Our Last Adventure

Today is our last weekday of summer vacation! It's bittersweet in every way. Adjusting to life with three boys has certainly been an adventure. Early this morning I took Jett on his practice bus ride for kindergarten, which begins Monday. I couldn't help but be excited for this new chapter to begin. But I was a little sad to think our summer time together is coming to an end.

After we got home from the bus ride, I asked the boys how they wanted to spend their last day of summer vacation and their reply was, "Ride bikes in the park!" So, I packed everyone up to take one last adventure.

This summer is the first time both boys are training wheels free which means they're free to roam off road which is always their favorite. We take the bikes and the stroller back by a local creek and just enjoy the peace and quiet of the woods.

Jett has no problem keeping up with his big brother... he is ALL about adventure!

And Luke...he's a true free spirit, often getting lost in his own thoughts and daydreams.

And Ben...sweet little Ben. I feel like he's barely had a moment to be a newborn because he's been "adventuring" like a big boy all summer. He's always up for the ride and a pretty happy camper. I'm looking forward to spending lots of one-on-one time with him this fall.

Thank you to Blue Diamond Almonds for coming along with us on our last adventure and giving me the energy to keep up with these three little boys!

*This “Flavor Your Adventure” post is sponsored by Blue Diamond Almonds. For more snack ideas to “Flavor Your Adventure” this summer, visit Blue Diamond Almonds on Facebook (http://facebook.com/bluediamond), Twitter (http://twitter.com/bluediamond) and Instagram (http://instagram.com/bluediamond).

Weekend Cheers: Five Summer Cocktails

Blackberry Gin Fizz

Cantaloupe Limeade

Limoncello Gin Sparkler 

Pepino

Honey Lemonade Cocktail

Happy Friday fellow peaches! With the weekend upon us and school coming to a close, I can smell summer already. I'm so ready for a little reprise from schedules and school work. I've been looking back through my long list of cocktail recipes, dreaming of which ones will grace my lips this summer. Here are five of my all-time favorite summer cocktails! Feel free to pin them, mix them, drink them and share them!

Enjoy the weekend!

*styling and photography by Amy Mikkelsen

The Weekend Cheers: The Pepino

I'm in awe of September already. It arrived in warp speed and our blooming apple tree in the backyard has me anxiously awaiting fall's arrival. But before we say goodbye to summer, I had to share my all time favorite cocktail that I mixed up this season. Let me introduce you to the Pepino. I mixed this up a few weeks ago during dinner with friends and it did not disappoint. You know the cocktails are good when the men ditch their bourbon to partake!  It's no wonder this hot celebrity dubbed the Pepino one of his favorite drinks too. Think of this tequila mixer as the sophisticated cousin of the margarita. It's effortlessly cool, uber chic and a nod to the lingering summer garden. Cin cin y'all!

***** THE PEPINO *****


// INGREDIENTS //

1.5 silver tequila
1/2 oz. orange flavor liquor
1/4 inch cucumber peeled, seeded and diced
1/4 oz. agave nectar
3/4 oz. fresh lime juice
1/2 oz. pineapple juice
3 basil leaves

// INSTRUCTIONS //

1. In the bottom of a glass, muddle cucumber.
2. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine tequila, orange liquor, agave nectar, lime juice, pineapple juice and basil leaves. Stir gently.
3. Top muddled cucumbers with ice and strain the contents of the cocktail shaker into the glass.

Sip and enjoy!

Welcome August!

Yesterday my aunt emailed me to inquire what had happened to me and that she missed reading my blog. Sweet, huh?  I informed her that "Your Southern Peach" had been overrun by two small boys and was being held captive until school began.

Truly, the last few weeks have been nothing but fun for us. At some point I decided that quality time with the boys was in order if we really wanted to end our summer vacation with a bang! Nothing fancy just real-life fun like hanging by the pool, time with family, and a few last field trips to places like the aquarium and the boys favorite lunch spot. And I'd be lying if I didn't tell you we've had several pajama days that consisted off pancake breakfasts and Lego building 'til noon.

Long story short, July came and went in the blink of an eye and here I am. Ready to get this thing rolling again. I've missed this creative outlet a LOT and realize how much I really need it. I hope you found some time to recharge this summer like we did! Here are a few shots from the last few weeks.

Traveled light to NYC for our 10 year wedding anniversary. We had an absolute blast!

Times Square at night. I actually loved it despite my dislike for crowds. Cocktails certainly helped!

Resting my feet in Central Park. New Yorkers, you have my utmost respect for the amount of walking you do each day.

Even our summer garden was neglected this month but it's still showing off with bright colors.

I love the subtle foreshadowing of nature, despite the lingering hot temperatures. Anyone ready for fall?

I love fall as much as the next girl but I'm not quite ready for summer to be gone. I kinda feel like it just got here.

Stacked Summer Salad

As you can tell by my blogging schedule as of late, we've been keeping things pretty simple around here for summer and this salad is no exception.  My garden is only doing okay but it's finally starting to yield some tomatoes which was my inspiration for this masterpiece.  There's something about a stacked salad that I really like.  It's simple yet elegant.  Yep, you're gonna need a fork and a knife to eat this one! It shows that you put some thoughtful consideration into the salad instead of just throwing it all together in a big bowl.  It's food.  And art.  It's pretty awesome.

Here's how I made this stackable sensation.

// Ingredients //

1 medium/large tomato
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
1 tbsp. feta cheese
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
Maldon sea salt flakes to taste (seriously, worth the investment)

// Instructions //

Stack ingredients carefully, alternating tomato and avocado slices.  Then, sprinkle the top of the salad with feta cheese.  Whisk together olive oil and vinegar until combined and drizzle over salad.  Season with salt flakes to taste.

Recipe for Summer Fun

one garden hose
a large metal bowl
two squirt guns
a hot summer day

I haven't seen them laugh this hard in long time. It makes my heart so happy. Thank you summer for allowing us time together to enjoy simple pleasures like water hose fights on the back deck.

Chilled Cucumber Cilantro Soup

I am a huge fan of chilled soups.  Really I love all soups and if there's anything I miss about winter other than a crackling fire, it's a warm bowl of soup on a cold night.  So, when summer rolls around, I have to find a way to get my soup fix and this chilled cucumber cilantro soup certainly does the trick!

Last year my garden was overflowing with cucumbers but sadly I didn't get around to planting them this year.  However, that didn't stop me from indulging in one of my favorite summer flavors.  I grabbed a few of the seedless variety and got to work.  And one other note.  Why don't I drink more cucumber infused water?  It's so darn good.

***** Chilled Cucumber Cilantro Soup *****
(serves 4)

// Ingredients //

2 seedless English cucumbers, cleaned and partially peeled*
16 oz. plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup dill, chopped
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

// Instructions //

1. Partially peel cucumbers (pictured below) and coarsely chop. Then top cucumbers with vinegar and salt and allow them to sit for 30 minutes.

2. Place cucumber mixture, Greek yogurt and heavy cream in a blender and pulse to smooth consistency.  Then add cilantro, dill and lemon juice and mix until blended.

3. Chill soup for at least 2 hours and when ready to serve, garnish with fresh herbs, veggies and crunchy croutons.

*photos and styling by Amy Mikkelsen

5 Ways with Jalapeno

There are so many summer garden favorites and the jalapeno is no exception.  I'm all about adding some heat to my food but sometimes subtle hints of jalapeno can do the trick too.  Last summer a dear friend stocked my pantry with some canned jalapeno which I enjoyed all winter long so this year I couldn't resist planting some of my own.  Want to see what I plan to do with them?  Here we go...

Avocado and Tangerine Salad with Jalapeno Vinaigrette 

Grilled Jalapeno-Lime Corn on the Cob

Jalapeno Pimento Cheese 

Spicy Jalapeno Cornbread

Pineapple Jalapeno Burgers

Who else is feeling the heat? The only thing I'd like to add to these meals is a tall glass of iced tea!  

Southern Breeze Cantaloupe Limeade

Welcome back y'all! Sorry for my absence this week.  Is anyone else feeling the pressure as the school year comes to a close?  The month of May is insane between school programs and tying up loose ends that I feel like my head is spinning.  I'm also trying to personally finish up some things before the boys are home 24/7.  Hello, closet cleaning and toy purge!  I can't think of a better way to welcome summer than with this oh-so-yummy cantaloupe limeade.  An old friend from high school passed this recipe along to me earlier this year and I just knew I had to share it with y'all come summertime! The botanical flavors of the gin pair so nicely with the sweet cantaloupe and zesty lime.  I can totally see myself sipping this poolside in a big lofty lounge chair! Who's with me?

***** Southern Breeze Cantaloupe Limeade *****

Serves 4-6

1 whole cantaloupe peeled, seeded and cut into chunks 

1/2 cup water

1/2 tsp grated lime zest

1/8 cup sugar
1/4 cup lime juice
1/2 cups Tanqueray gin **

Fresh lime and cantaloupe slices to garnish

// Instructions //

1. Place cantaloupe and zest in a blender and process until smooth stopping to scrape the sides. 

2. Pour through wire mesh strainer into pitcher, pressing the pulp with back of wooden spoon.  Discard pulp. (Results about 2 cups of juice.)

3. Bring water to a boil and add sugar.  Stir until sugar is dissolved and let cool for 10 minutes. Then add sugar water to the cantaloupe juice.

4. Next, add the lime juice and gin and stir well.  Serve over ice and garnish with fresh lime and cantaloupe slices.  (This can me made and mixed ahead of time if you're serving a large party!) 

*photos by Your Southern Peach

** I was not compensated for this post.  However, Tanqueray kindly supplied me with an array of gins for the summer. Tanqueray is a brand I already loved prior to this post.  For more Tanqueray gin recipes, click here!

Strawberry Lemonade

No, this isn't a pumpkin spice latte.  I know fall is right around the corner and we're ALL ready for hayrides and riding boots but at the end of each season, I feel this sudden rush to savor a few last things.  For instance, right now I need to have gazpacho one last time.  I need to wear flip flops 24/7.  I need a bright pedicure.  (True story.)  This strawberry lemonade is part of that insanity.  Please forgive me.  I'm pretty sure once you mix this up, you'll wish summer would stick around a little longer too.

**********Strawberry Lemonade *****************************************************

//  Ingredients //

1 can frozen lemonade concentrate (I like Minute Maid)

1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, stems removed

water

// Instructions //

1.  Puree strawberries in a blender or food processor.  Then strain strawberry puree through a fine mesh strainer.  (This will remove any large seeds.)  Set aside.

2.  Make lemonade according to package directions.  Then add strawberry puree.  Stir and chill for 30 minutes.  Serve over ice and enjoy.

Peach Salsa

Peach season is coming to a close so I couldn't help sharing one more peachy recipe with you.  This salsa is amazing.  Seriously good stuff.  Throw it on grilled chicken, fish, flank steak, greens or just keep it simple with some crunchy tortilla chips.  It's similar to my mango salsa recipe but just a little sweeter which makes it the perfect dish to savor summer.

Also, congratulations to Jewel Hazelton! You won the faux ostrich handbag from Your Dream Shoes!  We'll be contacting you soon so you can strut your stuff with your new bag.  Thanks to everyone who entered and be sure to stay in touch with Your Dream Shoes as they add new fall items to their website this week.

2 peaches, peeled, pitted and diced
2 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1/2 cup chopped scallions, ends removed
1 handful cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt

Combine ingredients in a bowl.  Mix and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.  Will stay fresh up to 2 days when kept refrigerated.

The ART of BLT

Nothing beats a simple yet classic BLT in the height of summer.  Crispy, salty bacon piled atop sweet, juicy tomatoes and savory spinach is just culinary genius.  I like to add a little champagne mustard to my BLT to dress it up a bit.  Sometimes you just have to get a little fancy.

A perfect summer meal for those simple summer nights...

Posh Pergolas

Summertime always makes me want to seek little spots of shade.  Aren't these pergolas the perfect retreat? I love how they define ordinary spaces and transform them into something really special. It's almost like adding another room to the house!  I love the ability to get creative with flowers too, whether it's with hanging baskets or vines.  Now all I need is a glass of peach tea fizz or an Arnold Palmer and I'd be a happy camper.  

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