Eating In

Article Posted on Thursday, January 26th, 2012 at 11:33 pm

Since Husband went back to school, we’ve made two really big life changes. In the last month, we’ve gone down to one car. While we’re both having to watch our moods in the morning, we’re getting spend some really lovely evenings together. Second, we’ve made a really concerted effort to eat in more, which has meant a lot of experimenting in the kitchen. I am not afraid to admit that I was in a total rut. So we traded in some old cookbooks for a couple new ones at the local bookstore, and I’ve been learning new techniques, spices, and recipes ever since!

A few rules of thumb:

1.) Always have a back-up meal in your back pocket.
Salad and/or taco ingredients are perfect for the job. It’s also a good idea to keep lots of fruit and cheese on hand just in case as well.

2.) Learn new techniques not just new recipes.
Invest in a couple cookbooks by chefs that have very different cooking styles from your own. I got this great book by Charlie Trotter because I’d heard he has a really amazing restaurant in our favorite city, Chicago. So far, it’s been my top pick; I’m using new ingredients and trying different ways to prepare the foods i know.

3.) Find recipes online.
Most of my cookbooks are either used or gifted so if I’m looking for something in particular, or looking to try recipes from a new-to-me chef, the first place I go is the interweb. I love everything I’ve tried from Emeril & Ina on FoodNetwork.com–and I’m not just saying that because we work for the same company. Also, I adore trying new recipes from blogs. My web-friend, Jess, just started a food blog with another friend of hers, and I’ve already pulled a couple of recipes to try this weekend!

4.) Find random and seasonal recipes in magazines and save them.
I started a notebook, after years of saying I would, with all of our recipes neatly organized and stored in pretty plastic slips. I’ve gotta say, it feel pretty awesome.

Finally, eating in has been a huge money saver! I’ve found that by not eating out, we can buy better quality food and are really learning what it means to make a menu and a budget. With the traveling we may have coming up in the next few months, this has been such a blessing.

Bon Appétit!

5 Random Things

Article Posted on Thursday, September 15th, 2011 at 8:46 am

I admit, I have been a bit absent this week. Blame it on Birthday Week. or work. or fun outings with friends. or cleaning the house. or whatever other number of things there are. However, today I have quite a few fun Random Links to share so here goes…

1.) We have been cleaning like maniacs trying to get our house back in good shape after the dust storm that was our AC installation. So when I saw this on Valet last week, it was a good reminder to share a tip: Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap is one of the best products ever. I started using it as face wash when I stopped using ProActive this Spring with great success. It is gentle enough to use on our old wood floors and also strong enough to get off that grime that builds up around the stove from splattering oil. Every Belle has a trick or 2 up her sleeve, and Castile Soap is mine. If you haven’t tried it, you must!

2.) This week Sweet Paul’s Fall 2011 issue was released, and I am totally in *love* with the feature called Black Halloween. I also can’t wait to try some of the recipes. Fall seasonings are just the best!

3.) Kiel James Patrick just released a collection of belts perfect for Fall called the Peyton Heritage Collection. The fabrics used inside and out are beautiful and would be perfect for you or your sweetie. I’ve got my eye on a couple myself.

4.) I recently saw the work of Becca Stadtlander somewhere around the interwebs and completely fell in love. There’s a tension between a feeling of old warmth and a sort of untouchable moment in time in her paintings that I really enjoy.

5.) I saw this list of the 100 Best 1st Lines put out by the American Book Review, and it has added a few novels to my reading list.

What’s your favorite 1st Line?

It’s *BIRTHDAY* week!

Article Posted on Wednesday, September 7th, 2011 at 7:24 pm

[ And to think, Daddy was worried when I told him I wanted to be a graphic designer!
Gotta love bad photoshop + Comic Sans!]

That’s right folks, it’s the “Most Wonderful Time of the Year!” Last Saturday was the beginning of Birthday Week in the Slaughterhouse. Husband turned 27 on Saturday, and this Saturday I’ll turn 26! Although I think I’ll still tell people I’m 25–I have a thing against even numbers and being 21 and 23 for 2 years worked out very well so why not 25!

On Sunday we celebrated with the 2 sets of parents and 2 yummy cakes! I also cooked quite a bit this weekend. (Thank you, Air Conditioning!)

Things I made included:
Enchiladas recommended by a friend at work that were delish! (Although, fair warning they take a little while.)
Deepest Darkest Chocolate Cheesecake
Bacon-Ranch Potato Salad (for a lunch with friends on Memorial Day)

Oh, and one more thing: on Saturday we went to the season opener. For the record, tailgating in 95F weather is not something even a practiced Belle can pull off with grace. More on the weather and how it relates to a Belle’s wardrobe later.

In the meantime, check out the orange vintage necklace I re-strung for the occasion. Isn’t is just perfect with my WooWoo’s vintage scarf?

Thanks for letting me share! I hope that enjoy our birthday week! It’s the perfect kick-off to the crisp weather that will come with my favorite season, Autumn, as well as the holiday season. Bring out the wine and chocolate now because they won’t be going away until January!

*** HAPPY BIRTHDAY WEEK!!! ***

5 Random Things

Article Posted on Wednesday, August 31st, 2011 at 9:40 pm

1. I heard this overview called “The Bee’s Knees” on NPR the other day, and I just loved it. Husband plays one mean “Flight of the Bumblebee,” and I, of course, have a special affinity for the little things just because of my name… Hannah *B.* Plus, you have to respect such a tiny creature that has such a bold look. After all, it’s not just any thing that can pull off a wardrobe of strictly black and yellow! All that to say, I thought it was absolutely adorable, and you should totally listen to it!

2. Last week would have been Leonard Bernstein‘s birthday. He’s one of my all-time favorites, so I just couldn’t resist watching a few clips on Thursday when I ran across this little gem. A bit unexpected from the man that made it his mission to make classical music accessible to the masses.

3. To celebrate the 40 years of Chez Panisse, Alice Waters has partnered with Levi’s (who has been known for some amazing collaborations of late) to produce these designer T’s. Artists include: Alice herself, Sofia Coppola, Dave Eggars, David Byrne and, my favorite, Maira Kalman.

4. The entire Terrain site keeps reminding me how very ready for Fall I am. Don’t you just love how warm and cozy all of their goods looks right now? Also I may have to try this recipe for Apple Spice cake.

5. It is impossible to watch this video without smiling…

I Charleston Berlin from Vincent Pfäfflin on Vimeo.

xo~ Hannah B.

In which we get AIR CONDITIONING & our lives are changed forever.

Article Posted on Monday, August 29th, 2011 at 9:30 am

[ The Lee Bros. // The Martha Stewart Cookbook ]

I’m going to be completely honest… Last week was not so hot. There was the intense heat, the thick dust covering every square inch of our house, the mildew + asthma, the flooded bathroom… plus, a few other random things that totally made me ‘drop my basket.’ My husband was oh-so patient as I completely lost my mind.

However, this week is going to be awesome. I can tell already. You wanna know why? Because last week, we got AC. With all of the work that we’ve been doing to our house lately (and by ‘we’ I mainly mean Husband), we haven’t really been able to enjoy anything yet because the house has been around 90 degrees and humid all summer. Let’s just say that’s not what you would call the ideal environment for: cooking, cleaning, entertaining, doing normal chores, getting dressed… having it so hot was, as it turns out, not so hot.

That said, we now have an excuse to intensely ‘fall’ clean the house and cook–A Lot. So in preparation, Husband & I took a trip to the used bookstore the other day and I scored these 2 gems. I already have a list of recipes to start with but tell me, if you couldn’t cook for months and suddenly could again, what would be the 1st thing you’d make?

A cool summer condiment…

Article Posted on Tuesday, July 12th, 2011 at 9:00 am

In the summertime, when it is unspeakably hot here in the South, this has become on of my very favorite lunch additions. Instead of a turkey sandwich or leftovers from the night before, lately I’ve been reaching for the Tzatziki dip. The ingredients are above and all amounts are just to taste. Here are 3 of my favorite ways to use this Greek concoction…

1.) Use it as a dip with fresh veggies!

2.) Spread a layer on crackers and top with smoked salmon. Garnish with a little more dill, and you have quite an impressive appetizer!

3.) Spread on a slice of fresh Italian bread from the Farmer’s Market. Top with provolone cheese, a slice of tomato and an avocado. Delish!

How Yummy is This?!

Article Posted on Monday, June 6th, 2011 at 10:30 am

New on my wishlist? This super cute pink recipe box from Sugar Paper! Don’t you just *love* the scalloped dividers? There are 6 sections: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Starters, Sweets, & Family Recipes.

Sit&Sip: The Classic Drink of Spring & Summer

Article Posted on Monday, May 23rd, 2011 at 12:00 pm

I have to tell you, I am normally not a fan of Gin. I’m pretty sure Husband and a few of his friends are solely responsible for keeping Beefeater in business with their gin martinis (up dry with a twist), but my usual conclusion is that it tastes like licking a pine tree. However, I am not one to turn down a drink so when a unique opportunity arose at our favorite restaurant, I couldn’t resist trying something new.

If you are in or around East Tennessee and have not been to Chez Liberty yet, I’d highly recommend it. The food is fantastic, of course, but they also do a lot of things that totally set them apart from any other restaurant in this area. For one, they highlight unique business owners with their Tuesday “Who Knew” series. Last week’s businessman was the president of MossCreek who makes “log homes for oligarchs” that are insanely immaculate. Chez also frequently has tastings–wine, gin & tonic, bourbon.

But what I think really sets them apart is their unique sense of adventure. The chef frequently mixes up the menu depending on what’s in season and what looks good at the market. I’ve never had anything that wasn’t cooked to perfection. (And that’s saying a lot! The other night, I tried foie gras and each Monday they have a new take on one of my very favorites: fried chicken.) The bartenders are also quite adventurous, which brings me to the gin & tonic tasting.

One of our favorite servers there is Cassie and when she works behind the bar, it’s really quite magical. For the tasting, quinine was ordered and They Made Their Own Tonic!! I really preferred it a lot more than the normal stuff. It’s like it had a dimension to it that the stuff that you’d normally buy in the store just doesn’t have. Cassie also has made a delicious lavender infused tonic that is super relaxing to sit and sip as well as a mint-infused gin that I really enjoyed.

If you aren’t a gin drinker (and you can’t get to Chez Liberty), I’d recommend trying 1 of 2 things the next time you’re at the bar. First, there’s a *lovely* new (to us) gin called 209 that is delicious! Not nearly as harsh as gins I’ve had in the past. The second would be a Hendrick’s martini. Make sure they make it with a cucumber and not a lemon because Hendrick’s is made with cucumber and it is one of the most refreshing drinks I’ve had so far this Spring!

And if you’re really up for something fun, I’ll be at the Bourbon Tasting tonight! Just call and let them know you’re coming!

Happy Sipping!
xo~ Hannah B.

Happy Monday!

Article Posted on Monday, April 25th, 2011 at 8:48 pm

Hello, all! How was your holiday weekend? At the Slaughterhouse, we decided to ditch the Pepsi-soaked, baked ham and have friends and family over for a good old-fashioned cookout. If you ask me, there’s nothing better than burgers & beer on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon! Don’t you think?

Grow Your Own

Article Posted on Wednesday, April 13th, 2011 at 8:05 am

{ source: The Victory Garden of Tomorrow }

I *love* this time of year! It doesn’t take long after that first warm & sunny day for the residents of the Slaughterhouse to start shaking off the winter blues and getting more in touch with their happier, more active selves. This past weekend it was unseasonably warm, with record-setting temperatures around 90 degrees! Needless to say, we spent a bulk of our time planting and enjoying the outdoors.

I am a huge fan of growing your own food or, if you can’t do that, supporting local farmers that do. We have a VERY small plot of land. Years ago, Alcoa established Alcoa the city and built houses surrounding the schools, the park, the swimming pool and the 3 main churches. To maximize their space, the houses are super close together. In fact, we share a driveway with our neighbor. So to maximize on our space, Husband made me a raised bed last year and a few random planting spots around the yard. Plus, we have these pots that are now filled with herbs and peppers.

Our bounty will include:
Jalapenos
Pablanos
Bell Peppers
Big Boy Tomatoes (Can you say ‘Fried Green Tomatoes?’)
Cherry Tomatoes (for Mozzerella & Basil salad)
Roma Tomatoes (for sauce… yum!)
Sugar Snap Peas
Broccoli
Brussel Sprouts
Zucchini
and hopefully some Blueberries!

As well as… Basil, Dill, Oregano, Rosemary, Thyme, Parsley & Mint!

Also, in an effort to be a little more responsible with our food, we are not eating out as much and trying not waste. So yesterday when I got home from the market, I made us a little chart on the chalkboard so we could remember what was in our fridge.