Sugarfoot Eats

Feb 19, 2013

gods in Alabama by Joshilyn Jackson

A book review two days in a row? Yes, that’s what you get when an inconsistent, procrastinating blogger tries to play catch up. After reading good things about gods in Alabama on several blogs, I knew that I needed to read it.

Gods in Alabama is the story of Arlene (Lena) Fleet. Arlene leaves Alabama right after high school and vows never to return. But when her past shows up at her front door to haunt her, she knows that she’ll have to return to home.

Parts of this plot are predictable, but there was a twist at the end that I was not expecting. I think that one or two of the minor sub-plots could have been eliminated, but in all it was a solid book.

I’m always a fan of a really solid 1st paragraph in a book too. And I really enjoyed this one:

“There are gods in Alabama: Jack Daniel’s, high school quarterbacks, trucks, big tits, and also Jesus. I left one back there myself, back in Possett. I kicked it under the kudzu and left it to the roaches.”

3.5 out of 5 stars

Gods in Alabama

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Book Review: How to Eat a Cupcake

Feb 18, 2013

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How to Eat a Cupcake by Meg Donohue

My parents got me this book for Christmas. They know my style. A chick-lit book about childhood friends that open up a bakery? Sold!

How to Eat a Cupcake is the story of Annie Quintana and Julia St. Clair. Julia comes from a life of privilege and wealth. Annie grows up on the outside, yet inside of that life as Annie’s mother is the St. Clair’s housekeeper.

The girls grew up very close until a falling out in high school. The story begins ten years later as the two find themselves back into each others lives. In an attempt to make amends, Julia offers to help Annie open a bakery. Although prideful and suspicious, Annie needs the financial help and agrees.

I found myself comparing this book to Something Borrowed, which isn’t a fair comparison except it’s both about childhood friends. This book is not nearly as good as Something Borrowed. I wasn’t especially drawn to either Annie or Julia. I found Annie a bit whiny and Julia was definitely not my cup of tea.

My favorite character was a farmer, Ogden, that supplied food to the bakery. The book is a quick read though….and it did make me hungry. Mocha cupcakes, Chocolate persimmon spice cupcakes, lemon cupcakes, etc.

How to Eat a Cupcake: A Novel

3 out of 5 stars

Weekend Ramblings

Feb 17, 2013

1. It may not look like much, but enjoying simple dinners of stir-fried veggies and chicken lately.

2. I still keep drooling over this cologne ad with Alexander Skarsgard. So hot!! True Blood needs to come back soon!

3. I’m quite sure that my new t-shirt helped to free Bates recently.

4. I recently checked out the Texas Natural Science Center on the UT campus. It’s not terribly big, but pretty solid for a museum on a college campus.

5. How did I not know that Kate Mara & Rooney Mara were sisters? And why do I care?! **I’m celeb obsessed.

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Golden Globes 2013–Top 5 Best Dressed

Jan 15, 2013

I really enjoyed the Golden Globes this year. Tina Fey & Amy Pohler KILLED it!! Their opening was so great, loved it! I knew that they rocked it especially when my Dad called me last night to tell me that they were funny. He’s a tough cookie.

The Globes are my favorite awards show of the year. I love TV and movies, so it’s an action packed two hours for me.

I’m in no way a fashion expert at all! I wear a variation of the same thing (shirt, cardigan, jeans, flats) every day. But I still like to look at gorgeous dresses! Two of my top picks were also in my top five last year too.

And the award goes to…….

Julie’s Top 5 Best Dressed Actresses at the Golden Globes

5. Jessica Alba

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4. Lea Michele

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3. Claire Danes (Yay for the 2nd time Homeland & Claire winning!!)

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2. Helen Mirren

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1. Jennifer Westfeldt

I just love the color of this dress so much!

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Which star do you think was the best dressed??

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Weekend Ramblings

Jan 13, 2013

1. I saw Mike Birbiglia on Friday night at the Paramount. So funny!!!! He may be my new favorite comedian.

2. I’m attempting to find my New Year’s Resolution mojo. Much like a million other people, I desperately need to start eating better and working out more. So far, I’m eating better…still working on the latter.

Instead of working out yesterday, I got an hour massage. Ha! That’s still treating my body good though, right?!

3.

I did buy some new sneakers though! I promise that I’ll break them in this week.

4.

I also went to Whole Foods this week and dropped a pretty penny on groceries. My theory is that if I load up on fruits & veggies, etc AND spent more on them than usual….I will actually eat them.

5.

And instead of having popcorn & a bottle of red wine (a la Olivia from Scandal), I had sugar free hot chocolate instead. Popcorn & hot chocolate is a yummy snack!

6.

I’ve been searching for eons for new bedding. I finally found this quilt on Overstock.com and love it!! It’s an oversized queen, so it’s long enough to fully cover the sides of my beds. No more of the mess under my bed peaking through! Of course, my new quilt doesn’t match my curtains or artwork on the wall…so that just means a bedroom makeover in 2013!

I’m off to watch the Golden Globes now!!

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Posted in Life in Austin|Random

Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Jan 13, 2013

Tonight’s the Season 2 premiere of Girls on HBO!

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I love this show so much. It’s so well-written, so true, and so cringe-worthy. Mostly cringe-worthy because I remember doing and thinking some of those things back when I was in my early to mid 20′s. This show is therapeutic to me….it’s sort of like “Oh wow, I wasn’t as messed up 10 years ago as I thought. I was normal! Hooray!”

One of my favorite scenes from season 1 is where Hannah & Shoshanna are talking about baggage. Hannah says, “My medium baggage is that I bought four cupcakes and just ate one in your bathroom.”

If Hannah was here, I’d share these cupcakes with her and we could dissect her relationship with Adam. Or we could have a Robyn dance party.

Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipe from McCormick

Makes about 18-24 cupcakes

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes:

2 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground gingerMcCormick
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
2 eggs
1 cup boiling water

For the frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
16 ounces powdered sugar

Instructions:

For the cupcakes:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Add paper liners to muffin tin. Set tin aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, ground ginger, cinnamon and baking soda in medium bowl. Set bowl aside.

In another bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar and molasses. Beat on medium speed until smooth. Add the eggs and beat together.

On low speed, add the flour mixture alternately with boiling water. Spoon the batter into lined muffin tins, filling cups about 2/3 full.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in pans on wire rack 5 minutes. Remove from pans to cool completely.

For the frosting:

Beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add in the powdered sugar gradually until smooth. Spread frosting on the cooled cupcakes.

Enjoy!!

*I really loved these cupcakes! With cream cheese frosting, I prefer it chilled, so I refrigerated these cupcakes and served them cold.

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Posted in Dessert

Weekend Ramblings

Jan 06, 2013

New books to read!

Chili supper with family last night

Loving this seasonal ale!

Weekend poker game…I came in 2nd! (Yes, those are Smirnoff Ice playing cards…random!)

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I recently started watching Sherlock via Netflix. I’m on season 2 and am in loooooooove with Dr. Watson.

Last night, I was reading Entertainment Weekly and there was a blurb about The Hobbit. I stared at the picture for a solid 30 seconds. Wait what?! Dr. Watson is The Hobbit!? The Hobbit is Dr. Watson?! Worlds colliding…p.s. I’m weird.

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So, then I had to, of course, IMDB Martin Freeman. The porn star stand-in guy from Love Actually?!

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I’m not sure if my observation skills were severely lacking or if it’s a sign that Freeman is a good actor. I’m going with the latter.

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Posted in Family|Movies|Random

Mini Shepherd’s Pies for the Downton Abbey season 3 premiere

Jan 06, 2013

Tonight is the season 3 premiere of Downton Abbey. I’m excited to see how things are going for the Grantham family.

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I’m not really a fan of Lady Mary and Matthew. Lady Mary’s a tad whiny for me. My favorite Grantham sister is Lady Sybil.

Branson & Lady Sybil
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And I’m especially Team Bates & Anna. Oh Mr. Bates! Swoon!

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If you’re looking for an English classic with a twist to enjoy during the show tonight, might I suggest Mini Shepherd’s Pies.

The Countess Dowager may not approve of finger foods, but I’ll never tell her.

Mini Shepherd’s Pies

Recipe from LHJ Feb 2013, adapted

Makes about 36 bite-sized pies

Ingredients:

1 17 ounce package (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, thawed
3 tablespoons EVOO
1/2 pound of ground beef
2 tablespoons minced tarragon
2 tablespoons chopped chives
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
1/4 cup onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
1/2 cup corn, canned
1/2 cup peas, canned
salt & pepper, to taste
1 1/2 cups mashed potatoes (I used Simply Potatoes, but you can certainly make your own too!)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spray a mini muffin pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.

Unroll your puff pastry sheets on the counter. Cut into 2 inch rounds. (I don’t have a pastry cutter, so I just used a shot glass to cut the pastry into circles.) Press the rounds into your muffin pan. Prick the bottoms of the pastry with a fork. Place the muffin tin into the freezer while preparing the filling.

Heat 1 tablespoon of EVOO in a skillet over medium heat. Brown the ground beef. Stir in the tarragon, chives, cumin, and garlic powder. Transfer the meat into a bowl. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of EVOO to the skillet along with the diced onions and carrots. Cook for about 3 minutes. Add the corn and cook for about 2 minutes. Return the meat to the skillet and stir together. Add in the peas to the mixture along with salt & pepper to taste. Stir.

Scoop a small amount of filling into each puff pastry cup. Bake for about 16-18 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for just a few minutes. Remove from the muffin and pipe a dollop of heated mashed potatoes onto each pie.

Enjoy immediately while still hot!

*** If you’re looking for a recap of Downton Abbey to prep for tonight, my friend, Kristin, wrote a great one here!

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Posted in Appetizers|Dinner

Slice of Life: Sarah’s Visit to Austin

Jan 04, 2013

In November, one of my bestest friends in the whole wide world, Sarah, came to visit. Sarah did a little research online first and asked if we could go to La Condesa for dinner her first night in town. Far be it from me to say no to tacos, guac, and beer!

I asked Sarah…..will you get up and stand in line at 9:30 am to eat BBQ with me tomorrow? Sarah said yes, of course. Yesssssssss!!

I finally got to try Franklin Barbecue!

Franklin’s is known for having some of the best brisket in the country. Just ask Anthony Bourdain. It was delicious, but I liked the ribs even better.

After devouring some meat, we headed off the duck tour of Austin. I don’t think Sarah blew her duck whistle once. But I made up for it for the both of us.

The State Capitol building

Lake Austin

During Sarah’s visit, we also took in two concerts. We saw Snow Patrol (great concert!) at Austin Music Hall and Counting Crows at Stubb’s.

I was very nervous for Snow Patrol as I’d read bad reviews about Austin Music Hall. So maybe the reviewers were whiny….or the hall was improved…or both, but I really enjoyed the venue!! The only downfall is that since it’s near condos/apartments, they have to stop concerts at 10 pm. I wish that Snow Patrol could have played longer.

Our other adventure during Sarah’s visit was the Austin Eats Food Tour. I’d been wanting to try the downtown Austin tour for awhile and had a Groupon to boot! The tour met on a Saturday morning the Republic Park farmers’ market.

Our stops on the food tour:
1. Dai Due Butcher Shop
2. Tacodeli
3. Hut’s Hamburgers
4. Haddington’s–I’d already been to Haddington’s twice before, but this was my first time trying a Moscow Mule! Loooooooove!!

5. Walton’s Fancy and Staple — The shortbread cookies are so good!
6. Frank’s

7. Delish Bakery

For Sarah’s last day in Austin, I suggested a Sunday Funday of brunch and bar hopping! We had brunch at Bess Bistro (otherwise known as Sandra Bullock’s restaurant–as is Walton’s). Then we headed over to Kung Fu Saloon and met up with with my friend, Brandi, and her hubs.

To end on a killer high note, Sarah and I had dinner at Uchi. Oh Uchi….I love thee!! Uchi, you are way better than Uchiko (sorry, Paul Qui). If you’re in Austin and you love sushi, you must go to Uchi. Go early (happy hour prices), get the shag roll, get the maguro sashimi and goat cheese…thank me later!

Sarah, I hope you come again in 2013!! Maybe for a little ACL concert action!

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Posted in Friends|Life in Austin|Music|Restaurants

Book Review: Brain on Fire

Jan 03, 2013

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Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan

Brain on Fire was the last book that I read in 2012. I was hoping for an interesting book that kept me turning the pages. This book did not disappoint.

Brain on Fire is a memoir of what Cahalan went through after contracting a very rare brain disease. It follows her from the first on-set of symptoms to the battle of finding what was wrong with her to the even longer battle of recovery.

I didn’t focus too much on the medical terminology in the book. That part was quite over my head. But her personal story and that of her friends/family was very interesting. This disease masked itself with systems of paranoia, hallucinations, and extreme up’s and down’s in mood.

Following her struggle to find normalcy and seeing how different people reacted to her was an interesting case in fight or flight. Her first neurologist was adamant that Cahalan was just drinking too much and was overly stressed. Other doctors simply chalked it up to being schizophrenic.

I couldn’t help but wonder…how would I react if I was suddenly losing my mind while baffling doctors? How would people around me react? How would you react?

4.5 out of 5 stars

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Posted in Books

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