Archive for the ‘Considered opinions’ Category
Big Freeze of February 2021. We were there and lived to tell about it. Deer sausage was involved.
Hi, Again, Dear Readers:
I know, it’s been a while again. Still writing for clients. We all had a setback about six weeks ago. Perhaps you heard about it, and perhaps you experienced it. We did, and so did friends.
I’d planned on having this as part of another post, but it’s too long. Let me tell you all about it, with some news first.
Contents
Hubig’s Pies Return Soon
You read that right–the famed Hubig’s Pies will be returning sometime later this year.
I wrote about Hubig’s Pies a few years ago, and despite people asking for them, the company and its owners have been struggling to get them back into production. But they’re now on track for the return, 100 years after they first appeared.
Then, of course, the pandemic. They were supposed to return already, but bringing back such a well-loved tradition takes a lot of hard work. If people open up a Hubig’s and turn their nose up, it’s all for nothing. So, understandably, it’s taken a while.
BF will be all over them, I’m sure. I’ll just watch from a distance.
The Big Freeze
OK, so. . .you want to know what took me so long to write again? I’ll tell you–we all froze over. No kidding. And Valentine’s Day was spent getting ready for the incoming winter storm.
We didn’t get to do our normal Valentine’s Day “dinner and a movie at home.” Sunday was spent making preparations as fast as we could. But BF did bring home something for me, even though he said he didn’t want anything himself:
Yes, they are as good as they look.
Admittedly, they were absolutely delicious, but I ate just one a day.
Isn’t it lovely?
It seems that someone BF knows through work used to work for Albertson’s, one of the grocery stores in Hammond. She worked in the area that did this kind of thing but now does it on her own. Reasonably priced, he said, so he ordered some and brought them home the day before (Saturday.) He was off on Sunday the 14th–good thing.
Prep Work
We worked it–from pulling space heaters into the house to gathering up flashlights, candles, power banks, and every other emergency thing we have to do. This included washing clothes, dishes, and checking the foodstuffs we had available, knowing what we needed and what to get to prepare. That’s how we spent Valentine’s Day–preparing for the incoming freeze.
Unfortunately, the three IKEA tea light lanterns I had were left behind when I moved here, so we had to be really careful with the little candles. I still have some heavy glass tea light holders and have since ordered some of these Rotera lanterns from IKEA’s website, along with two packages of their tea lights. The ones I bought locally some time ago last about 15 minutes. With hurricane season just a couple of months away and the occasional random power outage, they’ll be well worth the wait and investment.
Fixing The Sweater
A couple of years ago, Simplicity published what I think of as the quintessential winter sweater, #S8738. Made with a sweater knit bought by the yard, this pattern just said “sweater” to me. I’ve made nine of them from different types of fabrics. All but one came from online vendors; the grey waffle knit came from a cut bundle at Walmart. It does get *that* cold here, unlike Houston and New Orleans. And for a freeze, well, you need sweaters, right?
Now I have a total of 16 sweaters. Some of the later ones were indeed made from Walmart cuts, including a black-and-white buffalo check knit that I made into this sweater from Simplicity’s #S9178.
This particular garment was one of the first of the sweaters I made from #S8738 using this fabulous southwestern knit from Fashion Fabrics Club:
Isn’t it AWESOME?? (I love Southwestern prints.)
Problem: because the polyester fabric isn’t very stretchy, the collar was too snug, making it too hot to wear for very long. I had to wait until the weather was cold enough, but even then it was a “heat trap.” Solution: take the scraps and cut a new, larger collar, cut off the existing collar below the seam, then install the new one into the bigger neck opening.
Knowing I would need all my warmest clothes for the next few days, I set out to fix this sweater for good. I had to get BF to help me FIND the scraps, but once he did, I got to work. It didn’t take long. Now it’s more breathable and lets the heat out as it should. It’s one of the last things I did before we went to bed that night.
Monday, February 15
The freeze and storm moved through the entire state of Texas, bringing snow, ice, and power outages into Louisiana. Houston actually got snow, and some parts west of us did, but we didn’t. (Still wishing, but maybe next year.) I was in touch with a few folks, and they had different stories to tell.
- Aunt Ruth near Manvel, TX, lost her phone and Internet, and experienced low water pressure, but never lost power
- The GER lost power and water, and it got down to 58F in the Funk House/Junk House before Centerpoint restored power to his neighborhood
- Miss Alice, now living in the Medical Center area of Houston, had power, but her bathroom facilities went out, likely to a broken pipe, and was subsequently repaired
- RR in Katy, TX, aka “Banana Rat,” was fixing burst pipes at his own house as well as his girlfriend’s mother’s house
- Neighbor E lost power intermittently, and his sister in another part of Houston lost power four times. Eventually, the power came back on and stayed on, and they were ok. He sent me a couple of pictures of the winter wonderland at El Dorado Trace:
This picture was taken just inside of the front entrance, and the office and clubhouse are on the left side. Farther left outside of the picture is where I lived for 12 years.
Nobody’s going swimming today.
Ice skating, anyone?
No Water
Water went down because plants had no power to operate, leaving lines and mains to freeze. But our waterworks in St. Helena Parish’s apparently had power, thank heavens.
We did offer Miss Alice, Neighbor E, and the GER a place if they wanted to come, but all declined. Neighbor E waited it out, and was eventually OK and enjoying his favorite hot chai lattes in his own kitchen again. The GER said he was helping out the “old ladies in the neighborhood who shouldn’t be living by themselves.” When I told Miss Alice, she said that he was “doing the work of the Buddha.” Well, he was, and people in his neighborhood are thankful.
Freeze East Of The Sabine
BF was at work that Monday morning and the freezing rain began about 10:00 am. We were up early–I started off with coffee and morning prayers and worked my way up.
This is what greeted us on Monday morning. It stayed this cold for more than 48 hours.
We were out of dog food, and my plan was to visit Tractor Supply before the freezing rain got here. Well. . .first, the truck was literally frozen over.
That’s not thawing quickly.
I started the engine, but the thick coating of ice wasn’t budging. Just to get into the truck to start it, I had to crack the thick ice on the truck door handle.
The door handle was just as covered as the mirror. It had been raining for quite some time.
BF had the same thing on the blue truck when he went to work earlier that morning.
The outside faucet was frozen over too, so I couldn’t get water without turning off the truck. Most of the water on the ground was also sleet or otherwise frozen. Everything was freezing up fast.
I thought I’d use the TS app to order curbside–but the app wouldn’t work for me. Getting to TS before their employees went home was not happening. BF ended up getting dog food at Piggly Wiggly on his way home before they closed up shop.
Then about 10:30 am, the power went out at the Casa de Rurale. That’s when I started chanting for all of us.
Without Power
I made sure my phone was charged, plus the power banks we have were also charged. I was in touch with BF, Miss Alice, and Neighbor E by text, as well as the GER and Aunt Ruth by email. (Turns out the GER recently got himself an iPhone, and texts now. What’s this world coming to?)
I posted on Facebook and Instagram to let folks know what was going on. Well, everyone was in the freeze and doing the same thing. One of the Houston TV stations’ Facebook page mentioned lighting candles for warmth. So that was the first thing I did, putting them all on the dining room table. There is a flashlight or two in every room in the house, including one hanging next to my desk. But without power, candles are the way to go until you can find a way to generate heat. ALWAYS exercise caution with lit candles, especially with pets and/or children around.
BF got calls from the neighbors on both sides, asking if he had power. NO, but he knew about it from Entergy’s phone call and my texting. They worked until about 4 or 5, but BF went to Piggly Wiggly long before they closed and had everything ready for whenever they left the shop.
Pictures Of Winter
Meantime, I took a few pictures to enjoy:
You have to admit, it does look pretty.
This is a pecan tree outside the front door.
This green ground-cover plant by the tree didn’t die in the freeze–and it was fine after the ice melted.
No kidding, they crunched when I touched them.
Social Media
One lady posted this in the official Instant Pot group on Facebook:
That’s using your noodle!
If it works, it works! I did offer to put the slow cooker or IP on the generator, but BF said we didn’t need to. But I couldn’t leave this for the Instant Pot post.
This was also posted in the same group:
Others posted these, good now as well as later:
Plumbing problems? No, you don’t.
The GER said that a neighbor chased down a plumbing truck just to get a part to fix something. It was that bad in Houston for a while.
And for fun, Neighbor E sent me this one:
There will be a Shutterfly book at some point for all these pictures. We can look at them in the summer when it’s 90 degrees.
BF To The Rescue
Did I mention BF hates cold weather?
So while I was inside with the animals trying to stay warm and watching the temperature go down one degree at a time, I cut some fabric by the open window while there was still some daylight. I had another t-shirt under the sweater. BF told me not to worry–it would be fine once he got home. And it was.
You see, BF has been in this freeze situation before. For such a thing he has a gasoline-powered generator, as well as a camping stove that’s powered by bottled propane. From the minute he arrived and brought everything inside, he swung into action.
First, he went out to the shop and slid that generator across the ice-covered expanse of land, and set it up on the porch, running the cord in through the slightly opened front window. The cold air was kept out with a towel blocking off the opening. With four plugs available, two went to space heaters, one to light. We unplugged one thing to charge our phones, make coffee, whatever. We then went into town to fill up three or four jugs with petrol to keep the generator running.
Deer Sausage
If you’re a veg type, I’m sorry. People go deer hunting around these parts. Deer sausage happens both here and in Texas. In Houston, Neighbor J upstairs used to bring me deer sausage occasionally when he went to West Texas for hunting. The processors added too much jalapeno for him, but I thought it was delicious.
Deer sausage cooking for dinner. You have to boil it first, then fry it. That’s what he said.
About a month before our epic winter storm, BF had the opportunity to buy some deer sausage from someone who was unemployed and made it for someone who refused to pay for it. I was a bit perplexed when he told me about buying so much, but I just found a place for it in the big freezer. We’ve had it several times since then.
Dinner By BF The Chef
On this night, our dinner was deer sausage and eggs:
There he is!
I tease him sometimes that he cooks a little something and then prances around like he’s the French chef Escoffier. Teasing aside, shortly after this picture, we had a hot, freshly cooked keto-friendly dinner:
Yes, we were indeed fortunate and thankful.
Light in the kitchen was from a big burly cordless Snap-On shop flashlight that’s to the left of him. It has a heavy, flat bottom so you can set it on a flat surface. The neck pivots up and down so you can get it in just the right place. I can’t find anything similar on either Snap-On’s website or Amazon to show you. There was still a bit of light from outside while he was cooking.
Our camp stove provided some heat, which was also helpful. But it should never be used as a sole heat source indoors.
Of course, BF was puffing his chest out a little, proud to take care of “The Little Woman” (me) in the harsh, cold winter days. He’s done this before and knew exactly what to do. I hugged him a little tighter and made sure I helped whenever he needed me. Miss Alice, The GER, Neighbor E, and Aunt Ruth all got a kick out of the picture, too.
Living And Waiting
BF connected a lamp to the generator so I could do evening prayers and cut more fabric. (I’ve got a huge bag of projects ready to sew now.) I chanted for everyone affected by the freeze, which is such a rare thing in this part of the US. Houston, Galveston, New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and every place in between just don’t have that kind of weather very often. Most people aren’t prepared for it.
We had two space heaters in the house and ran them on the generator 24/7 until it was over. One of them was next to the dogs so they could stay warm as well.
In order to add more petrol to the generator to keep the heaters running, BF got up in the cold at 5:00 am, then went back to bed. He also ran the freezer and the refrigerator for a while on the generator to make sure everything stayed cold. Some folks reported putting their frozen foods outside–well, it is a freeze, after all–which technically works. But experts were also telling people it could be dangerous if the food thawed and froze again. We were OK.
The Java Cafe’
The next morning, I needed coffee. So I plugged the kettle into the generator and used a French press:
I had to have coffee, OK?
I also pulled down the old Krups cappuccino machine, which I bought in 2013 and rarely use.
It’s been a while since I used this.
We had milk, so I figured the freeze it was a great time to clean it up, try it again and read the manual, too.
That’s better.
I can’t say that it works any better than I remember, but I’ll just have to keep playing with it. I only used it because it plugs directly into the generator.
Thawing And The Return Of Power
Our little enclave finally had power again at about 5:30 pm on Tuesday, roughly 36 hours after it went down. We turned the heater way up, disconnected the generator, and got back to it. The dogs were just so unfazed, and the cat just stuck with BF any chance he got.
Large falling branches coated with ice broke the power lines, causing the outages. ALL the trees had a heavy coat of ice like the pecan tree. The local state DOT came around on Tuesday morning and pushed them off the roads so the utility folks could get through and fix the power lines. I went out for a walk and surveyed the road. I’ll add those pictures in a little photo book.
The next day, we were busy washing up the kitchen, laundry, and tidying up everything that we had to postpone during the freeze. Aunt Ruth said later that her kitchen was a bit of a mess, too. I couldn’t get any work done for two days, and I’m just now finally caught up, almost. No kidding.
A week later, it was 80F. No kidding.
Yes, that’s me, just a week later, when the world had finally thawed. We were luckier than many.
More To Come
I made a delicious keto recipe last week. I liked it, he didn’t. But it’s fast and easy, and goes over well if you don’t mention “cauliflower rice” to anyone. The infamous Instant Pot post is way overdue and I think I’m just going to finish it up and publish it, with lots of backlinks.
Spring is here, and that means asparagus and other wonderful things, like basil and making pesto. Oh, I have about two years worth of pesto in the freezer, but there’s no saying I can’t make more.
We’ve tossed about the idea of trying to garden again, but I’m taking it with a pound of salt. I’ve still got some parsley to dig up, and I need to start getting basil plants soon. A full-fledged garden? We’ll see. BF now has an old Ford tractor he bought from someone nearby who doesn’t need it, so that will come in handy. . .IF we garden. Again, we’ll see.
In the meantime, Happy Dining!
Hiatus. I didn’t intend to, but I took one.
Hi, Again, Dear Readers:
It’s time for another “oops, I haven’t blogged in a while” post. It was an accidental hiatus.
Contents
The Quiet Holidays
During the hiatus, The Holidays arrived and left quickly. It’s cold here, frequently below 30F in the mornings, but look who showed up:
Isn’t he cute? I think there’s a nest somewhere. That’s frost on the grass, not snow. I’m still praying for snow.
Last year brought some changes in dynamics for us, and Thanksgiving was, indeed, us with his friend TT up the road. The Boy spent his holiday with his grandmother, which was good, and everyone else was elsewhere. We heard absolutely nothing from any family members, including BF’s brother, who lives on the other side of town. That’s OK.
We also attended the holiday party for BF’s work, and it was nice to see everyone again. I brought a batch of Joan’s Broccoli Madness, which went over well. Nobody had ever heard of Sweet Tomatoes, so I had to explain it.
Didn’t know you could make “fudge” with frosting from a can, some kind of nuts, and peanut butter all mixed together. That was interesting.
Joan’s Broccoli Madness returned when BF’s sister and brother-in-law drove in from Atlanta. They came for Christmas and left the day after New Year’s. For dinner with them, I also made some chocolate shortbread fingers from Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook. I certainly made friends with those, and BF thought they were great.
His sister and brother-in-law should be making a trip back this way in the next month or so. Maybe I’ll make more Joan’s Broccoli Madness again. It’s SO good.
Christmas Presents
Ok, BF and I give each other little presents all the time, so getting a “big Christmas present” is kind of silly. He took care of several things in the house for us in 2020, so expecting a big, expensive anything would be a bit ridiculous.
That doesn’t mean we didn’t actually buy anything. From 9DollarShirts on Etsy, I bought him this:
Because he’s a big fan of BigFoot. I catch him watching BigFoot videos on YouTube all the time. He even upgraded his phone so he could see them better. (Well, that and he needed to upgrade anyway, the apps were failing.) It did arrive on time for Christmas, and he didn’t know until I gave it to him.
But for me, BF got something a little different:
So now I have something from Snap-On
Yes, that’s a sherpa blanket with the words Snap-On imprinted into the top fabric. Very soft and fuzzy.
Warm and snuggly!!
Seems he was buying some of their cool car-guy gifts for his brother and brother-in-law when this caught his eye. But I know what really happened–it was on the truck and he said to the company rep, “I’ll take one of these for the little woman.” No real thought went into “what to get Amy for Christmas.” It was an opportunity that presented itself and he took advantage.
I think it’s funny.
After washing, I took a nap with it–and slept like a big cat. I couldn’t wake up! Since then BF has tried it and had the same experience. Later he told me that the Snap-On representative who sold it to him said that when you take that nap, plan on spending all day on the couch. No kidding.
Let’s see what he finds next year.
2020 Isn’t Really Over
Well, it’s February, and the last time I blogged was November. Sorry about the hiatus.
You remember 2020, yes? We haven’t indulged in the Jack Daniels Tennessee Apple, and we never bought any, either. But that doesn’t mean 2021 is going any better.
We all had hopes that 2021 would bring improvements, but that hasn’t really happened. The pandemic is still going on, and lots of people are getting the vaccine. But so far, it’s a continuation of 2020–on steroids.
Six days into the new year, Mike Rowe posted this picture on his social media with the caption, “well, here’s to 2022.”
No kidding, Dude.
And it’s been that way ever since. Ready for another hiatus? At least I’m still writing for lawyers and other clients.
Hiatus And Website Woes
If you tried to access this blog back in December, you may have noticed that it was down for a couple of weeks. There’s a reason for that. The security certificate expired, and I didn’t realize it.
Sure, I got those notices, but at one point, there were two certificates on this site. Thinking I still had one that expired in February, I didn’t bother with it.
Then the site went down, causing my accidental blogging hiatus.
So I paid for everything, (it wasn’t expensive) both this site and the one I bought last year for copywriting, got some help from my hosting company, and the site came back up. With one problem.
It seems that I get the message that parts of the site are not secure. Now, I think there’s something horribly wrong with it. And getting into a live chat with the support people–in Russia–will take pretty much all day. So I procrastinate and do other things instead.
Then one day I get a message from a friend of the blog RR, aka “Banana Rat.” He’s a web guy from a long time ago, and a longtime “Boeing brother” that I’ve kept in touch with all these years. I recently told his girlfriend that “we never dated, but we joked about it.”
He’s re-starting his little “side hustle” company that he’s had long before I knew him after a six-month gig that just wasn’t working for him. Like me, he’ll be working for himself. So I’m advising him on copy for his website as well as his LinkedIn presence, along with my own. More as we get it going.
The Help I Needed
So the hiatus, I hope, is over for now.
Banana Rat (RR) got into my host account and spent the afternoon chatting with the Russian folks to get my websites taken care of. They thought they were talking to me, which I think is funny. But the certificate for this blog wasn’t installed as it should have been and now it’s done.
The certificate and other issues on HeatCageKitchen are, for the most part, repaired, and are fine going forward. Just one or two things to be fixed, either manually or with the help of a paid tool. (I’ll decide on that later.)
The WordPress app on my phone told me yesterday that this site was suddenly getting more traffic, too. That’s funny, too, because it was Banana Rat doing all the work.
The copywriting website that has been sitting for a year unfinished is now up and running with WordPress in it. However, it’s just a blank website, and he put a new WordPress template in it for me. Now, I can begin adding content. I created a free report this time last year to upload, but that’s as far as it went. Because I was in a training class, the report on SEO was critiqued with very positive feedback.
So after sitting in limbo for all of 2020, my second website is finally coming around. And then I can start moving forward with things on the copywriting side.
Why He’s Called “Banana Rat”
I have a habit of name-calling that generally involves the word “rodent.” Instead of actually swearing at someone and calling them a very impolite name, I call them a “rodent.” I don’t have any particular love for rodents, but squirrels are cute. And it’s much less offensive than calling someone a “@#$%&* *&#(!.”
While at Boeing, I called RR a “rodent” one day on the phone during a work-related call. He proceeded to enlighten me with descriptions of banana rats. These big dog-like critters are found all over Cuba, and they hunt in packs. He mentioned that he’d played golf around Guantanamo Bay once, and saw them walking around and doing whatever they do. But they’re more than rats–they’re BIG rats, like dogs, weighing as much as 20 pounds! Can you imagine a bunch of those coming at you with sharp, nasty teeth?
They cause problems at Guantanamo Bay and are also an invasive species. So much so that the US Department of Defense is paying attention to them.
But because RR had to tell me about these beasts, and he’s a big dude himself, he has forever been nicknamed “The Banana Rat.”
Mainstream Keto
Have you taken a hiatus from your resolutions yet?
We’re now deep into New Years’ Resolutions, except for folks who have already abandoned theirs. I’m still trying to eat keto, despite the stuff BF wants to make for dinner. Jambalaya is primarily rice, and I quit eating it years ago. But. . .sometimes I eat rice. That’s why I say “mostly keto.”
For some time, longtime diet product company SlimFast has been offering keto-friendly products. I see them at my local Walmart and Target. Recently I discovered that they have been keeping up with what dieters want, and they’ve got their own brand of “fat bombs.”
If you’re not familiar with this term, it’s a small snack that you create with a healthy fat like coconut oil, cream cheese, heavy whipping cream, or something similar. It contains enough fat to keep you satisfied until your next meal, and also offers additional nutrients. You can find a myriad of these recipes on Pinterest and other sites like Jen Fisch’s Keto In The City.
Not to be outdone, SlimFast has a line of ketogenic products to help you along. I found the peanut butter cups first, and then last week decided to try the Strawberry Topped Cheesecake.
Looks good, yes?
Well, remind me not to get these anymore and start making my own again. They’re OK, not great. They’re not bad, but not like the homemade stuff. I guess if you were out and needed something to snack on immediately they’re a fair option. But I kept nibbling on these, and they’re just OK. Walmart here charges $10 for this box, and on their website, it’s $13. I’m not buying them anymore.
See? It’s easy!
Honestly, it may work for some folks, and that’s great. But keto–and weight loss in general–is more than just eating little chocolate nibbles and magically turning into a clone of still-gorgeous fifty-something Cindy Crawford. It just doesn’t work that way.
But Slimfast still has all the shakes and drinks and things that are purported to help lose weight. Again, it may work for some folks. I’m not recommending or criticizing Slimfast. If it works for you, and you like it, go for it.
It’s easy, right?
Nestle used to have one that was a shake thing, chocolate raspberry. I used to drink one with their “nutrition” (candy) bar. Delicious! But all that sugar isn’t good. I quit the Nestle concoctions after I couldn’t stomach it anymore.
Of course, in the badly disorganized pantry (the next hiatus) is the stuff that BF likes, too:
I found these at Target, and he likes them.
It does have whole wheat flour, but BF doesn’t care. Why? Because he thinks this is a healthy breakfast:
Yes, he really does.
He also brought home a box of Banana Moon Pies and some Hostess Ding Dongs, the chocolate rounds with “cream” in the middle.
If ever the police come with a warrant to search the house, they’ll just know they’ve hit paydirt the minute they get to the kitchen. Once they open the pantry door and see gluten-free and organic things next to the Pop-Tarts and mac and cheese in a box, they’ll just “know” they’ve found “the perps.”
The thing is, I’m pretty sure about what’s in our pantry. There’s nothing in there that can’t be purchased in any US grocery store, including dog food. But if a cop or two wants to help me reorganize the pantry, they’re welcome to come by.
Be aware that there have been many cases of cops who know little of botany arresting people for their garden plants. There are millennial cops who don’t know the difference between okra, tomatoes, and other common garden plants and Snoop Dogg’s favorite green.
Breathing & IF
Thankfully, during this hiatus, I’ve not had any more allergy problems since my visit to Dr. Hall in Baton Rouge. I’m following his advice, and so far, so good. He’s highly recommended if you need an allergy doc, as well as his partner.
I’m still doing intermittent fasting as well, but I can’t say that I’ve lost any weight yet. But it’s a good thing to do anyway, because I’m not eating late at night, and we try not to eat late anyway. The next step is getting back to exercise, which is proving easier said than done.
The years I went walking on city streets are over, because walking or riding a bicycle in a rural area is a challenge as well as dangerous. There are no sidewalks. In either case, you’ll face:
- Speeding drivers
- Untethered (and intact) dogs who go on the attack
- Snakes and other native species
- Holes in the ground
- Potholes in the asphalt
- Cracked roads
- Uneven and rocky roads
- Other nonexistent road amenities
So I’m stuck with inside workouts, but with lots of other things to do. I did buy a bike trainer a couple of years ago from eBay for a good price. So. . .soon, it needs to happen daily, and end the exercise hiatus I’ve had to take for a while. Thank heavens for the Roku.
Valentine’s Day And The Hiatus Cake
So we’re coming up on our annual date night (we have others) and we’re having discussions about the dinner and dessert as well as the movie.
As another hiatus project, I made a small chocolate cake recently, taken from the January/February issue of Mary Jane’s Farm magazine. It was first posted on the affiliated Ranch Farmgirl blog.
Cute, isn’t it?
Gluten-free, made from scratch, and is sweetened only with maple syrup. I bought that especially to make this cake for us. I tried it out last month after getting a preview email from one of the magazine’s bloggers. The recipe uses two very small pans, known as a “cocotte.”
See how tiny?
Actually, any pan like this with a lid is a “cocotte.” For this recipe, the top is not used.
But I have to warn you that “cocotte” is also a French word that means. . .the same thing as the Italian term “Puttanesca.” That is, a female with a specific profession. . .the world’s oldest. Aside from that, I bought two of these little covered cast-iron Dutch ovens at Bed Bath & Beyond, along with two tiny skillets for “just for us” cooking. Sometime.
Intended for baked eggs and small portions, these finally got used.
The cake is made with almond flour and a few other ingredients. The frosting is also rich and delicious.
A small list of ingredients for a small cake with big flavor.
The article lists variations too:
Variations on the theme
It’s a small cake just big enough for two to four pieces, and no leftovers. I like that part, because BF eats something twice and he’s done with it.
The rest of the article.
These cute little pots are available here on Amazon, if you’re interested. (Yes, that’s my affiliate link.)
I convinced BF to try it. He liked it, but not as much as “the one you make with regular flour.” The maple syrup makes it taste a bit different than a standard cake.
In other words, he prefers the cake from a box or one I made him a couple of years ago from a book that was from scratch and just six inches around. A yellow cake with chocolate frosting, from a box, and the frosting in the paper can. That’s what he likes best.
I also considered making some heart-shaped chocolate waffles for him. But he didn’t understand that they weren’t keto and nixed the idea.
There is a solution for us: mug cakes. You know, a single serving of cake mixed in a coffee cup and is whatever and whenever you want. One for him, one (keto version) for me. Two chocolate cakes, two ways. They’re all over Pinterest and other recipe sites, just do a search.
I also tossed out the suggestion of fondue, which got me a funny look. What’s wrong with hot, melty cheese that you can dip nibbles into and eat?
More and more, it’s looking like frozen pizza or another pack of tamales for dinner again. Don’t yet know what movie to rent, but there are more animated films at RedBox to consider.
Some days, I think about the days when Miss Alice used to come for dinner sometimes. She always says that she misses my cooking. Then I think I’m ready for a hiatus from cooking dinner for BF.
Well, if Miss Alice does come for a visit, I’ve got plenty of vegetarian recipes to make. BF will probably eat a bowl of cereal or a ham & cheese sandwich like he always does when I make something he’s afraid of.
Until Next Time
I hope not to have another hiatus for a while. I am getting more comfortable with the infernal Instant Pot, and have not yet hit it with a sledgehammer. That being said, I can’t say that it’s “revolutionized” my cooking, either. I use it for some things and will experiment with others. So one of these days. . .there will be a blog post.
Please stay warm, and stay safe–it’s not over yet, and we do know a few folks who have had the bug. I met a man in Rouse’s one day who had it, along with his wife. Agreeing that the media likes to talk about it at high volume, he did say to take it seriously. The man said that he was in the hospital for five days, and the biggest thing is the fatigue that hangs on long after it’s over. Fingers crossed that it’s resolved soon and we can get back to normal and visiting again.
I’ll be back again soon.
Happy Dining!
It’s been a busy October lately, so I’m giving a quick update on the recent events at the Casa de Rurale.
Hi, Again, Dear Readers:
It’s October already, and that means that 2020 will be ending soon. You’ve got a great reason to celebrate.
I just realized that it’s been too long since my last post, and I’m delinquent in getting back to it. There isn’t an SEO keyword for this blog, it’s just an update.
Since it’s October, that means my birthday is coming up. I need to gather up supplies for the cake–chocolate, butter, eggs, and maybe a bag of Swerve or two. I have erythritol but might pop for the Swerve since it’s already powdered.
We haven’t heard from our newlywed friend Justin, but we have the little picture book for the next time we see him, and possibly Bronte.
But this is still 2020, and odd things are still happening. Just the other day, we had some renegade bulls hanging out in the road:
Someone forgot to close the gate and they just wandered on by
No kidding, they were acting like kids skipping school. Except they are a lot bigger. Makes you think about something along these lines:
It’s tempting, isn’t it?
Well, it’s an option. We haven’t tried it yet, but hang on, it’s October now. December 31st is coming. We might start sipping it one of these days.
Contents
Last Of The Summer Veg
I know, I know, the “victory garden of 2020” was a disaster. But that doesn’t mean I quit growing anything. I still have pots.
First, the Meyer lemon and key lime trees that came with me from Houston are still going strong. We keep saying we’ll plant it, but we haven’t decided where yet. I have several key limes growing now, and three Meyer lemons that will be ready to pick in December.
Some time ago, I put several avocado seeds in a bucket to see what would happen. Now, something is growing out of it, and I believe it’s avocado. I haven’t dug down to look at the source, but I did see a picture of it on Facebook in a homesteading group. A lady put the seed in her composting bin, and the darn thing sprouted. Looks just like mine, and it’s huge right now. So I’m hoping for the best, and looking for another planting spot so I can have avocados all the time.
BF is not particularly thrilled with the prospect of an avocado tree growing on his property, but he doesn’t have to eat them. They’re all for me, anyway.
Second, amazingly, the four basil plants, one flat-leaf parsley, and one Texas tarragon plant are thriving despite being surrounded by weeds. There is still a watermelon vine growing out there, but no melons. I need to dig them up and pot them but I just haven’t gotten around to it yet. I recently made two batches of pesto. Good thing–when I found myself feeling ill from the breathing problems and then the Prednisone, Pea & Pesto Soup was made frequently.
I recently bought a grape tomato plant, some romaine lettuce, and a “sweet snacking pepper” plant at the local Tractor Supply. Well, the peppers got as big as my thumb, but they sure are tasty. I’ve been eating the tomatoes as they ripen, and when the lettuce got high enough, I made a little salad:
It’s not much, but it was delicious.
I topped it with a mix of a little EVOO, some flavored vinegar, and a pinch of pink sea salt. Delicious.
Finally–Trader Joe’s Coming To Mandeville?
After years of prayers, emails, hopes, and wishes, a new Trader Joe’s is allegedly being built in Mandeville, somewhere in the vicinity of the current Whole Foods store, right across Highway 22. ETA: no idea.
Although it’s not on the website yet, our district leader OR knows someone who is familiar with the situation. The store’s facade and inside are being built out as we speak. There are also some threads on Facebook regarding Northshore affairs, and they have confirmed that it’s happening. I’m sure it will be announced when the opening date will happen.
Of course, BF still says the same thing: “It’s just a grocery store.”
Now, for me, this TJ’s is still close to an hour away. But I’m more likely to be in the Mandeville/Covington area than Baton Rouge, so this is great news. Once we get back to having in-person SGI meetings, I’ll be heading there more often. But Baton Rouge has been on my travel itinerary recently.
New Baskets In Winn-Dixie
Our local Winn-Dixie has finally refreshed their baskets and now we have not only cup holders in the baskets like HEB, Whole Foods, Publix, and Kroger, but we’ve got those smaller ones like Central Market. I call them “urban baskets,” because they seem to be the forte of big city grocery stores:
For when you just want a few things.
These have a couple of spots for holding drinks and things:
Keeps the drink out of the way here
For whatever you need at your fingertips, like coupons
The irony, of course, is that if you bring a cup of coffee or other beverage into the grocery store with you, drinking it is out of the question. You have to wear a mask, no matter where you go here.
Keto Ice Cream!
Found this in Rouses a couple of weeks ago:
Coffee and chocolate!
I get the irony of the brownie mix, but there is a reason for it. First, darn it, I wanted some ice cream, and these were just waiting for me. Yes, they are delicious and smooth, with no sugar added and no gluten either. Highly recommended if you come across it. Yes, Aunt Kathy and Aunt Ruth, you too. Rich, high-quality stuff that’s hard as a rock when completely frozen.
I’ll be getting more one of these days.
Dinner Guests
The other thing is that for the period of a week in October, we had company for dinner at the Casa de Rurale. No, we did not host a) “ultimate man,” TV host Mike Rowe, b), any member of the British Royal Family, c) anyone from any political class at any level, or d) friends visiting from Houston or New Orleans. No, I was cooking for CAR GUYS!
One of BF’s younger coworkers asked him for help getting his silvery-blue Chevrolet Silverado back in running condition. The thing was here for a week, parked in the garage, and The Boy came every night to work on it. BF helped, supervised, and allowed him to use his Snap-On Tools, but The Boy did most of it himself. He bought not only the right parts but good parts, not just cheap ones. He also joined us for dinner every night. One evening, he had a friend who helped him with some of the repair work and also had dinner with us.
On most of these occasions, a high-school chum of BF’s came by, who lives just a couple of miles up the road. TT lives alone with his dog, has no girlfriend, and likes to “drop by” for dinner on occasion, especially after he discovered I can cook. Well, this man needs a friend, too, and BF just happens to be close. He doesn’t cook for himself, we think, and maybe needs more help we can give him. Knowing we had company, he invited himself for dinner a few times.
Every night for a week I was in the kitchen cooking for guests. I used the Instant Pot two or three times for soup, for chili, and one or two other things that went over well. They kept coming back for more.
To clarify, BF is always my “ultimate man.” Mike Rowe is second in line on that one.
Requests And Desserts
So I made brownies for dessert one night. Oatmeal snacking cake on another. I forget what else I made, but it was well-loved by everyone. And I think BF brought home something else like the frozen pie thing another time. But I didn’t share my Keto ice cream.
NO. WAY.
BF insisted on mashed potatoes and gravy one night, but not just any gravy–and no packets either. He wanted the gravy from a Barefoot Contessa book that I should never have made that first Thanksgiving. Because now, he wants it all the time. (I don’t eat it.) The recipe worked fine, just like the last time. BF and The Boy loved it, although I fussed at The Boy for attempting to put ketchup on meatloaf. He tried the meatloaf and decided that it didn’t really need ketchup anyway.
Then TT came by and demolished the remainder of the meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and gravy on that “visit,” and said it was one of the “best meals he’d ever had.” He must have been quite hungry at that point. We wondered if maybe hadn’t eaten for a day or so.
We breathed a sigh of relief when we had our first dinner alone. The Boy now complains that he is missing the gourmet dinners.
I’ve Been Ill
For the last 18 months (or more), I’ve been suffering from horrific allergies. I’ve mentioned it a few times before. It just started up one day for no apparent reason. Sneezing, coughing, and an endless need for a tissue. Despite trying multiple treatments, the problem continued to worsen. Then one day, right after the Southern Oaks wedding, I literally couldn’t breathe anymore. I couldn’t open up my breathing passages with anything–they were sealed shut and kept me from sleeping at night.
It was time to step up my game. I needed a doctor.
I tried finding an allergy specialist six months ago, but of course, this isn’t Texas, much less Houston, so I didn’t have good luck with that. There’s one doctor’s office right in Hammond that one of our district members goes to. When I called and asked questions, the response from the female answering the phone didn’t give me a good feeling. She acted like a snob answering my questions, and I figured if the person answering the phone treated me like that, the doctor could do the same thing. Been there, done that, no thank you.
I’ve also tried:
- Bee pollen
- An air purifier
- Super-duper HVAC air filters that we have to order online
- Quercetin
- Bromelin
- Butterbur
- Homeopathic allergy remedies
- Essential oils, including peppermint and eucalyptus
- Sudafed, regular and PE
- Claritin-D
- Other OTC allergy pills
- Various nasal sprays
I was still sick–and getting worse. Trying to sleep while breathing through your mouth doesn’t work well.
Oh, and just because you can’t breathe doesn’t mean you go bare-faced here–you must wear a mask.
BF’s sister began dragging their father to doctors in Baton Rouge this year, about an hour southwest of us. (He wasn’t happy about that.) They visited an ophthalmologist, a gerontologist (similar to a pediatrician, who specializes in geriatric patients), and a cardiologist for starters. Locally available medical care wasn’t giving him what he really needed, and she wanted to make sure he was getting the best care they could find. So off they went at her insistence and much to his chagrin.
That gave me an idea–look for a doc in Baton Rouge. That’s where LSU Medical School is. I did, and I thanked her for it later.
Finding The Right Doctor For Me
I really needed help, fast, so I figured I’d start looking for and calling ENTs who treat allergies at the suggestion of a nice lady on Facebook, WM. After researching the Mandeville/Covington/Slidell area, I looked to Baton Rouge. It’s about the same distance, and shopping is better.
Remember that in Houston, driving 100 miles or more in a day is not uncommon, and you may not even leave the city. Trips to Woodlands Wellness & Cosmetic Center to see Dr. Davis were at least 100 miles round trip, especially if I did some shopping in The Woodlands. This wasn’t a big deal for me, although I was pretty tired when I got home. The same thing happened after the trips to Baton Rouge, even if the city is smaller.
Here’s the thing–is it better to just go to someone nearby, or find the right doctor for your needs and drive farther? Do you have to go to the closest doctor, even if he or she isn’t what you need? I found that out in Houston, and if it’s worth the drive, then go.
I did some research on a few places that came up on my search engine results page (SERP) and made some phone calls. The second one I called answered all my questions without any nasty attitude as I’d experienced with one clinic in Hammond. They were so nice! I made a couple of calls to them after reading their patient reviews and got an appointment on the following Tuesday. I was in bad shape at that point.
Tuesday couldn’t come fast enough.
Baton Rouge General Hospital
I didn’t realize that this clinic is located in the hospital itself. I’d never been there before. Thanks to Google Maps, I got there on time safely.
My appointment was with Dr. Hall of Sinus & Nasal Specialists of Louisiana, and he took care of me right away. Using a scope, he saw right away what was going on. (First words: “Oh my GAWD!”) He prescribed the well-known steroid Prednisone to take care of the swelling. While I didn’t like the idea of taking it, the stuff worked wonders. It was a short-term, quick-and-dirty solution that did the job he intended. I did feel ill while taking it, but that’s worn off.
I’m breathing better now, and he said I didn’t need anything else–no prescriptions, no surgery, etc., just a twice-daily sinus rinse and two shots of Flonase right afterward. If I do need help again, call back. I will. Dr. Hall knew what to do and took care of me. That’s greatly appreciated. Five-star ratings on Google and a couple of other places.
Of course, the GER couldn’t leave it alone. He let me know that Prednisone was going to turn me into, um, a much larger version of myself. That hasn’t happened, thank heavens, and I’m done with it anyway.
I also found this recipe on their blog, and I hope to make it soon. I love poblano peppers, and this looks pretty tasty. Especially now that I can smell the peppers roasting. Well, BF won’t be happy when I make it, but Miss Alice might enjoy them.
More Delicious Findings
So on that same trip to Rouse’s, I found something I’d long forgot about: blueberry sausage.
Can you believe it?
Obviously, this is locally made. (How far is Hattiesburg from here?) But I used to go to Central Market’s meat department and buy a half-dozen of their blueberry sausages, sold individually, and by the pound. Buy one, buy three, buy a dozen, however many you want. It’s been a long time since I was even there, and when I saw it in Rouse’s, got it. I couldn’t wait to have it.
BF did not share my sentiments. So it was mine, all mine. I had it over a couple of days with whatever else was in the fridge for lunch.
This is what BF prefers. You would never put blueberry sausage in it unless you wanted to get your butt kicked:
BF’s “secret” to making jambalaya, adding a cup of plain white rice to the mix.
It’s good, but I do tend to get heartburn after eating it. This is readily available locally, along with a number of other rice mixes.
TJ’s In Baton Rouge
Now back to Trader Joe’s: I saw this culinary delight the other day. But when I texted a picture to BF, he said no:
It’s not gluten-free, either.
But he was happy when I brought home some of these:
He enjoyed the strawberry, but I brought something new for him.
Also saw these adorable things:
Cute, but I did not buy them. This time.
No picture, but I also found some Halloumi cheese, the grillable kind. BF was not happy to see that. It went into the big freezer. One day he won’t be home and I can enjoy it by myself.
And look what else I found:
Can you believe it?
Can’t wait to cook these up. They really are delicious.
A Word Of Advice
I want to pass on a bit of wisdom because I feel it’s necessary.
Always, always, remember to say “thank you,” whether it’s the grocery store stocker working extra hours to make sure supplies are on the shelf, the person who fills up your water glass in the restaurant, or even the garbage people, as we do when we catch them. Say it and mean it.
This I learned many years ago, and I’ve tried to remember to say “thanks” whenever it is warranted. I thanked Dr. Hall as well as his wonderful staff when I was there. If it weren’t for them answering my questions on the phone, I would have kept looking.
This weekend I was reminded that although I did say it to a particular individual in our “circle,” I believe I didn’t say it enough. I did mention it to Aunt Ruth, and I will continue to tell others the same thing. But in this case, I wish I’d said “thank you” just one more time. I can’t say more, so I’ll leave it at that.
I periodically tell BF, “thank you for everything.” It’s why I bring him the little treats when I go to Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Mandeville/Covington, or even Hammond. It’s my way of thanking him for letting me be me, and not minding when I go out for an SGI activity, or anywhere else. He doesn’t mind when I head out, and I always tell him where I’m going (primarily for safety reasons.) No reason for him to think I’m sneaking around because I’m really not.
I also try to remember to thank him when he comes home with an occasional surprise, like when someone gives them fresh veg or other things at work. I always ask if he remembered to thank the person who gave it to him. “Just say thank you,” I tell him.
I try to remember to thank people whether I’m in the local shops and restaurants, or on the phone with someone in another city or state. Why? It’s necessary and goes a long way.
Until Next Time
For a handful of reasons, October is my favorite time of the year. So I guess I’m trying to enjoy it at the same time.
I’m still planning the blog on the Instant Pot because it’s a big one. But because it’s a bigger article, it’s taking some time. Maybe by the time I publish, I’ll be in love with it like everyone else. It did perform admirably when I needed it to, but I used recipes I knew would work well.
Thank you to each of you who generously take the time to read my silly little blog, and keep coming back for more. I’ll be back again soon.
Enjoy!
We went to a wedding in New Orleans at Southern Oaks Plantation, but no, it wasn’t ours.
Find me on Bloglovin’
Happy September!
I know–it’s been a while. I hope everyone is all right after 2020 decided to ramp up even more. We’re fine after the two recent visitors (Marco and Laura) and were never in danger from a direct hit. We did, however, engage in some “panic buying” of essentials, such as milk and soft drinks. Oh, wait–that was for him, wasn’t it?
I did manage to get some Hatch chiles and roast them, much to BF’s chagrin. Rouse’s only had them for a short time, and I don’t think they did any roasting this year. The cashiers seemed to forget what Hatch chiles were and kept trying to charge both me and BF for other types of peppers. Maybe next year I can make a pilgrimage to HEB and get a lot more to bring home.
The area of the property formerly known as “the garden” is now. . .gone. Don’t ask.
Contents
Friends Of The Groom
So the wedding was one of BF’s car-guy friends who has been to the Casa de Rurale many times. BF built a motor for him, and they’ve known each other for a long time. His new wife is a financial advisor, and is selling her house in Metairie (a New Orleans suburb) to move into their new place in this area. They will actually be just a few miles from us at the Casa de Rurale. We’ve never met her or her young daughter, but chances are we will at some point.
We were a bit surprised to receive a wedding invitation and greatly appreciated it. Didn’t relish the drive TO New Orleans, but it was fine. Other than two people getting legally married, we didn’t know what to expect.
I’ll cut to the chase: everything was just lovely, and a Southern Oaks wedding is known for that. It’s pretty much everything you’d expect at a wedding. But of course, there’s food involved, so you know I need to tell you all about it.
Postponed Nuptials
Because the world has been turned upside down in 2020, the couple had to postpone their wedding from May to August. I’m sure there was a considerable amount of nailbiting going on in the days before since there were *two* hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico at one time (Marco fizzled out quickly.)
Rescheduled to Friday, August 28th, there was still some remnant activity from Laura that flowed in from the western side of the state. We’re actually on the east side, closer to Mississippi, so all my Texas peeps were asking me how we were doing. We had some rain here and even went through a couple of heavy rainstorms on the way to Southern Oaks. In fact, right after the wedding part was completed, we started feeling tiny drops, so the reception moved inside.
The Venue
Southern Oaks Plantation is located in New Orleans East and is in a house that was built in the 1960’s as a private residence. (Note: It’s not *that* kind of plantation, the term refers to the architectural style of the structure.)
Owner Bobby Asaro and his wife decided to create this venue in 1987, turning an abandoned building into a first-class full-service wedding place. They have done untold numbers of weddings since their first. The result is an elegant place to have a wedding at any time of year, inside or outside.
Remember that we were guests of the groom, so if there is a place upstairs for the couple, or if the family lives up there, well, we didn’t venture anywhere we weren’t supposed to go. There are a number of businesses in the New Orleans area where the owner and/or family lives next door, upstairs, or behind the business itself.
A brick building behind the house is, we hypothesized, the place where they keep the 1956 Silver Cloud Bentley that the bride arrived in from behind the house for the ceremony. We forgot to ask while we were inside.
The Bentley carrying the bride
I don’t think anyone went to the outside patio behind the house, where there is, in fact, a small swimming pool. I was hoping nobody was thrown in!
The Southern Oaks Wedding
Originally slated for a church in the Uptown area, they eventually decided to have the wedding itself at the venue as well. As a veteran of driving and public transit in both New Orleans and the entire city of Houston, I’m glad they did–it made things a lot easier on everyone. Driving to NO East on a Friday evening would have been a logistical nightmare, even if they did take a limo ride from the church.
The chairs were, indeed, set up on the front lawn, just like the pictures, and as required, socially distanced. Everything went as planned, I suppose. We didn’t notice anything that went “wrong.” Everyone seemed pretty happy as they walked up the sidewalk to the front of the house, where they held the wedding ceremony.
This is where the ceremony was held. All the flowers–ALL of them–matched, from the boutonnieres and bouquets to these flowers and the ones inside.
One would think that the bride might throw her bouquet from this lovely balcony, but that’s not what happened.
Logical to throw a bouquet here, yes?
Once she disembarked from the wedding car, her father took her arm for the walk.
Here she is coming to the wedding
After the wedding, she walked with the groom to the gate for the fireworks. Then they walked back.
Coming back up the walkway to lead the way to the reception inside.
I didn’t take pictures of the fireworks, but afterwards, they did come back up the walkway where we all went into the house, directed by staff.
The Food
As the website describes, each Southern Oaks wedding has a set menu with two carving stations and passed appetizers. The same food is served at every wedding–that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It keeps things simple for both the couple and for the venue, and, well, let’s just say I sampled more than I’d like to admit to. (I’m back doing keto, mostly, of course.)
Let me be clear: the food was outstanding. Makes me wish we could go have lunch there sometime.
First off there was a carving station with brisket and ham.
They were smiling, honest.
OK, first–both were very good. The brisket was tasty, but not Texas-style, and I didn’t expect it to be. The Honey Ham was equally tasty (no, not that commercially available place), and we enjoyed both.
Now about the appetizers–y’all, I was trying to be good an eat somewhat sensibly, but it didn’t work too well. I lost track of how many they were toting between tables. There must have been twenty or thirty wait staff involved, all nimble-footed food carriers.
Waiters tiptoed around with little trays of deliciously decorated foods that smelled incredible. The first thing we enjoyed was a classic, Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp. However, these aren’t the standard ones, these are bacon-wrapped shrimp, scallop & oysters. Apologies for not taking a picture of the innards, because it looked like the shrimp was stuffed with the other two fish (finely chopped) before the bacon was wrapped on it and cooked.
OMG–those were delicious! No, it’s like nothing else you’ve tasted.
A Few At A Time
The appetizers were sequenced. They brought out three or four types at first, then followed with three or four more types, and so on, until later, when they seemed to stop bringing around appetizers.
Later offerings included this tuna with soy sauce on a wonton:
You know I don’t like tuna, so obviously I passed on it, adding the “cat food” comment to BF.
Ever seen Philly cheesesteak sandwiches made like this–on a croissant?
BF enjoyed this one, too.
Burgers and fries, right up BF’s alley.
For more casual eaters.
Steak and sweet potato bites, right up MY alley.
I think this was Shrimp & Grits–I passed, much as I like shrimp.
Now, I could have been completely happy with a tray of these and another one of Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp. They could have just left me these and the shrimp and I would have left everything else alone.
These were just incredible!
This crab salad in cucumber was cool and very tasty. I got as many as I could before the waiters disappeared with them. BF, as always, turned his nose up at such fancy fare, but I see that as “more for me.”
I don’t remember what this was, but I think it was savory. Like oyster patties or something. That’s cheese on top, I believe.
Even dessert was in appetizer form, including a chocolate mousse tart in a pastry cup, and this artistic beauty on a skewer:
A “deconstructed” Strawberry Shortcake
Many of the appetizers, both savory and sweet, were in little pastry cups and were big enough for one or two bites. It’s a great idea because not only is it fancy, it makes preparation easier. You just add the filling and go with it. Chocolate mousse with a little piped whipped cream? Thank you! There was also cheesecake in the little pastry cups. With the music and masks, it was difficult to hear every explanation for appetizers, but they all knew what they were doing.
I passed on beignets. I identify as a naturalized Texan, so it’s just not my thing anymore.
There was also gumbo, crawfish etouffee, and I think red beans & rice in those small bowls as well, which BF had but I passed on. I was too busy trying to snag more crab salad on cucumber tapas.
The entire listing of Southern Oaks’ wedding menu is available here.
A Towering Wedding Cake
No Southern Oaks wedding would be complete without a fantastic cake, and this was no exception.
This was their wedding cake, but we left before it was cut to serve.
Here’s a closeup of the texture, understated and clean, allowing the flowers to really stand out:
See that? No frilly piped borders
The requisite cake pulls for the bridesmaids:
Disclosure: when I got married in 1996 (not here), I had these in my cake as well. Didn’t realize it’s primarily a Louisiana thing until I went looking for explanations for the charms–just now. I also couldn’t get anyone to make a cake with the icing looking like that–nobody could imagine such a cake without too much over-the-top frilly piping. I even had pictures of one, but nobody wanted to do it.
Honestly, I thought cake pull charms was a thing throughout the US, but it isn’t. I found this article by someone in New Orleans, using New Orleans themed charms, and this from Southern Living with non-New Orleans charms. I can’t tell you what my three bridesmaids pulled out of my cake, I just remember that the cake was the best.
We were there when they pulled the charms from the cake:
There were several
Cut a small piece out of the big cake:
They cut out of the middle layer, but we don’t know if they served the rest of it.
Then drank a toast:
But for the pictures, they only cut a small piece out of the back for the couple to eat for pictures. (I didn’t take a picture of the cut.) We left before they actually served this cake, which, from what we saw, was a white cake with raspberry or strawberry filling.
That may have been the only layer of actual cake–who knows?
The Groom’s Cake
There was also a groom’s cake, in a salute to his car guy nature:
Great job with amazing detail
This is the cake they actually served to guests–at first. We don’t know if they served the bigger wedding cake later.
When we caught him, we asked the groom what kind of cake was underneath the silver fondant icing. He said it had been so long since they planned it, he’d completely forgotten what it was! It was actually a three-layer white cake with buttercream filling and multicolored sprinkles baked into the three cake layers.
Because I’m picky I would have preferred the actual wedding cake with the fruity-looking filling, but that’s just ME. I’m sure it was even tastier than the groom’s cake.
If you want to see the car itself, this is Chevy’s site for Corvettes.
No Coffee?
All drinks were served at the bar:
They were right on it and kept very busy
I did have one glass of this champagne, and it was quite good:
Delicious!
I made sure BF didn’t mind beforehand, because he literally does not drink, ever. They served it in a simple, elegant glass flute, and I enjoyed every drop. I wasn’t planning to drive home. Had the situation called for it, I was perfectly OK for driving. I had the champagne about 7:15 or so, and after sampling way too many nibbles and drinking plenty of water, it was long out of my system, like at least 9:00 pm.
If I had to leverage a “complaint,” I guess that would be: no coffee!
No kidding–there wasn’t any coffee, not that I saw or smelled. I’m probably the only wedding guest who wanted some. But I didn’t complain about it–I’m just one of those people who enjoys coffee, that’s all.
Should they change it for me? Nah! Wouldn’t change my review one bit. If I were having a wedding there, I might ask about it. Maybe the couple didn’t want any, so they didn’t have it.
I could have got a coffee somewhere else, no problem. But we went straight home, not even stopping once we got back on the I-610 split (not the loop in Houston) and onto I-12. We went home coffee-free, but a good time was had by all throughout the event.
The Ladies Room
After one glass of champagne and a lot of water, I went to the powder room. I was greeted by this interesting decor.
You wouldn’t expect anything less here.
I didn’t actually go outside to see this little feature, and it was quite humid that day after all that rain. But maybe someone who needed a smoke break might go out there for a few minutes (if it’s allowed.) Lovely as it is, let me say that it’s not “traditional New Orleans.” That’s OK with me–I thought it was quite an interesting patio area.
This is the rest of the inside.
A nice little rock garden, or is it a water feature? I didn’t look too close, I just didn’t want to fall over it. You have to walk around it to get to the. . .facility. Also, I’m not used to wearing stiletto heels anymore.
A Picture Of Us
So I took this selfie:
That’s us!
And we sort of look halfway decent, too. He’s all nice and shaved, and I sprayed a considerable amount of Aquanet on my hair to keep it in place. I’ve already ordered an 8×10 enlargement from Shutterfly, and we bought a nice frame that’s all ready for it. Our pictures of the wedding will be in one of those lovely 6×6 books they have every month in their app. I have the pictures in place, I just need to edit them.
I’d planned to make something fancier to wear: this jumpsuit (the short version) and from this pattern, the fascinator (D) at the top right, both in Navy with a white flower on the hat. But it would have been too dressy, as it turned out, since we were told “casual.” Wouldn’t be the first time. He might have told me before I bought all that Navy crepe-back satin.
What I actually wore was this dress from MimiG Style, in the colorful fabric you see in the picture. Someone actually gave me the fabric, and I was holding onto it for “the right pattern.” As it turned out, this now-out-of-print pattern from MimiG Style, Simplicity 8084, was just right for the fabric as well as the wedding.
One of the many fabulous creations from sewing and lifestyle blogger Mimi G.
I made the shorter version, but I would like to make the longer one eventually. (Note: this is just a screengrab from Etsy–I don’t wear clothes that big.)
Not Us
We did have a wonderful time at the wedding, and many thanks to Justin (the groom) for inviting us.
Also many thanks to Bobby Asara and his wonderful staff for a great time and some very delicious and irresistable food..
Although BF and I have been together four years, we’re not planning one for ourselves. When Bronte’ (the bride) tossed her bouquet to the single women dance floor, I made sure to stand clear. I was glad I did when I saw the flower petals flying all over the place.
If you or someone you know is planning a wedding, I highly recommend considering a Southern Oaks wedding. They’re big on planning everything and making sure it all works. There are multiple five-star Yelp reviews as well.
Congratulations to Justin and Bronte!
Corn–picked fresh–is a summer favorite. We picked some.
Hello, again, Dear Readers:
I had something else planned for this blog post, but don’t worry, it’s coming soon. I already told Aunt Ruth, and she’s going to be looking at the screen funny when she reads this. Besides, just about everyone knows what corn is, right?
We had to pick some of our corn today, but we should have picked it earlier.
Contents
The Garden Massacre
When Tropical Storm Cristobol knocked over a stalk of corn, we didn’t think much of it.
About two weeks later, a very bad storm system passed through. We had about three days of very heavy rain, including lightning. One strike was VERY close to us, but we don’t know where it landed. Our neighbor doesn’t, either, but it scared all of us.
A day or so later, we noticed that there were more stalks knocked over, and this morning, it was worse:
Oh, the humanity!
Two of BF’s car-guy friends were here this morning borrowing tools. The elder man said, “Looks like the ‘coons found a place to eat.”
Heartbreaking
Raccoons. On TV, they’re cute and cuddly, but don’t let that fool you. They’re destructive little buzzards that pull over the stalks, then nibble on the corn. They don’t eat the whole thing, mind you, just pull back some of the husk and nibble on what they see. Then they move onto the next cob, leaving most of it to waste.
Nevermind what I was calling them this morning when I was pulling the yellowed stalks out of the ground. It wasn’t nice.
So that means we started picking the remaining corn. We should have picked it before, but BF remembers how his Dad grew corn. . .and we lost some. But we got 11 ears that were in pretty good condition.
What We Got
BF began pulling the husks and the silk off the corn right outside. I don’t know why he did, but you shouldn’t do that.
Ideally, pick them right when you’re ready to cook them, or at least, leave the husks on until you cook them. By the time I got to cook them in the evening, they were starting to dry out a little, but they were OK.
Beautiful, yes?
In the evening, I had to get out the biggest pot I had, which isn’t a heavy-bottomed pot from The Martha Stewart Collection At Macy’s. No, this big tin pot was given to us, and it’s the biggest one around. It doesn’t even have a lid, and it sits atop the fridge most of the time. I filled it with water, salted it, and waited forever for it to boil, even though I put the universal pot lid on it.
Of course, it’s been many years since I did this, so I had to look it up. But BF, ever so helpful, offered, “I think you just boil it.” So that’s what I did.
After I looked it up.
Help Me, Martha!
Years ago I made corn on the cob for my then-fiance and used a recipe out of Martha Stewart’s big green cookbook. We boiled the corn with a touch of sugar in the water and made a butter-lime combo to coat it. It was unusual but very delicious. I don’t believe I’ve made it since, even for the GER.
A quick search today on Martha Stewart’s website gathered 203 recipes, all for corn on the cob, and I skimmed through a few of them until I found what I wanted.
I followed the directions for boiling them, and they came out fine.
But when I saw the article on “upgrades,” I was intrigued. The one that caught my eye, of course, was the basil-mint pesto. I have plenty of basil and mint, and decided to go for it.
This is the mint after I cut it. Those stalks are over a foot high:
It just gets water, honest.
I only needed a quarter-cup of basil, but I need to make more pesto soon:
Some of the zucchini leaves were cut to give the herbs more sun
I thought I had too much, but it turns out I had cut exactly enough. I’m getting good at this:
When you eliminate the stems, you find out how much you have.
After pulling leaves and measuring them out, I washed them:
All nice and clean.
Then started the process.
Now Make It
You add the 3/4 cup of olive oil into the blender with two cloves of garlic and blend.
I didn’t use EVOO in this one.
Leave the mixer running:
Doesn’t look like much yet.
Then start adding the mint and basil leaves:
Carefully, of course.
To avoid a possible big mess, I just used the removable cap in the lid and added them in there, a little at a time. Let it blend for another minute.
Not your normal pesto.
There are no nuts, just herbs, oil, and garlic. Next, I poured it out into one of the many containers I have for regular pesto:
This will stay in the fridge for a few days, then I may freeze it.
I felt like it needed salt added at this point, so I did, just a shake, then mixed it.
Pesto On Corn
The corn was still hot, so I had to try it out. Brush it right on like melted butter.
Oh, yes!
I made sure to add plenty:
Cover the whole thing
It was at this point that I discovered the pesto needed some salt, so I added some directly onto the corn before adding a shake to the pesto.
Coarse kosher salt, right on top.
I didn’t wait for BF. I had mine right away.
Tah-dah!
It’s worth the trouble, honest.
The Fourth Of July
It’s this weekend. If you’re making corn on the cob. . .you’re welcome. Pick some, buy some, go to the farmer’s market if you have access to one. If not, your usual grocery store will have some too. Try out the basil-mint pesto if you’ve got herbs, or try out one of the compound butter recipes, like this chive butter. (One day soon!)
I also offered to make this delicious looking dish for us, Ree Drummond’s Fresh Corn Casserole. I hate that word, but it’s simple and uses fresh corn. From Facebook, I sent him the link and asked if he’d like me to make half the recipe so I could use the small oven.
His response: “I know you’re trying to enlighten me. You’re trying to drag a caveman out of his cave.”
I followed this comment with several amusing caveman GIFs.
Don’t forget about using your:
- Slow cooker
- Waffle Maker
- Instant Pot
To make things easier this weekend if you’re entertaining or meeting up with family and friends.
Slow cooker guru Stephanie O’Dea has oodles of recipes available on her website and they’re indexed here. You can sign up for her emails too.
Terry Boyd’s Blue Kitchen blog today sent an email that offers 15 recipes for your July 4th holiday menu. He always has some good food to share, and he publishes more than me, too. He and his wife have been busy and not blogging as much lately, but that’s OK.
You’re also welcome to check out the recipes page here, of course. Looking for a blog on a particular subject? Use the search function on the right-hand side of the page if you’re looking for something specific–I may have written about it previously. If you’re looking for something related to the slow cooker (aka Crock Pot), that’s the best way to find it.
The *next* blog will be about another delicious garden-based topic, and probably something you’ve never heard of.
Have a great holiday weekend.
Enjoy!
