​Impress your guests with this easy yet sophisticated puff pastry recipe.

I love baking with puff pastry! It's easy, it's impressive, and the options are endless. Whether you make your own (quite a labor of love) or purchase store bought frozen pastry dough, the outcome is always the same....DELISH!!! And I'll provide a few tips for making them even better.

I've always wanted to expand my innkeeping business, but being that I am limited to the brick and mortar buildings that exist on our farm at Tanglewood, I've never been able to...until now! I am super excited to be able to offer a new farm rental to my Tanglewood vacation rental portfolio! Our across the street neighbor has graciously gifted me with the task of managing/hosting/renting her beautiful 10-acre hunt box! It's a beautiful piece of property, located in the midst of the Walthour-Moss Foundation.   I have spent the past few days getting it ready for our guests, and every time I'm there, I'm surrounded by a peaceful feeling. The birds chirping, horses hacking along the trails surrounding the fenced-in farm, a sweet orange kitty named Franny who greets me when I enter the barn, and I'm filled with a feeling of anticipation and challenge for this new opportunity that I have been given. 

Now for the details! The Hunt Box by Tanglewood Farm, is a 2-BR, 2.5-BA house above a 6-stall stable. The 10-acre farm is completely enclosed by fencing and lined with beautiful pines. The apartment features a spacious living room with vaulted ceilings, a spacious master bedroom with king bed and full bath, an adorable guest bedroom with full size bed and full bath, a peaceful balcony for your morning coffee and evening cocktails, equestrian decor and antiques and amazingly beautiful views of the Walthour Moss foundation.

Stalls are available for rent as well! Riders can hack on the 4500 acre trails of the Walthour Moss Foundation, take lessons from one of many very talented trainers on May Street, including Mike Plumb, Bobby Costello and Jasmine Hobart.

Inquire for more details and come unwind in Southern Pines! 
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If you are anything like me, feeding yourself is the last thing on your mind. Lately I've started to think more about "self-care" and taking a little more time to keep myself healthy. With kids, a business, school and busy schedules, it's sometimes easy to overlook taking care of myself! Thus, I need to find quick and easy ways to set myself up for success. And one of my biggest problems is making sure I don't just "eat" a pot of coffee in the morning and expect that to keep me going throughout the day. Bodies need nourishment! 

Here is a quick and yummy and almost foolproof way to make sure you get your day started off right!

Overnight Chia Seeed Pudding

1/3 cup Chia Seeds
3/4 cup milk 
1/4 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
1/4 tsp cinnamon, cardamom, any spices that you like (ginger, clove, nutmeg)
Handful of berries
Small mason jar

Mix all ingredients until well combined, making sure to scrape bottom of jar so seeds don't stick and cluster together. Store in fridge 4 hours to overnight. Top with any extra berries or toasted coconut and enjoy!

I've been a baking and pastry arts student at the Sandhills Community College for about 2 months now and I thought I'd write a little update about my experience.

First, I have to say, I'm LOVING it!!! I'm absolutely loving every minute of culinary school. Even my sanitation class is a pleasure to attend!
And while it's difficult juggling daycare, and the business, and making sure dinner is prepared, and the animals are fed and blankets are on or off and dentist appointments happen and the house is clean, and the farm is managed, and my horse is still ridden, I still would not trade it for anything right now. 

And to the reader who has been thinking, man I really wish I could take an art class, or an architecture course, or go back to school to fix motorcycles, or whatever it may be...I say DO IT!!!!! Do It Now if you can. Find a way to make it happen and just do it! "In the end, we only regret the chances we didn't take" -said someone else who was not me ;)

Now for the fun stuff...what have we been baking???? 
I'll show a picture "montage" of our bakes so far this year.

To quote Ina Garten, "how easy is that?". This "crack bacon" recipe is just that! Also known as millionaire bacon, or sweet and spicy bacon, there are many versions of this recipe, but below is how I make mine.

​First things First. MAKE YOURSELF SOME COFFEE. Always the first step in every recipe I make.