1. Berry-pickin’ season is upon us, which means I’m about to consume about 700% more berries in the upcoming weeks. And I am not complaining. 

    There are a couple of farms in and around Athens that offer fresh pickin’  and last weekend we headed out to Moon Farms to get the job done. 

    So far, we’ve made a chocolate strawberry cake, a strawberry pie, strawberry smoothies, a spicy strawberry coleslaw, and… just a big bowl o’ strawberries. 

    I couldn’t find a recipe for a strawberry pie that didn’t sound too… gelatinous… so I made my own. 

    Morgangster’s Strawberry Pie

    • 1/2 c brown sugar
    • 1/2 c white sugar
    • 1/2 c flour
    • 5 cups of sliced strawberries
    • pie crust (Pillsbury roll-out, refrigerated kind) 


    I’ve made my own pie crust before… and while it IS ultimately more delicious… it’s time consuming and when there’s pie to be made… you just get down to brass tacks. The kind you can find in the refrigerated section (usually by the other Pillsbury products/rolls/etc.) is pretty baller, too, so I say just go for it. 

    1. Pre-heat oven to 450
    2. Combine brown sugar, white sugar, and flour in a mixing bowl. Mix well. Slice strawberries and put 4 of your 5 cups into the bowl with the flour and sugar. Mix and mash berries and dry ingredients until you get them into a thick paste-like substance. (I used my hands for this.) 
    3. Roll out bottom pie crust and fit in pie pan. Poke bottom of the pan with fork tines to help the crust not to bubble when cooking. 
    4. Spoon strawberry mix into the pan. 
    5. Place the final cup of unsweetened sliced strawberries in single-layer on the top of the sweetened strawberries. 
    6. Using a knife or pizza cutter, slice the top pie crust into strips. Weave the strips together on top of the pie. (It helps to lay out all the verticale strips first, and then add the horizontal ones one-by-one, weaving as you go.) 
    7. Pinch edges of woven pie crust and bottom crust together with fingers. Press fork tines down on the crust edge to seal. 
    8. Lightly brush the top pie crust with milk. Use tinfoil to wrap around the edges of the crust, leaving the middle of the pie exposed. (This will help your pie not get too crispy or burnt along the rim.) 

    Bake at 450 for 15 minutes, then lower to 375 and cook for a remaining 25 minutes or until top is a light, golden brown. Cool on a cooling rack. Eat and Enjoy!

    May 3, 2013
  2. Last week was the 1st Anniversary of our little Athens Supper Club.  I was feelin’ fancy and domestic and (full disclosure) Scandal was a re-run so I needed something to do on Thursday night. With no Powersuit-Wearing-Olivia-Pope Monologues to learn, I went to the internet and got inspired. Supper Club was turning 1, and it had to be awesome.  Enter This Cake. Ya’ll. I cannot underestimate 1. how yummy  and 2. how easy it was. I am not a baker. I do not bake things that are good to eat.  Baking requires precision and math and patience and skills, all of which I lack sufficiently. And yet… LOOK AT THAT CAKE.  I am ashamed to admit I felt so validated when I finished it. Me! Baking! Something edible! Something pretty! It’s pink! It’s got flowers! I am woman! Hear me roar! Watch me make things! ROOOAR! (This mental pep talk was inspired by the original recipe from the blog I Am Baker.)  I do not recommend getting self-worth from projects, but dang. Sometimes it’s just good to create something nice for people you love. And double bonus if it turns out well.   I Am Baker Rose Cake
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    Last week was the 1st Anniversary of our little Athens Supper Club.  I was feelin’ fancy and domestic and (full disclosure) Scandal was a re-run so I needed something to do on Thursday night. With no Powersuit-Wearing-Olivia-Pope Monologues to learn, I went to the internet and got inspired. Supper Club was turning 1, and it had to be awesome. 

    Enter This Cake.

    Ya’ll.

    I cannot underestimate 1. how yummy  and 2. how easy it was. I am not a baker. I do not bake things that are good to eat.  Baking requires precision and math and patience and skills, all of which I lack sufficiently. And yet… LOOK AT THAT CAKE. 

    I am ashamed to admit I felt so validated when I finished it. Me! Baking! Something edible! Something pretty! It’s pink! It’s got flowers! I am woman! Hear me roar! Watch me make things! ROOOAR! (This mental pep talk was inspired by the original recipe from the blog I Am Baker.) 

    I do not recommend getting self-worth from projects, but dang. Sometimes it’s just good to create something nice for people you love. And double bonus if it turns out well.  

    I Am Baker Rose Cake

    March 4, 2013
  3. Today is Mardis Gras AKA Shrove Tuesday AKA Fat Tuesday AKA Pancake Tuesday. Pancakes are associated with the day preceding Lent because they were a way to use up rich foods such as eggs, milk, and sugar, before the fasting season of the 40 days of Lent.  So basically today is my favorite day. 
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    Today is Mardis Gras AKA Shrove Tuesday AKA Fat Tuesday AKA Pancake Tuesday. Pancakes are associated with the day preceding Lent because they were a way to use up rich foods such as eggs, milk, and sugar, before the fasting season of the 40 days of Lent. 

    So basically today is my favorite day. 

    February 12, 2013
  4. Yesterday was National Pie Day (Not to be confused with Pi Day, March 14.) I hope you celebrated in due fashion and are reaping the benefits of today, which is Leftover Pie Day. 
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    Yesterday was National Pie Day (Not to be confused with Pi Day, March 14.) I hope you celebrated in due fashion and are reaping the benefits of today, which is Leftover Pie Day. 

    January 24, 2013
  5. The number of grilled cheese sandwiches and cups-o- tomato soup sold at The Globe is directly proportional to the number of buckets of rain falling outside.
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    The number of grilled cheese sandwiches and cups-o- tomato soup sold at The Globe is directly proportional to the number of buckets of rain falling outside.

    January 17, 2013
  6. Pumpkin pancakes at Mama’s Boy for Pancake Tuesday. I could die. #foodcoma #athens #pumpkinallthethings (Taken with Instagram at Mama’s Boy)
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    Pumpkin pancakes at Mama’s Boy for Pancake Tuesday. I could die. #foodcoma #athens #pumpkinallthethings (Taken with Instagram at Mama’s Boy)

    October 16, 2012
  7. If you’re like me and you love all things pumpkin and fallish and good BUT you’re also livin’ life on a budget (or, you don’t like to pay a bajillion dollars for things that shouldn’t cost a bajillion dollars) then you need to acquaint yourself with The Poor Man’s Pumpkin Spice.  Regular coffee.  LIttle bit o’ cream.  Shot of pumpkin.  50% off your ridiculously priced Favorite Seasonal Latte.  You’re welcome. 
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    If you’re like me and you love all things pumpkin and fallish and good BUT you’re also livin’ life on a budget (or, you don’t like to pay a bajillion dollars for things that shouldn’t cost a bajillion dollars) then you need to acquaint yourself with The Poor Man’s Pumpkin Spice. 

    Regular coffee. 

    LIttle bit o’ cream. 

    Shot of pumpkin. 

    50% off your ridiculously priced Favorite Seasonal Latte. 

    You’re welcome. 

    October 9, 2012
  8. I’m in ATL for a conference this week (if you’re at DigitalAtl, HOLLA!) and last night I had my first Antico Pizza experience with some of my pals.  Ya’ll.  This was the best pizza, nay, the best food I have ever tasted. And it’s not even a breakfast food. All 3 of us were being polite (ok, maybe it was just me who was coveting and the other 2 were just full) and not wanting to eat the last piece of our shared pie…. and as I was staring at it contemplatively… ANTICOPIZZAHOMEGIRL just swooped in and took away our tray.  I’ve never considered dumpster diving until that moment. Seems legit, now. 
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    I’m in ATL for a conference this week (if you’re at DigitalAtl, HOLLA!) and last night I had my first Antico Pizza experience with some of my pals. 

    Ya’ll. 

    This was the best pizza, nay, the best food I have ever tasted. And it’s not even a breakfast food. All 3 of us were being polite (ok, maybe it was just me who was coveting and the other 2 were just full) and not wanting to eat the last piece of our shared pie…. and as I was staring at it contemplatively… ANTICOPIZZAHOMEGIRL just swooped in and took away our tray. 

    I’ve never considered dumpster diving until that moment. Seems legit, now. 

    October 9, 2012
  9. Honestee. 
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    Honestee. 

    (Source: morgangster)

    September 19, 2012
  10. Today is one of those days where it’s rainy and gross and you just want the best lunch ever, no matter what it takes, and then, like magic, you get it. The National. Ugh. I just love you. Like little fairies who delivered all my food-craving needs with their magic wings.
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    Today is one of those days where it’s rainy and gross and you just want the best lunch ever, no matter what it takes, and then, like magic, you get it.

    The National. Ugh. I just love you. Like little fairies who delivered all my food-craving needs with their magic wings.

    September 18, 2012
  11. Monday Love - Normaltown  I’m a big fan of projects. My Myers-Briggs test indicated I am bad at follow-through, so giving tasks the title of “Project!” really helps get me motivated to stick with something. Probably some left over fear from grade school about not getting A’s or getting into college, but I digress.  The new project I’m tackling is really two-fold. First, I just moved to a new neighborhood and am constantly discovering new things about the city of Athens because of said-move.  What I’m talking about here, people, is food (if I’m being honest.) I’ve lived in this city for 7 (holy guacamole) years and the fact that there are still things to discover is one of my favorite things about this little Slice-o-Heaven. So, I’m starting, along with some of my friends, to do a Normaltown Food Discovery Adventure.  If you live in Athens or have been here for a visit, I’m hoping to enlighten you on some hidden gems off the beaten path.  The second part of the project involves t-shirts and you (and your friends.) I’m just going to leave that tantalizing little nugget out there until more of the details come together… so stay tuned.  Normaltown Food Discovery Adventure, commence! 
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    Monday Love - Normaltown 


    I’m a big fan of projects. My Myers-Briggs test indicated I am bad at follow-through, so giving tasks the title of “Project!” really helps get me motivated to stick with something. Probably some left over fear from grade school about not getting A’s or getting into college, but I digress. 

    The new project I’m tackling is really two-fold. First, I just moved to a new neighborhood and am constantly discovering new things about the city of Athens because of said-move.  What I’m talking about here, people, is food (if I’m being honest.) I’ve lived in this city for 7 (holy guacamole) years and the fact that there are still things to discover is one of my favorite things about this little Slice-o-Heaven. So, I’m starting, along with some of my friends, to do a Normaltown Food Discovery Adventure.  If you live in Athens or have been here for a visit, I’m hoping to enlighten you on some hidden gems off the beaten path. 

    The second part of the project involves t-shirts and you (and your friends.) I’m just going to leave that tantalizing little nugget out there until more of the details come together… so stay tuned. 

    Normaltown Food Discovery Adventure, commence! 

    August 27, 2012

  12. Wise food choices, Gangster. Wise. 

    July 18, 2012
  13. Packing Day Ike & Jane with Mama #eatingoodinthehood (Taken with Instagram at Ike & Jane)
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    Packing Day Ike & Jane with Mama #eatingoodinthehood (Taken with Instagram at Ike & Jane)

    July 16, 2012
  14. Neon pancakes with the youths! (Taken with Instagram)
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    Neon pancakes with the youths! (Taken with Instagram)

    July 14, 2012
  15. The Forgotten Photos // Oh My Sweet Carolina BBQ. June. Athens.
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    The Forgotten Photos //

    Oh My Sweet Carolina BBQ. June. Athens.

    July 13, 2012