In The Kitchen, Life & Happiness

Granny Rose

By Gillian on April 23, 2017

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Grandma Rose & Her Gravy Legacy

This recipe is my favorite for many reasons, but mainly because the first food I ever remember learning to cook, was my Grandmothers Sausage Gravy. It was particularly my favorite because we always had it on Christmas morning. Our family is huge on stocking stuffers, and my Grandpa would wake us up around 6AM every year, and we would all gather around and watch each other open up our stockings! Afterwards we break for coffee and breakfast. Granny and Mom would prepare everything, and my job was always to set the table. It wasn’t until after breakfast when we got to open up our presents, and it was the greatest thing ever growing up! The anticipation always felt like it was going to kill me! Eating my delicious biscuits & gravy, and wondering what was still under the tree was all so exciting. Looking back, I don’t ever remember her making biscuits, but that gravy, I could just drink it.

Fast forward to now. My Granny passed away in July of 2016, (Grandpa passed away when I was in 8th grade,) and when I decided to create my own food blog, I promised myself that my first recipe would be her gravy, in her honor. My Granny taught my Mom, and my Mom taught me, and I am so lucky to have been raised by such wonderful women, and men. Once I moved to North Carolina and noticed the plethora of biscuits in the South, I knew it was a sign that it was time to find the perfect biscuit recipe to pair with our gravy. It wasn’t until about 2 years ago when I found the perfect biscuit. I was with friends in Asheville NC, and we went to the tiniest diner called “Biscuit Head”. This place had a line out the door and down the street. I was so excited to try these biscuits that I would have waited 2 hours…. Luckily we only had to wait about 30 minutes. From someone who loves biscuits, loves breakfast food, and loves a jam bar, this place could be my heaven! Yes, I said JAM BAR!!!! (They now have about 4 locations and if you haven’t been yet, stop what you’re doing, Yelp the nearest location, and GO!) Click Here for Biscuit Locations

After my meal, I officially knew that this biscuit was going to be, the one! From now on when I made my Biscuits & Gravy, these were the biscuits I were going to use! There was only one problem; how do I get this recipe?!? I was screwed. I figured it was some top secret, Great, Great, Great Grandmothers, Sisters, Best Friends, Daughters recipe, and that no one would EVER share something so sacred and beautiful. Well, I WRONG! Amazon, in all it’s glory, helped me to discover that Biscuit Head now has a cookbook!! Once I found it, I think I cried a little from excitement. I documented the whole process, as you can see below, the day the book arrived.

I will never forget the first time I made these biscuits, it was a DISASTER. I failed, miserably. They were hard on the outside and raw on the inside, just how all perfect biscuits should be… Not!! I refused to eat my dinner that night. It was awful.

Finally, I can confidently share this recipe with you and say, best of luck! If something goes wrong, don’t give up, just try again 🙂

What I’ve had to learn to accept throughout this blog, and cooking journey is that, not all recipes are going to be perfect the first time. You might waste money, ingredients, and time, but that doesn’t mean you give up. I have failed plenty, but the successes outweigh those losses every time.

This recipe is for you, Grandma Rose. I love you and miss you every single day of my life. You taught me how to be a lady, how to love those around me, and to treat others the way I wish to be treated. You were one of the greatest loves of my life. RIP.

Local Love, Travel With Me

Local Favs – Raleigh Edition

By Gillian on April 9, 2017

The Big New Boss in town, AKA, The Raleigh Beer Garden

I love Big Boss beer, and I especially love when they takeover the roof at The Raleigh Beer Garden! This photo was taken last year on their first tap takeover, and I still get excited every time I see it! It was such a beautiful day, we were drinking on the roof, and every tap was taken by a Boss. To see what’s going on over at the Big Boss Brewery, Go Here!

The RBG does tap takeovers all the time, and is located right on Glenwood Ave. in Raleigh, NC! Check out what’s available on tap by visiting THE RBG website, and definitely go! 3 floors, Guinness World Record for # of drafts with over 360, and more varieties in one place than anywhere else in the world! For all beer lovers, and out of town guests, this extraordinary gem should definitely be on your “To Do Raleigh”, list!

Trophy, Maywood

I am in love with this hidden brewery. It’s not so hidden if you’re familiar with the area, or Earp’s Seafood but, other than that it feels like your GPS took you off road and is going to abandon you on a weird side road. Trophy is exploding in the Raleigh area and it’s great because their beer is delicious! My first experience was at this tiny little pizza shop right outside of downtown, over by Charlie Goodnights, and I was blown away! Then they opened up Maywood Brewery, State of Beer, & revamped Busy Bee into a restaurant & Trophy Taphouse. Like I said, they’re blowing up all over this city! The brewery has food trucks, their first born has the best pizza in the state, and every space has a certain feel and it’s own vibe and atmosphere. To see what’s going on at each spot, click here Keeping Up with The Trophy’s 🙂

Crank Arm Brewing & The Warehouse District

Adam and his business partners, staff, and loyal following, has made this brewery into one of the most humble breweries in the city. It’s smallish, pumps out award winning beer, and is loved by all. (Seriously, they won the Bronze Medal for Whitewall Wheat at the 2016 Great American Beer Fest in Colorado last fall!!) Almost every restaurant in the city has their beer on draft, and they are true to their name by scheduling weekly bike rides throughout Raleigh every Wednesday! Rather it’s Yoga on Sunday in the brewery, or City Bike Rides on Wednesdays, there is always something exciting going on here! Check them out by visiting their site Crank Arm Brewing!

The Warehouse District

The Warehouse District is poppin these days! When I first moved here back in 2012, the only reason I would ever go over there was for BBQ and beer. Some of my best friends (Sean & Ellen, love and miss you), introduced me to Tasty Bev and it was love at first site. Tasty is this glorious little bottle shop that has a famous tiny bar in the back, where they serve a unique selection of draft and bottled beer. They ALWAYS have the best, newest, and freshest beers on tap, and believe me when I say, get in line!

Tasty isn’t the only reason to hop over to the WHD; BoxCar Bar & Arcade is full of local and national beer, and all kinds of games! My friends & I visit here frequently and it never gets old. They have skee ball, pinball machines, air hockey tables, and games for people of all ages. The best part of BoxCar is knowing that when you’re done playing games, you can walk across the street to Raleigh’s very own Chocolate Factory!!!! Yes, I am serious when I say Videri has some of the best chocolate in the state, and is located across the street from BoxCar Arcade, and next door to Crank Arm brewing. What amazing times we are living in 🙂

Hibernian Irish Pub & Restaurant

Shout out to the Hibernian Pub on Glenwood Ave.! I’ve been a manager here for 2 years now and I absolutely adore this place. It’s crazy during the weekend and humble during the week. We have $5 Build Your Own Burgers on Mondays, Bingo on Tuesdays, Trivia Wednesdays, .50 wings and $4 NC Drafts on Thursdays, and parties all weekend long! The patio is gorgeous, the views never get old, and the best part, people watching!

We have rotating taps up on the roof, and reserve those 12 taps for beer brewed only in North Carolina. Taps do change pretty frequently, so make sure to check on availability by calling, or by visiting the Hibernian Website 🙂

The bartenders take their job seriously. When you ask them to dress up for halloween, this is what you get!

Hibernian also throws one mean Halloween party every year!

My love for this city grows each and every day, so I will try to keep up with local posts as much as possible! The small businesses that deserve a shot out is an ever growing list, and I look forward to continuing to share my love of all that is Raleigh, as much as possible!

To get the most of Small businesses, and learning to shop local, no one does it better than Jennifer over at Shop Local Raleigh 🙂 Visit this site for upcoming events, and learn where all small businesses are thriving!

Local Love, Travel With Me

Lucky in Durham

By Gillian on September 4, 2016

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Lucky’s Delicatessen!

Lucky’s Sandwich shop in Durham, NC is FANTASTIC! As an obsessed Sandwich Lover, I’m always seeking really great sandwich shops when I’m out and about. In September of 2016, my friend Arlene and I were Lucky enough to have stumbled upon this awesome shop, and immediately, I knew that it was going to be necessary to share with the world how delicious it was!

Here is a link to Lucky’s if you want to browse their amazing menu. I highly suggest checking out this little deli the next time you’re in Durham for lunch! (P.S. A majority of their sides and pickles are made in house, so make room alongside that sandwich!)

The Deli

A great sandwich can change your day, and a bad sandwich can ruin your day. Lucky’s is exactly that; you feel lucky that you stumbled upon such an awesome sandwich shop! If you don’t love sandwiches, I’m not sure we can be friends…. Unless of course you’re gluten free and cannot have bread, then I’ll think about you being an exception! Shout out to Lexie, we can still be friends 🙂

Durham, NC has been in the news for being one of the Best Foodie Towns in the South, and that is not by chance or mistake. Durham is a Gem, a beautiful, old, thriving, re-building Gem, and I am loving watching this city grow. I wish I got out here more. It’s only 25 minutes down the road, but when life gets busy those 25 minutes are a long way, so it seems. The perks of traveling for food…. look below. Are you kidding me?! This Reuben was the most delicious and glorious sandwich I have ever eaten. #AllHailLuckysReuben

Taking a Stroll Through Durham

Down in the Beyu

Because I don’t get to Durham as much as I’d like to, I usually spend hours downtown trying to make up for lost time. Not to mention the fact that there is always a new spot opening up, and a new coffee I need to try. After we ate at Lucky’s that day, we took a stroll trying to walk off some of our sandwiches, and ended up passing Beyu, pronounced Be-You! What I was hoping for was an iced, cold beverage to save me from the heat, but what I found was this amazing restaurant/coffee shop/wine bar/jazz club. This was the most delicious beverage I think I’ve ever had! I told the barista what I was in the mood for, and he just made it. It was perfect and I wish I had a name for it, but it was a “Create Your Own”, special! If you want to see what they have going on, which is a lot, go here; Beyu in Durham 🙂

Music is Everywhere

Whatever kind of music you’re into, Durham has you covered. Rather it’s spots like Pinhook, Beyu Jazz, or Motorco, or the Carolina Theatre and DPAC, there are all sorts of places to jam, and there is always something to listen to, or someone.

Beer is Everywhere

The Durham Bulls Baseball Stadium now has their own brewery, Bull Durham Beer, and along with the views, it’s fantastic! If you’re not going to a game, Fullsteam Brewery is right down the street, along with Ponysaurus Brewery, and both these breweries are phenomenal!

Hopefully, after reading this blog entry, you’re getting the gist of why people go on, and on about how cool Durham is, and why it keeps popping up on Foodie, Beer, and Southern Living blogs.

Ponysaurus and Fullsteam are also known for Food Trucks and awesome, open spaces, where people can eat, drink, and relax. A couple of years ago, I was one of the key leaders, and General Manager for the Baguettaboutit Food Truck, so Food Trucks have a special place in my heart. I used to spend Friday nights slinging sausages into baguettes in front of Fullsteam, and they were some of the greatest nights of my life. Most breweries have Food Trucks now, making it very easy to eat and drink the day away!

When is comes to Durham and how cool it can be, the fun times aren’t over yet! Stay tuned for more on the Durham food, beer, and lifestyle scene!

Life & Happiness, Travel With Me

Let’s Go Fishing!

By Gillian on June 19, 2016

Wrightsville, NC Deep Sea Fishing!

My Dad is one of my best friends. I got emotional when I decided to write this particular blog entry because, he’s one of the few people in the world who has loved me unconditionally, and has never ever broken my heart. He is kind, gives everything he has to his family, job, and neighbors, and is a diehard Buckeye.

Talk Foodie To Me:

Bridge Tender is one of my favorite foodie stops! I absolutely love this place and it’s always our first pit stop on our way to the shore.

This Cheesy Crab Dip though…. I order it every time, and it gets me every time. I think I might be at the point in my life where I have to admit that Crab Dip is a weakness of mine. It’s a “Sharing” plate but let’s be honest, who wants to actually share their crab dip?! Not me 🙂

I don’t think I’ve ever been to the beach and not ordered crab cakes at some point. They’re delicious, they fill you up, and don’t make you feel bad knowing you’re going to be in a bathing suit all week! The asparagus on the side also makes it easier to slip on that suit!

This quaint little side street in an adorable neighborhood, is easy to miss when you get into town, so be sure not to pass it up! It’s only one bridge away from the edge of the ocean, and it’s worth the stop, I promise.

With these views, I can’t imagine I’d have a lot of convincing to do when I tell you to make a pit stop before you actually get to put your toes in the sand.

Putting your toes in the sand! My usual routine is to park at the public beach access by the pier for the quickest route to getting in the ocean. Usually I can find an easy parking spot, and The Johnnie Mercer Pier has always been my go to spot.

This is the view from the end of the Johnnie Mercer Pier and as you can see, it’s mesmerizing.

When you hold your camera over the railing, you can get some pretty amazing shots!

Once we were done frolicking in the sand and dancing on the pier, we got down to business!

Waking up as early as possible and getting to the docks to board the boat, is my favorite part! There is nothing like riding in a boat in the early morning, and watching the sunrise, it’s truly incredible.

Another favorite part of mine is how quiet it is. The only sounds are the boat, and the waves crashing on the boat, it’s so beautiful and peaceful.

My Dad and I have gone fishing a lot over the years but this was our first time Deep Sea Fishing, and it was fantastic!

We caught a lot of Spanish Mackerel and Carolina Blue Fish that day, and I can’t wait to do it again! I also got to take my first lesson in gutting and slicing a fish! Not such a pro the first time around 🙂

All in all we had a great trip! I’m lucky to have a Father like mine who has been there for me everyday of my life. I cherish the vacations we’ve had, the laughs, the lessons, the tears, the movie nights, all of it. He’s the best Dad a girl could ask for.

Here is what we made when we got home to Raleigh!

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Granny Rose

Grandma Rose & Her Gravy Legacy

Local Favs – Raleigh Edition

Lucky in Durham

Let’s Go Fishing!

Wrightsville, NC Deep Sea Fishing!

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