The Long Journey Home

Memphis is home and although we are closer than before we are anything but close.  Ben and I decided a while back that it would be cheaper and perhaps easier to drive home for the Thanksgiving holiday.  This would become our first family roadtrip.  In addition to Memphis we also traveled to Baton Rouge to see friends and family.  All totaled we traveled 2224 miles and spent 36 hours in the car.  While that would be enough on its own all of it became a lot more interesting with a nine month old baby. 

Thursday the 18th we packed the car.  The trunk was so full it had to be loaded and unloaded like a jigsaw puzzle.  For the first time I was not the heaviest packer, this time it was Charlotte.  Babies don't travel light (yet another reason for not flying).  The first leg of the journey was great and we made it all the way to Crestview, Florida.  We (Ben) made the decision to pick up dinner from Hooters.  Yes, I said pick-up.  No way was I going to bring the baby to Hooters.  Ben made the decision to order fried pickles and loaded tater tots and also left his jacket.  Luckily, the clean-up crew was there in the morning when Ben realized he had left it at the bar the night before. 

Morton's in Madisonville

Tailgating

We made it to Louisiana without issue on Friday, and enjoyed lunch in Madisonville before heading to Baton Rouge.  Pretty much all we did in Louisiana is eat.  Friday night: sushi.  Saturday: tailgating at LSU and then boudin and burgers with friends.  Sunday: Brunch at Court of Two Sisters in New Orleans and then a po-boy after the Saints game.  All of this and still four days to go before Thanksgiving.

The ride up to Memphis was also good and Charlotte was a great traveling companion.  I truly believe that she knew that she was on an adventure and at every stop there was a friend, cousin, aunt, uncle or grandparent to welcome her. 

Opps!

The one thing I didn't expect in Memphis was a flat tire.  This actually resulted in us getting four new tires.  While I was grateful we did not have this problem in the middle of nowhere it did cause me to lose a day of fun with friends and family.  Nevertheless, we got the problem fixed and continued on our adventures.

By Thanksgiving day Ben and I felt as though we had each gained about 100 pounds.  We decided to take Charlotte on a walk and then Ben decided it would be a better idea to walk all the way to his brother's new house. We missed the turnoff and headed back to Ben's parents house (a much shorter walk).  After our walk we felt better about ourselves and we ready to stuff ourselves again. 

Fall in Memphis with Uncle Todd

Thanksgiving was great and everyone from Ben's and my family was in attendance. We continued to eat and enjoy good company. 

Friday we headed for home.  The drive home was uneventful though Charlotte was a bit of a pain.  I think she was upset leaving everyone behind.  I promised her that we would go see everyone again soon.  Though I plan of flying the next time. 

Disney!

I was deprived the quintessential childhood experience by my parents as they never took us to Disney.  Mom said that she had already been to Disney (in 1971) and didn't need to go back.  Thanks mom.  She doesn't like to travel.  Actually, she just didn't like to travel with us.  

Finally, after 31 years, I got to go to Disney with my husband.  The weather was perfect and fall-like after the endless hot and humid weather we have been having. And the best part, no crowds.  Normally people wait hours to ride the rides and we never waited more that 30 minutes for any ride and usually just walked right up and got on.  

On Sunday we went to Epcot, which is currently having their annual food and wine festival.  This means that little kiosks are set up to serve foods and drinks (beer/wine/spirits) that are specialties of the country represented.  There were extra countries in addition to the usual countries on display.  Most of the food costs less than $5 and you could enjoy various sizes of the beers and wines being offered (so you don't get too drunk too fast).  We walked around and ate and drank for about six hours before heading back to the hotel.

Although most people bring a camera with them to Disney I decided not to take a purse and only took a few photos on my phone. I figure if I want photos I can always go back.  That is the one advantage to actually living in the same city as Disney.  Also, I am hoping this will encourage us to buy an annual pass.  Here are a few photos of the topiaries of characters from Beauty and the Beast. 

Monday we went to Disney's Hollywood Studios.  The weather was even better than the day before and we went to a lot of the shows.  My favorite show was Muppets 3-D. I love 3-D movies.  We also went on a few rides and I am not sure if I liked Tower of Terror or Aerosmith's Rock n Roller Coaster best.  For the record, Ben screamed and giggled like a little girl on the Tower of Terror Ride.  That was the highlight of the trip for me.  I kept my eyes shut for the majority of the roller coaster (see below).  Super fun!

Although we had a terrific two days at Disney we still have Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom left to visit (plus the two water parks, but that is never going to happen).  Although my parents never took me to Disney I am hoping to take Charlotte in the next few weeks to see the Magic Kingdom all lit up for Christmas.  As it is her first Christmas I want it to be special.  And because she won't remember, I will take my camera. 

Bread on Demand

Little loaf, you won't last long

Who loves bread? I do! I do!  Who would eat an entire loaf of fresh French bread if given the chance (and has done so repeatedly of Albertson's French bread)?  That too would be me.  I am still learning the art of portion control, but thanks to my handy dandy Costco and my clever mom, I can have my bread and eat it too. 

Costco sells these wonderful mini loaves of French bread and my mom told me that she and dad freeze them then bake em up whenever they want bread with dinner.  Six loaves cost $4.49 so that is a real deal.  Each loaf is had 360 calories, which isn't too bad if you share (our dogs get the end, I get the middle and Ben gets whatever I leave him).  Of course by the time you add butter or olive oil it will be more, but still, it is better than a whole loaf.  I freeze them in quart-sized ziplock bags.  Mom says to bake them at 400 for about 15 minutes. Sometimes I wrap them in foil to make sure they don't get overly hard, though they are very crusty to begin with.  You will know right away if you didn't bake it long enough because the inside will still be frozen.   Oops.  Also, if you want to make it into garlic bread, simply nuke it in the microwave for about 30 seconds to soften enough to cut in half then slather on the butter and garlic and bake.  Yum!

Trick-or-Treat

Last night was the big night and it didn't disappoint.  As you know I sort of figured Halloween might be a big deal here considering how many people decorated their homes.  I bought candy in preparation and then wondered if I had bought enough.  I asked around and one neighbor said he bought about $75 worth of candy (what!?) and another said you could never have enough.  I was told that people come from all around to trick-or-treat in our neighborhood.  With this information in mind I went back to the store and bought triple the original amount of candy.  Of course, the original bags of candy were not quite as full as they were when I bought them seeing as I have no willpower.  I'd like to think of it as quality control.

Saturday we bought our pumpkins at the church pumpkin patch.  I really wanted to buy like 20 pumpkins to give the yard its own pumpkin patch effect, but Ben said no.  Regardless, we still ended up with a nice display (that I didn't get a good photo of due to how busy we were last night).  I had spiderwebs all over the trees,  gravestones, tons of candles (LEDs, not actual candles), and my big light up spider, as well as our jack-o-lanterns. 

The first trick-or-treater arrived at 6:00pm and it was our three year old neighbor dressed as Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz.  Adorable.  Soon after we abandoned the idea of answering the door and just decided to sit out on the front porch.  Child after child after child arrived in everything from princess to ninja costumes with Spiderman being the most popular.  All in all I would say that we gave out candy to over 200 kids (and some of their parents) before packing it in at 8:30, just in time for the Saint's kickoff.  Most children were super polite making sure to say "Trick or treat" and "Thank you" (often with their parents urging). Several even commented on our jack-o-lanterns or decor (which made me happy).  Charlotte, dressed as a spider, got to watch all the action. Thanks to Ben she even got to try a lollipop (and then have a super hyper sugar rush).  All in all it was a great night, and I still have a few pieces of candy left over. 

Survival of the fittest

Recently Ben and I watched a program about what would happen if humans just disappeared from the Earth.  One of the things that struck Ben is that they figured small dogs would live for about two weeks before they were ultimately eaten by larger dogs or other animals.  I give Rufus about 24 hours.  

Rufus

Case in point was Rufus this morning, when I went to let him out of his kennel he stayed in.  Not normal, but then again this dog is a little odd.  At first I thought it was because the baby was blocking his exit, so I removed her.  Still he did not move. Turns out he had gotten his back leg stuck in the fur of his ear while trying to scratch himself.  This is not the first time this has happened.  I'm just wondering how long he had been in that position.  All night?  I picked him up and freed the fur from around his nail (perhaps it is time for a nail trim).  I then ushered him outside. A few moments later he was howling (I hope the neighbors were not home because it clearly sounded as if someone was torturing the dog).  Again, I freed him from his predicament.  Next, I combed out his fur so that he would not get stuck in his tangles.  But what if no one was here to trim his nails, comb his fur, and free him from himself? Then there is the question of food and water.  24 hours, if Chevy doesn't get to him first. 

Taco Soup

This is one of the easiest and quickest meals you can prepare and it is super tasty.  When I was living in Portland I heard about Taco Soup from a girl I worked with and knew this was something I was going to like.  Every year for Halloween I prepare Taco Soup because you can make it early in the day and grab a quick bowl in between trick-or-treaters.  Taco Soup is like a very light chili and is a great inexpensive way to feed a crowd. I always prepare this in a crock pot, but I have included stove top directions too. 

Taco Soup

•  1lb ground beef-browned
•  1 can Ro-tel tomatoes, with liquid
•  1 onion coarsely diced
•  1 can beans (black or pinto), drained
•  1 cup corn (frozen, fresh or canned)
•  1 qt stock (chicken or veggie) 
•  Water, about 2 cups, but can use more if you want more servings
•  1 packet taco seasoning
•  1 packet ranch dressing seasoning

Garnish before serving with: Tortilla chips, shredded cheddar or pepper jack cheese, sour cream, sliced green onions, sliced black olives




Crock pot instructions: Brown ground beef, drain off excess oil, and then transfer to crock pot.  Add remaining ingredients.  Cover and set on low for 6-8 hours.  Soup will be ready in about two hours, but I usually let it simmer away all day.

Stove top instructions:  In a large stock pot brown ground beef, drain off excess oil and then return to pot.  Add remaining ingredients.  Bring all ingredients up to a boil and then reduce to low.  Simmer for 1-1-1/2 hours.

The search for good Cajun food in Orlando

One of the best things about living in the south is the food.  Oh how I love southern food.  Where else would macaroni and cheese be considered a vegetable?  When Ben and I first got down here it was late winter/early spring which is the perfect time of year for crawfish.  Now I know we are not living back in Louisiana, but we are so close that we figured it would be easy to find fresh crawfish or a good poboy.  How naive we were.  For starters, even though Orlando is located in the American south geographically, it is not especially southern in the way Atlanta is southern or Memphis is southern. Of course Louisiana is a different creature too, but not like Florida.  Anyway, I digress.

The real deal

After scouring the internet we found a place pretty close to the house.  Of course there was one catch.  It was in Chinatown.  This is not the first time I have seen crawfish offered in Chinatown, but one of the online reviews said the owners, though Asian, were indeed from Louisiana. Ben has dubbed this "Casian Food" (Cajun + Asian).   This was reassuring and when Ben called they promised that the crawfish were fresh.  Apparently their idea of fresh and ours are two different things.  In Louisiana fresh crawfish are alive and kicking moments before you make your order.  This restaurant defined fresh as heated up.   We also ordered a shrimp poboy that was served on doughy bread (it should be light and crusty) like you would buy on the bread aisle at the grocery store and made with frozen breaded shrimp.  If I wanted a half-assed poboy I would have made it myself.  But really we only have ourselves to blame.


So the lesson of the day is this: if you are looking for good cajun food and fried rice is on the menu (as opposed to dirty rice) just walk away.

Another Cajun place has just opened up downtown and I can't wait to try it.  Hoping this new restaurant will be the real thing.  If not I will just have to wait a month until our trip to Baton Rouge.

I'll be the judge of that

Laundry is my enemy.  It is an unending task. Just when you think you are done another pile forms and you've got to do it all over again.  You would think that the baby would be the biggest producer of dirty laundry, but in fact, it is my husband.  Ben refuses to wear things more than once.  It's not like I expect him to wear his socks or undies several days in a row, but you can certainly get more than one wear out of a pair of jeans!  Heck, for me, my jeans don't even fit right until the second or third wear.  Since Ben is in construction he is used to getting dirt on his jeans, but he now spends most of his time in the office.  So from here on out before those jeans make it into the wash I am going to take a look to see if they qualify.  If they still look clean I am going to fold them and put them back in his drawer.  He'll never know.  Unless you tell him.  Please don't tell!  Just think, I am saving the earth one not so dirty pair of jeans at a time.  And most importantly I am saving my sanity too. 

More Halloween decor

I just love Halloween.  Just as I thought it couldn't get any better, more of my neighbors have decorated for the holiday.  I am pretty sure that some of the decor may be a little scary for some of the smaller children, but then if they don't make it to your door that is more candy for you to eat!  I still remember when I was little there was one house in the neighborhood who set up a coffin in their front yard, and I believe someone was in it to scare the kids as they approached the front door.  This was a time before people decorated like they do now and we were all way too scared to ever make it to the door.  Perhaps kids are braver these days.

Here are a few of the more impressive homes I have seen:

First of all, this house is huge.  Now I know it is a little difficult to see in this photo, but in the top left is the largest spider ever.  I was driving by when I saw this hairy guy and I creeped me out even from the safety of my cars.

OK, so this house is not scary, but has beautiful fall decor that should last them through Thanksgiving.  I am assuming that they hired a florist to do this work and it really is beautiful. I just love all the fall colors and the various textures. This is the first time I have seen garland used for anything other than Christmas, but it totally works. I also love the hurricane lanterns hanging at the top and bottom of the stairs.  I have not seen this house lit up at night, but I bet it is just gorgeous. 

This little graveyard is located at the end of my street.  It started with one headstone, but the cemetery has quickly filled up (and it appears to be haunted).  I especially love the skeleton coming out of the lawn.

This is by far the scariest house in the neighborhood (especially if you are an LSU fan like I am).  Notice the blood red coloring.  Also, the flag represents Satan Saban.  Nothing is scarier. 

Pantry raid

Because I started a bootcamp class this week and because it is expensive I am trying to figure out a few ways to save some cash.  I figure the easiest way to do this, at least in the short run, is to spend less on groceries.  Ben and I waste a lot of food because I like to cook and try to do so pretty much every night. Cooking is my entertainment.  Last week we started eating leftovers for dinners. This worked out great and we ate pretty much everything (yet another reason why I had to join a fitness class). 

Hello, my name is Camille, and I am a food hoarder

Anyway, I have decided that I am going to give myself $20 to do the grocery shopping this week. Usually I spend about $100 a week.  Don't worry we are not going to starve.  I am planning on using stuff I already have in my overcrowded freezer and pantry as inspiration and use the $20 to fill in with fresh ingredients I need.  So here is the dinner menu:

• Sunday:  Chicken enchiladas with rice.  Stouffer's family size that I bought on sale a month or two ago.
• Monday:  Freezer ravioli with homemade (then frozen) marinara sauce and a salad (purchased late last week).  Bonus:  We actually had a Meatless Monday without Ben noticing or complaining. 
• Tuesday:  Taco night!  Taco kits were on sale a few times at buy one, get one free and I forgot that I already had two boxes so now I have four boxes.  I need to buy shredded lettuce and tomatoes as I already have frozen ground beef and cheese.
• Wednesday:  Salmon, mashed potatoes and broccoli.  We have the salmon and a packet of freeze dried potatoes.
• Thursday: Chicken spinach casserole.  I've got tons of frozen chicken and spinach in the freezer and cream of whatever in the pantry.
• Friday: Frozen Pizza. It's Friday so it has to be pizza.  I bought a box of four from Costco.  Because they are super thin crust and have no meat I might add some pepperoni I already have and a salad.
• Saturday:  Crawfish etouffee.  For the LSU game.  I already have crawfish tails, butter (though I am almost out even though I buy 6lbs at a time) and rice. 

The shopping list

1. Milk (because I still need it for breakfast)
2. Bananas (for the baby)
3. Shredded lettuce
4. Tomatoes
5. Broccoli
6. Bell pepper
7. Bag o' salad
8. Onions

I'll update with the grand total once I get back from the store, but I really think I can do this.  The bonus is that I will have a slightly less crammed freezer and pantry.  If this works I think I will try to do a menu like this once a month.  Wish me luck!

What, you don't have Elk in your freezer?

Strange fruit

When we moved into the house in Orlando it was February and the trees were bare of leaves.  As spring came around and the trees started to leaf out one tree in particular stood out.  The tree was not all that beautiful, in fact, the especially harsh winter had been hard on many of the plants, but for the life of me I could not identify this tree.  This summer small fruit began to form and I was even more curious.  After a ton of online research I had my answer, it is a Sugar apple (Annona squamosa).  To be honest I was hoping it was a lychee since lychee martinis are so good, but it's not and I have to think that this is even more unique.

Until that moment I had never heard of a sugar apple.  Because I didn't know anything about this tree, other than the fact there was one growing in my yard, I consulted Google (of course).  Apparently the origins of this plant are unknown, but it is widely cultivated in India where the fruit is popular.  The fruit is never cooked, but eaten raw.  According to my research they should not be allowed to ripen on the tree, but picked when you can see white, yellow or red tinting between the segments.  The seeds of the fruit is quite toxic and has been used to kill lice (among other things).  Other than eating the fruit by itself the segments can be juiced and the juice can be used to make ice cream or a refreshing drink.  I'm pretty sure it just about time to pick my strange fruit. Next step is getting up enough courage to try it, I'm planning on steering clear of the seeds. 

Pizza Friday...Chicago Style!

A few years ago the hubby and I went to Chicago for a wedding and my only request was that we stop somewhere for deep dish pizza. I had heard about Lou Malnati's and it did not disappoint.  Our waitress asked us a question I will never forget, "Do you want regular crust or butter crust?" Puzzled we asked, "What is butter crust?"   The waitress then grabbed a hunk of fat at her side and said, "This is butter crust."  We were sold. 

Since eating true deep dish pizza I have craved it ever since.  Lou Malnati's will overnight pizza to your home, we've had it and it is quite good, but it is a bit expensive.  I figured I could try it myself at home and the results got two thumbs up from the hubby so it is a keeper.  I encourage everyone to try deep dish pizza in their home.  You can decide for yourself if you want the butter crust.

Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza

• Store bought pizza dough (or you could make it yourself)
• 1T butter or olive oil
• 1-1/2c. Marinara Sauce, jarred or homemade (recipe to follow)
• 2 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 2-3 links Italian sausage, removed from casing, crumbled and sauteed
• 1 medium bell pepper, sliced thinly
• 1/2 red onion, sliced thinly
• Sliced mushrooms, as many as you want

Preheat the oven to 425. Take a 10"d. round nonstick metal baking pan and butter or oil the bottom and sides.  This will ensure that your crust does not stick, will add a bit of flavor, and make for a crispier crust.  Next, spread out the pizza dough bringing it up the sides a bit.  The dough is very elastic so you will have to continually press the dough up into the sides as you add your ingredients.  Then add all the cheese (yes, the cheese goes first).  Next add the sauce.  Finally, add the all of your toppings.  Place in oven for 30-40 minutes.  It usually takes about 30 minutes in my oven.  Remove pizza from oven then remove pizza from pan (a few large forks and a big spatula help).  Place pizza on baking sheet or other cutting board, slice and enjoy.

Note:  You can change the toppings to your liking.  

Marinara Sauce

• 2-28oz cans of whole, peeled, tomatoes (I prefer San Marzano tomatoes for their fresh taste)
• Olive oil, about 1/4 cup
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 t. basil
• 1t. oregano
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 t. red pepper flakes (optional)

Place tomatoes in blender and pulse until almost smooth.  In a heavy bottomed pot heat olive oil to medium high and add onions and garlic.  Saute until quite soft, about 10 minutes.  Add tomatoes, basil, and oregano.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.  Add salt, pepper and red pepper (if using).  Let simmer for about one hour. 

Makes about six cups of sauce.  Extra sauce can be frozen and used for a variety of other foods including spaghetti, lasagna, or even in soups. 

 

A lesson in frozen food

Flat frozen vs container that won't close

Grown-up food can be frozen flat

Sometimes you buy things that just don't work as advertised and sometimes you find new uses for things you no longer need.  This is a tale of two products and one idea.  Several months ago I started making baby food for my sweet sweet with these little plastic containers from the baby store.  The first time I used them they worked great.  The second time around the tops wouldn't stay shut and I had to start using rubber bands.  Annoying.  Also, the little pots took forever to thaw out and the baby doesn't like to wait for her food.  Ever.  That leads me to the next product.  Breast milk storage bags.  Since I never could keep up with the demand I switched to formula and now have a supply of milk storage bags.  Because I am cheap I did not throw them away.  Suddenly it dawned on me.  I can use the bags for the baby food.  But, it gets better.  For years I have been making all sorts of stuff to freeze, mainly chicken stock.  So that it doesn't take up as much room in the freezer I put it in a ziplock and freeze it flat. Once it is frozen I stack them up.  Well, now I do the same with the baby food.  Anything frozen flat with thaw out in a fraction of the time and it won't take up near as much room in the freezer.  I actually saw Jamie Lee Curtis taking about the same principle a few weeks ago on TV and she suggested stacking them vertically like you would books on a shelf.  Never thought about that before, but that tip makes it even easier to find what you are looking for in your already overcrowded freezer.  So whether you are making baby food or grown up food try freezing it flat.

It's beginning to look a lot like...Halloween!

Going all out

Not so itsy bitsy spiders

Most days are still over 80 degrees here in Florida and the leaves have not even begun to change color, but that hasn't stopped the people in my neighborhood from decorating for Halloween.  Perhaps I am unaware of some Halloween decorating contest?  Here are just a few houses that we saw today on our walk.  Just to think there are still more than two weeks left until Halloween.  I can't wait until the actual night. There are so many great and reasonably priced decorations out there these days with Target, Michael's, Hobby Lobby and even Walgreen's offering tons of fun decorating items.  I have a whole big tupperware box full of Halloween stuff, but I have nothing compared to my neighbors.  Thankfully the yard is small so I can go all out without breaking the bank.  I am planning on going to the produce market to pick up some pumpkins, one for carving, and several more to put in the yard to give it a pumpkin patch appearance.  I'll post a pic when I'm done.

Circle of ghouls

   

Just the beginning

Raising a child is exciting and exhausting, but not always.  Sometimes being a stay at home mom is boring and lonely.  Today I decided to get out of my rut and do something productive.  Maybe a blog is not productive, but then again, maybe it can be.  The purpose of this blog is to share with friends, family, and anyone else, what is going on in our lives and things that I pick up along the way that I think need to be shared.  One thing I love to share is new recipes.  We all have to eat, but seldom do we know what to cook or we are just plain old tired of everything in our recipe box.  If I make something new and like it, I'll share it with you. Heck, even if I don't like it, I'll share that too.  When the weather is nice, we walk almost every day and sometimes I see things I'd love to share whether it be flower in bloom or really neat house.