Funny Sights

Here are a couple of odds and ends I have seen around town that make me laugh.

I was stopped at a train one evening coming home after volleyball practice and I saw an actual AC unit sticking out that truck's window. Is that normal??

Yesterday I was parked outside of Subway for lunch. When I went back to my car I saw the "vehicle" that was parked next to me. It looked like the camouflage ATV-like thing that Phil and Kay ride around on in Duck Dynasty. What took me by surprise was the car seat in the front seat lol.......really?? 

Now this is the way to send your kids off to school! This made me smile :-)

So, the people of the plains love their ATVs, unconventional AC units, camouflage, and doggies. Oh wait- I love most of those things too ;-) 

Tomorrow I am making homemade Sicilian stuffed artichokes with a friend who is teaching me her grandmother's authentic recipe. Will post about it! 

Have a fabulous Friday!

D.D. 

 

Legends of the Fall

The Farm

        A legend began this past weekend. It is the legacy of my maternal grandfather, Robert E. Sharp. One that will be passed down from generation to generation about a hard-working farmer who lived in the same town for 90 years of his life. He grew up on horses, then graduated to a buggy, and eventually a pickup truck. He told me stories of getting paid a nickel a day for delivering lunch pails on horse to workers when he was a young boy. He grew up during the Great Depression, which left him with tendencies even in his nineties such as saving every plastic bag and paper plate he used. He joined the Navy in World War II. I asked why he picked that specific branch of the military, and he said if he was going to die, he would rather die drowning than alternative ways. He married my grandma and had three wonderful children, one of them being my mommy. He farmed and ranched the rest of his life.
        Every summer I can remember we always took a trip to visit grandpa and my cousins in Kansas. When I was a little girl, I rode to the farm with grandpa and he would let me ride on his horse while he drove the truck and held on to the reins. I remember going to coffee with him and always getting hot chocolate. I felt so special that grandpa would take me to coffee- that was serious business, and serious old men were in attendance. He remembered every birthday and Christmas and always sent the nicest cards. Grandpa's house was a place for peace and quiet on the edge of town. This is where I gained an appreciation for bird watching on the back porch while breathing in the fresh scent of the cool morning dew. Mom always made fresh gooseberry pie when we were at Grandpa's, and we ate more than our fair share of meat and potatoes. I always looked forward to the local Mexican food restaurants, Grandpa always got the same thing- Beef Monterrey with hot sauce. I always got beef enchiladas topped with queso and mild sauce. It was the little things I loved about visiting Grandpa when I was younger.

This summer I had the privilege of living with Grandpa for a month and a half. My husband's job was nearby, so instead of living out of a suitcase at a hotel, we were able to stay with him. I learned a lot about the cattle business, cooking, and cleaning. I was privileged to attend several cattle sales with Grandpa, where I had a slight glimpse inside his world. When he wasn't at the sale, he was telling me from across the house to "Turn up that radio- I need to listen to the market." While I still don't understand the rambling man that rattles off market prices, my ears always perk up when I hear the market announced on the radio. Grandpa was also on the phone as much as my mom is- and that is a lot! He was always discussing the sale or the market with other local cattle ranchers. Again, this is a foreign language to me, but it gave me an appreciation for everything that goes into the agriculture business. 

Grandpa walking back to the car after a cattle sale. 90 years old! 

Grandpa on the phone at night with his good friend Johnny that called every night to check on him and discuss cattle and weather. 

Grandpa was known for his extremely hard work ethic. He instilled that in his children, and they did in their children (us). His mental toughness taught us we can survive anything if we put our minds to it. He told my husband and I that our generation doesn't know what hard work is- and I believe it! 

The legacy my grandfather left was one of labor and love. He loved the land bestowed upon him by his ancestors, and spent his life honoring their efforts and livelihoods. He built everlasting relationships with cattlemen across the Midwest, and will always be remembered. He loved his family and cared deeply about his children, even when he was in his nineties! He still worried about my mom driving home, or when I was going to get back from a trip. Grandpa loved the Lord and made sure He was a priority in his life. 

Grandpa Sharp, a man of few words whose actions touched the lives of many. Tell Grandma hi :-)

Bubbles

Yes, we did this. They are the bubbles from the State Fair. Mountain Man, 2 of his grown colleagues, and myself all attempted to run, walk, handstand, and knock eachother around in these bubbles at the fair. It was a blast- and a workout! Let's just say Thomas's buddy didn't feel so great after this activity. He ate fried cheesecake and drank milk right before we went on our little escapade. It certainly halted any craving for fried deliciousness after getting out of the humid air pocket.
The State Fair was a lot of fun, we mainly walked around and devoured taboo things for your diet. My rationale is it is only once a year I get to eat State Fair corndogs and funnel cakes- so back off! And this year we tried a Red Velvet funnel cake with cream cheese frosting- HEAVENLY.
I was sad about Kansas State's defeat this weekend, but then again, they played a very good team with a chip on their shoulder. You always have to watch out for the underdogs! Also- their volleyball team went 3-0 in Las Vegas, so that should be recognized as a positive upside!
The volleyball team I'm coaching with didn't win this weekend either. It was a very good match though, we took the team to five sets after we lost the first two in a row- also being an away game. I was hoping for the Weber State-like comeback, but the opposing team didn't deflate after set 3 like Weber St. did. We also didn't have a server that rallied 6 points in a row for us to take the lead. Anyways, that was my favorite comeback of all time in college volleyball.
If any of you have a State Fair coming up, I highly recommend the corndogs and funnel cakes, and only go in the bubbles if you are with another adult so you don't look like a fool too much, and no fried foods right before!

-Dakota Darling

Mountain Man Cooks!

Hello All,

I am so sorry I haven't blogged in over a week! I am experiencing some issues with my computer and it has been a slight pain to deal with! I want to share with you the highlights of last weekend, and an update on this week.
Last weekend, I went to work with the hubby and was more than excited when he dropped me off at Target. I haven't laid eyes on a Target since living in my hometown. Secondly, this Target had a Starbucks in it, another rarity I have not experienced in a long time. (Side note store about Starbucks- when we went to Seattle on our honeymoon there was a Starbucks every 1/2 block. We did not go into a single one! I prefer to support local coffee, especially since Starbucks has the same trademark taste at essentially every location). Don't get me wrong- I still like a good cup of joe or if I'm feeling special maybe a Caramel Macchiato from Starbucks. I'm not dissing it, just proclaiming that I'm not a junkie. Thirdly, this town had one of my favorite restaurants, Qdoba, where we had lunch. I will gladly go to work with him anytime he is in this town!
On Sunday, we made a huge brunch feast. Now, Mountain Man is a wonderful cook- he just doesn't have time to cook often. I have been itching to use my new Texas-shaped waffle machine ever since we received it at a wedding shower. I finally used it on Sunday and it produced wonderfully fluffy and delicious waffles. Mountain Man made the potatoes and bacon. He is an expert at making breakfast potatoes and pancakes. I am trying to upload some pictures but am having some technical difficulties. >:-(

We started a new schedule this week, one where I don't get home until 8:30 p.m. I have started volunteer assistant coaching at the high school and we are in "2 a days" right now. So for dinner, we have pretty much lived by the crock pot this week. M.M. made a wonderful dinner on Tuesday night. He baked salmon, sauteed garden fresh zucchini squash, and cut up and roasted sweet and white potatoes. It was a delightful dinner, I told y'all he could cook! Monday and Wednesday we had crock pot chicken dinners, and tonight we will have leftovers.

I signed up to be a substitute teacher, and will be coaching the high school girls and helping out with a youth weekly clinic. My schedule is still pretty open now except during the late afternoon/evenings. Things may get busier if/when I get called to substitute. I am nervous- I haven't been in a classroom setting since I was in high school! I figured if I could monitor college football players in study hall, I can handle a classroom (I hope!).

This weekend we do not have any special plans. Maybe another trip to the special little town I mentioned above- it even has a mall! I hope we can go to Sam's Club one weekend, it is quite far from where we live so it will definitely be an all day escapade. I hope I can have some more exciting stories to post about besides our lame weekend plans ;-). The State Fair will be here next weekend, so maybe I will have some crazy stories about the Bull-a-Rama or something.

Things I am missing about living in a suburban area: having everything at your finger tips, i.e. Sam's, Target, restaurants, health food stores, department stores, my local doctor and dentist, Fuzzy's tacos, college football games, and a post office that is open past 11:30 a.m., (friends and family I miss the most).

Things I like about rural living: The traffic does not make me want to take blood pressure medication, learning to overcome withdrawals to the luxuries of big town living at my fingertips, learning how to live simply, not having as many distractions, knowing the mailman knows my name, the church we have been visiting is full of friendly people, rummage sales, all the inquisitive people about my Texas license plate, all the Mennonite ladies in their prayer veils and dresses, the local farmers markets, and my favorite part is looking at the little ducks feeding in all the surrounding ponds, they're so cute!

I certainly am more appreciative of the small luxuries of life while living in a small town.  I love the local farmers markets and eating fresh garden vegetables. I love how I see so many hard working farmers on a daily basis, providing our country with food. After living in Kansas, I have a much greater appreciation for the agriculture world and the people who work the tedious front lines.

Well if any of you have a good crock pot recipe you want to pass along, feel free. Until then I'm going to be browsing a good recipe for the chuck roast I have in the freezer.

Have a wonderful day!

Dakota Darling

Fuzzy's Copycat Shrimp Tacos

Hello everyone! I want to post about the dinner we had Sunday night. It is possibly my favorite meal ever. I believe I referenced in earlier posts my inspiration for these tacos is the beloved Fuzzy's Taco Shop in my hometown. I pretty much used the same recipe for these tacos as I had for the fish tacos. I did make a garlic aioli sauce for a topping, instead of using the Green Goddess dressing on the slaw. I also added panko breadcrumbs to the fish fry breading mix.

The shrimp only take 3-4 minutes to cook! 

This is how I steam my corn tortillas. 

Finished product! Shrimp tacos with roasted sweet and white potatoes garnished with cucumbers!

Fiesta Feast!

Garlic Aioli sauce recipe:

•  2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder 

Mince 2 cloves of garlic and saute in 1 Tbsp. of butter on med-low heat for 3 min or until lightly browned. Add garlic/butter to 1 cup of regular mayonnaise. Then salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Let it chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Recipe for Shrimp Tacos: 

• 1 lb of fresh shrimp- I had to peel and devein the shrimp
• 1 /2 packet of fish fry and 1/4 c Panko bread crumbs
• 1 egg + splash of milk beaten
• seasonings: salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, hot sauce
• 12 thin corn tortillas
• cabbage or coleslaw mix
• grated cheddar cheese for topping
• cilantro for topping
• lime wedge for garnish
• oil for cooking (I used olive oil)

Peel and devein the shrimp, then rinse off with cold water, put shrimp in fridge until ready for breading. Chop 1 cup of cabbage, place in fridge. Beat egg, milk, and seasonings in a bowl, set aside for breading. Mix fish fry mix and panko bread crumbs in bowl and set aside. Get shrimp out and place 3 or 4 shrimp at a time in the egg wash mixture, then place shrimp in breading, evenly coating with mixture. Set on plate and repeat until finished with all shrimp. While you are finishing breading the last few shrimp, put 1/4" of olive oil in a pan and put the stove on medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the shrimp. I cooked about 10 shrimp in the pan at a time. Cook each side for about 2 minutes, watching closely so the shrimp do not overcook and get too brown. The shrimp should be a nice golden-brown. After shrimp are cooked, place foil over a pot with 2" of water and boil. Cut slits in the foil so steam rises all over the surface and place 2 or 3 tortillas on at a time, flipping over after about 20 seconds on each side. Get your nicely steamed tortillas, hot shrimp, cabbage, cheese, and garlic sauce out of the fridge. Enjoy your shrimp tacos with endless toppings! 

Recipe for Roasted Potatoes:

• 3 small Russet potatoes
• 1 large sweet potato
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. seasoned salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper

Dice the potatoes into 1" quarters, in large bowl mix potatoes, olive oil, and seasonings. Hand toss and place onto a baking pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes. Bake longer if necessary. I like to use parchment paper underneath these little joyous nuggets of flavor-it makes cleaning up so much easier!

Mountain Man in his natural habitat. 

**Mountain Man had a couple of suggestions after we ate: he suggested I mix the freshly chopped cabbage with the garlic sauce to create a garlicky slaw. Another suggestion he had was to bread the shrimp in Panko crumbs alone, not with the fish fry. It will probably have a lighter crunch and taste.** 

Enjoy y'all! 

Dakota Darling 

Rummaging!

So a highlight of this past weekend was going to Rummage Sales with my landlord's wife. Here in the Dakotas, they call garage sales or yard sales "rummage sales", and they go "rummaging". People are very serious about their rummaging habits (or addiction?). Another popular past time is attending auctions; estate auctions, consignment auctions, farm equipment auctions, you name it they have it. I have gone rummaging a couple of weekends. I even meticulously planned my rummage route, and was still blown away by how many items were already sold by the time I arrived. I clearly don't have much of an advantage on the locals that rummage. We furnished our entire place with rummage and Goodwill items. I have learned so much about bargain buying and realized how much good "used" stuff is out there. I feel it will be a very long time before I pay full price on anything and not feel bad about it! 

Here are some of the cool things we scored at Rummage Sales

Vera Bradly purse in mint condition- $1.00

Recliner, Lamp, and end table from Goodwill-$28.00
Couch from Craigslist- $60.00
coffee table from rummaging- $10.00

Rummage- 4 Elk coasters for $5.00
Rummage- candles $0.14 a piece!

I have picked up several other items, such as a huge Ball mason jar, wall decorations, Mary Kay products, plastic wine glasses, and I should probably stop there haha! 

So if you're ever in the Dakotas, pick up a newspaper for yourself and look in the classified section for "rummage sales", or if you're brave, an auction! You can thank me later ;-)

-Dakota Darling

Breakfast of Champions!

I made this Quiche the other night, I used a combination of recipes. One was from Paula Deen's Southern Cooking Bible: Cheesy Southern Quiche with Country Ham, and Pioneer Woman's Cowboy Quiche. I came up with a delicious combo of both recipe's and had my first quiche-baking experience. Paula's recipe required me to prebake the pie crust for a total of about 35 minutes, so I had some holes in my pie crust when I poured in the egg mixture. The crust was surrounded by egg, so it tasted like a frittata-quiche. I used 6 eggs, Paula's called for 3, Pioneer's called for 8. I used the same ingredients in Pioneer Woman's, but I added country ham to it. Overall, it was very savory and tasty and pairs well with fruit and and coffee!

Pioneer Woman's Cowboy Quiche Recipe: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2013/06/cowboy-quiche/

Paula Deen's Cheesy Southern Quiche with Country Ham: http://books.google.com/books?id=SEa1NJxPngAC&pg=PA98&lpg=PA98&dq=Paula+Deen+Cheesy+Southern+Quiche+with+Country+Ham&source=bl&ots=am-eNE5DjY&sig=qcoCJcmpJiDkJTVgPmSoEqc5d8c&hl=en&sa=X&ei=NwIEUsDaGsjMyQHorICIBg&ved=0CEAQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=Paula%20Deen%20Cheesy%20Southern%20Quiche%20with%20Country%20Ham&f=false