Southern Belle: Insulting?

I can't believe it's May already! 8 days until we leave for Jamaica!!

Recent food pictures:

Scarlet Chicken (from Come On In!)This was delicious (and healthy)!! If you don't have this Junior League Cookbook, it is definitely a must!



The failed Portobello Mushroom Pizzas!



American-Italian all'Amatriciana - This was really good! The recipe online omits the chopped fresh basil that Rachael Ray added on the show. The reason that it's an American version of a classic Italian recipe is that the original calls for cured pork jowls (ewww!)

I couldn't sleep as late as Jay this morning, so I went to hang out with Abby and watch TV. I usually don't watch MTV as I'm a little past that point in life, but I occasionally enjoy watching True Life. I caught an episoide that aired at the beginning of April entitled "I'm a Southern Belle." It followed three girls who attend Ole Miss. Obviously I was interested not only to hear what they had to say, but to see how they portrayed Mississippians and Southerners in general. One girl was a pageant queen, another a grad student studying Spanish, and the last one was a Tenneessee girl who grew up around horses.

The whole show portrayed "southern belles" as being obssessed with big hair and finding a husband. I felt sympathetic towards Raini, the pageant queen, because she was struggling to tell her mom that she didn't want to do the pageant thing anymore. Leigh Anne, the grad student, obssessed about finding a husband and was worried because she is 25 and not engaged. Kate wanted to take things slow with her boyfriend and has no intentions of getting married until she is 30 (but she felt bad about it because she thinks all "normal" Southern girls get married young).

Maybe people get married young in the South, but there is more being a Southern belle than worrying about being an "old maid." I got married at 23 (young in some places) because I found the right man. Not because I just wanted to get married. It's sad that women see getting married and having children as the end all be all. Just some random ramblings for a Saturday! :)