And the winner is.....

The Who Dat Mobile!!!

My little Knucklehead won his first race!

He ultimately got eliminated in the finals, but he was still excited.

He also won the prize for "Best Scout Design".

Big Fun!

Who Dat Mobile

I sure hope the NFL doesn't send my little Tiger Scout a Cease and Desist Letter

for his Pinewood Derby Who Dat Mobile!

The big race is tomorrow!

A super big THANKS to Grumpy, Uncle Mike and Aunt Boo for their design expertise!

Missing In Action

So sorry I've been MIA lately. We've been up to our eyeballs in recruiting for the past few weeks.  Ah, recruiting, now there's a topic I could write a book about. I love it and I hate it. It's hands down the hardest time of the year to be a coach's wife. Football season is a breeze compared to recruiting. Spring ball...piece o' cake, even two-a-days are tolerable, but recruiting almost breaks me every year. The coaches are on the road all week long and then our weekends are spent entertaining recruits and their families. I really do enjoy spending time with future players and parents, but it's exhausting! The few hours a week that the coaches might be around, they have their cell phones plastered to their ears or their fingers are flying, sending text messages to each other about a hot player they have to get on quick. I went out on whirlwind, hurry up and eat, we have to get back to work, dinner date with my husband and three other coaches last week and all three of their phones were ringing constantly. No really, CONSTANTLY. It's crazy! You'd have to live it to believe it.

My favorite part about recruiting, other than signing awesome new talent, is watching Coach in action. He's pretty awesome. The local newspaper once called him a "recruiting guru" and it's true. I think it's a mix of his knowledge of the game, his great communication skills and his Southern charm that gets them every time. I love hearing him address the recruits. I have to hold myself back from standing up to cheer. If he hadn't been a coach, he could have easily been a preacher. He gets wound up! I keep waiting for him to say "Can I get a Amen?!" during his speeches. I'd totally give him one.

Anyway, I've almost survived another recruiting season. At this point, I might as well suck it up and stop whining about it. Just a few more days until Signing Date. Hopefully, my poor neglected blog will get more love once we get past Feb 3rd.

Speaking of MIA, y'all do know that my beloved Saints are going to the Super Bowl, right?! MIA...Miami...the Super Bowl is in Miami this year...ya get it?

GEAUX SAINTS!!!

WHO DAT? WHO DAT? WHO DAY SAY DEY GONNA BEAT DEM SAINTS? WHO DAT?!

Who Dat?!

Geaux Saints!!!

Bubbles

Kids in the Kitchen - Golden Shy Lasagna

Yeah, I have NO IDEA why my Knuckleheads decided to name their lasagna creation Golden Shy Lasagna. These are the same two that named the fish, Spirit Clobby Bullcow & Lion. I've learned to not ask too many questions and just roll with it, so Golden Shy Lasgana it is!

Anyway, I made the sauce and pretty much gave them  free range of all the other ingredients and assembly. The dish could have easily been called RicottaPestoParmesanMozzarellaCheddarColbyJackGarlicOnionOregano Lasagna, so I guess I'm glad they just went with Golden Shy.

My Knuckleheads LOVE helping out in the kitchen and it's been really fun to see their skills improve. As expected, they made a HUGE mess, but honestly the lasagna was delicious! They were SO PROUD of themselves, they ate it all up and asked for seconds.

Now if I could just teach them to do the dishes!

Textures in Photoshop

I'm currently obsessed with learning how to correctly apply cool textures in Photoshop. I haven't mastered it yet, but I'm working on it! This is my first attempt....

...not exactly what I was going for, but I thought it was kind of cool anyway. Once I figure it out, I'll post a tutorial for those of you who might be interested.

If any of you have experience working with textures, please share your wisdom. All hints, tricks and tips are welcome!

Proof for the Grandparents

My mom, Big Mama, has been harping on me gently trying to persuade me to get Punkette's hair cut. She's had a haircut before, but it's been a long time (1 haircut in 4 years). I have absolutley nothing against getting the child's hair cut, my problem is that I have no idea how I should get it cut. So, I usually just pull it back in a ponytail and forget about it. The day I realized her hair had reached her waste and I had to get on my knees to brush it all, I knew I couldn't ignore it any longer. So yesterday we went to the Beauty Shop and got 4 inches cut off. I had intentions of getting it cut shorter, but I got there and panicked. I didn't know what to tell the stylist to do, so I just said "clean her up a bit". What does that even mean? I guess it means, take off four inches and call it good, because that's exactly what she did. So, these pics are proof that I at least made an effort.

When Punkette got outside the Beauty Shop, she shook out her hair and said in her most sassy voice "I love it! It feels so good!"  :-D

It's Carnival Time!

It's days like today (King's Day, the beginning of Mardi Gras season) that I greatly dislike living in Smalltown, Texas. If we were still living in New Orleans, no less than five people would have shown up on our doorstep gifting us with delicious Randazzo's, Gambino's or Dorignac's King Cakes. I kept my nose pressed against the glass all day today, and no one ever showed. I called every bakery in town, not only did they not make King Cakes, they had never heard of King Cakes!

So, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.

I made a King Cake!! I didn't make it from scratch, that's just crazy. That would involve far to much time, precision and kneading. I don't knead. I cracked open a couple cans of cinnamon rolls and placed them in a tight circle and baked according to package directions.

After they cooled, I hid the plastic baby inside and decorated the top with Mardi Gras colored cream cheese icing. I think it turned out really cute and it tasted super yummy!

You can take the girl away from Mardi Gras, but you can't take Mardi Gras away from the girl!

Hibernation

I know I said I was ready for a fun and exciting new year, but I've decided I'm not quite ready to come out of hibernaton just yet. I want to go back to a time not so long ago when it was perfectly acceptable to stay in my jammies all day and eat cookies for breakfast. A time where we could just hop in the car and head down to New Orleans for weekend of fun. I want to go back to a time of twinkling lights, when my house smelled of fresh pine and my Saints were still undefeated. I want to go back to December.

January is just too cold. January brings long weeks on the road recruiting and long weekends entertaining recruits and their families...frozen plants and dead grass...Christmas decorations that I have yet to pack up and drag to the attic...a fridge full of holiday leftovers that need to be tossed. Did I mention it's too cold? I've decided not to leave the house until Spring. Until then, I have my happy holiday memories to keep me warm.

All the photos are from our recent trip to New Orleans

for the Saints/Cowboys game and some pre-Christmas fun.

Saints vs Cowboys - Sold out Superdome

Me enjoying beignets in Jackson Square and Coach checking out A Miracle on Fulton Street

Fresh produce at the French Market

A Yummy and Relaxing New Year

New Year's Day is one of my favorite days of the year. The hectic holiday season is over and there's a whole new calendar full of days ahead that have the potential to be wonderful. On New Year's Day, it's perfectly acceptable (and encouraged in our house) to stay your jammies all day, watch a ton of football games and eat a pile of goodies to ensure lots of luck and good fortune for the new year.

What's not to love?

As a proper Southern, I'd never let a New Year's Day pass without cooking up a lucky pot of blackeyed peas with hamhocks and cornbread. In addition to the blackeyed peas, you have to have cabbage for good fortune. I like to fry my cabbage with onions in some bacon grease, with a little sugar and cayenne pepper. And since there's not quite enough pork fat, we also grill some big juicy pork steaks! To top it all off, I serve it all with a big spoonful of candied

jalepeno pepper relish.

SO GOOD!

I've decided not to make any major resolutions this year. My main objective for the new year is to just slow down a bit and simplify my life. As a coaching family with young children, our day to day lives are naturally hectic. My husband and I seem to add to the craziness by volunteering and helping out with just about any project someone presents us with. We are "yes" people, who are trying really hard to learn how to say "no, thank you" more often. I'm so tired of being tired all the time. It makes me tired to think of all the things I obligate myself and my family to do, so I've started reminding myself that all I really have to do is is love and care for my family and the rest is just stuff I can let go of. I know it's easier said than done, but I'm trying.

I wish you all a happy and healthy new year filled with lots of love and laughter!

New Year's Eve Tradition

Many years ago, while traveling through the night on our way to a ski lodge on New Year's Eve, my future mother-in-law lit a candle in the car and placed it in a bucket. I was perplexed. She explained, that on New Year's Eve, "A Bayberry candle burned to the socket, brings health to the home and wealth to the pocket." I was an instant believer and have never let another new year begin without burning a Bayberry candle.

Tonight, as I lit the candle, I explained the tradition to my Knuckleheads. For a little added fun, I told them that once the candle was lit they could each make a wish for the new year. My 6 year old wished for a big cake and my little 4 year old punkette wished for a clock.

Happy New Year!!!

Easing back into the blog

Because I know you're sick of looking at Santa's Favorite Cookies.....

Christmas Lights and Fireworks in Natchitoches, LA

The Gridiron Gang has been on the go for most of December. We had a wonderful Christmas in Louisiana and have finally returned home to Texas to ring in a Happy New Year.

I promise get back to blogging as soon as I recoup from all the holiday fun.

~Gridiron Girl

Santa's Favorite Cookies

Louisiana

Cane Syrup Cookies

1 cup sugar

2 1/3 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ginger

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cloves

3/4 cup shortening

1 egg

1/3 cup cane syrup or molasses

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all dry ingredients and cut in shortening*. Add egg and cane syrup (molasses can be used if cane syrup is not available in your area). Once combined, roll dough into small (1 inch) balls and roll in sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet, leaving room for cookies to expand. Bake for 10 minutes. Cookies will develop a more crackled look and expand a bit more after you remove them from the oven. Yield: 3 dozen

* I use my Kitchenaid mixer because this is a very thick dough.

Happy Holidays!!!

Gridiron Girl

Serena over at The Farm Chicks is having a fun vitual cookie exchange.

Check it out for more great cookie recipes!

Quick photos to make grandparents happy :-)

I promise I'm working on some new stuff, but until I have time to get it posted, you can enjoy looking at a couple of new pics of my adorable little Sugarplums. :-)

My new camera is here and I'm having a blast trying to figure it all out. It is one serious piece of equipment, with more bells and whistles than I ever imagined!

Hot Chocolate on a COLD parade night.

Snuggled up waiting for the Christmas parade.

Snow in East Texas!!!

It didn't last long, but it sure was pretty coming down.

Snowflakes on my coat.

Turkey and Smoked Sausage Gumbo

A few of you have requested my Turkey Gumbo recipe, and I'm happy to share, the only problem is that I really don't have a real recipe. Gumbo is one of those a little of this and a handful of that kind of things. I firmly believe that if you ask 100 different people how they make their gumbo, you'll get a 100 different answers. But since y'all asked so nicely, I'm going to give it a shot.

A few notes before we get started:

~ Chicken and Sausage Gumbo is actually my favorite, so if you don't have any turkey available, by all means use chicken. I like to boil and debone my chicken, reserving the stock, before I get started. To make my Turkey Gumbo, I just used a few handfuls of leftover turkey and some canned stock.

~ The most important part of making a gumbo is the roux. You can find plenty of instructions online on how to make a roux, or you can just buy some of this fabulous stuff....

Savoie's Roux

Premade roux is one of the world's best inventions if ya ask me. Don't think you're being less authentic if you use this stuff, every Louisiana cook I know keeps a jar of roux within their reach. It's the real deal, you just don't have to spend an hour making it yourself!

~ You need a large heavy bottom stock pot. If you use a thin pot, your roux will stick and scorch, and that would be bad.

Okay let's get started....

Ingredients:

turkey or chicken, cooked and shredded

1 lb smoked sausage, cut up

chicken stock

roux

bacon grease

onion, chopped

bell pepper, chopped

celery, chopped

greeen onions, chopped

parsley, chopped

garlic, chopped

salt, pepper and Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning* to taste

Method:

Add about 2 tablespoons of bacon grease to stock pot, throw in all the chopped vegetables and saute until tender. Add smoked sausage and allow to cook a few minutes to get a nice color on the sausage. You may have to add a little water to keep from scorching the bottom of the pot. Next, add about 3 or 4 tablespoons of roux and mix well. Add stock while stirring to incorporate the roux. More stock, water or roux can be added as gumbo cooks to achieve desired consistancy. Add turkey, salt, pepper and Tony's and allow to cook for about 45 minutes. Be sure to stir often, add more liquid as needed and add more seasoning if desired. Serve over rice with Saltine crackers. DEELISH!

The longer a gumbo sits, the better it tastes. In my opinion, it'a always better the next day! It also freezes very well.

* If you haven't discovered Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning yet, please order you a case right this very minute! I promise you won't be sorry.

The kind folks at Tony Chacher's and Savoie's have no idea who I am and have not paid me a single cent for giving them some pub. I just love their products and think they're worth sharing.

I know my gumbo instructions are kind of confusing, so if you have any questions just ask! :-)

~The Gridiron Girl