Tie Dyed Cake!

Posted on July 2, 2013 by mhayes24

In honor of one of my coworkers’ last day in the office, I wanted to bake a cake. A fun, colorful, tie dyed cake, to be exact. She has such a fun-loving, silly personality, and she loves all things bright and crazy, so I knew this would be perfect. I have not made one before, but thankfully, lots of Pinterest folks have. I found several posts there with “tie dyed” cakes and colorful frosting techniques, and I used instructions from here. I do not claim to be a fantastic from-scratch baker, so this box mix recipe is perfect for the busy girl on the go who just loves semi-homemade treats.

Ingredients::
1 box white cake mix and accompanying ingredients (check box)
1 can white frosting
gel food coloring in an assortment of colors (I used regular and neon)
2x 8″ round pans

Recipe::
1. Preheat oven according to box.
2. Following box recipe, prepare mix.
3. Grease 2x 8″ round pans.
4. Divide batter evenly between 6 small bowls. Add gel food coloring in 6 desired colors (1 per bowl).

5. Starting with 1 pan, pour each layer one on top of the other. It is easiest to get a good shape by pouring in a concentric circle, making each layer a little smaller than the previous one. Be sure to leave enough batter in the bowl to fill the 2nd pan
6. Fill the 2nd pan in the same manner, using the last color first, and so on, going backward in order from the previous pan.

7. Bake both pans according to box directions.
8. Let cakes cool and remove from pans.

9. Mix up a small portion of white frosting with your preferred gel color. Cover the top of one cake layer with colored frosting.
10. Place un-frosted layer on top of 1st layer. Cover top and sides of cake thoroughly with white icing.
11. You can leave it here and have a fun surprise inside of the white cake, or you can tie dye the outside as well!

To tie dye the frosting…
1. Draw concentric circles on the top of the cake with gel icing. Use 1 color per circle. The order I used was pink / orange / yellow / green / blue / purple (the pink looks sort of red-ish).
2. Using a butter knife, icing knife, or small paintbrush (new or used only for food), begin running the knife/brush between circles from the center of the cake to the outer edge. I did about 8 lines evenly spaced around the center circle. Be sure to wipe knife/brush often between every couple circles, so as not to smudge the dark colors through the light ones. Nobody wants a big dark mess on the top of the cake.
3. This technique will create a spider web effect. You can then go back and smudge more lines to fill in the white spaces and create a tie dyed look.

4. You’re all done! I found that if you’re in the south with lots of humidity, it’s best to refrigerate the cake after decorating if you won’t need it for a few hours. Otherwise, you might have that big mess of colors that you were trying to avoid in step 2.

restaurant review:: Bocado

Posted on June 20, 2013 by mhayes24

I’ve been hearing about the “incredible double stack cheeseburger” from Bocado for months now. My brother, who is quite the chef, has claimed that it is probably the best burger in Atlanta. So naturally, I was dying to try it. We headed over to the Westside for lunch last week, and I now see what all the fuss was about…

Simple syrup for iced tea. Good.

Two patties, melty cheese, sesame seed bun, and pickles — simple, but so, so, so good. The fries were great, and you can order them with seasoning if you like. That’s a side of housemade ranch for dipping, too.

Bottom line — I will be back. Soon. You need to go.

restaurant review:: The Optimist

Posted on June 18, 2013 by mhayes24

Last weekend, my parents came into town for Father’s Day weekend. Per usual when they visit, we book reservations to eat our way around Atlanta. What can I say — I get my love of food honestly, I guess. My brother had really been wanting to try The Optimist, the new seafood hot spot on the Westside, so we made reservations for the night they arrived.

The restaurant is appealing as soon as you walk up — 3 mini putting greens, oyster shells as “mulch” along the walkways, and giant bright blue adirondack chairs to use when there is a wait. Guests enter at the oyster bar, where the wood fired oven is the focal point — complete with a mural of a giant octopus encircling the oven’s opening. I was told that the restaurant was designed by the same team responsible for JCT Kitchen’s decor, and it’s obvious with the metal pendant lights, rustic wooden tables, whitewashed walls, and a cool bar that’s the main attraction in the room.

We started out with some fun cocktails, like the 5-Gallon Carboy (Redemption rye, strawberries, lemon, All-spice Dram, Allagash White ale) and the Scurvy Scoundrel (Deep Eddy vodka, house made grapefruit cordial, lime), and a large amount of appetizers…par for the course with our family. Oysters, mussels, shrimp, rolls with sea salt, and “beignet style” corn milk hushpuppies were brought to the table just as a HUGE storm rolled in. Dark clouds, thunder, crazy lightning, and tons of rain are no big deal right? Wrong. Not 10 minutes after ordering our dinner, every light in the building went out. Luckily, we were on the edge of the restaurant near some floor-to-ceiling windows, so we had a bit of light on our table. Those in the center of the restaurant (near the soon-to-be very smoky kitchen) did not fare so well. We had such high hopes for our dinner, so we held strong for a while… until it was apparent that the lights weren’t coming on any time soon — there or anywhere within a several block radius.

I obviously can’t speak to how the entrees were since we never got them, but we’d ordered the duckfat poached swordfish, cornmeal crusted skate wing, and black grouper, among other things. I’m sure it would have been excellent. They also have some really enticing desserts — the Savannah Beignets with bourbon praline and fired pecans being my #1 choice. Ah well… now we have a really good excuse to try it again soon — hopefully next time sans power outage.

Atlanta Food & Wine Festival

Posted on June 4, 2013 by mhayes24

My superwoman sister-in-law Lauren volunteered for the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival in Midtown last week (just a couple days after returning from their honeymoon, mind you), and she was gracious enough to offer up her 2 free passes for the last day of the event.
I love food and cocktails, and I love it even more when it’s free. So how could we say no (especially considering that
passes were $100+ per person each day)?

The tasting tents were PACKED to the max with people, food, drinks, and more people.

Being in the South, there was a lot of BBQ. And Bourbon.

Shrimpies and crawfish!

One of my favorites of the day… Frito Pie from Fox Bros. BBQ! I already know that I love Fox Bros, so I didn’t really have to try their food…
until I saw brisket chili being scooped into bags of Fritos. Yep. Messy and delicious.

Excuse the blurry photo, but this is Kevin Gillespie from Top Chef! He has an awesome beard.

We tasted some fried chicken sammies from his booth and they were one of my other favorites of the day.
The chicken was marinated in pickle juice!

M.E.A.T. and lots of it. I’m not even sure what any of this was.

Mini Sublime donuts? Yes! I should have taken one of each.

The festival was such a fun way to end our week. A torrential downpour kept us all crowded under the main tent for a bit, but other than that, we had a great time. Craig’s favorite were the fried chicken livers — so much so that he went back for seconds and was still talking about them last night. We can’t remember which restaurant they were from… maybe Magnolia’s in South Carolina? We may never know. My faves were Kevin Gillespie’s fried chx sammies, the mini Sublime donuts, and the Frito Pie from Fox Bros. We also enjoyed tastings of Wolf Mountain wine, several bourbons, and craft beer. All quite yummy. I hope Lauren volunteers next year so we can go to the tasting tents again! (he he) Thanks, Lauren!

restaurant (on wheels) review:: s & j’s wood fired pizza

Posted on March 7, 2013 by mhayes24

I’ve said it a million times. I am a huge fan of S & J’s Wood Fired Pizza. Granted I may be a bit biased, as the owners are friends of ours, but their pizza is delicious and fresh and just so so good. Sarah and Jonathan had a dream a few years ago, they learned how to throw pizza dough, and they now run their own mobile wood fired pizza business. Their dough and sauce are handmade, and they use mostly all fresh, local ingredients — many times from the same vendors that are at the farmer’s markets around Atlanta.

We hosted a wedding shower for 40 people, and S &J’s set up in our driveway. The menu included garlic cheese bread, caesar salad, and a large variety of wood fired pizzas available by the slice. Everyone raved about how fun it was to have a pizza oven at the party, and I think they loved every bite. Taken from S&J’s website, these are some of their current offerings, all of which they served at our shower, and they were gobbled up almost faster then they could make them.

Chef Special – gotta be at the market to find out!
Apple – olive oil base with mozzarella, apples, bacon, goat feta, and pesto swirl
Sausage and Peppers – tomato sauce with mozzarella, italian sausag,e and mixed heirloom peppers…try it spicy with jalapeños
Margherita – handmade mozzarella, San-Marzano tomato sauce, basil
White – olive oil base with garlic, mozzarella cheese, and fresh rosemary

It was unfortunately one of the coldest nights we’ve had all winter, but they were such good sports. Trying to prep and cook a meal for 40 people in 30 degree weather = major props to these guys.

If you’re in the Atlanta area, look out for them at festivals all over the city in the spring, summer, and fall. Or better yet, follow them on facebook to find out where they are each week. They also do catering, so maybe you should consider having pizza for your next shindig! Check them out — I promise you won’t be sorry.

restaurant review:: bone lick bbq

Posted on December 20, 2012 by mhayes24

Last weekend, we tried out the newest BBQ hotspot in town, Bone Lick BBQ, over in West Midtown. According to their website, Bone Lick started as a pop-up restaurant concept by Executive Chef Mike LaSage at P’cheen in the Old Fourth Ward. I’ve visited P’cheen once and it was fabulous, so this makes sense now. Atlanta Magazine named it #4 in the state and #1 in metro Atlanta. And right now, they are offering a Scoutmob deal for free boiled peanuts when you dine in!

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The restaurant is on Huff Road in between Howell Mill and South Atlanta… sort of an off-the-beaten-path location in my opinion, but it’s definitely worth checking out. Their menu is crazy with lots of funny menu item titles. We couldn’t resist “Them Big Ole Totties” — a heaping mound of tater tots smothered in sausage, pulled pork (delicious and smoky), jalapenos (firey), chipotle bbq sauce, and homemade cheese sauce (even better). I also enjoy that you can get “just one rib” on the appetizer menu. Beware, though — they say that much of their menu is on the spicy side, and they’re not joking.

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How could we resist this?
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They offer lots of entree and sammy choices… one name in particular that I enjoyed was “The Failed Hunter”… vegetarian, of course. We are far from vegetarians, so we did not sample that one. Craig chose the combo meat plate with brisket and pulled pork (and pork braised collards), and I went for the 1/4 rack of spare ribs, which were one of the waiter’s faves. I also couldn’t resist the jalapeno mac n cheese. Both of our meals were spicy but so, so good. It seemed like a TON of food… especially after eating 10,000 tater tots for an appetizer, so we had plenty of leftovers to take home. (yay!)

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I was reading through their website while writing this, and saw mention of House Cotton Candy and Funnel Cakes…. WHAT?! I may have been stuffed to the brim, but how did my waiter let me miss out on that?? I’ll be back very soon — maybe just for tots and dessert. Oh — and they have skee ball!!!

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My Unofficial Guide to Atlanta:: the food

Posted on December 11, 2012 by mhayes24

I’ve now lived in Atlanta almost 7 years…. just under 1/4 of my life. There are so many hidden gems — fun parks and festivals, eclectic neighborhoods, and even more amazing restaurants. So without further ado, here’s my unofficial guide to the things I love in Atlanta, starting with food. Check them out and let me know what you think!

Great, inexpensive Mexican that’s so fresh and tasty you’d stand in line for 1/2 an hour:: Taqueria del Sol
Multiple locations around town, but I usually visit the West Side spot on Howell Mill. Expect a line that last upwards of 20-30 minutes, but it’s totally worth it. The food comes out almost the instant you sit down, and it’s always piping hot and delicious. I LOVE the Fried Chicken Taco (all their tacos are soft) and the Cheese Enchilada with Beef Red Chili Sauce. No beans and rice needed, but theirs are pretty good if you get them. The Memphis Taco is also a crowd favorite — it’s smoked pork with a spicy jalapeño coleslaw and tequila BBQ sauce. I think Taqueria is the reason I started eating guacamole. Their margaritas are also top notch, in my opinion. Everything is very reasonably priced. It’s one of my very favorite lunch or dinner spots in the city.

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Best breakfast all day:: The Flying Biscuit Cafe
My favorite place for breakfast any time of the day. Their famous biscuits and cranberry apple butter are almost good enough to have as a whole meal by themselves, but then you’d miss out on the Creamy Dreamy Grits, Moon-dusted Potatoes, and my personal favorite, the Southern Scramble (farm fresh eggs scrambled with turkey bacon, collard greens, onions, and cheddar cheese). The menu is comprised of unique, healthy options. I’ve not had anything other than the Southern Scramble, but this is a local favorite among most Atlantans. The original Flying Biscuit is down in Historic Candler Park, but they have locations all over the city and out into the burbs – just go early, because there’s almost always a wait.

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Finger-lickin’ good BBQ:: Fox Bros. BBQ
Hands-down some of the best BBQ in Atlanta. Located on Dekalb Ave in Candler Park (just south of Little 5 Points), and again, there is almost always a wait because it’s just that good. They have a big outdoor patio space, so it’s great for outdoor dining in nice weather. If you go, you have to indulge and get the Tomminator — tots smothered in Brunswick stew and cheddar cheese. So bad, but so delicious — and don’t try to eat this by yourself. The pulled pork and baby back ribs are among my favorite meals there, and of course I love the mac n cheese and collards to round out the meal.

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Best Mobile Pizza Joint:: S & J’s Woodfired Pizza
I may be a bit biased here because it’s owned by a couple friends of ours, but it truly is some of the best pizza around. Sarah and Jonathan (affectionately known as S &J) operate out of a wood fired oven on wheels and can be found all over town most of the year at various festivals and farmers markets. Fresh, local ingredients are used on all of their pies, and their menu changes with what’s in season. One of my favorites is the Sausage and Peppers (tomato sauce with mozzarella, italian sausage and mixed heirloom peppers). The pizza is always piping hot, crispy, and so delicious. Some weekends, we stalk S & J’s on facebook to see what festivals they’re at so we can get our pizza fix. They are also available for catering for your next big event, and I’d highly recommend them (hint, hint).

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Hands-down best tapas, especially the B.W.D.:: The Iberian Pig
We are on the dead opposite side of the city from Decatur, but I’d drive there most any day for a dinner at The Iberian Pig. After my birthday dinner there in August, it jumped to one of my very, very favorite restaurants. It’s located in the Square, and there are so many fabulous restaurants and pubs to choose from (Leon’s Full Service and Brick Store Pub are some other popular options). You HAVE to get the B.W.D. (Bacon Wrapped Dates stuffed with Manchego cheese and walnuts), Spanish Tortoloni, and Pork Cheek Tacos.

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Take your doggy to dinner (or brunch or lunch):: Tree House
Located a bit off the beaten path in the Peachtree Hills neighborhood, it sort of looks like a treehouse for grown-ups. Dogs are welcome, so it’s a great spot for casual weekend dining with man’s best friend. My favorite times to visit are for a laid-back, weekend brunch or dinner in the summer. I love their English Club Burger (served on a toasted English muffin) and the Artichoke Dip appetizer (w/toasted pita bread) is a must-try.
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Best steak in Atlanta with an old-school Buckhead feel:: Hal’s on Old Ivy
My dad loves a good steak, and he’s found the perfect one at Hal’s. We have frequented many a steakhouse in my lifetime, and my dad swears this is one of THE best steaks anywhere. Period. The atmosphere is very old-school Buckhead with a piano by the bar, and they still have a cigarette machine by the entrance. I love their crispy garlic bread and Caesar salad, as well as a new favorite, the fried lobster in butter sauce. The seared-to-perfection steaks are the obvious star of the show, but their Fettuccine Alfredo makes a fantastic, buttery, unhealthy accompaniment. And don’t leave without having the Bread Pudding floating in a rum sauce. To die for.

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Creamy Heaven in a Cup:: Morelli’s Gourmet Ice Cream
Named 4th Best Ice Cream Shop in America by Bon Appetite Magazine in ’09. The original location is a small walk-up shop in East Atlanta… quite a drive for us, but totally worth it. I just learned that they also have a location in Dunwoody now, so folks north of the city won’t be deprived. All the ice cream is handmade and oh-so-creamy, and they’re known for some very quirky flavors thrown in among the classics. I’m not about to try the Avacado, but their Salted Caramel is like Heaven in a cup. The simple, classic Chocolate is also divine. If you’re looking for an after-dinner treat or mid-afternoon snack, this is the place.

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Delightfully Delicious Doughnuts:: Sublime Doughnuts
Their slogan is “Eat one that’s worth it” — and I agree that this is it. Located in a non-descript shopping center on 10th St in Midtown, you would never believe what amazing sugary goodness lies inside. For my birthday a couple years ago, I received a box from my coworker Hilary… and inside were Sublime doughnuts spelling out HAPPY BIRTHDAY, and every one was a different flavor. Love it!! My favorites are the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, Butter Toffee, Orange Dream Star, and the Frosted Croissant… OMG that frosted croissant. Just check out their website – you’ll be drooling in no time. Bring some to the office and you’ll be a hero.

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restaurant review:: Lola’s Burrito Joint in Jacksonville, FL

Posted on December 5, 2012 by mhayes24

You already know that we went to Jacksonville, FL last weekend for a covert mission… to surprise our mom with a big party for her 60th birthday! We got into town on Friday and had to sneak out to dinner (while looking over our shoulders the whole time, as our mom was staying with our grandmother nearby). My cousin Alli suggested a great pizza place called Pele’s Woodfire over in Riverside. It was so yummy! But on to Lola’s…

We also had to entertain ourselves for lunch on Saturday in between setting up for the party in the morning, antique bar cart shopping, and picking up food for the party that afternoon. We happened upon another Riverside restaurant, Lola’s Burrito Joint. Our waitress said it’s only been open about 6 months. It’s very Day of the Dead-ish with motorcycle-riding skeletons hanging from the ceiling and more skeletons airbrushed onto car hoods hanging on the walls. They also have 50+ beers on tap. The menu was pretty overwhelming, but our waitress was very knowledgeable and explained every section and gave her personal favorites.

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There were so many choices…. I could have ordered 10 different things and been happy with any of them. Our waitress raved about the Mexican Street Corn, which is deep-fried (husk and all) and coated with fresh cilantro, Cotija cheese and Lola’s Adobo. Everyone but me got it as an appetizer, and it’s AMAZING!! Apparently customers call it “crack corn” and we all agreed that it is the perfect description. We also had the queso and chips, which I could have eaten for my meal… love some cheese dip!

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Here are some of our other faves from the menu::

Tiajuana 2-Steppers (Top-Shelf & Grilled… like a burrito, but pressed and crispy on the outside)
I got the Philly “Wizza” Steak (grilled peppers/onions/mushrooms, diced tomatoes, and covered with Jalapeño cheese sauce). It was good — the meat was a little hard to eat in a burrito. The cheese sauce was definitely my favorite part. My brother got the Havana Nights Better that a Cuban, and I think I may have liked it better than mine.

Senora Gloria’s Empanadas (Hand pressed and made to order)
I didn’t try these, but I was told they were the most AMAZING thing ever. 🙂

Ragun Cajun (seasoned gator, cabbage, diced tomatoes, cheese with Cajun Ranch sauce)
I didn’t try this either, but Craig liked it, as well as the other tacos he tried. I just thought it was fun that they had gator tacos, along with lamb and other interesting meats.

I also got a side of refried black beans – they were hot and cheesy and so good!

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All four of us raved about the food, especially that “crack corn.” I wish I’d gotten my own so I could have had more than a couple bites. But there’s always next time!

thanksgiving festivities

Posted on November 23, 2012 by mhayes24

Our Thanksgiving was wonderful – filled with loads of family and even more food. We went to my brother’s soon-to-be in-laws’ home for our now annual pre-Thanksgiving dinner on Wednesday night, and had way too much delicious lasagna, bread, chicken, and goat cheese-stuffed fried green tomatoes. We topped that off with a 13-layer cake. What a great way to get ready for the biggest eating day of the year, right?

You can’t celebrate Thanksgiving without fancy turkey cupcakes!

Hayes family photo for Thanksgiving Day 2012::

After watching the Macy’s parade and having breakfast at Cracker Barrel (yum!), we had Thanksgiving dinner at my aunt and uncle’s “party barn” in Cartersville. We gathered with about 50 family members and friends (probably 1/2 were under the age of 10)… it’s always very loud and entertaining with the Sims/Baxter crew! We stuffed ourselves like turkeys, watched some football, and played with all of our cousins’ kids… perfect way to end the day!

Fresh corn that my dad brought up from a farm in FL::

We had friends join us for dinner with the family::

3 lawyers walk into a party…

Gator rides for the kids::

My cousin’s daughter, one of the most precious little girls ever::

Cousins::

3 meats on one plate!

The Sims Family::

Hope your day was wonderful, too! Happy Black Friday shopping!

happy thanksgiving, y’all!

Posted on November 21, 2012 by mhayes24

In honor of Thanksgiving, I’ve been posting something I’m thankful for every day on facebook. I love Thanksgiving because it marks the beginning of the holiday season, and it’s a time to gather with loved ones and enjoy each other’s company and lots of food and give thanks for the many, many blessings bestowed upon us throughout the year.

We have so much to be thankful for this year! I celebrated my 6th year at the Center for Puppetry Arts and my 2nd year as a Stylist with Stella & Dot. Craig got a new job within his company and is now a Business Systems Analyst… don’t ask me what that means, but I know he’s happy to have made the change. We’ve been fortunate to spend a lot of time traveling around the country this year… I think Costa Rica, Lake Tahoe, St. Augustine, and NYC were some of our favorites. My brother was sweet enough to include us in his proposal while we were in Costa Rica this spring, and we could not be more thrilled to officially welcome her into our family next year. I’ve always wanted a sister, and she’s the perfect one! Coco just turned 2 today — it’s hard to believe she’s not a “little” puppy anymore! And to top it all off, we’re all healthy and happy. It’s been a wonderful year, and I’m so looking forward to what next year brings.

Here are some shots of our turkey week so far, as well as some festive inspiration::
Photos of pilgrim hat cookies, Thanksgiving definition, and “give thanks” banner courtesy of Pinterest.

I hope your Thanksgiving holiday is filled with lots of turkey, pie, and a table full of the people you love. Happy Thanksgiving, y’all!

hayes everyday

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