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Ten words, y’all: Marshmallow Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes with Peanut Butter Fudge Sauce. I just about ran down to Lara‘s kitchen, laptop in hand, after reading those words to whip up a batch for the Southern Weddings office, but not before growing totally smitten with the couple who shared the recipe. Trisha is a longtime SW reader, and we were so happy when she sent over her and her husband Adam’s story and top ten favorite recipes. Adam travels during the week, so they sometimes have to get creative when it comes to meal planning, but armed with a few go-to dishes and strategies, they make it work. Trisha also documents some of their favorites on her adorable blog, Stew or a Story. I can hardly wait to try some of her recipes, including the aforementioned decadent dessert!

Lime Green Photography

By day: I am a former teacher turned law student studying at UNC. I love dreaming up recipes for my food blog, reading, and being outside. Adam is a financial consultant, and he loves airplanes, the Kansas City Chiefs, and barbecue.

How they met: Nine and a half years ago, Adam and I were both dateless for high school prom. My friend asked me to list all the guys I would consider going to prom with, and since I had harbored a serious crush on Adam all summer when we lifeguarded together, I said Adam’s name. She said “Oh, I can do that!” Her prom date was best friends with Adam, so she passed on the word that I liked him. Apparently, he had a crush on me at the pool too! A week before prom, Adam asked me to be his girlfriend, and despite a few ups and downs (and going to rival universities!), we’ve been together ever since.

Their wedding: Our wedding was a colorful, fun, and hot celebration in July 2012. We loved every minute of it! For our wedding favor, we created recipe books featuring favorites recipes from our friends and family. It was one of my favorite parts of our wedding, and I’ve loved finding the recipe book in my friends’ homes months and years later.

Meal planning: I wish we had an organized meal planning system, but the truth is, our schedules change so frequently that we don’t have a system in place. In general, we try to do the bulk of our grocery shopping on the weekends, planning out a couple of dinner ideas and stocking up on veggies and staples so that we can whip up easy dinners later in the week. Living apart during the week while Adam travels has been a huge challenge, but one benefit is that we don’t take our time together for granted. We cherish our meals together–whether they’re home cooked meals with candles and wine or a frozen pizza we devour while sitting on the couch.

The cooking: Our breakdown of cooking is roughly 70:30, with me cooking dinner the majority of the time. Adam has his specialties though, like Tex Mex and pot roast in the crockpot.

Favorite meal-related memory: We spent our honeymoon in Kauai, Hawaii, and every morning, we ate fresh pastries and drank local coffee outside overlooking the Hanalei Bay. It was magical.

Favorite meal-related disaster: Adam’s mom makes a delicious dessert called strawberry salad. I’ve tried my hand at it a couple of times, and each time has been a disaster. The first time, I splattered strawberry jello all over our white kitchen. The second time was at Thanksgiving, and I added frozen strawberries to the jello mixture before it had solidified. I had a meltdown at the table over the runny jello!

Stew or a Story

Top ten favorite recipes:

1. Ina Garten’s Perfect Roast Chicken: We love this recipe. It’s simple, but impressive! A great one to serve when having friends over for dinner.

2. Caramelized Onion Frittata: We make lots of frittatas. We always seem to have eggs in the fridge, and frittatas are a great way to use up leftover vegetables and cheese.

3. Chopped Salad with Feta, Corn, and Avocado: Chopped salads are our favorite. This recipe uses lots of fresh summer ingredients, but we also make them in the fall with roasted veggies and chickpeas.

4. Chicken Sautéed with Apples: Simple chicken dishes like this are great for busy week nights. Adam sometimes adds onions and balsamic vinegar.

5. Smitten Kitchen’s Broccoli Slaw: This is our favorite way to eat lots and lots of raw broccoli.

6. Fiesta Rice: We love Mexican food, and often serve this rice with black beans and guacamole.

7. Roasted Brussell Sprouts with Balsamic Vinegar: This is a quick and easy side dish. We enjoy roasting all kinds of vegetables–carrots, potatoes, broccoli, etc. Pretty much any vegetable is delicious when roasted!

8. Healthy Pasta alla Vodka: We make lots of variations on this pasta dish with whatever vegetables we happen to have around.

9. Easy Balsamic Chicken with Caramelized Onions and Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Another easy and delicious weeknight meal!

10. Marshmallow Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes with Peanut Butter Fudge Sauce: Chocolate and peanut butter? Enough said.

P.S. We’d love to hear from you! Our hope is to feature REAL couples in the South – your inspiring friend, super talented cousin, or neighbor with the cutest house – the kind of person everyone would love to “e-meet.” If that sounds like you or someone you know, take a peek at our Southern Newlywed submission page and shoot us an email!

lisa Written with love by Lisa
3 Comments
  1. avatar admin reply

    As someone who met and started dating my own boyfriend because I needed a date to prom, I love love Trisha and Adam’s story! :)

  2. avatar Emily reply

    Bookmarking lots of these! Great picks!

  3. avatar Madelynne Moulton reply

    I am always looking for easy weeknight chicken recipes! These sound great! I will be pinning them, stat :)

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One of the biggest reasons we launched Southern Newlywed is because we know so many of our readers come to us before they’re even engaged, follow along as they plan their weddings, and then stick around long after their big days…and we LOVE that! Laura is one of those gals, and she is as sweet and Southern as they come–something you can see clearly in her and Geoff’s beautiful North Carolina wedding that we featured over a year ago! We were delighted when Laura shared some of her newlywed kitchen tips with us, as well as her ten favorite recipes, including a special one from her momma that we can’t wait to try!

By day: I am an administrative assistant for state-wide educational grant and Geoff is a high school history and civics teacher.

How they met: We met in the Single Adult Sunday School class at our church. I was new to the area and was hoping to make some new friends. Happily, Geoff became one of those friends, and over time, my best friend!

Their wedding: We got married on a gorgeous fall day in North Carolina. We had a church ceremony and a tented outdoor reception, and we were surrounded by family and friends who came to celebrate with us. Our day included kettle corn, Cheerwine, and cornhole, it doesn’t get much better than that! Almost two years later, we still remember it as the happiest day of our lives, and I often say to Geoff that I wish we could get married again since we had such a good time on our wedding day. (P.S. See their darling wedding here!)

Meal planning: I do all of the meal planning. I only began consistently meal planning at the beginning of this year, and since doing so, it has made such an impact on our daily lives. We have saved money by not going out to eat as often and I no longer get stressed at 5:00 wondering what I should make. On Sunday afternoons, I sit down and plan out the upcoming week’s meals (I love using my Emily Ley Simplified Planner to do this). I usually choose simple recipes or crockpot meals for weeknights and time-intensive or new recipes for weekends. Do not underestimate the power of meal planning!

The cooking: I do most of the cooking. I have both Italian and Southern roots, so feeding people is one of my love languages :) I really do enjoy cooking and baking, so I don’t mind taking on this responsibility. However, if I am having a busy week at work, Geoff is definitely willing to step in and make dinner for us. I must admit, he makes an excellent spaghetti sauce–it’s even better than my Momma’s (but don’t tell her I said that!).

Favorite meal-related memory: I think some of our favorite meal-related memories have come from introducing each other to our respective family’s food traditions. Geoff’s family always celebrates birthdays with a lunch of “steak and cake,” so after we were married, they had a steak and cake lunch for my birthday, which really made me feel like I had become a part of their family. My family always has Chinese food on Christmas Eve (it’s a long story), and I love having Geoff be a part of that tradition now. We’ve also ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​started creating some of our own food traditions and we’re looking forward to the memories we will make surrounding those traditions in the years to come.

Top ten favorite recipes:
1. Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies: This recipe lives up to its name–it is definitely the best chocolate chip cookie recipe I have found. The secret is to cream the butter and sugar together for at least five minutes. This recipe makes a large batch, so I usually only bake half of the dough at a time, and I freeze the other half for later use.

2. Farfalle with Chicken, Tomatoes, Caramelized Onions, and Goat Cheese: This is an excellent meal to make when you are having friends over and you want to make something a little fancy. It’s a relatively simple recipe, but it looks and tastes like you spent hours on it. Serve it with some crusty bread and a good wine and you are all set.

3. Summer Orzo Pasta Salad: I love this pasta salad–it is light and refreshing, and makes the perfect side to take to summer cookouts or picnics. I’ve already made it three times in the past two months!

4. and 5. Parmesan-Crusted Tilapia and Spicy Honey-Brushed Chicken Thighs: I am always on the hunt for quick and easy weeknight meals. Both of these recipes taste great and are ready in under 30 minutes. They are also my husband’s favorite weeknight meals.

6. Pioneer Woman Black-Eyed Pea Dip: Is there anything better than “game day” food? I don’t think so. This black-eyed pea dip is easy to make and so yummy, it’s always a crowd pleaser during football season. I also make this dip on New Year’s Day so we can make sure we get our fill of black-eyed peas for the new year.

7. Pomegranate Jeweled White Cheddar, Toasted Almond, and Crispy Sage Cheeseball: You can’t get much more Southern than a cheeseball, and this one is delicious. It can be rather time-intensive, but it is a beautiful addition to any holiday buffet.

8. Crunchy Crab Cakes: This is my go-to recipe for date nights at home. It’s a little more special than our usual weeknight dinners, but it’s easy enough to make so that I’m not stuck in the kitchen all evening.

9. Cinnamon Rolls: I’ve tried multiple cinnamon roll recipes and this one is definitely my favorite. It might seem a little intimidating since it is a yeast dough, but believe me when I say that it’s hard to mess up. Even if your dough doesn’t rise like you expect it to, it will still taste great!

10. Blueberry Cream Pie: This is a recipe that was passed down to me by my Momma. It is definitely one of my favorite summer desserts and it is so easy to make. The recipe makes two pies, so keep one and share the other with friends or neighbors.

Ingredients:
2 9″ graham cracker pie crusts
8 oz. block of cream cheese (softened)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 c. lemon juice
1 large container of Cool Whip (thawed)
2 pints of blueberries

Directions:
Use an electric mixer to whip together softened cream cheese, condensed milk, and lemon juice. Whip until smooth (this may take several minutes). Add thawed Cool Whip and mix in well. Add blueberries (stir in by hand gently so berries stay whole). Pour into pie crusts and chill.

Photography: McDorman Photography

lisa Written with love by Lisa
1 Comment
  1. avatar Julia reply

    What a beautiful post and beautiful pictures. I am so glad you found the Summer Orzo Pasta Salad and like it! :)

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Just in time for the first official day of summer, we’re so delighted to share today’s Southern Newlywed post! Few people inspire me to cook up fresh, colorful, seasonal meals quite like Jeanine from Love & Lemons, who, with the help of her husband, Jack, is truly gifted at creating (and photographing!) meals that are both beautiful and delicious. I’m already excited to see what summer dishes she comes up with that I can add to my repertoire! Jeanine is as sweet as can be, and was so kind of give us a peek into her completely amazing kitchen and share her favorite recipes with us.

By day: Jeanine blogs at Love & Lemons full time and does freelance recipe development. Jack is a video game engineer (with a side job of helping Jeanine with food photography).

How they met: While living in Chicago, I went to Austin to visit a friend. Jack happened to be a friend of that friend, and we hit it off right away. We dated long distance for a year before I moved to Austin…to be with Jack, but also to escape the cold winters (kidding! Well, sort of).

Their wedding: We walked down the aisle, and just as our officiant began with “We’re here today to celebrate Jack and Jeanine,” a car in the distance let out the loudest brake-screeching sound you’ve ever heard. (As it turns out, it was a couple of our guests who were running late–we’re grateful that no accident ever took place!) Our wedding was beautiful, but that moment really sums up what our relationship is about–beautiful, but far from perfect. We’re able to laugh when tensions rise, which I think is the key to a good marriage.

Meal planning: Technically, I do, as the food blogger, but I’m still terrible at meal “planning,” per se. I’m more of a “hey, I got this pretty vegetable at the market and I think I’ll make something with it” kind of cook.

The cooking: I cook and Jack is the taste tester–he has it good.

Favorite meal-related memory: Since I do most of the cooking, the most memorable meals are probably the ones that Jack cooks. The fire department often shows up after he’s set off all the smoke alarms.

Top ten favorite recipes:
1. Migas breakfast tacos: We both love breakfast tacos (after all, we live in Austin, home of the breakfast taco). I make this healthier version at home.
2. Quinoa, Apricot, and Arugula Salad: Chickpea salads are one of my easiest go-to meals (for lunch or dinner) because it’s easy to keep a few cans of chickpeas on hand.
3. Shiitake and Napa Cabbage Gyoza: We often make gyoza (Japanese dumplings) together. They take a little time to assemble and it goes faster with four hands.
4. Spicy Watermelon and Avocado Salad: Now that it’s summer, I can’t get stop putting watermelon in salads with feta cheese. It’s so juicy and refreshing, yet wonderfully sweet and salty.
5. Mexican Street Corn Salad: This Mexican corn salad is also perfect for summer and ridiculously easy to make.
6. Brussels Sprout and Avocado Salad: We love anything with green vegetables, avocado, lime, and sriracha, so this brussels sprout and avocado salad is a favorite.
7. Any recipe from an Ottolenghi cookbook is always a win!
8. Walnut Miso Noodles: I’ve made this Walnut Miso sauce recipe from 101 Cookbooks more times than I can count.
9. Vegan Soft Baked Pretzels: Right now Jack is obsessed with soft baked pretzels. He enjoys making this recipe for parties because it’s easy, but impressive.
10. Avocado Almondaise Tartines: And of course, avocado on toast–I can’t get enough.

Follow along with Jeanine:
Blog: Love & Lemons
Facebook: Love & Lemons
Twitter: @LoveLemonsFood
Instagram: @LoveandLemons

lisa Written with love by Lisa
4 Comments
  1. avatar Emily reply

    Love this, Jeannine! Saving several of these, and especially excited to try the pretzels!

  2. avatar Carlene: Healthfully Ever After reply

    I have to comment! Love and Lemons is one of the best examples of food blogs that we have today! The images are so well branded and cohesive. She pays attention to showcasing produce- As a dietitian and food blogger I just love it!!!

  3. avatar Stacy {Woodsy Weddings} reply

    The colors in the food are lovely and I am definitely going to try a few of these, yum!

  4. avatar Roshani reply

    Oh my! Hubby would love this! Pinning now! Thanks for sharing!!

Southern Weddings reserves the right to delete comments which contain profanity or personal attacks or seek to promote a business unrelated to the post.  And remember: a good attitude is like kudzu – it spreads.  We love hearing your kind thoughts!

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