I love Christmas, but it has been nice to wind down from the busy Christmas season, and the crazy hectic world known as Northern Virginia. For the most part, I like NOVA...but I get sick of it as well and need time off. Everyone is always in a hurry and they all try to get somewhere at the same time, and are seldom kind to one another while doing it! That's why I like coming down to the south, so I can reconnect with my roots, slow down, and just enjoy being with those who mean the most to me.
Oh, and drink sweet tea. And eat country ham.
Ask for either one of those in NOVA, and you're greeted with a questioning stare.
Hubby and I had NYE reservations at one of our very favorite restaurants, Floyd's 1921 in Morehead City, but found ourselves with some time to kill. We decided to go to the waterfront and walk around and catch the sunset. It was a beautiful day, but COLD! I rarely ever wear jackets, but I made sure to bundle up in mine and button it.
Does that mean I'm getting older?
So that's what happens to the marina Christmas tree. Poor tree. I bet it was beautiful all decorated!
Being able to stay with my parents this week has been fantastic! (if you don't count my PMS fueled outbursts that have slacked off to none at this point) My mother is such a funny bird! She brought some purposely overripe bananas with her to the beach with the intention of making banana pudding. We all sat and looked at them for a few days since we kept forgetting the vanilla wafers each time we went to the grocery store. By the time they were finally cooked, they were positively black with no hint of yellow anymore. They still made a fantastic dessert, and they were made the REAL Southern way...which means no boxes of pudding mix! (We may or may not have forgotten the recipe for mom's custard and had to make an emergency request from my brother at home for it. Thanks, bro! And sis in law!)
The best thing we have had so far - that WE have cooked, mind you - is the bacon wrapped scallops for New Year's dinner last night. They. Were. Amazing.
Like, seriously amazing.
Iwantedtoclimbinthebowlandeatthemallamazing.
*dances*
They look like yummy little bacon roses!
They look like yummy little bacon roses!
There is something about fresh sea scallops in comparison to the teensy little ones that you can get elsewhere. Actually, there is just something about fresh seafood period. Or maybe it's just the seafood at the actual beach instead of the D.C. suburbs. Whatever the reason, these were so good that I burnt the inside of my mouth by inhaling one as soon as I took it from the oven.
Hope you are having a wonderful New Year so far! I am leaving you with the recipe to my mother's wonderful custard for banana pudding. If you are a diehard boxed pudding person (why???), then give this a try. It changes the whole dessert. For the better, of course!
Happy New Year! Do you have any resolutions?
The only one I have is to work on something that is broken that means the world to me. I want to put it back together. With lots of prayer, love, forgiveness, and God's grace...it can happen. I believe it!
The only one I have is to work on something that is broken that means the world to me. I want to put it back together. With lots of prayer, love, forgiveness, and God's grace...it can happen. I believe it!
Be blessed!
