Fleming Family Fun!

A couple Saturday's ago, I went out to some friends of ours house to take some photos for a duel birthday party they were having. It was a beautiful day!

The birthday party was to celebrate Miss Abigail turning one and her great grandmother turning 91! 

The Fleming kiddos!

 The Fleming family

Abigail & her Nana

 That's good cake!

For info on sessions & pricing, please email larissafloyd@yahoo.com

Sibling Session: Adams' Family

I headed out last Saturday morning for a shoot with these 4 sweet kiddos in downtown. We had been trying to plan this shoot since last March! Weather, sickness or just schedule conflict forced us to keep putting it off. We were finally able to get it nailed down. The 3 girls in the photos had custom made outfits which I thought were just too cute. I hope you enjoy!

I love this one. They just look so "over it!" 

This is Joesph. He was a tough one to get a smile out of but we were able to squeeze a few from him!

This is Lily! She was just too sweet.

This is Emily! She was a tough one too when it came to the smiles! She's smiling at her Mama in this one!

This is Haley! And as you can see, there was no problem with smiling for her! She had the biggest smile of them all!

For session info & pricing, please email larissafloyd@yahoo.com

Recipe of the Week: Strawberry Banana Smoothies!

I absolutely LOVE smoothies! It's also a great way to get your kiddos to have their fruits. In my case, it's a good way to get Rylee to have milk. She loves fruit and will eat it on its own but HATES milk. And I do mean hates. When I am making this recipe for her, I leave out the sugar but when it's for me, I put it in ;) I hope you like this one!

What you need:

4-5 large strawberries

1 large banana

1 T lemon juice (I didn't have a fresh lemon on hand so I just used the bottled kind- works just as great)

1 cup of ice

1/2 cup whole milk

1 T sugar (optional)

What you do:

Throw everything in the blender and puree it until everything is combined and there are no chunks left.

It makes about 1 whole adult serving and 1/2 of another for maybe a little one, like this sweet girl. She absolutely loves smoothies!

Enjoy!

Recipe of the Week: Momma's Banana Pudding

Hey everyone! I took a few weeks off from the blog but I am back now! And I am back with a good'en :) It's my momma's banana pudding! Anytime I make this, people go crazy. I am making one for a playdate that Rylee and I go to on Thursdays! It was definitely one of my favorites growing up. Maybe thats because I always got to help my Momma eat the left over Eagle Brand :) I hope yall try this one out and I know you'll love it!

What you need:

Nilla Wafers

3 cups cold milk

1 large (or 2 small) box(es) of instant vanilla pudding

2-3 bananas

Eagle Brand Milk

Cool Whip or 1 1/2 cups homemade whip cream

Start by adding the milk to the pudding. Mix well and let it sit for about 5 minutes to thicken.

After pudding has thickened, add the Eagle Brand and whisk together.

Add in the whipped cream and GENTLY fold it in. If you over work it, the  cream will collapse.

Start with pudding mixture, then wafers and end with bananas. Repeat until you're out of pudding. Make sure you end with pudding.

You don't have to make it fancy by adding the wafers around the edge, but this is the way my Momma always did it, so thats how I like to as well. Enjoy!

Recipe of the Week: Stuffed Bell Peppers!

I went to the Farmer's Market with my good friend Dollie last week. While we were browsing I came across some of the biggest bell peppers I think I've ever seen. So immediately I thought "I'll do stuffed peppers next week!" This is one of my favorite dishes to eat. It's a fairly simple recipe thats packed with a ton of flavor. I hope you try this one out and enjoy it!

What you need:

Bell peppers (the bigger the better)

1/4 lb hamburger meat

1/4 onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 can tomato sauce

1 can diced Italian style tomatoes
1 cup cooked white rice

1 T Italian Seasoning

Salt & Pepper to taste

1/2 cup cheese

(These measurements make exactly 4 large bell peppers so don't forget to increase them according to the amount you're making.)

What you do:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop your bell peppers in and boil for 2 minutes. This will soften them up but still keep them sturdy enough to stand up. Let them drain on a towel while you prep the other ingredients.

Chop your onion & garlic. Brown your meat with the onion and garlic.

Stir in 1/4 cup of tomato sauce and the whole can of diced tomatoes. Add in your cooked white rice, stir and let simmer for about 5 minutes.

Pour the rest of the tomato sauce into the bottom of your baking dish. Spoon the filling into each pepper and bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Once the 45 minutes is up, top with cheese (I used a cheddar and mozzarella mix) and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes. Serve with warm bread or a cool salad. 

Enjoy!

Recipe of the Week: Shrimp & Sausage Skewers

Last weekend me, Jeremy & Rylee all took a trip down to Galveston for a family fun day! I have been wanting to visit the new Pleasure Pier and even more so, eat at Bubba Gumps! I first had BG when I went to Hawaii (Kona) with my parents. It was SO delicious. When Jeremy & I had our honeymoon in Maui we ate there a few times as well. I love that place. I usually get the Bubba's bucket'o'boat trash but this time, I was wanting to try something else. I scoured the menu and finally decided on their Kentucky Bourbon Shrimp Skewers. Oh. My. Word. SO DELICIOUS! If you go, I recommend this dish. So when I was making my dinner menu for the week I decided I would try my hand at a homemade version of that dish. It was a success!! I did mine with my homemade BBQ sauce that is a tad spicy. You can pair yours with your favorite bottled or homemade sauce of any kind. 

What you need:

1/2 lb of shrimp

1/2 link of sausage(I used jalapeno)

1/2 onion

2 Bell peppers

 What you do:

First, start off by chopping the veggies, sausage and peeling the shrimp. I set up a little work station to help things move along quicker.

You can skewer yours in whatever order you prefer. I did onion, bell pepper, shrimp, sausage, repeat. Season skewers with salt and pepper once you've completed them all.

Next, baste your skewers with whatever sauce you will be using. Cover and set in fridge until you're ready to grill them.

Throw them on the grill for about 7 minutes a side or until the shrimp are cooked thru. Cook them with the grill closed so the veggies get a chance to become tender.

I served them with grilled corn and mashed potatoes. This was such a yummy meal!! Try this one out, your family will love it!

Recipe of the Week: Cream Peas!

Hey everyone! I was on vacation last week so I didn't have the chance to post a recipe. But I am back and I have a good one for you this week! CREAM PEAS! The base of this recipe can be used for any kind of peas. I use it for purple hull, black eyed and lima beans. I make a huge batch and freeze them in portions so I have fresh peas all winter long. Try this one out. It's so tasty!

What you need:

2 pieces of bacon

Your choice of peas (I made cream peas)

1/2 onion, chopped

1/2 cup frozen or fresh okra

(When I use fresh, I just leave them whole. Unfortunately, my grocer didn't have fresh the week I made these but frozen does just fine.)

1 T salt

1 T pepper

1 tsp cayenne

1 tsp garlic powder

 What you do:

Start off by sauteing the onion, bacon and okra together until onion is translucent.

Add in peas and fill pot with water until all peas are covered. Add in your seasonings and give it a big stir. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce to simmer and let it cook for about an hour or until peas are tender.

You can eat right away or freeze in portions. I serve mine in their broth. So tasty! Try this one out. Your family will love it!

Recipe of the week: Taco salad

I think everyone has some form of taco salad that they make. I grew up eating this version and out of any kind that I have had, this is definitely my favorite. I hope that you'll give it a try and I promise, it won't disappoint!

What you need:

Fritos or Tortilla chips (whichever you prefer)

1/2 lb of ground beef

1 can Ranch Style Beans

Cheddar cheese

Chopped tomatoes

Bag or head of lettuce- I usually just look at the heads and if they're looking good that week I get that. This week my store was actually out of fresh lettuce so I had to get a bag.

This right here is the star of the show!! Even if you don't make my particular taco salad, at least try this dressing with the version you make. It's SO delicious! I love it!!

What you do:

Start off by browning your beef and add a little taco seasoning. I usually make my own. Here's my recipe for taco seasoning...

2 tsp each- garlic powder, onion salt, salt and cumin. 3 tsp pepper. 1 tsp cayenne. You can up the measurements if you're using more than 1/2 a pound of meat.

After your meat is done, layer lettuce, meat, cheese, beans, tomatoes and crushed chips until you're out of lettuce. You won't use all the beans. I freeze whatever is left over and use it the next time to save money.

Grab you a big helping and drizzle some Catalina over the top. This taco salad will change your life. My husband requests it about every other week! Enjoy!

Recipe of the Week: Buttermilk Chicken Strips

I love making fried chicken but I hardly ever make it with the bone in. The reason for that is that I hate eating bone-in chicken. And so does my husband. But we love chicken strips so I came up with this yummy buttermilk marinade to soak my chicken in and it makes the meat so juicy and moist. Try this marinade out for when you make fried chicken next time. You'll love it!

What you'll need: 

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon salt

1 tsp cayenne

1 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp lawry's season salt

boneless skinless breasts

2 cups buttermilk

What you do:

Take your chicken breasts and cut them into strips that are about an inch and a half wide.

Throw the strips in a bowl and pour buttermilk over them until they're completely covered.

Add the salt, pepper, lawry's, cayenne & garlic powder. Toss to combine and coat. Let them soak for at least 2 hours but up to 24. You don't want to soak them longer than 24 hours because the buttermilk will start to break down the meat and it'll be mushy.

After they have soaked for the alloted time, take them and dip them in flour mixture. I mix all the same seasonings that I have in the buttermilk in the flour as well. Chicken can tend to be a tad bland at times so the secret is to season them well along the way.

Heat your oil in a large skillet and fry the strips for about 3 minutes on each side or until the juices run clear. I served mine with mashed potatoes and gravy on this particular night. 

Enjoy!

Happy 1st Birthday Rylee Girl!

May 24, 2011 at 11:41pm I held my sweet girl for the first time. When I think of her, I can't help but see her beautiful smile, hear her adorable giggle and think about her sweet little kisses. She is such a happy baby. When I hear other moms talk about how hard motherhood is and how they're always tired, I have a hard time relating. She really is such an easy baby and unless she's feeling bad she's always happy. She is a momma's girl 100% and I love it. My dream has always been to be a mother and it has been everything I thought it would be and more. She is my JOY and I count it a blessing to be able to be her momma.

Last weekend, we took her out to Challenger Park in League City and let her have her first taste of cake. She loved it!! Here are some photos I snapped. I hope you enjoy!

She is always pointing her finger like the picture on the left.

Time to smash a cake!!!

 Look at that face on the right!!

Happy birthday sweet girl! Momma & Daddy love you so very much!! You are so special to us and an answer to prayers. Xoxo.