A lot of being a Lifestylist® is about being a trend tracker and doing research. Today I read something that was written by someone else titled “Social Media Lifestylist Guidelines for 2012″ – boy does that sound dull! The first thing that comes to mind is a big dusty manual full of rules and regulations, and that is exactly what social media (and being a Lifestylist®) is not about.

The tag line I have always used for my Lifestylist® brand is “It’s All About You”. I didn’t want the brand to be about me telling people what to do – I wanted to listen to people’s wants, needs, and dreams, and help them achieve those even when they didn’t know that’s what they were really searching for. I don’t want to dictate, I want to educate. I’ve learned that listening is so much more important than anything I will ever have to say, because sometimes if you let people express their thoughts they will find their answers.

Social media is such an exciting new frontier because it gives everyone the chance to tell their story to the universe. It’s become a great equalizer because almost anyone  on any budget can get access to a computer and a free site and share their thoughts.

There’s a down side to this though as well -there’s not as much editing as we’ve seen in the past. We have to learn that even though someone may have written it, there is the possibility it might not be true. Before we share or depend on information we find we have to be sure and check the facts. As the guardian of the Lifestylist® trademark for almost 10 years now I’ve seen how many people want to tie into my brand but aren’t willing to go through the legal process to acquire a brand of their own.

So what are the real Lifestylist’s guidelines for 2012? Never call them guidelines, live your life to the fullest, listen to those around you and you can never laugh too much or have too much great food and wine!

Here’s to a boisterous 2012!

Breakfast is a hard meal for me, and I know that my daughter has a tough time getting something healthy into my grandkids before they all head out to school. This is the LifestylistFood® version of a recipe I found on Pinterest, and I’m crazy about it! It’s easy enough that the kids can make them themselves. By adding the ham and cheese you get some nutrients that can hold you over until lunch, and these are so moist you don’t need butter or anything else on them. Be sure not to substitute something else for the buttermilk – it gives these the moistness and kick that makes these so special.

Breakfast Biscuits

Ingredients:

1/4 cup lean ham, sliced and chopped
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups Bisquick®

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Put all ingredients into a bowl and stir just until combined. Scoop into buttered muffin tins, and bake 15-18 minutes or until tops are lightly browned.

Happy Thanksgiving! This holiday is about food and family, but even more than that I like to use it to remind me how thankful I am for what I have, and for those around me.

For over 25 years my parents were very active doing disaster relief with The Salvation Army, and even raised the money for a state of the art canteen for the Tyler Texas location. Whenever there was a disaster or need and my parents got a call they dropped everything and hit the road. One of the most memorable phone calls I ever received was when Hurricane Katrina hit and my parents answered the call. They called me when they were outside the Super Dome not having a clue what was going on inside. For six weeks they were in the French Quarter feeding the volunteers – my Dad always joked he always wanted to have a restaurant in the French Quarter and he finally got his wish!

Whenever this Lifestylist® could I joined them on the road helping my Mom cook up to 2,000 hot meals a day and seeing first hand what mother nature can dish out. People were so sweet and hospitable, even though many had lost everything that they had. It was always hard to leave – I wanted to stay there and help rebuild.

This year I have been blessed to be involved with three amazing organizations – Shared Housing, Genesis Women’s Shelter and HomeAid/Homebuilders Care. I am always so drawn to the kids – many of them have seen things we can’t even imagine, but they always have the best manners, always say please, thank-you and give the best hugs

It’s harder than ever to make a living, but even if you can’t make a donation to a worthwhile charity think about donating your time -you’ll be very thankful that you did.

It’s hard to believe that this Lifestylist® made it  through another year of The State Fair of Texas cooking contests! I am thrilled with the ribbons I won, and even though I missed a few of the contests I usually enter so I could take part in the Thermador Design Council, the information I received (as well as being pampered and having a chef cook almost every meal for us) was better than any ribbon.

When I’m thinking about what I want to enter and I’m looking for those special tools, Sur La Table is always my first stop. After I bought a digital candy thermometer there I started winning in the candy contests and now I can’t imagine life without it. I also know they will always have the perfect pan, cruet, or sea salt to make my entries stand out.

A few years ago I was fortunate enough to get to photograph an event at the Dallas Sur La Table that was a book signing with Martha Stewart! For three hours I had a chance to see this icon in person, and for the record she could not have been more gracious. The Sur La Table team made the event go seamlessly, and everyone had a wonderful time.

When I was at the Thermador Culinary Center last week I heard great news – Sur La Table is now featuring Thermador appliances in many of their kitchens! Now you have the opportunity to take some of their cooking classes and be able to try out the steam oven and many of the other innovations that Thermador offers.

Thermador and Sur la Table – I can’t think of a better pairing!

Geri is on the Thermador National Design Council with Lifestylist® Suzanne Felber, and we are hoping an invitation comes our way so we can see this beautiful new location in person!

Mango Coconut Cobbler

Ingredients:
1 Box Yellow Cake Mix
1/2 Cup Butter, softened
4 Cups Fresh or frozen mango, or Tropical Fruit – cubed (mango, papaya, pineapple and strawberries)
2 Cups Water
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Coconut, flaked

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a bowl mic cake mix with softened butter – set aside.  In an oblong pan place tropical fruit, add water and sugar then stir. Crumble butter and cake mix mixture on top of fruit, then sprinkle with coconut.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

I’m honored to be on the Design Council for Thermador Appliances, and on a recent visit to their amazing Thermador showroom in Scottsdale, AZ -they put us to work. We got to experience these appliances first hand, and prepared a fabulous dinner that we all enjoyed. My favorite item of all things that we prepared was the Creamed Spinach – who knew? Thermador shared the recipe with me, and since then it has become one of my favorite recipes to share. When I just got to spend some time with my grandkids we prepared this together and they loved it! Thank you Thermador for sharing this great, simple recipe that everyone enjoys. I’m going to return the favor and share it with you here.

Creamed Spinach

5 lbs. of fresh spinach, cleaned of stems and rinsed

1/4 cup butter

1 shallot, fine dice

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp. nutmeg

1 C. heavy cream

shredded Parmesan cheese

salt & pepper to taste

Bring a large stockpot full of water to a boil. Blanche the spinach for only 10 seconds.

Put blanched spinach in a colander and press out as much liquid as possible, then chop.

Melt the butter in a large rimmed skillet over medium heat and add the shallot and garlic. Cook until tender, about 4 minutes.

To that, add the drained spinach, nutmeg and heavy cream. Bring to a light simmer.

Transfer to a bowl and using an immersion blender, blend the ingredients to a uniform consistency.

Place in a heat proof serving bowl and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. Place under broiler until cheese is golden brown – enjoy!

Joanne’s signature Habanero Corn will be featured in a new way – Habanero Cream Corn and Crab Soup. Author and Cheese Expert Liz Thorpe of Murray’s Cheese in NYC will be in attendance. This is the first in a series of dinners featuring artisan cheeses and great brews paired with of course… food and fun.

Here’s the menu for this amazing evening:

Passed Hors d’Oeuvres
French Feta Stuffed Green Olives
Salami & Fontina Fontal Panini’s
Bourbon Cured Pickles with Aged Gouda
Blonde Ale – Fireman’s # 4 Longneck – Blanco, Texas

First Course
Habanero Corn and Crab Soup with Satori Sarvecchio Parmesan Crostini
Pale Ale – Lost Gold IPA – Blanco, Texas

Second Course
Heirloom Tomato Salad with DiStefano Burrata
Lemon Basil Vinaigrette
Hefeweizen – Widmer Wheat Beer – Portland, Oregon

Entrée
Beef Tenderloin with Smoke Haus Blue & Bacon Gratin
Warm Potato Salad
Herbed White Asparagus
Mustard Seed Braun Sauce
Ale – Brooklyn Brown Ale – Brooklyn, New York

Dessert
Blueberry Pie with Lavender Butter
VBC Cremont Cheese Ice Cream
Barleywine Style – Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Ale – Chico, California

Executive Chef Joanne Bondy                      Sous Chef Michael West

One of my favorite ways to enjoy this seasonal favorite is Chef Joanne Bondy’s Habanero Cream Corn. Joanne is the Executive Chef at the Old Hickory restaurant at the Gaylord Texan. Part of the summer series at the Gaylord is Jr. Chef Camp, and this dish is always one of the favorites that that kids prepare.

If you can’t get to the Gaylord Texan to enjoy this dish, Chef Bondy has shared the recipe here so you can try it at home.