Sweet Ladi Jane

Fry-Day: Bacon & Eggs

03.11.2016

TGIF, friends! I am excited to share another ‘Fry-day’ post with all of you! My weekend agenda always includes sleeping in and laziness. To start the day off right, I’ve decided to share the best way to serve up good ole fashion bacon and eggs — fried style. I love waking up on Saturday or Sunday mornings and filling my kitchen with the sounds of crackling bacon and eggs, with the added aroma of 7-up Biscuits and gravy (stay tuned for this recipe!). It may not be the healthiest of choices, but what would late weekend mornings be without treating yourself every now and then?! You can walk it off later!

Frying and flipping an egg definitely takes some time before perfecting the art of keeping the yolk in tact. Don’t be discouraged, it took me a while to master. And for the bacon, who doesn’t LOVE waking up to the smell and crackling sounds of fried bacon. Follow the directions below to ensure the best traditional southern breakfast around. Happy Fry-day y’all! YAY!

Ingredients:
– Butter
– Eggs

Fried Egg Directions:
1. Slice a tablespoon of butter and place in a hot frying pan with flame on medium.
2. Once butter is melted, spread evenly across frying pan, so your egg doesn’t stick.
3. Crack one egg into the center of the frying pan, and lower heat to medium low.
4. Cook until whites are set.
5. Flip the egg, and let fry for a quick moment-depending on how runny you like your fried egg.

*Tips:
A great utensil I use to flip my egg is a flexible metal spatula. It really helps give you better range of motion so you can really get up under that egg!
My best friend, Ashley, told me a trick to know when the egg is ready to flip. She said that once the whites were “popped up” that the egg is ready.

Fried Bacon Ingredients:
-Oscar Mayer Thick Cut Bacon (*if you have a local butcher, ask for their thick cut bacon)
-Griddle or large frying pan

Fried Bacon Directions:
Cover a plate with a couple of paper towels, so grease can drain after you pull the bacon off the pan.
Heat griddle on high until the pan is nice and hot.
Lower stove top temperature to medium-medium low
Evenly place bacon on the pan, allowing a little space in between.
Every couple of minutes flip the bacon.
Pull the bacon off the pan, place on plate with the paper towels.

*Tips
Cook the bacon SLOWLY. This will help keep some moisture in your bacon so that it is crunchy but won’t break your teeth!
Flip the bacon often as it will help cook the bacon evenly and keep it nice and flat.

9 on the 9th of March

03.09.2016

Happy 9th of the month! It’s that time again for Sweet Ladi Jane’s 9 on the 9th 🙂

I’ve listed 9 items that I am currently LOVING at the moment. Check them out and let me know what you think! What are some of your random necessities that you can’t get enough of right now? Ready, set, spill!

1. Class Pass App – My fitness guru pal, Kristy, told me about Class Pass. It’s an app that is a monthly fitness membership that lets you work out at the best studios and gyms near you which is perfect for me when I am home and/or traveling. It also helps me stay interested in working out. In the past, my biggest downfall has been getting bored with my workouts, but with Class Pass, I can change it up as much as I want to.

2. Sing to Me by L.A. Reid – This book is a fun and interesting read. L.A Reid has signed some of the biggest artists in the music industry including Usher, Pink, Justin Bieber, Toni Braxton…the list goes on and on. I really enjoyed the opening chapters of the book where he talks about his mother and the way he grew up. His solid foundation made him a passionate and hard working adult, which led him to a successful career – definitely inspiring.

3. La Croix – I have been trying to kick the habit of drinking sodas and replace it with drinking more water. I found that it is the “fizziness” of a soda that I enjoy, so I have discovered the blue box La Croix to be a great replacement. It helps me drink more water and also goes great in a cocktail. 😃

4. New Favorite Cocktail – While I was visiting my family in Florida, my Aunt Wendi made me a wonderful cocktail. It’s called Poinsettia, and it’s so easy to make. All you need is champagne, pomegranate juice, a sugar cube and pomegranate seeds. I found this recipe on Food Network to help you out with the process.

5. Frizz Ease Hair Spray – I was teased about my curly hair in high school, and therefore always wanted it straight. Thankfully, I’ve grown out of that and started to feel comfortable embracing my natural hair. Kimberly Schlapman (being the curly hair expert that she is) gifted me with a great hair spray for curly haired ladies that helps hold the curl, without weighing it down. The best part is the 3% cash back option when you use your Ebates account on Amazon!

6. Joel Salatin’s Ted Talk – I have been doing a lot of homework about the food I eat and where it comes from. I have two farms that I am working with to show my readers the different ways of producing food. One is close to my hometown, and the other is near Phillip’s hometown- Homestead Manor (Thompson Station, TN) and Grange (Wilson, AR). Steven, the director of the farm at Homestead, mentioned that Joel Salatin’s ideas and ways of farming were part of the inspiration for their farming techniques. I’m excited to learn more about farming and getting my hands dirty! Keep your eye out for those posts this Spring and Summer.

7. Vivino – I’m a wine and technology lover, so there’s nothing better than combining the two. I am the worst about remembering the name of a new wine I’m into and this app helps with that! All you have to do is take a photo of the label and it will pull up reviews, ratings and descriptions. It’s like Yelp for wine lovers. You can even sign up for a personal buying guide that is customized to match your taste and budget. This can be delivered bi-weekly which is pretty neat.

8. This is Life with Lisa Ling – I am a big fan of Lisa Ling’s work. I can remember in high school when she was on a TV news show called “Channel One.” Now, she has a show that is in the third season called “This is Life.” The show is an original documentary series about Lisa’s investigation of ordinary people with extraordinary lives. She definitely appeals to the side of me that enjoys studying sociology and psychology. I like to discover different ways people live their lives. We all have such different paths in life, and when you open your eyes to a different way of living, it’s amazing what you can discover about yourself.

9. Thermal Mud Therapy – The winter can be so hard on my skin as I am constantly applying lotion. On a recent visit to Fallsview Resort in Niagara Falls, I decided to try a mud wrap for the first time ever. I have to admit I was a little nervous, but it was 100% worth it. My therapist began by taking a sugar scrub to gently exfoliate my skin. Then, came the warm mud…it was so heavenly! After I was warm and cozy, she gently massaged my scalp which is when I’m pretty sure I fell asleep for a minute. To wash the mud off, she used a seven headed horizontal shower that felt like a massage. Last step was a rich creamy lotion. Bye bye dry winter skin!

Explore Nashville: Union Station

03.07.2016

On the west side of downtown Nashville, there’s a beautiful stone building with a tall clock tower. You probably know exactly what I’m talking about – it’s Union Station, a building that carries so much history. It’s a beautiful building that I feel like tourists and even Nashville natives don’t know much about, so I wanted to write a post about it.

Union Station’s construction started in 1898 and was open in 1900. The station is an example of late-Victorian Romanesque Revival architecture. The tower contained an early mechanical digital clock. When replacement French silk drive belts proved unavailable during World War I, it was replaced by a traditional analog clock. Originally the tower was topped by a bronze statue of the Roman god Mercury, but in 1951, the statue toppled in a terrible storm.

In the height of the railroading glory years, the Union Station saw characters such as movie starlet Mae West and Mafia leader Al Capone – who was escorted through the station on his way to Georgia penitentiary. At one time, the track level held two alligator ponds. Why they needed alligator ponds, I am not sure! The station was famous for having the largest train shed of its time. The shed could hold 10 trains at once. Unfortunately in 1996, a fire destroyed the train shed’s truss and it was demolished in 2003.

During World War I and II, many of our military men would ride a train from Union Station. They were either leaving to go to war or coming home from the war through that station. When my grandfather returned home from World War II, the last part of his trip was on a train that pulled into Union Station. My grandmother and my mom rode down from Big Rock, Tennessee to Nashville. They waited patiently for him on the station’s platform dressed to the nines. This was the first time my grandfather met my mom. Sounds like a story out of an old movie.

Like a good ghost story? Well, there are several ghost stories involving Union Station. A woman who was on the station’s platform waiting for her loved one to return from war, had received news he was not coming home on the train that was pulling in, so she leaped in front of the train to her death. Some people have witnessed her ghostly appearance standing in front of Union Station smoking a cigarette. Another tale is about “Gentlemen George,” an English tourist who, while running to catch his train, slipped off the platform and was crushed by his departing train. Reportedly, George comes out when it’s quiet inside the lobby. The last ghostly tale is “The Pullman’s Ghost.” As the story goes, two rail workers were competing for the same beautiful woman…one was a brakeman and the other a pullman. The brakeman didn’t slow the train enough and crushed the pullman. The Pullman’s ghost has been spotted in the railyard by many third shift security guards. I would love to see one of the three ghosts – I love that kind of stuff!

I am amazed at the history around Nashville. There is so much in every corner, and as our city grows, we have to remember places like Union Station to protect them for future generations. I believe this is what preserves Nashville’s uniqueness, and as a native, I have great family memories tied to these historic places. You name a place, and I’ll tell you a story!

Sources:
Hidden History of Nashville by George R. Zepp
HistoricHotels.org
HauntedPlaces.org

Shades of Gray

03.04.2016

I tend to gravitate towards different shades of gray, especially when it comes to home decor. It’s easy on the eyes, and is a great neutral color. My love for this color is subconscious, yet evidently displayed throughout each room in my house. Even the lighter colored rooms, such as my living room, have pops of darker grays sprinkled throughout. I’ve pulled some of my favorite gray pieces of decor from my house and shared them below!

Decorative Throw Pillows
Our interior designer found these pillows at a market in Atlanta. The entire living room was solely designed based off of this pillow. I love the velour, soft velvet feeling and of course, the pops of different grays in there along with some blues. My favorite gray is one mixed with a deep blue.

Alexander McQueen Coffee Table Book
While this dark gray coffee table book accents in all the right ways in the Whiskey Room, I actually also love what is within the book. I am a huge fan of fashion designer, Alexander McQueen and his style – it’s controversial, shocking and visionary. I have a Pinterest board dedicated to his beautiful pieces.

Black + White Pictures
Black and white pictures are timeless. Penelopi is six months old in these photos with her little chubby cheeks and thighs – I love her little expression in these photos. I vividly remember the moment she didn’t want to be flipped around anymore. She was so curious (like she is now) and wanted to be facing out.

Dining Room Table + Candle Sticks
I love this piece – it is a beautifully detailed farm table inspired by a Restoration Hardware table. The designed metal built into the wood accents the gray theme I have going on throughout the house, especially in the dining room.

Living Room Floor Rug
This vintage floor rug is from our Interior designers wholesale market in Atlanta. It has perfect shades of both dark and light gray, and the design works well in the room. I found one similar at West Elm and you can pick whatever size fits your room best.

Do you have a niche for a color that you’ve based your interior decorating around? I love learning about interior design and how people decorate their own homes!

Waffle Cone S’mores

03.02.2016

My infamous (at least the kiddos think so) waffle cone s’mores were an accidental, original recipe. It’s another favorite snack from our traditional family movie nights.

The idea for this tasty treat went down like this – as I went to reach for the s’more supplies in my pantry, I found some leftover waffle cone bowls. In that moment, light bulbs went off. Rather than having to monitor the kids poking and playing with the fire, I thought I would provide an option that is not only a little safer, but also irresistible. All you need are some waffle cone bowls, mini marshmallows, chocolate of your choice and graham cracker crumbs. I usually like to get an assortment of chocolates, so this way the kids can stuff their own waffle cone bowls with all the goodies they want. Once these bowls are stuffed with sweet deliciousness, I wrap the bowls in tinfoil and throw them in the oven until all of the contents get soft and gooey. You can even use this recipe while camping outdoors. Instead of the oven you can place them on top of the grill rack or over the campfire.

I hope this snack is the perfect fix for your sweet tooth and the simple solution for mess-free s’mores. Check out all of the ingredients and directions below!

Ingredients:
Hershey’s Fun Size Candy Bars (or any small sized chocolate treat)
Mini Reese’s Cups
1 bag of small marshmallows
Waffle Cones or Waffle Cones Bowls
Aluminum foil
Graham Cracker crumbs

Directions:
1. Set Oven to 400º
2. Lay a sheet of foil big enough to wrap around the cone or bowl
3. Layer marshmallows, candy bars and graham cracker crumbs inside the bowl
4. Wrap the cone or bowl up, covering the whole thing
5. Place in oven for about two to three minutes or until marshmallows and chocolate reach desired melted yumminess!

Favorite Bracelets

02.29.2016

You may be able to tell by now that I love me some jewelry! I’ve touched before on my necklaces and sentimental pieces. Now I feel like it’s time for me to highlight some of my favorite bracelets. Bracelets are fun because you don’t always have to match your entire outfit or other jewels that you’re wearing with them. I love that it can be something you throw on last minute or even a piece you plan your whole outfit around. If you love bracelets as much as me, I hope you’re able to find something special for yourself in my collection – we all deserve to treat ourselves every now and then. Happy bracelet shopping, friends!

Kim Perrett – (sidenote: I wore this one to my first CMA awards!)

J.Crew – Hair Tie Bracelet

Alexis Bittar ‘Lucite’ – Nordstrom

Givenchy Costume Jewelry – Nordstrom

Alexis Bittar – Nordstrom

White’s Mercantile (Nashville, TN)

Shopbop

H. Audrey (Nashville, TN)

White’s Mercantile (Nashville, TN)

Fry-Day (Yay!)

02.26.2016

The good thing about having my own blog means that I get to create my own themes for different posts based on holidays, my favorite number (9th on 9) and now a certain day of the week. I want to introduce you to something new that I am starting: Fry-day, a new blog series from yours truly, featuring all fried food! Now, I’m all about eating and living healthy, but sometimes my southern roots truly get the best of me. With that being said, and with my fryer from Bed Bath & Beyond by my side, here is my take on how to make the best fried shrimp and cocktail sauce. Even if you don’t like seafood, almost everybody loves shrimp. Add a layer of fried goodness to that and you have yourself a very delightful appetizer or snack for cocktail hour! Afterall, it is Friday!

Whether or not you eat fried food, I hope I’m able to provide some fried options that can accommodate to your taste in this series! Happy FRY-DAY, y’all!

Fried Shrimp Dipping Sauce:
-Ketchup
-Creamy horseradish
*mix to taste

Fried Shrimp Ingredients:
-Buttermilk
-Salt
-Pepper
-Self-Rising Flour
-Whole Foods Shrimp
-Crisco Oil (*Alternative for oil, Crisco vegetable oil)

Fried Shrimp Directions:
1. Heat oil to 375.
2. Soak shrimp in buttermilk and salt & pepper for 45 min – 1 hour, no longer than that.
3. Strain shrimp (do not rinse)
4. Place shrimp in bowl with Self rising flour and mix up. Coating the shrimp entirely.
5. Place shrimp in hot oil and fry until a golden brown.
6. Remove shrimp from oil, and let sit on a plate covered with a paper towel
7. Enjoy!

Travel Tuesday: Big Basin Winery

02.23.2016

Today is a special day for one of my long time dearest friends – Happy Birthday Lauren! We went to high school and college together. After college, she moved out to California. When I reflect on our past, I remember the day we visited Big Basin Winery in Saratoga, California.

Being the wine lover that I am, I’ve strangely never been to a California winery before this trip. So naturally when we were close to a vineyard, it was non-negotiable to go. We visited the quaint town of Saratoga, California and it had a very strong community feeling. I noticed this sense of charm, peacefulness and beauty that encompassed the tiny little mountain town. The $4.5 million dollar houses surrounding it could have contributed to that beauty factor, but hey, that’s Cali for you.

During our visit, we first made our way to the Big Basin Winery. They didn’t have the cheese and wine snacks, so we paid a visit to their close-by neighbors, another winery, for all the cheeses, hummus, salami, prosciutto, and chocolate plum spread you could imagine. That’s the charming part about this town, we drank wine from one and ate from another.

My favorite wine was definitely the 2013 Bald Mountain Chardonnay. Chardonnays to me are usually either very sweet or oaky. They’re not always my favorite, but this one was very dry with earthy tones which is the result of how the winery grows their grapes. The dirt is not even really dirt…it’s more like sand and rocks. Because of this, the wine’s taste felt like it would go with all of the food that we had on the table.

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Saratoga was the last show of the West Coast run, so it was a very special moment. We shopped, went to the winery and then they had the sold out show where the crowd was absolutely amazing – not to mention the perfect weather, the beautiful venue, and relaxing ora that the West Coast has to offer. Overtime, I have certainly fallen in love with the West Coast. While it will never be somewhere I call home, it’s definitely a favorite vacation spot that holds so many wonderful memories in my heart.

Gluten Free White Turkey Chili & Cornbread

02.22.2016

There’s no better way to build a friendship than by joining forces to cook a wonderful meal in the kitchen. In this ‘foodie’ blog post, I had some help from a few of my friends. You may know the talented country duo, Jamelle and Brandon Fraley from Two Story Road. I am always looking for healthy meal options, and this lovely couple happens to know several gluten-free options. Brandon found out that he could not eat gluten for medical reasons a few years back. As a supportive wife, Jamelle joined him in this diet and lifestyle change. They both rave about the benefits of living a gluten free life, explaining that they feel healthier and have more energy. After learning about the effects of their diet and skimming through their recipes, I knew I had to share their family’s gluten-free White Turkey Chili. I paired a gluten free cornbread with their chili so we could all create and enjoy a meal together in one kitchen.

Now if you’re wanting to discover some new and good music, I would suggest checking out Two Story Road’s debut EP featuring 6 unbelievable tunes they recently released. I hope you all enjoy their chili and my cornbread as much as we did. Enjoy!

Two Story Road’s White Turkey Chili Recipe
Ingredients:
1.5 lbs ground turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
1.5 t cumin
1 clove minced garlic (dried out garlic spices lasts longer)
1.5 t oregano
.5 t red pepper flakes
.5 t salt
.5 t white pepper
4 cups chicken broth
2 16oz cans white northern beans
1 can garbanzo beans
1 7 oz can of mild green chiles
*Cheese
*Plain Greek yogurt (to taste)

Directions:
1. Brown ground turkey with chopped onion in a large pot and then add all the spices (cumin, clove minced garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, white salt)
2. Add broth
3. Mash one can of northern beans
4. Mash the garbanzo beans and add to thicken soup
5. Add the other can of northern beans and can of chiles
6. Simmer for as long as you want
7. Taste & adjust seasonings
8. Once served, stir in a scoop of Greek yogurt and garnish with cheese

Gluten Free Cornbread Recipe via Land O Lakes
Ingredients:
1/4 CUP Land O Lakes® Butter, softened
3 TABLESPOONS sugar
2 Eggs
1/2 CUP sour cream
1/2 CUP milk
1 CUP Gluten-Free Flour Blend (see below)
2/3 CUP yellow cornmeal
2 TEASPOONS gluten-free baking powder
1/2 TEASPOON salt

Directions:
Heat oven to 425°F. Grease 8-inch square baking pan; set aside.
Combine butter and sugar in bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add eggs; mix well. Stir in sour cream and milk. Add all remaining ingredients; beat at low speed just until mixed.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 18-22 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm.

William Arthur

02.19.2016

Most everyone is familiar with the phrase “the highest of highs, and the lowest of lows.” I felt exactly that when we arrived home late Tuesday afternoon. We were traveling back from Los Angeles where my husband Phillip and I were celebrating a huge win for his band Little Big Town, at the Grammy Awards. We were still buzzing from the weeks events as we were flying home, and were looking forward to seeing my mom and our daughter Penelopi to celebrate together. They were waiting at our house for us and at the same time my dad was also on his way over to meet up with us after his work and share in our big win together. The Arthur family has a strong tradition of “celebrating” any chance we can get, and this time would be a mountaintop moment for all of us. Little did we know, the news we would get next would change that tone altogether, and our lives would truly never be the same. No sooner than we could walk in the front door of our home and say hello with hugs and kisses, the phone call came in saying Bill had passed unexpectedly. Our collective feelings of elation and celebration quickly turned into shock and tears. When my Dad arrived at our house after hearing the news on his drive over, he literally fell into my arms crying. He had lost his brother.

I have such great memories of “The Arthur Bros” as we called them. My dad and his three brothers were always entertaining, to say the least, when the Arthur family had a “get together” (haha)! As a little girl, it was one of my favorite things when the four brothers would be in the same room. I remember it always being a fun party full of loud laughter, great stories and also great memories. I also learned some great life skills from my Uncle Bill – like how to fix our broken vacuum cleaner or how to change a car tire. He was a really good teacher and was very impressed with my vacuum repair skills…(haha)! Uncle Bill lived his life boldly and with great love towards his family. He cared deeply about people in his life and would give any one of us the shirt off of his back even if he didn’t have one to give! He had a way of saying exactly what he meant with no apologies – and everyone listened. We will definitely miss you, Uncle Bill. The Arthur family will never be the same without your generous soul here on earth. We all love you and know you will always keep an eye on us.

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