A local sandwich shop had spread out a couple of logo floor mats in front of their booth. They were selling cold cut sandwiches, apples, chips, chocolate chip cookies, bottled water and an assortment of sodas.

There were a couple of hundred cloggers that showed up to the day-long workshop, so I’m guessing that several of the vendors that had set up
trade show displays there probably made a little bit of money, but I really do have to wonder if at the end of the day the vendors actually made enough money to justify the time and expense for that day. The biggest reason that I am saying that is the workshop was set up in such a way that the participants had very little free time to actually visit the vendor booths. Sure, the food people made money, but I can’t imagine that the other vendors went home happy.

Some of my friends are going out and want to arrange their dinner around the movie start time or game time. Other people are going out on dates and want to pick the restaurant ahead of time so they know if they are going casual or need to dress up a little.

Me, I’m staying home and cooking something healthy. I’m thinking about getting some fresh fish at the grocery store on the way home and maybe a loaf of crusty french bread. If they have fresh asparagus, I’ll buy some of that, too.

2 lb (6) Cups) Sliced Yellow Summer Squash

1/4 Cup Chopped Onion

1 Can Cream of Chicken soup

1 Cup Sour Cream

1 Cup Shredded Carrots

1 8 oz Herb Seasoned Stove Top Stuffing Mix

1 cup Melted Butter

Boil Squash and onion for 5 minutes and drain. Combine chicken soup and sour cream. Stir in shredded carrots. Fold in squash and onions. Combine stuffing mix and melted butter. Use a 12 x 7 casserole dish. Put half of stuffing on the bottom of the pan, then the squash mixture and top with remaining stuffing. Bake at 350 degree for 25 – 30 minutes or until heated through.

Serves 6

It’s actually part of a truck stop, so the first time we went there I had some reservations about it being a traditional “greasy spoon.”  But the barbeque IS the best I’ve found in the area.  So I suggested to my hubby that we go there for dinner tonight and he was agreeable to going.  I ordered the pork platter, thinking it would be a sandwich but it was a HUGE mound of barbeque pork.  I ended up bringing half of it home!  That will make a delicious sandwich for tomorrow’s lunch!

As far as I’m concerned as long as it is made of beef Oscar Myer is still tops in my book and when I have a coupon and/or find them on sale I stock up on them so they are a pretty cheap food that I’ve been enjoying since childhood. My mother always served Oscar Myer and still does.

Tonight I tried a can of cold Sierra Mist. It was really good! I wonder if the problem has always just been that the restaurants watered it down the way they always water down Sprite! One thing I know, if Sierra Mist is less expensive than Sprite to buy at the grocery store, I’ll be buying the Sierra Mist from now on!

I also gave him a breathe right nasal strip to try out to see if it helps him sleep. I know he said he didn’t sleep at all last night, so pulling a double shift after a sleepless night when you feel like you’ve been hit by a truck doesn’t go easy! I hope he sleeps well tonight, and am thankful that he has tomorrow off of work so he can sleep all day if he needs to.

Anyway, we decided to mix Orange Crush with Kickapoo Joy Juice, and we called it Orange Poo. It was actually quite tasty! From time to time I mention Kickapoo Joy Juice to people and they say that they’ve never heard of it! So I just Googled it and found that it is marketed in Asia now. I wonder why it isn’t marketed here in the USA.

The best thing about living in North Carolina? Hands down, the barbecue. It’s hard to say which I enjoy more: Lexington or Eastern style…both offer different things. But my goal for the new year is to try out all the local stops to see just which place has the best flavor. Who knows, I may even make my own domainnames about it to catalog my myriad findings, kind of like that show on TV, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.

My wife thinks it’s a little ridiculous, but I’m determined. Especially since you wouldn’t believe how many times our out-of-town relatives stop by and plead for the best barbecue NC has to offer–now I’ll be able to tell them for sure. I might also throw in a little more southern fare into the mix, like fried chicken and greens, just to spice it up a little bit. If there’s one time of year its OK to embrace the love of food, I think it’s now!