savannah: the tours

This summer, Husby and I vacayed (that's the past tense of vacay, right?) in the South. 

(Just to clarify: Southerners are quite adamant that Texas is not considered as part of the South. To further clarify: east Texas--and the town where we live--is more Southern than some cities in the South. But that's fine, we don't have to be included. It hurts, but Texans are resilient.)

(Speaking of Texas, did you know that we can fly our flag at the same height as the United States flag since we were once a nation? It's true! [We also love to brag about things like that, even as others roll their eyes.])

Back to vacaying...we had a fabulous week in the South. We decided to fly into Atlanta and drive to Savannah, and then onto Charleston and back to Atlanta. That wasn't the smartest plan since it's a five hour drive from Atlanta to Savannah--it looked so much closer on Google maps! We were so tired by the time we arrived. But it paid off in the end when we were able to spend time with dear friends.

Savannah is beautiful. The architecture is stunning and the history is amazing. Although I love the great State of Texas, we just don't have as much history.

Our first night in Savannah, we took a Ghost Tour. Although I hate scary movies, I like hearing spooky stories--unless I'm going to be home alone or walking alone at night (which doesn't happen very often or ever, by the way). I didn't think I'd need my camera; I forgot about capturing spirit orbs. Dang it. Savannah is considered the most haunted city in the United States. And I'd just like to say that there should be no complaining about this: THEY MOVE GRAVES AND BUILD ROADS OVER CEMETERIES AND FORGET WHERE PEOPLE ARE BURIED. Yeah, you're gonna have a ghost or two or forty six.

We learned that a couple of terms used today come from Savannah in the 1800s. They had three bouts of yellow fever. (Again, no complaining, you brought slaves over. You deserve it.) A symptom of yellow fever is extremely low pulse. There was an occasion where non-dead yellow fever victims were buried alive. The following morning they were found outside of their graves. Dead. So they started tying string to a finger of the "dead" with a bell attached on the outside of the grave. If they heard the bell in the night, they called it a "dead ringer." This shift late at night listening for dead ringers in the cemetery was called the "graveyard shift." Cool, huh?

When we go to a new city, we also love doing some type of a walking or biking tour. Luckily, there's a bike tour offered in Savannah. It was so much fun, even though I thought our tour guide was going to melt off of his bike. Evidently, some people can't handle the heat.

There is a large Catholic population in Savannah. The Irish came to Savannah and worked as cheap labor; Savannah had a huge Irish population, and has the second largest St. Patrick's Day festival after New York City.

Savannah is laid out in a grid system and very well organized...except for the names of squares and monuments. Oglethorpe Square does not include the monument to Oglethorpe. You'd need to visit Chippewa Square to see that.

Spanish Moss [which is neither Spanish nor moss] grows along the Live Oaks and Crepe Myrtles. Supposedly Spanish Moss doesn't grow where unsettled spirits still roam.

After our bike tour.

Our final tour in Savannah was a Dolphin Tour. I was super excited about this. Until we started speeding out into the middle of the ocean as water splashed in the boat. I was convinced it'd sink. Luckily, it didn't. Our guide told us all about the dolphins he'd seen on the three previous tours that day. Including..wait for it...baby dolphins that were two feet long and swim beside their mamas. Precious! I just knew my heart would melt. Which is probably why it was a good thing we only saw ONE dolphin in an hour. It was so sad; she should have been with an entire pod. I worried that she was being bullied. She gave us a few jumps out of the water.

We had a lovely time in Savannah, even though we arrived with a heat wave. (If you're keep track, this is our second vacation in a row with record temperatures. Next year, we're headed north.) The city is laid out for walking, which we love. We had way too much amazing food. And even more sweet tea. I'll share all about that tomorrow!

Farro and Roasted Butternut Squash Recipe

Husby's mom is from the Midwest. Actually, Wisconsin, to be exact: the land of (amazing) cheese and winter squash. Actually, I'm not sure that it's the land of winter squash, but I'd never had butternut squash (or acorn or buttercup) until I started dating Husby. I remember well the first time I had it. My future mother-in-law made Ina Garten's Caramelized Butternut Squash. I scooped it onto my plate; the first bite I took melted in my mouth. I'm pretty sure I had two helpings that night, and then I ate all of the leftovers that we took home. My reason? He's had it his entire life; I have some years to make up for missing out on winter squash. For all that Texas has to offer, winter squash isn't one of them.

We try to eat one vegetarian meal a week. And we're attempting to expand the whole grains that we eat. I bought a cookbook a few years ago called Super Natural Cooking. We read all about real, natural foods. Farro was one of those. I bought a bag of it, and it sat in our pantry, silently intimidating me for about a year. Finally, I decided to use it. I googled "farro recipes", and happened upon a recipe on 101 Cookbooks Blog, which is the author of Super Natural Cooking. My inaugural farro dish was Farro and Roasted Butternut Squash. And? It was fabulous; even Husby loved it. I'd consider all of the ingredients to be favorites, so it really worked for me. I often cook a bunch of whole grains like farro and barley (a good farro substitute), and then divide them into quart sized bags and stick them in the freezer. Another shortcut I take is using frozen diced butternut squash. I prefer fresh, but this--along with thawed grains--works for my busy days.

(Also, I have a weird scar on the knuckle of my right pointer finger. The pressure put on it by cutting winter squash [and other things] can become painful. Strange, right?)

Farro and Roasted Butternut Squash
from http://www.101cookbooks.com/

If you are pressed for time, opt for a lightly or semi-pearled farro (actually easier to find in some places), which will cut the cooking time for the grains down to about 20 minutes. Barley, both hulled and pearled, would make a nice substitution if you are having trouble finding farro. Also, I found the beautiful red spring onions at the farmers' market but regular red onions will work well, and will be much easier to find.

Ingredients
2 cups farro, rinsed and drained
2 teaspoons fine-grain sea salt
5 cups water (or stock)
3 cups butternut squash, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 large red onion cut into 1/8ths
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 cup walnuts, deeply toasted
3 tablespoons toasted walnut oil (or more olive oil)
1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled

Directions
Preheat oven to 375.

Combine the farro, salt, and water in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the farro is tender, 45 minutes to an hour, or about half the time if you are using semi-pearled farro. Taste often as it is cooking, you want it to be toothsome and retain structure. Remove from heat, drain any excess water, and set aside.

While the farro is cooking toss the squash, onion, and thyme with the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and a couple big pinches of salt on a rimmed baking sheet. Arrange in a single layer and place in the oven for about 20 minutes. Toss the squash and onions every 5-7 minutes to get browning on multiple sides. Remove from the oven, let cool a bit, and mince just 1/2 of the red onions.

In a large bowl gently toss everything (except the goat cheese) with the toasted walnut oil (or olive oil). Taste and add a bit of salt if necessary. Serve family-style in a simple bowl or on a platter garnished with the goat cheese.

Serves 6 - 8 as a side, less as a main.

We ate this as the main course. It would be wonderful with an arugula salad. I used a large red onion and used additional olive oil in place of the walnut oil, since I didn't have it on hand.

I just stocked up on frozen diced butternut squash and bought a ton of farro in the bulk section of our grocery. I cannot wait to make this again. It's so fall-like and cozy.

a sick day (with the gilmore girls)

Today I stayed home sick. I'm pretty sure it's just allergies based on the fact that I can't breathe through my nose and water is pouring out of my right eye, but just allergies has got me down. With symptoms that worsened over the weekend, sleeping at least 10 hours a day, and my husband telling me last night that I sound horrible, I decided a little couch time might do me good. Plus, I had a round o' antibiotics about for my first illness about a month ago. When I reported that illness to my school nurse, she said that by getting ill that early in the year means it will happen again. And possibly again. Yea, germy kids!

When I stay home sick, I have absolutes. I set up camp on the couch, surrounded by necessities: laptop, phone, remote control, a drink, tissues, Crickett, and most importantly:

Although I didn't follow Gilmore Girls religiously, I did see the occasional episode or a re-run and loved it. When Husby and I dated, he brought an entire series to me when I was sick, along with orange Gatorade and saltine crackers, which are absolutes when I have a stomach virus. I must equate being sick with watching Gilmore Girls, although I do watch GG at other times. Here are a few reasons that I love GG:

1. Stars Hollow is the quintessential small town (much like Mitford in the Mitford Series). I wish it were real; we'd move there. Each season seems perfect. But the thing I love most is the interaction of the people. They talk to each other, have community-wide events, and the expected gossip that comes from living in a small town.

2. The quick, witty banter can't be matched on any other show. (Veronica Mars could come close, though.) I also love the humor; it's so cute. Can humor be cute? I think it can be. Again, jokes are quick and often point to pop culture and [then] current events.

3. Every time I watch it, I feel okay with my coffee addiction. In fact, I often make a pot of coffee at some point during a Gilmore Girls marathon.

4. I love that Lorelai is independent and energetic.

5. Reading is portrayed as an intellectual activity that should be part of every day. Rory is an avid reader, and I like that. I'm a reader, and I feel like reading has been dumbed down in recent years. I cringe when I hear, "I'm just not a reader." I think that it's fine to have a fun book to read for pleasure, but I hate it when Twilight is considered literature. Just for fun, here's Rory's reading list from the show.

6. The theme song lyrics are good for the soul:

If you're out on the road

Feeling lonely, and so cold
All you have to do is call my name
And I'll be there on the next train

Where you lead, I will follow
Anywhere that you tell me to
If you need, you need me to be with you
I will follow where you lead 

7.  Since I'm a college advisor at a private school, Rory isn't far from some of my students. I live in a world of PSATs, college exploration, debate results and the like. In most episodes, the portrayal of these topics is quite accurate. Good job, writers.

8. The writing is fantastic. More than getting components of Rory's education correct, the writers really pull the audience into the story. We know the characters. We know: that Emily, Lorelai's mom, is condescending and opinionated; that Kirk is difficult and quirky; Sookie is a little ditsy; Luke is gruff. And there are so many more characters that we know well.

9. Lorelai and Rory's relationship is unconventional, but it works for them. I'm a big believer of not being friends with your child, but Lorelai is able to successfully play the "mom card" whenever needed.

10. They love food. From take out to Sookie's amazing creations to Luke's Diner, there are tons of references to food. They appreciate a great pizza or ice cream with extra toppings.

I think my day of no activity will serve it's purpose. Although I'm still a little sniffly and stuffy, I hope to return to work tomorrow.

some thoughts about some things

• Our move this year puts us in a high traffic area for Halloweeners seeking candy. This is exciting because I've never given out Halloween candy. Growing up, we lived way too far out for anyone to visit, and until now, I've lived in an apartment or moderately unsafe part of town. But this year is our year! I was advised by a few people to purchase candy NOW. Waiting until the week of Halloween limits the candy options.I firmly feel that cheap candy is no way to treat small children--or adults, for that matter. As a trick-or-treater, I resented the houses that gave out pieces of bubble gum or fake chocolate candy. Although I prefer most (real) chocolate candy to non-chocolate candy, I decided that it's unwise to keep 250 bite sized Snickers and 3 Musketeers in our house for over a month. Instead, we have a basket full of Nerds, Laffy Taffy, Sweet Tarts and Pixy Sticks. For years, I thought I only liked banana Laffy Taffy. Well, it turns out that I was wrong. I also like cherry Laffy Taffy. I have a feeling that the option for cherry Laffy Taffy will greatly diminish through the month of October.
• Glory be! After almost two years, I found the cable that connects my camera to my computer. It was in a place that I checked approximately five times because it made sense that I would have put it there. At one point, I pulled everything out of the drawer. Somehow I missed it. My memory card doesn't fit into my computer, so it's just a hassle to download pictures. I hope this makes me better at downloading!
• Husby and I don't have cable. We decided that we could watch our shows via internet connection on the network web sites. So far, we've watched the premier of The Big Bang Theory and Modern Family. We loved Big Bang (if you don't watch it, you should), and Modern Family was hilarious, BUT I don't love the new Lilly. She's a brat! And my brain doesn't get that she went from younger than two and not talking to a talking, mean little girl. I also think the first girl who played Lilly was much cuter.
• I'm really curious to make this pie. I'll let you know how it turns out.
• The East Texas State Fair is in town. We're planning to go this week. Of course, we go for the food. My typical meal includes a corny dog, homemade root beer, and coconut cream pie (made by the Lutheran church). I'm also up for sharing pretty much anything else that's battered and fried, including: pickles, jalapenos, funnel cakes, and Oreos. I draw the line at fried butter and chicken fried bacon, though.

Chicken & Dumplings

A couple of weeks ago when it cooled off to 94 degrees, I decided it was time for a nice, fall meal. You know... something cozy to celebrate the donning of sweaters and boots. Since I was somewhat sickly that day, I decided that chicken and dumplings would make me feel better. Last week, Boo Mama posted her  recipe and also shared the correct pronunciation for said dish. Although our recipes differ, we agree that it is pronounced CHICKEN AND DUMPLINS. The G is silent. Trust me. It is.

I think that my grandmother made the best chicken and dumplings. I also think I make the second best chicken and dumplings. (Mom, don't worry, yours are good, too! You win third place!) Here are qualities that I like in my chicken and dumplings:

1. Creamy, not brothy. This adds to the cozy factor.
2. Slick dumplings, not fluffy dumplings. I guess these technically aren't dumplings, but more like thick, wide noodles.
3. A high ratio of dumplings to chicken. I actually use chicken for the flavor, but I just love the dumplings part of this dish.
4. Lots of fresh black pepper.
5. The option to use frozen dumplings. There are some good ones, y'all. Don't be ashamed. I make them from scratch less than half the time. Here's what I buy in the frozen bread section:

Chicken & Dumplings

Ingredients
4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (I usually boil an entire bag at once, shred it, and then freeze the meat.)
5 quarts chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 packages Mary B's Open Kettle Dumplings or homemade dumplings*
1 can evaporated milk
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
Salt and pepper, to taste (I use about 1 teaspoon of each, I think)

Directions
Bring chicken broth to a boil with thyme, salt and pepper. Break frozen dumplings into fourths and cook according to package directions. (The important part is to keep stirring so that they don't stick!) Once dumplings are tender, add chicken. Add evaporated milk and soup. Add additional salt and pepper. Let simmer for about 10 minutes. Enjoy!

*Homemade Dumplings (I double the recipe. These cook for about 15 minutes before adding chicken.)
Mix 2 cups of flour with 1 teaspoon salt in a mixing bowl. Begin pouring ice-cold water and mixing with your fingers. (You'll use a little over 3/4 cup water.) Knead the dough into a ball. Sprinkle flour over you work area and roll the dough to about 1/8 inch. Cut dough into 1" x 2" pieces.

Considering that I usually pick the chicken out of my bowl and give it to Husby, my carbohydrates for the day are usually met in one serving of Chicken and Dumplings. But I love making Red Lobster cheddar biscuits to go with them. I don't particularly like Red Lobster. In fact, I got food poisoning from scallops at RL when I was 4, so I have a general aversion to the restaurant and scallops. But the two times I've been since, I've eaten as many cheddar biscuits as possible. Lucky for me, someone figured out the recipe, and it's super easy. I usually get them in the oven while stirring the pot o' dumplings. Also, I love garlic, so I add it to the biscuits, not just the butter to brush on top. I also dislike parsley, so I leave it out.

Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits

Ingredients
2 C Bisquick
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese
2/3 C milk
1/4 C butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix Bisquick with garlic powder. Mix in cheese. Pour in milk and mix until well incorporated, for 30 seconds. Using an ice cream scoop, place onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Mix butter and garlic powder; brush over biscuits before removing from cookie sheet. Serve warm.

A Little Hope

For you, this picture might mean nothing. Except that it's the beginning of September, and I'm one of those crazies who is ready to decorate for fall on September 1.

(I actually have an unwritten rule that I can decorate that early. And I have new fall decor, so I'm aching to put it out. This weekend friends, this weekend. I have to decorate that early so that I can fully enjoy it since Christmas goes up the Monday before Thanksgiving.)

I digress. For me, this picture is hope. Hope that it will eventually stop soaring into triple digit temperatures. And although it's forecast to cool over the next week, I have my doubts. After all, the meteorologists in our area have predicted rain almost every week since June. That hasn't really happened, except on the days when they claim that there is ZERO CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION.

Since I love summer (and I love summer in Texas), I've tried not to complain at length about the heat, but it's been rough! Even worse is the lack of rain. As I'm sure you know, we're in extreme drought conditions. Now that we live outside of the city limits, we have private water. Our water company sent a notice a couple of weeks ago that we can only water our lawns twice a week. Honestly, that was difficult. Although new to home ownership, we want to be proud of our lawn. A certain amount of vanity comes with wanting a green lawn, and when a water shortage prevents that, it sort of stinks.

Even more than wanting a green lawn is wanting a non-dry, non-crispy yard for safety reasons. Because everything is so dry, fires pop up quickly. A few nights we've walked outside to smell acreage burning. Where our house is located is pretty wooded. To be honest, there've been times that I've had to come to terms with the fact that we have a house, filled with stuff. As long as we're okay (and our pets are okay), then we can make it if something happens. That's a tough reality for me. Of course, we've gathered all of our legal documents; if only we could remember to buy a fireproof safe to store them!

Even though this weekend won't show signs of fall, other than the acorns dotting the front yard, I expect that it will be wonderful, restful and productive.

the most important meal

Lately, I've been on an oatmeal kick. I've eaten it almost everyday for the past four weeks. Twice, I've had it for dinner. Just for the record, I'm not preggo. I tend to find something I love, eat it daily, and then never want to eat it again once I'm burned out. Moderation? Not for me. A couple of summers ago, all I wanted for breakfast was Cascadian Farms Granola with Dannon Fat Free Vanilla Yogurt. I ate it all summer. And I don't eat it anymore. But I'm thinking the oatmeal thing might have better luck.

When I was younger, I thought oatmeal only came in little packets warmed in the microwave, in flavors like Peaches-n-Creme or Apple Cinnamon. I enjoyed it enough, but never attempted real oatmeal until recent years. I have a friend who eats it daily. Since she's much more healthy than me, I decided to give it a go. I bought me a canister of quick cooking oats, followed the directions, and then ate it just as it was cooked: water, oats, a pinch of salt. Ummm...it was awful and pasty. I decided that my Brown Sugar & Cinnamon Instant Oats would be the only oatmeal for me.

But then I ran across a blog or website (I cannot for the life of me remember which one) that heralded peanut butter oatmeal. You should know that my other obsession for the summer is peanut butter. So I decided to give it a go. I put some steel cut oats, water, cinnamon and salt in my tiny slow cooker, and cooked it overnight. The next morning, I added peanut butter and honey. Guess what? LOVE AT FIRST BITE! I was hooked on oatmeal, especially because it sustained me until lunchtime! I expanded the options (from just steel cut oats) to include old fashioned oats and quick cooking oats.

I have three toppings that rotate. In addition to peanut butter with a bit of honey, I also love steel cut oats with blueberries, walnuts and honey. I eat either of these every morning for breakfast. But on the weekends, I have a sugary-cereal version of oatmeal. I stir a spoonful of Nutella into my oats. Oh my goodness! It is heavenly and such a good treat. And hazelnuts and chocolate are healthy, right?

As soon as the weather begins to cool off, I plan to add pumpkin and spices. It sounds like the perfect fall breakfast! Until then, I'm sure I'll be content with my peanut butter oatmeal.