Italiano...

If you ever have the chance to travel to Italy, one place you absolutely MUST visit is the Amalfi Coast.  Tyler (the hubs) and I were fortunate enough to be able to honeymoon there, and it was hands down one of the best places I have ever visited.

We began our trip in Sorrento which is a little town located right on the Amalfi Coast and known for their phenomenal Limoncello.

Lemons of Sorrento

Sorrento Lemons

Yes, the lemons were really this big....so I guess you see why Sorrento is known for its Limoncello!

Sorrento's Version of the Green Man

Limonoro in Sorrento

Limonoro is a limoncello factory located right in the heart of Sorrento and this lemon liquor oh so tasty!  Limoncello is also perfect to sip on after a meal as it acts as a digestive.

Societa Operaia | Sorrento

Above is a local meeting place in downtown Sorrento....the mural is just gorgeous don't you think?

Not far from Sorrento is Pompeii, which will easily take a full day to visit, and what better way to visit the remains of Mt. Vesuvius's wrath than with an Italian picnic?

Local Deli in Sorrento

Tyler and I made a pit stop at this quaint deli in the heart of Sorrento before our day trip to Pompeii.  We made sure to get their wonderful cured meat, fresh cheese and bread, a small bottle of EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) and to wash it all down, a bottle of Prosecco! 

Tyler & I at Pompeii w/ Picnic in Hand | Mt. Vesuvius in the Distance

Since that picnic day, Tyler and I have come up with our own version of bringing a little bit of Italy home...

Italian Sub

Recipe ::

(1) Hoagie Bun {we like Pepperidge Farm}

Mayo {Bama or Duke's is oh so yummy}

Cheese {Provolone or Muenster is a nice pairing}

Pepperoni

Genoa Salami, Capicola, Prosciutto

Lettuce

Dried Basil and/or Oregano

Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

Drizzle of EVOO

ENJOY!

Wash down this tasty Italian sub with sparkling water, or if you're feeling really Italian, a carafe of white wine or Prosecco!  Afterwards enjoy a piping hot espresso or sip on a little Limoncello.

Italian Espresso

WINE!!!

Literally they brought out an entire carafe of wine with every meal.....

Another stop you must make while visiting the Amalfi Coast is Positano, a quaint boating town right on the coast.....and you have to take a bus, or if you're really daring, a scooter, to get there...

Ride along Amalfi Coast

You may not want to look down on this exhilarating ride down the Amalfi Coast full of hairpin turns on a road built originally to only fit mules....

Loved the detail on these steps!

Positano

Having a Cocktail at a Positano Cafe

Positano Market

Make sure to visit the markets before you leave!

I could fill this post with pages and pages of beautiful pictures along the Amalfi Coast, but there just isn't enough room!!  So, I hope you have gotten a little peek of why you simply must put the Amalfi Coast on your list of top places to visit!!

View from Hotel | Sorrento

Ciao!

Effortless Entertaining...

For When You Have a Surprise Guest

I think we can all agree that at sometime in our lives we have had one of those long time friends we haven't seen since college, a mother in-law that "happens" to be in town, a cousin you haven't seen since the last reunion and your not even sure how or if you are actually related, who want to stop by and "catch up" - hence, the Surprise Guest.

Being a Southern lady, or any good hostess no matter where you reside, you must always be prepared.   Whether it be having a refreshment to offer to that surprise guest or have something in your pantry that you can whip up quickly for that tea or shower you forgot about until the last minute {which I hate to say, but I tend to do this ALL the time - never fails}, it is always comforting to know that if you had to come up with something quickly you could do so at a moments notice because you are prepared.

Today's blog walks you through being an effortless hostess on a moments notice, and following up from our Returning an American Bungalow to Its Southern Roots :: Part II, I have included my Great-Aunt Macy's famed oyster cracker recipe.

Aunt Macy's Oyster Crackers

Quill Notes Tip :: You probably already have all of these ingredients in your pantry, and if not, after seeing how easy this recipe is you will be sure to include them as staple items!

{Ingredients}

1 Bag Oyster Crackers {We used Premium brand}

3/4 C Vegetable Oil {Canola works just as well}

1 Pack Ranch Seasoning {We used Hidden Valley}

2 tsp Dill Weed

1/2 tsp Lemon Pepper

1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

Ingredients Pre-Measured

{Directions}

Add oil + seasonings to large bowl

Canola Oil + Dill Weed + Lemon Pepper + Garlic Powder + Ranch Seasoning

Stir Oil + Seasonings until well blended

Mixing Oil + Seasonings

Add Oyster Crackers to Seasoned Oil + Stir, Stir, Stir

Quill Notes Tip :: You may also stretch saran wrap over the top of the bowl and shake until all of the oil is absorbed into the crackers.

Oyster Crackers + Seasoned Oil

And they are ready to eat!

Quill Notes Tip :: If you do know 24 hrs in advance that you will be having a guest, or could have a guest, this lovely snack is even better the next day!

Oyster Crackers after blended

 Now that we have this lovely + quick snack ready for our guest, look to your pantry + fridge to do the rest of the work.

My Aunt Macy always paired unique snacks together for her guests to snack on before a Sunday lunch or afternoon tea.  Next is what I came up with right from what I already had in stock - no need for a grocery run!

On the Menu ::

Aunt Macy's Oyster Crackers

Black Olives

Fresh Cut Grapefruit Wedges

Sparkling Grapefruit Water

I had a bottle of Perrier Sparkling Grapefruit water in my fridge, so I filled couple of my Williamsburg juice glasses + added a twisted sliver of grapefruit ride for garnish.

Perrier Sparkling Grapefruit Water

The bubbles from the carbonated water + the grapefruit rind garnish add a immediate feeling of glamour to this effortless drink.  Also, you will notice the candles in the back of the vintage bar - the light reflects off of all of the mirrors and makes the grapefruit water really sparkle!

Sparkling Grapefruit Water

I used a gilded candy dish to display the black olives + a vintage egg dish for displaying my cut grapefruit wedges and oyster crackers.

Olives + Oyster Crackers + Grapefruit Wedges

Effortless Entertaining

I opened up my vintage bar which was the perfect set up for entertaining my surprise guest.  The mirrored interior of the bar paired with a few votives add a little bit of luxury to this effortless set up. Also, don't forget those cocktail napkins {Cotton + Quill Cocktail Napkins Shown}!!

You can find cocktail napkins just about anywhere, so always keep a few packs in stock or if you want ones that you can reuse and feel more like a true dinner napkin try Cotton + Quill's !

Happy Entertaining!!