Mom MVP : Lorraine Holland
My name is Lorraine Holland. I am a wife to a hard working football and track coach, a mom to three sweet (and often times wild!) children, and a skin care entrepreneur. I grew up in Corpus Christi, but moved to Dallas to go to SMU and have been here since. After school, I ended up finding a house I loved in Lake Highlands, and 13 years later, I am so thankful for this community. I met Bobby, my husband, a few years after college. When we met he was in the business world, but felt a pull to become a high school football coach. The day after our honeymoon he started his career as a coach. It has been at times a stressful and tiresome job, but we truly believe that he is doing lasting work as he has the opportunity to encourage and mold these boys at a very impressionable age. Plus my kids think their daddy has absolutely the best job ever.
For almost four years, I have had the privilege of running my own skin care business with Rodan+Fields. I have met some incredible women who have become business partners and are now good friends. I’ve seen some remarkable transformation to people’s skin and their lives thanks to our products and business model. I love the flexibility that it provides for me as a mom and wife. I’m able to do things like serve at my kids’ schools, mentor a teen mom through Young Lives, and spend the days with my newest sidekick, my four month old Benjamin.
I have a full and busy life, but my favorite time of day each day is when my husband walks through the door, and we sit down together for dinner. Mrs. Gridiron has been so helpful to make that dinner happen each night for our family. The woman behind Mrs. Gridiron is a dear friend of mine. It’s an honor to share with you on this blog.
What is your favorite meal? My all time favorite meal was at a little restaurant in Paris called D’Chez Eux on the first night of our honeymoon. We did the chef’s tasting and wine pairing. The escargot and frog legs were the highlight. We were given special treatment when the waiters found out it was our voyage de noces.
What is your favorite restaurant? My new favorite restaurant is Rapscallion. The fried chicken, the oysters, the red fish, all so good. My tried and true favorite is Louie’s. You can’t beat their pizza with italian sausage and sautéed onions with a side greek salad.
What is your favorite kitchen gadget/tool? I love my Kitchenaid mixer. When I get it out, it almost always means I’m baking with my favorite sous chef, my 5 year old daughter. She loves to bake and more importantly eat whatever it is we’ve baked.
What do you like to do to recharge your batteries? At night, I love taking a bubble bath with a good book. During the day, I love going to the gym and doing dance jam, a cardio hip hop class. Best music, best moves. One of the highlights of my week.
What is your go-to hostess gift? It depends on the person! If I know someone enjoys wine, I love taking them a good bottle. If it’s a girls dinner, you can’t beat a sweet bouquet of flowers. If it’s a customer, it’s fun to surprise them with their favorite product. I try to think about what they might enjoy.
What is your entertaining must have? Appetizers! My favorite part of entertaining is people gathering in the kitchen before the meal is served. Catching up and chatting. Welcoming them to my home with a spread of appetizers. This is true if I’m hosting a group of women, my husband’s track captains, or family friends.
What is your favorite holiday to host? Not a holiday to most people, but I’d say the start of football season with my husbands players! I absolutely love starting the season welcoming his players into our home. For me, these guys are the reason why my husband does what he does. He left the business world to impact these kids. I love starting out the season knowing their names, knowing their stories, and forming a relationship with them. Seeing our kids interact with them. I love being able to greet them by name, cheering them on during games.
Tuesday’s Tip : How do you PLATE Mrs. Gridiron
We want to know…’How do you plate Mrs. Gridiron??’ First off, there is no right or wrong way! We want to share some tips and ideas on how to make your Mrs. Gridiron meal feel like home.
- Right out of the pan/container : No shame here, you’re getting a yummy, home cooked meal without the hassle of cooking. This is the fastest, most family friendly method for sure!
- Family Style : Set out all of your meal components and let your family serve themselves!
- Fine Dining | Plated : This is where Mrs. Gridiron comes in handy when you’re trying to impress your spouse or guests. Throw the packaging away and plate your meal to perfection!
Our goal each week is to deliver a meal to your home and allow you to spend more time around the table with the ones you love.
Love, Mrs. Gridiron
Tuesday’s Tip : St. Patrick’s Day Celebration Recipes
Gridiron Garden : Top tools to get started
one | two | three | four | five | six
The weather is feeling like spring, the trees are budding and we are itching to get back in our garden! For our family, the garden is a place to slow down, unwind and enjoy the outdoors! Lil’ Hatt has become invested in what we plant and the process and it’s such a joy to share our love of gardening with him. Like in all things, it’s important to have the right tools and gear to get started! We’ve rounded up six of our favorite new products that provide fashion + function in your garden. What are your go-to tools to keep you excited about getting your hands dirty?
Tuesday’s Tip
For more information on planting and gardening, visit these two North Texas specific sites!
http://www.dallascountymastergardeners.org/index.php/gardening-in-north-texas
Gridiron Mardi Gras
I was first introduced to Mardi Gras and all of its glory in college while attending LSU. It was like nothing I had ever experienced before, but I’ll save those stories for another time! As Fat Tuesday draws near and many of us are attending fun Mardi Gras parties, and I started to wonder how many of you all know the history of Mardi Gras and it’s deeply religious ties. So here is a quick 411 on Mardi Gras beyond the parties and parades, beads and masks and alcohol!
The History of Mardi Gras.
The origination of Mardi Gras dates back thousands of years ago. Its original purpose was to celebrate the coming of spring and fertility. The Mardi Gras we know began in Roman times as a Christian celebration before Lent and the Easter holiday. Mardi Gras in the United States took life in Louisiana and has evolved into a long weekend celebration of indulgences, bright colors, and costumes.
So why the three colors and what do they mean? Mardi Gras’ purple, green and gold can be traced to the first Rex parade in 1872. The Rex Parade theme, Symbolism of Colors, in 1892 gave meaning to these colors. Purple – Justice. Green – Faith. Gold – Power.
Fat Tuesday marks the day before Ash Wednesday and the start to the Lenten season, where fasting and sacrifice are common in certain religions. Celebrations that center around good food are a Mrs. Gridiron favorite. Each year our family celebrates with the traditional Red Beans and Rice and the ever famous king cake.
We’re proud to share our family tradition with our Mrs. Gridiron family this year. Check out our Mardi Gras menu here.
Here is a bonus factoid for all of you LSU and Tulane fans! It has been said that the three colors of Mardi Gras had a significant impact on the school colors chosen by Louisiana State University and Tulane University. The shops in New Orleans were overflowing with purple, gold, and green for the Mardi Gras season. It was then that LSU chose purple and gold and bought as much of the two colors as possible, leaving Tulane to pick the remaining green.
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In honor of all things Mardi Gras, we’re spotlighting a base recipe that will help all your Cajun cooking dreams come true. A roux is simply a thickening agent for soups, stews, and sauces. The ingredient list consists of equal parts oil (I prefer vegetable oil) and flour. There are many methods and end products, but the easiest directions we have are to start heating the oil in your cast iron skillet, slowly whisk all the flour in, a little bit at a time, until smooth. Reduce heat and over the next 30-45 minutes continue to stir and watch the color darken until ready. Here is a great how-to video!
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Add some cajun spice to your cooking with Mrs. Gridiron’s Shotgun Cajun Seasoning. It’s perfect for meat, veggies and more! Available for purchase here.
Tuesday’s Tip : Garden Prep
February Mom MVP : JulieAnn Bever
Meet JulieAnn Bever. She’s our Mom MVP for February. JulieAnn is a local Dallas mom and we’re thrilled to share her story and learn more about her and her small business, Pint-Sized Prints.
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JulieAnn is a Dallas native. She received her business degree from UNT in 2004. JulieAnn works at Lake Highlands High School and involved in her local PTA. She is a member of 100 Women of Lake Highlands and is proud that Pint-Sized Prints allows her to give back to her community. When not in her studio, you can find JulieAnn at the baseball field with her sons or at a gymnastics competition with her daughter.
Pint-sized Prints was founded in 2012. The brainchild of founder JulieAnn Bever, Pint-sized Prints was born from her desire to do something creative. After watching her three children grow so quickly over five years, JulieAnn was inspired to capture their handprints in time so she could remember how small and innocent her children were during their first years for years to come. She was also inspired to do the same for other parents so they could have precious keepsakes of their children’s first years.
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MVP Mom Q+A
What is your favorite meal?
My favorite meal is hands down anything my mom cooks! It was not until I was an adult I realized how skilled she was in the kitchen. Some of my favorites she makes are: Lasagna, Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas, Chicken Spaghetti, and of course hamburgers on the grill with her famous baked beans.
What is your favorite restaurant?
My favorite restaurant rotates almost monthly. I LOVE all types of food and can’t seem to pick just one. My current favorite is the new Smoky Rose across from the Arboretum. Their brisket is incredible! It has just the right amount of lean meat and moisture. There is no need for sauce because it just melts in your mouth.
What is your favorite kitchen gadget/tool?
I love my bread maker. I added it to my wedding registry as an impulse (I was a little trigger happy with that scanner ☺ ). When I received it I wasn’t sure I’d ever use it. After my first bake I was hooked. I have used many different recipes, but my favorite is just the classic buttermilk white bread. *Sometimes I even take my fresh baked bread up to Kroger to use their bread slicer in the bakery.
What do you like to do to recharge your batteries?
I love, love, LOVE a pedicure!
What is your go-to hostess gift?
I love to give a candle to those opening up their home. My favorite candle is Niven Morgan GOLD.
What is your entertaining must have?
Sonic Ice! Every good cocktail is kicked up a notch with sonic style ice!
What is your favorite holiday to host?Christmas! Every year I host my annual Spode Dinner. I have the entire set of Christmas Spode dishes (and I add to the collection every year). I invite my family and my husband’s family over for a sit-down “fancy” dinner. We change the menu a little every year, but one thing that remains constant is the place cards. I have place cards for everyone’s seat and change the assignments up every year. One of the first things the guests do when they arrive is check the table to see who they are sitting next to (NO SWITCHING!). I like to split up couple’s and place people next to each other to encourage meaningful and interesting conversations. Often we are sitting at the table still talking long after the coffee and dessert have been cleared.
Gridiron Gadget: Which zester is best?
A zester is a kitchen staple that we cannot live without. The purpose of a zester is to shred hard foods, whole spices, or remove fruit rind. While there are lots of different kinds and brands of zesters out there, the two kinds featured here are our favorites, and one can easily work in place of the other.
First is the microplane. This zester is small, but mighty and produces strong bursts of flavor, from citrus fruits and spices. The result is fine, but flavorful pieces that will enhance any recipe or drink. I probably use this one most often. Besides zesting citrus, I use it to grate garlic, onion, spices such as nutmeg, chocolate, and cheese!
Second is the handheld grater, otherwise known as a rasp and is used mainly when grating hard cheese, chocolate or other hard food or roots (think ginger!). The key is for the handle to be sturdy and slip free.
In my kitchen, either one does the trick & makes life a little zestier!
Love,
