Celina Mancurti Table Linens: My Diary of Us

A good table linen in like putting on your lipstick right before you walk out the door. Your makeup might look great, but unless those lips are done the look isn't complete (so my mom still tells me). It's like setting your plate at dinner, without the right linen the setting isn't complete either. A great napkin or a beautiful table linen can take your plate of food or tablescape to the next level. Everybody needs good linens in their kitchen and I just happened to have discovered my new favorite. Celina Mancurti table linens and handscreen printed fabrics have me itching to add several new styles to my linen collection!

Let me introduce you to the talented Celina Mancurti. Celina is originally from Argentina and found herself working in the textile industry printing silks for ties where she witnessed handcrafted techniques shift to computers and realized she wanted to be a part of preserving the beauty and craft of textile making. She went on to several other jobs in the textile industry and ended up in the United States when she followed her husband here. Celina ended up teaching textiles at a university where she couldn't shake her dream and passion of making handmade textiles.

PostedSeptember 17, 2014

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesArtist Feature

Tagscelina mancurti, handcrafted textiles, kitchen linens, table linens, tea towels, artisans, textile maker, screen printing, fabrics, textiles, kitchen accessories

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Healthy Chipotle Turkey and Spiced Potato Tacos: My Diary of Us

I could eat Mexican food every day of the week...I kid you not. But I obviously can't do that because the result would be me not fitting into my jeans and nobody wants that, especially me. And although cooking Mexican at home is never the same, but it can be done and it can be delicious (and healthy). It's a great way to get your fix without the high calorie margarita (which is kind of a requirement if you are at a restaurant) and without two baskets of chips being inhaled before your entrée arrives. My healthy chipotle turkey and spiced potato tacos get you all that flavor without the I had too much sodium, swollen fingers the next morning.

Yeah, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

This meal is perfect for any weeknight because it can be ready in thirty minutes and is a relatively inexpensive meal too. I doubt any family members will turn their nose up at taco night, and the leftovers are quite possibly better the next day.

PostedSeptember 16, 2014

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesDinner

TagsTaco Tuesday, Taco night, Taco Recipes, Turkey tacos, healthy taco recipes, healthy weeknight meals, healthy, weeknight meals, Cook at home, Mexican recipes, Yum, 30-minute meals

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Skinny Banana and Chocolate Chip Muffins: My Diary of Us

Let's be honest here. If you saw my Instagram feed from the weekend, you know I could really use a skinny muffin in my life. I made cookies, my brother came over and cooked delicious ribs, I made ice cream sandwiches, and then topped it off with a decadent French toast casserole yesterday morning. Let's not count the calories, let's just get back on track this week. Monday's allow for fresh starts and I'm on board with that when they include yummy, skinny banana dark chocolate chip muffins.

These muffins actually aren't my recipe, they are from Ambitious Kitchen. I saw them last week and decided to give them a go. I am sharing them with you because I think you deserve to know that there is this delicious and healthy muffin waiting to be made to start your day off right! And you know what? They would be fantastic as a healthy afternoon pick me up...

PostedSeptember 15, 2014

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesBreakfast

Tagsbreakfast, healthy breakfast recipe, healthy breakfast muffins, muffin recipes, homemade, healthy recipes, clean eating, Baking

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Crock Pot Pulled Pork with Garlic, Cumin, and Lime Slaw: My Diary of Us

It's football time guys, and while you might be really excited about your big game tomorrow, I am all about what we are eating for the big game. I grew up in a football house, and I can't really remember a weekend that football wasn't always on TV or we were at a game. Still to this day I love nothing more than to hear the crowd roar as background noise throughout the house. It's a comfort thing for me, but what I love more is the food thing that happens during football season. Burgers, wings, dips, and things like my crock pot pulled pork sandwiches with garlic, cumin, and lime slaw.

My teams are Tennessee and LSU (which happened after I moved to Louisiana and kind of had to adopt it as my second team since Canean graduated from LSU) unless they play each other in which case I will most certainly pull for Tennessee. Good thing that only happens once every four years or something like that...

These days I could care less to sit and watch the whole football game, I really like to be in the kitchen cooking or have people over and just peep at the score ever so often instead. It's the whole experience that I love more so than having to sit and watch the game.

PostedSeptember 12, 2014

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesGameday Food

TagsCrock Pot Recipes, Pulled Pork, Pulled Pork Recipes, BBQ Pork Sandwich, Homemade Slaw, Slaw Recipes, Healthyish, Gameday food, Football Food Recipes, Entertaining Recipes

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Blackberry Whiskey and Sage Cocktail: My Diary of Us

I want to love whiskey. Canean's drink of choice is almost always a whiskey or bourbon drink and it would be a lot more fun if I liked to drink it too, but I'll just lay it out for you...I do not have a taste for whiskey. Or haven't...until now. Have you ever had blackberry whiskey? Well if are a whiskey scaredy cat like me, this is your transition into the hello whiskey world. And if you already love whiskey, well you are in shock right now that I just told you that usually you will find me far away from whiskey. My blackberry whiskey and sage cocktail is the crossover cocktail that is going to convert all of us non-whiskey drinkers with the first sip!

With fall nipping at our heels, whiskey seemed appropriate for this week's Thirsty Thursday concoction. Now if the weather would just cooperate and I don't know...go below 100 degrees sometime soon, I would be one happy girl. I keep hearing of people saying there is a nip in the air where they live and I couldn't be more jealous. I converted my closet to fall, I'm mentally ready and the weather is really throwing a wrench in my boot wearing plans.

PostedSeptember 11, 2014

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesCocktails

TagsBlackberry Whiskey Cocktail, Thirsty Thursday, Blackberry cocktails, Sage Cocktails, Gluten Free, Cheers, Cocktail Recipes

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Baked Crab Cakes with Spicy Garlic Dipping Sauce: My Diary of Us

When I was a little girl, my grandfather would make me my favorite meal every time that we visited. While most kids might have preferred mac and cheese or something along those lines, I loved crab legs. He would do a huge boil and I would end up eating more than any adult at the table and this was all while I was only 5 or 6 years old. The tradition continued throughout my whole life and my love for crabs has never wavered. Luckily for me I married a Cajun with a father who can boil the best crabs probably anywhere and I'd be willing to bet on that. Since I don't ever boil crabs myself (because after tasting my father-in-law's, there will never be any competition), crab cakes are my go-to recipe when I have a craving. My baked crab cakes and spicy garlic dipping sauce hit the spot every time.

PostedSeptember 9, 2014

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesDinner

TagsLouisiana seafood, local seafood, baked crab cake recipe, crab cakes, eat local, fresh seafood, crab recipes, appetizers, Lighter dinners, healthy, homemade, appetizer

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