Sharing with my friends and family during The Job.  (courtesy Arik Sokol)

Hey Y’all

Last week was a whirlwind; like most women, I was a mom, daughter, event planner, and on TV….well, sometimes us girls get to be on TV, too. It was a phenomenal adventure I shall never forget! Friday night was so special to me.

Honestly, I’d not been surrounded by so many friends and loved ones since Dave’s memorial service and repast. I guess when you experience major life transitions, God puts loved ones at your side and around you.

My friends and family! (courtesy Arik Sokol)

What made the night more special were the wonderful supporters for our gathering to all watch the Premiere of CBS- THE JOB. Friends old and new, literally, some of them were community people I asked to be a part of the night, all gathered, donated their wares and made the night grand.

We had all sorts of tasty treats from Happy Catering Company, @Superior Grill, @MAFIAoZAS_BHAM, Olexa’s Bakery of Mountain Brook, @RoyalCupCoffee, Zoe’s Café, @Tazikis_Bham, and Demetri’s BBQ in Homewood. Additionally, our friends at aloft Hotel SOHO, The $uper Deal, Image Arts of Mountain Brook, infomedia, and a few unnamed friends, all made the night a blast for those in attendance.

Winning The Job at The Palm surrounded by the people I love!  (courtesy Arik Sokol)

 

Me, I just had the best time, being with so many wonderful people to share such a wondrous time in my life. Thank you all. I am truly excited about joining the Palm Restaurant Family @PalmWestNYC.

My heart belongs to my kids! (courtesy Arik Sokol)

After a long week and an epic night, I slept all weekend. It was nice to get some sleep after being pumped about the premiere all week.

Since Friday, I’ve been virtually silent online ; I’ve only been able to “Like” comments and well wishes on facebook, respond to a few texts, and a few emails . When I tell you that life happens, and is no respect of person, do believe me.

Friday night was so much fun for the kids. They ran around and hung out with friends, simply had a great time. Well, on Monday I had one out sick, and by Wednesday, I had four diagnosed with mycoplasma (walking pneumonia). So if I had the notion that, “I am a TV star and my whole life has changed!”, I’d be as wrong as two left shoes. Once we had spent 3+ hours at the doctor’s and had prescriptions filled, we all laid to rest about 3:00 a.m.

My life is so adventurous!

A glimpse into my life this week:

The Robinson’s Kitchen Everyday

 

The Robinson’s Kitchen Today

So as you see from the photos, my week has been filled with regular motherly duties and a taste of Hollywood fame!

It’s great being jann robinson!

I want to thank my friends and new followers with a great giveaway from some of my favorites from Alabama’s own Bromberg’s, Birmingham Bake and Cook Company, and Allsouth Appliance Group, INC.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Watch the episode of The Job that Jann was on here.

The Palm congratulates Jann and Ryan here.

On the night of February 8, surrounded by more than 200 of her closest family and friends, Jann Robinson was keeping a secret.

The Birmingham small business owner, a widow and mother of six children, was about to win a national TV contest that would change her life.

All those people had gathered at Aloft Birmingham Soho Square to see Jann compete in the debut episode of the new CBS reality competition series The Job.

And Jann made them proud. She beat out four other competitors for an assistant manager position at The Palm Restaurant, a world-renown fine-dining establishment based in New York City.

Once the screaming stopped and the joyful tears were wiped away, Jann told the crowd that The Palm offered her an open opportunity to work at their West Side Palm location in New York’s Times Square. She looks forward to being mentored by the Bozzi and Ganzi families in the city that started it all for The Palm, which now has 25 locations across the U.S., in London, and Mexico.

Jann could make the transition from the Magic City to the Big Apple as early as late summer. Her focus right now is on finding a place to live and finding schools for her six children, who range in age from 6 to 17.

Until her move, Jann will continue running Backstage Catering and Jann Robinson Culinary Living, her southern lifestyle consulting company, from her home in Mountain Brook, Ala. If you want Jann to cater your special event, help you put on a southern-style affair, or speak to your group, call 205.314.5723. For media inquiries, please call Veleka Finch at 205.332.5914.

Thank you so much for your friendship and continued support.  It’s the cards, prayers, and smiles that have given me hope and strength to venture out to capture my dreams.

I am so excited about the opportunity of being on CBS’s THE JOB! Being swept off to NYC and competing for an amazing position with the Palm Restaurant Group was unforgettable.

I invite you all to watch on Friday night.  I went to New York to represent the South– to show what Southern Hospitality is really like! I hope I make you proud. Read more about my experience at Over the Mountain Journal.

Tune in to your CBS channel this Friday night, February 8th, at 8/7C.  The whole show will be full of useful job hunting tips, hope, and cliffhangers.

I’ll be watching the show with family and friends at a viewing party at Aloft Birmingham Soho Square. We’ll be partying live on Twitter during the show, so be sure to follow @janrobinson and @mitzijanemedia, and help me make #jannrobinson the top tweet of the night!

Always know that being connected to you is important to me. If you see me out and about, extend your hand, wave clamorously, honk your horn!

Online, though, I’d love for you to subscribe to my blog and newsletter and connect with me on Twitter @jannrobinson and Facebook.

I look forward to hearing from you!

jann

A GIVEAWAY from some of Alabama’s best businesses!

Special thanks to Broomberg’s and Birmingham Bake and Cook Company for your lovely gifts!

(use arrows to the side of the picture below to scroll to both prizes)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

MLK Day, not a day off, but a day ON!

Such a poignant call to service and declaration to our nation.  Today was a day of memorialization, retrospect, dedication, and transformation.  Regardless of your political affiliation, today was a new day for our nation, a new start for us as US Citizens.  Ceremonies are indicative of commemoration of “great starts.”  Today we celebrated the start of our nation’s new administration and start of a life, Dr. King’s life, whose personal sacrifices changed the world.

Today many of us participated in Dr. King’s birthday in service to others.  For many, service is common, just a “random act of kindness.” For others, it’s only on occasion or for extra points that they will they sign up to serve or lend a hand.  If you are the later, now try volunteering once a month this year.  If you are the former, try a new service project, you may find your secret passion or a new career.

To everyone else who says, “Fiddledeedee, I give at work, I serve every Sunday!” So what if you pay your taxes, write a check for the “needy”, or donate to your schools?! True enough, you do give, but what does that feel like??? Does it feel at all like the warmth in the heart felt when a gray-haired lady gives you a single peppermint candy as thanks for your day’s work scraping her home and painting it with a team of co-workers?  Does it feel as good as the smile on the faces of children when you build a playground in their neighborhood?  I doubt setting up an auto-draft of your paycheck for a charity feels anything like the immediate reward received when one goes out of their way in service to another.

Try it more often.  The next time you have a day off, make it a day ON!

You inspire me,

jann

YIELDS ONE 9″ PIE

Slightly adjusted for a Southern fancy, this amazing dessert offered by Woman’s Day Encyclopedia of Cookery (Fawcett Publication, Inc. 1965) is a hit at the holidays or any women’s social gathering. Creamy, chocolaty, divine, with a Paw-Paw’s measure of rum best describes this delectable chocolate dessert. The true gem is the buttery, black, chocolate-cookie bottom (crust). Enjoy, and I don’t believe you will need a ‘dessert wine’ with this one.

jann

Photo of Emeril’s recipe

FOR THE FILLING:
2 tsp. gelatin
1 2⁄3 cups milk
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
4 eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
4 tsp. cornstarch
1⁄2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
5 tsp. rum
1 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp. confectioners’ sugar

FOR THE CRUST:
1 1⁄2 cups fine chocolate-cookie crumbs
1 tbsp. sugar
4 tbsp. butter, softened

1. For the crust: Preheat oven to 375°. Mix cookie crumbs, sugar, and butter together in a medium bowl, then press mixture onto bottom and up sides of a 9″ glass pie plate. Bake until crust is set, 8–10 minutes. Allow crust to cool.
2. For the filling: Soften gelatin in 1⁄4 cup of the milk in a medium bowl. Finely chop three-quarters of the chocolate and transfer to a small bowl. Scald remaining milk in top of a double boiler set over bottom pot of boiling water, 8–10 minutes. Whisk egg yolks in a large bowl until pale yellow, then whisk in 1⁄2 cup of the sugar, then cornstarch and salt. Gradually whisk in hot milk, then return mixture to top of double boiler and set over bottom pot. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook custard, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until thick enough to coat back of spoon, about 15 minutes. Remove custard from heat. Pour 1⁄2 cup of the custard into bowl with chocolate, add vanilla, and stir until smooth. Set chocolate custard aside to cool, 5–10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, add remaining custard to bowl with softened gelatin, add rum, and stir well. Cover and refrigerate until cool but not set, 20–25 minutes. Pour chocolate custard into prepared crust and refrigerate until set.
3. Beat egg whites in a large bowl until medium-stiff peaks form, 1 1⁄2–2 minutes. Gradually add remaining sugar, beating until stiff glossy peaks form, 2–3 minutes. Fold in cooled custard, cover, and refrigerate until just set, 15–20 minutes. Spread custard over layer of chocolate custard and refrigerate over pie.
4. Whisk cream and confectioners’ sugar together in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Spread whipped cream over layer of custard. Shave remaining chocolate over pie.

Hey, y’all!

How are things in your world?  I am excited with the completion of my new website.  It has been many, many months in the creation stages, but we feel that we have a great site now to move forward with my personal branding.

The site is full of information about the many parts of my life that mean so much to me.  jannrob!nson Culinary Living of course is important, as it is an integral piece in my personal branding.  At the end of the day, I am a Southern Girl.  This is my personal distinction, separating me from many companies that provide catering and related services here.  When I say a Southern Girl, I’m talkingabout Southern Hospitality.  It is this legacy of the South and its people that distinguishes us amongst the many choices out there.  You know that Southern people take care of you.  I say, “Making Southern food and Southern life Fabulous!” This means that what I offer is modern, it’s familiar, and comforting, it makes you relaxed about the projects you involve jannrob!nson Culinary Living in.

I will be blogging often, so please find the blog tab on my page.  The current blog is about Holiday Open House season.  Many companies host office and at-home events for their clients and staff during the holiday season.  You can justcalljann.com and we will serve your needs from planning and catering to valet parking service.  We have it all.

There is also I blog where I’d appreciate much feedback, “What’s so good about the South?” I would love to hear just what makes the Southwonderful to you and warms your heart like no other place on Earth.

If you know any Diabetics, check the Healthy Living on TV tab whereyou will find segments from Fox 6 Midday News featuring my DiabeticFriendly Dessert recipes. Please share with your loved ones. These recipes are great for your entire family!

I look forward to hearing from you.

Cheers!

UPDATE: Disaster Response
2011 Spring Storms

With winds up to 80 miles per hour, the recent band of tornadoes on Friday, April 15 left a trail of destruction across the state of Alabama, after it pummeled Oklahoma, Arkansas and Mississippi. After tornadoes touched down in at least 6 different counties, Alabama Governor Robert Bentley has declared a state of emergency. At least seven people in Alabama have died. As local communities emerge to assess the damage, the Red Cross was on the scene minutes after the disaster to provide relief and assistance.

Preliminary damage assessments indicate that in the state of Alabama alone, 128 homes have been destroyed, 70 homes have sustained major damage and over 50 homes have minor damage. No town has been hit harder than Geiger, Alabama, about an hour south of Tuscaloosa. The entire town population has been affected with 100 homes sustaining damage and 61 homes being completely destroyed.

The American Red Cross continues to respond to the devastation caused by last Friday’s storms, but we need your support to provide assistance to those affected. Please give to American Red Cross Disaster Relief today to help with this disaster response and others. When you give, you help provide food, cots, blankets and volunteers deployed in response to disaster. We know the tornado season has only just begun, and with your support, we can be there, providing basic needs when people need us most. Thank you!

Don’t start believing the ‘stories’ that your mind tells you about the not-so-pleasant events in your life. If you add energy and faith to those stories, you begin to play it out in your reality when really, it was all in your head.

Don’t attach a STORY to the events of your life.  It was just an event.  Stop making more of it than it was.  It was just a disappointment and not the basis of your future.

I didn’t get the blender my dad promised me for Christmas when I was three, but I haven’t accepted the story, “men make promises and don’t keep them”, “my man will always abandon me”, “I did something wrong and that’s why I didn’t get my blender”, or “I will always have men to lie to me and do me wrong.”

Play that out enough in your head and that is the reality that will come to you.

jann

That ain’t original, just some new wisdom I’m learning.

8 slices Big Sky or other great whole wheat bread
1 stick butter, softened
2 TB mayonnaise
1 recipe Jann’s pimento cheese spread (see recipe below)
OR
4 oz sliced good swiss or white cheddar cheese
8 slices bacon, cooked (optional)
1/2 stick butter

Mix softened butter with mayonnaise
Make sandwiches with your choice of cheese (and bacon, if desired)
melt some of the stick of butter in a preheated cast iron pan
spread one side of sandwich with butter mixture
Place sandwich, spread side down, in melted butter when just sizzling
Spread top of sandwich with butter mixture.
Turn when brown and beautiful like Jann.
Grill other side
Cut into halves or quarters and serve with chips! (We like Zapp’s)
Eat and feel good!!

I am watching Andrew Young Presents on Fox6. It speaks of the friendship of Dr. Mays of Morehouse college and Margaret Mitchell, author of Gone With the Wind.

I have always been a lover of Gone With the Wind. The story of author Margaret Mitchell has brought me to tears. Her benevolence to Morehouse College and her love and respect for Hattie McDaniel, Mammy, is an amazing unknown fact of both the book and author. Why some black people don’t like the movie, I somewhat understand, but as a child it was beautiful to me and one I watched time and again. Her scholarship funds paid many years of medical school for Atlanta, GA first black pediatrician, Dr. Otis Smith.

I feel somewhat vendicated now knowing more of the movie some black people thought ill of and avoided.  I understand the depiction of “happy slaves” in the movie was straight bs, but much of the beautiful Southern Lady I am today is because of the images portrayed of the South I love in Gone With the Wind.  The fight you see in me, is very much Scarlett O’hara and I love me a gregarious, handsome, well-dress, Rhett Butler type man.

I respectfully ask you to research Margaret Mitchell, and her contributions to the black community, the South, and her heirs.  Both she and her husband were real poeple of substance, dsiplaying to the world what the South really is.  The evil actions of some who cursed our region with their devilish acts are history, yet do not tell the whole story of our great heritage and the amazing people we are.

Mr. and Mrs. Mithchell made an imprint on Atlanta, the South, and the World.