Fat Tuesday Deliciousness

Oh Fat Tuesday, I adore this holiday not for the all night party and beads, but for the food. I mean I am sure the Bourbon Street scene is amazing, and one day maybe I will go see it. For now though I will make do with some great Cajun food. Yesterday I was watching the Rachael Ray show and saw her preparing a quick Andouille sausage and shrimp gumbo. This recipe looked amazing and easy enough my only problem was I didn’t know if I could find the sausage at my local grocery store. We live in a very small town, with a small grocery store, but the ole foodlane pulled through and carried Johnsonville’s version of New Orleans Style Andouille Sausage. I prepared this recipe exactly as Rachael did except I added in two cups of frozen okra when I added the shrimp. I will say this gumbo was amazing, in the words of my hubs “this is the best meal you have made in a while.” I think what makes it so amazing is that it is served over creamy grits, yummy. Fat Tuesday or any Tuesday this recipe is a keeper!

For the recipe for Andouille and Shrimp Gumbo with grits click here.

                                Oh isn't she the cutest!!!

It is a tough tough life…

I have noticed that the life of an infant is extremely tough, ha ha. I mean really you eat, sleep and dirty your diaper.  On top of that gaining weight is celebrated!  Man oh man am I one jealous momma. Just for one day I just want to try the life of an infant out, well except the whole diaper part, I want it to be ok for me to take five naps per day. In the spirit of naps I have included some shots of my child doing some of her best work.

I think she was thinking of hitting the camera for disturbing her nap.

It appears that she wrangled Daddy into working with her.

The things we do for love...

I have reached another milestone in my life, I ate meatloaf for the first time in nearly twenty years and I actually liked it. This is not a lie… I have had a serious fear of the stuff. I never understood why meat needed to be in a loaf. When it was meatloaf night when I was growing up I suddenly became a vegetarian eating solely the side dishes that my momma had prepared. So why make this you ask??? Love plain and simple.

My husband is a lover of meat and potatoes, and simple home cooking; let’s just say that my love of pasta isn’t exactly shared by the hubs. As a gift to him I have been trying to make more meals that he would enjoy. I feel this meal of meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and creamed peas should deserve an entire week of pasta.

I used the recipe of the lovely Pioneer Woman, and it definitely will remain in my recipe box.

PW’s Meatloaf


1 cup Milk Tomato Gravy (topping of the loaf)


6 Bread Slices 1 ½ cups Ketchup


2 lbs Ground Beef 6 tbsp Brown Sugar


1 cup Parmesan Cheese 1 tsp Dry Mustard


1 tsp Salt Dash or two of Hot Sauce


½ tsp Seasoned Salt


½ tsp Black Pepper


½ cup minced Flat-Leaf Parsley


4 Eggs, beaten


8 to 12 thin Bacon Slices


Pre-heat oven to 350. Pour the milk over the bread and allow to soak for several minutes. Place the ground beef, milk soaked bread, parmesan cheese, salt, seasoned salt, pepper, and parsley in a large mixing bowl. Pour in the eggs. With clean hands, mix the ingredients until well combined. Form the mixture into a loaf shape on a broiler pan, which will allow the fat from meat to drain. Line the bottom of the broiler pan with aluminum foil, for easy clean-up. Lay bacon slices over the top, tucking them underneath the meat loaf. Next make the tomato gravy: Pour the Ketchup in to a small mixing bowl. Add the brown sugar, dry mustard and a splash of hot sauce, mix well. Pour one-third of the tomato gravy over the top of the meatloaf. Bake for 45 minutes, and then pour another one-third of the tomato gravy over the meatloaf and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Serve the remaining tomato gravy on the side.

Charlot update: she is the most amazing baby on earth. The hubs and I fall in love with her more each day! We can’t get enough of her smiles and coos.