Salem Kitchen!

I am always happy to learn something new from my Western North Carolina friends!  Salem Kitchen would be on speed dial if we lived in Winston!  The convenience is incredible!  They even have Styrofoam coolers available and believe me you will need one!  I was unaware of Winston Salem's treasure since 1989.  My friends stocked up and what we had was definitely gourmet to go!  I bet the Students at Wake Forest and Salem never miss a home cooked meal!

Chicken Pot Pie to freeze!  Meatloaf, Squash Casserole and of course Moravian slaw for dinner!  I understand they are also known for their old fashioned cheese straws!  While in Winston do not forget to visit Old Salem!  It is so beautiful!  I almost attended Salem College before falling in love with Saint Mary's!  I had a great visit with my neighbors that are Alums of Salem College.  We stayed in the magnificent Rondthaler-Gramley house which was built in 1888!  I know I would have loved it there too!

Enjoy your Day, Carolina Style!

Jen Jen

Sitti!

I love traveling all over North Carolina, especially when I can work and play!  I know I am being productive therefore can enjoy the time spent that much more!  I try hard to see everyone and everything, here, there and everywhere each trip west!  This trip, I had the best time meeting friends Sarah and Jackie for lunch at Sitti, downtown Raleigh!  My friend Sarah works at the Legislature so she is a short walk away!  Sitti is one of her favorite downtown lunch spots!

Sitti means Grandmother in Lebanese!  No wonder I love this place!  The connection to family and culture make you feel right at home!  The food was very delicious!  I always enjoy being downtown Raleigh!

I would love to recreate the dressing with fresh mint on the Sitti Salad!  It was very refreshing!  Of course we also had hummus whipped with Tahini and the new dish was Kibbee Mikli!  Which was also great and fun to try something new!

Kibbee Mikli

I hope you will visit Sitti when you are in the Capital City!

Enjoy your Day, Carolina Style!

Jen Jen

Carolina Style Cheese!

North Carolina has two pimento cheeses I highly recommend, if you do not have your own southern recipe!  My Three Sons from Greensboro and Penny's from Charlotte are the best you can buy in a store! They really are the next best thing to homemade or actually if you place in a beautiful serving dish, your guest will never know the difference!  Unless you are like me and cannot wait to share!

My homemade pimento cheese packs a punch!  If you like jalapenos you will love it!  I actually like to serve my special spread with cucumbers.  The cool crisp cucumber is refreshing to the kick in the mouth my pimento cheese gives!  It is so good,  maybe I should start "Jen Jen's" or "Carolina Style"?!  You never know!

The jalapenos must come from Mt. Olive!

Enjoy your Day, Carolina Style!

Jen Jen

Girls Night Out!

I had a great time celebrating first quarter birthdays with wonderful girls!  It was my first trip to Cafe Caturra at Cameron Village!  We had a fun time!  I love the local artwork hanging for sale and the live music!  They have a great menu!  I am looking forward to going back!

I loved my Raspberry walnut salad and margherita pizza but this pizza looked so good as it came out of the oven!

 I am sure it was no coincidence that we were there on half off bottle wine night!

Enjoy your Day, Carolina Style!

Jen Jen

Sweet Sixteen!

Two teams from the talented Atlantic Coast Conference will keep dancing in the NCAA!  We are so excited!  We are placing all UNC and NCSU items 20% off at Mears Jewelry Etc Etc!!  We have great new items in to help you show your support for your favorite team, Carolina Style!  

Go Pack!

The Sportulas are a tailgate must!

The headbands are my favorite! 

We have wide silk headbands and belts on order!

Golfing Ram!

Everyone loves the "Croakies and key rings supporting your favorite ACC team!

Hurry in before the big games on Friday!

Enjoy your Day, Carolina Style!

Jen Jen

Flirty 30!

I have the most precious sister inlaw ever!  She is so sweet, I was determined to surpirse her for her 30th birthday!  We had a blast with a small crowd of family and friends!  She still says she had no idea!  Planning the party was so fun with so many great ideas stored on Pinterest!  I made a trip to Whole Foods and the menu was easy!  The mild goat cheese from Celebrity Dairy in Siler City NC was a hit!  I topped it with cherry Jam for something sweet along with the Brie served with figs! I forgot to take a pic of the beautiful dining room table but this is a glimps of everyones favorite, the bar! 

Lots of photos of Ivey's first 30 years everywhere!  As well as the birthday girl cocktail!  Which was also a fun addition to the party!  I thought the sprinkles around the rim of the cup was a cool idea!

The birthday cake from Anne's Donuts in Rocky Mount NC was yummy as always!  My family loves Anne's strawberry cake!

 As a thankful cancer survivor, I encourage everyone to celebrate all birthdays, BIG!  We love you, Ivey!  Happy Flirty Thirty!

Enjoy your Day, Carolina Style!

Jen Jen

New Mommy Dinner

I was so excited to meet my dear friends new baby girl only two weeks old!  Baby Cate is so sweet!  I decided to cook dinner for the new parents. The chicken Madeira was a hit but the creprese salad was the favorite side!  There is nothing better than colorful heirloom tomatoes! Go out and buy the tomatoes right now!

This salad never gets old with a blood orange balsamic glaze!  The balsamic glaze is the key to a perfect caprese salad!

Enjoy your day, Carolina Style!

Jen Jen

Midtown!

I love every opportunity spent at North Hills in Midtown, Raleigh!  Last week I had the pleasure meeting friends at Midtown Grille for dinner and two lunches!  It was delicious and perfect timing to enjoy the outside seating which is why we kept going back!  That and the salad with dried cranberries and goat cheese for lunch!  Spring is in full bloom at North Hills with tulips everywhere!

Dinner outside was beautiful also!  We enjoyed the oysters and my favorite entree on their menu right now is the roasted duck breast!  The rest of our table loved the hangar steak with blue cheese crema! Oh and the wine list is perfect!

 I highly recommend Midtown Grille during your next trip to our Carolina Capital!

Enjoy your Day, Carolina Style!

Jen Jen

ACC Friday!

Friday of the ACC tournament has been a fun day for as long as I can remember!  I even remember growing up watching the Friday noon game at school!  As an adult my parents have hosted ACC weekends with lots of friends often cheering for different teams, which makes for an interesting combination.  We all know how competitive ACC fans can be!  Especially the ABCD fans!  If you are not from the Atlantic Coast Conference, ABCD stands for, "Anybody But Carolina and Duke! 
I am sure most feel ACC Friday should be a Holiday!  Luckily, my wonderful office, Standard Insurance hosts an Annual ACC Open House!  It was such a great day enjoying Clients, Colleagues, Basketball and Bill Ellis Barbecue!

Bill's did a great job catering the event!  Great Eastern NC BBQ and Southern Fried Chicken!

My personal favorite is Brunswick Stew!  Although not as good as my Grandmothers, Bill's is pretty awesome!  No one can resist corn sticks!  Who has the best NC BBQ is always up for discussion!  As of Friday, Bill's is currently number one in our Eastern NC book!

Now for March Madness!

Go Pack!

Enjoy your Day, Carolina Style!

Jen Jen

Robert's

This day in time you can buy Robert's Famous Chicken Salad at Harris Teeter.  But to me, there is just something about going in the old fashioned Grocery on Wrightsville Beach!

Another fab Marion Grizer painting!

 Robert's Grocery has been a fixture since 1919.  I contribute my love for Robert's to reminding me of the grocery store my Granddaddy owned in Halifax NC!  The interior is similar because they have not fixed what is not broken!  The history is part of the charm!  Their southern style chicken salad is as yummy as when my Grandmother made it with love!

You will eat it right out of the container!

Last stop Johnnie Mercer's Pier!

 

Enjoy your Day, Carolina Style!

Jen Jen

K-38

I remember the first time I heard about K-38!  A dear friend's husband made a deal with her, he would stay home with their two young children in New Bern, if she would bring dinner from K-38, on our way home from a Charleston girls weekend!  I immediately thought, that must be the most unbelievable food ever! 

K-38 is a favorite of my husbands also!  He loves their motto, Live.Eat.Surf!  When he is in Wilmington on Outer Banks Tennis Contractors business, he always stops! 
I was along for the ride recently and enjoyed being in New Hanover County for a couple of days!  We stopped at the Porter's Neck location on our way home.  It was so authentic and fresh!

I had the lite Quesadilla and it was so yummy with roasted tomatoes, fresh cilantro, topped with avocado!  John loves the burritos with his favorite black beans! The salsa and sauces are divine!

and Corona of course!

Since my photos with my phone do not do justice,  I just had to share their FB photo with you!

Get the picture?!

Enjoy your Day, Carolina Style!

Jen Jen

Sunday Comfort!

Sunday dinner is not just Southern tradition, it is hereditary!  Family Sunday dinner goes back generations in my family!  Yesterday was cold and rainy, comfort food was on my husbands mind!  I was not sure I would be up to the challenge after a late Saturday night, but good genes pulled me through!  The Chicken pot pie hit the homemade spot!  I do not have a recipe but will share what I find to be easy and enjoyed by all!

 Saute the chicken, chopped onion, garlic, and rosemary in Sherry! Don't forget to season with black pepper!

Add the chopped carrots, peas, corn, and string beans, sauted previously in a separate pan with Cream of Mushroom soup as well as shredded Asiago cheese! 

Top with fresh chopped rosemary!

The final product with a puff pastry crust!

Easy comfort food with gourmet flavor!

Enjoy your Day, Carolina Style!

Jen Jen