Let's Make...Old-Fashioned Fudge Pie!

A number of year's ago, my cousins decided to put together a cookbook of family recipes to give to their mom for Christmas. Family members had the opportunity to purchase copies of the cookbook, which of course I did. Over the years I have made a few things from the cookbook, recipes that have become 'go to' for me. I decided that one of my COVID-19 projects would be to make something different from the cookbook, and I ended up making my cousin Angela's Old-Fashioned Fudge Pie. 

This was such an easy recipe and just might become my contribution to the next pot luck I attend- if we are every allowed to have pot lucks again!

Ingredients:

• 2 1oz squares of semi-sweet chocolate
• 1/2 cup of butter
• 1 cup of white sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 graham or chocolate cookie crumb crust 

To make:

• Prep pie crust according to package directions
• Preheat oven to 375
• Melt chocolate and butter together in microwave
• Remove chocolate/butter mixture from heat, add sugar and mix well
• Add eggs and mix well
• Pour filling into pie crust
• Bake for 25 minutes or until set
• Enjoy!

Notes:

• You can also use a 9" unbaked pie crust
• Pie can be served warm or cold
• Top with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for a little something extra

Hive: Must See, Must Shop

One of my all time favourtie stores is Hive. I've loved...LOVED...this store for years! This is my go-to for gifts for friends, or a little something for myself. Jenn, the owner, has such great style and her store- located in Bayfield, Ontario on the Main Street- is something to experience in person. Full of beautiful products and showcasing Jenn's incredible eye for design, I love visiting this store- I not so secretly would love to move it!!

If you find yourself unable to make it to picturesque Bayfield, you can now shop Hive online! Below you will find some of my favourite products in all the categories offered by Hive:

Home & Cottage

Flamingo Salt & Pepper // Anchor Glass // Bike Planter // Glass Vase // Yucatan Rug // Net Shopper 

Clothing

Swimsuit // Shorts // PJ's // Top // Upcycled Sari Cardigan // Denim Dress

Accessories

Earrings // Madagascar Basket // Necklace // Bamboo Poncho // Crossbody Bag // Bracelet

Bath & Body

Macadamia Oil Body Cream // Beach Glass Soap // Natural Deodorant // Seaweed Mask // Lip Balm // Coffee Scrub

Kids

Artwork // Stuffed Owl // Sunglasses // Bib // Slippers // Tag-a-Long Blanket //

So many amazing products and options. There really is something for everyone, anf for every occasion! Jenn is always getting in new products and will be updating her website as products come in, so be sure to check her website often- you never know what you'll find!

Book Club: Rush

Image via Chapters Indigo

Book: Rush: A Novel

Author: Lisa Patton

Chapters Indigo Summary:

Set in modern day Oxford, Mississippi, on the Ole Miss campus, bestselling author Lisa Patton's RUSH is a story about women-from both ends of the social ladder-discovering their voices and their empowerment.

Cali Watkins possesses all the qualities sororities are looking for in a potential new member. She's kind and intelligent, makes friends easily, even plans to someday run for governor. But her resume lacks a vital ingredient. Pedigree. Without family money Cali's chances of sorority membership are already thin, but she has an even bigger problem. If anyone discovers the dark family secrets she's hiding, she'll be dropped from Rush in an instant.

When Lilith Whitmore, the well-heeled House Corp President of Alpha Delta Beta, one of the premiere sororities on campus, appoints recent empty-nester Wilda to the Rush Advisory Board, Wilda can hardly believe her luck. What's more, Lilith suggests their daughters, both incoming freshman, room together. What Wilda doesn't know is that it's all part of Lilith's plan to ensure her own daughter receives an Alpha Delt bid-no matter what.

For twenty-five years, Miss Pearl-as her "babies" like to call her-has been housekeeper and a second mother to the Alpha Delt girls, even though it reminds her of a painful part of her past she'll never forget. When an opportunity for promotion arises, it seems a natural fit. But Lilith Whitmore slams her Prada heel down fast, crushing Miss Pearl's hopes of a better future. When Wilda and the girls find out, they devise a plan destined to change Alpha Delta Beta-and maybe the entire Greek system-forever. 

Achingly poignant, yet laugh-out-loud funny, RUSH takes a sharp nuanced look at a centuries-old tradition while exploring the complex, intimate relationships between mothers and daughters and female friends. Brimming with heart and hope for a better tomorrow, RUSH is an uplifting novel universal to us all.

What I have to say:

This books was recommend forever ago by Kathleen from Carrie Bradshaw Lied. I purchased this book as soon as Kathleen recommended it and add it to my To Be Read pile. I FINALLY got around to reading this book!! Set in 2016 at Ole Miss we are introduced to a variety of women- all associated with Alpha Delta Beta Sorority in one way or another. The characters are well developed, layered, and interesting. The characters felt real, relatable, and like real people you could know, and in some cases, want to be friends with. This book is about so much more than Sorority Rush, or Sorority life. It addresses race and socioeconomic issues, female and family relationships. 

Final Verdict:

Full of heart and humour, I've already recommended this book to people, and I can't wait to read it again. 

Take One Day At A Time

It has been a beat or two since I last posted. There was a bit going on with work, family, and my personal life that took priority. Then, I was traveling in early March- the whole COVID-19 thing exploded while I was traveling- I had to cut my trip short and get home ASAP. The stress and anxiety of that last travel day, followed by the isolation of a 14-day quarantine with little human interaction, adjusting to working from home full time and dealing with some major changes at work- and let's not forget the family and personal life priorities...to say it was overwhelming would be an understatement!

I decided to give myself grace, get comfortable with my new pace of life, figure out how to balance my mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing with my new reality. while also dealing with stressors in my life. I also needed time to mourn things I was looking forward to in 2020 that just aren't going to happen. Blogging, as I'm sad to say it often does, took a back seat to life. 

While I am on week eight of working from home and practicing physical distancing, I'm still facing challenges and figuring out how to adjust. But I also don't want blogging on hold until this whole pandemic is over- I know it'll eventually be over but who knows how long that will be! The truth is I enjoy creating content and I need the outlet that this blog provides for me.

Everyone is dealing with this crazy situation in their own way. We are all facing different challenges. Some people have set goals and have a laundry list of things to do during this time. Others are aiming to get through each day in one piece. The way we deal with this pandemic- whether it's coming out with a new skill, a well organized home, or just the ability to say "I survived"- is up to each of us individually, and there is no right or wrong way to deal with it.

Take one day at a time. 

You will figure it out. 

Don't put pressure on yourself.

Celebrate accomplishments, no matter how small.

Even if the accomplishment is getting out of bed that day, or finally writing a blog post.