50 Shades of Gray

A basic yet strong Gray mono-chromatic color palette can be used as a backdrop to create a bedroom for almost any taste. Gray paired with this seasons bright colors, instantly become fun and cheerful. Grays partnered with pastels can take on an ultra feminine girlie look especially when paired with traditional or antique furniture. Orange or Chocolate with Gray creates a strong masculine look with modern furnishings.      

Gray Bedrooms by yrvann on polyvore.com

50 Shades of Gray by yrvann on polyvore.com

DIY Work Out-Snacks

Energy/Protein bars are yummy and healthy. Strangely enough things that are good for you can also be bad for your wallet, that’s why I’m very grateful to all the budget gourmets out there in cyberspace for concocting DIY recipes for almost every thing under the supermarket roof. 

DIY Work Out-Snacks by yrvann on polyvore.com

First up Luna Bars, courtesy of Chocolate Covered Katie

• 3 cups rice crispies (I used brown rice crispies. For a less-crispy bar, you can sub 2 cups of the crispies for 1/2 cup oat flour.) 
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract 
• 1/2 tsp salt (I used salted pb, too) 
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons nut butter of choice (for lower-cal option, see below link) 1/2 cup sticky sweetener, such as agave or brown rice syrup (I used agave) 
• 2-3 tablespoons protein powder (you can omit) 
• melted chocolate chips or No-Sugar Chocolate Sauce

Mix your pb, sweetener, extract, and salt. Melt (either in the microwave or stove), then pour over the cereal and powder, and stir very well, making sure to coat all the crispies. Smush and smash the crispies. (Get mad; it’s fun!) Line a pan with wax paper and spread the mixture evenly into the pan. Place a sheet of wax paper on top of the mixture, then press down as firmly as you can. Really press it down! Spread the chocolate on top, and freeze for at least a half hour before slicing

Source: chocolatecoveredkatie.com via Yolanda on Pinterest

Check out Chocolate Covered Katie's blog for more healthy homemade desserts.

Amazing discovery number 2 homemade Gatorade, Yes someone out there figured out the formula (Kool-Aid and Salt).  

Source: instructables.com via Yolanda on Pinterest

  


Get the recipe on instructables.com 

Pleasing Palettes

Slate, Grey, Plum and Teal. Girly yet Chic.  

Untitled #11 by yrvann on polyvore.com

Red Velveteen Cupcakes

Just like it takes a real deal fashionista to spot a well made Louis Vuitton knock-off or fake Rolex, it would probably take a champion cupcake eater to notice the differences between my red velveteen cupcake and an actual Red Velvet cupcake. Velveteen is velvet’s mass produced, cheaper, cotton cousin. Just like its namesake my Red Velveteen cupcake recipe is easier to make than the original recipe, uses ingredients you already have in the pantry, but still has all the yummy flavor of the original Red Velvet, loved for its signature red color, tender crumb and mild coca flavor. I probably wouldn’t serve it to a pastry chef or born and raised Southerner, just like I wouldn't wear a bootleg designer bag into a room full of real life Carrie Bradshaw’s (I did once…very awkward), but for everyday entertaining or the occasional Red Velvet crave this recipe hits the spot.

Red Velveteen Cupcakes by yrvann on polyvore.com

Ingredients
6 tablespoons butter, room temperature
3/4 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1 packet of hot coco mix
1 3/4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 bottle red food coloring or gel
1/2 c milk
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease 12 cupcake pan cups or line with paper liners.
2. Make a paste of cocoa, vanilla and food coloring. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time then stir in milk.
4. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir into the batter just until blended.
5. Fold red coco paste into batter by the teaspoon using a spatula (if paste is to thick add a couple drop of water to thin out the paste), use a mixer to incorporate the red coco mix evenly throughout batter.
6. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, dividing evenly.Bake in the preheated oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 20 to 25 minutes.7. Cool in the pan set over a wire rack. When cool, arrange the cupcakes on a serving platter. 

Next make your frosting

*Ingredients
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

*The original recipe from allrecipes.com yields 3 cups of frosting, I cut it in half to generously frost 12 cupcakes.

This recipe has a delicious, heavy cream cheese flavor sort of like a whipped cheesecake. If you prefer a lighter less intense flavor use a stick of butter (1/2 cup)

Instead of frosting your cupcakes with a knife try piping your frosting on to the cupcakes using a plastic zipper bag. Fill your bag with frosting then carefully snip the end corner of the bag.   

Red Velveteen Cupcakes TAKE 1 

Ready for a close up 

Red Velveteen Cupcakes TAKE 2

ENJOY!!!

Allow Me To Re-Introduce Myself…..

Well I’m back again like I never left, this time for good. Brick City Socialite is a blog about entertaining, decorating, food and drink for the urban set, think for me as your Martha (Stewart) but younger and broker with considerably more melanin. HGTV and Food Network, meets House Wives of Atlanta but not nearly as ghetto. My goal is to provide useful information, tips, and ideas for you and your home sprinkled with a dash of humor! 


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Chic and Simple Brunch

The Menu

Quiche

Potato Pancakes

Fresh Mixed Green Salad 

This simple and delicious meal took me about 1 1/2 hours to prepare, and made for a wonderful afternoon brunch with friends.  

Quiche is a dish that is relatively easy to make, it is great for brunch because it combines your major breakfast items – eggs, cheese and meat in one tasty pie shell. The recipe for Quiche is very flexible, you can go the more traditional route with bacon and onions or make it up as you go. Two of my personal favorite Quiche combinations are Ham and Swiss, and Chicken and Spinach.   

Potato Pancakes or Latkes are easy to make and can be a welcomed change from home fries or hash browns

Ham,Sweet Onions,Red Peppers and Swiss Cheese Quiche, Potato Pancakes and Salad

It's a Wrap

The Holidays are over but the sales are not, take advantage of all the year end clearance sales. In recent years traditional holiday colors have taken a back seat in Santa’s sleigh, today’s “holiday” staples like wrapping paper are sold in a wide range of color combinations, making it easy to score great wrapping paper that can be used all year round for different craft projects. I found purple and silver wrap that matched my bedroom perfectly, framed it as wall “art” giving my bedroom the color splash it needed.