A Screamingly Southern Moment

jylbenson

This morning I was standing in my kitchen admiring the gorgeous hutch my talented husband is in the process of building for our kitchen.  (I will add a picture as soon as I figure out how to do it). It is constructed largely of cypress that's close to 200 years old that was salvaged from a church that burned earlier this year on Prytania Street in the Garden District. That no attempt was made (other than ours) to salvage that wood is a topic for another rant. What we did not cart away went into a landfill.

Mooning over the furniture complete, I turned to clean up the kitchen. I started by removing 4 smoked ham hocks from the pot of red beans I cooked for dinner last night. I dumped the ham hocks in a bowl, called the dogs, and headed for the back porch. I commanded - count them - 4 of my (Oh MY!) 5 dogs to "sit", then I parcelled out the smoked hocks. I deemed my 5th dog, Lovebug, 6 pounds, too small to tackle a hock so I gave her a small peice of beef jerky as a consolation prize. And that's when the OMG moment hit.

 Lessee....Ancient cypress from a burned out New Orleans church, red beans, smoked ham hocks, 5 dogs (one of which is a slobbering Catahoula cur/Chocolate lab mix), and me reigning over it all in my damned nightie.

It's happened: I am a character in my owned damned novel.

 

Easy Red Beans

  • 1 pound Camillia red beans
  • 8 cups water
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 ribs celery, chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon chopped garlic, (about 3 toes)
  • 1 pound ham or turkey tasso 
  • 4 smoked ham hocks
  • Tony Chachere's seasoning 
  • Tabasco

Dump everything in a slow cooker (Crock Pot). Cover, set to cook on high for 6 hours and walk away.  
Serve with rice and/or French bread. For true Southern flair, remove ham hocks and feed to snarling dogs while leaning over back porch in nightie.

 

 

Comments

Hilarious! Next time take a pic of the pups knawing on the bone.        Deb Burst--Mandeville, LA

Jyl---Funny, funny, However you stole my line girl! Yes, I truly am one mighty "character" in my own novel!!! Keep writing and I can't wait to see the pic of the hutch. Bless you for salvaging that piece of history.

Hey Kate-

I have to wrestle the camera away from Susan and I will put it up!