Blueberry Zucchini Bread

Fortunately for us in Georgia, blueberries are one of the most abundant fruits that grow during the summer months.  And since eating local produce is a good for the local economy,  you have every excuse to indulge and eat as much as you want.  Besides, blueberries are extremely healthy for you.  They are chock-full of antioxidants that help to ward of diseases like cancer. 

Here is a delicious recipe for Blueberry Zucchini Bread that is sure to be a hit with family and friends.  Try hitting up a local farmers market for the ingredients!  My favorite in the are is the Dekalb Farmer’s Market.  It’s a good 25 minutes from Cameron Landing in Stockbridge, but the variety of foods there is unmatched in the area.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease 4 mini-loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar. Fold in the zucchini. Beat in the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Gently fold in the blueberries. Transfer to the prepared mini-loaf pans.
3. Bake 50 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted in the center of a loaf comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes in pans, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.

(Credit: AllRecipes.com)

I scream, you scream…

…we all scream for ICE CREAM!

Do you remember that chant from when you were a little kid.  I do.  I still say it to myself while I’m digging through the freezer at the grocery store to pick out my weekly pint of Ben & Jerry’s.  I love that stuff!  It makes me wonder…who was the genius that came up with the idea of blending cream, sugar and other assorted flavorings?  So I did a little Googling.

Modern ice cream, as we know it, became popular back in the mid-1600s.  Since then, it has taken on a life of it’s own.  There are 1,000’s of different flavor combinations.  Ice cream also goes by several different names: sorbet, frozen custard and gelato to name a few.  In Latin America, however, it’s called helados.

Which brings me to the purpose of this post.  Through August 1, Mexican restaurant Rosa Mexicano (245 18th St. in Atlantic Station) will be celebrating their Festival de Helados (that’s Ice Cream Festival for those that failed Spanish 101).  You HAVE to check out some of the flavors they will be offering.  The one I’m dying to try is Trío de Paletas de Helado (Ice Cream Pop Trio).  It consists of “Sweet Corn & Caramel Popcorn, Blueberry-Crème Fraiche and Cookies & Cream ice creams coated with strawberry crisps and served with a banana-caramel sauce.”

The restaurant will actually be hosting a free ice cream making demonstration this Saturday at 10:00 a.m. (July 17).  Guests can even enter a raffle to win an ice cream maker.  If you’re interested, you better act quick because reservations are required and space is limited.  The number is 404-347-4090.

If you miss out on attending, you can still head to the East Lake Farmers Market (Hosea Williams Drive and 2nd Ave…20 minutes from here at Cameron Landing) on Sunday (July 18) from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  The new Cooking Channel will be there as part of their national ice cream truck tour and they will be giving out FREE treats from Jake’s Ice Cream.

(Photo Credit: kimberlykv)

Farmer’s Markets near Cameron Landing

Are you eating local? Not only have you got the agonizing decision of which of the wonderful fresh fruits and veggies do you want to purchase, but you have the choice of farmer’s markets as well. Just south of us, in Henry Country, you’ll find more farmers’ markets and locally-grown food options than you could possible imagine.

• There is the Thompson Market on Keys Ferry St. in McDonough. That market opened in April and will be in business until October- Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• Then, there is the Henry County Farmers Market at Heritage Park. It opened on May 27th and will operate through September 30th. It will be open every Thursday from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Event Center at Heritage Park in McDonough.
• The other Henry County Farmers Market, also sponsored by the 4-H club, is in Hampton and opened May 28th and will be open through September. It will operate every Friday from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the park adjacent to the Hampton train depot.
• Lastly, there is the new market in the City of Locust Grove. That farmers market is open on the first Saturday of every month, beginning this Saturday (June 5) through November 6, on Highway 42 on the sidewalk between Peeksville Rd and the post office. Hours of operation will be 9:00 a.m. to noon.

All these locations plus all the farm fresh goodies for sale means that it is going to be a yummy (if not decision fraught) summer indeed.

Sweet Restaurant Slaw

The long weekend is almost here and I can smell the coals burning already!  Anyone here at Cameron Landing planning to do a cookout or some grilling?  You do know that Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of barbeque season.  Check out this recipe for cole slaw that I found at AllRecipes.com.  While it’s important to take some time to remember those who served our country, it’s also important to celebrate the freedoms that they fought to protect.  The weather in Atlanta will be warm as usual (now if we can just avoid the rain that might hit) so I hope everyone can enjoy the long weekend.

Sweet Restaurant Slaw

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) bag coleslaw mix
• 2 tablespoons diced onion
• 2/3 cup creamy salad dressing (such as Miracle Whip)
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds

Directions

1. Combine the coleslaw mix and onion in a large bowl.
2. Whisk together the salad dressing, vegetable oil, sugar, vinegar, salt, and poppy seeds in a medium bowl; blend thoroughly. Pour dressing mixture over coleslaw mix and toss to coat. Chill at least 2 hours before serving.

The best cookies in Atlanta

Has anyone ever been to My Friend’s Place deli.  I know that there are a few of them around the Atlanta area.  I used to work in Marietta and would sometims go to the one on Akers Mill Rd. for lunch.  They had these Cranberry-Chocolate Chip Cookies there that are probably some of the best cookies that I’ve ever eaten (and I’ve eaten quite a few cookies).  Anyway, I thought about them today and found a recipe online.  It’s the exact same recipe that they used, but I’m hoping it’s similar.  Try it out and let me know what you think!

Very Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/8 cup honey
• 1/8 cup butter
• 1/8 cup natural peanut butter
• 1/2 banana, mashed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5/8 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/8 cup oat bran
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 pinch pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the brown sugar, honey, butter and peanut butter until smooth. Stir in the banana and vanilla. Combine the whole wheat flour, oat bran, oats, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice in a separate bowl. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until it forms a smooth dough. Mix in the cranberries, chocolate chips and sunflower seeds. Drop by spoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet.
3. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until cookies are lightly browned at the edges.

Nutritional Information:

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 148 | Total Fat: 5.9g | Cholesterol: 5mg

Making a delicious HEALTHY Smoothie

My little man has been asking me all week if we can make a slurp. While I was pretty sure I knew what he meant, it is dangerous to assume. So I asked him, “What is a slurp?” He replied, “You know. When you put vanilla yogurt and strawberries in that mixer-upper thing and mush it all together.” I told him, “Sure!” Curious, though, I asked him where he learned how to make a slurp. Very nonchalantly he told me, “Caillou”… duh.

Since he spends most of the day grazing on whatever snack food he can get his hands on, I thought this sounded like a healthy alternative for a mid-morning snack. So I put out all of the ingredients and little man added everything to the blender.

To read more of this article and recipe, visit MyRentalPad.com.

Thai tonight?

Do you  ever get cravings for certain types of food?  If you get the craving for Thai and you’re not sure where to go, I think we’ve got the answer…

Flavors of Thailand

847 Spur 138
Jonesboro, GA 30236

(770) 471-6988

They’ve received great reviews on Yelp.com.  Here is what one reviewer had to say…

Authentic home-style Thai food and friendly family-run service are the highlights here. I love Thai food, and have come to believe there’s two “types” – restaurant-style, where cookbooks are followed and items taste of Sysco ingredients, and home-style, where everything starts from scratch. This is the latter.

Consistantly delicious, and always friendly – and for the price, you won’t find better.

If you know of any other great Thai food spots around Cameron Landing, please drop a comment and let us know!

One GREAT weekend, several GREAT events!

Alright Cameron Landing, this coming weekend is one of those weekends that make you love Atlanta. For the next few days, no one in the metro-Atlanta area can use the excuse that they couldn’t find anything fun to do. Music: check. Arts: check. Sports: check. Food, beer and wine: check. Outdoors: check. Traffic: check (hey, everything comes at a cost). It’s all here for the taking. Here is what you need to know:

Sweetwater 420 Festival

If listening to great music, sampling new microbrews and relaxing with your friends at a park (all for the low price of $5) sounds enticing, you’ll want to check out the Sweetwater 420 Festival schedule of events at Candler Park this Saturday, April 17 from noon to 10 p.m. and Sunday, April 18 from 12:30 to 8 p.m. Also to note, The Sweetwater 420 Festival is “pet friendly” as well as a very “green friendly” event. While Sweetwater is a local Atlanta brewery, and organization named Planet 420 (hence, Sweetwater 420) sponsors the event to promote education of earth friendly practices. Sounds like a win-win for all.

One of the coolest things about Sweetwater 420 is that the festival is located just two blocks from the Candler Park MARTA station. Head to the closest MARTA station and there is no need to worry about traffic or parking!

Atlanta Dogwood Festival

Along with serving as the unofficial start of spring, the historic Atlanta Dogwood Festival provides the opportunity to spend time with friends and family while providing a creative marketplace for many Atlanta artisans, as well as other artists from around the country. It goes on all day at Piedmont Park from April 16-18. Unfortunately, no pets are allowed.

Additionally, you can purchase tickets for the Homegrown Comedy Binge as well as the Friends of Dogwood Pavilion food and wine tasting experience. Participating restaurants include: Dolce, Nakato, Geisha House, Pacci, The Sun Dial, Taqueria del Sol and many others. Piedmont Park is also very much accessible by MARTA.

Sports

If basketball is your thing, snatch up a ticket to see the Atlanta Hawks first game in the 2010 NBA Playoffs. They start their best-of-seven series against the Milwaukee Bucks at Philips Arena on Saturday, April 17 at 5:30 p.m. The Atlanta Braves also have a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies at Turner Field this weekend on Friday, Saturday and Sunday (April 16, 17 and 18).

I usually check craigslist first to see if I can snag a good deal on tickets!

In-Season Produce: Markets near Cameron Landing

Do you shop for your fresh food and produce locally? If not, you may want to give it some serious consideration. Although today’s global market allows us to buy foods grown almost anywhere in the world at any given time, this option is not the most sustainable.

Buying in-season fruits and vegetables that are locally grown helps to eliminate the environmental damage caused by shipping foods across the country – and in some cases – the world. Not only does your food dollar go directly to the farmers, but you’re able to enjoy the health benefits of eating fresh, better tasting, unprocessed produce. According to the National Resources Defense Council, in-season foods for the state of Georgia (and surrouning areas) include:

Blueberries Cabbage Carrots Greens Snap Beans Strawberries Vidalia Onions Yellow Squash Zucchini Asparagus (Tennessee) Bananas (Florida) Broccoli (Florida, North Carolina) Cantaloupe (Florida) Cauliflower (Florida) Celery (Florida) Chinese Cabbage (Florida) Collards (Tennessee) Cucumber (Florida) Eggplant (Florida) Endive (Florida) Escarole (Florida) Gourds (Tennessee) Grapefruit (Florida) Herbs (Tennessee) Honey (Tennessee) Honeydew Melon (Florida) Indian Corn (Tennessee) Kumquat (Florida)

Leafy greens (North Carolina) Limes (Florida) Mamey Sapote (Florida) Mixed Greens (South Carolina) Mushrooms (Florida, Tennessee) Okra (Florida) Onions (Florida) Oranges (Florida) Papaya (Florida) Peanuts (North Carolina) Pecans* (Alabama) Peppers (Florida) Potatoes (Florida) Radishes (Florida) Scallions (South Carolina) Squash* (Alabama, Florida) Sweet Corn (Florida) Sweet Potatoes * (Alabama, North Carolina) Tangelos (Florida) Tangerines (Florida) Tomatoes (Florida) Watermelon (Florida)

Here is a short list of markets that sell fresh locally grown foods near the Cameron Landing area. If you can suggest any other markets, leave a comment and let the community know!

Markets near Cameron Landing

Bungled Searches Bring Beefy Burgers

What’s the most unique place that you’ve ever seen a company advertise their product?  I used to think that the signage that hung above the bathroom stalls at the local sports bar were pretty ingenious (talk about a captive audience), but Burger King’s latest ploy to peddle their discounted double-cheeseburgers’, I must admit, is pretty damn clever.

The fast food giant is banking on you fumbling your search result when you use the popular web engine Digg.  When you do, you’re greeted with the following message: “Looks like your search had a typo. Maybe you’ve got tiny hands?”  This is an obvious reference to their hilarious Tiny Hands marketing campaign in which people complain that their hands are too tiny to hold on to Burger King’s beefy burgers.

It amazes me how no place is sacred anymore.  I wonder what else advertisers will come up with next.

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