Vegetarian Mini Enchilada

Posted on January 23, 2017 by Peg

I “Stomp”ed around Chicago with td (my husband of 41+ years!) and some friends for a few days just before the 2017 New Year. We happily played the usual ~~suspects~~ tourists…

posed with The Bean (formal name “Cloud Gate”) created and installed in 2006 by the amazing Anish Kapoor,

hung out with blues great, Buddy Guy, 2012 Kennedy Center Hono r Recipient (please watch this video with Morgan Freeman presenting Mr. Guy with the Honor), seized this magical photo op with him at his club, Buddy Guy’s Legends), and hopped from one fantastic restaurant and hotel bar to the next. No lack there, my friends! BONUS, we enjoyed dinner one night with James Beard Award winning chef Rick Bayless at Frontera Grill. I mean, we just couldn’t even decide what to order; it all was so tempting…so we began with hand crafted margaritas. I was so inspired with our dinner, that I flew home and waked up my own kitchen, and prepared this concoction. So…take this little jewel to the bank and thank Rick B. and Peg all the way! And PtotheS…

Be Sociable, Share This! Everyone has been sharing a LOT lately, so let’s unite and share something yummy, just a nice little recipe-no politics ever on this blog-just joy and fun!

10 miniature 4” flour tortillas
15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
15 oz can refried beans
8 oz can red enchilada sauce
4 oz can chopped green chiles
4 oz shredded Monterey jack cheese
1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
1/2 cup sour cream
3 Tbs thinly sliced green onions
4 Tbs chopped avocado
4 Tbs chopped cilantro
1 fresh lime, cut into wedges

Preheat oven to 350°.
Grease 12 cup muffin pan with olive oil or melted butter.
Tuck tortillas gently into cups.
Bake 12 to 14 minutes until crisp and browned.
Stir together black beans, refried beans, enchilada sauce, and green chiles in medium bowl.
Divide mixture evenly among baked tortilla cups.
Sprinkle with cheese.
Back at 350° until cheese melts, about 10 minutes.
Transfer enchiladas to serving platter.
Top evenly with lettuce.
Drizzle with sour cream.
Sprinkle with green onions, avocado, and cilantro.
Squeeze fresh lime juice over top.
Garnish with fresh lime.

The Kentucky 95

Posted on January 8, 2017 by Peg

Happy Sunday! We rolled with a Kentucky 95 and Animal Crackers over this icy weekend. This just seems right for brunch, lunch, or five o’clock anywhere, or any time, really! We first tried this last summer with Bobby Flay at Bar Amercain. But in this cold and flu season, we felt a wee bit healthy drinking the oj! These ingredients are in most fridges, so no need to risk the icy driving if you’re still inside like we.

adult-beverage-kentucky-95

3/4 oz Makers Mark or other good quality bourbon
1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
3/4 oz fresh orange juice
1/2 oz simple syrup
Ice cubes
Champagne, chilled
Lemon or orange twist for serving

Combine bourbon, lemon juice, orange juice, and simple syrup in tall glass over ice.
Stir well.
Strain into wine glass filled with crushed ice.
Top up with champagne.
Garnish with a twist.

Love Your Melon Beanies

Posted on January 6, 2017 by Peg

Love Your Melon was founded in an entrepreneurship class at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota by two friends, Zach and Brian. On a mission to improve the lives of children battling cancer since October 22nd, 2012, Love Your Melon began with the simple idea of putting a hat on every child battling cancer in America.

Fifty percent (50%) of the profit from sales of Love Your Melon products is given to Love Your Melon’s nonprofit partners in the fight against pediatric cancer. Their nonprofit partners work in the field of pediatric oncology, fund cancer research initiatives and provide immediate support for families of children battling cancer.

To date, over 1.5 million dollars and over 80,000 hats have been donated. (Excerpted from the Love Your Melon website.) Read the entire story here! And go shop here and keep raising monies for childhood cancer. Kudos to these fine gentlemen. Pass on some good karma people. That’s all.

Yep, that’s me sporting one of my Melons last week in Chicago. Race to order yours!

The Great Swan Adventure, 23 Years and Counting

Posted on December 23, 2016 by Peg

Hardee Swan Sporting a Fantastic Mignonne Gavigan Scarf Necklace!

Exactly 23 years ago, on this 23rd day of December, PaPa took Brenton, William, and me on a swan hunt. We set out around 5am for the drive to Lake Mattamuskeet, where we met up with Tony, our guide for the day. It was a misty morning, perfect for the shoot ahead. PaPa, the very definition of gentleman, sportsman, and teacher, was thrilled beyond words! We were settled in the blind by 7:45, and before 9:00 both Brenton and William had “bagged” their first swan, at the wonderful, adventurous age of nine! And that mount has lived in my dining room ever since the taxidermist delivered it a few weeks later! We have decorated that swan with lots of neck-pieces over the years, but I do believe that this necklace of Mignonne Gavigan’s is the best look that the Hardee Swan has ever sported. So…happy December 23rd to each and every one of you, and may you have a Merry Merry Christmas! Memories…may we stack them up every single day until the pile is so high it touches the Heavens!

PtotheS…Since we completed the hunt so early, we rode around with Tony is his big ole truck listening to Aaron Neville and shooting mistletoe out of trees!

Chocolate Drizzled Chips

Posted on August 19, 2016 by Peg

Call your best friend! This is your childhood favorite ridged chip, all decked out in a little ~~black~~ chocolate dress. This has stood the test of snacking with girlfriends, couples, and even a five year old while playing go-fish. It’s a cinch to make, although you may not want to cinch that belt afterwards; it’s the weekend, do you really care?

Snack Chocolate Potato Chips

1 bag of ridged chips (due to their sturdiness)
1 1/2 cups milk chocolate morsels
1 Tbs instant Espresso powder

(Although you should omit the espresso if you are serving your children, unless you want them bouncing off the walls all night!)

Melt the chocolate in small sauce pan over low heat, stirring often.
Add espresso powder (if using).
Place chips on serving tray.
Drizzle melted chocolate with spoon over chips.

Alternatively, dip half of a chip in the pot of melted chocolate.
Shake off excess.
Place on parchment paper to cool.

Snack Chocolate Potato Chips II

Allow chocolate to cool and harden on chips.
This may take an hour.
If you just can’t wait to dig in, simply pop the tray in the fridge for 10 minutes.

Try to stay out of this oppressive heat, and have a great weekend!

9 MILLION Meals!

Posted on May 14, 2015 by Peg

Rachael Ray Celebrates the 9 MILLIONmeals Campaign Completion with Co-Sponsors Representing Feeding America and No Kid Hungry!

Good Evening Great People of the World Wide Web and Blogosphere. I know, I’ve watched a LOT of television while recovering and doing my Beatrice exercises. This morning’s viewing offered a flight of fancy as something wonderful came to fruition, with open-ended possibilities for the future as well. Back in September of good ole 2014, to celebrate the beginning of her ninth season hosting the Rachael Ray Show, Rachael and her Yum-o! charity launched the 9 MILLIONmeals Campaign with cosponsors Feeding America and No Kid Hungry. Their goal was simple…provide 9 million meals to hungry Americans, both children and adults, during THIS SEASON. Hello Beautiful Dinner. Today, she reached, and then surpassed her goal. Rachael’s friend Buddy Valastro of Carlo’s Bakery teamed with Tyson Foods to put the Campaign over the top reaching 9,084,618 meals served! THEN Rachel surprised each of the two co-sponsoring organizations with a personal donation of $100K…yes $100,000 to EACH organization, which placed her 9 MILLIONmeals Campaign serving a whopping 11,084,618 meals…well over ELEVEN MILLION MEALS to hungry Americans.

Coming Tomorrow, Just in Time for the Weekend! Strawberry Crumble…Easy Peasy, and That’s a Promise!

Hope I didn’t sound too ranty; at least it’s a proud rant. I was going to post a Strawberry Crumble recipe today, and then I saw that show and just thought…I can post that sweetness tomorrow and it’ll still be a scene stealer. This righteous goodness needs to be spread today. Because simply put, I post ~~predominately~~ almost always about luxury foods, fabulous places in the world, and elegant events I have been fortunate enough to experience. Hello though…the don and I have worked extremely diligently to capture these experiences; but today, it is good to pause and recognize the great efforts of Yum-o!, Feed America, and No Kid Hungry.

P to the S…did you notice my use of the Oxford Comma above? I’ve always been a huge fan of that comma; and now I’ve been ~~reading~~ devouring Between You and Me subtitled Confessions of a Comma Queen by Mary Norris. I may just be a grammar snob! Thank you Mary for bringing it to the forefront.

M.O.N.D.A.Y.

Posted on December 1, 2014 by Peg

“Don’t cry because it’s over…Smile because it happened”! Dr. Seuss, attributed. We danced through a busy, fun filled, love filled, and laughter filled Thanksgiving week. I hope you and your families had a blast and overate as well! See ya later Gobble Gobble. Santa, see you in a short 24 days.

First time getting teeth cleaned.

Making a gingerbread house.

Homemade gummy worms.

Making Mickey Mouse pancakes.

Loving with Bonny.

Flipping with Tony.

Learning about Elf on the Shelf.

Catching a ride on GrandDad’s shoulders.

Painting ornaments.

Happy Birthday TD!

Posted on November 16, 2014 by Peg

I hope your birthday is THIS much fun! Cheers Dear.

London Ice Box, Thanksgiving, 2009

The Fairmont, Boston, August, 2013

Greenville’s Beauty Bar

Posted on October 27, 2014 by Peg

These gals have got it going on. Beauty Bar Medispa has the distinction of being medically based and operates under the direction of a physician. Not your typical offerings around here! Owners Nikki Blount and Dr. Melissa Beretich are assisted by RN Selena, Aesthetician Terri, and makeup artist and spray tan specialist Hannah. I mean honestly people, you need to be racing out to this marvy place. Call 252.752.1406 ~2577 Stantonsburg Road~ Greenville!

Here’s the scoop…you can only receive a medical grade facial/treatment from a Medispa or physicians office. And this, gals, is exactly what you want for significantly longer lasting results that allows you to say “smack” to the effects of stress, aging, and sun damage. These fine women rejuvenate your skin to its healthiest and are having a blast in their upbeat, modern space, the only free standing Medispa in town. Just sharing the joy with ya!

Co-Owner, Dr. Melissa Beretich

I had the pleasure of experiencing a Probiotic Youthboost facial that was just perfect for me, producing instant brightening and smoothing results. They cover the gamut, offering treatments for aging skin, sensitive skin, and acne prone skin. They offer great lines of home skin care products including mybody, SkinCeuticals, Beauty Counter (the all natural toxin-free line), La Roche-Pose, and NEOcutis. And since no one wants to walk around with unwanted hair or wrinkles, Beauty Bar Medispa offers laser hair removal, Botox, and a host of other services designed to get you front and center.

After you get your face and neck all revitalized, you’ll want to try Beauty Bar’s Jane Iredale make up, a mineral based line with pharmaceutical grade ingredients. It nurtures your skin and renders a flawless effect. Think Photoshop, only it’s real! I’m calling this week to schedule my session with Hannah so I can find my best look! Wanna join me?

In need of a sunless tan for that party dress this weekend? They’ve got the perfect product for that with the new St. Tropez line. They’ll hook you right up with a spray tan performed by Hannah, then you can purchase the fab products to continue the glow at home. If it’s good enough for their spokesperson Kate Moss, it’s good enough for me!

Beauty Bar is hosting an all day “Gatsby Affair” on Thursday November 6th with steep discounts on all skin care items and treatments! Book ’em Danno!

And remember…You Don’t Have to Tell Your Beauty Secrets!

BASEBALL

Posted on September 29, 2014 by Peg

Yesterday was all about ~~that bass, bout that bass,~~ bout that baseBALL. Fenway it was, and alot about the Yankees and Derek Jeter, even letting them win! Everyone knows yesterday was Jeter’s last game, fittingly in my blind opinion, at the great Fenway Park…yep, he retired and good for him. Just as the Yankees paid tribute to the Red Sox after the Marathon Bombings by playing Sweet Caroline, the Red Sox paid tribute to Jeter in fine form as well. (The best however was his final pinstripes appearance at Yankee Stadium with his walk off RBI in the bottom of the ninth Thursday night…but I digress.) Speaking of Seventh Inning Stretch>Jeter’s former teammate Bernie Williams played a marvelous acoustic rendition of Take Me Out to the Ball Game…in a word…touching.

NEWS FLASH!!! Same Time and during the telecast of the Red Sox/Yankee game, the Washington Nationals made history of their own. AND the stations thankfully interrupted the Red Sox game to show the NATS historical moment. First time ever in Nats history for a no hitter… by Jordan Zimmermann…additional kudos to the rookie outfielder Souza for his catch to create history with his pitcher! Can I hear a WHOOP WHOOP?!!

PegHardee.com Insight into Southern Cuisine and Hospitality

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

Category Archives: Fun!