Foodie Pen Pals!!

I'm so excited to present my FIRST post for Foodie Pen Pals August 2013!

If your not familiar with it you can read up on it here on Lindsay's (founder of FPP) blog. Not to be extremely long winded but the program is pretty much like... you make sure to sign up, the by the 5th of the month you receive your matches. The person who YOU'LL be sending a box of goodies to, and the person who will be sending YOU a box of goodies! You have a budget of $15 but lets be real, who can stay within that limit?

Don't forget to linkup!

 

 

It's really fun to get food, snacks and goodies from people in extremely different parts of the country. Example, If you live in the deep South and send a package to a Pacific North Westerner. Or a Midwesterner person sending a package to a born-bred New Yorker! If that makes any sense. So, I actually participated in the FPP last year July and I actually never received my package. I believe it was because when I moved from SC to NC, then back to SC the address change situation got crazy. That kind of discouraged me a bit, but I was reading someone else's blog and then saw that did the FPP and I said "why not give it another shot?" So I did! I was paired with Anna and Lena! I sent a package that was VERY Charleston themed to Lena of LeanLena and I received a package from Anna of Restaurant Wife Dietitian Life! I got really nervous about the package because it was sent on a Saturday with 2-day shipping and I didn't get it until the next Friday. I thought the USPS lost yet another package, which low and behold they didn't, but the box was definitely banged up, and I know for a fact she didn't send it that way, so SHAME on you USPS... Moving on, I was emailing Anna that VERY day about how I didn't receive the package yet and she had already thrown away the receipt with the tracking number. I ran a few errands after work and didn't get home until about 2 hours after we exchanged emails. I walk into my room and see this...

 

I was SOOOOO excited, talk about rip a package open? It surely felt like Christmas! :)

 

This is what it looked like when I opened the box...

 

I love newspapers!

 

Here's What was included:

 

1. Lime & Chile Mixed Nuts

2. Sweet & Spicy Pecans

3. Cranberry Almond KIND bars- So AMAZING!

4. Hot & Sweet Mustard (I haven't tried it yet but I. CANNOT. WAIT!

5. Dark Chocolate/Caramel Wedges

 

 

Everything all nice and pretty!(excuse my messy bed). When I told her I like spicy, she made sure to deliver the SPICY!

 

Don't forget to go sign up for the Foodie Pen Pals September 2013!

 

Peace & Love

-Tiffani

 

 

 

I'm Mentally Preparing Myself...

Hey y'all, I'll already getting my state of mind and palette ready for one of my favorite Charleston events. The Southern Living TASTE OF CHARLESTON!

 

 

The event is being held between September 27-29, 2013. Its usually held in October when the weather is a little less... scorching, but I can deal. I've only attended the "Main Event" at Boone Hall where I can purchase tickets and taste samples of everything from some of Charleston's BEST restaurants. I'm especially excited this time because I can finally WINE TASTE!!! *grabs personalized wine glass*

 

Who else is going to be there? Does your city have a "Taste of...?" What food events are y'all most looking forward too? Let me know, I'm nosey!

 

Peace & Love

-Tiffani



Restaurant Review: Sesame Burgers and Beer

Long time no chat, but lets not dwell on the past. ONWARD THIS POST! (My inner warrior just snuck out for a second... Sorry.)

 



Anyways, with the spring somewhat here, even with the crazy Charleston weather, and the summer around the corner I thought I should expand my horizon of restaurant ventures...So this spring & summer, I'm going to try new(at least new to me) restaurants all over Charleston and take pictures of the décor and my meals and report back to y'all with a very honest review! So this time around...actually on April 2nd, me and two of my friends were exploring at Citadel Mall, which was a sheer stroke of luck because I NEVER go to that mall, and if I do, I go to Target and back to my car.(Not exactly the best shopping experience in Charleston.) But we were in the area and my friends wanted to go there to go to Subway originally... $5 foot longs, can't beat it with a stick right?

 

 

Then as we were about to walk into the mall, me. Being the genius that I am, spotted a chalkboard sign that said "EVERY TUESDAY! $3 BURGERS 4PM-CLOSE!"

 

I immediately checked the time on my phone...It was a little after 5pm... JACKPOT! We went in, and a cute, very tall girl in an all kinds of gorgeous sage jumpsuit greeted us then sat us outside, since seating inside didn't exist. We thought we'd be all cool and hip to sit outside, then it got a lot colder, and I really think they forgot about us out there after we got our drinks. Even the guy with the two toddlers was forgotten about. When the guy finally came out there, we asked if we could go sit inside because it was WAY to cold. The only place available to sit was at this bar thing, but it wasn't a bar. It was like front row seats to all the kitchen action..

 

 

The burgers were $3 for either a turkey burger, beef burger, chicken sandwich or black bean burger. It already comes with lettuce and a side of fries was only $1.50! You pay for any added toppings, they cost between $0.35-$1.10. You can get anything you want on your burger from over 10 different cheeses, to bacon, a fried egg or even peanut butter! That's right... peanut butter!

 

I went with the basics.. cheese, tomatoes, and onions.

 

 

And they have ketchup and mustard there for you to use, and they give you some housemade mayo and honey mustard upon request. It was one of the best burgers I ever had in my life! Juicy, tender and it was turkey so you don't feel THAT guilty about ruining your diet. I've never sat with my friends and was more silent during a meal than I was on Tuesday at Sesame Burgers and Beer. And my total was a little over $6, because I always get water, I never get a soda or anything. This place will see me quite often on Tuesdays after 4pm that's for sure! Be sure to check them out, I went to the West Ashley location which I believe is a little smaller in size compared to the other location even though I haven't been to those before. This place will be my go to, especially when it gets a lot warmer here. I thought I'd leave y'all with a picture of my demolished plate...

 

I couldn't finish that last little bite..

 

Leave all your Charleston restaurant recommendations for me to check out and review! Preferably places that have daily specials, or some kind of deal once or twice a week.

Until next time guys...

 

Eat a little, live a lot!

 

Peace & Love

-Tiffani

 

 

 



 

It's almost here!!

Turkey Day is almost upon us saints and sinners! I can't wait to indulge! My mama had the nerve to make me do "manual labor" and chop up the greens. That wasn't that fun, but it'll be fun to eat them tomorrow! I hope you all are having fun preparing your favorite thanksgiving dishes, and if you don't celebrate thanksgiving eat, drink, watch football and be merry anyways!

Well I gotta go. Mama is yelling at me to hurry up so we can make this last minute trip to the grocery store. Guess who's making the PECAN PIE this year?!? This girl!! Lol. :)

Peace & Love
-Tiffani

Pan Stewed Chicken (as promised!)

I haven't forgotten people, my memory has not failed me yet! Remember that slap-yo-MAMA stewed chicken my mama made that I was tellin yall was so good! Well I bothered her to tell me how she made it since I was nappin when she started cookin it! And you may also remember that I said in my household when it comes to actual "food" "food" we don't follow recipes. We may follow a recipe if its a dish we've never had before, but we always follow the directions when we bake cake, cookies, or cupcakes or something, because it doesn't take alot to mess those up AT ALL! My chicken, mama is a pro..so no "recipe needed" but if people want to cook this delishes meal at home, i'll give them a modified version of a recipe! lol.

1. Get any kinda of chicken you want, bone-in or bonless...it doesnt matter!

2. Season your chicken to your liking, nothing citrusy or anything like that, that sorta throws it off! lol. (let it marinate for at least a few hours)

3. Get a deep pan, maybe something you would stir-fry or fry in, but nice and deep.

4. Put water in the bottom of the pan, just enough to cover the bottom of the pan, since chicken makes its own oil/grease/juice whatever it is! l0l.

5. Add the chicken to the water and let it sorta boil/simmer for about 20-25 minutes. (do NOT turn chicken over)

6. Then add a can of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom, enough to cover the whole pan and all the chicken, you may have to use 2 cans, it depends on how much chicken you use.

7. Let chicken and Cream of Mushroom all simmer for about 10-15 minutes or until chicken is finished, once again it depends on what kind of chicken you use, we used drumsticks and thighs! I would have prefered boneless, but it was still good!

8. Serve with rice and whatever side/veggie and enjoy.

We have rice and green beans with ours...And yours truly was responsible for the green beans. L0l. I opened the can and put it in the pot and boiled it all by my lonesome! We usually have frozen veggies, healthier and tastier, but we were out...so last resort!

Don't think I can't cook now, I'm actually a really good cook, I just wanted to at least contribute, despite my sleepy!

And the sauce over the rice was...AMAZIN'!

That mama did it again!



My very hard responsibiliy that night!



In the words of backpack from Dora the Explorer...it was "Yum, yum, yum delicioso!

-Tiffani :)

What I'm Loving Wednesday! 2/2/11

What I'm Loving This Wednesday is...



• The horrible rain we had here in Charleston this morning and it immediately cleared up and we had beautiful sunny yet windy weather to make up for it later on today!

• Im also loving these...

    

Michelina's Lean Gourmet meals. I love them, they keep me perfect on my portions, calories, fat...EVERYTHING! They're also pretty dang tasty, I don't even have to add any seasonings. And the best part they are VERY inexpensive I'm talking $1 and some are $1.07... and some have coupons to take a dollar off when you buy 5! One for everyday of the week, minus the weekend!

• I'm also loving the new episode of A&E's Storage Wars that comes on tonight! And my guilty pleasure that also comes on tonight of TLC's Toddlers & Tiara's! And ...MTV's I Used To Be Fat!

• I'm L O V I N G my hair today! Its usualy very unruly and never wants to cooperate, but today it bounced and flowed and blew in the Charleston wind perfectly! Even with my headband on. And my sunglasses and prescription glasses going back and forth from my face to the top of my head! Today was most defenitely a GOOD hair day!

• Im finally loving my Atkins Weight Loss Kit Sample! It came with 3 snack bars, a booklet with the amount of calories in everything, and a little recipe book! It was a free sample! And, I'm gonna use it very wisely! :)

And thats What I'm Loving (this) Wednesday!!!

Slap-Yo-Mama!!

OMG! Ya'll dinner was so good tonight it made you wanna Slap-Yo-Mama! It doesn't really have a name...so I named it "Pan Stewed Chicken" clever right? Since she stewed the chicken in a deep pan instead of a pot. My mama had some chicken already seasoned and she didn't know what she wanted to do to it exactly, so she stewed it. But she didn't want to make a GIANT pot of stewed chicken and have leftovers because she has other plans for dinner the rest of the week. I kinda contributed...She did the chicken and rice, and I made the green beans! Hey! Don't judge, its something! I am a good cook, but I usually only cook like once a week, or when my parents go out of town and I have to survive! I'll cook alot more and share my southern, country, recipe-less recipes with ya'll when I have my own place where I can cook how I want and be F R E E!! L0l.

I would put up the pictures and my rendition of a recipe, but I can't find my camera cord. It's either in my closet or out in the trunk. Which I refuse to look through tonight, so tomorrow I'll post the picture and the "recipe" I say recipe that way because in my household, unless its a desert like cake, cookies, or a cupcakes, we don't follow recipes. But if its food-food, we do a dash of this, a pinch of that, a spoonful of this...not a teaspoon or tablespoon, but a spoonful. So tomorrow, I'll put up the pictures and the recipe and I hope ya'll enjoy!

Happy Monday!