Southern Made Simple

Keeping things simple with a smidge of Southern charm

Home Cookin'

Rainy Day Activity: Indoor Picnic Fun + Free Printables!

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

If there’s one thing in the great state of Alabama that’s common knowledge, it’s that the weather is never going to do exactly what you think it’s going to do. The meteorologists do the best that they can, but mother nature tends to do what she wants, when she wants, and she really doesn’t care if she ruins your outdoor plans. This especially holds true during the summer months. We all know for sure that it’s going to be hot and humid here, but there’s just no telling when a pop up shower or storm is going to happen.

In fact, I vividly remember 2 years ago when it rained almost every single day during the month of July. It could be a gorgeous day outside, then BAM! A pop up storm comes out of nowhere to rain on your parade. #Rude

Now that I have a little one, I’ve seen how a rainy day can put a major damper on the amount of fun she has. She loves to run around and play outside, but that’s a big no-no when the yard is wet and muddy. Thankfully, Publix has situations just like that in mind! They’ve got a pretty sweet “Summer Storm Stock Up” promotion going on right now that helps us keep the party going when rain creeps up.

Rainy day bringing you down? Bring the outdoors IN and throw an indoor picnic! Tips and ideas on picnic-themed foods and 5 FREE printables included! #StormStockUp #ad

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Homemade Blackberry Lemonade – Recipe

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Even though summer hasn’t officially kicked off just yet, it is by all means summer time here in south Alabama. The temp has been in the 80’s for the past two weeks (and it’s steadily getting hotter), so it’s nothing but flip flips, tank tops and shorts from here until the last week of September!

And with the glorious arrival of summer comes the long anticipated return of fresh fruits and veggies hand picked from the garden. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, we have a wild blackberry patch on our family’s property right up the road from our home. My husband and I always try to beat the birds and take a small bucket up the hill 3 or 4 times during the month of May to pick all of the beautiful blackberries off of the vines. Aren’t they just gorgeous?!

Refreshing Blackberry Lemonade - A PERFECT summertime treat!

Aside from munching on the berries as a snack, I’ve been experimenting with different things to do with them while they’re in season. I recently made a Blackberry Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole (which I swear was sent straight from Heaven,) but this time I decided to try my hand at making something really sweet!

Refreshing Blackberry Lemonade - A PERFECT summertime treat!

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I opened up my refrigerator and saw one lowly lemon sitting there on the shelf. That’s when it hit me: Homemade Blackberry Lemonade! Ohhhh, yeah! Luckily I had a bottle of lemon juice in the door of the fridge to help me out. Squeezing real lemons would’ve been even better, but I think it turned out amazing just the way I made it! It’s a perfect blend of sweet, sour/tart, and darn delicious. Here’s how I made it:

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Homemade Blackberry Lemonade - Recipe

Course: Beverage
Author: Southern Made Simple

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups lemon juice + 2tbs
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar I used half sugar, half stevia
  • 1 cup blackberries
  • 2 cups water + 5 cups water

Instructions

  • In a medium sauce pan, combine 2 cups water and sugar and bring to a boil - stirring occasionally.
  • Remove from stove and allow to cool down.
  • Using a blender or food processor, puree 1 cup blackberries + 2 tbs lemon juice.
  • In a large pitcher, combine water/sugar mixture and lemon juice.
  • Using a fine mesh strainer, pour blackberry puree into strainer and stir contents into pitcher.
  • Add additional 5 cups water and stir.
  • Serve with ice and fresh lemons and berries if desired.

Tried this recipe?

Tag me on Instagram: @SouthernMadeSimple or use the hashtag #SouthernMadeSimple and share your love of southern cuisine!

While the water was on the stove boiling, I tossed a cup of fresh blackberries and a little lemon juice into my blender. After several spins in the blender, the berries turned into a really thick pulp (as pictured below.)

Refreshing Blackberry Lemonade - A PERFECT summertime treat!

Using a fine mesh strainer, I poured the blackberry pulp over the lemon juice. I had to use a spoon to mash the pulp to help it go through the strainer. The strainer of course prevents any of the seeds getting through into your lemonade. You can always add a few if you like having a little “texture” in your beverages. 🙂

Refreshing Blackberry Lemonade - A PERFECT summertime treat!

Once the lemonade was all put together, I added a few fresh berries and lemon slices into the pitcher and let it sit and cool in the fridge for a while. This drink really takes lemonade to a whole new level, and I am totally loving it! I’ll be sure to freeze a few batches of blackberries so that I can make this drink all throughout the year and not just during the summer!

Refreshing Blackberry Lemonade - A PERFECT summertime treat!

What makes a perfect summer drink to you? Have you ever made lemonade using other fresh fruits? I’d love to hear your ideas!

 

Blackberry Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole

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May is my favorite month for so many reasons. The weather here in South Alabama is as close to perfect as it can get. It’s cool in the mornings and afternoons, which makes it perfect to be able to enjoy the outdoors. Also, it hasn’t gotten humid or muggy yet, which is a huge plus for me (and my hair!) This is the month where it’s still comfortable to sit out on your front porch, go for a walk and even pick a few wild berries with your family.

There’s a huge patch of wild dewberries right up the road from my house that are always begging to be picked during this time of year, so my husband and I like to grab a giant bowl out of the cupboard and make an adventure out of it!

Blackberry Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole with Blackberry Compote - So delicious and easy to prepare! …

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Protein Packed Monkey Muffins – A Nutritional Toddler Snack!

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This shop has been compensated by CollectiveBias, Inc. on behalf of its advertiser, Similac.  #NutritionintheMix #Collectivebias #Walmart

In a perfect world, there would be a handbook (with pictures) issued to every parent who is raising a toddler. It would be filled with explanations as to why your child is throwing a tantrum, how they were able to reach the rice from the top shelf and spill it everywhere, and why in the world they LOVE a food one day and hate it the next.

Unfortunately, we don’t live in a perfect world where such a handbook exists. Hey, a mom can dream, right? 😉 I sure wish I had one right about now, though! I’m already having a hard enough time coming to terms with the fact that I no longer have a little baby to hold in my arms. She grew in the blink of an eye and is now a squirmy little toddler who is too busy to be held and wants to get into everything! I really wish time could slow down just a bit!

She has entered a phase where it seems like she changes daily. One day she likes yogurt, the next she doesn’t. She wants to feed herself, but she’s only interested in the food that’s on your plate and not her own. She’ll take a bottle one day, and be totally uninterested in it the next. Sometimes it’s really hard to keep up with what’s going on! While her little body is growing and going through lots of new changes, I don’t want to fall behind in making sure she’s getting all of the nutrients she needs.

And that, my friends, is where Go & Grow by Similac® Food Mix-Ins™ steps in to save the day!

Protein Packed Monkey Muffins - The perfect toddler snack! Chocolate, banana and quinoa muffins with a special hidden ingredients to really pack in the nutrients! #NutritionInTheMix #Walmart #ad…

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Slow Cooker Sloppy Chicken Sliders

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Slow Cooker Sloppy Chicken Sliders - Freezer Crock Pot Meal Idea

Here’s another quick and easy meal that the whole family will enjoy! This recipe is a fun twist on the good ol’ Sloppy Joe. With just 5 ingredients, this meal makes for a super simple yet hearty dinner that you can jut set and forget in the crock-pot! This recipe will also work great as a freezer meal. (Instructions for freezer meal below)

Ingredients:

  • 2-3 lbs boneless chicken thighs or breasts
  • 1 15oz can of your favorite sloppy joe sauce
  • 1 small onion cut into small slices
  • 1/4 cup chopped jalapeno peppers (optional)
  • Your favorite slider or hamburger bun
  • (I added mayo and a pickle to my slider since it reminded me of a BBQ sandwich. Both are totally optional!)

Directions:

  1. Spray slow cooker with cooking spray. Place all ingredients in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or until chicken is done.
  2. 30 minutes before finished cooking, remove the chicken and shred with a fork. Put shredded chicken back in slow cooker and let simmer.
  3. Serve on buns and enjoy!

To make a freeze ahead Crock-pot meal:

  1. Label 1 gallon freezer safe ziploc bag with the following:
    • “Slow Cooker Sloppy Chicken Sliders”
    • Cook on low 6 hours
    • Serve on slider buns
  2. Place all contents in bag and seal. Lay flat in freezer.

Do you have any favorite slow cooker meals that the whole family loves? If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how you like it!

DIY “Starter Fluid” Emergency Coffee Kit

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

Imagine this: You’ve made it to work, half awake and nearly late. You make your way to the break room to pour yourself a cup of much needed coffee. I mean, let’s face it, nothing good will come from this day until you’ve had your coffee.

You fill your cup only to find that some horrible, horrible person has swiped the last of the creamer, sugar, etc. The thought of taking your coffee any other way than exactly how you like it makes you want to curl up in a hole and cry. A parade of cuddly kittens could not even cheer you up at this point.

Sounds AWFUL, right?! But when you think about it, a scenario much like this happens in public places everywhere on a daily basis. (Let’s take a moment of silence for those poor, poor souls that went without their cup of beloved coffee made perfectly to their liking this morning.) Godspeed, my friends!

DIY Starter Fluid Emergency Coffee Kit + free printable #ad #DDCreamers…

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Spice Up Family Dinner Night with this 7 Layer Mexican Fiesta Dip!

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

Let’s taco ’bout Mexican food for just a minute here, y’all. My husband and I can seriously throw down when it comes to Mexican. Enchiladas, quesadillas, chalupas, #4 chicken taco supreme combo with a large coke, etc. It makes no difference to us. You name it, we love it! And if you throw some queso and jalapenos into the mix? Have mercy!

And because we love it so much, we try to make it a point to prepare these types of meals at home on a regular basis. I’m telling you, as soon as my daughter is old enough to start eating the food that I prepare (she’s only 11 months), I’m establishing  non-negotiable Taco Tuesdays in this house. It’s definitely happening.

 I absolutely love to cook, and if you’ve been following my posts you know that I love to share recipes that tend to be Southern inspired. This post is no different, other than the fact that this one is really, really Southern. Like, South-of-the-border southern. Oh yeah mis amigos, it’s gonna be good!

7 layer Mexican Fiesta Dip - The perfect way to spice up your family Mexican night! + Time Saving Kitchen Hack: How to cook Quinoa in the Microwave #YesYouCAN #ad…

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Mandarin Orange Upside Down Cake

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I love a good upside down cake. I’m pretty certain that for the past 5 or 6 years I have requested a pineapple upside down cake for my birthday. Any time you can combine real fruit with the sweetness of a cake, you know you’ve got a winning recipe. Plus, with fruit being a key ingredient, it’s basically like you’re eating something healthy! Am I right?! (I kid, of course.)

I had never really thought about adding other types of fruit to an upside down cake. I mean, pineapple upside down cake is already so perfect in my eyes, why mess with it? It wasn’t until I was thumbing through my great grandmother’s recipe book that I realized you totally could use other fruits in this type of recipe! (I know it seems like a no-brainer that you could substitute the pineapple, but I seriously had never thought to do that!)

I’ve shared one of my favorite recipes from my Grandmama with you before. Remember these incredible lemon cakes? If you haven’t made those yet, then bless your heart because you’re sure missing out! I already knew that anything that came out of her cookbook would be delicious, so when I saw her recipe for a Mandarin Orange Upside Down Cake, I knew I had to get to work so my taste buds wouldn’t be deprived any longer.

Easy + delicious Mandarin Orange Upside Down Cake with brown sugar and pecans. So delicious and only uses a few ingredients!…

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Rev Up Your Engines with Pitstop Pepper Poppers! – Recipe

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Ladies and gentlemen, get ready to start those engines! Racing season is upon us, so it’s definitely time to throw your snack-time game into 4-wheel drive. Whether you prefer something a little savory or you like to burn a little rubber and bring the heat, making a pit-stop for this dish will leave all the racing fans in your life cheering for more!

{PIitstop Pepper Poppers} Rev up your engines with Nexium and kick up the heat on race day with these delicious Pitstop Poppers! These jalapenos and sweet peppers are stuffed with a sausage and cream cheese mixture and beautifully wrapped in bacon coated with brown sugar. Mmmm! #RaceDayRelief #AD…

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Pesto Chicken Sandwich with Creamy Goat Cheese and Sauteed Peppers – Recipe

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I don’t really consider myself a sandwich person. I mean, it’s not that I don’t like sandwiches. Oh no, I like them just fine! What I guess I mean is that I just don’t ever really make sandwiches. I much prefer a Subway artist to do that for me if you know what I’m sayin’.

However, just a few months ago I was eating with a group of friends at a small sorta-local chain restaurant that serves soup and sandwiches. It was a nice little place, but I had never been before and had no idea what to order off of the menu. As I stood in line reading over the menu board, the word “pesto” caught my eye. I barely even read what else was on the sandwich, I just knew it had pesto on it and would therefore be in my belly. Stat.

Chicken Pesto Sandwich with creamy goat cheese and sauteed peppers. This sandwich is to die for!…

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