Hello, My Name Is: Mrs. Fox

Well, I have finally figured out what day and time it is! After a wedding weekend 4 weeks ago that was absolutely GLORIOUS and SO MUCH FUN, we left a week and a half later for 10 days in Thailand by way of Beijing, China. In that 10 days, among some of the most amazing things I've ever seen and done (which we'll cover in another post I'm sure), we changed to 12 hours ahead of Baton Rouge, 13 hours ahead of Baton Rouge, traveled "back in time" for 39 hours back to Baton Rouge, and then faced the 1 hour "fall back" of daylight savings time. People, if you were debating it at all - jet lag is real. But here we are, married and with an unforgettable Thailand experience behind us.

Hello, my name is Mrs. Fox :)

And this weekend, Mrs. Fox was focused on (and nervous about!) a little thing called the LSU vs Alabama football game! Today would be Monday after a big BAMA victory. (Just in case you were wondering.)

But let's remember that my Bama self and my Auburn husband (HUSBAND!) live in Baton Rouge, home of the LSU Tigers and their very dedicated fans. And we are lucky enough to have some of the sweetest LSU fan friends around, that will actually have us over to watch said huge, season-determining football game, while feeding us full of yummy game time food. So this post will be dedicated to (besides my reminders that WE JUST GOT MARRIED!!! Woo hoo!) tailgate or game day treats. I mean that sounds about right for the South - cover football and tailgating first and get to blogging about wedding and honeymoon after that, right?

Ok, so down to business. I was asked to bring dessert. Boom, my specialty. Not because I'm an expert at making them, and more because I'm a champion at eating them. (Which I proved Saturday night just as well as my football team proved they had a killer defense) And here's where the learning to be domestic comes into play....

So let's start easy, which is what I did Saturday. Rice Krispy treats. Literally 3 ingredients, and barely any "cook" time. (I might be eating a left over treat as I'm writing this...and I may have had one with breakfast. Don't judge.) Once you've melted 3 Tbsp of butter on low heat, added one bag of jet-puffed Marshmallows and stirred while they melt down (I also bought a bag of miniature Marshmallows and added some of those, because when it comes to sweets, I don't know moderation), and added in 6 cups of Rice Krispy's cereal - bingo! Just pour the mixture into a buttered pan (or pan covered in cooking spray) using a buttered spatula (this is key!) and let them cool.

But football players don't just do the minimum required, they go all out. So why would we stop here? These are treats for watching football. And when your gracious hosts pull for your opponent, it's nice to make your treats reflect both teams. (I'll be honest, that purple and yellow icing tasted just as good as that red and white icing) The final outcome? A Krispy cake iced like a football field.

-Green icing for the "field" (I used a whole can. It was thin coverage, but I don't think people want thick icing on an already sweet Krispy cake)
- Red, white, purple and yellow icing - I forgot to get icing tips, so I cut the very ends off of the corner of plastic sandwich baggies, and viola! frosting bags! (A little domestic goddess helpful hint. Lol)

This dessert could be iced and colored to fit several different occasions, and a variety of "extras" could be added as well. For example, chocolate chips for the chocolate lovers. Fun, easy and delicious - Enjoy!

And since tailgates are about more than just the sweets, here's some links to some additional yummy recipes:

Corn dip - I ate my weight in this dip on Saturday. My friend that made it did tell me she used light mayo and sour cream....so I had another Krispy treat.
NOTE: I can say from extensive research that this dip is wonderful with plain tortilla chips, Fritos corn chips, and Hint of Lime tortilla chips.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/16816/corn-dip/

Corn and Avocado Salsa - Super tasty! Lighter in calories than most tailgate food, big on flavor. Also see chip "NOTE" above...

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/74692/corn-and-avocado-salsa/

The staple of tailgates are, of course, wings. I haven't yet found my "signature" go-to recipe, but I can tell you I could drink Franks Red Hot Sauce and Franks Red Hot Buffalo Sauce. (Yes, "I put that S**! on everything".)

http://www.franksredhot.com/recipes/franks-redhot-buffalo-chicken-wings-RE1303-1

And for a nod to my Cajun surroundings, what else but GUMBO?! I definitely don't have a gumbo recipe of my own yet, but that's something I'm working on for another blog on another day. In the meantime, here's some I found that look yummy.

http://www.gumbocooking.com/best-seafood-gumbo.html

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/216888/good-new-orleans-creole-gumbo/

http://www.gumbopages.com/food/gumbo.html

Crack open a beer, put on your stretchy pants in your favorite team's colors and bust out the cornhole boards - It's GAME TIME!

Cheers,
Angela (FOX!)  :-)

Bueller? Beuller?....

Ok, so I disappeared for a bit, and I know that's been keeping my 3 readers on the edge of their seats. (I'm looking at you, Heather, Krista and mom, LOL) But, I've been busy doing all the things I'm supposed to be telling you about. Exploring.... being "all domestic and stuff"... even growing things! But some of that will have to come later. (See what I did there? Tempted you with that morsel to keep you coming back)

July has flown by, with America celebrating another birthday. And in the spirit of appreciating all parts of this wonderful country, J and I decided to take a chance and spend the 4th at a beach we had never been to. And so began our plans to see.... Mississippi beaches. Now, I must take a minute to give credit where credit is due - when it comes to researching a trip, J is the LeBron James, the Garth Brooks, the US Women's Soccer Team, the fill-in-the-blank-with-the-best-of-the-best-at-something... you get the idea. I will tire quickly at pouring over site after site, Google search after search trying to find the best places to go and things to do and deals to jump on that are off the beaten path. But J, he can do it for days, weeks even. He hones in with a focus I could only hope he would have when I'm rambling on seriously talking about the latest work drama or my plans to purge my closet (in order to get new clothes to fill it of course), or even that I'm starting a blog ("and you'll show up in it, hope that's cool".) He becomes consumed, might I even say a bit obsessed. But I don't mind at all because he always finds the best places and experiences to add to our trips.

So, when I said "I don't care where, I just want to spend the day on the beach", he got to work and found Ship Island off the coast of Gulfport, MS. A short drive from Baton Rouge, and you will come to the Gulfport Small Craft Harbor and Ship Island Excursions where you can board - you guessed it- the Ship Island Ferry. One note on the ferry: the phrase "you snooze, you lose" definitely applies here. They had two options to get out to the island and the ferries can fill up fast. Since we were driving from Baton Rouge, we definitely could not "snooze" when the alarms went off. But the anticipation of a fun day and new things to see and experience made that fairly easy.

http://www.msshipisland.com/

Gulfport Small Craft Harbor in the morning

On the ferry you can sit up top in the sun or down below near the snack bar, which offers concession stand nachos, popsicles, popcorn and pop-top cans of both carbonated and adult beverages. Due to the holiday, there were also plenty of American flag bathing suits to last you until the next Independence Day. On the short 50-minute ferry ride to the island, you may see dolphins (apparently the day we went they had also decided to go explore another part of coast), you will most likely see interesting birds, and you will  most definitely see some interesting folks. Lucky for us, we met a great couple and bonded over being beer snobs.

The island appears out of nowhere it seems. Immediately after walking off the ferry, you're greeted by a long wooden pathway leading past Fort Massachusetts, and on to the other side of the island. And at this point in the story I must come clean: I know nothing about Fort Massachusetts. But, neither do our new friends who went on the tour, as their adorable elderly guide said he could show them around the fort, but he would do them a favor and let them sit on the bench at the front of the fort while he would tell them all about it...... and then they woke up.

Sorry, but the only picture I managed to get of the boardwalk was when this woman was bending over

The scenery almost made me fee like we were at a Northern beach, or in the Anne of Green Gables movies

J in front of Fort Massachusetts #Merica

We spent the day with our new friends basically feeling like we were on a private island. We cooled off in the ocean, which was only about knee deep no matter how far out we went. I felt tall...no one asking "can you touch here?" all day long. (Yes, it happens to me all the time...)
We drank, threw a Frisbee, drank, flew kites, ate burgers from the little snack shack and relaxed on the beach until the rain came.



Finally getting some vitamin D in my life

Our ocean view

There is nothing that will bring strangers closer together than being stuck in a torrential downpour, complete with lightning strikes to the ground. And what else to do than sing "America" songs and pass around beers while we waited to board the ferry to go home?

The car ride to Baton Rouge from Gulfport did feel longer, but only because our energy was spent having a great time and our bellies were FULL of Shrimp Basket goodness. (...and possibly two orders of nachos on the ferry ride back to the mainland.)

Ship Island somehow made me feel like a kid again. It seemed almost like one of those places we visited when I was in summer camp growing up, and I never really saw them again or even knew how to get back once childhood and summer camp were just fond memories. The good news is, I do know how to find my way back to Ship Island and I would certainly go again. For a fun day at the beach, and a trip you can easily do in a day from Baton Rouge, you can't really beat it. It takes some planning, getting up early and getting home late, but it's really no different than a day spent in Atlanta from back home in Birmingham. (Except for the ocean / beach detail, of course) For those that don't feel like driving home in the same day, there are hotels in Gulfport that promise a good night's rest, and a ride home the next day could include a little stop to try your luck at the casinos. My advice? Put it all on black...

To end our just about perfect Fourth of July, we got back home just in time to see a beautiful fireworks show over our neighborhood. (Nevermind the "no fireworks" law....details.) The entire day left me proud to be American and feeling fortunate that I can move about and enjoy myself freely. It could be easy to take such things for granted. Now on to the next place!!!

If you ever get the chance, go see Ship Island. People watch, soak up the sun, and have the nachos.

Cheers,
Angela

Easing in to "Vegan August"

"I want to try to go vegan for a month".

You could have knocked me over with a feather....

Was this the same guy that just a couple nights earlier told me the "pasta would be even better with a lot more turkey sausage in it"? And the same guy who requests chicken and steak to be on every week's grocery list?

"I'll do vegetarian for a month. I can't do vegan. I like my eggs and Greek yogurt".
"I can't have eggs? Maybe I'll do vegetarian..."

There's a glimmer of that guy.

"Ok, so when would you like to do this?"
"Umm, maybe August".

And the randomness continues.

You see, two of the biggest changes when I moved to Baton Rouge (besides buying two of some items since J likes that "open bag stale flavor" besides the sheer volume of groceries) have been cooking every night (let's face it, when you live alone, some nights cereal and wine are a perfectly fine dinner) and the abundance of meat in the meal plans. Don't get me wrong, I'm a carnivore through and through, but my definition of moderation may differ slightly than my bigger-muscles-are-better-more-protein-please counterpart.

But since I'm feeling a bit meat-logged (is that a thing?), I'm all for this little experiment. And to ease him, ahem - us - into the idea, I've decided to try to cook at least one meatless dinner a week.

Recently, BuzzFeed did a two-week clean eating challenge with some pretty good recipes. (Here is the link to check it out http://www.buzzfeed.com/christinebyrne/clean-eating-2015#.fyMPzzYYw) Usually I have to modify recipes for my picky eater partner, and sometimes I just modify based on what I have. Tonight I made a version of Day 5's dinner, and I got a "this is good, Babe" with no pre-bite inspection. (For those of you who don't know, this is like being nominated for the James Beard Award. Not winning, but a solid nomination. Almost every new meal requires a thorough inspection of what I've put in it to make sure I haven't suddenly decided that seeing him gag over onions and "other crunchy things" is my new form of entertainment. This meal was tasty and apparently not scary looking. Win.)

So, here's my version:
-1 pack of "No Yolks" egg noodles
-EVOO or grapeseed oil, whichever you prefer
-1 bunch of fresh spinach
-3 cloves of garlic, chopped
-About 2 Tbsp of shredded parmesan (but hey, if you love cheesy stuff, add all you want. Maybe a sprinkle on top at the end)
-3 eggs (I used some of my farm fresh eggs from the local farmer's market. If you're in Baton Rouge and have been under a rock, GO CHECK OUT RED STICK FARMER'S MARKET. It's delightful.
http://redstickfarmersmarket.org/main/. If you're in my beautiful home town of Birmingham, head down to Pepper Place Farmer's Market - http://www.pepperplacemarket.com/#themarket.)
-seasonings: black pepper, Italian seasoning blend, and salt, if you must

Cook the noodles according to the directions (about 10-12 minutes after the water is boiling)
Drain the noodles and hit them with the Italian seasoning
In a pan, heat the oil on medium heat and add the garlic. Cook for about 30 seconds
Add the spinach, noodles and parmesan and cook until the spinach wilts and the cheese melts - about 1 minute
Set the noodle and spinach mix to the side off of heat
In another pan add the 3 eggs. Cook to "over easy". (NOTE: I used 3 eggs simply for J to have two and one for myself. You can use however many your heart desires.... or how few it needs.)
Scoop noodles and spinach into a pasta bowls and add the eggs on top. Sprinkle with a little pepper.
Now for the fun part.... break the runny egg and "Voilà!", you have a meatless dinner packed with protein, greens and tastiness.

Cheers,
Angela

Starting at the Beginning: Who Am I and What Am I Doing?

Since moving to Baton Rouge, Louisiana about nine months ago, I've asked myself two questions on a fairly regular basis:
1. Who am I? 
2. What am I doing exactly?

Well, the obvious and quick answers to those questions are, I'm Angela Paumen and I'm writing a blog to chronicle my safari through the "world of being domestic", which to me is a lot like a jungle at times.

But here's the more in depth answers:

Lately, I've been doing all kinds of things I never thought I would do. I quit a job I LOVED, and moved to another state.....for a guy. We got engaged, and in a way that always seemed so "not me", in order for us to be in the same state, I gave up my life and moved to where he was. So began the trek from Birmingham to Baton Rouge, my journey into home ownership, and the overall domestication of Angela Paumen.

Don't get me wrong, I'm still very career driven. I've also always been naturally creative when it comes to design, decor, fashion and beauty. But along with a career and some "girly" interests, is this new role of "wife-who-cooks-and-keeps-a-house-and-grows-things-and-makes-things". More than once I've been covered in dirt and leaves or liquid being flung from a blender and wondered "how did I get into this mess?". Kitchen gadgets and a garden - I'm loving them - they're just new to me. Monogrammed towels? I'm for them, I've just never had them. And sharing a space as half of a pair is completely uncharted territory. At first, I would often times be left looking for a "me" that I recognized. But as the months have gone by, I've completely embraced this new addition to (not replacement of) who I am. I want to dive in head first - no, cannonball in! - to this new space. I mean, why can't displaying the first letter of my new last name be just as gratifying as another award on my wall at work? And Louboutin's come in pairs, and are better for it. Why can't being part of a "pair of Fox's" be just as glamorous?

And let's be real, this is probably going to be pretty entertaining at times. So, why not give people a front row seat to all of it?

So, all of this being said:
1. I'm someone on a mission to become a domestic badass
2. I'm documenting everything I learn about all things domestic or simply "useful' information right here on this blog. And I'm inviting you to follow along, learn with me, laugh at me...etc.

Cheers,
Angela