Confessions of a Foodie

Ok, as I’ve already stated this week, I love asparagus! And I have a number of different ways that I like to prepare it. But this one I was actually a little skeptical about. This recipe is from one of the finalists from “The Next Food Network Star” series. Rory that sweet gal from Texas came up with this recipe which calls for coating asparagus spears in sugar and then grilling them. I imagined an overpowering sweetness that would mask the asparagus’ taste. I was wrong! The fire from the grill caramalized the sugar to form a perfectly sweet coating on the asparagus. It was absolutely amazing! So I hope you will give it a try.

Ingredients:
1 bundle asparagus, about 20 spears
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 orange, zested

Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
Cut the tough ends off asparagus, roll in oil and coat with sugar and salt. Place asparagus on the grill and cook for approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Turn asparagus to ensure even cooking. You know the asparagus are done when sugar is caramelized and asparagus are starting to look burnt. Sprinkle orange zest over asparagus before serving.

Living in a small town, it can be pretty difficult trying to find a decent, non-chain restaurant. But there is an amazing hole-in-the-wall taco shop that is out of this world. Now this is actually a franchised restaurant, but only locally. Taco Town started in Fort Walton Beach, FL, but now has restaurants in neighboring towns of Niceville and Crestview. The atmosphere of the place does leave a lot to be desired, but the quality of the food completely makes up for it. My family and I love Taco Town so much that we have instituted Taco Town Thursdays. So every Thursday you can find us eating our dinner from Taco Town.

We first discovered this culinary gold mine about 7 years ago. My husband, David, and I would trek 45 minutes away just to get 45 cent tacos! I’m not claiming any authenticity in the Mexican cuisine arena, but when it comes to good tacos fast, Taco Town stands supreme on the Emerald Coast.

Taco Town’s best selling item is probably the taco salad. Layers of lettuce, seasoned meat, cheese, tomatoes, and their signature avacodo-ranch dressing sitting inside a freshly fried tortilla bowl is heaven on Earth! Being the variety seeker that I am, I always enter those hallowed walls intending to order something new and different. But everytime, the memories of past eaten taco salads, fill my mind, and once again I get that delicious concoction of meat and veggies. About the only other item I get is their nachos supreme. Though not as sophisticated as the taco salad, the nachos supreme is a close second with its double cheese combination of nacho-cheese sauce and shredded cheddar. It’s a deliciously messy meal in itself.

But honestly, no matter what you try the food never fails. So if you ever find yourself in the beautiful Emerald coast, stop by Taco Town. I promise you will not be disappointed.

Husband comment - I always order the 2 hard tacos for 99 cents. Just can’t beat it and the taste destroys Taco Bell. As anyone knows in Crestview our Taco Bell here is worse than any other location.

I love eating aparagus, but only if it is fresh. No, slimy, camo-green-colored spears for me! I have several ways that I like to prepare those tasty green stalks. Roasting is probably the most simple.

Ingredients
1 bundle fresh asparagus, trimmed
1/4 olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Combine the olive oil and garlic in a large bowl. Toss the asparagus in the olive oil mixture. Spread the asparagus on the baking sheet in a single layer. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until you can smell the asparagus.

This is great paired with broiled fish for a healthy, light dinner. Enjoy!

This is David, Beth’s husband, she is going to allow me to post in this “Unrelated to food” section on her website.

My old boss used to have a collection of images from his family posted around his office. He could only highlight his most precious moments in the 10 slots he had available in his office. He was lucky, the standard worker only had room for one framed picture and a few to post on their bulletin board. Read the rest of this entry »

I recently had a life-threatening accident that was both scary and life changing. Several people has suggested that I post the story of what happened on this page. So inspite of it having nothing to do with food, here is my traumatic story.

This story actually begins a couple of weeks ago when my son Nathan was playing shoot ‘em basketball in the backyard. Seemingly out of no where, he was attacked by a swarm of wasps. About a dozen stings later, he is crying hysterically. Fortunately, he was okay again an hour later. When my husband went to find the wasp nest, he couldn’t. Thinking that it was a freak accident; we just had Nathan stay away from the basketball game.

Cut to yesterday afternoon, I was cleaning my carport because I’m having a yard sale on Saturday. The day before I had checked the basketball game again, but still found no wasps, so I moved it out into the yard. I wanted to mow the grass around the carport, so I moved the game back under it. Well I few seconds later, I feel a painful sting on my left arm. When I look up, wasps are pouring out of the back of the game. (It had been up against the wall, so that’s why we didn’t see it!) I screamed for Nathan to run, and was about to take off running myself when I remembered Elora, my six month old daughter.

She was sitting in her walker about a foot from the wasps nest. I quickly picked her up, and right when I did a second wasp stung me on my right thumb. (I’m still thanking God that it stung me and not her!) Then we ran to safety. I tucked the kids inside the house and went back outside to get the phone that I had dropped in the yard in my escape. I wanted to see how many wasps there were.

When I got back to the carport, I was astounded to see hundreds of wasps on the 4-inch nest hanging from the back of the basketball game. I was pissed, mostly because of adrenaline pumping through, and also because of the immense pain in my thumb and arm. So I decided to fight back. I went inside to get the gallon jug of bug spray that we keep on hand, since we kind of live in the woods. When I got to the nest, I removed the nozzle and doused the wasps in pesticide, then I took off running and safely got away. I ended up pouring ¾ of the gallon on the nest. (Take that stupid wasps!)

But when I got back into the house, I was feeling kind of funny. Kind of like I do when I take heavy pain killers–woozy and kind of light headed. So I did what I always do when I have a medical situation, I called my mom. She is a nurse of course, but she didn’t pick up. So I called the next best person, my nanny. I knew she had a home-remedy for stings, so I called her up to get the recipe. She told me to make a paste from corn starch and lemon juice. I had the corn starch, but not the lemon juice. So I asked her if she could bring some over. I did this for 2 reasons. 1- because I really didn’t have any lemon juice, and 2- because I was starting to feel worse and I was alone at home with the kids, so I needed some help. (David is on a business trip in Las Vegas.)

When I hung up the phone I walked to Nathan’s room to check on the kiddies. I was able to stand at Nathan’s door for about a minute before I collapsed on the floor. I felt like I could barely move my arms or legs. I was able to call my sister and tell her what happened before the convulsions started.

Now before I go any farther, you need to know that I have NO allergies. I’ve been stung by a wasp before and nothing happened. So I was totally unprepared for what happened next.

I was laying on the floor having a seizure when my mom called. Nathan answered the phone, but he thought I was playing. So he kept telling my mom that was being silly on the floor. By this time, I was terrified. I was complete aware of everything around me, but I had no control over my body. I was afraid I would die right there in front of my babies.

All I could think to do was to call for help, so that my mom knew that I wasn’t alright. So I just moaned help over and over again. My mom started freaking and yelling for Nathan to hang up the phone so she could call 911. Poor Nathan finally realized that I was playing, and he started to get scared so he put the phone on the floor beside me. The convulsions had finally subsided, and I was able to move my arm enough to hang up. After that I could only move my hand a few inches.

So I lay on the floor nearly paralyzed, breathing shallow breaths praying for God to keep m alive. My sweet Nathan even prayed for me. “Dear Jesus, make Mommy better. Amen.”

It felt like an eternity, laying there, waiting for help to come. The craziest thoughts were running through my head. What is Nanny going to think when she gets here? My house is a mess! I don’t have a bra on! We just got new insurance and now we’re going to have a huge bill to pay! Am I going to die? My thoughts were interrupted when the phone rang. I just looked at it. I tried to reach for it, but my hand didn’t want to move. I finally inched it up to the phone but it was too late, the answering machine picked up. It was my dad, and he sounded worried. Shortly after he called, the phone rang again. This time I only had to move my finger a few inches to touch the loud speaker. It was the 911 operator. I could barely speak to answer his questions.

Thank God my nanny arrived at that moment. (I’m so glad I live in the South and my family never knocks, but just lets themselves in!) At first, Nanny didn’t see me. She came in like always and was talking to Nathan. When she saw me on the ground, she started calling my name, but I couldn’t answer. I mustered the strength to lift the phone a couple of inches toward her. She took the hint and picked up the phone and talked to the operator.

In the distance, I could here the sirens of the ambulance. I felt so embarrassed to be causing such a scene, but mostly I felt helpless and alone, and there’s never been a moment in my life when I wanted my husband more.

When the paramedics arrived, they started asking me questions and of course I couldn’t answer them easily. It was like my brain was working perfectly, but nothing was attached to it! So I guess the paramedic thought I couldn’t here him so he started yelling his questions at me. Well, that only made things worse because I was getting upset and starting to cry and choke up, which made me feel like my throat was closing up. Once again the paramedic yelled at me that I had to answer him. That’s when my daddy came to the rescue. He told that guy that I would answer him if I could! I don’t think I’ve ever loved my daddy as much as I did in that moment when he stood up for me.

As the paramedics brought in the gurney, my sweet daddy laid his hand on me and started praying. There’s nothing more calming and soothing than being prayed for by someone who loves you. The paramedics lifted me onto the gurney. As they were wheeling me out of the house, my last sight was my babies sitting on the couch with Nanny. And nanny was soothing Nathan telling him not to cry, because Mommy was going to be ok. So with tears filling my eyes, I was rolled out to the ambulance and placed inside.

Inside the vehicle I was hooked up to oxygen, a hear monitor, and an IV. I still could barely move, but I could breathe and I wasn’t convulsing any more. I remember laying there feeling so alone. There were all these strange voices around me; I wanted so badly to hear a familiar voice. That’s when I heard my dad cough from the front seat, so I knew I wasn’t alone.

When we arrived at the hospital, I was starting to feel a little better. I was able to move a little better, and I could talk now. I was put in room 8. Paramedic Danny (he’s the only one who told me his name) told me that they were going to lift the bed and pull the gurney up beside it, and then he needed me to scoot over to the bed. In my head, I was thinking, “Are you serious?!” He was! I have to say this I gave it my all, but all I could manage was lifting my knee about 3 inches off the gurney. I knew I wasn’t going anywhere without help. So the poor paramedics had to move me from the gurney to the bed. It was only a couple of feet so I don’t think they are too sore today.

Danny left me with the other paramedic to go give info to the desk. I was able to tell the other paramedic guy that I felt like I was medicated. But then I started feeling very strange again, like I was losing control of my body. That’s when the second seizure struck. In an instant, I was surrounded by a crowd of people talking and running and doing who knows what else. I could hear paramedic Danny telling everyone that I was stable in the ambulance that all my vitals were normal. He was asked what he gave me on the way there. He replied that he hadn’t given me anything. I could here the bewilderment in his voice like he was saying, “I have no idea why she’s doing this!”

And once again, I felt so alone. That’s when the paramedic told someone, “She says you’re her doctor.” And then a pretty blond face was calling my name. All I could do was move my eyes to that familiar voice for a few seconds before I lost control completely. It was my doctor; the one who had just closed her practice a few weeks ago. Dr. Stevens. The best doctor I’d ever had.

Looking back now, I see that every time I felt desperately alone, God sent me someone I knew and loved to give me strength, and remind me that I’m never alone.

It felt like an eternity that I lay there seizing uncontrollably as nurses and technicians ran around me. I heard Dr. Stevens say, “Someone get that cart ready.” I found out later that my blood pressure had dropped to a deathly level, though my oxygen levels remained stable. Even now I wonder if the “cart” that Dr. Stevens was referring to was a cart with a defibrillator?

A nurse named Gladys came back with Benadryl and Steroids to inject into my IV. A few seconds later the seizure tapered off and once again I laid still. The fear of death was starting to leave my mind when my legs started shaking uncontrollably. Then the shaking started moving up the rest of my body. The powerful medicine that had been injected into my blood stream had it’s own side dangerous effects. I felt like I was having a horrible nightmare, and I just wanted to wake up.

The nurse was sent away again to get another medicine to counter act the first medicine. I’m not sure what it was, but I think the doctor was kind of leery about giving it to me. In the end, the shaking went away on its own.

I ended up staying in the ER for several more hours. My parents never left my side, and they constantly reassured me that Nathan and Elora were ok. When we left, they made me go home with them, because they didn’t want me to be alone. I guess I can understand why.

Today, I felt like I’ve been hit by a train. I’m taking Benadryl and a lighter steroid for the next few days. I’m in bed as I’m writing this, trying to keep my eyes open. I’m still missing David like crazy and I can’t wait for him to get home on Sunday. I realize more than ever, how very much I need him.

So now I leave you to rest and recuperate from my near-death experience. Those of you who have been praying from me, I thank you with all my heart. Your prayers got me through. And those of you who are continuing to pray for me for a speedy recovery, I doubly thank you and appreciate your prayers more than you know. God bless you all.

Parmesan Roasted Broccoli

This is my husbands favorite, and only, way he likes brocolli. It’s amazing how oven roasting changes the flavor of brocolli. Try this, especially if you don’t like brocolli, I think you will be pleasantly surprised!

Ingredients

1 bunch brocolli, cut into long florets
1/4 c olive oil
3 cloves minced garlic
1/4 c parmesan cheese
1-2 Tbs salt
1-2 tsp fresh-ground pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Mix olive oil, garlic, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Toss the brocolli in the olive oil mixture. Place the brocolli on the foil-lined cookie sheet in a single layer. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the florets’ edges are just turning golden.