Savannah’s Rosemary Sip

Growing up in the South, I have learned that there are very few things comparable to a nice cold beverage on a warm day. Perhaps, there is nothing better than walking out into your garden and finding fresh ingredients to use in your own homemade ‘sip’. 

{My mom and I sipped on these while watching the Kentucky Derby.}

Savannah’s Rosemary Sip

Ingredients :

• 8 Teaspoons Fresh Rosemary (Plus additional to garnish)
• 2 1/2 Cups Sugar
• 1 Cup Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
• 12 Cups Water
• 1 Cup Bacardi Limon (You can change depending on your own desire) 

Preparation :

1. Mix rosemary, water & sugar in a saucepan and bring to a light boil for 5 minutes.
2. Strain out the rosemary.
3. Pour the mixture into the other 9 cups of water lemon juice and Bacardi.
4. Shake well.
5. Garnish with Rosemary or Mint. (Or both!)

Thankful Thursday

• Fresh Seafood.
• Parker’s Market Sweet Tea.
• J is coming in ONE week.
• Meeting new blog ‘friends’ and sharing this blog-life with them.
• Neighbor’s who bring back treats from trips they go on to share with me.

What are YOU thankful for?

Turkey Meatloaf

With this terribly yucky weather outside, I decided I wanted to make a delicious and warm meal to enjoy. When I went to my favorite store {SAMs} I bought two big packs of turkey meat, so I knew this recipe would be perfect– 

Turkey Meatloaf

Ingredients :

• 1 1/4 lbs Ground Turkey
• 1 Cup Chopped Onion
• 3 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 1 Egg
• 1/2 Cup Breadcrumbs
• 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
• 3/4 Cup Ketchup
• 1/4 Cup Yellow Mustard
• 2 1/2 Tablespoons Olive Oil or Butter
• 2 Teaspoons Worcestershire  Sauce
• 3/4 Teaspoon Salt
• 3/4 Teaspoon Pepper

Preparation :

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Melt the Olive Oil or Butter in skillet.
3. Sauté the onion and garlic for 5 minutes. {Stir occasionally.}
4. Remove the onion and garlic from the skillet and let cool.
5. Combine the rest of the ingredients {turkey, egg, breadcrumbs, 1/4 Ketchup, mustard, worcestershire, salt & pep} into a large mixing bowl.
6. Add in the onion and garlic and mix all together.
7. Transfer the meatloaf mixture into a {greased to cut down on the clean-up process} loaf pan and press flat.
8. Cover the top of the meatloaf mixture with the remaining ketchup. 
9. Place in over and bake for 50-55 minutes.

My most favorite way to enjoy meatloaf :

• Get a sheet pan and lay tinfoil down on it {to cut down on the clean-up process}
• Cut a few pieces of the meatloaf and lay on the tinfoil.
• Put more ketchup on the slices and put in the over on medium/low broil for aprox 10 minutes. {I love when the ketchup has browned a bit}
• Toast a slice of my homemade bread.
• Put a bit of mustard on the toasted slice.
• Lay the meatloaf on top and ENJOY!

What is your favorite way to enjoy meatloaf?

Not Your Usual Chops

Walking into the grocery without a list is always interesting for me. I have my ‘go-to’ meals, but I also love to find new things and come up with a recipe. 

First, I walk in and go straight to the meat that is on sell. Usually I find a random mix of  pork-chops, filets, ribs, pork-sausage, and chicken. Depending on the day, I find the different types of meat. This particular day, I decided to buy the pork-chops.

For those of you who live in the South, know what I’m talking about when you think ‘pork-chops’ you automatically think ‘fried’. Well, yes…fried are absolutely WONDERFUL, yet…I’m trying to be a bit healthier. Tough, I know. If you have never had a fried pork-chop, you must try one. They are heavenly. {Maybe i’ll branch out and put those on here one day!}

As for now…I’ll stick with my ‘healthier’ version–

Mustard & Vinegar Based Pork-Chops

Ingredients :

• 1/3 Cup Dijon Mustard
• 1/4 Cup Yellow Mustard
• 2 Garlic Cloves, crushed
• 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
• 1/4 Cup White Vinegar
• 1 1/2 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon Dried Parsley
• 1 Tablespoon Dried Thyme
• Salt to Taste
• Pepper to Taste

Preparation :

1. Mix all of the ingredients of the marinade together.
2. Pour the marinade over the chops and let sit in the fridge for at least 2 hours. {The longer the better.}
3. Flip the chops during the marinading process so that all sides are covered well.
4. Heat up the grill or skillet and cook your chops.
5. Finish off with fresh parsley.

{Delishhhhh}

What is your favorite way to cook your chops? I’d love to hear!

Thankful Thursday

• Being able to have my very own garden.
• Grilling on my new grill.
• Jen allowing me to dress her any way I want.
• Finding new delicious treats at SAM’s. {My favorite place.}
• J’s excitement for coming home in 2 weeks!

Get Fit : Playlist

Since I’ve been on my workout kick, I’ve learned how important it is to have a playlist that ‘gets you going’!

You know…like a particular song comes on that makes you want to run faster, peddle faster, or lift more weight. 

Well, for me…This is some of that playlist…

Of course, this is a random mixture. So, a few of my cool down songs are mixed in as well–

• Feel Again :  OneRepublic

• Scream & Shout : will.i.am ft. Britney Spears

• I Cry : Flo Rida

• Let’s Go : Calvin Harris ft. Ne-Yo

• I Can Only Imagine : David Guetta ft. Chris Brown & Lil Wayne

• Without You : David Guetta ft. Usher

• Hata Que Salga El Sol : Don Omar

• Feel So Close : Calvin Harris

• Otta Your Mind : Lil John/LMAFO

• Sweet Nothing : Calvin Harris ft. Florence Welsh

• Let Me Love You {Until You Learn to Love Yourself} : Ne-Yo

• Don’t Wake Me Up : Chris Brown

• 50 Ways to Say Goodbye : Train

• Wide Awake : Katy Perry

• Blow Me {One Last Kiss} : Pink

• Domino : Jessie J

• Everybody Talks : Neon Trees

• Scream : Usher

• Don’t You Worry Child : Swedish House Mafia

• One More Night : Maroon 5

• Repeat : David Guetta ft. Jessie J

• Turn Me On : David Guetta ft. Nicki Minaj

• Good Feeling : Flo Rida

• Feel So Close : Calvin Harris

• Where Have You Been : Rihanna

• We Found Love : Rihanna ft. Calvin Harris

• Locked Out of Heaven : Bruno Mars

• Don’t Wake Me Up : Chris Brown

• We Run the Night : Havana Brown ft. Pitbull

• Touch Me : Smash Cast ft. Katherine McPhee

• Part of Me : Katy Perry

• Wild Ones : Flo Rida ft. Sia

• Good Time : Owl City ft. Carly Rae Jepsen

• Titanium : David Guetta ft. Sia

What do you listen to? I’d love to add new songs to my list!