Live Colorfully

Do you like my post title? Do you know where it's from? I'll give you a hint: I ripped it off from one of my favorite designers.

Speaking of designers, today I wanted to talk about some interior design. But what in the world could I be talking about if the title of this post is "live colorfully?" Paint. My husband and I painted all weekend, and I've got the aching biceps to prove it!

When we first moved in, we hired painters to paint our red kitchen a dark gray, to paint our pink guest room a pool blue, and to paint our yellow master bedroom a light gray (photos of those last two rooms coming soon). Those rooms were kind of tricky to paint (and we hadn't purchased a ladder yet), so I'm glad we paid to have them done. Most of the house was fortunately painted in colors we would have chosen, but there were still a couple more rooms that we wanted to redesign. Now that we had been in for a couple of months (and had purchased a ladder), we decided to go the DIY route and paint these rooms ourselves.

Upon entering our home, the first room on the left is a large room that the previous owners used as a playroom. We hadn't used it as anything yet. It's just a giant, green, empty room.

 After much brainstorming (about how my husband could have a lawyer office that smelled of rich mahogany) and much dreaming (about how I could play Belle in a library with a sliding ladder), we decided to turn this room into a study. In order to create this room in a way that lives up to the standards we imagined, we'll probably have to do it little by little over the course of a year or two. We're talking about building shelving, shopping for a couple of leather chairs, and updating my husband's desk set. For now, we decided to start this project with a change from the serene green to a more vibrant garnet.

The other room we wanted to paint was my beige craft room in the basement. I wanted a room that was whimsical and inspiring. We decided to paint three of the walls with the same pool blue paint that we used in the guest room.

For the fourth wall, I had a different plan. What's more whimsical and inspiring than an entire wall of chalkboard?!

These two rooms took two days, on and off, to paint ourselves. It was nice to have someone else paint for us, but doing it ourselves was so much more gratifying. We were incredibly proud of ourselves, and we had fun in the process! I mean, any serious project demands some not-so-serious moments:

Intense tape ball is intense. And look! I'm making an intense face.

Chelsea was exhausted from not helping.

Stay tuned! More on my craft room later.

This Pudding is Bananas

Let me just start off by saying that it's rare for me to write about a non-chocolate dessert; when I do, it's because it's absolutely worth it. I recently traveled to New York to visit my sister. Many of my favorite memories from that trip involve food (shocker), and one of my favorite places that we noshed was Magnolia Bakery. Magnolia Bakery is famous for their cupcakes, as well as many other "icebox desserts." Perhaps the most famous of the icebox desserts is their banana pudding. Every New Yorker I was with told me I had to try it. Yes, even though it wasn't chocolate.

I know I have a tendency to oversell things (I'm easily amused - what can I say?), but this was the best banana pudding I've ever had. It kind of made me sad because it was so good, and after this trip it would be several states away. Fortunately, I found the recipe on Pinterest. I tried it, and it's legit.

Magnolia Bakery's Banana Pudding (from Not Too Shabby / via Pinterest)


Ingredients:

• 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 1/2 cups very cold water
• 1 (3.4 oz) package of Jell-O instant vanilla pudding mix
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 1 (12 oz) box Nabisco Nilla Wafers
• 3-4 ripe (but not banana bread ripe) bananas, sliced

Directions

1. Beat together sweetened condensed milk and water for about 1 minute. Add the pudding mix and beat for an additional two minutes. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to set for at least 4 hours (overnight is fine).
2. Beat cream until stiff peaks form. Stir in pudding mixture once it's set.
3. Assemble the dessert in a large glass dish (so you can see the pretty layers!), preferably a trifle bowl. Place 1/3 of the Nilla Wafers in the dish, then cover with 1/3 of the banana slices, then 1/3 of the pudding mixture. Repeat with the two additional layers. Garnish with Nilla Wafer crumbs. Serve within the next day so that your bananas don't get too soggy!

What's your favorite dish you've discovered while on vacation?

Vlog Friday: I'm Back!

Remember a long time ago when I did this series called Vlog Friday? Well, I miss it, so I've decided to return!


Today's topic: What's the worst haircut you've ever had? Describe it! Bonus points for pictures! Well, I hate to disappoint, but my story isn't that interesting. The good news is that somehow, my dog managed to pull apart our air vent...I don't know, because she somehow grew thumbs when we weren't looking?

This little mishap occurred while I was recording (ah, the beauty of live video). The result is a corgi blooper, which makes my haircut story more interesting. Maybe?




Have you had a really awful haircut before? Did you pay for it or was it self-induced? Has your dog ever tried to destroy your home?
We vlog Fridays! Do you?

• Marsh Mellow Goodness
• Adventures in Love and Happiness
• Folly Life
• Forget me Not!
• Heart on Homestead
• Conventional Bliss
• Life's Journey with a Smile

Challenge Accepted!

Last week, I posted a lengthy rant about my personal aversion to jerky. Yes, as in dried meat. You wouldn't think that I'd have so much to say about a simple snack, but I'm a redhead and that means I come with opinions.


The folks over at Perky Jerky found my blog post, and bet me that they could change my stubborn mind.

{via Wallpaper Stock}

Perky Jerky is a jerky company that seems like it was created to disprove every preconceived notion I had about jerky. In reality (no, the world does not revolve around me), they created their product on a fluke when two dudes accidentally spilled some energy drink on their jerky while skiing (sounds like something some of my friends would do), hence the name "perky" jerky.


My first gripe about jerky was that it has the potential to be a healthy, high-protein, low-carb snack, but most brands load their snack full of unnatural preservatives. Perky Jerky shut down this theory pretty quickly. Their jerky only has eight ingredients:

• meat (beef or turkey, depending on which you buy)
• soy sauce (unfortunately, this means that the jerky isn't gluten-free)
• brown sugar
• lemon juice
• garlic
• pepper
• guarana (oh hey there, caffeine)
• organic Worcestershire sauce

I'm a sucker for simple, natural ingredients. But how did it measure up in terms of calories and good fat vs. bad fat? See for yourself:

The calories and the fat numbers look great, and the turkey jerky is low in sodium, too.

My second complaint was that jerky packaging is marketed almost exclusively towards men. Not only is Perky Jerky's look gender-neutral, I think it's actually kind of stylish:

My next issue with jerky was that I've always thought of it as a redneck snack. And that's not to say that I think those of you who do enjoy jerky are rednecks! That marketing strategy makes sense - jerky was first created by rural settlers who didn't have access to fresh meat. Jerky was a strategy used to help people get protein in a safe manner. When jerky companies market their product towards this population, they're staying true to their roots and I respect that. Still, it makes me feel like it's not meant for snobby urban people like me (hey, at least I admit it). Perky Jerky feeds into this stereotype with a NASCAR sponsorship...

{via Perky Jerky}

...but they also sponsor the PGA tour, so now I'm just receiving conflicting messages.

{via Perky Jerky}

Then, I learned that Perky Jerky sponsors something even more interesting than golf:

{via Perky Jerky}

A portion of Perky Jerky's proceeds benefit several foundations for Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy and Down Syndrome. A snack with a cause is definitely something I can get behind.

Finally, and probably most importantly, I just didn't find jerky appealing or appetizing. This complaint wasn't entirely fair, as I had never really tried jerky before. I opened up the packages that Perky Jerky sent me to find an appearance that I had expected, but I was pleasantly surprised by the mouth-watering teriyaki smell. Upon closer inspection, I noticed specks of cracked peppercorn on the turkey jerky. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

So what did I think of the taste? Well, in order to fully convey my genuine response to first trying jerky, I decided to record some video. Enjoy!

I'm still not convinced that jerky is my thing. The taste was better than I thought it would be, but the texture may take some getting used to! Perhaps jerky is an acquired taste. Over all, I truly feel that Perky Jerky proved most of my preconceived notions to be incorrect. Thanks for calling me on my shallowness, Perky Jerky, and thanks for introducing me to a new product!

Have any of you tried Perky Jerky? How does it compare to other brands that you've tried?

Disclaimer: Perky Jerky offered me complimentary jerky samples in return for editorial consideration, but everything in this review is my own unbiased opinion.

West Egg Café

As many of you already know, I'm a sucker for details and design. Combine those elements with some good ol' comfort food, and I'm one happy girl. When I brunched at West Egg Café, I found just that.

Just look at this bold but beautiful menu! Be still, my sans-serif-loving heart.

Probably the most important detail is the fact that West Egg gets its name from one of my favorite books of all time. Speaking of literature, our silverware arrived encased in little card catalog drawers. Why? I don't know. But it was cute.

For brunch, I ordered Green Eggs and Ham. This omelet featured Coca Cola glazed ham, hazelnut pesto, and sharp cheddar cheese, served alongside mixed greens and a biscuit.

If you live in the area and are curious about West Egg, they also serve more traditional Southern dishes in the form of dinner. In fact, Scoutmob is featuring a dinner deal today! They offer brunch menu items all day on Sundays, and they feature a $10 burger and pint night on Wednesdays. Additionally, they will be starting a trivia night on Thursday evenings, beginning February 2nd. Best of all, they serve my favorite locally-roasted coffee, Batdorf and Bronson.

On this blog, I try to convey the fact that Atlanta cuisine is so much more than cheese grits and fried green tomatoes. I've shared my experiences with global dining, and I've shown you my many culinary adventures. But you know what? Sometimes you just have to gush at how freeking adorable Coca Cola cupcakes are.

Do silly details ever influence your dining decisions?

Cooking for Gringas: Gallo Pinto

Here's another post in my favorite series:

This time, we're going to venture away from Cuban cuisine and travel to a country that I've actually visited: Costa Rica. I went to Costa Rica with my family when I was in high school, and again with my husband (who was my fiance at the time) when we graduated from PT school and law school, respectively. Those two trips were very different. Vacationing with my family involved lots of outdoor activities and lots of sightseeing around the area. Vacationing with my husband involved a lot more relaxation...and quite a few more tropical cocktails by the pool. Both trips had one thing in common:

We ate. A lot.

Costa Rican food is amazing. Pure and ingredients, incredibly fresh produce, and talented local chefs made for one great meal after another. Perhaps the most famous dish of Costa Rica is gallo pinto, a unique combination of black beans and rice.

{photo by Just Making Noise / via foodgawker}

I think we ate it with every meal when we were there. Maybe that sounds strange, but if you try it inside an omelet, it won't sound so strange anymore. It'll just sound delicious.

By the way, the name gallo pinto means "painted rooster" or "spotted rooster." I think that's a pretty accurate name:

{via Backyard Chickens}

When we got back from Costa Rica, we immediately started experimenting with recipes. I finally found one that brought us back to our days in paradise. Best of all, it's pretty easy! If you have some cooked rice lying around, it's a great way to spice it up and turn boring old leftovers into a new and exciting side dish.

Gallo Pinto (adapted from Recipe Zaar)


Ingredients:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups cooked rice
2 cans Goya black bean soup, heated and drained
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons fresh cilantro, minced (optional)
2 sliced green onions (optional)

Directions:

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and sauté until it just begins to soften.  Add garlic and continue to sauté until onion is golden.

Add spices and Worcestershire sauce.  Stir well to combine.

Add beans and rice.  Combine well and cook until it is heated through.

The gallo pinto will have a cohesive consistency...think fried rice.  Use an ice cream scoop to serve neat compact servings.  Garnish with cilantro and green onions. Serve alongside just about anything...but my favorites are plantains or empanadas!

Have you traveled somewhere and fallen in love with a local dish?  What was it?

Game Night

As much as I like playing around Atlanta, one of my favorite things to do is to invite friends over for a game night. I have my go-to favorites, but I recently wanted to try something new. I stumbled upon something called Morphology and thought it sounded like a good party game.

Once I actually sat down to play it with friends, I was a little overwhelmed by the directions. There were a lot of rules, and that can get kind of confusing...especially after a couple of beers. We decided to stick it out and we were so glad we did!

First, you divide into teams. Then, each team member takes turns drawing a card. The rest of the team has to guess the word on the card, but rather than acting it out like in charades, your team guesses the word based on what you build with this:

The next part is what made the rules sound so complicated. Before the selected team member builds their object, they have to roll the dice to determine the circumstances in which they build. Each number dictates different conditions for playing. The good news is that the folks at Morphology included a cheat sheet right on the board!

Once we got the hang of this, we ended up having lots of fun! Everyone let their creativity out, and hilarity ensued.

I definitely recommend this game. It's a little different, but I think once you give the rules a chance it ends up being really entertaining!

What's your favorite game to play when you host game night?

Disclaimer: Morphology offered me a complimentary game in return for editorial consideration, but everything in this review is my own unbiased opinion.

Cooking for Gringas: Platanos Maduros

It's time for another post in my new favorite series:

A plantain is a fruit that likes to impersonate a vegetable, and it resembles some kind of banana mixed with a potato. They can be served a million different ways, but one of the most common ways is sweet and fried (as though they were after my Southern heart). Their versatility allows them to accompany an array of dishes, and they're guaranteed to dazzle dinner guests by introducing them to exotic flavors that they may not be accustomed to. Best of all, they're pretty easy to make!

First, buy some plantains. There is much debate surrounding yellow versus green plantains. I've found that green plantains are more savory and more difficult to peel, while yellow plantains are more sweet and easier to peel. Regardless of your preference, you need to allow 5-7 days for the plantains to ripen. The Spanish word maduros actually means ripe. And we're not talking about a-few-brown-spots-ripe; your plantains need to be nearly black, like so:

To cook three large plantains, you will need 1/2 cup of canola oil and 1/2 cup of dark brown sugar. You can make more or less plantains; my skillet just happens to hold three.

 

Next, peel your plantains. Unfortunately, this isn't as easy as peeling a banana, but slicing off the tips is a good trick to get you started. Once peeled, slice the plantain into 3/4-inch thick slices, on the bias.

                      

  

Pour the brown sugar into a small bowl and give the slices a toss in there. You don't have to coat each slice in brown sugar; just a little dusting will suffice in order to improve the caramelization process.

Heat your oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once it's nice and hot, gently place your slices in the skillet. The key to the plantain-cooking process is to be gentle. If your plantains are as ripe as they should be, they'll be very delicate...and you don't want to mess up that pretty shape that you created with your perfect bias slices! I've found that using plastic tongs helps (metal is too harsh and a plastic spatula is too cumbersome).

As your plantains cook, minimize contact between slices. That brown sugar is going to make for a sticky situation. You'll know it's time to flip them over when you can see the crispy caramelized bottom creeping up the sides of each slice, like so:

When you flip them over, they should look just slightly crispy, like this:

Our perrita gringa recognized this smell and, the eternal optimist that she is, truly believed that today was the day she would finally get to try platanos. Wrong.

Once both sides are cooked evenly, drain over paper to cool/get rid of some of the grease. Make sure it's parchment or wax paper, and not paper towels, like I used the first time I made these guys.

Rookie mistake.

Have you ever had plantains before?  What's your favorite plantain dish?

Judging a Book By Its Cover

My husband and I were grocery shopping today when a certain snack sparked an interesting debate. Before I get into it, allow me to give you a little background information. You see, I'm a firm believer in the "girls need protein too" philosophy. Protein is necessary to build muscle, and muscle is good. I cringe every time I hear a woman say that she doesn't want to lift weights because weightlifting will "make my arms too big." False. You're not going to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger circa 1992 from doing a few skull crushers. Exercise is good for you. Trust me - I've taken MANY classes on exercise physiology.

A lot of my friends are following the Paleo Diet, which gives me hope that protein is trending upward. The Paleo Diet basically encourages eating like a caveman: more meat, more produce, less modern crap. It makes sense; these foods provide the basic nutrients our bodies have needed since the dawn of time. I like this diet because, contrary to most diets, it encourages fat. After all, fat is important! Saturated fats can improve lung function, omega 3s improve brain function, and they help your body absorb other nutrients. I can get behind this because it's about being healthy, not just being skinny. That's not to say that I'm a Paleo follower. I enjoy the occasional processed food, and I really like baking. But I have a lot of respect for people who are following this plan, and I've been trying to eat more protein myself.

When I'm at work, I really try to stay away from carbs, especially gluten. I work 10-hour days at a very physically demanding job, and I need protein to fuel me through the day. If I have too many carbs at lunch, I just want to take a nap, which is not exactly conducive to a productive afternoon full of effective treatment. This brings me to our grocery store debate.

I was gathering ingredients to make an awesome trail mix to get me through my work day: walnuts, almonds, dried cranberries, chocolate chips (What?! I said I wasn't doing Paleo!)...then my husband suggested that I just buy jerky instead.

I didn't respond verbally, but my face said, "Excuse me, but I do not eat jerky."

"What!" he exclaimed. "It's high in protein, low in carbs and calories, and it's nearly fat-free. It's like the perfect snack."

"That may be," I answered. "But I'm a girl."

"Girls can eat jerky too!" my husband argued.

"Right..." I said skeptically. "But I'm not a redneck."

Okay, so maybe those comments were a little judgmental. But can you blame me? Jerky is marketed almost exclusively to men. If any other product followed jerky's lead with a similar ad campaign, I'm sure it would be horribly offensive to women.

{I love you, Dr. Pepper. Why you gotta hate? / via Jezebel}

How am I supposed to be interested in jerky when Bulk Beef Jerky markets for their sampler pack with ads like this?

{via Bulk Beef Jerky}

I don't like seeing the faces of things I'm eating, I hate that font choice, and I'm certainly not an alpha male. And as for my redneck theory? Well...

{via Judged By Its Cover}

...I rest my case. I mean, jerky comes in tins that look like chewing tobacco. Seriously.

{via Snacks2Food}

I've never considered jerky as nutritious, or even as appetizing or edible for that matter, because it's simply never appealed to me. And I don't think it's intended to. I'm not a man, and I don't live on a farm or a prairie, so why would I eat it? I don't think I've ever tried jerky, but the thought of eating it just sounded gross. I just don't think I'd enjoy that texture on any meat unless it was bacon. Whenever I think about girls eating jerky, the only person who comes to mind is one of my best friends. She's raved about jerky for as long as I can remember. Maybe she's a lot less impressionable than I am, and more of an independent thinker. But she's also a physician and an awesome blogger mom, so maybe I should follow some of her independent thoughts?

Okay, so I accept that I happen to be easily swayed by product imaging. What, then, if jerky was portrayed in a different light? Here's the packaging that Jerky.com uses:

{via Moment of Failure}

It's neutral. It's rustic, but appropriately so. Ooo and it's burlap. I do love burlap. But does jerky always have to present as rustic? Could it be, dare I say, pretty?

{via Health-Bent}

That photo is of homemade corned beef brisket, published by a Paleo blog. The recipe looks easy and, as you can see, the results look impressive. Perhaps if I made my own jerky I'd be more inclined to try it?

This final photo definitely sparked my interest. What if jerky was incorporated into other recipes as an ingredient? I can't think of a better example than this:

{via Baker Bettie}

I can't imagine a better cure for a hangover than a bloody mary with some protein. Maybe I've been missing out. Maybe I am just judging a book by its cover.

Have any of you ladies out there tried jerky? Are any of you fans of jerky? What do you think - should I try it?!