Food

Tuesday’s Tip: 5 Ways to use Beer in Summer Cooking

July 11, 2017 by admin Leave a Comment

Beer isn’t just something you crack open after a long, hot day in the Texas sun. Brews of all kinds can be used in your summer cooking, too! Here are a few ways you can use beer in recipes:

1. Use the can – We’ve all heard about beer can chicken. The steam from the brew adds so much flavor to the meat! Here is a great recipe for a beer-filled bird.

2. In marinades – A simple marinade loaded with flavor from your favorite beer can transform your everyday grilled steak into Dad’s new favorite recipe! This Beer and Brown Sugar Marinade sounds so tasty.

3. Add a dash to soup – From Beer Cheese Soup to Stout French Onion Soup, there are so many fabulous soup recipes out there that can be enhanced with a dash of beer!

4. For braising – Just imagine slow-cooking your favorite ribs in your favorite dark beer. Voila! These Stout-Braised short ribs sound just right.

5. In cake – What better therapy than a great beer PLUS your favorite cake? You can use a delicious IPA to make the filling and the frosting and select a lower hop beer for the cake. This Lemon Beer Dream Cake is on our list!

Happy Cooking!

Love,

Mom MVP : Lorraine Holland

March 24, 2017 by admin Leave a Comment

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.

February Mom MVP : JulieAnn Bever

February 18, 2017 by admin Leave a Comment

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.

Tuesday’s Tip : 5 Reasons we love the Superbowl

January 31, 2017 by admin Leave a Comment

Welcome to Mrs. Gridiron

May 15, 2016 by admin 1 Comment

I’m Mrs. Gridiron and I am thrilled that you have found my blog! This little adventure has been a long time coming and after years of encouragement of friends and family, I’ve decided to share my story and the four F’s in my life with each of you – from homemade to hashmarks, this is a Gridiron Wife’s guide to, food, family, fellowship and football.

Food, entertaining and cooking have been an enormous part of my life from the very beginning. My mom was truly an amazing cook and my parents entertained often. When my mom was the hostess it was a special event. She was old school and knew just how to bring everything together to create a moment where time stood still and guests were present in their fellowship. My mom always made a point to know her guest’s likes and dislikes and as a result there were little personal touches throughout the entire evening. I’m sure many went unnoticed (as my mom would have wanted), but they were there to help in creating a very special evening. This type of entertaining is a lost art and largely viewed as out of style. As an homage to my mom – who passed away many years ago – I would like to reintroduce it to you, and show how it can be done with a modern twist. I am so excited to share my passion and mother’s gift through this blog, while reconnecting with her. I am honored and humbled to share my kitchen, my recipes, my family, my memories, and my mom with each of you!