Running to Eggs

On Top Chef Allstars the other night (are y'all watching?- it's Fab-io, get it? hee.), Anthony Bourdain remarked you could put a runny egg on just about anything, and he would enjoy it.  Hubs likes his eggs scrambled to the consistent of dried peas   cooked to death   well done.  I, on the other hand, prefer a fluffy moist cloud of buttery yellow deliciousness.  And fried eggs?  Once I discovered the joy that is sopping up runny egg yolk with the remains of a biscuit, well, I was a goner.  True freedom came when I learned to make eggs by myself- the first food I can remember making without assistance.

Now, with all these creamy vegetable soups, something with a little protein, and a some light crisp is necessary.  A grilled cheese is classic, but I'm out of bread, and needed to get some extra veggies in.  Staring at my fridge this afternoon, I pondered.  Determined to clean out my fridge- I've got a lot of soup in there thanks to Soup Week, I stared and pondered some more.

Then thought of Anthony Bourdain.

Mixed greens topped with a scant spoonful of this wonderful dressing, which tastes homemade, and is ideal to keep in your fridge for lazy or time-pressed moments.  Two gently cooked eggs, yolks perfectly runny (low heat is key, patience, darling, patience), a touch of salt and pepper (always salt your dressed salad green which a touch of sea-salt or kosher).  The egg yolk mixes with the vinegar of the dressing- the same blend of creaminess and acidity which forms hollandaise and mayonnaise.  A deconstructed white sauce, without a profusion of oil or butter- perfect for those with mayo-phobia.

And I felt so elegant, having my tomato bisque and salad with eggs- like a lady who lunches in a chic bistro.  Of course, I was sitting at my old heart pine kitchen table, reading a trashy novel, with a furry blonde Buddy at my feet.   With this simple salad though, my suit became more stylish, my messy bun effortless elegance, and my glass of seltzer a wonderful champagne cocktail.

Perhaps eggs are good for your imagination?

House Plans and ET Love

Do y'all see that?  Yep, it's a big ole SOLD sign on the front of my new house!  We closed Friday, and celebrated with wine and friends over before a birthday party we had that night.  I, of course, am already plotting all my new projects for the house to totally charm it up.

Like this-

A new front door like this one, and little gabled porch would make a huge difference.  (In case, Hubs is reading, not any time soon shug!  Like maybe my birthday?  In August?  Oh okay, fine, Christmas.)  I know that actually construction like above will be later.  My main goal of the summer is to paint the built in-

White to match the trim (please don't be alarmed, those are the previous occupants' furnishings NOT mine).
And replace the fluorescent light fixtures (shudder) in the kitchen and mudroom with track lighting.  Please don't be alarmed- it's a nice neutral in there- my camera and the lighting made it look sunshine yellow.

Now, to get back to some of your questions.

Blue Eyed Bride asked-

do you want to live in your current town forever? what do you love about it? if you could live somewhere else where would you live?

Yes.  I love my town.  This is one of the reasons why-

We all grew up lake rats and spent every summer weekend on the lake, skiing and tubing, or like Saturday, celebrating America, Budweiser and sunshine. Six boats all tied up together, drinking beer and eating fried chicken- pretty much heaven, right?

Please enjoy the awesomeness of Tuck's mullet wig and "gold" chain.  That is what a true East Tennessean looks like, my friends.

We started going on the boat when were Miss MC's age here.  It's one of the reasons why my town is such a good place to grow up- lakes everywhere (we're actually on Ft. Loudon here, which is actually the Tennessee River), and the Great Smoky Mountains right out your back door.  It's makes for a pretty idyllic childhood with a lot of time spent outdoors.

It's also wonderful living in a city with a major university- football games are a plus obviously, but more importantly there is a far greater amount of cultural diversity and diversions, such as the opera, which would not be possible without UT.  And finally, it's big enough that you can hide if you want to, but it's pretty hard to go to the grocery store without seeing someone you know (which sometimes is a huge pain, but comforting at the same time).  Here's an ode to East Tennessee written back when I first started the blog.

Goodness, I have rambled.  Have y'all made it through to the end?  Why do you love your town?  If I had to live somewhere else, I would love to live in Charleston (duh), or. . . I'm really drawing a blank right now.  Wherever I live has to be on a navigable body of water.  Kinger has a theory that people who are raised on navigable bodies of water are a little nuts.  This is a pretty valid theory I believe.

So what are your suggestions?  Where should I live in hypothetical world?

A Classic Never Goes Out of Style

Hello Robert Redford and Paul Newman.  I have been watching some TCM lately and mulling old time movie stars/matinée idols.  I prefer a manly man type, more Matt Damon than Leonardo DiCaprio in today's term's.  But the classics- oh, they're the best.  I dare you to watch Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid without falling madly in love with these two:

Then there are the rest of my true loves most handsome men in the world favorites-

Although Daniel Craig has made massive strides, no one but Sean Connery is the true Bond- who can beat his combination of arrogance and sophistication?

Steve McQueen- the bad boy.  When this photo was published in Life magazine in 1963, a reader wrote- "Sirs: Was it necessary to show such suggestive and provocative photographs of Steve McQueen and his lovely wife...? I am no prude but your magazine is seen every week by our most important national asset, the teen-agers, and you are setting a bad example by displaying such photographs."

Gregory Peck.  He's Atticus Finch- enough said on that sexy factor. 

Okay, if you need more, see Roman Holiday.

Then the all time gold standard.

Mr. Cary Grant

If you want to swoon, please rent the following; To Catch a Thief (try not to covet Grace Kelly's wardrobe so bad that tears spring to your eyes), Indiscreet, That Touch of Mink (a Doris Day movie with Cary taking over for Rock Hudson), or An Affair to Remember.  Dark, dashing, and debonair, he broke the mold.

Who am I forgetting off my list of classic hotties?  Inform, remind and educate me!

Time to Get Personal

I have something to discuss with y'all today that is a bit intimate.




Pimento cheese.

Like chicken salad*, pimento cheese comes in a myriad of consistencies and mayo levels.  Quick confession- I adore mayonnaise.  I try to be healthy, petite and ladylike, and act like I couldn't just eat spoonfuls (especially if I had the metabolism of a teenager).  However, that's all a lie.  I love it, fat content and all.
That being said, I don't want either chicken salad or pimento cheese to be too mayonnaise-y, wherein lies the fault with most types that you buy at the store.  If you've never had homemade pimento cheese, I'm so sorry.  Once you do, you will never eat the store stuff again, I swear on your mama's grave!

So on to the recipe-

Grate one block of extra sharp cheddar, and one block white cheddar. Don't use the food processor, or pre-shredded, I promise.

If you use the pre-shredded stuff, your pimento cheese will fail miserably.  They put a preservative in that kind to prevent clumping.  Pimento cheese without clumping is something else entirely.  Plus do we really need anymore preservatives?

Hubs was out of town while I was making this batch, so the only little mouse to blame for sneaking the freshly grated cheddar into its mouth was me!

Next get one of those little jars of pimentos, and drain it.

Then mash those minters with a fork.  This is a crucial step- don't ask me why, but it affects both flavor and consistency, so if you want pimento cheese as good as mine- do it!

Next add half a block of cream cheese to the cheese and pimentos.  I cut in chunks to add the mixing process, because as usual, I have completely forgotten to let the cream cheese warm to room temp. Whatev, cream cheese.

Next up- mayonnaise!

Start with a couple of tablespoons, and stir.  Keep adding more til it gets to a consistency of your own personal preference.  I like about 5-6 tablespoons.  I use Duke's- it does not have any added sugar or HFCS, which is perfect because I abhor sweet mayo.  Hellman's is good too, but for pimento cheese I say Duke's all the way.

Next comes the seasoning and stirring- def some splashes of hot sauce, and a couple shakes of cayenne.  If I make "party in your mouth pimento cheese"  I add chopped jalapeño (the kind from the jar- fresh would overpower). Then stir!  Make sure to mush the cream cheese so it's integrated with everything else.

Here comes the hard part. 

Okay, it's going to taste damn good in it's current state.  But, if you let it sit, chilling in the fridge, all those yummy flavors are going to coalesce and get even better. I just drooled looking at this picture- must be time for supper around these parts.  So scrape it into a Tupperware (or adorable mini-casserole if you had th e foresight to register for one on the basis that it was darling).

With willpower and fortitude, cover and place in the fridge for couple hours.

Mmmmmm, on a cracker, on a sandwich, or even better, a grilled pimento cheese sandwich, or on top of a burger, in celery. . .the possibilities are endless.  My niece and nephew, who are notoriously picky, wiped out this batch this weekend, much to my utter delight.  Now I am starving for more though!


*Prefer shredded consistency to chunky, and if you put grapes or other fruit in it I will cry.  However, I will tolerate nuts.

Girls in White Dresses With Blue Satin Sashes

A few of my favorite things-

1) Forsythia

Spring keeps creeping up on me- the warm weather induced me to throw out all my ratty torn-up tights and hose, leaving me barelegged during the inevitable return of winter weather.  However, many of my favorite things are out in abundance.  Like forsythia!

There is tons of forsythia bushes outside the condo.  Unfortunately they are pruned and clipped (but still make me joyous).  When I was little I used to hide in a forsythia bush and read by book, tucked under the blooms.  Such a pretty name too- Forsythia.  Hubs, maybe we can name a daughter Forsythia?  Forsythia Faye?

2) A big stack of cheap fun books! 

Do y'all have a good used bookstore?  We have McKay's and it is heavenly! I've been in a light mood lately, so I finished off "LoveHampton" (cute), and am now reading "Notting Hell".  Buying books I read in a matter of hours is not quite so guilt ridden when they cost a dollar.  Also, I am very excited about Sophie Dahl and Dominick Dunne's "Too Much Money", which was just released.  Some cookbooks and Ruth Reichl round out the mix, along with some historical fiction in Emma Donoghue's "The Sealed Letter".  I read her novel "Slammerkin" which was engrossing yet a bit depressing.

3) Folk Art

My lion by Crystal King.

The Red Fox by Cornbread Anderson

Kids Flying Kites by Woodie Long- we bought this on our honeymoon, and Woodie passed away this fall.  Hubs at first was very unsure about art choices (he's more of a print of your college stadium on game-day type of guy), especially my love of folk art, and my plans to fill our home with all sorts of folk art.  I think he's come around though.  He is a fan of our newest piece, which I dreamed about for a week this cold, long winter. . .

Day Lilies by me.  Maybe I could begin a new career-  painting in the tear down house sitting on our property, wearing big old shirts of Hubs', and puttering about a vegetable garden?   I need a folk artist name though.  . .

Forsythia Faye? Done and done!

The Uniform

This is what my closet currently looks like- including Hubs struggling to find his shoes and get out alive.  I want to streamline, and condense to a basic uniform.  I love clothes (and unfortunately for the bank account, my closet, and Hubs, having lots of them), but I also love the idea of a uniform. 

Summertime it's easy, and I have perfected my uniform- dress, classic jean jacket for overly air-conditioned areas, Jack Rodgers or wedge espadrilles.  Done and done.  (Will it ever be summer?  I'm dying over here).

Carolina Herrera is the queen of the uniform- crisp white button up, and a full skirt.

Classic, stylish, and beautiful. 

I read in Vogue once that Lee Radziwill, sister of Jackie O., limited her wardrobe to black and white with occasional splashes of red.  I love color, so I could never do this, but I love the idea of such classic simplicity.

Do you have a uniform?  Go to look?

Crazy Heart

Okay, so Maggie and Kate got me super excited for this film and it's soundtrack, but I took my sweet time finally getting to see it. Finally did on Tuesday night (dollar popcorn night, naturally). This ban on running and/or exercise due to the heinous shin splints is giving me lots of free time.

I loved it- one of those movies you want to live and breathe for a little bit. I noticed the book (which I didn't realize it was based on, did you, Maggie or Kate?), at Target the other day. Has anyone read it?

Anyway, I love old country. Waylon Live is one of my desert island albums, and when I lived in NYC I listened to Hank Junior everyday on the subway ride home from my internship (yeah, I did not have the happiest experience living there for a summer). Oh, then there's Billy Joe Shaver, and Jerry Reed, and David Allen Coe (on who's tour bus I wet my pants once due to fear, but that's another story), and all the real old stuff, goodness. So the whole movie, I was keeping an ear open for who Bad Blake, the protagonist resembled in sound. To me, the soundtrack reminded me most of J.J. Cale- one of my favorite artists to see live.  I got home last night and compiled my own Bad Blake-esque album of some of my faves-

1.  T is For Texas- Waylon Jennings (from Waylon Live),  I challenge you to not sing this song at the top of your lungs

2.  Cajun Moon- J.J. Cale- like many of his songs, it's quiet, a little spooky, and addictive

3.  Georgia on a Fast Train- Billy Joe Shaver- an autobiographical tune of his, this is another one I prefer to sing at the top of my lungs

4.  Long Haired Country Boy- Charlie Daniels Band- It's the lake, it's a cold beer, it's windows down in the car.

5.  Please Come to Boston- David Allen Coe- one of his tamer tunes, I really think it's a beautiful song.

6.  Lukenbach, Texas- Waylon Jennings- no explanation needed.

7.  Knoxville Courthouse Blues- Hank Williams, Jr.-  For obvious reasons, I like this song by title alone, but I also love speculating whether it's a true story.  I  know James Brown has been to jail here, not sure on Hank.

8.  Highwayman- The Highwaymen- Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson, does it get any better?

9.  Ride Me High- J.J. Cale- one of the sexiest songs ever.

10.  Amos Moses- Jerry Reed- Me and brother love this one (especially after a few beers).

11.  Mama Tried- Merle Haggard- I love the guitar in this song- first heard the Grateful Dead's version which got me into Merle in early high school.

12.  Sensitive Kind- J.J. Cale- I remember in college falling asleep to this song in college, wondering where the guy was who would appreciate that I am a sensitive kind.

13.  Magnolia- J.J. Cale- I like this with Sensitive Kind- feel like two parts of the same song.

14.  Me and Paul- Waylon Jennings- I think Bad Blake would definitely identify with this one.  Outlaw country life on the road.

15. Guitar Town- Steve Earle- see above.

16.  Live Forever- Billy Joe Shaver- I was so excited when they discuss this song in the movie, because I just adore it.

17.  Call Me the Breeze- J.J. Cale- he wrote this, Cocaine, After Midnight, Traveling Light, Crazy Mama- I mean the man is an incredible songwriter.  Eric Clapton once said that Lay Down Sally was his attempt to write a J.J. Cale song.  I love me some Slow Hand, but he doesn't even come close.

What would you add to my "Inspired by" soundtrack?  Have you seen Crazy Heart?  Or any other Oscar contenders?

Up In The Gym Just Working On My Fitness Happy Prize

Happy Friday Y'all!  I am ready- I think I have a dash of the winter doldrums.  Normally they do not hit me until February, but I can't take it anymore!  One cure is a good sweaty workout, which always puts me in a better mood. 

I really ejoy exercise, and even if I don't feel like it, I know I will feel like a new woman when it's over.  And it allows me to eat more.  My schedule usually goes like this:

Monday- 1 hour with trainer
Tuesday- run 3-4 miles, abs
Wednesday- workout dvd, or elliptical
Thursday- one hour with trainer
Friday- run 3-4 miles
Saturday- off, walk or light workout
Sunday- long run

So doing that and eating mainly unprocessed food during the week, I can eat and drink whatever I want within reason on the weekends, yet still fit into my clothes.


So two of my favorite workout DVDs are the happy for today.

Jillian's is about an hour of fun cardio intervals, and the Pilates consists of 10 minutes each of tummy, buns, legs and then 10 minutes of all over.  These are 2 of my favorites, which I love on cross training days.

So the fine print- contest ends Sunday night at seven.  Just shoot me a comment telling me your favorite workout.  Any "sweepers" who annoy me are disqualified because this is for my readers. I'm getting hard core on y'all. 

Blackberry Farm Giveaway

Once again it's HAPPY PRIZE FRIDAY!  Hurrah!  This is a special giveaway, as it comes from my neck of the woods and from one of the most fabulous places you will ever visit.  Blackberry Farm is a luxurious inn in the Smoky Mountains which has quickly become a foodie haven.  Last weekend I was absolutely chartreuse with envy of those attending the Southern Foodways Alliance weekend there. 

Sam Beall, the proprietor, has just written a scrumptious cookbook, The Blackberry Farm Cookbook available from Blackberry's website or Amazon.  Under Sam's guidance, Blackberry is now a working farm, making their own cheese, preserves, raising their own meat, and even shearing sheep for wool.

Unfortunately we all can't go to the Barn tonight for dinner.  However, I thought I would bring some Blackberry to y'all.  I received blackberry jam, a cookbook, and some Singing Brook cheese as a wedding present, and it was one of my favorite gifts. Here's some of my heavenly jam-

I loved this gift so much, I thought I would do the same for y'all.  First, some blackberry jam-

Then some chow chow (YUM!)

Biscuit Mix

And fried chicken mix

So to win this box of deliciousness, please comment for one entry.  If you follow S&S you get another entry. If you blog or tweet about the giveaway, you will receive another entry. (And just let me know- I trust y'all- we're on the honor system)

Update- listen all y'all sweepers!  I don't know who's giveaway blog I have been so lovingly "featured" on, but this is ridiculous!  If you read my blog you would know this giveaway ended over a week ago!  So stop entering please.  It's really kind of rude and pushy.  Thanks.