Happy Holiday Week! As you may know, on the morning of October 31, 2013, Austin suffered a major flash flood, and it hit our neighborhood very hard. Long story short, we had to evacuate at 5:00 am (in pitch dark) while 3 feet of water rushed into our home. We live in a 100-year flood plane, yards and yards from a creek that runs through our neighborhood. The creek rose to 40 feet...the first time since the 1800s. It was a once in a lifetime event. It was terrible. . . .
Asian Salad with Grilled Teriyaki Chicken
Ah, summer is officially here. To the Hodges family, that means dining al fresco, lots of pool time, and crisp summer salads. Today, I bring you one that is definitely going to be a regular weeknight recipe in our house this season. This Asian Salad is of the chopped variety, and contains 7 different vegetables. It is as colorful as it is healthy! Since this is a weeknight meal, I used a local pre-made sesame ginger salad dressing; however, I will link up to a great . . .
What to Wear: World Cup Watching
My husband is a sports fan. A fan of golf. A fan of basketball. A fan of football. However, he is a FANATIC about soccer...especially the USA National Team. Tonight, USA plays Ghana at 5pm CST in their first World Cup match of 2014. I will tell you, my husband has been looking forward to USA's opening game for literally years. He got so excited, he bought me a jersey to wear. Yep, a jersey. Well, the jersey is too small (insert smile...but not in . . .
Your Guide to Summer Wines
I am so lucky to be surrounded by so many talented people. My friend, Brooke Paup, is absolutely no exception. Not only is she a talented lawyer, a wonderful friend, and an exceptionally loving mother...she is a certified sommelier. I will tell you, having a sommelier in your back pocket is a wonderful thing. She knows her wine, and she knows how to pair it with food. Periodically -- hopefully, at least monthly -- Brooke will provide Fig + Cotton with the perfect . . .
Father’s Day Beer Tasting
As Father's Day approaches, it is time to get your ducks in a row...if you haven't already...to show all the Dads in your life how much you appreciate them. I think burgers and beer is what many of the men in my life would love. The guys in my family are definitely a no-fuss crowd, so an easy-going, backyard celebration would do the trick. Here is my recipe for a Father's Day Burgers and Beer Tasting. I also added a link to printable beer tasting cards to make things extra . . .
Recipe: NOLA-style Barbecued Shrimp with Cheese Grits
I truly enjoy getting my hands on a new cookbook; however, I have purchased my fair share of ones that didn't necessarily deliver. I am a hard sell. I love nothing more than pouring over a well-written (and photographed!) cook book - cover to cover along side a great bottle of vino. A good cook book (and I am not talking about the classics that are must-reads without any fluff) needs 3 out of the 4 following ingredients: (1) well-organized, (2) contain two types of recipes: . . .
Recipe: Perfectly Southern Pimento Cheese
Hello, long lost friends. I promise I have not given up on you. I have been moving back into our house -- more, well, a lot more on that later -- super busy with work, and honestly, I had lost a bit of inspiration. I believe most of us bloggers and creative types go through that once in a while, and I fell victim over the last few weeks. However, I am back. And it feels good. Today's recipe is a southern classic that I honestly didn't quite appreciate until the . . .
Beautiful Blooms: Supermarket to Spectacular
Beautiful floral arrangements -- for your home or for your soirees -- need not be fussy or expensive. I tend to lean towards shades of white and green, but your choices are endless. A quick trip to your local supermarket -- from Costco to Whole Foods -- can easily provide you with drool-worthy arrangements in no time. This post will give you five no-fail tips on how to do just that. Tip 1: Choose blooms in a similar color palette. When perusing the floral department . . .
Effortless Entertaining on La Dolce Vita!
Cruise on over to La Dolce Vita today for another Fig + Cotton installment of Effortless Entertaining! . . .
Monday Menu: Cocktail Party Appetizers
artichokes - tart - fries - shrimp - almonds . . .