In My Own Little Corner

Sadie3 Comments

This weekend I broke what has been kind of a Broadway draught for me.  My mom and I went to see the new production of Cinderella!  It’s not the Disney version, but rather the Rodgers and Hammerstein version that has only been shown as a TV movie.Great White Way

You know it, it’s the version that was most recently re-made with Brandy and Whitney Houston in 1997.  There are some great songs like “Ten Minutes Ago” and the “Stepsister’s Lament.”

It was a very enjoyable girly affair.  Definitely a show to see on a girl’s night, unless for some reason, your Prince Charming is willing to make the trip.  I thought overall the actors were good and they had nice voices. The costumes were elaborate, but I sort of wished they made a more artistic decision with all of the big dresses and done something a little more interesting.  Like do all the chorus girls in shades of the same color, rather than have one in each color of the rainbow.  I felt like they made some safer choices when it came to costumes and sets, which were fine, but they could have re-invented it in a better way.

The lead actress really looked like she walked out of Disney world.  She even had one dress that was very reminiscent of Belle’s gold dress from Beauty and the Beast.  The prince seemed a little nerdy at first, but he grew on me.  By the end, I felt like I wanted to be his Cinderella.

Hearing the songs again was very nostalgic, but they added a couple new ones that were not as great as the originals.  They also added a little political sub plot about helping the poor, and voting for a Prime Minister to advise the King. That part wasn’t my favorite. I felt like they tacked it on to beef up the plot, but I just want to see pretty dresses and balls and princes.

Something new to add to the wall!
Something new to add to the wall!

All in all a festive choice for a girl’s night out! Here’s to a lot more Broadway in my life this year!

Have you seen any good Broadway shows lately?

Have Some Ham…Make Croque Madame

CarrieLeave a comment

This weekend I was having some girlfriends over for brunch.  I decided to try Paula Deen’s Croque Madame Casserole.  Let me tell you.  This is a must have for your next brunch menu.  It is rich and delicious.  Mind you, it is not something you should make if you are counting your calories!

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Ingredients
8 tbsp butter, 1/4 c flour, 2 c milk, 2 tbsp mustard, 3/4 tbsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 10 slices bread, 3/4 lb ham, 8 oz grated swiss, 6 eggs
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400. Grease an 8×8 square baking dish. (I used an 8×11 baking dish instead).Melt 6 tbsp of butter in a large skillet over low heat until bubbling. Whisk in flour and cook for one minute. Whisk in milk and cook until thick and bubbling, 3 to 5 minutes more. Whisk in mustard, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

Pour a thin layer of sauce in the baking dish and cover it with 5 slices of bread. Then top the slices of bread with half of the ham slices and half of the swiss. Repeat the layers once more and finish the casserole with another layer of sauce to cover the entire dish. Bake for 30 minutes.

In a large skillet, cook 6 eggs over easy. You can work in batches. Season with salt and pepper to taste. After the casserole is finished baking, cut the casserole into 6 portions and top each portion with an egg. You have a delicious meal ready for your guests.

Check out this cute grater that I found at Love the Cook in Cape May!
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Five Things

Sadie2 Comments

I would consider my “Signature” or most requested dishes.

5. Vegetarian Black Bean Soup. I just blogged about this a few weeks ago, but I’ve been making this for a few years now.  It’s a great and easy riff on traditional tortilla soup, and it turns out great every time!  Definitely a crowd pleaser.

4. Green Beans with Caramelized Onions and almonds.  I’ve seen a few Food Network personalities make versions of this dish, so one Thanksgiving I decided to combine a few recipes and give it a try.  It quickly became a staple at my family’s Thanksgiving table.

3. Rice Krispie treats.  This one is so easy, but so good.  Whenever I make a version of rice krispie treats to bring to a party, they get raves. I love them too, but I feel like people don’t realize that all I did was melt butter and marshmallows and add cereal. I usually make them because I need to pull something together at the last minute, and quickly realize that I could have made a soufflé and gotten fewer compliments.

2. Granola.  I saw a recipe for granola about three years ago and decided to give it a try. At the time, I didn’t even realize you could bake granola at home.  Three years later, my mother requires me to make a big batch to leave with her every time I visit her house.

1. Buttermilk Pancakes.  My grandmother trained me to make these with my great grandmother’s recipe at a very early age.  By the way, this is my great grandmother Sarah Church, aka Sadie.  This is my number one requested dish by friends and family hands down.  They are simple, light, and fluffy every time!

What is your best dish?