Tuesday's Tip

Have you ever wondered what to do with leftover cake when you have just ordered WAY TOO MUCH? We attended a 40th birthday party where there was a lot of cake leftover. Mama Henley told the honoree's friends to cut it in squares or rectangles and freeze it. Then, you can take it out of the freezer as needed. I suggested putting lots of cake out for the garbage men. They love a treat! You could also take it to work, your children's teachers, or just enjoy it for a family dessert! Just make sure you wrap it well to avoid freezer burn and don't leave it in the freezer for more than 3 months. Enjoy!

Secrets Revealed...

My darling husband's Daddy made the BEST red beans and rice. I know he was leading the line around Heaven last night singing "When the Saints Go Marching In" just like he did at our Rehearsal Dinner almost 15 years ago!

I made Papa's Red Beans and Rice for DH in celebration of the Superbowl and to remember DH's amazing Daddy. DH said that cooking those red beans really spoke love to him! He also said that they are even better the second day as the flavors become even stronger. I'm going to do y'all a favor and share the recipe. Shhh, don't tell y'all.....

Papa's Red Beans & Rice
According to Miss Tootie, "You don't fool with time on Mardi Gras. You just stick everything together in one big ole pot, and the easier the better. You're too busy having a good time to worry about cooking, but at the same time you do need something substantial to eat." Well, I'll be.

1 pound dried red kidney beans, washed and sorted (We like the Louisiana kidney beans best. They are called Camellia red beans.)

2 quarts cold water
2 medium yellow onions, peeled & chopped (about 1 cup)
2 med sized green pepper, seeded & chopped
2 stalks celery, minced (I used more than this)
(Cooks should note that the Holy Trinity of Cajun cooking is chopped onions, green peppers, and celery)
1/4 pound smoked ham, minced. My father in law used a ham hock from Honey Baked Ham and some leftover pieces of their ham. You can also use andouille sausage. The best comes straight from Louisiana.
2 tsps. salt (or more if you prefer)
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp. black pepper
3 Tbs. thinly sliced green onion
3 Tbs. minced Italian parsley
2 1/2 cups uncooked rice, cooked according to directions

Place beans in a very large kettle and add water. Cover & soak overnight. Next day, add onions, green pepper, celery, ham or andouille sausage, salt, cayenne pepper, and black pepper to the beans and their soaking water, bring to boiling over high heat; lower heat so that liquid ripples gently. Cover; simmer 2 1/2 hours. Uncover, stir well, turn heat to lowest point and cook uncovered about 2 1/2 to 3 hours longer, stirring now and then, until beans are very soft and mixture is about the consistency of chili. Stir in green onions and cook, uncovered, 10 minutes, then mix in parsley and cook for 10 minutes more, stirring frequently. Dish up the red beans and rice separately and put out big bowls so everyone can help himself to as much rice as he wants; ladle the red beans on top. ENJOY!

Progress, sweet Progess

Whew! DH & I are exhausted! We've been unpacking boxes in our pod since early this morning. We've unpacked over 15 boxes, taken 2 loads to the Salvation Army, and thrown away 3 trash cans full of stuff!!! Woo HOO!!!!! It feels good. We have at least 15 boxes left before we'll take everything out of the garage and begin to rearrange things so that we can actually park a car in the garage during the upcoming rainy season!! Our new home has MUCH less storage... no floored attic for storage and no basement. We had over 800 sq ft of basement plus a completely floored attic in our old house. Needless to say, we have lost a lot of storage space. With a 7 member family, it's easy to accumulate a good bit of stuff. Today has been spent weeding out those things that are no longer necessities and re-purposing them for other uses, giving them away, or simply throwing them away. Our hands are dry and crackly, but it sure does feel good!

When you walk in the back door, the aroma of red beans and rice greets you. It really does smell delicious! I have made DH's daddy's recipe in his memory for the Superbowl tomorrow. WHO DAT!

Dear Libby

One of our sweet big girls, D, came downstairs and asked me if I'd mail a letter. She made me guess whom she had written. I guessed Mimi, Grandmama, and her godmother. I was wrong on all accounts. D handed me the letter with a little smile and I began to read it. I also began to cry. I mailed the letter, but I made a copy of it before I sent it. It was just that precious. She wrote this letter to Libby, the Senior Director of Camp Greystone, whose husband, Jim, or Jimdaddy, died suddenly last Friday. Jimdaddy was one of the most amazing men I've ever known. He was the epitome of a gentleman and always encouraged others to love the Lord first and to purpose to have a GREAT day every single day. He will be missed. D wrote a letter to his wife, Libby, totally on her own. Precious. Here it is:

Dear Libby,
I'm sorry that Jimdaddy died. I really miss him. I have been a Greystone girl for 3 years. I'm eight years old. My mommy, Mama Henley, cooks at Greystone. I remember all the fun stories Jimdaddy told. My mommy is really sad that she could not come to Greystone. She cried at dinner the other night that she could not come to Greystone. Hope you have a great day today,
Love,
D

I thought it was just precious that she was precocious enough to know that you write someone a letter when someone they love dies. She also knew exactly what to say to comfort Libby. I, of course, DID cry at dinner. It was one of those nights where it was really hard to live so far away from the Old North State. Florida is just too far for me to drive by myself and the flights didn't cooperate, so I couldn't go to the funeral. And I was very sad.

Let's subtract, not multiply

I have been working hard to control all of the things that keep procreating in this house. You would not believe the multiplication that happens in this house!! Aside from the 5 children, our laundry seems to multiply over night. I think I have washed the last pair of underwear or socks, and wake up to find a new load waiting on me. It is incredible!! Another thing that multiplies, splits, and adds is paper. Bills, sweet notes from the children, art work, letters from friends, to do lists, recipes, etc. seem to have babies!! I spent hours trying to calm the paper beast today. I even made a little progress. Too bad our bedroom looks like the after shot of a robbery. The chalk figure on the floor is of me, exhausted after my hard work!

Tuesday's Tip

As you walk into the home of one of my dear childhood friends in North Carolina, you are greeted by the sweetest fragrance. It literally engulfs you as you walk in the door. It is the fragrance of beautiful white lillies. I commented one day to C that her house always smells so fabulous. It was then that she let me in on a little secret.... she treats herself to lillies most weeks and puts them in a vase in the front hall. She said that the lillies are her "little happy" and after enjoying their scent myself, I think we could all use a little happy!

Don't you worry, I'm your girl

In the last few months, I have made another new friend in Tampa. We're both new to town, so I think we're both excited to make new friends so we've met for lunch and also gone to dinner with our families. K is a hoot! One day recently we were making those COOL pirate shirts at her house and we came inside to get something for the children to eat. She opened her refrigerator and started saying, "Oh, please don't look". I assured her that it looked fine. Then, she said, "If something happens to me, I expect you to come over and clean my refrigerator." Confused, I replied, "What do you mean? Why?" K replied, "Well, you know all of those church ladies will be over here stuffing casseroles in the refrigerator, and I don't want them to see all of the mess in here. You have got to promise you will come over and clean my refrigerator for me if I am dead!" At this point, I couldn't help but laugh. Only a Southern girl would worry about her refrigerator! :) K didn't ask me to console her children or bring dinner, she wants to make sure things in her refrigerator are in order. I replied, "Don't worry, I'm your girl!" She responded, "Now you know we're really becoming true friends." I love it! Yes, K, we are!