About Peg

I love cooking...basic southern style to sophisticated and modern cuisine, especially when my daughters and son in law are in the kitchen with me. Then it becomes a bit more festive! Traveling is something that I am passionate about. I achieved one of my loftiest goals a couple of years ago when we were in Vietnam. I spent days just photographing people. It was a blast; and the book i made brings me delight daily. Cheers!

Leek and Potato Soup

Posted on September 18, 2013 by Peg

©PEGhardee

Well darnit. the don has contracted his annual upper respiratory virus. And as my grandmother Eva used to say…There is nothing more soothing than a bowl of warm soup when you’re down and out. So I whipped up this yummy delight this afternoon to calm his aches and my ~~pains~~ nerves. I’m not a great nurse. Patience is not my virtue. TD likes to say that I have plenty of patience; as I’ve never used any! PtotheS…This is one of my go to appetizers for a fall/winter dinner party…hence the pic shows it served in a demitasse! Heck, I served it straight up in a mug today!

3 Tbs butter
1 sweet onion, chopped
3 leeks, sliced
4 small white potatoes, skinned and cubed
3 1/2 cups vegetable stock
2 Tbs snipped chives, as garnish

Melt butter in small soup pot over medium heat.
Add onion, leeks, and potatoes.
Sauté gently for 2 to 3 minutes, until softened, but not browned.
Pour in stock.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 15 minutes.

Transfer mixture to food processor.
Process until smooth, about 30 seconds.
Season with salt and pepper.
Serve in bowl, mug or demitasse.
Garnish with chives.

*May add 6 oz shredded Cheddar or Parmesan cheese.
To do so: After processing, return soup to pot; add cheese and stir until cheese is melted.

Serves 6 in soup bowls or mugs and 20 in demitasse or shot glasses.

Pimm’s Cup

Posted on September 16, 2013 by Peg

Put a little Saturday in your Monday tonight. It’s Pimm’s O’clock! Created in 1823 by James Pimm, this cocktail has been a favorite of the Brits since its inception. I made it just to share with you!

1 1/4 oz Pimm’s No. 1 Liqueur
4 oz lemonade
1 oz Club Soda
Cucumber slice for garnish

Fill a glass with crushed ice.
Pour Pimm’s, lemonade, and Club Soda into glass.
Stir well.
Submerge cucumber slice in to glass.

Chipless Wonder

Posted on September 13, 2013 by Peg

I’m turning the light on for ya! In 1995 TD and I were invited by multi-generation friends, the Webbs to join them on Long Island for the US Open at Shinnecock Hills. Uh…it didn’t take a microsecond to accept with pleasure. The golf was ok, but the cookies were even better! Wait Wait Just Kiddin’. Corey Pavin proved unstoppable and we walked the course two entire days, where I saw my first ever female caddie…um I would’ve carried his bag too. It was Nick Faldo and he was easily Harrison Ford’s best lookalike! After golf, we rambled around Southampton and stumbled upon Tate’s Bake Shop. LIFE CHANGER. Yep. Still hooked on the Chipless Wonder, some 18 years later. Rather wonderful with a cup of coffee as my 4:00 slump pick me up, but love them best with Brie! Mmmmm. Order online if your local grocery doesn’t carry them!

Birds of Paradise, and More

Posted on September 11, 2013 by Peg

Patrick Mavros sterling creatures on the right, one of Kate and William’s favorite things! More on that later!

Gray and her sweet Liam were in ENC from Boston for 72 all too hasty hours a couple of weekends ago. So we had ourselves a mojito party, ok, a “show off the darling 2 year old” party! I wanted flowers, but couldn’t dare to take precious time away from “sweet cheeks” (nod to Bonny!) to create complicated arrangements; so I came up with these simple ones to dot around the house. Worked well and took all of 10 minutes! Did a bit more for the dining room center piece; but, silly me, I forgot to photo that! Placed both the bar and nibbles on dining room table so as not to have a lavish spread for a 5pm Sunday afternoon party. Simple, casual, still stylish!AND…here is “sweet cheeks” himself!

My First Ever Jelly Beans! Thanks Grand! Yellow Jelly Bean Goop in Teeth to Prove it!

KIIIIIIYYYAAAAAAA…or however you spell that!

Sweet Mommie and “LiBam! (for the times that he BAMS things!)

Kisses to Grand and GrandDad

Mexican Breakfast Tortilla

Posted on September 9, 2013 by Peg

I’m not much of a breakfast eater, never have been, altho I know better. One coffee (no artificial sweetener) and a 6 oz Dannon Light and Fit get the job accomplished for me! But I surely do love a good breakfast for dinner; OK let’s call it supper. And more specifically, let’s call it Sunday night supper and Sixty Minutes. Hope I’m not late for this one…Made it! Thanks to the Women’s US Open Finals going to a third set!

1 cup black beans
1 Tbs butter
8 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup salsa
1 avocado, sliced
4 Tbs sour cream
4 tortillas 10” size

Drain beans but do not rinse.
In a small pan, heat beans over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring often since there is not much liquid.
Remove from heat and keep warm.

In a medium sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat.
Add eggs and scramble.
When eggs are soft, stir in the cheese and cilantro.

Microwave the tortillas until warm, approximately 15 seconds.
Lay each tortilla on a plate.
Spoon 1/4 of the scrambled eggs down center of each tortilla.
Top each with black beans, salsa, avocado slices and a dollop of sour cream.

Fold in the sides of the tortillas, and roll the tortillas around food.

Serves 4.

Inspired by Southern California Cooking from the Cottage. Jane and Michael Stern. 2004.

Champagne Grapes and Cheese

Posted on September 6, 2013 by Peg

Since my Friday post today was a personal one to honor my older daughter’s b’day weekend, I thought I’d give you a bit extra for your weekend! TD (the don.38 years and counting.for new readers) and I went out after work Wednesday afternoon and got ourselves a new little pocket size Nikon Coolpix for an upcoming trip. Naturally, I am taking my trusty Canon with all of the additional (heavy) lenses and flash filters; but I coveted a trusty pocketbook camera to record the evening shenanigans without all the drama of the FLASHY big threat! We came home and celebrated with this nice little treat. There’s little finer than the loveliness of a champagne grape (not always an easy find..especially here in ENC..try Fresh Market!) Paired with simple cheese, it becomes just the perfect hors d’oeuvre. We just went ahead and called it dinner. Go out and treat yourself. It’d be the perfect Saturday nite stay home, watch DVR, cocktail evening. Just thinking! Happy Weekend!

Happy Birthday Weekend Gray!

Posted on September 6, 2013 by Peg

I hope your Birthday Weekend is THIS Much Fun and MORE! LMHK

London’s Absolute Ice Bar, Thanksgiving Night, 2009

My Other Favorite Blog

Posted on September 5, 2013 by Peg

Frances. She doesn’t even need a second or last name. She is so wonderfully brilliant as Frances! She is my heart’s desire. When I was a teenager at the CBC in Atlantic Beach we played tennis together…her long lean legs and her swift strong racket swings always overpowered me…I had no chance! Our Mothers were dearest of friends and taught us early by example how to have a lot of fun. Then our worlds cycled differently. And we drifted…far. But an amazing thing about this world wide web is that you CAN reconnect. This gal doesn’t sit still for even a skinny minute. Goodness, her life is full and fab, as is her BLOG. Read this and subscribe ASAP. If you hesitate, you’re the one missing out!

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Posted on September 3, 2013 by Peg

Schiyzendoozle. I offer a low fat version to the typically waist band stretching, belly over-filling version of broccoli cheese soup. Granted, it’s not quite as thick; but hey it slides down the throat with total deliciousness and ease, at a mere 200 calories per serving rather than 450! I’d say that’s totally worth it. 15 minutes prep and cook. What could be better? Give that a whirl over your taste-buds! PtotheS…It rained all day here in G’Vegas, and that screamed soup to me!

2 cups unsalted, low fat chicken broth
3 cups broccoli florets, roughly chopped
1 medium sweet onion, diced
3/8 t salt
1/4 t pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups fat free Half and Half
6 oz shredded Chedder/Pepper Jack blend cheese, divided

In soup pot, combine broth, broccoli, onion, salt, pepper, and garlic.
Bring to boil.
Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.
Pour soup into blender.
Puree until smooth, approximately 30 seconds.
Return to soup pot.
Add Half and Half and 3/4 of cheese.
Stir well.
Divide among 4 bowls.
Top with remaining shredded cheese.

blu kicks

Posted on August 31, 2013 by Peg

Choosing to ignore the mess on my desk and say so long to “summatime”. Yep, sure am! Propping my feet up with my (relatively) new blu kicks. Gotta love their motto…The Official Shoe of Playing Hookie. Brilliant. These folks are so cool they even donate $$ from sales to help threatened habitats. Check it out. http://www.blukicks.com/

As always, I receive nothing, zippo, nada for the mentions in this blog. I just pass along the sources that make my life extra enjoyable!

PegHardee.com Insight into Southern Cuisine and Hospitality

Southern Cuisine, Gracious entertaining, Floral arrangements, Travel experiences, Fun Times

Author Archives: Peg