Bougie Girl Life

Football season is here! It's time for yummy fried foods...calories be damned.  However, there is way to indulge your fried food cravings without going too far overboard. This creation is Jasmine rice atop baked onion rings with lightly fried Swiss chard, sundried tomatoes, dried basil, and thyme. You can serve on a plate or ramekin. 

Cake mix and fresh strawberries on a bed of dark chocolate syrup. 

A small bundt pan, cake mix, sugar, and fresh berries equal this yummy confection.  Serve on a saucer with a spot of vanilla tea. 

I am feverishly working on revising my decor on my back deck. Last year, was the first Fall living in  my townhouse. At the time, I was more  focused on painting furniture versus creating an outdoor sanctuary for myself.  The  weather is starting to cool down and now I have a better idea of my outdoor sanctuary needs. . Whilst visiting Laguna Beach, CA last week I came across some lovely blue chimes similar to the ones pictured here.  Alas, they were not going to survive the arduous plane trip back to the Midwest. I opted instead to order a similar version from Amazon ad of sounding clangy...they are emitting a melodic tone. I am working on a paint refresh for the furniture and then stringing up the fairy lights. I plan on spending lots of Fall evenings on that back deck listening to music, sipping on hot cider, and gazing up at the stars. 

Red onions are a simple way to add extra pizazz to both salads and sandwiches.  I serve them lightly cooked in a Spanish olive oil for salads. It adds an extra flavor profile to the salad. For sandwiches, I use fresh slices of red onions to add both texture and a bit of spice. 

I want to take a few moments to shout out the low cost miracle that is Black Satin paint.  Earlier this year, I needed to upgrade a few pieces of furniture in my house and also save for a newer car. I hit up a nearby thrift store for inexpensive furniture and then went to the local Walmart for Black Satin paint. Black Satin paint gives off a patina of freshness without being too glossy. It gives even the most inexpensive particle board furniture a finished look of sophistication. This year, I used Black Satin paint on my laptop desk, piano bench, and a small dresser for the guest room. 

  July  August       Summer is slowly slipping away from us all. Fortunately, the Farmer's Markets are still in full swing. Left to my own devices, I would purchase hundreds of dollars worth of produce, flowers, and crafts.   I have placed myself on a strict budget of ten dollars a visit which is a meager pittance compared to what I regularly spend at a brick and mortar grocery store.  A couple of weeks ago, my ten dollar budget yields me a bouquet of flowers for five dollars,  a small container of tomatoes for a  $1.50,  a couple of cucumbers for 50 cents a piece, and  a bag of rainbow chard for three dollars.  Last month, I procured a bouquet of flowers for five dollars, green peppers for 75 cents each, and a bushel of fennel for two dollars.   Both of the bouquets lasted almost two weeks and the veggies became part of a cold tomato soup which I enjoyed with garlic breadsticks.