Food Styling – Page 6

January’s SMOOTHIE recipe inspirations + Freelance Success Lesson #1

My friends!!

It’s Friday, it’s been an awesome month of January Luv Cooks smoothies, but now it’s time to end the month with an internet recipe round-up. Yeehaw, this word sounds a bit like a cattle call, but it’s actually going to be my monthly recipe secret inspiration stash I’d like to share with YOU!

Here’s my “Top 5 List” of the yummy smoothies left up for you to discover yourself. Comment below and tell me what you think!!

Banana, Coffee, Cashew and Cocoa Smoothie from Bon Appetit Bananas, cold brew coffee, cashews and cocoa powder: YES.

Coconut-Blueberry smoothie from Bon Appetit!

2. Coconut Blueberry Smoothie by Bon Appetit: Creamy coconut milk, frozen blueberries, mint leaves, honey… (sorry, I was daydreaming about this one).

3. Vegan Vanilla Milkshake Smoothie by Pop Fitness: This smoothie inspired me to start putting silken tofu into my morning routine. SO good, so much vanilla, so much creaminess, yummmmmm.

4. Spinach-Avocado Smoothie with Grapefruit by Epicurious: This smoothie TOTALLY intrigues me. Plus- look at their food photography! Hello, this is AMAZING.

5. Peachy Chia Chai Smoothie by Epicurious. Ok, you had me at chia chai!! I love the way chia seeds thicken a smoothie, plus the spices of chai (cinnamon, cardamom, cloves) with frozen peaches sounds increddiblleeee.

Also, as part of our Luv Cooks effort to post every Friday, I think that it’s time for me to start passing along a little something extra to you guys every month. Every month I’ll plan to share a work/life/entrepreneurship lesson of sorts; a way to encourage you guys and make your life better! I’ll honestly share from my treasure trove of business and styling mistakes in an effort to encourage all of you to pursue your dreams! You were MADE for this abundant, creative life!

And sweet readers, know that I come to you completely humbly with these words of advice. When I began food styling all I had was a dream, a prayer– and a fierce, fiery desire to prove to everyone that we don’t have to live like the status quo. My favorite quote of all time is Helen Keller’s:

“Life is either a grand adventure or nothing else.”

Let’s LIVE that adventure everyone. It’s our destiny.

With that said, here it is, drumroll on lesson #1! In order to succeed as a food stylist/artist/creative entrepreneur, I believe you must have one quality above all else.

GRIT.

No, this is not the Southern side dish that I love to boil with whole milk and garlic cloves, then once it’s soft and rich, top with warm butter and cheddar cheese.

This is the OTHER kind of grit. The internal kind. It’s the gumption, the integrity, the strength, the resolve, the FIRE inside of you that REFUSES to give up until you accomplish your dream. It is a KEY determining factor to your life success, no matter the field.

In Angela Duckworth‘s TED talk that will rock your socks (it has almost 10 million views, #lifegoals), Angela says “GRIT is passion and peserverence for very long-term goals. GRIT is having stamina. Grit is sticking with your future. Day in, day out, not just for the week, not just for the month, but for years. And working REALLY HARD to make that future a reality.”

“Grit is living life like it’s a marathon, not a sprint.” Angela says. Or as Forbes magazine says it, “Optimism + Confidence + Creativity = Resilience = Hardiness =(+/- )Grit.”

Y’all- in our social media driven world, sometimes it looks like people just arrive places. They show up on the coolest photo shoots, with the coolest celebrities, rocking the coolest outfits. We think it was luck, or chance, that they got there. Or, like I struggle with sometimes, we think it’s the universe’s way of telling us we weren’t cut out for the big time like they are.

BUT THIS is a LIE!! Run screaming from this deception!! This voice does not tell you the TRUTH!

The truth is, as I have learned from YEARS of pushing my spirit, body, and my mind to go past my comfort zone- that a thriving, growing business IS NOT instant. Your triumphant success, whatever that looks like to you, most likely will not happen in a year, or two years; it might take five. But that is OK. Because food stylists- like many stylists and other talented professionals I know- recognize that we are in this for the long haul. We are working for the long term goals, influence, and the 10,000 plus hours it takes to become an expert and walk in the quality and strength of our work.

I don’t know about you, but I want to be an expert. I want to work hard and diligently and rest my head on the pillow at night knowing that I gave it my best. And that attitude- that “Wow, today may have sucked, but tomorrow I live to fight another day and accomplish my dream”- THAT is grit. Like Angela says, people with grit DON’T believe that failure is a permanent condition.

And GRIT is the mindset that all of this hard work is worth it. It will pay off in the end. It honors what we were made to accomplish.

So everyone- pluck up. YOU’VE GOT THIS. Pursue why you were put on this planet. And if you feel discouraged- well, I say you make a big bowl of cheesy grits (or blend up a smoothie) and rest in the fact that you gave it your all, and you WILL live to fight again tomorrow. And because you stuck with it, you WILL be a success.

LOVE YOU DEARLY my readers. Happy weekend!

PB & Jelly Smoothie + 5 Peanut Butter Brands I LUV

So, this is a fresh week- a new start- it’s January!! However, I’m having flashbacks.

Flashbacks to this time a year ago, when I set really high goals at the beginning of the year, and, fast forward a month to February 2016- hadn’t kept a single one.

You guys!! This year has to be different!! So, I’ve been doing a lot of soul-searching, a lot of praying, and learning from the AMAZING Michael Hyatt– and realized that you can really only focus on 8-10 goals A YEAR.

What?!! This is the key. I start my year with 27 goals, feel overwhelmed, and b/c of the overwhelm, run screaming into the night eating Reese’s cups (See last week’s post- I seem to be using Reese’s cups to describe many things these days, hah!)

You know what resolutions I can keep? Those that involve peanut butter. I remember as a kid LOVING the moments I spent at school, unzipping my water-resistant (That’s right, it was the 90’s and it wicked away MOISTURE, people) lunch box to reveal the soft, white bread peanut butter and jelly sandwich my mom made me, warmed through from the Alabama heat with a bit of the jelly leaking into my Ziplock bag. Days where my dad and I came home from the hunting camp to peanut butter sandwiches and salty potato chips with a tall glass of caffeine-free Coca-cola (my dad’s fave). Those were the good old days.

But I think comfort food doesn’t have to be synonymous with peanut butter and jelly, exactly– though, don’t get me wrong, those things have their place-the love for a classic sandwich can still be incorporated into a smoothie! And this week’s smoothie tastes like a comfort-filled, creamy, peanut butter berry shake. I think you are going to love it almost as much as that smushy, lovable peanut butter and jelly classic in your own lunch box.

ALSO I’d love for you to check out this week’s video, where I discuss my favorite 5 peanut butter brands. Be assured that I am a life-long peanut butter aficionado. My first word was “juice” and my second was either bologna or peanut butter (I kid, I kid- but how awesome would that be). You have your enophiles, cicerones, chocolatiers- I’d like to refer to my self as a peanut-butter-ateer, sort of like a Three Musketeer, but more of a nut butter pioneer. There’s no official certification quite yet- I’ll keep you posted.

So, in NO particular order, the five peanut butter brands I keep in regular rotation and why I love them:

ALDI SimplyNature Organic Peanut Butter: A roasty flavor profile is one of my favorite things about this PB. It’s super creamy and blends beautifully into smoothies (I used it for this week’s recipe) and also goes great with buttery crackers for a snack.
Whole Foods 365 Brand Creamy or Chunky Peanut Butter: I LOVE this peanut butter! My favorite thing to do is eat it straight out of the jar on my sofa. Treat yo’self.
Market Pantry Natural Creamy Peanut Butter: YES!! This has been the discovery of my year. I was in a pinch recently and at Target, and thought- why not? I’ll give it a go! #REWARD. This is my new favorite pantry item.
Kirkland Signature Organic Peanut Butter: Ok, I know, I know that 16 ounces of peanut butter sounds like a lot. BUT ITS NOT when it tastes likes this. Kirkland uses Valencia peanuts, which have a natural sweetness to them. Plus, it has what I want my ingredients list to read for peanut butter: peanuts and salt.
PB2: Ok, this isn’t technically peanut butter, but it is still ground peanuts minus the oil! I love the chocolate flavor AND the plain PB2, the texture of it is great in baked goods and in smoothies. In fact, I even eat it with almond milk mixed in (you guessed it, on my sofa.)

Now TAKE all of that peanut butter knowledge into your fabulous PB & J smoothies this week!!

And in case you forgot– LUV Y’ALL!

Peanut Butter and Jelly Smoothie

A perfect after-school snack or breakfast treat, this smoothie reminds me of my favorite childhood sandwich! It’s full of healthy fats with the nut butter and coconut oil, and using frozen berries instead of fresh gives it a great, thick texture. Utilizing stevia to sweeten as needed can help bring out the berry flavor too!

What You Will Need:

8 ounces unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or unsweetened coconut milk)
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1/2 tablespoon coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 frozen banana
1/2 cup blueberries, frozen if you like!
1/2 cup strawberries, frozen if you like!
3 ice cubes
1-2 packets of stevia, to taste

What You Will Do:

Blend the almond milk, peanut butter, coconut oil, vanilla, and cinnamon on low in a blender until combined.
Add banana, blueberries, strawberries, and ice cubes. Blend on medium speed until no large chunks remain, then on high until nice and frothy! Taste and add stevia if you like it sweeter!

<br />

SECRET Coffee Routine + Spicy Chocolate Coffee Smoothie

Spicy + chocolate + coffee = yes please.

Helloooooo my precious readers!! I’m pumped! I’m caffeinated! I have nutrition flowing through my veins!!

Why? You ask. Coffee smoothies!! And you know what else? Ladybird Coffee Bombs.

Happy cacao. Vanilla Thunder. FOCUS. The flavors of these grass-fed butter, coconut oil, and collagen butter coffee “pucks” (they look like a beautiful Reese’s cup, but wayyyyy healthier) are intentionally crafted to bless your body AND mind. All you have to do is blend them into coffee, hot tea, milk- They taste SO good. And they each have as much protein as an egg!!

And one of my favorites- HOLY CACAO- is in this week’s smoothie!!!!

Like we mentioned earlier- I love the benefits of these flavors. Holy Cacao’s description: “FOCUS + METABOLISM BOOSTER + BLOOD SUGAR STABILIZER.” Umm, yesss to all of the above in my morning mug!

Especially if you are up at the crack of dawn, dog biting your toes and/or any limbs hanging off the bed, while emitting a very high-pitched bark squeak. #bigsbyblount

These bombs are the SECRET to my daily coffee routine and have changed my relationship with coffee forever. The way they help you clear your head, bind the effects of caffeine, and deliver even energy for four hours- truly awesome, and truly needed in my world.

In fact, let me count ALL the ways that I love these guys:

That’s right. A dose of clear-headedness, healthy fats, and energy for your day- all in one convenient spot. Like a Reese’s cup but wayyyy betteerrrr. You’ve got to try them, and if you are interested in learning more, just visit check out Ladybird Provisions site! I’m SURE that Sara and Nicole would love to hear from you.

Also- my favorite way to use coffee bombs are 1. Blend it with hot coffee until it is nice and frothy; 2. Freeze coffee cubes+blend with coffee bombs for a smoothie!!

So, this leads us to this week’s smoothie recipe. It’s week #2 of our January Smoothie focus and here’s one guy that’s going to help you focus EVEN more than you already are. It’s full of healthy protein, features a delicious HOLY CACAO coffee bomb, and tastes like a spicy chocolate shake. Deliciousness. Now go get those resolutions accomplished, people!

I wish it was morning so I could drink this.

Spicy Chocolate Chili Coffee Smoothie

This smoothie involves little prep; all you need to remember is to keep some iced coffee cubes in the freezer. Use your favorite protein powder (mine is in the Amazon link below) and feel free to use a Happy Cacao bomb if you want less spice!

Serves 2

What You Will Need:

2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 scoop chocolate protein powder
1 Ladybird Provisions Holy Cacao coffee bomb (or Happy Cacao if you desire less spice:) )
8 ounces coffee, frozen into small cubes***
1/2 banana, frozen

What You Will Do:

Pour almond milk, protein powder, and coffee bomb into blender. Blend on low until ingredients come together and no chunks of coffee bomb remain. Then blend on medium speed until combined.
Turn off blender. Add frozen coffee and banana. Blend on low, then medium speed until thoroughly combined.
Blast smoothie on high for a few seconds until nice and frothy! ENJOY!

***I like to make a double-dose of my morning coffee, then pour tomorrow’s portion into ice cube trays. Pop those babies in the freezer, and voila!

<br />

SIX New Years Eve Party Tips +Hormel Holiday Party Hacks Video!

A beautiful Holiday Gatherings spread with something for everyone at your table!

It’s here!! The most sparkly day of the year!! Which makes it one of my favorites- only second to Valentines day in the amount of glitter, goody bags and streamers you can get away with.

I also ADORE a fresh start. I mean, let’s be honest- 2016 was a hard year. Lots of things happened in our world that made us feel rough. But you know what? We made it. And not only did we make it, here on the blog and in your kitchens there was lots of great food that happened along the way. I think this is cause for celebration, and for throwing the most fun New Year’s Eve party ever. Lucky for us, Hormel has made it EASY to put together a holiday party worthy of the sparkliest of occasions!

In honor or this special party day of the year, I’m going to share with you my SIX (in honor of 2016) NYE Party Tips with coordinating recipes featuring Hormel ready-to-eat products. I think New Year’s Eve is one of the easiest parties of the year to make people feel celebrated and special!

Let’s do this! New Year’s Eve Party Tips:

Keep it simple. When your hosting a later-in-the-evening shindig, most people have already eaten a full meal, so keep the snacks easy to hold and access!

Hormel roast beef au jus makes it easy to create your sliders!

Solution: French Dip Roast beef sliders au jus. The Hormel Slow Simmered Beef Au Jus is perfect for this. All you have to do is toast some slider buns, warm the beef au jus, and pile the beef on top of a bun with a slice of Pepperjack cheese (one of my favorites!) Drizzle some au jus on the beef and cheese, and sandwich the the two buns together. Sandwiches are one of nature’s perfect foods, and making them bite-size means they are the perfect party snack. Plus, you can hold a slider in one hand and a fancy beverage in the other.

2. Give appetizer options! For example- at my New Year’s Eve party tonight we will have everyone from vegans to carnivores to vegetarians. Hormel even makes it easy and quick to feed people on veggie friendly diets- or those who just want a lighter option!

Veggie skewers a plenty with choice of guacamole dips.

Solution: Veggie sliders with Wholly Guacamole dip: I suggest including classic and spicy guacamole for this app; Wholly Guacamole has a ton of flavors to choose from! Just thread fresh veggies like cucumber, cherry and yellow tomatoes, broccoli, etc. on wooden skewers and serve alongside bowls of delicious guacamole to dip.

3. Plan a party playlist! One of my biggest party pet peeves is a lack of music. I went to a baby shower once at a swanky space and there was NO MUSIC. As in, dead silence! It was so awkward! Music helps set the tone for a great night and keeps people energized. You can even look online for suggested NYE playlists- and use those as a starting point to create your own. The great thing about hospitality is that you get to think about the people at your party and what they will vibe to. Like Carlton below, I’ll dance to that!*

4. Increase the flavor! Music plays a huge role in creating a festive mood, but so does the food! I like to keep things interesting and upbeat by making sure I bring the flavor.

Solution: Create-your-own cracker stacks by serving a Hormel Gatherings Party Tray with fresh dip options. In the video, we used the hard salami and pepperoni party tray. I love that these trays come ready-to-go with your meat and cheeses already sliced! The prep work is done for you. Just add the flavors you like for your guests to create-their-own sandwich cracker stacks. I like to offer spicy mayonnaise, high quality mustard and fresh pesto alongside. You can even slice up some fresh apples for a gluten-free snack option!

Another styling tip: serve your dips in complementary (either colored or textured) bowls to complete a pretty look for your tray. Fresh herbs (like basil and rosemary) also add to the visual of it all!

5. Make your guest list special. And by that I mean- have an intention behind why you invite each guest to your celebration. Think about their personalities, how much they mean to you, their interests. By keeping this in mind, it makes for easy conversation starters between friends- and gives you the chance to tell them how grateful you have been for them this year. To me, there is nothing like words of affirmation to make someone (myself included) feel loved! For example- “Emily! I am so glad you made it. I was thinking this year about how much I’ve enjoyed working with you and you totally deserve a chance to celebrate tonight!”

6. Think outside the box. I love a sweet treat, and my husband can tell you that I literally plan my days around when I can have ice cream! But not everyone is quite as thrilled about super-sweet desserts as me. Thinking outside of your normal dessert repetoire by creating something savory and sweet gives party goers the chance to get their hit of sweetness while savoring the moment.

Goat cheese stuffed dates for the win on the marble platter. LOVE! — Goat cheese stuffed dates on the white marble platter, in the mix with all of our yumminess!

Solution: Bacon-wrapped goat-cheese stuffed dates. These are such a brilliant party food! And Hormel is awesome because using their Black Label Fully Cooked Bacon cuts your prep time way down! Just cut a small slit in each date, fill with goat cheese, then wrap each date in a half slice of bacon and secure with a festive toothpick. Put your dates on a parchment-lined, or cooking-sprayed, baking sheet and drizzle with a bit of honey. Bake at 350 for 5-10 minutes, or just until the dates are cooked through.

Also, a styling tip on serving those: Put them on a white marble or other light surface platter! That highlights the rich tones of their bacon-y goodness!

Y’all, parties are all about having fun, and with Hormel ready-to-eat products you can get out of the kitchen and celebrate with the ones you love!

****************************************************

My wonderful friends!! Thank you for being a part of Luv Cooks in 2016. I believe 2017 is going to be our best and most fun year yet. From the bottom of my heart- go get your sparkle on tonight and have a blast! Love y’all!

**This image is from Reddit.com:)

2016 Top 5 Kitchen Fails and Successes + Video!

Whew!! Y’all-2016 is almost behind us, PRAISE!

For me, this was a year of a lot of highs, and some lows. My husband and I bought a house together (a dream of mine since I was a kid), I got to work with more amazing food styling clients than I could have dreamed, and I rediscovered my passion for being on camera and helping people navigate this journey we call home cooking.

But 2016 also had its frustrations- recipes that FLOPPED hard in our kitchen; cooking burnt food for some of our first-time dinner guests; and a fight against all-out frustration throughout the year that life wasn’t perfect (in lots of areas) like I had envisioned and wished for.

Then, lightbulb moment. I realized-thank you Lord- that the imperfections- the things that go wrong, my own lack of knowledge, my zoodle FAILS and the frustrating feeling that nags me daily to err on the side of perfection with food and forgo the real relationships that should be fostered instead- those are the things that I hope to share, and help you, work through.

And that’s what I want 2017 to be about for Luv Cooks. Sharing honestly about what didn’t work, what DOES actually work and the tips that have helped me along my journey toward thriving in the kitchen. And I’d love your input! Please comment or shoot me a Facebook message on what questions you have and what you want to see on the blog.

With that, I give you my Top 5 Cooking FAILS and TRIUMPHS in 2016:

Let’s give the bad news first: FAILS!

Trying new recipes with “company”: Growing up in a Southern household, whenever we had friends and family over my parents always referred to them as “company.” For the longest time I questioned this- “Why on earth are business people coming over? This is just Harvey from down the street.” But what they meant by that was “These are people that deserve love, respect, and taking the time to make them feel special while they are with us.” Now that I am older, I appreciate and treasure that lesson. So, don’t be like me and attempt to make vegetarian curry for friends that you’ve never tested and it turns out feeds TWO instead of SIX. Also, make sure you have ice cream in the freezer for “company” and that your apple crisp doesn’t actually taste like lemon juice surprise.
Zucchini Noodles: For the LOVE, I can not figure out how to make these work. I have tried Paleo style, Blount family style- and geez louise every time I make these they taste like soupy veggie water.

A better use for cucumber and/or zucchini than what I made this year.

3. Water in chocolate: I was cooking for an event this year that required lots of my Gluten Free Toasted Pecan and Coconut Brownies, which I love. Well, you know what chocolate doesn’t love? WATER. Batch after batch was seizing (turning into a crumbly mess) and I had no idea why. I would make a batch, throw it out, wash my bowl, and start again. Lightbulb. Because of my frustration, I wasn’t taking the time to fully dry my bowl and water was wreaking havoc on the melting chocolate step. KEEP YOUR BOWLS DRY!

4. Flax Eggs. Y’all, flax rhymes with AXE. That’s what happened to every recipe that I tried to use flax eggs as a substitute for the aviary variety. Literally, my blueberry coconut pancakes looked like coconut mush dog food.

5. Inadequate cooking spray: **Embarrassment alert** I was on a food shoot this year making Vivian Howard‘s (who I loooveee) pecan pie. Well, I diligently stirred together the homemade pecan crust, carefully patted it into my pie pan and filled it with yummy pecan filling. Fresh out of the oven, it was beautiful. I arrive at my shoot and go to slice the pie- not happening. It felt like a brick had hijacked the spot where my crusty pie should be. In response, I began hacking at that pie like a deranged sugar addict. Yes, you guessed it, the pan was improperly sprayed/greased and the photographer ended up having to PHOTOSHOP the crust on the pie. Yep, I’m that professional.

Heed Elevated Kitchen's advice and your pie WILL come out of the pan. — Heed Elevated Kitchen’s advice and your pie WILL come out of the pan.

Hope abounds! Successes WERE had and here are my top 5 favorites:

Coconut flour. I love, love coconut flour. It’s a great fit for gluten free recipes. It tastes rich, is great for you, and has a nice texture. It’s also awesome to “bread”/toss veggies in before you roast them, and I like to add about a tablespoon of coconut flour to my smoothies to give them a coconut flavor.
Kerrygold butter: One of my dreams came true this year as I got to work on a commercial for Kerrygold Butter! Praise. The theme of the commercial was holiday baking with Kerrygold butter, and before this shoot, I wasn’t very particular about my butter. I am now changed. THIS BUTTER IS AMAZING. It’s a totally different shade of yellow, makes all the difference in shortbread cookies, and makes things so wonderfully tasty and flaky, especially when a recipe only calls for a few ingredients. Love it!

3. Homemade broth: Making homemade broth has become both therapeutic and stress-relieving for me. It’s also an amazing use of leftovers. Just throw some chicken or turkey bones and skins in a slow cooker or large stock pot (preferably bones you have pulled from a roasted bird that week, or have in the freezer from a past recipe), leftover veggie scraps (whenever I chop for recipes, I throw my onion scraps, garlic skins, extra carrots in a plastic bag in our freezer) and enough (filtered) water to cover your goodies. Let that simmer for 24 hours, then strain and pour into a glass jar. It should keep for a week in your fridge, or you can put it in a freezer-safe bag in your freezer. If your birds were organic, you can even skim the fat that collects on the refrigerated broth and use it to saute or roast veggies or other meats! SO AWESOME.

Side angle shot of chef's knife illuminated on wooden platter with fresh green beans, raw carrots, and red and orange bell pepper. — Save those veggie scraps for homemade broth this year.

4. Veggie bowls: Making these has radically upgraded our weekly lunches and made me feel like a healthier human being. A great recipe for them is on Jen Riday’s page.

5. Frozen Peas: Frozen peas are life-changing. Turns out that frozen snap peas are more than likely fresher frozen than they are at your local market. Peas begin losing their flavor the moment they are picked, so frozen ones tend to retain that flavor (and avoid the shelf-life starchiness) that grocery store peas can have. One of my favorite peas recipes is from America’s Test Kitchen: Gravy Training Blog

Ok, that’s this week’s tips and tricks my amazing readers! I hope you have such a great holiday weekend and amazing start to your New Year.

<br />

Easy Holiday Dinner Tips with Hormel

WOW.

Umm- are you guys busy these days? I mean- is your holiday season flying by like Santa on a jet ski? Yep, #sameboat. I actually just had to practice some deep breathing a bit ago to calm down about ALL that awaits me on my to-do list between now and December 25.

But you know what? There is HOPE. That’s right, there is a beacon of light that lies across that sea of gift wrap on your living room floor. It’s going to simplify your life, take one MAJOR requirement off of your shopping-bag laden shoulders, and allow you to breeze through the most pressure-filled of Christmas feats- the holiday dinner.

That’s right. The once-a-year celebration that involves your family, your friends, and those relatives that you haven’t seen in years but somehow arrive at your doorstep hungry and ready for ALL the egg nog. The people that you truly love and want to feel special around your table. The people you text on the daily. That dinner. The solution? Hormel is here to save the day- and help you feed everyone on your gift list with no host-stress. Pun intended:)

This season I had the chance to partner with Hormel for these easy holiday dinner tips to utilize all I’ve gleaned from my work as a food and prop stylist to create a holiday menu that is both easy to do and will formally establish you as the Holiday Hosting Queen or King. These dishes make simple, fresh tweaks to Hormel foods that are sure to please your fave people. It’s a menu that includes:

Orange and Rosemary Glazed Hormel Cure 81 Ham: This ham is already cooked, and our glaze only has two ingredients! All we have to do is glaze and bake.

Golden broccoli and cheddar rice cups: Perfect for portioning out your buffet- especially when your relatives really love the sides; as in, ahem, maybe don’t leave much for those people behind them in line.

Fresh Sautéed Asparagus with Lemon Zest: Fresh trimmed asparagus + butter+ lemon zest. Voila!

Salted Maple Butter Sweet Potatoes: Utilizing ready-to-go, mashed potatoes takes the boiling and the pulverizing out of the equation for you. Save that bicep strength for unwrapping presents later!

Sautéed Apples with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and Candied Pecans: Sweet apples with creamy ice cream and candied pecans. Yessss pleeeassee!

To see the WHOLE menu and all of the how-to tips, click here: Hormel Holiday Ham Dinner Hacks!

Oh AND surprise!! The Hormel team also took some sweet behind-the-scenes photos I thought you guys would dig.

Let the film roll begin!

Broccoli Cheddar Rice Cups — Our broccoli-cheddar beauties baking up in the oven.

Our Cherrywood Cure 81 ham and glaze ingredients awaiting their glorious debut. — Our Cherrywood Cure 81 ham and glaze ingredients awaiting their debut.

Warm cinnamon apples with vanilla ice cream melting into the fruit, topped with candied pecans for our dessert. Yummmmmmm. — Warm cinnamon apples, vanilla ice cream and candied pecans for dessert.

Fresh sautéed asparagus with butter and lemon zest deliciousness.

Sweet, caramelized glazed ham in all it's glory. — Sweet, caramelized glazed ham in all it’s glory.

You guys, my amazing readers and watchers- I couldn’t be more thrilled to share this video, and this season, with you. You and my friends and family- you guys are the ones that make holiday food special for me. And the fact that Hormel has made an effort to make this easy for all of us- well, I’d say that’s Luv Cooks style: having a blast, cooking delicious food, and making the people around us feel special.

So, from my kitchen to yours, may your table be full of the food, sparkle and loving warmth of a hope-filled season. I can’t imagine anything more delicious.

Luv Cooks Southern Cooking Video Episodes!

Hi all my amazing Luv Cooks readers! Have I told you lately HOW MUCH it means to me that you read these posts? You are cooking rock stars and to that I say, rock on friends, rock on.

Also, EXCITING news to share with you! As many of you know, I have been wanting to incorporate Luv Cooks video content for eons now. Pretty much what feels like a half century of my lifetime, which means I probably felt this way in about the time period Brooklyn was being filmed. Ok, back to the task at hand….

The official FIRST EPISODE of our Luv Cooks series is about to be arrive. That’s right- Southern recipes, straight from The Nashville Cookbook, live and on Luv Cooks You Tube!. Which means any time you are craving a dose of Luv Cooks kitchen shenanigans, you can tune in. Night or day. You get the picture.

So, here is our teaser video, getting you primed for this month’s recipe- which, if you like sweet potatoes, pecans, butter, and marshmallows, you are going to be over-the-moon about.

So check out the video, and I’d love to hear what else you’d like to see me cook! Luv y’all!

Gourmet Beef Stew + Welcome to Nashville

January is just the best.

There are a host of reasons I feel this way. It’s a fresh start to the year, my schedule seems to become slow enough to give time for some goal setting- but most of all, it’s this:

Jake strums on his guitar next to me. My desk is leans against a large window; I turn my head to the right and look out at the city where I’ve always dreamed of living. Cars rush past outside and their rhythm beats sweetly alongside the guitar riffs. This is the start of Nashville for me.

And the beginning of 2016 has been a sweet one. The start of life in a new space; living in a tiny one (#loftlivin’); and new friendships forming that I feel will be lifelong. Up until this moment, I have yet to experience feeling so at peace, so in that “right where I am supposed to be” position. Life is good.

And it’s funny how I feel already that I owe something to Nashville. The smiling faces, the creativity, and the overwhelming support to people pursuing their dreams; there’s something here that I want to jump into, be a part of, bless people with. And, fortunately for me, my sister gave me just the way to do it.

Cue video intro here!

The Nashville Cookbook: Recipes of the Cumberland Region is where this year begins. This book is a treasure trove of history, Southern tradition, recipes yet to be explored, all from a city I long to know more about. Written by the Nashville Area Home Economics Association in 1976, one of my favorite quotes in the book’s forward is “Food is essential for the nourishment of the body, and books are essential for the nourishment of the mind and the imagination. A good cookbook can meet both these essentials, and that is what the Nashville home economists have provided here.” It is a collection of the history of places- there are beautiful prints and historical pieces on the Maxwell House Hotel, the Parthenon, Fort Nashborough and places in the Cumberland Region. It is my introduction to Nashville as a city, as a food culture, from the point of it’s history and its fascinating, “zany”, carefully crafted recipes. As the opening pages state, “We wish the book to be a joy to read, to use, to savor, and to treasure!”

So this is where Luv Cooks lands. I will cook from these recipes, aiming to make them as authentically as I can. I will include local product, produce, meat, cheese- when I can and where I can- and hope that through this process I have the pleasure of meeting the people who are bringing these fantastic foods to our table.

I will also most likely offer my variations on the tried-and-true. This week’s recipe- such a warm, comforting start to a below freezing week in Nashville- already involves some tweaks, based off of cooking methods I have learned in styling. But I hope that each of these changes will bring something new, and helpful, to your table.

So, saddle up this year for a fantastic, fun, wild ride through a cookbook, written in 1976, full of Southern flair, ingredients, spice, and the joy of life that is wonderfully unique to Tennessee. Let’s eat!

This week’s purveyors:

Meat: Delicious, lean stew meat by KLD Farm (Their beef is 100% chemical free; grass fed and grain finished; contains no antibiotics or growth hormones; and is dry-aged for 14-18 days . In other words, deliciousness.)

Produce: Potatoes by Smiley Farm (Link Smiley Farm at Local Table; they sell daily at the Nashville Farmer’s Market!)

Weekly tip: Quality Stew Meat + Relax with Some Soup

Gourmet Stew from The Nashville Cookbook

This beef stew is perfect for a cold winter night, and so simple to make. The hardest part is probably waiting for the meat to tenderize, which for me took a about 2 1/2 hours. The recipe in total takes about 3 1/2 hours, but I made mine on a lazy Sunday afternoon, and it was perfect.

What You Will Need:

2 lbs lean boneless stewing meat, cubed, and patted dry
Black pepper, freshly ground
1 tablespoon flour
3 tablespoons organic butter
4 1/2 cups water, divided
2 bay leaves
Dash of hot sauce
1 teaspoon salt
6 whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon fresh basil, chopped (or 1/4 teaspoon dried)
1 cup red-skinned potatoes, diced
1/2 cup carrots, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
1 cup onions, diced
10 ounces fresh green beans (the original recipe calls for 10 oz frozen, but I like fresh)
4 medium size tomatoes, diced (1 lb.) (recipe calls for 1 16 oz can as an option, but I went with fresh)

What You Will Do:

1. Heat a large dutch oven with 3 tablespoons butter on medium to medium-high heat (higher heat works better for browning).

2. Toss meat pieces with 1 tablespoon flour, and top with a few grinds per side of salt and pepper, to evenly coat all four sides of the beef.

3. Once the butter is bubbling, toss in the stew meat and brown on all sides.

4. Once the meat is sufficiently browned and crisp, add 3 1/2 cups water and 2 bay leaves.

5. Simmer on low to medium-low heat for 2-3 hours, or until your meat is tender. (I went for about 2 hours and 15 minutes before I started adding the veggies and spices).

6. Add 1 more cup hot water and the rest of your ingredients (hot sauce, salt, cloves, allspice, basil, potatoes, carrots, onions, green beans, and tomatoes).

7. Bring the stew to a new boil (I turned my heat up to medium-high) then reduce to a simmer on low to medium-low.

7. Continue to simmer the soup until all the vegetables are tender, about another 50-60 minutes.

8. Now, put on your stretchy pants, warm socks, and cozy up with a bowl of stew to an episode of Nashville. Enjoy.

Coconut Milk Pumpkin Spice Lattes

Y’all- today is the day. The day I turn 30. The day to celebrate all things fun, sparkly, sugary, and swirled with peanut butter. I have a precious German friend with the best accent ever staying with us for the next three days while she is in the States; I get to spend the day tomorrow with another beautiful friend in Nashville. I mean, these are the rock-stars of long-distance friendships- so creative, inspiring, and lovely. I can’t wait. Life just seems to be humming, humming, humming by…

Yet, I woke up at 2:00 this morning in a panic. My husband spent the night, whooping-cough style, planted in the center of our bed, his lungs echoing reverberations to the top of our ceiling. I couldn’t sleep, so I moved to the sofa, only to be waken by throat pain that felt like the inside of a burlap bag. And, to be honest- the tiredness, and throat pangs, have gotten worse as they day has progressed.

So here we are, the day of all days, the golden birthday, and I feel like I got hit by a small moped then lightly tethered to a rusty Ford pick up and hung out to dry.

But- you know what? I couldn’t stop thinking about this blog post. How the last thing I want to do right now is type; how I want to lay in my bed and lament and have a pity party until I have to pick my friend up in a bit.

But, here is the deal- Luv Cooks means a lot to me. You, my readers, mean a lot to me. Yesterday as I drove home from a shoot I was thanking God for you, for your love of food and fun and for watching these videos and being a part of life with me. I was grateful for my husband, and my friendships, and all of the inspiring people that I encounter every day. For 30 years of laughter, tears, dancing (see below, what!), dreaming, and the moments that stir up such joy a knot forms in your throat. For every bit of thirty years lived in awe of the power of love and life and hope. For joy in the morning and dancing in the evening. For life, and breath, and food. Glorious food.

If there ever were consistent loves in my life- outside of the obvious- coffee is one of them. And this latte, this pumpkin spice latte, is the ultimate birthday indulgence. I adore espresso, but my budget, and time, don’t allow for the daily routine of a fancy green lady version you can purchase with an iPhone app.

This latte reminds me of bullet proof coffee- coffee blended with butter- but much tastier. The whole thing can be made dairy-free (just omit the whipped cream and substitute coconut oil for butter), and low sugar (substitute stevia for the maple syrup). The entire coconut milk mixture can be blended together on its own and used as coffee creamer. It’s healthy, has real pumpkin, coconut milk and cinnamon. Deliciousness.

So, ladies and gentleman, as I leave to pursue the rest of my 30th day on this planet, I once again want to say thank you. Thank you for being you, for making Luv Cooks happen, and even cooking a recipe or two. Thank you for making my birthday, and the years moving forward, so special.

I invite you to join me, pumpkin spice latte in hand, to a toast- to life, to luv, to food. Glorious food.

Coconut Milk Pumpkin Spice Latte

Recipe taken from Yahoo Health

What You Will Need:

1 (13.5-oz) can full-fat, unsweetened coconut milk
2-4 tbsp maple syrup, I used 2 tablespoons
2 tbsp pumpkin puree
2 tbsp butter, ghee, or coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
2 cups hot, strongly brewed coffee or 4 espresso shots
4 oz whipped coconut cream or grass-fed heavy whipping cream, for garnish
Ground cinnamon, for garnish

What You Will Do:

Add the coconut milk, maple syrup, pumpkin puree, butter, vanilla extract, cinnamon and nutmeg to a blender. Blend until smooth.
Warm the pumpkin milk over medium-low heat for 10 minutes or until the milk starts to steam.
Meanwhile, prepare your coffee or espresso (I used two tablespoons coffee per cup of water in a drip maker).
Once your milk is hot, place it back into the blender and blend for about 10 seconds to froth the milk, making sure your hand is on the lid to avoid any messes.
Divide the hot coffee and milk between 4 cups. Put on a dollop of whipped cream (or go Luv Cooks style and bust out the Redi Whip), and cinnamon, and treat yo self!

For sticking with this recipe, I have a birthday surprise for you:

That’s right, Kerri Bunn and I don’t want no scrubs people.

Easy Dairy-Free Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

As a food stylist, you work hard all day to make the absolute best version of the food you are shooting come to life. There are times you end up on your hands and knees, using tweezers to remove stray thyme springs, spraying cilantro leaves with water, lifting pots to boil water; it’s that kind of physical and emotional investment.

I love food styling- and it’s super rewarding- but sometimes this feeling is also accompanied by a vow that you don’t want to see, or taste, or smell the ——- (pot roast, pot pie, slow cooker chicken casserole, etc.) for a while. Because frankly, you’ve worked with it for so many hours, bent over it with tweezers, and the dish made your hair greasy because you had to fry the chicken with metal pins in order for it to look good. Your back hurts… and you’re just tired.

Butter you up because you’re toast.

Stick a fork in you, you’re done.

I could go on, but you get the picture.

I don’t normally crave what I have been working on after I make for a shoot. Except for…well, minutes later when I am starving. I love to eat, and Luv Cooks is special to me, and you are special to me because you read these posts (thank you, thank you, thank you….) And you know what else is really special? Besides Julie Andrews? Five-minute strawberry yogurt.

On my way back from making prop returns this afternoon, the late-summer heat was getting to my psyche. New bangs plastered to my forehead and dying of thirst (well, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration), the air conditioner in my hybrid car was about as cold as dog breath and all I could think about was how I was sweating through my pants.

It was at that moment that I direly, passionately, wished I had some leftover strawberry yogurt in my freezer.

Too bad the hubs and I had already eaten it. Quickly after it was shot. Hopes=dashed.

But, I will say, this dire feeling gave way to an extra motivation to share this recipe with you. In the dire straits of early September in the South, when the vice grip of humid heat refuses to let go and make way for cooler breezes- everybody, I do mean evvrryybodddy, needs to eat something frozen. And refreshing. It does wonders for your mood; and ensuing hair styles.

So this Labor Day, bust out your food processor, whip up some fro-yo, and celebrate the end of summer, strawberries, and the sweet relief of an easy dessert. Cheers!

Easy Five Minute Frozen Yogurt (recipe altered to be dairy-free by Just a Taste. Her site and recipes are so pretty and inspiring!)

This recipe is super simple and requires very little prep aside from squeezing fresh lemon juice. A tip for easy lemon squeezing- just roll you lemon around on your countertop before you slice it in half. The liquid comes out easier that way!

What You Will Need

4 cups frozen strawberries
3 tablespoons honey (I like orange blossom honey for this)
1/2 cup dairy-free yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

What You Will Do

1. Add the frozen strawberries, honey, yogurt, and lemon juice to the bowl of a food processor.

2. Process until the mixture becomes creamy, which should take about 5 minutes.

3. Serve the frozen yogurt immediately or, if you can wait this long, you can transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the freezer for about a month.