The Big Adventure

The weather has been beautiful all week long, so N and I have taken advantage of the sunny days by spending some time at the park. N particularly enjoys testing his balance and new-found walking skills on the grass and any other outside surface, and I'm quite certain that if our yard was covered in mulch he would be the happiest baby on the block!

Today he discovered the pleasure of the slide, and went down on his belly several times. (It was a slide for little toddlers, and of course, I was right there to "catch" him.) He is not crazy about swinging right now. I imagine that's because he'd rather be using those little legs and feet to go somewhere new and exciting!

Once again, the camera didn't make the trip, but here are the results of a morning well-spent.


Yesterday I tried my hand at making Red Beans and Rice. G has approved it as authentic Louisiana fare, so I thought I would share the recipe. I believe it's traditionally served on Mondays, but it was good at our house on a Wednesday night. The best part was that it cooked all day in the crock-pot!

New Orleans Red Beans

1 pound dried kidney beans
5 cups water
¼ lb turkey sausage, sliced
1 onion, finely chopped
1 bell pepper, finely chopped
5 ribs celery, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp thyme
salt, to taste
Tony Chacherie's seasoning, to taste
Worcestershire sauce, to taste
Tabasco sauce, to taste

1. Wash beans. Combine with water. Boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat and soak overnight.
2. Brown sausage slowly. Add onions, bell pepper, celery and garlic, and saute until tender.
3. Combine all ingredients, including bean water, in slow cooker.
4. Cover, cook on low 10-12 hours. During last 20 minutes, stir frequently and mash lightly with spoon.
5. Serve over hot cooked white rice, and with Martha White cornbread on the side.