Picked up a bottle of Vodka sauce at the grocery store and decided to give it a try….
Prepping the Vodka sauce, browning meats and sautéing the veggies!
Cooked thin spaghetti with creamy vodka sauce, Italian sausage and roasted tomatoes and onions for dinner! Served with fresh garden salads with Italian dressing and garlic toast. Nom nom nom!
xo Sarina Maynor
The Full Belly Diaries 🍴
The Full Belly Diaries
MY plan was to gain a few pounds while I was in New Orleans. Goal accomplished. I also want to thank my One-a-Day Women’s multivitamins for giving me that extra boost I needed to pack on a few lbs. My metabolism is just too high, always has been. And for that reason alone I’ve always said I was a big girl trapped in a skinny girls body.
Eat what makes YOU happy!
Loaded MultiGrain Scoops with diced tomatoes, salsa, cheddar cheeses and sour cream! Nommmmm
Pepperoni and extra cheese pizza from Pizza Hut!
{ With ranch dressing and a Mountain Dew }
Yummy midnight snacks:
My grandma’s favorite, Cool Whip Sandwich
PB&J and toast with apple butter!!
•Philly Cheese Steak on Texas Toast with peppers and Sweet Potato fries!
•Bowl of chili with shredded cheese and saltine crackers!
•And a Huddle Burger with cheese and French Fries
Huddle House in Aiken, SC!
xo Sarina Maynor
The Full Belly Diaries 🍴
The Full Belly Diaries
After eating my first Blackened Po Boy in New Orleans I could not wait to experiment with the Blackening technique! So I did a little researching and discovered what has now become one of my favorite meals!
From the moment my chicken hit the hot skillet and started blackening around the bubbling butter I knew this would be a huge hit in my household!
I used these recipes:
http://dixiemockingbird.hubpages.com/hub/Blackened-Catfish
http://fashionablyfoodie.blogspot.com/2008/11/blackened-chicken-pasta.html?m=1
And please watch this video…it will make you want to cook this dish I promise:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7jFxMv2WAA
Blackened Chicken & Shrimp with pasta and creamy Alfredo sauce and garlic cheese toast!
SoOo spicy and delish! The whole house smelled like NOLA 💗
Recipes here:
http://thefullbellydiaries.tumblr.com/post/18426313855/blackenedchicken
I can not tell you how good this dish was! The spices were on point, and took me back to New Orleans immediately! Sooo delish! Nom nom nom
xo Sarina Maynor
The Full Belly Diaries 🍴
The Full Belly Diaries
Hey hey…sorry I’ve been M.I.A!
I just got back from New Orleans for Mardi Gras! I have soooo many awesome dishes to share with you guys! We ate so much food, I think I came home a pound heavier or two (got my fingers crossed!)
Club Sandwiches with turkey, ham, bacon, lettuce, tomato mustard and cheese with waffle fries before we started our road trip!
Cinnamon Roll Frappuccino from Greg’s in Aiken, SC! Omg soOo delish!
Bacon egg & cheese biscuit, Hashbrowns and French toast sticks with syrup for breakfast! By this point the sun was up and we were in Alabama 
We were soOo tired the first night! We ordered a Half Pepperoni and Cheese Pizza! Yummy!
Room service at the Sheraton New Orleans
Our New Orleans trip would not be complete without visiting Oceana! It’s one of my favorite restaurants off Bourbon Street!
Our seats had amazing views of the chaos that is Mardi Gras…we actually witnessed Mardi Gras Cops passing right by our window!
…And Crabcakes fans listen up…Oceana’s crabcakes are to die for! Famous! I can’t believe we didn’t order some as our appetizer this time! I had to take a pic of their menu, couldn’t help but notice the gator…Louisiana classic!
So the next time you’re in New Orleans, stop by
739 Conti (Corner of Conti and Bourbon) • (504) 525-6002
HOURS: Breakfast 8am-1pm • Lunch 10am-4pm • Dinner 4pm-1am
http://oceanagrill.com
Oceana’s Blackened Chicken Po Boy dressed with remoulade sauce, coleslaw, tomato, pickles and onions with fries! It was so good, I ate the ENTIRE thing and didn’t put it down not one time until it was finished! Finger lickin’ good!
And Oceana’s signature dish Redfish Oceana, sautéed redfish with crawfish mushroom cream sauce served with roasted potatoes and vegetables!
Razzmatazz and Peachtree Jeremiah Weed Tea from Oceana’s! Love this stuff
Sirloin steak well done with a loaded baked potato, fresh garden salad and sourdough baguettes!
I ordered the Pork Ribeye with mashed potatoes and gravy! Nom nom nom!
The Ember’s Original Bourbon House is another one of my favorite restaurants in New Orleans, probably due to their perfect location on Bourbon Street and incredible cuisine! This time we didn’t sit upstairs on the balcony, but opted for a beautiful window seat by Bourbon! As we sat enjoying our meal, the hustle and bustle of Mardi Gras festivities continued outside!
So stop by Embers: The Original Bourbon House
700 Bourbon Street at St. Peter
(504) 523-1485
reservations@karnocompanies.com
www.emberssteakhouse.com (and try their French Onion Soup, it’s my FAV! Due to it being Mardi Gras they had a special menu but any other time of the year you HAVE to order some!)
Had so much fun sipping Hand Grenades on the balcony of Tropical Isle on Bourbon St! Everyone says its the strongest and best drink in New Orleans and I have to agree…it’s sweet, sour, and strong at the same time and very easy to drink! Love them
http://www.tropicalisle.com/
These Rum & Pineapple cocktails were probably one of the strongest drinks we consumed during our trip! After a night out on the town, we decided to get one more drink in the lobby of the Sheraton New Orleans and couldn’t even finish them! We normally drink 3-4-1’s in 32oz cups but the bartender decided three shots of rum wouldn’t hurt us. When I woke up the next morning, both cocktails were still sitting on the counter. I guess we had enough alcohol for one day!
Fiji water at Copeland’s Cheesecake Bistro!
I finally had FRENCH ONION SOUP at Copeland’s Cheesecake Bistro!
Traditional rich beef broth of stewed onions topped with toasted French bread, smothered with melted Swiss and Mozzarella cheeses. I can not tell you how cheesy and delicious it was! I savored every spoonful of onion, bread and cheese! Mmm mm mmm..
Branson ordered the FRENCH CLUB- Thinly sliced roasted turkey breast, crisp smoked bacon, lettuce, sliced tomatoes and garlic mayonnaise stacked on toasted French bread.
I totally understand how the BBQ SHRIMP LINGUINE is a CCB Classic! Jumbo shrimp sautéed with green onions, Creole seasoning and lemon butter garlic sauce over linguine in our original cheese pizza bowl. The pasta, bread and shrimp had soOo much flavor!
Copeland’s Cheesecake Bistro is one of my fav restaurants! Their food is absolutely amazing and the dining experience is one of the most cozy, romantic Southern experiences you can ask for.
http://www.copelandscheesecakebistro.com/
Light refreshments in Private Club Lounge at The Sheraton New Orleans! We stopped by for snacks and ended up enjoying wine, cocktails and the breathtaking river views of New Orleans! This was Red Diamond Merlot, assorted aged cheeses, roast beef, steamed Asian vegetables, mixed fruit, sausage & cream cheese croissants, and the bet homemade French Dip I’ve ever eaten! It was so fresh and the texture was unbelievable!
http://www.sheratonneworleans.com/rooms/club-room
Raspberry Truffletini and Tira Misu Martini from Carousel Bar at Hotel Monteleone 🍸
My new favorite bar in New Orleans, hands down! I’m so mad at myself for not going to this place four years in a row now. I will never go to New Orleans again without stopping by for a spin at the Carousel Bar. It truly is New Orleans hidden gem!
Read more here:
http://www.gonola.com/2010/07/14/3008.html
…and visit Hotel Monteleone at
http://hotelmonteleone.com/
Branson ordered two shots of 18 year old Scotch by Macallan! I was so scared to taste it at first but it turned out to be incredibly smooth! Also a Bacardi Coconut rum with pineapple at Hotel Monteleone’s Carousel Bar 💋
http://hotelmonteleone.com/
As you can see, we had a blast in New Orleans! It truly is the best city on earth! And the food trumps all ☝
xo Sarina Maynor
The Full Belly Diaries 🍴
The Full Belly Diaries
Hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine’s Day this year! This one is for all you LOVE birds out there…I admit, I’m a huge hopeless romantic myself!
Branson ordered the special ribeye, well done with a salad with ranch dressing which was delicious *(I couldn’t help but nibble at it the whole time!) and a loaded baked potato…I forgot to flash the bacon, cheese & sour cream! You get the picture 
Mmm mm mmm!
I ordered the Chicken-N-Dumplins platter with Mac & Cheese, fried apples and buttermilk biscuits! And trust me, my grandma seriously snuck in and whipped them up! Haha
The next night I made hamburger steak! I couldn’t help but continue the Valentine’s Day spirit and mold two of the patties in hearts! Über cute
Hamburger steak with brown gravy and sautéed onions and steamed broccoli with cheese tonight! Delicious and über cute!
I also cooked Roasted Chicken Breasts with Turkey Stuffing and Gravy with cranberry sauce!
Can you say mini-Thanksgiving dinner mouthwatering explosion of flavors! Especially in the middle of February. I want to thank my Grandma Narva for the fixins’! Tonight’s dinner was devine!
…and FINALLY the good stuff! Valentine’s Day wouldn’t be complete without something SWEET 💋
Marshmallow treats with White Chocolate Hershey Kisses 💗
xo Sarina 💋
The Full Belly Diaries 🍴
The Full Belly Diaries
http://hotelmonteleone.com/
Last night I popped a few Mint chocolate chip cookies in the oven before we started watching ‘Margin Call’…As I was staring at them patiently cooking in the oven I decided to throw a few more chocolate chips on those bad boys! The empty space between the mint and bubbling cookie dough screamed for more chocolate!!
Oh man these cookies converted me into a mint chocolate chip lover! Before I thought people were weirdos ordering mint chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream….now I totally understand where they were coming from! The combo of mint and chocolate is perfect!!
Who said milkshakes were not Winter appropriate?!
I could have settled for just a cappuccino milkshake, but after leaning halfway across the car and seeing ‘Cajun chicken sandwich’ and ‘onion rings’ staring at me how could a sweet Southern girl say no!?
Branson ordered the barbecue sandwich Cookout tray with hush puppies, onion rings and a corn dog as his sides, and a Peach Cobbler milkshake!
I listened to my roaring belly and ordered the Cajun chicken sandwich with no mayonnaise, onion rings and fries ( I asked for Cajun seasoning but I guess I threw her all off by asking for no mayo) and my favorite milkshake everrrr, Mrs. Cappuccino!
Ummmm, soOo delish!
Last night my friend Mela introduced me to the Philly Cheesesteak pizza from Domino’s. I have to say, I was quite surprised by its flavors…I could have sworn I was taking a bite out of a juicy pepper steak sub there for a second. Domino’s, well done my friends..well done!
Ever since they quit delivering pizza near our location we haven’t bothered with them. Now they’ve given me a reason to pick up one of their pies!
Oh yeah, and that’s my Strawberry Fanta! I haven’t drank one in years…i probably spent and arm and a leg in high school in the drink machines buying these…especially the peach ones! Why am I imagining the Fanta girl’s dancing around in their fancy bell bottom pants all of a sudden?! Oh sweet memories!
See these pics and more at The Full Belly Diaries
Happy Eating!
xo Sarina
There’s nothing like a good ole’ Hardee’s biscuit!
Branson’s Sausage & cheese biscuit and my biscuit & gravy plate with scrambled eggs, hash browns and bacon!
This past week we celebrated Branson’s Birthday! I’m a sucker for birthdays…and of course cooking birthday cakes!
I found a really simple recipe for the cake and buttercream icing : Birthday Cake & Icing
His mom invited us over for dinner where she served lasagna, garlic bread and her amazing loaded salad bar…with my fav salad topping ever, PINEAPPLE! I can’t get enough of it!
Branson’s Birthday dinner was soOo DELISH! Happy 28th *
