It’s dinner time! Delicious autumnal soup & sandwich

Last weekend mom and I packed into the car and made the drive to Ellijay to find some yummy apples and such. I’m just going to say right now it was a crazy drive. Way too many people on the road and a long drive. We did, however, find some yummy things, like fried pies and fresh apple cider, and strange things, like yards full of unicorns, that made the trip worth it. We came home with bags full of apples and sweet potatoes which inspired me to find healthy and delicious recipes to use these farm fresh ingredients.
Tonight was soup night. And it is delicious!

Curried Sweet Potato & Apple Soup

• 3 pounds sweet potatoes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 sweet onion
• 1 celery stalk
• 1 apple
• 2 large carrots
• 1 cup cream
• 24 oz. chicken stock
• 1 tsp. curry
• 1 tbsp. brown sugar
• dash red pepper flakes
• salt and black pepper

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400° F.
2. Prick the potatoes with a fork, place on a baking sheet, and roast until tender, 40 to 45 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, chop your onion, celery, carrots, and apple. Add to a large pot and cook with olive oil stirring occasionally, until soft, 10 to 12 minutes.
4. Halve the potatoes, scoop out the flesh, and add to the pot. Add chicken stock (I added about half a box of stock, so 24 oz.). Mash veggies. Add cream, curry, brown sugar, pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste. Cook until heated through, 8 to 10 minutes.
5. Serve and enjoy!

I served this yummy soup with these delicious crostini sandwiches.

Fig, Pear, & Brie Crostini
Slice ciabatta or other crusty bread. Toast the bread, drizzle with fig jam, top with brie, pear, and toasted walnuts. Drizzle more fig jam and add a fig or two to the top. So good!
Let me know what you think!

What is your favorite food on a chilly October night?

Bon Appetit!
Chelsea

Murder, Mystery, Madison.

• Girls weekend, check.


• Wonderful fall weather, check.


• Beautiful scenery and hospitality at the Madison Oaks Inn, double check.


• Murder Mystery dinner, check!!

I’ve been looking forward to this trip to Madison for months and I’m so, so glad I was able to go and with a wonderful friend. Madison, Georgia is an adorable small town filled with  fun antique shops, yummy restaurants, and it is chock full of beautiful historic homes. I only visited for the first time this year and it’s now one of my favorite places to ‘get away,’ it’s less than two hours away from metro Atlanta. My mother and I decided to visit earlier this spring for a girls weekend of our own and I knew immediately I wanted to stay at Madison Oaks Inn. We had the best time! So when earlier this summer Cheryl, the inn keeper, filled me in on a Murder Mystery weekend in October I was ready to sign up right away! My friend Ginny, a fellow lover of history and historic homes, was game too and we’ve been anxiously waiting for October to arrive. Here is how we spent our weekend in Madison!

 

 

We were greeted by beautiful fields of sunflowers entering town.

 

We made it to Madison Oaks!

 

 

 

Madison Oaks was originally called Poullain Heights.

 

 

 

Our beautiful room, the Sisters Room, for these sorority sisters;)

Jane has already made a friend.

 

Our view in the morning. Oak Alley.

 

Jane feels quite at home!

DeeVa has arrived!

Delicious breakfast!

 

     

We headed out for the day. First stop Belles & Beaux.

 

A piece of my past. I love this shop because they carry so many pretty things and I’ve worked for many companies they carry. Yves Delorme soap is the best and I love the smallest size, perfect for travel!

 

Jane is tweeting.

 

What is Jane cooking up?

 

So glamorous! J & K Antiques.

Oh my! Jane has met some dashing officers!

I don’t know why I didn’t see this last time we came but J & K Consignment has vintage clothes. This was so much fun! We scored some great deals and seriously cute ones at that!!

 

Keep Calm and Shop On. I love these Barbie prints. I have all the calendars that feature these prints and just saw the other day there is a new one for 2013! Can’t wait to get it. Check out Graphique de France.

 

What color stetson should Jane sport?

Well howdy!

Ahhhhh!!

One of my favorite booths at J & K antiques. Beautiful antique champagne glasses, Royal Doulton coffee pot, and Limoges soup bowls.

 

 

 

Had to stop by Madison Produce. So cheerful for fall. Going in here makes me want to pack a picnic!

 

 

Saturday was a busy day in Madison. There was a fall festival and chili cookoff going on downtown as well. We tested out some chili and as it was getting pretty toasty outside we had to get some homemade ice cream.

 

 

Homemade apple ice cream!

We came back to the inn to regroup and low and behold, DUN DUN DUN!!!, something terrible has happened. Hmmm. I guess we’ll find out soon what has occurred. Naturally I hadn’t the slightest clue. ;)

 

 

Jane is taking in the scenery. Love those curtains.

 

Beautiful stained glass windows.

 

After we regrouped and refreshed we decided to take a drive around Madison and see some of the beautiful homes tucked away on the side streets of Madison. Most of the homes are privately owned and therefore not open to the public, however, several times a year select homes are open to tour. I plan on attending the Christmas open house tour in several weeks and in the spring I attended Madison in May spring tour of homes. Get your holiday tickets today!

 

       

 

 

Beautiful fret work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After cruising around town we headed back to Madison Oaks and toured the grounds. It’s as relaxing as it looks.

 

 

 

Time to get ready. Part of my costume! I’m DeeVa Louder, a world famous opera singer.

 

What a cast of characters!

 

 

 

Mmm, homemade coconut cake just happens to be one of my favorites.

DeeVa & Lupe had a great time at dinner!

‘Kitty’s’ kitty cat. She’s cute but freaked some people out, Sophie the Pug included. She is a talking, moving, blinking stuffed animal.

Lucky for us neither Ginny nor myself were ‘murderers.’ The Murder Mystery Dinner was very fun and I really didn’t know what to expect since I ’ve never been to one but have always wanted to. It was a great group of participants and I highly recommend going the next time an event is planned!

 

       

       

R to L clockwise: Ginny and myself as DeeVa & Lupe; Cheryl, Madison Oaks Inn Keeper/Hildegard the maid and myself; Jane saying “It’s time for bed!”; and myself posing as DeeVa in her element.

 

Good Morning Sophie!

 

‘Hmm. What’s on your plate?’

 

Another delicious breakfast!

 

Carolyn Guest, author of the Southern Mansion Mystery series, was in attendance at our Murder Mystery weekend at Madison Oaks. Her newest book, number 5 in the series, features Historic Madison Georgia and takes place at Madison Oaks itself! I can’t wait to read the series and listening to her discuss her books has definitely added more places to visit to my bucket list! Be sure to check out her books here.





What a fun weekend! I hope you enjoy sharing the experience and hopefully Jane and I help inspire others to create memories of their own. Who else is heading to the Christmas open house tour in Madison? Any fun plans for this weekend?



Have a bright day!

Chelsea aka Bright Girl