"Making a difference, one five at a time"

This past weekend I was so lucky to participate in my first event with a great non-profit organization. High Fives For Hope is an organization created to raise awareness and funds for the research of Colorectal, Leukemia and Testicular Cancers. This past Saturday, I assisted in their 1st Annual Golf Tournament in Clermont, FL. It was a beautiful, crisp, cool day, perfect for playing 18 holes of golf. With support from family and friends, the golf tournament was a   huge success raising nearly $3000! Follow High Fives For Hope and help us make a difference in the fight against these terrible diseases.

Olive oil brownies

Stop using vegetable oil in your brownies and start using olive oil. A healthier alternative to vegetable oil, olive oil will give your regular, old brownies a lil twist in flavor. A very simple recipe, you are sure to enjoy these deliciously moist brownies.

Ingredients
~1 cup flour
~1/2 cup sugar
~1/4 tspn salt
~1 bag of chocolate chips(I prefer semi-sweet)
~3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
~1 tspn vanilla extract
~1/4 cup and 2 tblspns olive oil
~2 eggs lightly beaten


Preheat your oven to 325 degrees and lightly oil your pan with olive oil. Combine all dry ingredients into a mixing bowl (flour, sugar, and salt). Use a fork to blend dry ingredients thoroughly and set aside. In a small sauce pan warm on low heat heavy whipping cream and bag of chocolate chips. Stir regularly and make sure to melt chips completely. Pour chocolate mixture into dry ingredients, add vanilla and fold ingredients together until batter is mixed thoroughly. Add olive oil to batter and mix until completely incorporated. Lightly beat eggs and add to batter. Mix eggs thoroughly into batter. Pour batter into oiled pan and bake for approx 25 mins. Stick knife into the middle of the pan and check to see if the brownies are cooked all the way through. Let cool in pan and enjoy!

I hope you enjoy these delicious brownies as much as I did!

Lots of love,

SessieGirl

SCRUMDIDDALYUMCIOS blueberry bread

~3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
~2 teaspoons baking soda
~1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
~1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
~1/2 teaspoon salt

~2 cups brown sugar
~4 large eggs at room temperature
~1 cup olive oil
~2 cups Blueberries
~1/4 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
~2 teaspoons vanilla


Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly oil pan with olive oil.  Mix all dry ingredients together in large bowl. Use a fork to thoroughly mix around all the dry ingredients. Use a small bowl to crack eggs into and beat gently until yolks are completely mixed with whites. Pour eggs, olive oil, blueberries, sour cream or Greek yogurt and vanilla into the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. You can use a hand mixer, spatula or standing mixer. Do not over beat or blueberries will be a crushed mess.
Bake for an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes. Make sure to stick a knife in the middle of the loaf all the way to the bottom before taking it out of the oven, to make sure it is done. After about five to ten minutes of cooling in the pan, flip it the loaf of bread out of the baking pan and let it cool on a cooling rack OR dig in! Just be careful because it will be really hot!
Let me know what you think of this yummy bread!

Lots of love,

SessieGirl

SWOONOVERIT will not be the only thing you will be doing.

Looking for a creative photographer who is young and up on the latest trends? Well then I have the girl for you. You will swoon over Amanda Young and SWOONOVERIT Photography! Amanda has a creative mind like none other and will blow you away with her knack of snapping the shot at that perfect moment. Weddings, newly engaged couples, expecting mothers, head shots, children, animals, landscapes, etc. Amanda captures it all! So go to http://www.swoonoveritstudio.com/ and SWOONOVERIT!

Enjoy!

Lots of love,

SessieGirl

Baking with Olive Oil!!!! MMM... MMM... GOOD!

Though I have cooked with olive oil for years, I had not thought about baking with olive oil until encouragement from my uncle Richard. So far I have tried breads, sweet breads and breakfast cookies and OH MY GOODNESS they are ALL SCRUMPTIOUS!!!!! Below you will find a recipe that is so tasty!  Stay tuned for more recipes! Enjoy!

Olive Oil Bread

• 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tblspn of fresh finely chopped oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoon fresh finely chopped rosemary
• 2 1/2 cups bread flour
• 3/4 cup water
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

Pour active dry yeast into warm water and set aside. Combine ALL dry ingredients and whisk/fork together until mixed well. Add fresh herbs(It does not have to be oregano and rosemary. Add what you like!) Whisk/fork until mixed well add 3/4 cup water and olive oil. Wash your hands, dry, and lightly flour them and dig into the dough. Work until completely combined and dough is very consistent. Grease a fresh bowl with olive oil. Cover with dish towel. Let the dough rest for an hour. Knead dough back down removing all air bubbles. Repeat. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. After kneading down dough for the second time. Grease down oven safe bread pan with olive oil. Place dough in pan and put in oven for about 40 mins or until bread is light golden brown. Let cool on cooling rack, slice and enjoy with a little olive oil and fresh herbs to dip.
 

Lots of love,


SessieGirl

Falling for Lemon Love Jewelry

Ladies are you looking for those one of a kind accessories to add to your collection?  Well check out Lemon Love Jewelry. All pieces are created by a fabulous up and coming jewelry designer Amber Leino. With a creative eye, Amber can take something fabulously vintage and make it amazingly new, fresh and hip. Above are just a few pieces of Amber's newest collection. I cannot wait to see what Lemon Love Jewelry comes up with next! Happy shopping!


http://www.etsy.com/shop/LemonLoveJewelry?ga_search_query=Lemon+Love&ga_search_type=seller_usernames

 Lots of love,

SessieGirl 

Container herb garden

About a month ago I planted a little container herb garden and we finally enjoyed some of those fresh herbs this weekend. Plenty of sunlight and good drainage are key to successfully growing those tasty herbs. Also, do not over water them. I picked herbs that I use on a regular basis and hope to plant a few more in the near future. 

Basil, Oregano, Thyme, Rosemary, Sage and Cilantro have all add a beautiful aroma to the yard and a happy feeling in my belly.

Lots of love,

SessieGirl

Where do I begin..

Being new to the world of blogging, this may take me some time to get used to, but I am sure that I will catch on quick. 

I am two weeks out from my first event that I was hired to manage and man oh man what a thrill it was. What type of occasion? You may be asking yourself. Drum roll please.............. A wedding for the lovely couple Adrienne and Andrew Strickland. I was so honored when I was contacted to manage this event and am so thankful for the amazing experience.

I learned so much about myself. I challenge you all to do something that you have always wanted to but have been a little hesitant for the fear of failure or uneasiness. Just go out and do it (with some preparation and planning)!

Pictures are to follow and I cannot wait for my next opportunity.

Happy Tuesday!

Lots of love, 


SessieGirl