MUMBO JUMBO GUMBO

Recently I was snowed in for a day.  I looked around and I had a little bit of this and a little bit of that.  It turned into gumbo.  Although I normally cut everything up fresh, I do tend to buy frozen vegetables to suit my quick needs at home.  Here's what you need to make a quick gumbo:

Put these two items in a pot and start to boil.
4 cups of Water
2 boulion

Season with your Gumbo seasoning, saute, and cut up the:
4 chicken Tenders

Cut up in small cubes:
1 sausage (it can be andoille, turkey, or smoked) what ever you have

Melt:
2 oz butter

Wisk into the butter:
2 oz flour

The flour and butter is your roux.  Stir constantly and slowly until roux starts to darken.  Roux can range from Blonde to looking like Chocolate.  Try for a Carmel color.

Add to the roux:
A bag of Gumbo Veggies

Stir until the Veggies are thoroughly incorporated.  Then add a spoonful at a time to the pot with your broth, ensuring that each spoon has dissolved before adding the next.  Once all the Veggie mixture is in, add the cut up chicken tenders and sausages.  Add gumbo seasoning, i.e. Gumbo File, Old Bay, or whatever you may like plus some Salt and Pepper.  Let it cook until broth has thicken.   

There you have it, quick Gumbo!

Ciao and Chow!!

BE AWARE, BE THERE, AND CARE

You never know what a person may go through in life, addictions, afflictions, or restrictions, so be cognizant that this person may not be able to do what you do.  With that being said, I suffer from Fibromyalgia.  It is a pain disorder that is sometimes random or consistent in the soft tissues of my body.  It affects my sleep, my stomache, and my life. In all actuality, it is also considered a disability.  Although I suffer greatly, I still maintain my life, go to work, and take care of my family.  BUT, it is rather hard.  Because not too many people really care.  So, I don't say anything about it.  But this my platform to preach.  BE AWARE!!!!

Corinne Bailey Rae had a song, it said, "no one wants to face the truth, but you won't believe what love can do, until it happens to you."  Of course I am not talking about love, but you get the picture.  You never know, because I didn't.  Never heard of it until almost 8 years ago, didn't get diagnosed until 6 years ago.  I really had no clue until, while taking medication to counter the effects, I got sicker.  Now they have medicines specifically for it, on the market, but those leave you a little loopy.    

If I am limping I've been greeted with "what is wrong with you now" or one co-worker told another co-worker don't ask how I was doing.  That hurt!  I crawled into my little cubby hole and I peek my head out like a turtle every now and again to talk.  Be careful what you say!

I can't relay all the details but get to know a friend deeper if they have it.  Don't count them out, count them in and let them tell you they are not capable.  Do some research.  That's okay if you don't know where to look because I started the basics for ya.  Look below and you will find links to certain sites.  We were going on a trip and I had a friend that sent me a list of things to do before you travel with Fibro.  It brought me to tears because I felt that they cared enough about me to do that research.  Who knows how your friend would feel.  Thanks FFW!
   

http://www.fmaware.org/site/PageServerded3.html?pagename=fibromyalgia
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001463

http://www.fibromyalgia.com/

PRIME TIME CHIC!!!

So I love to travel.  And I love to experiment.  So while I traveled I experimented with Blue.  Now my instructor in Make-Up class said blue is not good for pictures, but I beg to differ.  I love that pow!  I get my pow from eye primers....I have on Urban Decay that I got from a nice lil set from Sephora.  There are other primers NYX, Too Faced, and MAC.  Good Stuff! Prime and you will shine all the time.  How do I look? Ooh, I primed my face too! And my lips.  And my....just joking. 

NAWLINS!!

I had the privilege of dinning at Nawlins on a Restaurant.com coupon.  Love it!  Although I make a pretty good gumbo (and probably healthier one) the gumbo was delicious.  Puhleeeeeease don't tell me it was in a bag, can, or frozen because I would be distraught.  My tropical tea was the best hooked up long island ever.  I gotta duplicate it.  Oh yeah, whatever I like I try to duplicate, so look for recipes for the things I talk about.  I haven't failed yet.  My scallops were a little tough, garlic parsley potatoes were just right, and my hush puppies....ba-bee gal!  I could still see and taste the onions in it.  My dinner partners Scampi looked really oily, but well herbed.  I really didn't get a chance to view the lobster tail because Hoover inhaled it.  To top it all off, they didn't have any crab legs, their order was short, and they didn't have the turtle cheesecake we were to share.  The cheesecake we did received probably shut down the one we had our hearts set on.  And they took the dessert off the bill.  Good comp.  Will be returning.  Ciao and Chow!

Metamorphic rock

Def:  Any of a class of rocks that result from the alteration of preexisting rocks in response to changing geological conditions, including variations in temperature, pressure, and mechanical stress. i.e.  ME!! The alterations are a stronger version of the previous me. 

The Beginning.....

Everyone always teases me about taking classes for everything.  Whatever I want to know, I will find out how to do.  I've learned to knit, crochet, make-up artistry, sew (tailoring), cook (degree), and host of other things.  I love DIY, travel, fun, and I'm a foodie.  So I decided to post my travels, treats, and treasures.  This will take you on a ride of my nonsense and mayhem I indulge in on a daily basis.  I hope you will enjoy.