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February 26, 2014

humpday!

Get ready for some chop-licking, y'all! I just spent my lunch hour with John McLemore frying 'wings and things' and it was GOOD! More on that later...

Hope your day is turning out to be a good one! We've had our ups and downs this week. Ford got stuck on the middle shelf in my linen closet (I don't even want to know how he got up there...), MC was devastated most of yesterday (but she said she didn't know why), and Beeland SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT for the first time in her life! (that has been the highest 'up' of the week so far). I've successfully made two dinners this week (insert round of applause) and the laundry- though in piles all over the place- is done! Somebody pop open the champagne! Getting something done around the house is more exciting, to me, than passing a driver's test. 

May the rest of your Wednesday be happy and drama-free! I've got some editing to do...Frying in MeMaw's kitchen coming soon to a computer near you! 

February 23, 2014

That's a wrap!

Another wild weekend has ended and it's a toddler-snore-fest around here (I hope it stays that way for the next eight hours). Funny how the definition of 'wild' changes with time... 


Mac-daddy saw the sun rise over the runway, spent the day in West-Chester, and made it back to say good-night in person. We are blessed to have such a hard-working fella' around here.

Happy (almost) Monday...work it like a runway. 

February 21, 2014

Mini Vaca...I mean, Cooking School

I don't remember learning to cook many things as a kid; but I do remember spend-the-night parties (mainly breakfast) at Morgan's house and wanting to make amazing cinnamon rolls like her mom...without the help of Sister Schubert. No offense to Sister Schubert (you're awesome and your rolls are like crack), but I wanted my own 'cinnamon roll-crack recipe' that would keep my future kids and their friends coming back to my kitchen island.

Now that I have my own family, I still haven't learned how to make a decent cinnamon roll; But, things took a positive turn when I met Marge Perry last year. After a few hours with her and her husband David, I started to think that learning to make those cinnamon rolls (or ANYTHING for that matter) was possible...

My husband met Marge last summer when they both had airings at QVC. They spent many hours bonding over cookbooks and smoked food and have stayed in touch since. A few months after they met, we were in New York (this time for my work) and Marge and David- who by the way are professional chefs, published authors, and restaurant critics, invited us to dinner at Tribeca Grill. If you ever make it to dinner there, check out the restroom. Not the actual restroom...the hallway that leads to the restroom. You'll find her articles all over the walls. It's basically Marge Perry wallpaper.

After seeing all of those articles, I couldn't help but mention that I may or may not be an amazing chef (you know, in case she wanted to write an article about my uncanny ability to pour my own bowl of cereal). Mac confirmed that I definitely was (not) an amazing cook. Marge stepped in and asked if I would like to take one of her classes at the Institute of Culinary Education. Nearly eight months pregnant at the time, I wasn't able to go; But when she mentioned a "cooking well at home" class happening in February, I signed up without stopping to think...or without asking my husband.

Fast-forward to last Monday...I finally took a class with Marge! There were only a few of us, so I got a ton of one-on-one attention, which was necessary (believe you me)! We covered a lot of ground, but one thing stuck out like a neon sign: If you learn the basics of cooking and know how to read a recipe, you can sort of wing it when you mess up. WING IT...that's something I'm good at, remember?

Marge divided us into partners and assigned us all several dishes. My partner (Matt) and I got mac n' cheese (homemade...not from a box), chicken thighs, and flank steak.




Marge was great at teaching the basics- like how to read a recipe, which pots and pans to use for different foods, and how to slice and dice things properly. She kept me on my toes, but also kept my interest (which is a big deal for the ADD in me). It was strange...cooking with Marge was like being coddled in your grandmother's loving lap and competing on 'Chopped' at the same time. (I liked that.)

If you'd like to try some of the things I learned in Culinary School, visit the recipe tab or click here

 Now feast those 'hungry eyes' on this goodness.





FUN FACTS:

1. NEVER put frozen chicken in a crock-pot...even if the Internet says it's okay.
2. Leave your meat alone when searing. If it's ready to flip, it will easily lift with just your fingers.
3. Lox is not a Dr. Seuss character.
4. Use the back "three fingers" of your knife to cut/chop...and relax your shoulders.
5. When pounding chicken, use a smooth mallet rather than a mallet with 'teeth.'
6. Macaroni and Cheese is not actually a vegetable. SAY WHAT?

This was so. much. fun. And the people in the class were pretty awesome too. I hate that I'll have to miss the second part of this class with them...and so does my family. I mean, I've already made three of the seven recipes since I've been home (less than a week)...I'm going to need to expand my menu.



If you have questions related to preparing food, eating food, freezing food, etc...you can find Marge here under 'ask the expert.' You can also see her work in Cooking Light Magazine, Every day with Rachael Ray, or  follow her on her blog!
Hungry yet??



February 14, 2014

Like a typical four year old girl, MC constantly talks/dreams/sings about being a princess. So when she got invited to a princess (Valentine's) tea-party, it became her obsession. Thank goodness it was only planned three days before it actually happened. We would have died if she had any more time to antagonize us over her party that none of us were invited to (of course Ford-man got the brunt of it). Well, drum-roll please....Today was the day! I'm pretty sure it was the best day of MC's little life.



peek-a-boo! 

February 13, 2014

Snow Daze


This is what life has looked like for us lately...at least before the sun comes up. If you are a parent, you know what the 12 hours that follow look like. Exhausting, isn't it? (Especially when school is canceled every other day due to the possibility of snow). Adorable, lovable, bossy, spirited little people make life so perfect and so HARD! 

Valentine's is tomorrow. I have not planned a candle-lit dinner for the man who is responsible for these three...ninja, drama queen, and pterodactyl...blessings. In fact, that idea has never entered my mind (until now...but no. not happening). I do have something in mind that I really think He will appreciate. Tomorrow, I plan to shower. I plan to dry my hair and use concealer to hide the black holes that are my eyes. I plan to have his cold growler (see last post) waiting on him when he gets home. I had planned to get a babysitter. I am not sure what happened to last week...but now it's too late. So, maybe I'll throw in a straw for that jug of beer since we will most likely be spending valentines night watching The Little Mermaid for the five-millionth time and dining on some really amazing left-overs

Here's the card I wanted to order. Of course, right before I "added to cart," somebody threw a sword at the flat screen mounted on the playroom wall, and I forgot.

Life is full of stuff that can bog us down. Heads up, lil' mamas...we can do it. Cheers to life, love, and the pursuit of getting dressed before noon! 


February 10, 2014

Did you just say Chocolate Banana Split Beer???

Valentines is this week, so a few of my girlfriends and I turned to the MaltiDUDES for a three-glass-beer-class. Before this class, we knew a few things about beer:

1. It is something we would occasionally drink in college-with dinner or whatever...

2. It tastes okay, but we'd be just as happy with coke in a Styrofoam cup.

3. Our husbands have a thing for it. (Hey man-nice to meet ya. This is my beer stein from Germany.    Sure...you can look but you can't touch. Oh yeah, and this is my wife...she's almost as awesome as my stein.) 

What is the big deal with this drink? And why, when we go on your beer run and ask you what you want, do you say, 'Just get something good.' What does that mean?! To me, something good means beer that tastes like you're drinking a cold blueberry patch through a straw. I like that. But if I come home with blueberry beer, my husband says, "what did you get ME?" You get the idea...


To understand your man, you should try and understand what he's into...or something like that. Right?
After all, Valentines is about love and giving and doting...So honestly, what would put a bigger smile on your guy's face...a couples photo shoot in the middle of a garden or a growler full of carefully selected manly beer? That's what I thought. This is where Garrett, Miles (beer professors and self-proclaimed awkward-picture-posers above), and Boulder (store dog) come in.



Things we learned at beer school

1. A Craft Brewery is not a place where you paint canvases and drink with your friends. It is simply a term used based on the quantity of beer produced. Generally speaking, a brewery (Sam Adams or smaller) where beer is crafted over many years, allowing for more unique flavors. 

2. Green and clear bottles may not be the best option. (what?! I always buy green bottles!)  The lighter the glass color, the easier it is for light to penetrate the bottle, oxidizing the beer inside. There are enzymes in hops that are affected by UV light. It only takes 30 seconds for beer to be struck by light, resulting in off-flavors.

3. Cans are not redneck. I know, right? They might even be superior to bottles. Aluminum allows for zero light penetration and the amount of aroma released from cans differs from that of bottles, resulting in superior flavor. So this summer, don't worry about sneaking glass containers into the pool area. Cans are cool.

4. Hops are female flowers...of the hop plant. They are used primarily as a flavoring and stability agent in beer, to which they impart a bitter, tangy flavor. wikipedia

5. Craft beers are often aged like wine...in barrels. Rogue Ales Brewery has a Maibock called John John Dead Guy...it is aged in whiskey barrels that help mellow the bitterness of the hops.

6. It is, according to Garrett and Miles, easier to pair beer with food than wine with food. I'm not sure that's a proven fact...but for the sake of this post, go with it. 

Between the four of us, we tasted twelve craft brews. I think we were all pleasantly surprised by how much we enjoyed most of them. Some were a bit too flannel shirt/wood-chopper for our palettes, but we each found options from light and fruity to dark and chocolatey that were tasty and smooth.


We had a great time with the guys/mascot of Maltitude and appreciate their patience. Trust me, it was not exactly slow during the three hours we stood around their bar. Between other (loyal) patrons, phone calls, and distributors that poured in like rain from the planet Hops, they had little time to spend on four housewives who are mainly wine sippers.

Did I mentioned they were good sports and put on a mortifying performance of "Wrecking Bar" with me? I have decided to use my better judgment and spare you of that video...but here's a peek. You can imagine the rest. Note: Wrecking Bar brewpub is in Five Points, Atlanta that boasts one Jimmy Dean Breakfast Stout. I can already smell the bacon...




  • So if you're ever driving your van (mini, VW, or other) down by the river...in uptown Columbus, you should check out this hip spot. (Are you people starting to realize how awesome Columbus, Georgia is?) 

    Oh, and Happy Valentines Week! 
    (now hurry up and buy that man of your's a growler of "something good!" *Maltitude's growler menu changes weekly. They offer a 64oz and 32oz jugs that stay fresh for up to one week.)


  • February 5, 2014

    Whatchu Talkin Bout, Willis?

    Mac and I planned a five-year anniversary trip to Italy last year. It was actually our 6th year of marriage, but who cares-it was two weeks in ITALY! A month after we booked our flight, I found out I was pregnant (again). So a little less wine, a little more pizza...I e-mailed my friend Susanna and we planned to have dinner and introduce our "fellas" for the first time.

    {Rewind ten years. Susanna was the liaison for a study abroad program I participated in through Auburn University. She is an art historian, natural born comedian, and currently, a tour guide...not just any tour guide. She and her husband Carlo are the kind of people who feel more like neighbors than folks you see every five years.} 


    This story is about the time the four of us took a spin around Rome in Carlo's Fiat 500...583, Sand Beige, if I am not mistaken...with a rooster on the dashboard. I think there was something important about that little guy...good fortune, or something. Regardless, we made him our mascot that week.


                             

    We met Susi at the Spanish steps and caught a cab to the Jewish Ghetto. We filled our bellies with the most amazing Italian everything in a restaurant that boasted a caricature of Garry Coleman and his famous line, 'whatchu talkin bout, willis?' at its entry. (That alone was worth the trip.)


    Carlos was concerned that their idea for the following day wasn't safe for a prego girl...but when we mentioned our Vespa tour of Tuscany (which did not happen), they decided baby girl could handle a few bumps in the road. Mac and I felt like kids on Christmas morning when they asked us to join them for a Sunday drive in Carlo's baby, Carlotta.


    What was meant to be a two hour ride, turned into an eight hour inside-out, best-of everything, paparazzi-filled tour of Rome. It. Was. Awesome. I can't decide if 'honey I shrunk the car' or 'honey I blew up the kids' was more appropriate, but we looked like oversized vienna sausages packed in a can. The sun-roof and my back pocket had a staring contest every time we got out to stretch. I think people really got a kick out of seeing us in the middle of a jabillion pedestrians and witnessing how Carlo owned that maze of skinny cobblestone roads...all one way, of course. There is no telling how many instagram feeds our faces showed up on that day. Not to mention dozens of scrap-books we probably made it in...alongside the Fiat, of course.

    When we weren't busy fighting off the paps (big belly+small car+lots of iPhone cameras=funny), we sampled Rome's oldest gelato, Rome's newest gelato, Rome's best gelato, and the gelato that tourists think is Rome's best. We drank Rome's oldest cappuccino, Rome's best cappucino, and then followed that with an extraordinary lunch. It was backwardly wonderful.


    We zipped in and out of alleys wide enough for a trash can (there were foreign language arguments at every turn. Even though we didn't understand, we totally understood...turn left! no turn right! slow down! you're going to slow! you'll never make it up this hill...idiot, you're going to do it! haha! you know, normal couple conversations.) While Susanna told us the stories behind neighborhoods rarely visited, amazing painted ceilings, storied fountains, and gave us the scoop on the city's most famous attractions, Carlo was usually, parking, re-parking, and spit-shining his car. It was a familiar scene. I swear if Mac had not been right next to me, I might have believed he had died and come back as an Italian man!


    When they dropped us off at our hotel, Susanna gave me a big hug and in that wonderful Italian-Southern-American drawl, she said, "Y'all come back now, you hear?" It doesn't get much better than that. We hated to see it end and have our fingers crossed that it will happen again someday!  Susanna and Carlo: You guys are the best! We still owe you a trip on the back of our tractor (note to self: get a tractor) through the cotton-lined roads of the South!