Somewhere in Middle America

homemade hummus with yogurt

When my sister was in Omaha a couple of weekends ago, we went on a shopping spree at Whole Foods. She loves to cook but finds it challenging to do in her New  York City apartment; her kitchen is literally the size of my coffee table. She was excited to roam the aisles of Whole Foods, picking up ingredients to create culinary masterpieces in my “huge” kitchen.

hummus

Unfortunately, my sister had to leave before she had the chance to teach me how to make homemade hummus. But this weekend, I was craving hummus and pita chips, and, knowing I already had all of the ingredients, I decided to attempt it myself. One caveat: my sister was going to use plain yogurt instead of tahini for a low fat hummus.

mark bittman hummus

Using Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything (thanks, Alice!) as a guide, I quickly and easily whipped up hummus in my blender. I simply replaced the required amount of tahini with the same amount of yogurt. I’m not sure if that was the “right” thing to do… my hummus, while tasty, was a bit runny.

hummus

Later, while browsing the web, I came across this recipe for hummus with yogurt, which is very similar to the recipe I invented, except I did not add peanut butter (weird!) but did include cumin.

hummus and pita chips

Would I make it again? Probably, but first I would test it out with tahini.

Do you have a favorite hummus recipe?

2010 emmys fashion round-up

Meh…

2010 emmys january jones

January Jones’s dress looks too much like a mullet.

(Same with Anna Paquin’s)

2010 emmys kyra sedgwick

Kyra Sedgwick’s hair is too undone.

2010 emmys keri russell

Keri Russell looks too much like an extra from “Dirty Dancing.”

Likey…

2010 emmys jayma mays

A lovely combination of navy and gold on Jayma Mays.

2010 emmys tina fey

A lovely hairstyle on Tina Fey… finally!

2010 emmys claire danes

A lovely dress on Claire Danes… but her overall look is just too shiny.
Her face and body are glowing.

(images via)

chocolate pancakes

chocolate pancakes

A camp friend of mine started a new blog called Eating With A to document her culinary adventures. Last week, she tested a recipe she found right here for chocolate pancakes, and she had the sweetest words to say about me and my lil’ blog:

My old camp buddy has a website called Somewhere In Middle America where she mainly talks about things that inspire her in life… things going on in her life… and a lot of style! (Check her out, she’s fun to read, plus at her website you will also find a link to her own stationary company and another website she writes for, EAD Living).

Thanks for the shout out, Adrienne! And I hope you will all bookmark her blog to check out what Adrienne’s cooking… and eating!

(image source)

aboriginal art

Aboriginal Art by Marlene Coombes

While studying abroad in Sydney, Australia in 2001, I traveled to Alice Springs, where I purchased an original piece of Aboriginal art by Marlene Coombes. I even have a photo of the artist holding her artwork tucked away in my scrapbook. At the time, the warm, muted colors spoke to me, and I felt a connection to its meaning, which, on a basic level, has to do with women sitting around campfires. The indigenous people of Australia tell the most mystical stories through their artwork.

Aboriginal artist Marlene Coombes

Over the past nine years, my Aboriginal dot painting has hung in various apartments in Boston, DC, NYC and Omaha. But when we moved into our house two years ago, I wasn’t sure where to display it, so it’s been sitting in box in a closet, and I haven’t given it much thought. That is, until I came across these posts by Viv from Ish & Chi and Jen from Made by Girl.

Aboriginal Art Ish and Chi

Long story short, Viv was contemplating buying a gorgeous pink-hued canvas by Aboriginal artist Jeannie Mills Pwerl for her living room. When she took the plunge (I imagine her purchase was quite costly, as I believe she was debating between the canvas and a new bicycle), she inspired Jen to track down a Jeannie Mills Pwerl original of her own.

Aboriginal Art Made by Girl

I don’t know how J feels about Aboriginal art, but I would love to own a similar piece by Jeannie Mills Pwerl and would proudly display it in the living room. I can’t get these two pieces off my mind. I’m totally obsessed with their large scale and bright, airy colors.

How do you feel about Aboriginal art?

1. my photo 2. my photo 3. image via Ish & Chi 4. image via Made by Girl

link up: my fave posts from around the web

girl outside bookstore

The end of August is finally here! Yippee! Woot Woot!!

Can you tell I’m excited about the September? Why wouldn’t I be? So many exciting things are happening: a visit to NJ, the birth of my friend’s baby, J’s homecoming.

Plus, I’m dying to get a jump start on Fall trends, from menswear for women and military-inspired fashion (Did anybody catch last night’s “Project Runway?” Isn’t Gretchen just awful?) to purple makeup and “greige” nails. What are you looking forward to next season?

Here are some of my favorite finds from around the web this week. If you like them too, please comment below!

I need an intervention: I am addicted to paper planners.

Must have this green apple box for the kitchen. (via Design*Sponge)

Kimberly Ayers‘s style is so me.

Just say no to receipts: There’s BPA on heat-activated paper. (via Design Scouting)

Did Cynthia Rowley sell out?

Bookshelf Porn. Enough said. (via Paper Tastebuds)

Brilliant use of a chalkboard door.

Lox Papers creates amazing collages for each blog post. (via Creature Comforts)

And speaking of “Project Runway”… I already have Tim Gunn’s book; now I need Nina Garcia’s Look Book.

Hope you have a blissful weekend!

(image source)

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