Friday, March 19, 2010

The Huge Gigantic Really Long Kind Of Boring Remodel Reveal Post

Well folks here it is. The moment all one of you have been waiting for. It took nearly a month to complete (and hell it's really not even done yet) and almost two weeks for me to get off my rear and post about it. It was hard y'all. I'm not even kidding. A major major disruption to the SugarBritches household and blog. I know I lost some lovely readers along the way but I swear on my cast iron skillet that I will ignore you no more. Now let's get on with it.



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I had originally planned on refinishing an old dining room table that belonged to SUMS's parents. It was without matching leaf but I was determined to have a table big enough to seat my family. I took the problem to our neighbor, an older gentleman you builds furniture as a hobby. He and his lovely wife sold us our house and are the perfect neighbors. He told me that turning the leaf I had scavenged into a leaf for the table wasn't going to be easy but it was doable. Then he turned to his wife and said, "Well, we have a table. We're downsizing to a smaller one. Why don't you come up and look at it." So I did. And then....they just gave it to me. Loaded it up and hauled it to my house. The kindness and generosity of true Southerners gets me every time.
It seats six without the leaf and 8-10 (in a pinch) with the leaf. I was blown away, speechless even. They wouldn't accept money, just kept telling me it was nothing. So I did what any good Southern woman would do...I baked. This Upside-Down Caramelized Apple Cake was the perfect choice.

recipe courtesy Southern Living


1/2 c. chopped pecans
2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
1 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. vanilla extract, divided
3/2 tsp. ground cinnamon, divided
1/2 c. butter, divided
2 tsp. brandy (which i didn't have so I used Rum, of course)
1 c. packed light brown sugar
3/2 c. granulated sugar, divided
2 large eggs, separated
3/4 c. milk
1/2 c. sour cream
2 c. all purpose baking mix (I used Bisquick)
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg


Preheat oven to 350. Bake pecans in a single layer in shallow pan 8-10 minutes until toasty and yummy smelling. Increase oven to 375. But remove pecans first. Okay?


Toss apple slices with lemon juice, 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract, and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon.

Melt 1/4 c. butter in a CAST IRON SKILLET (this is important y'all) over low heat. Remove from heat, stir in brandy or rum (mmmm RUM). Sprinkle with all of the brown sugar.

Sprinkle pecans over brown sugar and butter and RUM then arrange apples intwo concentric (wtf?) circles over pecans.

Beat remaining 1/2 c. butter with 1/2 c. granulated sugar with mixer until blended. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating after each addition. Add milk, sour cream, and remaining 1 tsp. vanilla, beating until just blended.


In separate bowl whisk together baking mix and 1/4 tsp. cinnamon and nutmeg. Add dry mixture to wet mixture beating until just blended.

Beat egg whites in another damn bowl at high speed until soft peaks for. Gradually add 1/4 c. granulated sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold into batter. Spread batter over apples in skillet.


Bake at 375 for 50-55 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool in skillet 10 minutes. Then run clean sharp knife around edge. Invert cakeonto serving platter and enjoy the yummy goodness that is RUM, I mean Upside-Down Caramelized Apple Cake.



And for those of you who wish to submit yourselves to my amateur videographer skills, check out the vlog below. I sincerely apologize for turning you on your side part of the way into it. I really wasn't thinking as I was shooting and only after watching did I realize. Also, I'm too lazy to re-shoot. And if it makes you a little queasy then I am really really sorry. Otherwise, deal with it.




I really must learn how to shoot better video. The quality is so poor on Blogger, it looks much
better in my media player so again...sorry. I'll try to learn some tricks or get some better software before I attempt anything like this again.

14 comments:

  1. The house looks amazing. Y'all did a great job! Oddly enough, I like the bright red kitchen. It works.

    Now, if we can just con you into Monday Mingling.....LOL

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  2. i LOVE your kitchen! the red looks awesome. and the colours in the living room and hallway really makes it so fresh and airy - perfect for summer! great job!

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  3. add in a little snobby tone and you sound just like me!! i am super jealous of all the cabinet space!! the house looks great, love the living room colors and the flooring. those are some sexy floors!! sugarbaby has no time for you.

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  4. Looks amazing! Now I hope to see some carbon monoxide detectors in future pics, right?

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  5. Oh DEAR LORD IN HEAVEN, I did not think it was possible to love you even more, but I do. I do!

    I think you should vlog everything from now on.

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  6. fabulous! I love how the living room looks towards the back door! Super bright! and the floors turned out great!

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  7. FANTASTIC!

    I love what you've done but most of all, it is so nice to hear your adorable VOICE! As for the wall, I'd suggest a large framed mirror (look at 2nd hand stores) OR go for floor to ceiling bookcases - then you could put the Twilight books from your "liquor cabinet" on shelves! ;) Kill 2 birds w/one stone, if you will.

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  8. I also vote for more Sugarbritches Vlogs!

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  9. Wow! Big changes! I love that red kitchen with the wood floors. NICE! I also like all the other painted paneling. Much better. Good for you.

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  10. I'm sorry, you're outvoted. Monday Mingle, gurrrlfriend.

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  11. I'm sitting in bed, looking at your pics and Hottness says "wow - that's awesome, whose house is that."

    So there you go..... :)

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  12. I love the colors and brightness of your home!! And there's something about the dining table with the mis-matched chairs that screams, "Welcome"! I love it!

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  13. Hello, Over here from Say Anything and I must say, fabulous job! Love the red.

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Now play nice and for every comment you leave, I'll buy you a pony.