready with Touchdown Taco Cups

August 22, 2016 by Laura Tucker 15 Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and The Coca-Cola Company. All opinions are mine alone. #GameTimeHosting #CollectiveBias

Do you feel it? That slight change in the morning air? You know, that tiny little preview of Summer fading into Fall when the temperatures start changing? Even though it was for a very, very brief moment this morning, I finally felt it. It’s been long awaited, and it was definitely warmly welcomed. Fall is my absolute favorite time of the year. Sure, the cool weather, cozy long sleeved shirts and boots and all of the pumpkin flavored things are great, but my heart loves this time of year for one thing in particular:

Football

The excitement that football season brings is unlike any other. Here in the South, football is bigger than big, and the devotion to our teams is unmatched. The hometown and state rivalries are beginning to gear up. Football schedules are going up on the refrigerator and everyone is making plans to tailgate, throw a get-together or crowd around the couch to catch all of the big games this year. Yup, when I caught that brief, cool breeze this morning, I definitely felt it. Football season is upon us, y’all!

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Cheesy Spinach and Kale Pancake Bites

August 8, 2016 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

My 14 month old has started to turn into a sort-of picky eater. If it’s not a strawberry, banana, cheese or a “puff” snack, she’s probably not very interested. There are a few exceptions to that rule, but trying to find something she won’t turn her nose up at is often like trying to find Atlantis. I’m trying to tell myself that this is a phase that every toddler goes through, but I’m still often left struggling to find a way to make sure she’s getting all of the healthy and nutritious things that she needs.

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Sho’ Nuff Scrumptious Salsa

August 3, 2016 by Laura Tucker 3 Comments

Are you ready for this?

No, seriously. Are you really ready for this? Are you ready to have your world changed, your mind blown, your taste buds tingled and your belly slap happy? Cuz that’s exactly what you’re gonna get if you read any further! Honestly, I feel like it’s my responsibility to properly warn you before you go any further with this. You really need to know what you’re getting yourself into here.

I mean, you already know that not all salsa is created equally, so you really need to know that this one is special. It is set apart. This is the chosen batch. This is the salsa recipe to end all salsa recipes. This salsa is sho’ nuff scrumptious, and it’s so addicting you might need to hook up an IV of the stuff. I’d like to say I’m exaggerating, but I’m totally not, y’all. Trust.

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