RED BROWN BLONDE CONTEST : TWO

As you may or may not know, the Brown member of the party will soon be making her way to the beaches of Hawaii... for quite an extended stay. While the Blonde and the Red members are anxiously awaiting the day we get to visit the Brown one, we are mourning her departure from the mainland. Our last state-side get-together will be the week of July 12th in good ol' Columbus, Ohio. We'll be exploring and shopping (IKEA is just an hour away...), and talking and staying up late and of course, cooking and eating, two of our favorite things. We already have a few meals planned out but we want to try something new and delicious - thus, a contest! What better way to try new recipes than as a REDBROWNBLONDE farewell party?

I'll give you the good stuff first, the PRIZE:

I like this book so much that I've considered keeping it despite the fact that it was purchased as a contest prize. Though it's full of fabulous photos and delicious recipes, it's not your everyday cookbook -- it's an educational and interesting look at the connections between the foods we eat and the way we feel. Author Natalie Savona (nutritionist), suggests meals for different ailments or conditions like Seasonal Affective Disorder (wish I had had this book over the winter!), the common cold, binge eating, and energy deficiencies. It also recommends foods to eat when feeling stressed or while PMS-ing! My favorite section is the Feel Good Food in which she lays out yummy suggestions for food that really will make you feel better (even though I was disappointed when I realized that my chocolate chip cookie dough recipe was not included here). The winner will receive one copy of this wonderful cookbook!

Guidelines:

Submit up to two delicious main course recipes to Redbrownblonde@gmail.com by July 12th, 2010. We'll choose a winner on the 14th and document/post our enjoyment of the chosen dish along with the recipe (if given permission by the recipe-giver)! Be as creative as you like! While we'll gladly accept Hawaiian-inspired dishes, they won't necessarily increase your chances of winning. Good luck! We can't wait to get tasting!

RED: Refinished Curbside Find: FOUR

I love yard sales; I love bargain hunting. The ultimate success of such hobbies occurs on that glorious day when you stumble upon a hidden treasure... and it's free!

I came home from work one day last fall to find a little surprise beside our neighbors trash can out back. I was skeptical as to whether or not furniture set beside trash cans became free game for everyone else. Where I come from, it is not uncommon to see functional every day items become long term lawn ornaments. Bathtubs and tractor parts adorn many a Tennessee yard and I guarantee that is it not socially acceptable to take these items from their lawns no matter how close they may be to a trash receptacle.

Nonetheless, I drug Ben outside to get his approval on this adorable little cabinet that had been abandoned. We decided it's only defect was a little wobble and that it had indeed been discarded. We dusted it off and carried it inside where it would wait on the stairway until I figured out what it's next purpose would be -- which ended up being 8 months later. The piece happens to fit our current culinary situation just right. We needed a bit more storage space in our new kitchen (we just moved two miles down the road - more about our new spot later), and the refurbishing began. Please enjoy it's evolution in the photos below.

Before...

and after! Ben suggested the yellow color and it really looks great with the rest of the kitchen and the little knob that I stumbled upon at Anthropologie a few months back. I've already referenced my cook books more in one week than I usually do in one month with them being so easily accessible. Our micro and toaster oven inconspicuously rest on the lowest shelf while the top is reserved for such important activities as below:

We love our new space - it's got a great little backyard with a patch of mint which went into the home-made Mojitos that our good friends (now neighbors!), made for our cookout that evening.

Ben grilled some delicious steaks and we enjoyed our first of many summer evenings out in the backyard. Bodie, our neighbor dog even came along!