Food — A Southern Fairytale

Blissdom Food Photography Round Table

12:26 PM ByRachelFiled Underconferences

I am BEYOND excited to announce that on Saturday, January 29th from 9 -11AM

Heather Solos and Deanna Garretson and I are going to be hosting a FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY round table at the Cocoa Bean.

Come to eat, hang out, have fun relaxed discussions about food, Blissdom, photography AND we’ll even have a set up where you can ask questions and take pictures of different plates of food and practice lighting, composition — etc…

If you’ve ever wanted to know more about food photography, have immediate feedback and help with composition, lighting and tricks and tips – this is your chance!

We’ll talk more in depth about how much we love our spouses who have learned that all food must be photographed before being eaten , restaurant photography etiquette and answer any and all questions to the best of our ability about food photography.

So, if you’re going to be around the Opryland Hotel on Saturday morning — come stop in and say Hi! Bring your camera and your questions and your appetite, if you want!

PLUS — if you see us around during lunches and want to take pics of the food and ask a few questions, then, feel free!

This is going to fun, informal and informative << see what I did there?

If you want to come on Saturday — this is not limited to the #foodtribe or the #photographytribe either!

Don’t forget about our Blissdom Foodies Flickr Page! #foodtribe

Please add yourself to the linky so we have an idea of who to expect! And make sure that you say Hi in the comments, too!
Can’t wait to meet y’all!!!!

TaggedBlissdom, Food, Photography 22 Comments

Easy Homemade Granola

9:42 PM ByRachelFiled UnderBreakfast

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Homemade Granola, delicious crunchy, sweet, crispy and fruity.

I remember eating granola as a kid; my mom made the most amazing granola.

Doused in chilled milk or snatched from a bag in my tiny fist, my mom’s granola was better than any boxed version.

As an adult and admitted food and recipe obsessed person, it’s somewhat embarrassing to admit that homemade granola is one thing I’ve never tackled. (~~until now~~

One of my favorite go-to recipe blogs, fellow redhead and all around favorite people ever, Heather of Home Ec-101, posted the Easiest Homemade Granola Ever recipe and I must admit, I was inspired.

Y’all know me though, I can’t leave a recipe alone; I am compelled to tweak and twiddle and mess with every recipe that I come across.

I now have what I believe to be the MOST amazingly delicious homemade granola recipe ever.

Mixing the ingredients for this ridiculously easy, filling and delicious granola takes less than 5 minutes, baking it to crispy, golden heavenly perfection takes about an hour to an hour and a half.

Mix Oats, coconut, walnuts and almonds* together in your largest mixing bowl

Top with your binding mixture of honey, vegetable oil, vanilla, brown sugar, cinnamon and applesauce

Mix together until all ingredients are perfectly blended.

Divide and place on two baking sheets (your cooking time will differ if your baking sheets are dark or light)

Bake at 250 for 1 hour 20 minutes on light or 1 hour 10 minutes on dark non-stick, stir and mix every now and then, you want the granola to turn a lovely golden color, they will crisp up after they’re out of the oven. ( 20 minute intervals works well)

Remove from the oven, allow to cool.. add in dried cranberries, raisins, dried cherries (I would have added dried apples and nectarines if I’d had them)

This is amazing served in a bowl cereal style with ice cold milk

or by the handful. It’s healthy, chock full of anti-oxidents and all that yumminess without the preservatives and cost of the store bought kind.

Seriously, $4ish dollars for less than a pound of store bought granola or $4 for 2 gallon size bags (if you make two batches like I did) chock full of homemade healthy granola[/donotprint]

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Recipe: Homemade Granola

Ingredients

6 C oats (NOT the quick cooking ones)
1 C sliced almonds
1 C chopped walnuts
1 1/2 C shredded unsweetened coconut
1 C applesauce
1/2 C honey
2 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 C light brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 C raisins
1 C dried cherries
1 C dried cranberries
or dried apples, nectarines etc….

Instructions

In your biggest mixing bowl, mix together; oats, almonds, walnuts and coconut
In a small bowl mix together: 1/2 C honey, 1 C applesauce, 2 Tbsp vanilla, 1/2 C brown sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
Pour the applesauce mixture over the oat mixture and combine thoroughly. Use your hands (preferred) or a spoon and mix until thoroughly combined
Spread the mixture over two baking sheets and bake at 250 F for about 1 hour 20 minutes.
If the baking sheet is light it will take about 1 hour 20 minutes, if it’s dark/non-stick it will take about 1 hour (these are {abouts} it will depend on your oven, you want the granola to have turned a lovely golden brown. It will get crispy after it’s removed from the oven and allowed to cool
stir the granola every 20 minutes
remove from the heat and allow to cool, this is when it will crisp up
add in dried fruit: cranberries, raisins, cherries, apples etc…
this recipe will yield 1 gallon sized storage bag

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*apparently the Print plug-in is broken, AGAIN! GRRRRRR.. As always, you can use the Print Friendly button to print the recipe with or without images and deleting whatever text isn’t relevant.

thank y’all for linking up and for y’all’s patience with the print/recipe plug-in issues! I love seeing what y’all are making. Thank you so much for sharing! Don’t forget, link up your recipe URL, leave a comment, link back here in your post and don’t forget to visit the other participants!!!

psssssst: I’m nominated for the Tastiest Blog Award and I’d REALLY appreciate your votes! I’m up against some really major competition!

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Taggedbreakfast, cereal, Food, granola, Recipes 39 Comments

FreeBirds

2:24 PM ByRachelFiled UnderEverything Else

{insert sing song here: We’re getting a FreeBirds! We’re getting a FreeBirds!!!!}

Yesterday, the family and I got to attend a special event at the FREEBIRDS that will be opening here in Corpus TOMORROW!!!!!!

The place was packed and loud and fun and funky. The food was hot and fresh and delicious!

I haven’t been at a restaurant “opening party” since I was the one managing the restaurant and it was nice to be on the other side! I have to give them major kudos; they know how to do it right. Their team is professional and friendly, the managers were enjoying themselves and the staff members were adorable and at the top of their game! The atmosphere was loose, laid back, fun, welcoming and friendly.

Here’s one of them making my steak burrito: spinach tortilla, rice, black beans, salsa, mixed cheese, sour cream, red onions, guacamole, lettuce and steak. NOM NOM NOM (no, I did NOT finish it)

Even the menus are fun

This is on the side of the island that holds the sauces and soda machines (WHICH HAVE DIET DR. PEPPER!!!!!)

I love this saying, it’s so southern. It makes me think of Southern Grannies and kitchens and family and love.

It was a delicious evening and I will be taking the kids to the opening tomorrow so that I can get another burrito; I think I’ll try the cayenne tortilla this time with a great big Diet Dr. Pepper!

Thank you Omarr and everyone at FREEBIRDS, it was a great evening and it was nice to be able to include my husband and kids in something!

*I was not asked to write this post, I was not compensated for this post.. although, we were given free food and drinks But, I would have written about it anyway!

TaggedFood, freebirds, restaurants 15 Comments