Traditions

This year was the first year ever we haven't hosted Thanksgiving.  It was a little wierd but also very nice.  We had a wonderful time in Tupelo spending time with Hopson's family.  Hopson's oldest brother, wife & 3 children live there.  Their 3 children are the same ages as Hoppy & Harry, and it is a hop, skip, and a jump for Hopson's parents to drive to have dinner with the family.


The basic ingredients

My sister-in-law, Sandy, is a wonderful cook.  (she also sets a beautiful table!  Southern Living needed pictures of her table.)  We had a lot of oh so delicious, traditional foods:  turkey, dressing, different vegetable casseroles, cranberry sauce, rolls, and of course, various desserts.  Because we didn't host this year Hopson didn't get one of his favorite dishes:  German Potato Salad. 

In the almost 18 years we have been married, he has always had German potato salad with Thanksgiving.  I know what you're thinking...German Potato Salad for Thanksgiving?  Hopson asked for it when we were first married, and to be the wonderfully sweet newly married wife I was, I fixed it for him; and it became a tradition.  To make the fam's Thanksgiving complete, I made them the GPS today.

After I added the German vinegar

Today while I was cooking, Harry totally cracked me up.  You need to know that Harry LOVES bacon.  He would eat it with every meal.  So, I'm cooking the onions and bacon, and I had just added the German vinegar, which will clear out your sinuses if you get a little whiff of it, and Harry says:  'Oh, bacon!'  He popped a bite size piece in his mouth & immediately spit it out with a 'UHG' sound.  He asked me what I put on it to make it taste that way.  I just giggled and told him it was the vinegar.  He said it scared him & ruined a perfectly good pound of bacon.  Crazy Harry, he makes me laugh. 

Everyone one else was very excited.  So with our leftover turkey, homemade mayonnaise, and veggies, we now have some German potato salad.

Y'all be blessed beyond measure & War Eagle,
~ashley

The final product

I Just Need a little Adult Time

I am a huge proponent of adult time.  Now whether I get it or not is another story.  With a big active family it is not always possible to achieve this.  But...when it happens I am always glad I was able to be there.  Hopson and I are part of a couples supper club, and have more laughs than we can stand when we are there.  BTW, supper club, I have 2 words for you...Derby Party, be there...

I was trying to think of a different appetizer to take to last night's dinner.  Our group is crazy about Brie.  Ashley Stockard makes one of the BEST Brie appetizers I've ever had.  I really had a taste for that, but couldn't (and didn't want to try to) replicate it.  I also had a taste for a BLT dip that my friend Shannon makes.  What does someone like me do?  Well mix them of course!  When I was at the grocery store getting the Brie, tomatoes, and bacon, I knew it needed a special spice to go with it...but which one.  I'm standing there smacking my mouth trying to taste in my mind what different spices would taste like with the main 3 ingredients & you know what I came up with?  Smoked Paprika.  It's a spice that's a little crazy, but I'm pretty sure I'll use it again, so I didn't mind buying it.  You know how I feel about crazy ingredients. 

The group approved of the BBT appetizer, I think most of it was gone, and that's usually a good sign.  :)

There was a lot of laughter last night, with some talk about our crazy extended families, being groped at the airport, Thanksgiving and cabins, how to properly calculate how long you've been married, cotton bales, peanut oil on knees, youth sports teams, and how great Robert & Martha Cook's boys look wearing Auburn shirts, among other things.  Fun & laughter was had by all ~ minus the Rumplemints.

If you haven't had in any adult time lately, I highly recommend you get some.  It will make your heart fill lighter and your soul feel fuller.  If I don't get to post before next Thursday, Happy Thanksgiving!  How blessed I am!!!

Y'all be blessed beyond measure,
~ashley

The awaited 5th recipe

I have made the 5th recipe.  Very easy & full bodied.  (that doesn't sound very nice...)  I was watching Rachel Ray with my mother-in-law, GiGi, and I had to write this down because it sounded so wonderful and different.  Of course I tweaked it...heaven forbid I follow a recipe to the letter.  This is how my rebel side manifests itself, because I am extremely anal retentive. (so much so that my monogram is ANL.  As you can guess, I don't have too many things monogrammed in my house.)

Tuesdays are a come and go day, so we have to eat in shifts.  The first shift had 'the picky one', Harry, aka the crippled child, aka Crippleboy Swag.  He gave himself the last name, can you tell?  Well, the picky one ate it!!!  Hey Mikey, he liked it!  Bing!  Score 1 for the home team.

Next up was Hopson, I just wanted him to taste it to let me know if he liked it or not.  He stood over the pot and ate his.  Peggy (GiGi) I didn't really just write that, you just think I did...  :)  Score 2!

Henry, the bottomless pit, was the next one in line.  I have never seen a skinny 8 year old eat as much as he does.  He almost eats as much as Hoppy, it is kinda gross, but he's like a little heater so I know he's burning it off.  He ate it, but left the tomatoes.  That's not a full point only half, but he asked for his fruit & veggie, because I didn't have it ready.  He ate 2 servings of salad...and I'm giving myself another half point for that.

I have eaten and like it, but I don't think I count because I cooked it.  (I knew I would like it while she was cooking it.)  Let me know what you think.

Elizabeth is the next victim. She liked it, but took a break from eating it because she said it was a little too spicy.  It has a ton of pepper in it from the bacon. 

Hoppy is last, as usual, on Tuesdays during football season.  He had 2 huge helpings...but was this because he was hungry or because he liked it?  It's both.  He's my honest to a fault child.  It's my fault he is like this.  When I would ask Hopson if something I wore was ugly or made me look fat, he always says 'it looks great', so I would ask Hoppy & he would always tell me the truth...nice some days, not so nice others.

Ok, so that's home team 5 for 5.  I asked the kids if they would like this in the rotation of foods I cook.  They all said yes, but next time I will take some of the pepper off the bacon so it's not so spicy.

Click the link below to check out the recipe, if it doesn't come up, make sure you click on the recipe tab at the top of the page:
http://wegottaeat.com/ashnance/recipes/baconfire-roasted-tomatoes-with-whole-wheat-penne-pasta

Since this recipe's main ingredient is bacon, I've included a link to Jim Gaffigan's bit in his comedy routine that is about bacon, it's absolutely hilarious!!! I think it's on King Baby.  He's clean, so your kids can watch it too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaK9bjLy3v4&p=E7A3EFC946793190&playnext=1&index=10

Enjoy the laugh & be blessed beyond measure
~ashley

Crippleboy Swag...looking fly