Frosty Toffee Bits Pie

I came across this delicious recipe in one of my Taste of Home magazines and just HAD to share with all of you. This pie is light, easy, delicious and the perfect cold treat to accompany your next Summer cookout. In fact, Memorial Day is coming up....not a bad time to give this wonderful pie a try.
Frosty Toffee Bits Pie Recipe

• 6-8 Servings
• Prep: 10 min. + freezing

10 fF 10 F

~Frosty Toffee Bits Pie~

Ingredients

• 1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 cup half-and-half cream
• 1 carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1 package (8 ounces) milk chocolate English toffee bits, divided
• 1 graham cracker crust (9 inches)

Directions

• In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in cream until blended. Fold in whipped topping and 1 cup toffee bits.
• Spoon into crust; sprinkle with remaining toffee bits. Cover and freeze overnight. Remove from the freezer 10 minutes before serving. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Enjoy!!!

~Lauren

"There's no place like home...."

I am definitely a "people person", I love meeting new people and taking an interest in their lives. That was one of the highlights of my previous job as a Dental Assistant. I was constantly meeting people day -in and day out. Since then, I am happily a Wife, Domestic Engineer, Photographer, and Jewelry Designer. I love being a homemaker!
Sean & I affectionately call our charming 1920's home "Sean & Lauren's Bed & Breakfast" aka "S&L's B&B".I love to cook, we both love to entertain, and our home just happens to be the perfect setting for combining the two. We've had many visitors this Summer and have enjoyed each and every guest! Sean & I are a great team, and we strive to help people to feel comfortable, relaxed, and welcome at our place. I have turned my love for people into turning my home into a warm and hospitable environment for those that we entertain!I believe the gift of hospitality is a lost art these days. We live in a busy world, one that has little time for anyone else. The Proverbs 31 woman made time for others and went out of her way to be a servant to those that she met. We, by no means have mastered this art, but our goal is to make a habit of being hospitable. Reaching out to others, taking the time to nurture and develop friendships, and showing the love of Christ through our lives takes time, but is so rewarding. People are what life is all about. It's too easy to be self focused. Practice being others focused and you'll find yourself truly happy, while being a blessing to those around you. It doesn't come naturally, but it's something for us all to work on everyday!


In closing, you don't have to live in the South to show that good ol' Southern hospitality. You heard right, Page! This Northern gal can do it too. haha! Give it a try!

Oh and if you're ever in our "neck of the woods", give us a holla and stop by "S&L's B&B". :-D

~Lauren

P.S. Sean makes a MEAN breakfast - it's slap yo momma good!!

"Lettuce" learn from this - ;-)

Proverbs 31:16 She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.



Ok, by the title of this post you've obviously realized that my humor is pretty cheesy. However, something I'm learning from my garden this year is that LETTUCE GROWS LIKE GRASS!
I debated whether to even grow my favorite blends of greens, for the simple fact that I can easily buy it already pre-washed, and ready to go. I am SO glad that I decided to take the plunge and grow my own Arugula and Italian mix of beautiful lettuce! We eat a lot of salad at our house, especially in the Summer time. We strive to eat healthy, and a big, gorgeous salad definitely makes the list!


I have to say that I really enjoy the gardening experience, especially since my sweet husband built me a raised garden bed!! I planted one row of peppery, spicy Arugula (my FAV!!) and a blend of Italian greens (don't ask me to list all the various types).
I have figured that the average you'll pay for organic salad in a bag or plastic container will vary between $3.50-$5.00 (Arugula is generally on the more expensive end). From my estimations, we have saved AT LEAST $40+ and the Summer is far from over! It's a very rewarding experience and it's a guarantee that you'll absolutely love being able to just step outside, clip your lettuce (just above the roots giving it a "crew cut") and voila' - there you have it! You'll be amazed at how quickly it grows back! Add some fresh herbs to your salad and give it that extra depth of flavor. I'll blog about my adored herb garden at a later time. :-)

Thanks for reading!! I'm off to eat a BIG salad now....ha!
~Lauren

**Sensational Summer Stir-Fry**

Proverbs 31:15 "She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens."

I've made Summer meals very similar to this one, but none exactly like this. I found this recipe while perusing the Pioneer Woman's website. I have to say that it is my top favorite recipe right now and I've made it TWICE in TWO days!!! Now, if that doesn't scream LOVE, I don't know what does! There's NOTHING like eating food that is in season, fresh from the garden (or someone else's garden- ha!). My hubby and I are definite seafood fans, so this recipe earns big points with us!

Here's what you will need: *Ingredients listed below*

Shrimp ~I chose to use what I had on hand -smaller with tail on- any size would work, whatever you prefer. (Scallops would be good too!) **If you are not a seafood lover, feel free to use grilled chicken, sausage, whatever you desire**

Slice the Grape tomatoes length-wise, and zucchini on a slight diagonal. Take and slice the corn off the cob.


Sautee' garlic in 1Tbs butter & 1Tbs Olive Oil- place zucchini in pan in single layer

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 4 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 12 whole Jumbo Shrimp, Peeled, Deveined, Tails Left On -or whatever meat you decide to use.
  
• 2 whole Zucchini, Sliced On A Slight Diagonal
• 2 ears Corn, Kernels Sliced Off
• ½ cups Grape Tomatoes, Sliced In Half Lengthwise
• Jalapenos- I used pickled jalapenos, which are completely optional -I LOVE spicy food, add them to your liking.
  
• Salt And Freshly Ground Pepper, To Taste -I also used Italian seasoning and the secret ingredients - cayenne pepper & crushed red pepper to spice things up!! (yes, in addition to the jalapenos -did I mention that I LOVE spicy food? ha!)
• Chopped Fresh Herbs, If Desired - this is a MUST and makes all the difference. I used Fresh Basil, Oregano, Chives & Cilantro.
  

Preparation Instructions

Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic. When oil/butter is hot, add shrimp and cook for 3 minutes. Remove to a plate. Do not clean skillet.

Add the rest of the butter and oil and heat over medium heat. Add zucchini slices in a single layer and cook for one minute, tossing once. Scoot the zucchini to the edges of the pan, then add corn kernels to the middle of the pan. Cook for one minute. Add grape tomatoes, salt, and pepper, and toss around, then add shrimp. Cook for an additional 30 seconds, then remove from heat.

Hint: It's even better the next day-it allows the flavors to unite perfectly! ;-)

Serve on a lovely platter and garnish with some of the fresh herbs. As difficult as it will be, try not to eat the entire meal as a single helping, this should serve 4. In our house, it serves 2. :-)

~Lauren