I have to tell you something about me. It's pretty serious...ok maybe not sooo serious, but oh well I'm telling you anyway. One of my favorite combinations in the world is mint and chocolate. My favorite ice cream is mint chocolate chip, and don't even get me started on those Andes mints or thin mint Girl Scout cookies, I could eat my weight in those things. With that being said St. Patrick's day is right around the corner and naturally I have to make something green. My Grandma's Mint Chocolate Brownie Bites are to die for in my book and rank right up there with those other yummy sweet treats I just mentioned! So I made them.

And...let me just go ahead and say that these do not fall into the healthy category (at all), but they ARE cut into bite size pieces. Moderation people...

They are layered with a moist brownie bottom, a minty buttercream center, and finished off with a luscious chocolately glaze. Oh yeah, nothing wrong with any of that if you ask me. What's even better (I know how could they get better) is that you keep them in the fridge so they stay fresh for up to two weeks (I mean honestly they probably won't last that long) or you can freeze them!

Where I live, we have a St. Patty's Day parade on Saturday so I made these brownies for my "green" dessert, and let's be honest it really just gave me an excuse to make them without feeling bad since others would be helping me eat them. :)

Now it's your turn. Make my Grandma's Mint Chocolate Brownie Bites so we can talk about how good they are and I don't have to obsess alone!

PostedMarch 14, 2014

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesDessert

TagsSt. pat, brownies, mint, baking, homemade, Grandma

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Along the same lines as Mardi Gras, St. Patrick's Day is pretty big in Louisiana. They have parades, people dress up, and there are plenty of beads to be collected. It's quite the experience and of course a fabulous time!

Friends gather and go to the parade and usually cocktails and lots of food is involved in the process. It only seemed natural that a green cocktail would be appropriate!

What I love about this particular cocktail is that it is not too sweet, the lime and basil are very refreshing, while the coconut adds some creaminess, and you can make a big batch for all of your friends to enjoy with you!

And honestly, it's a great cocktail to make with or without St. Patty's Day festivities. It really would be the perfect drink to have at the beach or on a really hot summer day! I can already tell you that this will be a staple at my house in the upcoming months.

After testing the recipe a couple of times, and recruiting a couple of taste testers to help me out, (you really have to twist people's arms to taste test) this drink was perfected!

I love it and I hope you will too!

PostedMarch 11, 2014

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesCocktails

TagsSt. Patrick's Day, Cocktails, Happy Hour, Basil, Coconut, Lime

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We have had quite a bit of rain in Louisiana lately, and let me tell you I am over it! I just want my back yard to dry out for more than one day...is that too much to ask? It's March now and I'm ready for signs of spring.

One of the ways I combat my mood with yucky weather, is to make something yummy and delightful to cheer me up (I have probably told you that before, but honestly it helps.) Brings a little sunshine to my day if you will.

I have had a craving for Indian food for a bit, and I stumbled upon a recipe from a blog that I follow called Half Baked Harvest. It is called Butter Chicken and Tieghan (the author of the blog) had mentioned that she had made a healthier version, so I took a little peek at the recipe, and it looked so delicious. She has amazing recipes on her blog ya'll. If you haven't checked it out before, you should!

I made a few tweeks to make it my own, and let me tell you this recipe is on time (as Canean would say). She also suggested that if you are making the Butter Chicken, that you MUST make the homemade Naan to go with it...I was all like "homemade bread?" Twist my arm...okay, I'm in (like that was hard.) And I looove Naan, let's be honest, who doesn't really? If you don't we need to discuss our friendship.

This recipe was the perfect antidote to my rainy day leaving me happy and satisfied after eating it. Most of the fat has been eliminated, leaving plenty of flavor and deliciousness.

PostedMarch 7, 2014

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesDinner

TagsIndian food, healthy recipes, cook at home, homemade

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Now that you know all about our trip to Florida, it is time to talk to you about one of the best things about the trip.

I bet you can't guess what that might be...

Or maybe you can, because you already know me, that and the title of the this post, but whatever you already know that I have to talk to you about the food that we ate because it was so amazing and you need to relive this with me right now.

I'm going to cut right to the chase and tell you that within an hour of being in Miami, our friend Sean took us right to South Beach and we hit up a Cuban restaurant called Havana 1957 for lunch. Basically, it was mouth watering delicious. I ordered a traditional beef dish (it was basically fall apart flank steak) with the best black rice and beans I think I've ever had, while Canean ordered a traditional chicken Cuban sandwich on out of this world Cuban bread, and Sean ordered a pork dish with yucca. All insanely tasty and to top it off we washed it down a refreshing sangria. I'd say we were off to a pretty good start.

PostedMarch 5, 2014

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesTravel

Tagsmiami, restaurants, best eats, foodies, travel, Greek, Italian, Argentinian

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I had always imagined Miami to be the city that never sleeps, full of wild parties, white beaches, and beautiful people. Turns out, that was a pretty close assumption.

But...there is also a whole lot more, like amazing food, culture, and it's a great place to live an active lifestyle. We had the best time and really enjoyed Miami even more than we thought we would have.

We have a friend who has lived there for a while now, and we decided since we were going to be so close already in Palm Beach, we would test out the Miami waters as well and were not disappointed.

First let me tell you that we consumed some of the best food and I have too much to share with you to squeeze it in this post, but don't worry I'll post another day...

PostedMarch 3, 2014

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesTravel

TagsMiami, travel, life, friends, beach

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I don't know if I told you yet, but we are moving to Florida!

Ok well not in the near future, but someday we are going to move to Florida...by the ocean where life is simple and good.

Canean is going to have a fishing charter and I am going to blog and sunbathe...well that's how I see it in my head anyway. We decided this out last week while we were on our trip. We had THE best time with the best company and amazing surroundings.

One of my best friends lives in Hobe Sound, Florida. A quiet little beach town about thirty minutes from West Palm Beach. We had not seen each other in two years...two years! It is absurd how busy life gets and how much time can pass so quickly in a blink of an eye.

So needless to say, this trip was way overdue for the both of us. It was also the first time our husbands have really ever spent any time together and it turns out they are two peas in a pod themselves. The trip was just perfect and definitely not long enough!

PostedFebruary 28, 2014

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesTravel

TagsHobe Sound, Florida, friends, life, travel

2 CommentsPost a comment