Ole Miss vs. Georgia

Ah, It felt great to be back in Oxford. We may have lost to Georgia, but I'm sure they learned a thing or two about tailgating. It was an 11:21am game so we had ham and biscuits, hash brown casserole and mimosas and fuzzy navels for breakfast. We also had spinach dip and hawaiian bread, salsa, bacon wrapped venison, bacon wrapped dates, rice crispie cookies, strawberry cake and a few other things for after the game. 

 The beautiful flower arrangement was put together by Olive Branch Florist. The stump candle holder came from Authentique in Inman Park, Atlanta. The vase ribbons are from Michaels and the Hotty Toddy logo was created by me using paper and stamps from Paper Source.

The best part about Oxford is spending time with college friends. 

Rings in rebel colors from Ana & Ava. $10 at Dillards.

It takes a lot of jewelry...

It takes a lot of jewelry to get this Ole Miss girl to the grove.

Somehow it just hit me that I'm leaving tomorrow night, minus the husband (he'll be joining me on Saturday), for the Ole Miss vs. Georgia game. I've put nearly two weeks of preparation into this game. Or should I say tailgate? I'm ready! But how am I going to get it all there? Luckily some of it is already at my parents house.

In my suitcase for a 4 day trip:
2 dresses
2 pairs of dressy jeans
5 shirts
2 pairs of pajamas
1 pair of sunglasses
1 navy wrap
4 pairs of shoes
6 necklaces
7 statement rings
1 set of pearl earrings
2 bracelets
1 Hotty Toddy Button
1 vase with Ribbon and a customized logo
1 Ole Miss utensil holder with customized logo
6 battery operated tea lights
4 votive holders
1 ceramic candy holder
1 tablecloth
1 candle holder shaped like a tree stump
Plates and Napkins
1 container of red and blue sprinkles

I will post tailgate photos when we get back. :-)

Hotty Toddy!

Upside Down Apple Pecan Pie

A beautiful fall day calls for a great apple pie. This one is my favorite and it is so simple. It is always a hit. I have co-workers who beg me to bring it in year around.

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup packed brown sugar, divided

2/3 cup pecan halves

2 prepared pie crusts

6 cups peeled, sliced apples

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tablespoon flour

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 450. In a small bowl, combine butter and 2/3 cup brown sugar and spread evenly in the bottom of a 10-inch pie pan. Arrange pecan halves in a design on the pie pan bottom, pressing in to the sugar mixture. Roll out each pie crust to about a 10-inch diameter. Cover pecans with 1 pie crust leaving 1/2-inch of pastry hanging over the sides. In a mixing bowl, sprinkle the apples with lemon juice and set aside. In another bowl, combing remaining 1/3 cup brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Add the apples and stir well. Pile apples on the pie crust, making as level a surface as possible. Cover with the second pie crust. Fold top crust over bottom crust, wetting the edges to seal as you go. Flute edges and prick top with a fork. Bake 10 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350 and bake 45 minutes longer, covering the top with foil if necessary to prevent excess browning. Remove from oven. When syrup in the pan stops bubbling, place serving plate over pie and invert. Remove pie pan.

Enjoy with vanilla ice cream!

This recipe comes from Square Table

It's cold in Atlanta

The high today hit 66 in Hotlanta. I had to pull my jacket out from the back of the closet! While we can thank Tropical Depression Lee for this brief cold spell, I did some sweater searching today in my down time. 

 

I love a hint of sparkle in my clothes. (You should see my shoe collection). There is something about a sparkly pair of shoes with a pair of jeans and a classic top that makes me feel pretty. And.. I found another pair of gorgeous sunglasses. I love them oversized, but square. The round ones make my face look rounder. ugh! To me, a bad pair of glasses can make or break your whole look.

P.S. The yellow-green sweater is so pretty in person. Perfect for a fair skinned red-head. 

Are you ready... for breakfast?

Good morning! Nothing like some southern breakfast and College GameDay to start a football Saturday off right.

Sausage Biscuits, Apple Butter, Cinnamon Roll, and Chocolate Cream Cheese Muffin from Flying Biscuit. Yummy!

The 10 Commandments of College Football Fandom

I was thumbing through my brand new September issue of Southern Living and I came across the 10 Commandments of College Football Fandom. Oh how true they are!

1. Thou shalt wear team colors. But think twice before adorning yourself with body paint - you don't want to be the Internet photo that goes viral.

2.Thou shalt know - and sing - your team's fight song from beginning to end. Sure, you can "watermelon watermelon" your way through the alma mater, but not memorizing the fight song is a fan failure.

3. Thou shalt keep your language clean (unless, of course, the quarterback fumbles on fourth and goal).

4. Thou shalt support the coach. Even when his calls are questionable.

5. Thou shalt be respectful to visiting teams. Remember: Southern ladies and gentlemen never boo.

6 Thou shalt set up a tailgate no fewer than three hours before kickoff (six if it's a night game). Table linens and matching huggers encouraged, but not required.

7. Thou shalt theme your tailgate food around the visiting rival. Gator bites, anyone?

8. Thou shalt stay through the fourth quarter - rain or shine. That's what ponchos are for, ya'll.

9. Thou shalt respect the solemnity of Game Day by planning wedding, births, and other life events around the football schedule.

10. Thou shalt not covet other teams' bowl games, national championships, or Heisman Trophy wins. There's always next year.

Number nine is the most important. I admit I skipped a wedding to see Ole Miss beat Florida in Gainesville in 2008. In our defense, we got tickets way before I knew I was going to be invited. Plus my husband would've killed me if we canceled the trip for a wedding.

Also, table linens are required.... as well as the centerpiece, team themed platters and solo cups.

I may only know 75% of the fight song. I may have booed LSU a time or two. But I have never left a game early, even if it was a blowout. That should be added to number 8. We gotta be there when they win or lose, rain or shine. Fortunately our seats are under an awning that keeps us shaded and dry. No ponchos needed.

Pleasure to meet you

Hello! Its so nice to meet you! I look forward to sharing my love of everything southern with you. From the traditions, to family, to friends, to football. Let's talk about it.

The first 22 years of my life were spent in North Mississippi. I met my husband, Ben, at Ole Miss while earning a bachelor's degree in journalism. We now live in Atlanta, Georgia where I am a television director for a local television station and my husband is a sports writer for the second largest paper in the state. 

I'm a typical southern girl and I wouldn't have it any other way. I take great pride in my home, my family, my football team, my tailgate table and my manners. 

Ya'll come back now, ya hear?

Lorrie