If you’re a new reader, “Hello, Gorgeous!” posts are a round-up of beautiful, random links that are making me smile this week. Enjoy!
I have tried very hard to reign in the fact that I am a Disney fanatic for the purposes of this blog. But this little short had me at hello, and I just couldn’t resist sharing. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the modern feminist movement and the tension that still seems to exist over ‘having it all,’ the definition of beauty, etc. etc. I’ll probably write about that at some point when my thoughts are a bit more organized.
In the meantime, I *love* the message of this video. I love how Disney is redefining & evolving a franchise so near and dear to my own heart, and helping little girls put value on things that really matter: bravery, loyalty, family, kindness… Enjoy!
illustration by Golden Cosmos for the NYTimes Book Review
Looking for some summer reading ideas? I really enjoyed reading “What I Read That Summer” in the New York Times Book Review last Sunday. It’s a collection of short essays by famous authors about literary memories, and it is really beautiful.
Finally, were you sucked into Arrested Development’s Season 4 on Netflix for the past couple of weeks? Check out these 2 clips…
My fellow Americans: Last night, when I spoke with you about the fall of Rome, I knew at that moment that troops of the United States and our allies were crossing the Channel in another and greater operation. It has come to pass with success thus far.
And so, in this poignant hour, I ask you to join with me in prayer:
Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our Nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity.
Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith.
They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph.
They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without rest-until the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by noise and flame. Men's souls will be shaken with the violences of war.
For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and good will among all Thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home.
Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom.
And for us at home -- fathers, mothers, children, wives, sisters, and brothers of brave men overseas -- whose thoughts and prayers are ever with them--help us, Almighty God, to rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in Thee in this hour of great sacrifice.
Many people have urged that I call the Nation into a single day of special prayer. But because the road is long and the desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts.
Give us strength, too -- strength in our daily tasks, to redouble the contributions we make in the physical and the material support of our armed forces.
And let our hearts be stout, to wait out the long travail, to bear sorrows that may come, to impart our courage unto our sons wheresoever they may be.
And, O Lord, give us Faith. Give us Faith in Thee; Faith in our sons; Faith in each other; Faith in our united crusade. Let not the keenness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moment let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose.
With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogancies. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister Nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil.
Thy will be done, Almighty God.
Amen.
I remember the first time I heard this prayer, delivered to America nearly seventy years ago by radio address the night after American and Allied forces landed in Normandy. It brought several things to mind, that I’d like to consider today:
First, Husband and I were talking recently about how little we have to invest in our own freedom. Neither of us serve in the military and while we do have friends and family that do, it’s interesting that we, as individuals don’t have to give anything up to pay for the freedoms that we enjoy everyday. I nerd out over old radio shows, and a common theme among each of them is reminding their audience of which food was being rationed or why they shouldn’t frequent black markets. Can you imagine how much Americans would revolt if this happened today? Why is that? What’s changed? And what could we do to support the military that we know?
Secondly, there’s this line:
“…because the road is long and the desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts.”
1 Thessalonians 5:17 “Pray without ceasing.”
I’m challenging myself to do that today. To keep prayer at the front of my mind. I understand that sometimes you really have nothing to say, but there’s always someone to pray for and something for which to give thanks. And, if nothing else, pray a blessing for our friends in uniform. That prayer is always timely.
I like to say that Secrets of a Belle is where I share about “the art of living a more beautiful life.” And while my voice here in Blogland has been a bit quieter for the last couple weeks, life is pretty beautiful at the moment. It’s that perfect time of year in East Tennessee when the weather is just right for bike rides, tennis in the park, and *lots* of picnics. We’ve been experimenting in the kitchen with what comes each Wednesday in our CSA basket, reading several new books, and doing lots around the house. I couldn’t help but think of this quote…
As I’ve said before, I really love mail. Sending mail. Getting mail. I love it all. So a few weeks ago, when I ran out of stationery, I decided to make something a little more personal than just buying it at a shop like I usually do. Here’s what I did.
First, I went to the craft store and bought 2 sets of blank stationery–one craft and one white. They come in large packs so there will be plenty to experiment with. Next, I took apart one of the envelopes, and used the inside to make a template from cardboard with my ruler and an X-acto. Use the one solid side (where the address goes) and cut just under the glue of the flap.
Next, I traced the template on the random scrap papers I’d collected and cut it out with scissors.
After placing the new liner inside the envelope and straightening it, I gently folded the flap down. Finally, I used a glue stick to attach the new liner to the inside of the top. You don’t have to worry about gluing the bottom half because it will stay in place by itself.
Finally, after lining all of the envelopes, I decorated the cards with stamps and scraps.
Home again. Home again. Jiggity jig. The trip to Maker Faire was wonderful, and I’ll be sharing a lot of it in the next week or two once we wrap our heads around the plethora of content we came home with.
In the meantime, I thought I’d share some cool resources that I’ve found online lately that have me pretty excited. Every once in a while, I feel like my brain gets a little stale. Does that ever happen to you? You finish a big project, you are running from appointment to appointment trying to check things off your ToDo list… oh, that ToDo list… So rather than complacently ignore the feeling, I thought, “I need a challenge!”
So I thought back to the times when I have felt most creative. One of those, not surprisingly, was during school. When you’re in school, there’s a goal. There’s a definite end to projects. Best of all, you are surrounded by people with a passion for the same sorts of things that interest you. As a result, there’s an excitement about learning something new, and excitement always makes it easier to get out of your box.
But when you get older, finding a learning community can be a little more difficult. Needless to say, I was super stoked to find several online resources where you can take classes that are free (or close to it) to challenge yourself and learn something new. Here are a few that have caught my eye that may interest you too…
STANFORD ONLINE
Online courses that free, taught by Stanford’s own faculty and taken by people all over the world.
CREATIVEBUG
I heard about this site on Jordan Ferney’s blog. These classes are more craft/skill-geared, and teach skills that can really help you create your own world.
So now I’m curious…
Have you ever taken an online course just for fun?
Exciting news: This week I am in California for the very first time visiting Maker Faire for DIY. Michele and I are having the best time exploring San Mateo and meeting thousands of other people that are just as passionate about the maker movement as we are. I’ve got some great content to post for you next week but, in the meantime, follow me on Twitter and Instagram for the latest!
Husband and I don’t go to restaurants too often. So at the beginning of the week, I sometimes make grilled chicken that we can use for fajitas, quesadillas, and salads. This paired with the fact that we eat a lot of salads, helps us eat healthy without a huge time investment on busy weeknights.
Last week, I got a bit hooked on a simple salad of spinach, green apple, & pecorino with a splash of sherry vinegar and olive oil. So, using that as a stepping stone, I decided to try a little twist on the Southern classic: chicken salad. Perfect for picnics, Sunday suppers, and busy week nights.
Ingredients:
2 cubed grilled chicken breasts
1/2 cup celery
1/2 roasted red pepper
1/2 green apple
Dressing:
1 heaping Tblsp minced green onion
1 Tblsp minced basil
3 Tblsp mayo
1 Tblsp sherry vinegar
Mix together all the ingredients and then serve on the bread of your choice. I think it’s best when dressed with spinach, a slice of tomato, and a little bit of pecorino romano cheese.
I’ve had Hello, Dolly! on the brain ever since Barbra’s birthday a couple of weeks ago. The thing is, once Barbra gets stuck in my head, she is going to live there for quite sometime. For those that know me, it will come as no surprise that Dolly Levi is a personal hero of mine. And, to be honest, I think there are quite a few lessons about being a strong, independent belle that the matchmaker from New York can teach us. So here goes…
Know what you’re good at, and work with it.
Dolly Levi: Arranger of furniture & daffodils.
Dolly Levi: Social introductions arranged in an atmosphere of elegance & refinement.
Dolly Levi: Twenty-eight and three-quarter year old store clerks taught to dance.
Forget reading “Lean In,” Dolly Levi can teach you everything you need to know. Expect only the best–in food, in dress, & in men.
Alone Time is OK
If your man decides he wants to go out & play with his friends, choose to find it adorable…
And if, while he’s gone, you see a parade…
Then, jump right in the middle. (Dolly did it long before Ferris Bueller.) Remember, when one makes a habit of walking down crowded streets, one is never without a back-up ensemble.
Finally, exercise your flair for the dramatic.
Sometimes it’s good to remind your man what he’d be missing if you weren’t by his side singing Barbra ballads every night.
I’ve been excited about this post all week! Allow me the pleasure of introducing to you, the epitome of the Alabama hostess: Rebecca Gordon. I met Rebecca last Fall when Husband & I headed down to Charleston for an event with Southern Living to celebrate the release of The Official SEC Tailgating Cookbook. At that time, Rebecca was serving as SL’s test kitchen director (she’s currently a Contributing Editor) and her enthusiasm was contagious when she cooked. I immediately fell in love with her absolutely delicious recipes as well as her passion for Alabama football–both of which are front & center on her blog: Buttermilk Lipstick.
Buttermilk Lipstick quickly became my favorite recipe stop on the web. The thing I love the most is that Rebecca doesn’t just give you recipes, she shares tips & secrets from her years of experience that make those recipes foolproof! A couple weeks ago, I tried my hand at her pimento cheese (*delish*), tonight I’ll be making her Southern cornbread (obviously), and this weekend, my mom will be getting these m&m chocolate chip cookies. So let’s get to know Rebecca a little more, shall we?
Hometown: Birmingham, Alabama
Southern Destination of Choice:
The Houndstooth Capital of the South, Tuscaloosa, of course (!) …especially on game day Saturday’s. And when the United States Air Force is scheduled for a flyover before kick-off in Bryant-Denny Stadium… Umm, chills. Witnessing the Crimson Tide bust out of the end zone and onto the field before a home football game just can’t be beat. I’ve been known to get a little teary at times… there’s a passion in that stadium that can’t be duplicated and so many moving stories are represented from the players, to the coaches, to the fans of why they love Alabama football so much. For some it’s based on family roots and for others, they’re converts based on a job move from another state and they had to declare an allegiance to one of the state schools or be pestered relentlessly. Southern college football brings folks together from all walks of life and unites them in a way like nothing else… Roll Tide!
A close second is Charleston. I attended Johnson and Wales when it was located in the old cigar factory on East Bay Street. I can lose myself in the architecture and the history walking around downtown, not to mention the food scene can’t be beat. Being close to the beach doesn’t hurt either. The houses on Sullivan’s Island are simply gorgeous. They’ve done such a fine job of preserving the integrity of the area.
Favorite Southern Tradition:
Not to be a goose and all, but there again, tailgating and watching Alabama football. I don’t mean to rile anyone up or anything, but I do have the 3rd Saturday in October circled with vigor on my calendar each fall. (We do too, Rebecca. Don’t you worry!) I, my friend, lived through the “lean years” and let’s just say, an elephant never forgets.
In the South, there are few items that can hold a candle to a belle’s iron skillet. When making out her will, a grandmother may pass down her iron skillet with as much intention as the family china. Why? An iron skillet isn’t just a cooking vessel–it’s an investment of time, a reminder of the care put into it, and a history of everything that the vessel has held before.
A good iron skillet is well-seasoned. That is, over time a surface of lard has built up making the pan non-stick as well as adding a very distinct flavor. Yes, I know your skillet says it’s pre-seasoned but, trust me honey, it’s not. Here’s how to do it right!
To season your iron skillet…
Preheat your oven to 300°F.
Thinly coat the inside of your pan with Crisco or canola oil. These are my favorites because they don’t add any particular flavor, and they won’t go rancid on the pan.
Leave your skillet in the 300° oven for 3 hours, then let cool completely.
If this is your first seasoning, repeat this process 3 times.
After the initial seasoning, do this about once every month or two.
It’ll really start to feel like yours after the first few batches of bacon. I always make these first after seasoning because it adds another layer of flavor.
Cleaning your iron skillet…
Here’s the key: Don’t let it sit. I am one of the worst when it comes to fixing a big meal, and then going straight to bed without cleaning up. This is no way to treat your iron skillet. First of all, the longer you let things sit, the harder they’ll be to clean off. Second, the fat on the bottom of your skillet can begin to pick up flavors you don’t want as it sits.
The other key: Never. EVER. use soap. NEVER! As I said before, the iron skillet is all about the surface. That’s what gives your food flavor and, in turn, that’s what makes your skillet so valuable. So don’t wash it off! Instead…
After you cook, assess your pan.
Is there anything stuck to the bottom?
Fill your skillet halfway with water, and bring it to a boil for a few minutes.
Then, empty the water and use a rubber scraper to remove anything that is stuck to the surface.
Everything out, and it just needs to be cleaned?
When your pan is cool to the touch, throw in a handful of kosher salt.
Gently rub it in with a rag. (You can use paper towels, but I prefer a rag because paper towels crumble with the salt scrubbing.)
You’ll see the remnants of dinner being soaked up by the salt.
Rinse out the salt with water. Dry your skillet. And coat with a thin layer of canola oil or Crisco.
Store in a dry place. I actually keep mine in the oven.
And now, Iron Skillet Rehab
When a friend brought me a rusty iron skillet a couple of weeks ago, I decided that I’d give it a little rehab and then do a blog post. Little did I know, the rusty surface was thick and flaky so ‘a little rehab’ turned into a Sunday afternoon.
In retrospect, I do not endorse trying to save an iron skillet from the grave. When iron turns to rust, it makes terrible pock marks that can totally ruin the even cooking surface you get with a good skillet. However, if there’s a smaller amount of rust you should be able to use one of the items below, in order of lightest to most abrasive…*
kosher salt
steel wool
a paste of baking soda and water (I rotated this with boiling water and the rust just lifted out.)
fine grain sand paper
*Note: Using any of these will ruin any seasoning already existing on your skillet.
I think it must be in a belle’s blood to not let an iron skillet die. In the words of a co-worker, “Can’t you buy a new skillet for like $11?” Yes. Yes you can, but that’s not the point. Southern allegiance to your skillet is very real so when you get a skillet of your own take care of it. Cherish it. If you’re good to the skillet, the skillet will be good to you.
