M is for Mother, and May...Specials!

Do you have a birthday, anniversary or other special event coming up? I know the approach of summertime gets busy right about now - it's the perfect time to earn host rewards so you can have a fabulous summer break! For me, May brings my wedding anniversary, my daughter's birthday, my mother-in-law's birthday, Mother's Day (which, I hope, I don't have to worry about), and this year I will also be attending a wedding shower. All this makes my head spin!

Be sure and check out May's specials - it comes with a Mother's Day special as well as our regular host & customer rewards! It's time to party!

Chicken Broccoli Braid

Here's what you'll need:

* 2 cups cooked, chopped chicken breast
* 1/2 cream cheese (or mayo)
* 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
* 1 cup chopped broccoli
* 1/4 cup chopped onion
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
* 2 or 3 cloves of pressed garlic 
* 8oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese
* 2 pkgs dinner croissants 
* Sliced almonds
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place broccoli, onion, bell pepper, garlic and cream cheese in bowl and mix together. Roll out croissants onto baking sheet and press them together to make a rectangular shape. Place and layer all ingredients down the middle of rectangle. Slice 1 1/2 inch cuts down each side, about 2 inches apart. Pull once slice from each slide at a time, twist, and stick together. Do this all the way down the rectangle. Brush with an egg white and top with sliced almonds. Bake for approximately 25-28 minutes or until golden brown.




Slice, serve and enjoy! 

Now, if you're like me, I buy in bulk, so when I get home I separate my meat by the pound and chicken breasts into bags with usually 3 in each. Since there's three of us in this house right now that eat solid foods, I almost always have three frozen breasts. In this case, I cook my chicken in the crock pot in a broth with garlic. This makes the chicken very tender and easy to shred. I also had plenty of chicken left over from this recipe. So, with a little bit of Biltmore's Weston Wheeler BBQ sauce we were able to have "pulled chicken" sandwiches! As my son would say, "DEELISH!"

Tax Day Giveaway

On April 17th only, place an order through me tax free! 

Here's how to order:
1) Choose your items
2) email or call me with your order (I will have to manually enter the order)
3) I can take your credit card info either over the phone or via email, which ever makes you more comfortable.
4) Enjoy your entire order tax free!


Need a Mothers Day gift? Upcoming birthdays? Ready to host a summer BBQ or party? Just want to make dinner without too much fuss? Our catalog has ALL the products and menu items you'd need for a super supper or great gift! On April 17th, enjoy your entire order free of any taxes! 

Email: inspirationsbybmw@gmail.com

Phone: 904-923-0220

Latest creations and shin-digs

You didn't think I'd post pictures of food I've prepared with a glass of wine, did you? Ha! The other night I had a great, delicious and HEALTHY(ish) meal. First, I made a Quinoa salad. Did you know it's pronounced Keen-wah? I didn't. Anyway, the salad contained chopped onion, tomatoes, cucumber, black beans, corn, cilantro and lime juice. It was very good. Then, the really healthy part came from Papa Murphy's: the Chicken Mediterranean deLight pizza. This contained garlic, olive oil, chicken, spinach and sun dried tomatoes. That too tasted quite awesome. All this was accompanied by the ambiance of my little candle in the little lantern (Courtyard Collection) and of course my Easter birdy.





On the left you will see a DEELISH dessert. I call it "Lemon Raspberry Squares." Original, I know. I simply used a box recipe for the lemon squares and then I added about 1/3 cup of Biltmore's Raspberry Syrup to an 8oz tub of Cool Whip. Once the lemon bars were cooled, I topped them with the raspberry whippies and then drizzled a little bit more of the syrup on top.


Now, for my Easter decor I simply had a TON OF FUN! Is there anyway to exaggerate that any more? Once we were done coloring our eggs I put them in my Blue Ridge Pedestal Dish. Then I started adding accents and snapping away with my camera.

 Accompanied by my Vineyard Grape Basket and Courtyard Lanterns, this made my console table ready to welcome the Easter Bunny. Some spring flowers, candles and eggs just made this a joy for my eyes to gaze upon. It might just be me, but I love the colors and feelings that are associated with Spring and Easter.

 Now, for my own touch of creativity (which I am proud of because I hardly feel creative at all), I planned a surprise party for my mother's 60th birthday. As part of her gift I got her the Olmsted Oak dining set and the Acorns. I wrapped the boxes and hot-glued some colorful flowers on instead of using bows. My dad got her the Fleur de Lis Wine Chiller and I filled that with flowers and bottles of wine and cards that our family sent before the party. It was a lot of fun, especially since she had no idea. And of course, she loved the gifts!

New Ideas from our Fall Collections

There's sooooooo much more coming from Biltmore! As for April, below are a couple of informational flyers regarding hosting and starting your own business. The May specials come with a Mother's Day appreciation and deals on some our newest Spring collections! Once I can post the May flyer I will have it up!

 

Did you order wonderful stuff in the Fall only to find we came out with a Spring catalog? No fear! Our home decor items are so versatile you can use them for almost anything you want: Organization in the playroom, kitchen decor, hosting large parties and more!

Lisa Conard wine chiller being used as utensil holder

Vineyard Vase and candle pillar holders with a Spring touch

Don't have any food to bake in this dish, just plant flowers!

Because many of our items are food safe, this allows then to be used for so many things. As for me, I don't really drink a lot of white wine so the need for a wine chiller isn't very pressing. I do love the Lisa Conard collection, and the wine chiller, for me, would make a great vase or as a tool to organize.
Another item I really love, and can't wait to have it the white Vineyard Vase. This vase really does signify all that I desire to have in house as decor. It's classic and traditional, yet you can do so much to give it a modern twist. As a girl born in Texas, I am a little bit country through and through.

Biltmore Estate Gardens

Stroll acres of formal and informal gardens designed by America's foremost landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted. From the formal beauty of the Italian Garden to the breathtaking presence of ancient trees in America's first managed forests, Biltmore's lush landscape is a living tribute to Olmsted's genius. Our horticultural experts continually work to preserve the original vision for the gardens and grounds, including our All America Rose Garden featuring more than 250 varieties.

Annual Bloom Calendar

With Mother Nature's cooperation, you may see the following blooms during the year. In addition to this general list, take a look at our "must–see" list from our gardeners.

Early April

Darwin Hybrid Tulip varieties begin blooming in the Walled Garden, Estate Entry, and Winery beds. Other estate blooms include early flowering shrubs and trees, forsythia, spirea, magnolia, and flowering cherries.

Mid–April

Darwin Hybrids Tulips usually at peak in the Walled Garden, Estate Entry, and Winery beds. Other estate blooms include spring bulbs, dogwoods, and redbuds.

Late April

Single late tulips fill the Walled Garden, Estate Entry, and Winery beds, until the last week when poppies, snapdragons, and pansies are planted. Other estate blooms include hybrid azaleas and various flowering shrubs.

May

Poppies, snapdragons, and pansies in Walled Garden, Estate Entry, and Winery beds. Other estate blooms include native azaleas (first week is usually the peak), and various flowering shrubs.

Late May—Late September

Summer annuals fill the Walled Garden, Estate Entry, and Winery beds. Other estate blooms include roses and perennials.

June—August

In addition to summer annuals, other estate blooms include native rhododendron and perennials.

Mid–September—October

Hundreds of vibrant chrysanthemums and salvias fill the Walled Garden, Estate Entry, and Winery beds.

Mid–Late October

Fall foliage colors.

Easter Came, Easter Went

Easter was super fun! We did all the traditional activities: coloring eggs, a community egg hunt, the Easter Bunny showed up Sunday morning and then we went to Grammy's house for Easter dinner. Below are pictures from all the events, so please enjoy!