So I'm not sure if I put up a gumbo recipe or not on here and I'm too lazy to go back and find if I did or not. But yesterday I was lazy, didn't want to leave the house, and tried to figure out what to make from what I had on hand. Shrimp and leftover brats in the fridge... gumbo it is!
There are few things to this recipe that are unconventional because I didn't want to leave the house. Dried onion vs real onion, brats vs the andoullie sausage, or chicken stock and a boullion cube instead of fish stock. But it was super duper good! The best I've ever made. So here it is for my future reference and if there are brave souls out there wanting to try it.
Gumbo:
1 head of celery chopped
1 cup of chopped sweet peppers (bell or other)
1 cup chopped onion OR 2-3 tabl dried onion
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tabl butter
1/2-1 cup of flour
1.5 tabl salt
2 tabl cayenne pepper (this was super spicy so go way down if you don't like really spicy food)
1 tabl garlic powder
1 tabl dried rosemary crushed in your hand
6 cups chicken stock
4 cups of water (can use all chicken stock)
1 veggie or chicken boullion cube
1 can of tomato sauce
1lb of shrimp
3 sausages (I used brats)
1.) Make the roux: Heat the oil and butter together in a large stockpot. Once both are pretty hot add in the flour. You want it to be a almost paste consistency. Yet you still need to be able to stir it around. This is trial and error that comes over time. Keep the heat on medium and stir stir stir. The mixture will eventually brown and I let it go till it gets to a dark caramel color. This is slow and steady work.
2.) Once the roux is made add in the celery, onion, and peppers. Stir the roux so it's all over them and keep stirring till the veggies are a little soft. Add in everything else but the shrimp and sausage. Let everything cook for an hour or so over medium heat stirring every now and again.
3.) The mixture should have thickend by now and then add in the shrimp and sausage. Give it another 30 minutes and you're done.
Serve over rice.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Sunday, April 29, 2012
FINALLY a Memphis post!
I swear, EVERY time I have been see Memphis lately I've been saying "I'm gonna ride today!" Then I get out there and I have Lucille and she flips out about something and I am left tending to her. It's no big deal, I love her to pieces, so it makes no difference to me, but a small piece of me needs to be on my horse.
I am proud to say that I got on yesterday! Here is a rundown of yesterdays 2 hour stint with my big idiot:
Started with grooming first. He was perfectly fine, but I expected no less.
Then we went out to the arena and we did some lunging work, which again he was really really good at. I noticed horse flies buzzing all around him so I decided to fly spray him after saddling.
Ok, this is cool, he took to saddling like a pro. Good boy. So then I got the fly spray out and we are back to square one from last year. Except this time it took me 30 minutes of fighting as opposed to an hour like I did last year. Woot! He finally stood still at the end, unhappy, but still.
Hopped up on him and he was perfect! Didn't really want to gait, but that was OK as I was only going to spend 15 minutes on him really. Just wanted to feel him out. I plan on going back out there one day this week and again this weekend to ride again. He has completely forgotten leg aids, but that's perfectly fine. Some poles will fix that right up.
I love my giant donkey. Really really love him. He is going to be Lucille's horse and I think he will do just fine :)
I am proud to say that I got on yesterday! Here is a rundown of yesterdays 2 hour stint with my big idiot:
Started with grooming first. He was perfectly fine, but I expected no less.
Then we went out to the arena and we did some lunging work, which again he was really really good at. I noticed horse flies buzzing all around him so I decided to fly spray him after saddling.
Ok, this is cool, he took to saddling like a pro. Good boy. So then I got the fly spray out and we are back to square one from last year. Except this time it took me 30 minutes of fighting as opposed to an hour like I did last year. Woot! He finally stood still at the end, unhappy, but still.
Hopped up on him and he was perfect! Didn't really want to gait, but that was OK as I was only going to spend 15 minutes on him really. Just wanted to feel him out. I plan on going back out there one day this week and again this weekend to ride again. He has completely forgotten leg aids, but that's perfectly fine. Some poles will fix that right up.
I love my giant donkey. Really really love him. He is going to be Lucille's horse and I think he will do just fine :)
Friday, April 27, 2012
Lucille Beth - a Birth Story
So she is here and I am beyond surprised by every single feeling that has popped up into me right after she was born. I have totally become "that" parent. I have found that I can't help these feelings no matter how much I resist. Even odder? I'm OK with them. So here I will do the "birth story" that you see on so many other websites and blogs. After this I'll post up about Memphis, that is long long overdue.
Saturday March 10th:
I am PISSED this morning. Very very upset. I'm still pregnant. It's surreal, the doctor had been telling me for weeks that he thinks I'll go early, I'm dialated to 3cm, and her head has been resting in my crotch for weeks. I text my doula pissed off that I'm still pregnant. I won't lie, the thought crossed my mind being pissed at my doula that she had not done anything to get this baby out. In retrospect, I'm not even sure why I'm mad at her, she can't do anything. At this point I am 41w3d pregnant. Almost a full 2 weeks overdue!!!
I have turned down my doctor every week for 3 weeks about induction. I was determined to not be induced and let my body do this on its own, but I will admit that on this Saturday I wanted to call the doctor on Monday and tell him to induce. I was sick of being pregnant. My doula, bless her heart, pep talked me through the morning and so I went on with the day.
Joe had had one of our friends over that night and they were playing video games when I decided to go to bed around 9pm. I woke up at 11am and I really had to go to the bathroom. I sat up and felt wet. And here we go. I went to the bathroom to check and once wiped, I saw light pink blood. Yep, this is probably labor starting. I went out to get Joe to let him know this is probably it. He calls my doula and she talks him through it. Ok, I want to labor for a bit to see if it is false labor or not.
Sunday March 11th:
Nope not false labor, I've got contractions! Joe was absolutely adorable and timed contractions with me. Once they got close together, which I'll admit had somewhat to do with my nervousness, I decided it was time to head to the hospital. This was around 4am. I was admitted at 4cm dialated around 5am from triage.
I walked the HELL out of the halls, which was great as it took the mind off of my contractions. The doctor stripped my membranes at 7ish to try to help speed me along and off to walking more halls I go. Contractions I honestly cannot say were painful. They were intense feeling and did take my breath away a few times, but weren't horrible.
Doctor came back at 11am and was unhappy since I had only dialated to 5cm. She wanted to break my waters. My doula, bless her heart, asked for another hour to see if I could move along on my own. We tried some random movements, walking, and squats from hell. (you try to squat almost 10 months pregnant!) But at 12pm the doctor came back, I wasn't dialating anymore, and I consented to my water being broken. That was odd as hell. I never felt her actually doing the act of breaking my waters, it was exactly as I had read and painless. It also did include a crochet hook type tool to do it with; which I thought was so neat. I did however, feel a warm, very warm, wet gush of fluid come right on out. This was eery as with contractions more fluid would come out. Freaking weird.
At this point I wasn't allowed to leave my bed, so because of that I remember thinking: she needs to be out by 3pm since I don't want to lay in the bed much longer than that. My doula propped my bed up and had me turn around facing the wall on my knees in a upright position. This position made all shit hit the fan. I was and am not a fan of it. (:) ) Contractions got BAD, which I can only assume is because I hit transition and I hit it fast. I was doing OK with the contractions until I felt IMMENSE pressure. I told my doula that there was so much pressure that I didn't know what to do. The nurse came in to check the monitors and my doula mentioned this to her. Thank god the doula was there because about this time talking was beyond me for much more than a few words. Well, the nurse checked me and said I was 9cm!!!!
Once back on my back I wanted to push so freaking bad, but was told to wait. So I waited..... Doctor came in and said I was only 6cm, to which the nurse looked at her like she had 4 eyes and actually asked "Are we checking the same patient?" the doctor scoffed and walked off saying that we need to wait. HAHAHAHAAHHAHAAH The nurse went ahead and set the room up for the baby coming NOW and called the head nurse in to check me. Head nurse agreed I was 8-9cm but said my cervix was swelling. I was pushing with each contraction, not intentionally, but was pushing.
Looking back, I agree I was not 10cm at all as I was in AGONY from the contractions. They were one on top of another. It was HORRIBLE. There was no relief from them. I remember withering on the bed trying to cry or vomit or thrash the pain away. The need to vomit was really bad and I took that stupid vomit bag from my husband I don't know how many times. Never did it though, but seriously felt the urge. The head nurse says I have two options: She can manually move my cervix off of Lucy's head on the next contraction or I can get an epi to stop my pushing with each contraction.
I consented to both. (just wait) The epi doc took a while to get to the room, so on my next contraction the nurse went to manually move my cervix. HOLY FUCKING SHIT THERE IS NO DESCRIPTION OF THAT PAIN. NONE. ZIP. NADDA. I remember screaming at the nurse to get the fuck out of me. I wanted to kick her head off but maintained somehow my composure... This is where everything got awesome. The epi doc showed up and I didn't need her so we sent her off. At this point I had been in labor for 13 hours and have had NO pain medication.
Pushing was amazing. I would push all day if it meant I didn't have to deal with transition ever again! There was a definite couple minute break through each contraction and when I did have a contraction, all my efforts were concentrated on pushing. This took all my attention off the pain.
Soon the doctor was there and Lucille was ready for her attendance into this world. I totally felt the "ring of fire", which feels like a red hot poker shoved into you and swirled around. It's from stuff stretching and ripping... I didn't just feel it once but twice. The first time I told the doctor and nurses "IT BURNS" and they just smiled at me and told me "THATS GREAT!" Haha.
I felt the fire sensation again and I was mid contraction and kept pushing through it and out she popped. I pushed her out in one contraction. I almost missed the feeling of her actually coming out as it happened so quickly. They laid her right onto my chest and I just remember thinking "ok it's 3pm, right when I needed her to be out and OMG shes slimy, should I kiss her? Yes I should kiss her!" And I totally kissed my kids head.
And there we are. I am beyond in love with her. She's perfect. She's my new hobby. She's my daughter.
Meet Lucille Beth:
Saturday March 10th:
I am PISSED this morning. Very very upset. I'm still pregnant. It's surreal, the doctor had been telling me for weeks that he thinks I'll go early, I'm dialated to 3cm, and her head has been resting in my crotch for weeks. I text my doula pissed off that I'm still pregnant. I won't lie, the thought crossed my mind being pissed at my doula that she had not done anything to get this baby out. In retrospect, I'm not even sure why I'm mad at her, she can't do anything. At this point I am 41w3d pregnant. Almost a full 2 weeks overdue!!!
I have turned down my doctor every week for 3 weeks about induction. I was determined to not be induced and let my body do this on its own, but I will admit that on this Saturday I wanted to call the doctor on Monday and tell him to induce. I was sick of being pregnant. My doula, bless her heart, pep talked me through the morning and so I went on with the day.
Joe had had one of our friends over that night and they were playing video games when I decided to go to bed around 9pm. I woke up at 11am and I really had to go to the bathroom. I sat up and felt wet. And here we go. I went to the bathroom to check and once wiped, I saw light pink blood. Yep, this is probably labor starting. I went out to get Joe to let him know this is probably it. He calls my doula and she talks him through it. Ok, I want to labor for a bit to see if it is false labor or not.
Sunday March 11th:
Nope not false labor, I've got contractions! Joe was absolutely adorable and timed contractions with me. Once they got close together, which I'll admit had somewhat to do with my nervousness, I decided it was time to head to the hospital. This was around 4am. I was admitted at 4cm dialated around 5am from triage.
I walked the HELL out of the halls, which was great as it took the mind off of my contractions. The doctor stripped my membranes at 7ish to try to help speed me along and off to walking more halls I go. Contractions I honestly cannot say were painful. They were intense feeling and did take my breath away a few times, but weren't horrible.
Doctor came back at 11am and was unhappy since I had only dialated to 5cm. She wanted to break my waters. My doula, bless her heart, asked for another hour to see if I could move along on my own. We tried some random movements, walking, and squats from hell. (you try to squat almost 10 months pregnant!) But at 12pm the doctor came back, I wasn't dialating anymore, and I consented to my water being broken. That was odd as hell. I never felt her actually doing the act of breaking my waters, it was exactly as I had read and painless. It also did include a crochet hook type tool to do it with; which I thought was so neat. I did however, feel a warm, very warm, wet gush of fluid come right on out. This was eery as with contractions more fluid would come out. Freaking weird.
At this point I wasn't allowed to leave my bed, so because of that I remember thinking: she needs to be out by 3pm since I don't want to lay in the bed much longer than that. My doula propped my bed up and had me turn around facing the wall on my knees in a upright position. This position made all shit hit the fan. I was and am not a fan of it. (:) ) Contractions got BAD, which I can only assume is because I hit transition and I hit it fast. I was doing OK with the contractions until I felt IMMENSE pressure. I told my doula that there was so much pressure that I didn't know what to do. The nurse came in to check the monitors and my doula mentioned this to her. Thank god the doula was there because about this time talking was beyond me for much more than a few words. Well, the nurse checked me and said I was 9cm!!!!
Once back on my back I wanted to push so freaking bad, but was told to wait. So I waited..... Doctor came in and said I was only 6cm, to which the nurse looked at her like she had 4 eyes and actually asked "Are we checking the same patient?" the doctor scoffed and walked off saying that we need to wait. HAHAHAHAAHHAHAAH The nurse went ahead and set the room up for the baby coming NOW and called the head nurse in to check me. Head nurse agreed I was 8-9cm but said my cervix was swelling. I was pushing with each contraction, not intentionally, but was pushing.
Looking back, I agree I was not 10cm at all as I was in AGONY from the contractions. They were one on top of another. It was HORRIBLE. There was no relief from them. I remember withering on the bed trying to cry or vomit or thrash the pain away. The need to vomit was really bad and I took that stupid vomit bag from my husband I don't know how many times. Never did it though, but seriously felt the urge. The head nurse says I have two options: She can manually move my cervix off of Lucy's head on the next contraction or I can get an epi to stop my pushing with each contraction.
I consented to both. (just wait) The epi doc took a while to get to the room, so on my next contraction the nurse went to manually move my cervix. HOLY FUCKING SHIT THERE IS NO DESCRIPTION OF THAT PAIN. NONE. ZIP. NADDA. I remember screaming at the nurse to get the fuck out of me. I wanted to kick her head off but maintained somehow my composure... This is where everything got awesome. The epi doc showed up and I didn't need her so we sent her off. At this point I had been in labor for 13 hours and have had NO pain medication.
Pushing was amazing. I would push all day if it meant I didn't have to deal with transition ever again! There was a definite couple minute break through each contraction and when I did have a contraction, all my efforts were concentrated on pushing. This took all my attention off the pain.
Soon the doctor was there and Lucille was ready for her attendance into this world. I totally felt the "ring of fire", which feels like a red hot poker shoved into you and swirled around. It's from stuff stretching and ripping... I didn't just feel it once but twice. The first time I told the doctor and nurses "IT BURNS" and they just smiled at me and told me "THATS GREAT!" Haha.
I felt the fire sensation again and I was mid contraction and kept pushing through it and out she popped. I pushed her out in one contraction. I almost missed the feeling of her actually coming out as it happened so quickly. They laid her right onto my chest and I just remember thinking "ok it's 3pm, right when I needed her to be out and OMG shes slimy, should I kiss her? Yes I should kiss her!" And I totally kissed my kids head.
And there we are. I am beyond in love with her. She's perfect. She's my new hobby. She's my daughter.
Meet Lucille Beth:
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