Eeek!! Big Blog News! Spread the Word!

Tomorrow, this Nola Girl will feature another Nola Girl's, Amanda LeBlanc from The Style Network's The Amandas, success story.  I will be chatting with Amanda this afternoon, and  I can't wait to hear more about her career and her new hit tv show (and, of course, her experience working with Atlanta Housewife, Nene Leakes).  And Lord knows I could use some organizational tips too!!  You should see my closet right now...  Clutter, clutter everywhere!

I must say, I am so inspired by young women who have followed their dreams and experienced success like Amanda.  It is never by accident.  It is always through hard work, determination, creativity, leadership, and vision.  Sometimes on extra hard days, when I need a little boost, I see success stories like hers as a reminder that my professional dreams can come true too!

It wouldn't be Tuesday without a recipe.  Here's one that I'm going to make this Friday to bring to work on Saturday.  Easter is often lost on CPAs, so I thought I'd bring a little Easter cheer with me to the office.  These birds nests are just too cute.  And who could resist the combination of peanut butter and chocolate covered chow mein noodles?!?!

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER NESTS

1 (12 oz.) pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 (12 oz.) pkg. peanut butter chips

2 (5 oz.) cans chow mein noodles

3/4 c. peanuts

Chocolate Eggs

Melt chocolate and peanut butter chips in a heavy saucepan over low heat and quickly stir in noodles and peanuts to coat evenly. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper. Top with three eggs.  Refrigerate. Makes 30.

Trying to get organized?  What you like to learn from Amanda? 

Tasty Tuesdays: Pioneer Woman's Mushroom-and-Swiss Sliders

There are a few things that I simply love.  Some items on this list are football, The Pioneer Woman's blog, and beef sliders.  So when you find the latter of these two things in one place and they'd work perfectly at your next tailgate party, I think they are a must share for Tasty Tuesdays!!!  Do those sliders look anything but AMAZING?!?!  For more photos of a step by step method to the Pioneer Woman's slider making madness, you can access her recipe HERE...

From the spicy sauce to the flavorful mushrooms and the tasty melted cheese...  Mmmmmmm...   I can't wait to make these!

• Ingredients
• ⅓ cups Mayonnaise
• 2 Tablespoons Ketchup
• 1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper (less If You're Sensitive To Spice!)
• 4 Tablespoons Butter
• ½ whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
• 8 ounces, weight White Mushrooms, Chopped Finely
• ½ cups White Or Red Wine (optional)
• 4 dashes Worcestershire Sauce
• Kosher Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 2 pounds Ground Beef
• 4 Tablespoons Heavy Whipping Cream
• 4 dashes Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 4 slices Swiss Cheese, Cut Into Four Squares
• 8 whole Dinner (or Slider) Rolls, Split

Preparation Instructions

In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise, ketchup, and cayenne. Stir together until totally combined. Set aside. (This is the spicy fry sauce.)

Melt butter in a large skillet. Add onions and cook over medium heat for five minutes, stirring frequently. Add mushrooms and toss around, then add wine (if using), Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Cook for several minute over medium heat, or until all liquid has evaporated. Transfer mushroom mixture to a separate bowl, scraping all contents from the skillet.

Mix ground beef, heavy cream, Worcestershire, and salt and pepper in a bowl. Use your hands to thoroughly mix ingredients. Form 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the meat mixture into patties, making an indentation with your thumb to keep the patties from plumping too much when they cook. In the same skillet as the one used to cook the mushrooms, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium to medium-high heat. Add four patties at a time, indented side face up. Cook for 4 minutes, then flip. Spoon generous portion of mushroom mixture on each patty, then top with one or two squares of Swiss, depending on your preference. Place lid on skillet and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, until burgers are cooked through and cheese is melted. Remove to a place and keep warm while you repeat with the rest of the meat mixture.

Toast halved buns under the oven broiler. Spread generously with spicy fry sauce. Place patties between buns and serve immediately with fried onion strings.

GIVEAWAY REMINDER!!!!!

Don't forget that you can make your next tailgate foolproof by winning these two amazing products simply by entering my KIWI camp dry products HERE!!!

We'll draw a winner this Friday in time for your tailgating weekend begins!

Tailgate GIVEAWAY Fit for a Champion

With the college football season already underway, and the 2010 NFL season kicking off Thursday, parking lots nationwide will soon be flooded with fans and tailgaters ready to celebrate their teams!!

I'll be headed home in just a few days to watch the Saints take on the Vikings.   New Orleans promises to provide the ultimate tailgating experience - complete with the NFL's first-ever parade to ring in the 91st season, followed by a live concert in Jackson Square by The Dave Matthews Band and Taylor Swift. 

 

 

Whether you'll be tailgating in New Orleans or any other football town, you know that you can plan for just about everything (decorations, food, favors) except Mother Nature. But with these two AMAZING products, your tailgate party will remain high and dry no matter what the weather!

*       KIWI Camp Dry Fabric Protector: Don't let wind, rain, sleet, or snow spoil a perfectly good time. Stay dry by spraying KIWI Camp Dry Fabric Protector on all of your synthetic, nylon and Gore-Tex fabrics. From hats and jerseys to umbrellas and ponchos, this fabric protector is the perfect solution for repelling water, dirt and stains.

Perfect for...

        

*       KIWI Camp Dry Heavy Duty Water Repellent: For the ultimate water protection, try using KIWI Camp Dry Heavy Duty Water Repellent. The silicone content instantly bonds to materials, creating an extremely tough water barrier. It's the perfect solution for protecting chairs, tarps, car mats and rain boots.  Imagine how perfectly clean your Hunter boots will stay with a few sprays of this product!

Try it on...

   

To qualify for the giveaway all you have to do is...

Follow KIWI Camp Dry on Twitter HERE

 and

 "Like" KIWI on Facebook HERE

Leave a comment letting me know you've entered!  

I don't know about you, but I am READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL!  And a good tailgate too!


Click photos for links!!!

And the Winner is........

There were 139 entries in my Candy Shop Vintage Crackle Glass necklace giveaway, and based on a random number generated from random.org, the winner is number 39... 

Jessica from Kitchen Belleicious

Congratulations, Jessica!!!  I know you will look just fabulous in your new necklace!!

Thanks to everyone who entered!  I am planning another giveaway next month.  Expect something with a very New Orleansy theme!

Weekend Recap and FINAL DAY FOR THE GIVEAWAY!

We had an absolutely wonderful weekend!  Friday, we had a relaxing evening at home here in Beaufort.  I went to the gym, we had a home cooked meal, we packed our bags for our mini-trip to New Orleans, and we watched a little tv.

We got a very early start on Saturday and arrived in New Orleans around 9:30.  By that point it was hard to contain my excitement about seeing our new house.  Seeing pictures was one thing, but in a few hours, we'd be seeing it in person!  We figured the best way to pass some time would be to grab a drink and some lunch, so we headed to Crescent Pie and Sausage in Mid-City, and boy oh boy was it delish!  I'll tell you all about our meal here tomorrow, but a little preview, it started with a drink called the Blueberry Fizz!!

As soon as we approached the block that our new house is on, I just knew this was the right place.  It is that quintessential New Orleans neighborhood where streets are lined with wrought iron fences and oaks trees.  It's a quiet little area within walking distance to so many lovely things: the park, shops, restaurants, coffee houses.  I envision pulling into the drive on a Friday and not using the car again until Monday morning. 

When we walked into the house, I couldn't believe how perfect it was.  It is certainly not a large house, but it is warm and open and wonderfully inviting.  It has high ceilings and fireplaces and French doors - all of the architectural elements that make old New Orleans homes so unique. 

What's even better is the house is absolutely move-in ready.  I think the only improvement we'll be making is painting the interior.  I have a few colors in mind, but I'd love to know if you have any favorite hues or shades.  Or any painting advice???

 

This weekend was also filled with happy moments made possible though our little blogging world.

I had the chance to tailgate with my sister and her BF, my hubby, and my fabulous friend LSU Melanie and her hubby.  We had so much fun eating oysters at Drago's and toasting to a new season at Fulton Street and soaking up the incredible energy in Champions Square.

 

Trish sent me a sweet little e-card!!

And Julie and I had a great little chat yesterday afternoon!

I hope you had a wonderful weekend.  And don't forget, I'll be choosing a winner for the Candy Shop Vintage necklace this evening.  Click HERE to find out how you can enter to win!

Get Inspired!

While Jen is blissful in Paris, I am so glad to be a guest blogger. My name is Gina Dunn and Jen and I were sorority sisters back in the day at Loyola New Orleans. I am an artist and you can visit my blog for my studio, Utopia Pkwy Art Studio,
 here

There's more to see there about my artwork, artists who inspire me, and it's generally just a diary of a crazy painter. :) I hope to open people's eyes to the beauty of the world, engage in an artistic talk and hopefully inspire some of you! Become a follower.  

Being an artist, people often ask me where I find ideas for my paintings. Inspiration is everywhere, and I wanted to share with NOLA Girl's readers how you can discover inspiration in your own lives. Whatever creative thing you wish to find inspiration for it can be quite simple, if you open your eyes to the wonderful world around you.  I am also sprinkling a few of my paintings in for good measure. 

You can also view my website with a more complete body of work here.

Step 1: THINK

Open your mind. Be open to any suggestions from a friend, relative even a stranger or someone you just met, the minds of others is one of your best resources so be sure to use it often. Also, most of the time people can give you the best ideas for something because they are not trying to, so pay attention to what others say or do, you might just be touched creatively because a conversation you over heard or a moment where you saw the world through someone else eyes.

Step 2: LOOK

Look around you. What is the one thing that is always happening around you and never stops? Life. Life is all around, and if you pay more attention to the world around you, inspiration is at every corner. So maybe try sitting somewhere (like a park or coffee shop) with a sheet of paper and a pen and write down (or maybe sketch out) the things you notice around you, if you clear you mind and release it from our tiny little mental boxes we put ourselves in, you can feel the world around you, and inspiration is everywhere you look.

Step 3: DO

Do something you've never done before. join a dance class, maybe even a pottery class or photography class, something creative that stimulates your brain. Dance, pottery and photography are all forms of art, and joining a group like that will be surrounding yourself with creative opportunities and resources. There are millions of things you could do that will be creatively stimulating to get rid of writer's block or just to find inspiration because you feel like it.

You're a Winner...

I have been looking forward to choosing giveaway winners all weekend!!  I used a random number generator to select the winners for each giveaway, and here they are:

Blog Birthday Giveaway Day 1: Gumbo Tales - Lindsey from La Dolce Vita
Blog Birthday Giveaway Day 2: Nola Tots Name Tee - Melanie from LSU Melanie
Blog Birthday Giveaway Day 3: Bittersweet Confections Truffles -  Kaloula from Siestas and Cupcakes
Blog Birthday Giveaway Day 4: Papertrail Notepad - Heidi from Cherry Blossoms

Congrats yall!  I'll email you to get your information so you can claim your prize!!!

Thanks so much to the great women who shared their time and talents with us!

Blog Birthday Giveaway Day Four - Customized Papertrail Notepad

Do yall love the Shopaholic books as much as I do?  I will never forget the chapter in the first book where Becky Bloomwood had to go to the store to buy her boss, Luke, luggage.  She bemoaned what she thought was a chore until she realized she had discovered a whole new side of the shopping world she had not previously known about.  

That is how I felt when I discovered the world of stationery.  All of a sudden the door to a whole new world of consumer products opened and I walked ran right through. Notecards, invites, polka dots, stripes, ribbons, glitter - had this realm of cuteness really been there all along?   

If you are like me and love stationery, this giveaway is for you!  My dear friend started a home based stationery business called Papertrail three years ago, and her line is just adorable!  Her look is sleek and modern and her color combinations are fresh and fun.  Today, you have a chance to win a great personalized notepad in an acrylic case.  I chose the pink and green interlocking circles pattern because it is just so darn cheerful!  Imagine how cute your to do lists would be!

Jaime spent some time chatting with me about her business.  I think you'll enjoy getting a peek into the inspiration for Papertrail.

What inspired you to create your own line of stationery?  I have always had a mind full of ideas and am detail-oriented. When it came to planning bridal showers for friends I found that I loved creating their invitations on my own rather than purchasing them. Over the years it turned into baby showers and then after I had my daughter it was a whole world of new things….announcements, note cards, invitations, gift tags, etc. I quickly learned that my creativity was better captured via my computer so I started researching programs and software to use. One day I received a gift in the mail from my a very creative friend and it was note cards that she had printed for fun. I fell in love. I started making them myself and giving them as gifts and soon people were asking me where I got them and how they could order more………and voila……..that is how Papertrail was born.

Coordinating pink and green interlocking circles notecards

I love the black, white, and pink color combo in this notecard design.

If you had to describe the style of your line, how would you describe it?  Hmmm…this is a tough question. I would say my designs are classic with a modern flair. I love neat lines, unique color patterns and whimsical images.

Whimsical is just how I would describe the precious design for this gift enclosure.

You have an adorable seven year old girl and a five year old boy.  Do they help contribute to your ideas for new patterns?  They absolutely contribute to my ideas! It is wonderful to create new things for a boy and a girl. I can get my fill of pinks and greens but then switch gears to fun puppies, monkeys or most importantly, all things sports.  

Pink and green floral thank you notes.

What piece of advice would you give other budding entrepreneurs about starting a home based business?  Pick something that you absolutely love to do because it takes a lot of discipline and time management to make a home-based business work, especially if you are a stay at home mom while you are doing it!

Papertrail invitations to a baby shower & a summer cocktail party - I'd like to be attending both of these!

If I am a NOLA girl, you are definitely a St. Louis girl.  What is it about St. Louis that makes it such a special place for you?  There are many things about St. Louis that make it a special place for me. I have always loved driving back to St. Louis as a little girl after a trip and spotting the Arch in the distance. It was always a contest to see who could spot it first knowing that shortly after the Arch sits Busch Stadium in the skyline. I have always been a sports fan and a HUGE Cardinals fan. I grew up adorning myself with Cardinals gear and angling for ways to get into as many games as possible. I still have my replica of the 1982 World Series ring in my jewelry box and get just as excited to go to games now as I did as a kid. The best part about living here again is seeing how my kids have taken to this brainwashing and are following in my footsteps as a big Redbird fan. :) I love all four seasons and if you are lucky you get to experience every season while your favorite team is playing. (I can elaborate here if you think people won't understand what that means. :) ) There are so many things that "brand" St. Louis and when you travel around the country you see little things that remind you of home……the Clydesdales, anything Anheuser-Busch, soft pretzels, toasted ravioli, the fleur-de-lis. Each time you see one of these things you feel that connection that warms your heart.

What is your current best seller?

I would have to say a tie between the holiday cards and the note pads. The note pads make wonderful gifts because they are completely custom and affordable. The holiday cards are my favorite thing to design because I love customizing a card to the beautiful pictures I receive from my customers.

I love the  brown & blue color scheme in this Christmas card (those was our winter wedding colors)

Finally, while you haven’t been there yet, when you visit NOLA this fall how do you picture your perfect New Orleans day?  Oh man…only one day? How much time is in this day?! :) The best part about visiting New Orleans this fall is knowing that I will be in the best hands with the best tour guide in the world! I always love to plan my trips around food so I would love to start the day with brunch at Commander's Palace. Following brunch we would take a walk through the Quarter before heading to a Super Bowl Champion Saints game at the Dome. Finally, after freshening up we would head to The Swizzle Stick Bar for drinks and dinner at Cochon. We would end the day by listening to some live jazz and a nightcap along with some dessert from Chef Steph at Dickie Brennan's.

To enter to win this Papertrail personalized notepad, you can:

1. Become a follower (let me know if you already are!!)
2. Become a fan of Papertrail on facebook by clicking here
3. Leave a little comment telling me what design you like best
4. Leave a comment letting me know you've blogged about the giveaway!

**I will be drawing for all of the prizes on Sunday, so you have until then to enter all of the drawings!

Blog Birthday Giveaway Day Three: Bittersweet Confections Truffles

One of my favorite ways to pass time on a car trip is to talk about food.  Surprising, right!  We'll go from what is your favorite breakfast food (sweet or savory) to name the perfect New Orleans burger.  My favorite topic has always been, list your favorite dessert.  I can never choose just one, so my list typically goes something like this: Lemon Pie, a good rich creme brulee, my sister's Banana's Foster banana bread pudding, a butterscotch pupping with salted caramel sauce, and lastly a chocolate molten cake.   That's a pretty solid list, if I you ask me!

You can imagine my excitement when one morning at the Julia Street farmers market, we stumbled upon a vendor selling chocolate truffles in some of these very flavors.  If heaven is where all of your favorite sweet things are wrapped delicately in delicious chocolate, than I had arrived at the pearly gates.  It turns out I wasn't the only patron who felt they had discovered something special at the market that day.  Cheryl's truffle business, that had started as a side project, quickly evolved into one of the cutest and busiest chocolate shops in New Orleans.  Bittersweet Confections is the name of this family run business that resides on Canal Blvd. in Lakeview (the neighborhood where I grew up).  If you're not in the neighborhood, you can visit Bittersweet Confections here.

Canal Street Collection

Today I am so excited to be giving away a set of four truffles (pictured above) packaged as the Canal Street Collection.   The flavors included are: Bananas Foster, Pecan, Creme Brulee, and Meyer Lemon.  (Can I enter my own giveaway???)

Like the other two giveaways, I asked Cheryl a few question about her business, and she was so gracious to reply.  I think you'll really enjoy getting to know more about the woman behind these sweet treats:

What inspired you to create your own brand? I created my own brand because of my passion for chocolate. I wanted to create a truffle that was handmade with no waxy hard shell, I wanted a creamy, soft piece of chocolate with a subtle hints of various flavors. For example, my dark chocolate bananas foster truffle. That particular chocolate is made with a brown butter reduction and a banana puree. The hints of both flavors are present but the real taste is the dark chocolate.        

Truffles can be ordered and packaged indivually. Adorable as party favors!!

What piece of advice would you give other budding entrepreneurs about starting their own business? My advice to other entrepreneurs is pick something you are truly passionate about (that way it doesn't seem like work). Networking with other professionals and become the expert in your field. Don't expect success to come to you, go out and create your own successes. Set goals each week and stick to them. Lastly, surround yourself with other successful people, it's contagious.

What is your current best seller? My best selling items are my truffles.

The Complete Bittersweet Collection

If you had to choose one of your chocolate creations to eat for every meal, which one would you choose? After each meal (sometimes it is my meal), I eat my 74% darkest chocolate truffle rolled in cocoa powder.

Do you find yourself using New Orleans as an inspiration in creating your chocolates and pastries? Absolutely, New Orleans has been instrumental in the creation of my "Second Line" collection. Bananas Foster, Creme' Brulee, Meyer Lemon, Pecan, Darkest Chocolate, Earl Grey, Indian Chai and Ginger. The flavors I created come from the heart.

Second Line Collection

Finally, describe your perfect New Orleans day. My perfect day in NOLA would be to spend the day with friends and family in my home (we are two weeks away from moving back into our Lakeview home). Preparing dinner, drinking wine, listening to music watching our children play and of course finishing our meal with my petite chocolate cakes (two layers of moist chocolate cake filled with dark chocolate mousse and covered with dark chocolate ganache.

That sounds like the perfect day to me too!  Here's a few ways you can enter to win the Canal Street Collection:

1. Follow this blog (leave a little note that you do)
2. Leave a comment telling me what flavor you would choose if you were making your own truffle from scratch (Mine would be dark chocolate covered salted caramel mousse with smoked salt on top)
3.  Head on over to Bittersweet Confections website and tell me which flavor (from the flavor chart on the bottom left hand side of the page) sounds best to you
4. Let me know that you've blogged about the blog birthday giveaway week!

Blog Birthday Giveaway Day Two - Nola Tots Tee

I have been so looking forward to sharing with yall a feature about the amazingly adorable and creative children's line Nola Tots.  The line was started this year by a friend and fellow Delta Gamma.  When her posts began appearing on facebook with the photos of her too cute designs, I could not believe my eyes.  First, have you ever seen appliques cuter than these?  And second, Nola Tots' prices are simply too good to pass up.  While I'm not yet a mom, I buy my fair share of clothes for the special little ones in my life, and wow!! it costs an arm and a leg to have a well-dressed child.  Nola Tots offers unique pieces that are as affordable as they are adorable.  My favorite detail is the clip on bows at the shoulders of the a-line dresses!  What little girl doesn't love bows!  


For Day 2 of the Blog Birthday giveaway, you have a chance to win this fabulous name tee.  It will be specially customized just for your little one!  I love the color combination of the initial fabric, and you all know about my feelings for polka dots!  Swoon!

To enter to win this Nola Tots best seller, you can:

1. Become a follower (let me know if you already are!!)
2. Become a fan of Nola Tots on facebook by clicking here
3. Leave a little comment telling me what design you like best
4. Leave a comment letting me know you've blogged about the giveaway!

Cherie was so sweet to share more about Nola Tots and a few other things that us girls from LA like to call lagniappe!

What inspired you to create your own line of children’s clothing?  My three kids (ages, 5, 3 & 1) were the inspiration for the clothing line. I love the Southern style of children's clothing & I love monogrammed items so it was a perfect fit!

Every Southern belle needs a little seersucker

How does your line differentiate itself from others? Well, for a few reasons. My line is different because my appliques are simple, yet so sweet. I also specialize in creating many unique brother-sister matching outfits. I had a lot of practice on my kids! My weekly giveaway on my facebook site is a customer favorite too. Lastly, my prices are very reasonable & moms seem to appreciate it!

Big brother/little brother sets

Your line’s name is Nola Tots. Do you find yourself using New Orleans images as an inspiration?
I LOVE New Orleans and was born & raised here, so yes, I do have inspiration from both New Orleans and the the South in general. Seersucker items are so popular down here and they are obviously a favorite in my designs as well. I also have unique designs such as the "Saints cheerleader dress" and fleur de lis items & "crawfish boil dress". Little NOLA girls love to go to crawfish boils! Fleur de lis are often requested on baby items too.

Saints cheerleader dress - if only they came in big girl sizes!!

What is your current best seller?  All birthday items are best-sellers as well as the tee in this give-away. Besides all of the seersucker items, the crawfish boil dress & monkey tee are very popular too. My fleur de lis baby items are also a big hit with my customers.

These cupcake and crawfish boils outfits are so cute, I could eat them up!!

What piece of advice would you give other budding entrepreneurs about starting a home based business?   It is very hard to make time for yourself when you are running a home based business since you are always in your office. Sometimes, it makes it hard to relax, unwind & leave work!Schedule some down-time or you will quickly tire out.

How has social media played a role in starting your business?  Facebook has been wonderful. I have not had time to complete my website since facebook has taken off so well. I hope to finish the website this summer, once things slow down a bit.

I think this be a hoot as a first day of school dress.

Finally, describe your perfect New Orleans day.  Ahh, my favorite question! First, I would get a babysitter. Then, my husband and I would head down to the French Quarter and have breakfast & mimosas at Stanley's. Afterwards, we would wander through the unique shops on Royal St. Then after taligating on Bourbon Street (Pat O's, Old Absinthe House, especially), we would head down to the Superdome to watch the Saints win the superbowl - of course, the one played in New Orleans in 2013. If I could somehow squeeze in dinner at Bayona, it would really be a perfect day!