Happy Mardi Gras Y'all

Yesterday was Mardi Gras, (French for Fat Tuesday). Okay. You ask, "What's Fat Tuesday?" It is the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. It is the last day of 'decadence' before Lent begins. This link can explain it better than I can.

http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/MardiGras/

I am not Catholic, but with Louisiana so close, one can not help but be caught up in a little of the celebration. So...I made gumbo yesterday and served it with rice and cornbread. Carol and Elton came over and she brought a delicious pan of lemon bars. They were to die for! Just melt in your mouth good.

At my last full-time job down near the Texas Gulf Coast, I met some wonderful people. I actually know three Cajuns. I worked with one of the men. His last name is Lancon. We Anglos pronounce it like it's spelled. However, the correct pronunciation in south Louisiana is 'la san' - or that's the way it sounded to me. Jerry said that he didn't learn English until he was five years old. He introduced me to one of the cookbooks he has at home. I "devoured" it and through some information found in the back was able to find where to order it and its companion cookbook.

Sam's best friend, Ben, was born in southern Louisiana. Even though he is not of French Canadian or Cajun decent, he still grew up with the influence of the people and the food. His mother (step-mother actually) gave me a couple of the cookbooks she'd acquired over the years. She had reached the stage where she didn't do much cooking any more preferring to eat out.

I have sticky notes everywhere in these books. I've cooked Gumbo, Crawfish Etouffee, Cajun Shrimp Sauce Piquante, Court Bouillion or Coubion, Stuffed Mushrooms. The list goes on and on. I have a recipe for Natchitoches meat pies that I just have tried yet although I have eaten the real thing in Natchitoches.

The thing about much of the Cajun cooking is that you take a recipe. Then you make it yours. Gumbo for instance. Even though you may start out with a recipe, you change it depending on what you have in your refrigerator. Or what the men bring in from a day of hunting and fishing - if you lived in the marsh land of the Louisiana coast.

This is my basic Gumbo recipe:

1 cup roux

2 quarts water

2 large onions, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 cup green onion, chopped

1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

1 cup celery, chopped

2 bay leaves

salt to taste

pepper to taste

a bit of cayenne pepper if desired

meat and/or chicken, pork, sausage

seafood consisting of shrimp, oysters, whatever you desire

1 package sliced okra, if desired

Put 1 cup of roux in a big pot. Bring heat up to medium. Add remaining ingredients including meat (excluding shrimp and/or oysters). Cook for about 2 hours or until meat is tender and gumbo has thickened. In the last 15 to 20 minutes, add shrimp
and/or oysters along with the okra. You do not want to overcook your seafood or the okra. Seafood toughens, okra cooks away. You can even add a can of diced tomatoes if desired. After all, its YOUR Gumbo.

Let's talk Roux. Roux is a basis for many gravies. Its purpose is the deciding factor on how dark to cook it. A Roux is simple. It is merely equal parts of a fat (lard, bacon grease, vegetable oil, or butter) and flour. For white gravy, you cook it just a minute or two before pouring in your milk. For Cajun cooking, the time to cook your Roux may be an hour or two or sometimes three...with constant stirring. If you burn your Roux, you have to toss it and start all over.

I picked the brain of a Cajun restaurant owner in Freeport one evening and actually have in my possession his Crawfish Etouffee recipe ;o) . Imagine my amazement when he told me that he used store-bought Roux?! I was flabbergasted. He gave me the names of two or three store-bought Roux's (LOL what is the plural of Roux?!) The one that I can find in northeast Texas is Bootsie's. Look for it in a glass pint jar. The store here stocks it near the ketchup/catsup bottles. Um...I suggest looking for a product of Louisiana...I'm not certain I would want to cook Cajun with something in a bottle from overseas.

If you want to make your own roux, do a search. If you find Emeril Lagasse's name, you can bet he know what he's talking about!

Laizze le bon ton roule!

Beautiful Sunset

I looked out the bathroom window last night. Grabbed my jacket and hollered at Sam on the way out the front door. He grabbed his jacket and followed me. Then he went back inside for his camera.

(Sam is a HAM radio operator - that explains the tower and various antennae.)

LOOK at this! My pear trees are getting ready to bloom. The last time I looked, the buds were tight. When the trees look like snow, I'll post new photos.

So Tired!

Had a ladies' weekend and thoroughly enjoyed it. Two friends did not get to make it: one because of a death in her extended family; the other because of her mother's illness. I can only imagine how much more fun it would've been had they been able to make it. Oh. Not really a "ladies' weekend." More of a high school graduating class weekend. 10 attended, but that's okay.


One of our classmates retired out of the Navy. He and his wife have a band and now perform in nightclubs in and around the extended area. Here's their blog:

http://www.myspace.com/ladychazzandthetramps


Richard has always had a great voice. The addition of his wife, Chazz, jazzes things up! She can really work a room!


Anyway, some drove to Shreveport and back last night (er...early this morning). Some of us got motel rooms. That's what I did. Had my one drink (I can't hold my liquor and didn't want to have to go to the car to take a nap) and danced like nobody was looking! I love the line dances that are done now and as you know, am trying to learn some of them. Even though we didn't do country, just learning the steps helps with other line dances. There were more women in the lounge than men, we just all gathered on the dance floor and danced. You don't really need a partner, unless it's a slow dance. We had a couple of male classmates with us and they just danced in the middle. Sorta. We did a line dance sort of thing a time or two. I really enjoyed myself. Even though it doesn't appear that our dancing ability has improved much since high school...ALL those years ago!


I did make the statement this morning walking down the hall of the motel that if I did that on a weekly basis, I'd probably have to have a hip replacement! LOL


Before leaving, I made beef stew for supper Friday night. I loved the way it looked in the white bowls and grabbed my camera. Sam asked, "What are you doing?" Actually, I thought it was obvious. Camera in hand...evidently I was going to shoot a photo. ;o) When I explained that it was for my blog, he started to make a comment. "Just go sit down. Leave me alone. I'm taking the photo."
A bowl of beef stew with a slice of crusty French bread...delish!

3

I now know THREE line dances!

Black Velvet This one is almost exactly like the how to video.

5000 Hits!

I just checked. I've had over 5,000 hits on my blog since its creation June 2008.

5,000!

Of course 2,000 are probably mine. ;o) Especially when I first got the blog up and running. I checked on the number of posts this morning too. Not quite 150. When it gets to 200 I'll have to think of a good giveaway...quilt related this time.

I made a mistake yesterday. I intended to go to the grocery store about 3:30 and be ready to checkout at 4:01. You see. It was "Midnight Madness." Madness yes. Midnight no. The store had coupons that were in effect only from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday only. Well. I asked Sam if he wanted to watch a DVD. League of Extraordinary Gentlemen with Sean Connery. We did. It was after 4 before it was over. So I hung around until 4:30 to watch Jeopardy. Therefore didn't leave the house until 5.

I haven't seen that many people in one place since Valentines Day waiting at the restaurant! It was hard to maneuver the aisles. Then at checkout...every register was open and had at least two waiting in each. That's really not bad. And when I looked in the grocery buggies I noticed that they weren't just overloaded with stuff. People were buying mainly with their coupons. Which is exactly what I was doing too. We all just stood in line and visited while I laughed at myself for waiting so late to go shopping.

It's going to be a cool clear day. Good day for quilting!

Ta-ta!!

Words of Wisdom

I received an e-mail with these profound quotes:

1. In my many years I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a shame, two is a law firm and three or more is a congress. -- John Adams

2. If you don't read the newspaper you are uninformed, if you do read the newspaper you are misinformed. -- Mark Twain

3. Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But then I repeat myself. -- Mark Twain

4. I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle . -- Winston Churchill

5. A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul. -- George Bernard Shaw

6. A liberal is someone who feels a great debt to his fellow man, which debt he proposes to pay off with your money. -- G. Gordon Liddy

7. Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner. -- James Bovard, Civil Libertarian (1994)

8. Foreign aid might be defined as a transfer of money from poor people in rich countries to rich people in poor countries. -- Douglas Casey, Classmate of Bill Clinton at Georgetown University

9. Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys. -- P.J. O'Rourke, Civil Libertarian

10. Government is the great fiction, through which everybody endeavors to live at the expense of everybody else. -- Frederic Bastiat, French Economist (1801-1850)

11. Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it. -- Ronald Reagan (1986)

12. I don't make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts. -- Will Rogers

13. If you think health care is expensive now, wait until you see what it costs when it's free! -- P.J. O'Rourke

14. In general, the art of government consists of taking as much money as possible from one party of the citizens to give to the other. -- Voltaire (1764)

15. Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you! -- Pericles (430 B.C.)

16. No man's life, liberty, or property is safe while the legislature is in session. -- Mark Twain (1866)

17. Talk is cheap...except when Congress does it. -- Anonymous

18. The government is like a baby's alimentary canal, with a happy appetite at one end and no responsibility at the other. -- Ronald Reagan

19. The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of the blessings. The inherent blessing of socialism is the equal sharing of misery. -- Winston Churchill

20. The only difference between a tax man and a taxidermist is that the taxidermist leaves the skin. -- Mark Twain

21. The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools. -- Herbert Spencer, English Philosopher (1820-1903)

22. There is no distinctly native American criminal class...save Congress. -- Mark Twain

23. What this country needs are more unemployed politicians. -- Edward Langley, Artist (1928-1995)

Then there's the e-mail stating that if we reduce the amount of Representatives from 2 per state to 1 per state; therefore also reducing staff and other expenses - AH! the money we could save!

And if the whole she-bang adopted the general 20/25/30 year retirement plan that private industry has, look at the money we would save from someone serving just one four year term!

Oh! how funny! Really, how sad. None of that will ever happen!

Spring is Just Around the Corner

Spring is starting to bust out all over! Daffodils are blooming in nearly every yard in my corner of Texas. These are in my front yard.


Yes, I know that these are actually weeds. They are still beautiful to me. When I was a little girl, I would gather handsful of these and give to my grandmother, Little Mama. She would find a snuff jar to hold them and set them in the middle of her dining room table. So, that is all that matters to me!


I've spotted camelias blooming all over the place. Finally! I found this beauty this afternoon. The bush is full of buds too. When it blazes all over, I'll take another photo.


In the meantime, I'm still waiting on my bluebonnets. They have multiplied this year. ...doing my happy dance...

Cooking Up a Frenzy

Okay. It's like this. Sam had rather eat out. Since he's retired, it's his social time. He has also decided that he doesn't like leftovers. So, for a year or year and a half, I've been sauteing 2 chicken breasts, or 2 small hamburger steaks, or searing 2 small pork steaks. Anything to keep from having leftovers. I haven't really "cooked" except for when we expect company. Have you ever tried to make a 2 serving meatloaf? Or a 2 serving roast? What about 2 serving beef stew or chicken soup?

!!!!!!

The last time (1-1 1/2 years ago) that I was going to make homemade lasagna and was getting the ingredients out of the pantry and the refrigerator, Sam walked in and said, "I'd rather have a hamburger." I put everything away.

I am tired of eating out. I cook better than that. I swear that I am cleaner than that. My hot food is generally hot. Cold food is...yep, you guessed it...cold. I can actually have all the food on the table at the same time therefore no one has an extremely hot plate and one a so-so cold plate. So...I decided...I'm cooking for real again.

Sunday:
baked chicken with a good crispy crust
rice
buttermilk gravy
asparagus with butter

Monday:
LASAGNA!!!
rest of the asparagus (Oops! LEFTOVERS!)
garlic toast

Today:
sour cream chicken enchiladas (with leftover baked chicken)
Spanish rice
"Mexican" slaw

Tomorrow:
LEFTOVERS!!! I have a wonderful choice!


I am in hog heaven! I'll eat the leftovers while Sam goes for his hamburgers. (I call them hockey pucks and order an overpriced salad.)


In the near future:
I have a picnic ham in the freezer. It's coming out of hibernation.
Then, how about a pot of pinto beans cooked with that leftover ham-bone that will still have chunks of ham clinging to it?

Did you have a question? Mexican Slaw?? At the last company I worked for full time, one of my duties was ordering the meal for the board meeting. After the board meeting, whatever was leftover was put in the employees' break room. One of our local (Lake Jackson/Clute/Freeport) restaurants had this on the menu. Several of us stood around tasting and brainstorming...Barbara K. came up with this:

Mexican Slaw

4 cups cabbage, shredded
carrots, shredded
red cabbage, shredded
1/8 cup cilantro, chopped
1/3 cup whole kernel corn, drained
2 tablespoons jalepenos, chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 tablespoon green chiles, chopped
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
2/3 cup mayonnaise (actually Barbara used Miracle Whip salad dressing)
1/3 cup sour cream
dash of chili powder, optional
salt and pepper to taste

Just mix everything and chill.

My Husband is such a sweetie

He is such a sweetie that last night I handed him a pillow and a quilt. He e-mailed this to me:

The Man Rules

At last a guy has taken the time to write this all down.
Finally, the guys' side of the story. ( I must admit, it's pretty good.) We always hear "the rules" From the female side. Now here are the rules from the male side.

These are our rules! Please note.. these are all numbered "1" ON PURPOSE!
1. Men are NOT mind readers. (FIRST & FOREMOST RULE)
1. Learn to work the toilet seat. You' re a big girl. If it's up, put it down. We need it up, you need it down. You don't hear us complaining about you leaving it down.
1. Sunday sports, It's like the full moon or the changing of the tides. Let it be.
1. Crying is blackmail.
1. Ask for what you want. Let us be clear on this one: Subtle hints do not work! Strong hints do not work! Obvious hints do not work! Just say it!
1. Yes and No are perfectly acceptable answers to almost every question.
1. Come to us with a problem only if you want help solving it. That's what we do. Sympathy is what your girlfriends are for.
1. Anything we said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an argument. In fact, all comments become Null and void after 7 Days.
1. If you think you're fat, you probably are. Don't ask us.
1. If something we said can be interpreted two ways and one of the ways makes you sad or angry, we meant the other one.
1. You can either ask us to do something Or tell us how you want it done. Not both. If you already know best how to do it, just do it yourself.
1. Whenever possible, Please say whatever you have to say during commercials.
1. Christopher Columbus did NOT need directions and neither do we.
1. ALL men see in only 16 colors, like Windows default settings. Peach, for example, is a fruit, not a color. Pumpkin is also a fruit. We have no idea what mauve is.
1. If it itches, it will be scratched. We do that.
1. If we ask what is wrong and you say "nothing," We will act like nothing's wrong. We know you are lying, but it is just not worth the hassle.
1. If you ask a question you don't want an answer to, Expect an answer you don't want to hear.
1. When we have to go somewhere, absolutely anything you wear is fine...Really.
1. Don't ask us what we're thinking about unless you are prepared to discuss such topics as Football or Hockey.
1. You have enough clothes.
1. You have too many shoes.
1. I am in shape. Round IS a shape!
1. Thank you for reading this. Yes, I know, I have to sleep on the couch tonight; But did you know men really don't mind that? It's like camping.

Pass this to as many men as you can - to give them a laugh.
Pass this to as many women as you can - to give them a bigger laugh.