SWEET YELLOW CORNBREAD

 Football Season is here!    With school back in session, we know that it's time to break out our favorite game attire and get ready for some #football.

Football also means watch parties!   It's time to make those delicious appetizers, dips, snacks and desserts!   If your family is anything like mine, they don't want to leave the TV when the #Razorbacks are on!  

I am so excited that KTHV11 The Vine asked me to come back on for the fun football segment.  I have some wonderful decor items, as well as, some great snacks, appetizers, and easy grab foods!

Here's the Links to Part 1 and Part 2 of the Segments -- See how cute the table turned out.  Great tips included.  

There is no reason to slay over a hot stove or oven all day.   Football foods don't have to be a burden.  Make them easy and enjoyable.   I have put together this adorable galvanized caddy full of some easy and fun snacks.  

Football also means #Fall is around the corner.  That is my very favorite season.   I asked Hannah (my daughter-in-law) what were some of her favorite football snacks.   She replied, "pigs-n-blanket," and "chic-fil-a nuggets."  Lauren (my daughter) loves pizza.   In fact, give her pizza and do-nuts and she is set.

Personally, I love a variety of snacks, mini foods, etc.   Here are some good "fall" snacks that are perfect for football watching.

Sweet Yellow Corn Dip (cowboy caviar) - Ingredients are simple - 1 can (drain well) sweet yellow corn, 1 can (drain well) bushes black-eyed peas, 1/2 cup or small handful of chopped white onion, chopped purple onion, chopped avocado.  Pre-soak roma tomatoes in Lowry's garlic pepper and then dice.  (1 small) mix in with the other ingredients.  Add in 1 Tablespoon of Avocado Oil and stir.   Cover and place in fridge to chill.  I chilled overnight.   Top with cooked bacon (tear into bits.)   It's delicious and not heavy.  It was a big hit at the station today.

The snacking caddy included:
Candy Corn & Frito's --- a favorite fall snack
Nuts, Pretzels & Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel Mix
Popcorn Variety - cheese, butter & caramel
Pumpkin Dark Chocolate Chip Granola with Caramel Glazed Pecans
Pumpkin Spice & Espresso M & M's
Homemade Snack Mix - pretzels, Cheetos, nuts & more


Football Shape Cookies -  Use a small football cookie cutter.  The trick into making great football shaped cookies is to bake your cookie dough in a pie plate.  Be sure and spray the pie plate, bake dough @ 350 Degrees for approx 25-30 minutes.   Take out of oven and let cool.    Use cookie cutter to cut out shapes.  I was able to get a dozen cookies out of each pie.

Cookie ingredients -   
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
6 Tablespoons of sugar
3/4 cup of packed brown sugar (I use dark brown)
1 stick unsalted butter (room temperature)
1 Teaspoon of Pink Himalayan Salt
1 Teaspoon of Baking Soda (make sure and use new baking soda)   If your baking soda gets old and is left not completely sealed, your cookies will not rise as well.
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
1 Egg (room temperature)
1/2 Teaspoon of Cinnamon
1/2 cup of Dark Chocolate Chips
1/2 cup of Semi-Sweet Chocolate and Peanut Butter Chips combined

In mixer - mix the butter, sugars & vanilla until mixed together.   Fold in egg, vanilla and chocolate chips.  Mix until creamed together.   Then fold in your dry ingredients and mix until creamy.   Place dough in fridge and chill for 30 minutes.    Take out and spread evenly in your pie plate.   Bake at 350 for approx 25-30 minutes until cookies are golden.

All of these are easy to make.   It won't break your budget, and they will be a hit!   I call it my "snack station.  Put together some of your favorites in a cute caddy and you are set to go.   Another great win is you can never go wrong if you do a "grazing board."  I find any excuse for those.   All my family, coworkers & friends love a good "grazing" board.

Get your home ready for fall with a fun Razorback door hanger.   This adorable hanger was made by my new friend Erin Chism of Southern Timber.  Be sure and check out her Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/Southern-Timber.     She can customize colors and has a variety of #Southern home decor.    These adorable signs will make perfect upcoming #Christmas gifts.    

If you need special printing done or want to make a poster size schedule like mine be sure at check out my friends at Arkansas Blue Print.   Arkansas Blue Print has been doing our printing for many years.   They are equipped to handle large size Architectural prints and more!    They always bring by the #SEC game schedules every year as a treat for their customers.   They were more than happy to make the Extra Large size for me to hang and use on the segment.

Have some #fun at your watch parties with these cute #football stress balls I found on Amazon.   Hopefully, this will help reduce the stress if the game is going quite your way.   I also found the cute football suckers on #Amazon as well.   

Bottom Line - Don't stress about game nights or watch party events.  Have fun and enjoy!   Most of the snacks that I used for the segment can be made ahead of time.   Make them ahead and store them in an air tight bag or one of my favorite sustainable bags.  They are Eco friendly and can be used over and over .......  You can find all these items on my Amazon Store at https://www.amazon.com/shop/sweetyellowcornbread  

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I can't believe today is back to school.  It doesn't seem right to start school in the severe heat.   The heat index are topping out in the low-mid 100's today in #littlerock.   It was already feeling like 90 degrees this morning at around 8:30 when I arrived at KTHV11's station for the morning show "The Vine."  


This is my third appearance and fifth segment.   It is getting a little easier each time.   Today, it was so hot and I had so much to tote, I thought I was going to pass out.   

Today's first segment was getting your "homework station" ready for your kids, young adults, and yourself!  I found an easy way to keep up with all the markers, colors, glue, scissors, etc.   I found an old box and I re-purposed and stained it.  It is like an old "coke box."   This box contained many compartments and was perfect for my large assortment of supplies and necessities.    P.S.  This would also work great for a craft box to keep up with craft supplies, jewelry supplies, etc.

This year I am trying to focus more on "sustainable" products.   We need to revert back to times when there wasn't so much plastic and paper bags, etc.   I found these great little bags that comes in all sizes, shapes and designs.  They are perfect to store your school snacks and lunch treats.  You can put them in the fridge overnight and they will help keep your food items cool through lunch.

My friends at Bizz have great "Bento" boxes that are also great for portion control and food storage.  These can be placed in the fridge, freezer or microwave.  You can also put them in the dishwasher.   You can purchase them on my #Amazon store at https://www.amazon.com/shop/sweetyellowcornbread

Be sure and try and use products that you can reuse or re purpose.     Anything we can do to help Earth and our environment around us is a #winwin.

If you have college daughters, they will love the beautiful #katespade boxes that you can pickup at your local TJMaxx, Marshalls or HomeGoods.   These beautiful boxes come in a variety of colors, sizes, shapes and designs.  They make great photo boxes or can be used for any type of storage.   They also make make your closet shelves look amazing!   I use them as gift boxes for Christmas, Bridal Showers, as well as, Birthdays.


Watch the Episode Here - on alternative sandwiches.   Use apples for bread.  Yes, apples!   They are great and your kids will love them!   I used green apples to make club sandwiches with them.   Slice the apples in rounds.   Load the middle with Canadian bacon, bacon, lettuce, tomato, etc.  Just like you would a traditional club.   Leave off the dressings.  The apple will give you the juice and sweet taste.   This will help cut down on calories and extra sugars.

I used red apples for the Peanut Butter sandwiches.   Who doesn't like apples & peanut butter?  YUM!  P.S.  Leave off the Sugary Jellies...........................................you don't need them.

Also, pack the peanut butter cups to be used for dippers.  Pretzels, Bananas, Apples, etc. are fun to dip in the peanut butter and are delicious!    The Peanut Butter is perfect to give you the protein energy boost to get you through the day.

Be sure and watch the episode to see how cute these turned out.

If you need some great decorations for your classroom or buy your teacher some gifts.  Lark & Jill is the perfect place to pick up custom door hangers, paintings and more!   My friend Larkin made the wonderful pencil door hanger for me.  Lark & Jill is located in Painted Tree West Little Rock on Chenal Parkway.  

Need custom cookies made for your teachers?   Birthdays?  Holidays? or just because?   Be sure and check out my friend Beth's Facebook Page - Extra Sweet.   Extra Sweet Bakery can customize cookies, pies, cakes and more.  

I hope each of you having a great upcoming school year.   Let it be less stressful by organizing & doing some meal planning upfront.   Get your kids involved and let them have fun making the apple & various alternate sandwiches.   They will love filling the little bags with treats and packing them.

Adults like fun bags of treats as well!   Set up your grazing board with a variety of meats, fruits, veggies, cheeses.   You will see how fun it is for the kids or adults to pick from the board.