Good Eats

My brother Jeff asked what we have been eating lately.  So I thought I would give a little update.  We made Sloppy Joes from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook.  Seth raved about this recipe...now it is my turn to rave about it.  Seriously try this recipe out.  I will not eat another Manwich Sloppy Joe again, because there is no comparison between the two.  The toasted bun with melted Pepper Jack cheese definitely didn't hurt.  Seth introduced me to Pepper Jack cheese...life will never be the same.  The Cheetos on the side are actually Jalapeno Cheetos...if you haven't tried them you must.       
 

I also tried the Chicken Stew with Biscuits recipe from the Barefoot Contessa.  This is Southern Comfort Food at its best.  I forgot to take a picture when I took it out of the oven...so here is a picture of the leftovers.  This recipe was a little time consuming and made for lots of dirty dishes but I am sure I will crave it all winter long.      

A year later...Reason #4

November 13, 2009 = First date

A year ago this weekend Seth and I went out on our first date.  I remember opening the door to my apartment to find a tall, dark, and handsome man dressed in a baseball cap and a flannel shirt.  It is hard to believe how many life changes can occur in one year (new husband, new state, new job, new football team, etc).

Reason #4: THE SNORT CREATOR

I consider my snorts a good gauge of my pursuit of happiness.  Seth keeps me snorting and laughing.

P.S. Thank you Mary for making me the beautiful Clemson hat.  It kept me warm at the last game.

P.S.S. Thank you to Stacy at Three Winks Studio for catching my snorting moment.

Carolinas Fall Trip: Day 5

November 2nd = Day 5

Charleston, South Carolina
We decided to tour Fort Sumter. It is on an island so we had to take a ferry boat. It was cloudy and very cold. It took us 30 minutes to arrive on the island. We braved the top deck long enough to get a few pictures and then took shelter below.


Fort Sumter is where the first shot of the Civil war was shot. We learned that in November of 1860 President Lincoln was elected as President and in December South Carolina seceded from the Union. Union troops occupied Fort Sumter and were fired on by cadets from the Citadel on January 9, 1861.




Did I mention it was cold...Here Seth is wandering around the Fort covered up in a blanket.



There were several flags flying on the fort. The flag below is the United States Flag prior to the secession of several Southern states.


This is the stars and bars flag...the flag for the states that seceded.

The confederate flag with a star for each state that joined the seceded states.

The flag after the Civil war which included the two states that added during the Civil war.


The South Carolina flag with the palmetto tree and crescent moon.





In the background of the picture below you can see the bridge we crossed over into downtown Charleston on. You can also see an aircraft carrier.




Columbia, South Carolina
We started our drive home but had to stop in Columbia for another Diners, Drive-ins and Dives ...Pawleys Front Porch. I ordered the Fripp Island Burger with southern salsa, boursin cheese and a fried green tomato. Seth ordered the Wadmalaw Burger with chipotle BBQ sauce, fried pickle chips, applewood smoked bacon and cheddar cheese. The sweet potato fries were a delicious side. We hope to return on our next trip to Columbia.

Home Sweet Home
When we arrived home we found some of the best Fall colors just off our front porch.

Carolinas Fall Trip: Day 4

November 1st = Day 4

Carolina Beach State Park
Seth showed off his dutch oven skills and cooked up some breakfast.


Battleship North Carolina
Seth was excited to hear that a battleship was in Wilmington. We decided to stop by for a tour. This ship was launched in 1940 and was in use during WWII. In 1947 she was decommissioned and the people of North Carolina fought to have her come home rather than be scrapped. In the picture below we are working with a few of deck guns.






My favorite parts were the living quarters. Here we are in the mess room testing out the drinking fountain.

This was the wishing well...we dropped a penny down 3-4 levels.


The sleeping quarters were really tight.


My mom would have loved a sign like this when we were teenagers.







Georgetown, South Carolina
We decided to drive down the coast and made a stop in Georgetown. We imagined that we would actually see the coast as we drove down it...we were wrong. There are so many trees out here that you can't see the ocean from the highway.

Georgetown was the first settlement in North America. It was first settled by Spaniards in 1526. The settlement failed because of hurricanes and Indian attacks. It was resettled in 1726 and named Georgetown after King George II. This was a charming town with few tourists. The main street was charming. We stopped for lunch at Buzz's Roost along the pier. We shared some "She"crab soup and Fish and Chips.



This little guy was sitting just below the pier waiting for his lunch too.



Charleston, South Carolina
Our next stop was Charleston. We parked near Rainbow Row, a group of brightly colored homes along East Bay Street. Unfortunately we didn't get a chance to take a picture. We walked and walked and walked in Charleston. Here are a few images at the Battery Park.




The homes in Charleston were fascinating. I can't imagine living in a house this narrow.

The streets in Charleston were very narrow and full of traffic and parked cars. Most of the houses had porches and they all faced one direction. We walked up and down for hours. There is some fairly ritzy shopping along King Street.

We stopped at Bubba Gump's for dinner.


Seth and I shared a bucket of trash...crab legs, fish, and shrimp.


We also shared the strawberry shortcake made with real biscuits. My goal is to learn how to make this. My mom mentioned that my Nana used to make this so I may be able to find a good recipe.


We drove to Folly Beach and walked along the beach. It was dark so the pictures didn't turn out so well. I loved walking hand in hand with Seth, getting my feet in the sand and feeling the water crash against my legs.