Winged Visitor

I had a visitor come into my yard the other day! I was sitting in the dining room and saw some white out of the corner of my eye. I glanced out in time to see a beautiful egret swooping down into our yard and proceeded to watch him walk from our yard into the neighbor's. So sweet!

Today he came back. I hope he continues to visit us. I could really watch him walk around on those long legs for hours!!

Just enjoying the simple things........ :o)

BBQ & Thai ~ Oh My!

Today's venture involved two new recipes for canning.

The first, a Zesty Peach BBQ Sauce.

Now, when I mentioned this to people over the last week I got a few different responses. From "ooh that sounds so good" to "ew, I've never heard of such a thing". I had to remind people that it is probably similar to a honey or other sweet and savory BBQ sauce.

So, my adventure began with this sweet and tangy sauce this morning. First, the ingredients:

6 cups finely chopped pitted peeled peaches (about 3 lb or 9 medium)  1 cup finely chopped seeded red bell pepper (about 1 large)  1 cup finely chopped onion (about 1 large)  3 Tbsp finely chopped garlic (about 14 cloves)  1-1/4 cups honey  3/4 cup cider vinegar  1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce  2 tsp hot pepper flakes  2 tsp dry mustard  2 tsp salt  8 (8 oz) half pint glass preserving jars with lids and bands

I think I may have been short on the peaches, as I bought 3 pounds of peaches. I think it may have been 3 pounds of the "meat" of the peach - not the weight at the store......

Peaches, Red Bell Pepper and my lovely Assistant Regan

A change I made is that this sauce didn't cook down into a sauce. Even when cooked longer than recommended it still looked like a chunky fruit salsa. So, I put it in my food processor when it was done and made it into an actual sauce.

Peaches, Red Bell Peppers, Onion & Garlic

Directions:
1.) PREPARE boiling water canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Set bands aside. 2.) COMBINE all ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens to the consistency of a thin commercial barbeque sauce, about 25 minutes. 3.) LADLE hot sauce into hot jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rim. Center hot lid on jar. Apply band and adjust until fit is fingertip tight. 4.) PROCESS in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.


I am not certain if it was because I didn't use enough peaches or because I processed the sauce, but unlike the recipe, I got a little less than 5 half pint jars from this recipe. I really think it is the lack of peaches, since this is a semi spicy sauce also. So if you make this, be sure to get about 5 or 6 pounds of peaches total! And I guess the texture of your sauce will depend on how you like it!

This sauce actually tastes really good! It has a tangy, sweet & spicy flavor. It definitely has a kick to it! I cannot wait to put this sauce on some meatballs!


I do think I will attempt this sauce again. I think it is definitely worthy for gift giving!!


The 2nd recipe (sorry no pictures!), was quite quick and easy! Definitely an easy starter recipe for new canners!

It is a Thai Hot & Sweet Dipping Sauce. I was excited to make this because I thought it was this sauce:

My husband loves this sauce. But this Thai sauce is more of a sweet vinegar sauce with pepper flakes and garlic.

It is a very good sauce, just more liquid-y than I expected!

Here is what you'll need:

1/2 cup finely chopped garlic (about 36 cloves)
 1 Tbsp salt
 6 cups cider vinegar
 6 cups sugar
 1/2 cup hot pepper flakes

Basically you get your vinegar to a boil, then add your sugar and simmer until it is dissolved. Then add your garlic and pepper flakes and salt. Done!

I actually halved this recipe, which was quite easy (because I didn't buy a large enough bottle of wine vinegar).

It is a pretty sauce with a kick to it and I think it will definitely be a hit. Especially since not only can I make this sauce, I can make some pretty awesome spring rolls to go along with them! :o)

Football Season........sigh

Because I wasn't raised in this area, most people don't realize that I was born here. I was born in Dauterive Hospital in New Iberia. The majority of my family still resides there, if not the surrounding areas!

About 5 years ago, I finally followed my feet and came to live here again, 23 years later like I always dreamed of doing as a child.

I love it here. This is the place for me!

But every year around this time I feel like I don't belong......

Why?

Because there is one thing in this area that runs deep in everyone's blood.....

One thing I have no desire or wish to have any part in............FOOTBALL!

If you don't live around here, or have never been here or I guess weren't raised here, you have NO idea! This isn't just a community or town supporting the local college teams. Hell, it isn't even a state with a pro team rooting on Sundays!

This is an ENTIRE state that lives and breaths sports! College, pro......

Most people are like what's the big deal, they are fans? Well, one of our 1st years here I was having a huge anniversary party and I was being told left and right that they couldn't attend because LSU was playing. I was like, "oh, yall are going to the game?" ....answer "no, the game is on....can't miss it" .....me - looking in astonishment.....

Literally, people around here revolve their lives and schedules around football. Not just a few crazed men and their friends. Entire families, including wives....... I mean, people even schedule their children's birthday parties and other things around games.

Now obvioulsy to each their own! Everyone has their "thing". But, I've lived in many states, 7 to be exact. And have never had the ?pleasure? of being around people like this. I guess I just don't get it. My life and schedule revolves around my family.....my child, my husband......things get put on the back burner for them....not the other way around.

I've been here 5 years and still don't get it. Not sure if I ever will. But I still try! Hell, don't get me wrong, I don't hate sports. I have been to pro games and when I lived in Texas in a previous life, a highlight was going to the High School football games. It was fun and a great Friday night thing to do.

I guess to me it's one of those things to put into my schedule if the opportunity arises and it works into our calendar. Scheduling my life around something as trivial as a football game just seems absurd to me.

But........this is my opinion......looking from the outside in.......



Maybe next time I'll write about how obnoxious it is when people who have never attended LSU tag their vehicles with LSU, buy and wear everything LSU! Blech!

Canning - Apple Butter

Today I tried my hand at another canning recipe! I wanted to share my experience and my recipe.....and it wouldn't be complete without pictures! :o)

Most recipes call for you to start out making your own apple sauce first.....but this just wasn't an option for me. For one, it calls for a sieve and I don't have one, nor wish to purchase one!

Lucky for me I found a recipe that gives the option of using applesauce and through looking at tons of recipes I found tips here and there and think I have found a solution and a shortcut! ....this makes me smile!

So here's the ingredients needed:

11 - 24 or 25 oz jar of apple sauce
2 Tablespoons Ground Cinnamon
1 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
1/2 Teaspoon Allspice
4 Cups Sugar

There are two ways to go about making this butter. You can use a crock pot if you have one big enough (10+ quarts). This guarantees you won't have to worry about scorching and also allows you to cook it over night. Everything in the process is the same, whether you use your stove or crock pot.

The most important part is the first step. Take your apple sauce and process it in a blender or a food processor. We have a Magic Bullet and that is what I chose to use. Getting your apple sauce as smooth as possible is key!

After you process your apple sauce, add it, along with all ingredients into your pot. Simmer on low for 8-12 hours. The longer you cook, the thicker it will be. I stopped mine about 8 hours so that I wouldn't be doing the canning process after 10 pm.

The butter turned out really good. Even Regan likes it! Next time I will start my butter earlier and simmer it 12 hours or more. I think it would add to the texture and also the flavor!

All in all it was a good experience! It is definitely a loooonng process! lol

Destination Unknown

First, watch this!! It's so worth it and so inspiring!





One thing I've always wanted to do is travel! In luxury of course, but any type would do really!

How neat would it be to have everything you need in a backpack and travel with the wind?? No plan at hand, just getting on a train and heading where it leads and hopping off when the mood struck.

Now, if you know my personality and my need for order and knowing details, you'd know this is way more than just a pipe dream. I am not sure I can physically accomplish something so spontaneous. Even though I wish I could. Maybe one day, when Regan is grown and time and patience is on Bub and Myself's side we can accomplish such a wandering journey!

Wordless Wednesday ~ Song in My Heart

Regan's favorite song.........

Yearbook Yourself

YearBookYourself.com Ever heard of it?? It can be the source of a lot of entertainment!

Here are a few of my favorites......almost can't tell they aren't real, huh? Good fun! Go try it!!

would be - 1952

would be - 1966

would be - 1978

would be - 1998