Beauty in Blue has arrived!

 

 

I am so excited, the time has finally come! Karen Hillman and her group will be arriving tomorrow and we have a full week planned!

Wednesday, Karen and Sherry arrive and the 3 of us will be getting things ready for the rest of the group.

Thursday, we will pick up 9 ladies from the airport and spend the afternoon at Simplici Tea's Tea Room and Lone Star Antique Mall in Watauga. Then we will head to Ruby Ellen's to see Deidra and Debbie and spend time shopping at her very cute, vintage clothing and boutique store.
Thursday evening we will have a nice dinner at the retreat. On the menu is homemade spinach/basil pesto with penne, salad, bread and cheesecake for dessert.

Friday, we will be headed to Canton for a day of shopping and fun with Cathy at Girls Gone Junkin and Jackie at Urban Gypsy Rags, just to name a couple.
Dinner will be fish en papillote, asparagus, salad and lemon tarts for dessert.

Saturday, will be filled with lovely projects by Molly Knox and Karen Hillman.
Lunch will be a boxed lunch with an egg salad sandwich, pound cake, angel food cake, fresh berries and sorority punch.
Dinner will be a down home Texas style BBQ with chicken, brisket, sausage, potato salad, baked beans, bread, triple berry cobbler and smores` fixings by camp fire.
During dinner we will have live entertainment by Wade Hawthorne.

Sunday, we will have a nice relaxing breakfast at the retreat before heading to Little Blue House where Tracy and Susan will teach a wonderful quilt project. We will have a boxed lunch with a chicken salad croissant, chips and cupcakes from Sugar and Frosting.
Sunday afternoon will be spent shopping at Southlake Town Center and afterwards a wonderful dinner at Trulucks.
That evening we will head to Oak Street Cottage and will be staying with Mrs. Mary Davis the wonderful Inn Keeper.

Monday will be a farewell departure for Karen and her beauties! Be watching for pictures and stories from our group on our web page under news and on FB.

My new car

Hi everyone,

If anyone knows me very well, then they know I keep cars FOREVER..... It was time to retire my Oldsmobile Alero! I had her for 13 years and it was time.

I am so excited to have my new car, a Kia Soul. I have the Titanium color, black leather enterior, power windows, power locks and a keless entry, blue tooth, (again, if anyone knows me knows that none of my cars have had that, LOL).

I have always been just a basic, simple girl when it comes to cars. Something to get me from A to B.

HMMM, a walk down memory lane. My first car and probably my favorite until now was a Pontiac Lamanse Le Hatchback, Red and Black. Love it!!

Bought it when I was 16 and was FORCED to trade it in when I was pregnant for a 4 door Dodge Neon (yuck). My now ex husban'ds family owned a Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep dealership and he thought I needed to drive the families brand... I will just say, I hated the Iris colored (light purple) Dodge Neon...

My 3rd car was the Oldsmobile mini van that I soon traded for the Oldsmobile Alero (I am not a mini van soccer Mom). Have never liked mini vans, not sure why, just not for me. I enjoyed my Alero, it was just time to retire.

So, now it's the Kia Soul (not my dream car/ Mini Cooper) but it will have to do for now. One day when I am not having to shuffel people here and there or large amounts of food then the Mini will be in my drive way~ it may be considered a classic by then but that's okay. I think for now my dream car will be named Britt...

So, what was your fist car?? Do you remember the smell? the paint color etc? Would love to hear what your first and dream car is.. Do you name your car?? I never have, but my sister has named all of hers. I think that's cute.. Maybe I should name the Kia, what do you think? Taking suggestions for my new ride.

See you soon! Stacy

Pecan Praline Cheesecake with Chocolate Ganache

Crust
1 1/2 cups vanilla wafers- crushed
1/2 cup finely chopped pretzels
1/2 cup finely chopped toasted pecans
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg

Preheat oven to 350
In a medium bowl, combine vanilla wafers, pretzels, pecans, butter, egg and mix until well combined. press into a 9 inch spring form pan. Bake for 6 minutes- Let cool. Wrap with several layers of heavy duty foil (this will keep water from coming up the sides and into the cheesecake).

Pecan Praline Filling
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup toasted pecans, chopped
2/3 cup dark corn syrup
1/3 cup melted butter
2 large eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 tsp salt

In a saucepan, combine all ingredients, bring to a boil, stirring constantly- reduce to simmer and cook 8-10 minutes until thickened. Pour into crust and let cool.

Cheesecake Filling
3 (8oz) packages of cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
1 1/4 cups firmly placked dark brown sugar
2 TB all purpose flour
4 large eggs
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until creamy. Add sour cream, and beat until smooth. Add brown sugar and flour, beat until fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time and mix until well combined. Stir in vanilla and and cream. Pour over the praline topping.

Place the spring form pan (wrapped in foil) into a large roasting pan. Pour cold water into roasting pan to come up half way. Bake at 350 for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool in the water for 1 hour. Remove spring form pan and place on cooling rack.  Run a knife around spring form pan to loosten the cheesecake/ remove the pan.

Chocolate Ganache
10 oz bittersweet chocolate chips, chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 TB unsalted butter
1 TB light corn syrup

In a small sauce pan heat the cream, butter, and corn syrup over medium high heat until mixture boils. Pour over chocolate, whisking to comibine. Pour mixture over top of the cheesecake and use a spatula to spread if needed. Allow to cool 30 minutes.

Place in refrigirator over night ~ Enjoy~