You Can Take A Southerner Out of the South...

Seriously, ya'll, I did not intend to blog about the South while we were gone.  I wasn't even sure I would post often other than the 34 Weeks of Clean posts that are scheduled and ready to go, but once we got here, well, how could I not share!?!

Just for a quick background - we are officially Southerners, so it is OK to poke fun at ourselves.  We were born in this area and raised here until we went to college.  But, since we got married, our time has been spent mostly in the mid-west area and we have been OK with that.  I often tell people we are southern traitors.  I do not miss the heat, the bugs, the hurricanes or the tornadoes.  I am a wimp like that!

Nevertheless, as they say (whoever they is)-you can take a southerner out of of the south, but you can't take the south out of the southerner.  It is in our blood I guess, and it has taken this unexpected trip to remind us that this area does hold a special place in our hearts.

It also provides a lot of laughs!

Like seeing places called PooBahs (a clothing store, believe it or not), and Mr. Bunky's Market, and a restaurant called Lizard's Thicket (don't even want to know what they are serving there!).

Then there are places like the Piggly Wiggly, Krispy Kreme, and Bojangles!

And waitresses named Princess.

And the sincere smiles and welcomes and yes ma'ams!  Oh how I have missed that!

There is enough moisture in the air to swim through and Ashton's curly hair is soaking it all up! (this was at the end of the day, after her brother had combed it.)

There are beautiful purple wisteria plants in the trees and azelas in full bloom everywhere.  It makes my heart smile and my sinuses hurt.

Today for lunch we were welcomed like long lost family and told goodbye like they meant it.  The waitress teased us about hospitality and had a full conversation with Colby.  She took time to pay attention.  She called as honey and sweetie, maybe in the same sentence!

There is red clay everywhere.

And palm trees.

And even mountains.

People here speak like us, and yes, we are falling back into Southern speak quickly.  Even Colby is perfecting his Southern accent.  Won't his Guatemalan foster mom be proud. ;)

And last night someone told us to have a nice night, and used 5 syllables for the word "nice" alone!!

We giggled and told ourselves Welcome Home!

Blessings,

Southerners and Shrimp

I am a Southerner...lived most of my childhood in NC.  But, that being said, we often tell people we are Southern traitors...we have lived most of our married life in the west...and we really like it out there.  We like the snow, we like the mountains, we like the wide open spaces, we like the absence of bugs, hurricanes and humidity.  But I do LOVE southern food!  And my sweet Southern friends.  So today I decided to treat you to a Southern recipe from one of my sweetest southern friends, Daphne...who is an amazing cook and a true Southern lady!  (Ask me about her Gumbo recipe sometime)  Apparently her hubby invites friends over and promises them shrimp so she will have to fix this recipe...sneaky, isn't he?!

Cajun Shrimp (Southern Living Cooking School, 1999

1 Oven Bag (large size—14 x 20-inch)

1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

1 stick butter, melted

1 to 2 Tbsp. Cajun seasoning (I usually use Tony’s and almost always the whole 2 Tbsp. but I am from Louisiana!)

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

2 lb. unpeeled, large shrimp (I usually buy the 2 lb. bag of frozen shrimp that have been deveined and thaw them. I have used fresh shrimp but the frozen have already been deveined)

8 (3 inch) ears frozen corn, thawed

Preheat oven to 350.

Place oven bag in a rectangular baking dish. Add flour to oven bag; twist end of bag and shake.

Add butter, Cajun seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon juice to the oven bag. Squeeze bag to blend ingredients. Add shrimp and corn. Close the bag with the nylon tie. Turn the shrimp and corn to coat them with the butter mixture. Arrange in an even layer.

Cut 6 (1/2 inch) slits in the top of the bag.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until shrimp are done.

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So it is not chocolate, but it is the next best thing in my opinion.  All I need is a rocking chair, a beach view and Daphne to cook for me...I may be convinced to become a Southerner again...at least for a while.