Like many of us, I am a creature of habit. It is comfortable when things go the same way, day in and day out. Get up, go to work, come home, do my workout, play with the pooches, eat dinner, spend time with hubby, throw in some horse back riding and time with the {step}daughter, and then get up and do it again the very next day. It makes life feel easy. Yes, we have our obstacles thrown in there on a daily or weekly or monthly basis, but at the same time, those are fairly regular as well.
Lately though, a storm has been brewing in these parts, waiting to unleash its fury on the people who are near. I don’t really want to talk much about it just yet, and don’t worry, my marriage is still very strong, so no worries there, but at the same time, a whole new chapter in my life is about to unfold.
It’s very edgy, very scary, and truthfully I have no idea which way it will lead me. Possibly any person in their right mind would want to jump ship, but that’s not an option. I can reassure you though, that I have the absolute best husband, {step}daughter, parents, family and friends that a girl could possibly ever need or want. They all stand behind me 100% and back my every whim.
Although to say I’m scared sh*tless would be quite the understatement. I am nervous. I am scared. I’m not real sure what the outcome is going to be, which makes it even more nerve racking.
You may or may not have noticed that I kind of disappeared late last week, but I just didn’t know how to put words and thoughts together. I’m still not quite sure, but if nothing else, I’m sure it will be one heck of a ride.
Welcome Thursday! You’re one day closer to the weekend! And even though you are probably my least favorite day of the week, I’m still happy to see you. Can we be friends?
So Tuesday night hubby and I were able to make it up to The Shack again for dinner. It cracks me up because this theme was the same as Sunday Night Dinner…. Mexican. Good thing I like Mexican food! Although the cool thing is, usually there are different things so it’s all good, right? Right.
Tuesday morning just before I rolled out of bed, holding on to every last second I could under the covers I checked facebook to see what I missed over night. Come on, admit it, we find out some pretty interesting stuff on facebook, like whose kid just took a poop. But in all honesty I’ve found out cool things like which green house is having a plant sale, or who has the best garage sales going on, etc. So it’s not all bad!
Anyway I got on there and saw a comment from my SIL
Yeehaw!! Nothin like cuttin onions and jalapenos at 5 in the mornin to get the sinuses etc all opened up!!! Wooooo I’m awake now!!!
Caught my attention so I asked what she was making. She said it was Mexican night at the Shack and were we coming. Well we didn’t know the theme and so I talked to hubby and we decided that yes in deed we were going to go.
When we got up there, Liss was making homemade Tortilla shells. She said she lost her original recipe so tried this one. She said this wasn’t it, but holy yum were they good! IMO and that’s the one that matters in this post, right? 🙂
And her coozie she didn’t want to lose.
And I don’t know what to say here…. 🙂
Note to hubby: don’t smart off at the girl holding the flour there hunny… especially when she’s your sister! She’s not afraid to throw it at you.
Fresh made chips like this beat the store bought stuff ANY day of the week!
I told Dick if this made its way to my yard, I wouldn’t complain one bit :).
Sour cream, tomatoes & cheese for your Taco’s.
Chili Verde with Pork Tenderloin. This is what Liss was working on at 5am. It was worth it!
Bean Burrito’s. Not sure who made these, but sorry I didn’t try them. I don’t like beans though… I know…. 🙁
Taco Chicken… YUM! Memaw did good here!
Cas brought Carrot Cake
Memaw brought cookie bar thingy’s.
It was such a nice night. The high on Tuesday was 78ish. The low was to be in the 50s. The high for Wednesday was 48. Does that tell you something? We all sat outside and enjoyed the warm weather while it lasted!
And we even had a cute puppy to play with!!
Next weeks theme…. Asian! Wonder what that’ll bring about!
One thing about my Tbug and my husband, they humor me, a lot. When I get some crazy idea in my head I want to try and make something, because I never have, they go along with it. Our most recent challenge… making Homemade Mozzarella. It’s pretty sweet we made our own cheese. I’m not real sure it tastes like Mozzarella, but the original recipe had a Pesto sauce on top of it, so that might be the difference.
1 1/2 teaspoons citric acid powder dissolved in 1/4 cup cool water. Available here.
1 gallon whole milk- Also- do not, under any circumstances, use ultra-pasteurized milk for this cheese.
1/4 teaspoon regular strength rennet dissolved in 1/4 cup cool water (or 1/8 teaspoon double strength rennet OR 1/4 tablet vegetable rennet, crushed and dissolved in the 1/4 cup water.) Available here
1 teaspoon cheese salt, optional (cheese salt is just any salt that is not iodized or flavored.)
Pour the gallon of milk into a large stainless steel or other non-reactive stockpot. Sprinkle the citric acid over the top and stir in gently. Heat milk to 88°F. Don’t panic when the milk starts to curdle. That’s the idea!
Last Friday night we picked Tbug up from cheer practice and then ran to the store looking for heavier weights. I’ve been doing this Revolt Fitness workout and so far all I had were 5lb weights. That will get you a little feeling but some of the workouts I felt like I needed some heavier weights so we went for 10lb weights. I also wanted a Kettlebell but they didn’t have 2 in the same weight class. shucks!
Anyway then I went home and told Tbug to take a shower while I got started on my workout (I didn’t tell her that though). So I went on about my workout and when she got out of the shower I was in the middle of doing pushups and she joined in with me. Then a few minutes later she ran to her room and put on some workout clothes and then continued doing the workout with me.
I had a cute and fun workout buddy. And I’m not gonna lie, she showed me up on a few of the exercises. Ah to be a kid again!
And after the workout she put all my weights up for me, lined them up in a row. How cute!
A while back Doti and I were discussing making Strawberry Jelly/Jam/Preserves (whatever you want to call it) and I made the comment that my grandma makes the best. We decided that we needed to learn from the best.
Then one Sunday I was at Earl’s house and she made the comment that she was running out of the Strawberry Jelly/Jam/Preserves that I gave her. She wondered where I got it exactly. I made the comment that Doti and I wanted to have my grandma teach us how to make it and wondered if she’d be interested in learning as well. She said, Heck yeah!
So last weekend was the weekend we chose, however sadly Doti got sick so it was just Earl, Moo and me. And did we make Strawberry Jam or what!?!?
We wound up with 9 jars a piece. I’d say that’s pretty darn good!
After we got the jam/jelly/preserves jarred up and separated out between 2 boxes, then we started cooking lunch. Our lunch consisted of homemade Chicken & Noodles & Kid Friendly Muffins (recipe below).
Moo did so well working with my grandma. Usually when they are home she’s off in her room playing school teacher while Earl is cooking. However Moo made me a promise that if I gave her an apron, she’d help her momma in the kitchen more. I kept up my end of the bargain and she got an apron just like Tbug’s :).
By the end of our time with Grandma, before Earl and Moo had to leave to go to a relatives house, Grandma & Moo made a pie. In fact, they made 2 pies. A chocolate cream and an apple pie.
Grandma was teaching Moo how to do the pretty pie crust.
I’m not going to lie, Moo did a better job than Earl and I either one did.
Kid Friendly Muffins
Prep time/total time 30 minutes Yield’s 1 Dozen
2 1/2 cups pancake mix 1/2 cup sugar 1 egg 2/3 cup water 1/4 cup canola oil 1 1/2 cups berries of choice (we did craisins)
In a large bowl, combine pancake mix and sugar.
In another bowl whisk the egg, water and oil.
Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.
Fold in berries.
Fill muffin tins 2/3rds full of mix. Bake at 400 degrees for 14-16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan and eat with butter (or without!!)
Moo did such a fabulous job cooking. I’m ready to go again!!! I like Earl’s idea of doing this once a month. There’s so much knowledge in Grandma’s head that we’d be pro’s by the time we were done!! Hey Doti, are you in for the next round? I hope!!
By the way, today is Doti’s 30th Birthday!!! She’s the first of the 3 of us (Earl, Doti & me) to turn 30. Hopefully she gets over her sickness and has a fabulous birthday!!
Fill muffin tins 2/3rds full of mix. Bake at 400 degrees for 14-16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan and eat with butter (or without!!)
This is my sister-in-law’s recipe. She made it one Tuesday night at the Shack for Cajun Night. Ever since I’ve been dating my husband, this is all I’ve heard about is his sister’s Crawdad Etouffe.
Crawdad Etouffee
1 1/2 to 2 sticks of butter 2 medium sized yellow onions, chopped 1 1/2 cups finely chopped celery 3 cloves garlic, chopped 1/2 to 1 cup of flour 1 Tablespoon of salt 1/2 Tablespoon of pepper 1 to 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, whatever kind you prefer 1/2 to 1 Teaspoon Cayenne pepper 4 to 6 cups of water 1 or 2 Tablespoons chicken bouillion, or even better fish or seafood bouillion 1/2 to 1 cup chopped green onions 2 pounds peeled and cleaned crawdad tails
1. In a large pot melt your butter, then add the onions, garlic, and celery (you can also add a 1/2 cup or so of bell peppers if you want, I don’t care for them so I don’t include them). Let the onions and celery cook until nicely carmelized and tender.
2. Add your flour to the pot. Start with just a half cup and add more just until you have a nice thick roux that is almost like a paste. Turn the heat down to medium and let this cook just a bit but keep watch on it or it will burn.
3. When the roux is a nice brown color add the water and stir well making sure to get all the nice browned bits off the bottom. Add all of your seasonings and the bouillion and bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and let cook for awhile stirring occasionally.
4. After that simmers for about 20 minutes add the crawdads and green onions and simmer another 10 or fifteen minutes.
5. And finally serve over hot steamed or boiled rice or you can just eat it plain.
The seasonings in this recipe can be adapted according to your own personal tastes. If you like it spicy add more cayenne, or less if you don’t like as much spice. Just remember to taste the food as it cooks to get the flavors just the way you like them. And remember most of the time the crawdads you find will be precooked so they don’t have to cook very long, and also if you let them cook to long they can give the dish a bit of a fishy flavor.
1 to 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, whatever kind you prefer
1/2 to 1 Teaspoon Cayenne pepper
4 to 6 cups of water
1 or 2 Tablespoons chicken bouillion, or even better fish or seafood bouillion
1/2 to 1 cup chopped green onions
2 pounds peeled and cleaned crawdad tails
Instructions
1. In a large pot melt your butter, then add the onions, garlic, and celery (you can also add a 1/2 cup or so of bell peppers if you want, I don’t care for them so I don’t include them). Let the onions and celery cook until nicely carmelized and tender.2. Add your flour to the pot. Start with just a half cup and add more just until you have a nice thick roux that is almost like a paste. Turn the heat down to medium and let this cook just a bit but keep watch on it or it will burn.3. When the roux is a nice brown color add the water and stir well making sure to get all the nice browned bits off the bottom. Add all of your seasonings and the bouillion and bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and let cook for awhile stirring occasionally.4. After that simmers for about 20 minutes add the crawdads and green onions and simmer another 10 or fifteen minutes.5. And finally serve over hot steamed or boiled rice or you can just eat it plain.
The seasonings in this recipe can be adapted according to your own personal tastes. If you like it spicy add more cayenne, or less if you don’t like as much spice. Just remember to taste the food as it cooks to get the flavors just the way you like them. And remember most of the time the crawdads you find will be precooked so they don’t have to cook very long, and also if you let them cook to long they can give the dish a bit of a fishy flavor.
Not to long after I started dating my husband, I was riding down the road with Tbug and she had on boots and jeans while I was wearing tennis shoes and who knows what, knowing me jeans but I can’t guarantee that.
So we were driving down the road and she said to me, “I’m a cowgirl.”
I said, “oh yeah? How so?”
She said, “Because, I’m wearing my boots and jeans, that makes me a cowgirl.”
I just about cracked up laughing at her but that statement has stuck with me now for a little over 3 years. So without further ado, Tbug – Cowgirl Style!
Wednesday was a rough day for me. Let me just start by stating that fact. I think it plays a lot into this post…
Tuesday night at the shack they decided next weeks food theme was going to be food that “started with the letter D.” Have you ever tried to find food that starts with the letter D? It’s kind of impossible.
That night we were all yelling things we knew/could think of – Dill Weed, Dip, Dill Pickles, Dill Pickle Dips, Dicky Doo (not sure on this one… I guess it just started with a D), etc.
So when I got home Wednesday night I sat down with the new Paula Deen cookbook even though its my Christmas present and started flipping through it. I decided to flip to the index for the letter D and started using Siri to send my Sister in law texts of all the things in the cookbook that started with D.
(I’m the green bubbles, she’s the white bubbles)
In the meantime Siri got hung up and my friend Earl sent me a text.
When Siri got hung up I had to close out of the text messages and reopen (and actually type them out… the nerve… lol). Well if you know iPhones, they open to the text messages that haven’t been read if there is just one, if there are multiple it opens to the screen where it shows everyone’s name. What did it do? It opened to Earl’s and she asked if we wanted to “Come over for Desserts”.
So I wasn’t paying attention and I started typing Earl all the words in the PD cookbook ques that began with the letter D.
And she responds back, Or just desserts??!!
I noticed it said Messages (1) but I really thought that was Earl’s message waiting for me.
Then I noticed I sent all those D’s to Earl. I laughed so hard I cried.
In the mean time I got a few through to Liss before all of this and she was confused so she started sending me back random things. (The first picture above)
So when I realized what I had done, I quickly hit edit and forwarded 16 items to Liss.
And then Liss and I continued our conversation.
I even told her I dropped the biscuits. I wasn’t making biscuits. But it was funny….
When I realized that I had sent all those to Earl though, I was laughing so hard I couldn’t even talk and tell hubby why I was laughing so hard. I’d start to tell him and I’d get choked up laughing again. I laughed so hard I cried. I’m not sure he found it as hilarious as I did. I’m still laughing about it.
Not going to lie, I think that was a pretty good end to the day I was having, but oh the excitement there for a little while.
We did wind up going to Earl’s house where I proceeded to eat a piece two pieces of pecan pie. In my defense, they were small pieces that made out to the size of a regular piece because I didn’t know if I liked Pecan pie or not.
But when I walked in to Earl’s house to explain the random texts I was still dying laughing. She told me she thought it was because she said Desserts which starts with a D; I was just sending her random things that began with D… which not going to lie, is something I would probably do :). I get text happy from time to time… although never just picked a letter… new game to try 😉
Happy Friday y’all and remember, laughing burns 5 calories!
So today just so happens to be my parents 34th wedding anniversary. Happy Anniversary mom and dad!!
Yesterday my parents, hubby and I went to Rogers, AR to go shopping at the Pinnacle Hills Promenade. When we made our plans the day before, I asked if while we were down in the area if we could go eat at A&Q Chicken. My mom said, “Well, I’m sure we might be able to arrange that.”
The cool thing about going to eat at A&Q Chicken House this particular time was the fact that my parent’s ate their first meal as a married couple on the eve of their wedding day as they were headed out on their honeymoon. And it just so happened to be this A&Q Chicken House in Springdale, AR.
What’s even better about that story, the lights went out and they ate in the dark. That didn’t happen this time though.
So anyway, A&Q Chicken House has been around since 1947. I believe that shows the test of time. Shows they truly have awesome food.
They start you off with yummy rolls that you can add butter and honey to. Of course I did that! I know how to roll :).
I went with the Chicken Parmigiana.
Chicken Parmigiana A fried Chicken breast smothered with homemade spaghetti, topped with Mozzarella and Parmesan Cheese.
This was a very good Chicken Parmigiana! The noodles were good and I’m not a huge fan of spaghetti plain, but I ate quite a bit (not all because it was a huge portion!). The chicken was nicely fried and was juicy and tender. The sauce on top topped with the cheeses were a perfect blend. I walked away STUFFED!
Mom & dad both got the Original Pan Fried Chicken
Original AQ Pan Fried Chicken Three pieces of moist and tender pan fried chicken with the taste and texture from grandmother’s cast iron skillet. Served with choice of two side items.
Mom went with Green Beans and Mashed potatoes. Dad went with Smoked BBQ Beans and Cole Slaw.
One time hubby and I ate at the one in Fayetteville and he wound up getting a combo platter with 3 types of chicken. His favorite (and I agree) was the Over the Coals Chicken, so that’s what he ordered this time.
Chicken over the Coals Three pieces of pan fried chicken with that “grilled in the backyard” charcoal flavor. Seasoned with our famous lemon pepper seasoning. Served with choice of two side items.
Hubby went with the Smoked BBQ Beans & Batter Dipped fries. Now I tried the beans because I’m always telling Tbug to try new things. I don’t like beans, I’m sorry, but they did have a good bbq flavor to them, still not a fan of beans though. The chicken was moist, the charcoal flavor on top of the lemon pepper was perfection! The fries were very interesting. A nice batter on top of the fries. I only tried one though and mine was really hot when I tried it, although definitely not bad.
I loved the fact that they had a map with visitors from all over the US, and the world even. The papers listed countries that weren’t listed on the map and parts of Canada not seen on this particular map. They also had a guest registry book that was multiple pages thick.
All the posters on the wall caught my attention showing different things about A&Q through the years.
And if you think about it, it is Arkansas so… Former President Bill Clinton has even visited there and they even documented it. There were multiple photos of him eating there, co-mingling with the other patrons.
And how cool is this truck. If anyone knows what it is, please by all means share!
They have two locations, one here in Springdale and one in Fayetteville. I have eaten at both and I say, heck if you’re in the area, you like good fried chicken, you should so check them out :).
Happy Anniversary to my Momma & Daddy! Here’s to 34 more brilliant years (I’ve been watching too many British movies I think). And I guess maybe we should have taken them here today instead of yesterday… oh well maybe next year.
