Anchors Away...

There are two kinds of people in this world.  Those who love cruises and those who don't.  Or perhaps more accurately, those who've never been.  My family growing up was definitely the latter.  We were more of the "fly somewhere, rent a car and drive as far as possible in every direction" kind of people.  Maybe it was because we lived in southern Florida and had about all we could handle of sand and such, but I've only set foot on a "cruise" ship once.  { And I use quotation marks for a reason.  It was a retired ship, re-commissioned to send students on educational tours around the Mediterranean.  I was 17 and I went with the Latin Club.  I'm told that doesn't count as cruising. }

My husband's family on the other hand... cruisers.  Big time.  As in, he can quote tonnage and berth and uses words like "aft" and "lido deck."  He even hit the $1500 jackpot in a game of Bingo on a boat when he was 10.  The kid's been on maybe a dozen cruises in his lifetime.

With our first anniversary fast approaching, we'd like to go somewhere tropical.  Spencer's vote?  A cruise, of course.  Me?  I'm worried about crowds, cheesy tour directors, tacky decor and buffets of mediocre food all aboard a giant floating Holiday Inn.  { That, and the possibility of the power going out and us being stuck at sea for days in the dark with only Pop Tarts and SPAM to eat.  And then there's that whole Titanic thing.  Are there icebergs in the Caribbean? }

{ I mean, this looks nice! }

In the spirit of don't-knock-it-'til-you've-tried-it, though, I'm willing to give it a shot.  After a bit of research and trying to overcome the stereotypes in my head, my wish list is as follows:

• Preferably Not on Carnival - For some reason this just conjures up images of loud and tacky boats full of crazy college kids on Spring Break.  Fun when you're one of them... but it seems like that might put a damper on the whole romantic anniversary getaway thing.  Celebrity, Royal Carribbean, Cunard, Crystal... those sound more my style.
• Avoid Mexico - While I'm sure it's beautiful, and I'd love to see the Mayan Ruins, I don't exactly want to run into a drug cartel.  And I have visions of Senor Frogs.
• Balcony/Window - If we can afford it, I'd love to have a view of some kind.  I've come to grips that the room will be small, but a little sunshine would be nice.
• Leave Out of Ft. Lauderdale - I'd love to tack on a day or two and show Spencer where I grew up.
• Budget - I'm a champagne girl on a beer budget.  Of this I am well aware.  But I refuse to feel like I have to wear socks in our room at all times.  So there has to be a balance.  Where is the TJ Maxx of vacations?

{ Calgon, take me away! }

So, when you cross-reference my wish list with the one week we'd be able to go... there is only one cruise that matches them all.  And of course, it's the newest, fanciest, largest ship in the world. { Read: fabulous, but way too expensive. }  Something's gotta give.

We could sacrifice the line and go on Carnival.  But looking at the virtual tours online makes me think it might be like vacationing aboard Liberace's houseboat.  Then again, we could get a better room since the they are less expensive.

Or, we could leave out of Port Canaveral... which means we could drive { parking at the port would be cheaper than airfare } and be on Royal Caribbean, though not on the brand-new fancy-schmancy boat.  The ship seems very nice and only a few years old, but we would make one stop in Mexico.

So... if you're one of the few people still reading this { hi Mom! }. what do you think?  Have you ever been on a cruise?  Any tips for a first-timer?

Flowchart Lovers, Rejoice

A friend of mine recently tweeted this, and I couldn't resist sharing.  Click to enlarge and then sing it with me now!  Naaaaa naa naa na na na naaaa... : )

Tomorrow Is Today.

"We are now faced with the fact, my friends, that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now.  In this unfolding conundrum of life and history, there is such a thing as being too late.  Procrastination is still the thief of time.  Life often leaves us standing bare, naked, and dejected with a lost opportunity.  The tide in the affairs of men does not remain at flood -- it ebbs.  We may cry out desperately for time to pause in her passage, but time is adamant to every plea and rushes on.  Over the bleached bones and jumbled residues of numerous civilizations are written the pathetic words, 'Too late.' "

{ Martin Luther King, Jr. }

Seriously Simple Spaghetti

By the end of the second day of being cooped up in the Atlanta snowstorm, I was sorely in need of a trip to the grocery store and tired of everything to eat in our house.  The one expedition we made out of the neighborhood got us as far as CVS, and while we made an attempt at Publix... the Honda just wouldn't have it.

So I was left to fend for something in the pantry and freezer.  Frozen pizza?  No thanks.  We wanted something hearty and warm { and preferably not soup from a can }.

Having used up the vast majority of produce on hand, and having not been to Costco in several weeks because I'm waiting on the coupons to arrive, the pickings were slim.  Or so I thought.  With less than 30 minutes of easy prep from start to finish, we pulled off a pretty darn good Italian dinner.

You see, most of the cooking I do is from a recipe { or at least a variation of one }, so when Spencer declared this dinner a "repeater" and it came from my head and not from a book... I deemed it worth sharing. : )  Enjoy!

Seriously Simple Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
• 2 cloves Garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 lb. Sausage - I used the Jimmy Dean Sage variety because that's what we had on hand; I imagine that the Italian blend would work just as well.
• 1-2 teaspoons of Italian Seasoning, to taste - Omit if using Italian Sausage.
• 1/2 jar of Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce - I used Barilla, again because it's what was in the pantry.  Marinara would also work.
• Whole Wheat Spaghetti - My favorite? Alma's.  It's imported from Italy and less expensive than Barilla or Mullers.  Plus, it's delicious without being so dense as other whole wheat pastas.
• Mozzarella, Parmesan or Asiago Cheese for topping

Optional Additions

• Diced Onion
• Mushroom slices
• Zucchini

Directions

1. Bring large pot of salted water to a boil and prepare pasta according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add garlic and saute, stirring often.  If you're adding any additional vegetables, now is the time to toss them in as well.
• Tip: Don't have a garlic peeler?  No worries.  Just grab a large kitchen knife (like a santoku), lay the knife on a cutting board with the clove under the middle portion of the blade and give it a good whack.  The peel should come off easily, and you've got a great head start on crushing the garlic if you don't have a garlic press.
3. Once garlic is translucent, add Italian Seasoning and sausage and cook until browned.  This will take several minutes and occasional stirring to break up any large pieces of meat.
• Tip: The easiest way to get all of the meat from a package of sausage is to cut the cylinder in half, then squeeze each half into the pan much as you would toothpaste.  No waste and clean hands!
4. When the sausage is finished cooking, add approximately half the jar of tomato sauce and reduce the heat to medium-low.  Stir well, being sure to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
5. Allow sauce to simmer gently until pasta is al dente.
• Tip: Now's a great time to start on some Easy Cheesy Garlic Bread { recipe below }.
6. Drain pasta, spoon meat sauce over top and sprinkle with cheese.
7. Serve with Caesar Salad and/or Easy Cheesy Garlic Bread and enjoy!

Easy Cheesy Garlic Bread

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• Thick Sliced Bread - My sister gave me a sourdough starter for Christmas, so we've had plenty of  sourdough bread laying around.  Wheat bread or rolls would work fine, as would a nice crusty baguette.
• 2 tablespoons Softened Butter or Buttery Spread - I used good ol' Brummel & Brown because it was already in the fridge and it spreads easily.
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
• 1/2 tablespoon grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1/4 cup Mozzarella or Asiago Cheese

Directions

1. Heat oven on broil setting.
2. Arrange bread slices on aluminum foil-lined sheet pan.  For crispier garlic bread, toast slices beforehand.
3. In a small bowl, mix butter, garlic, Italian Seasoning and parmesan.
• Tip: Forget to set the butter out to soften?  No worries.  Just stand the butter up on its end in the microwave and zap at five second intervals.  Time required will vary with wattage, but setting the butter up on its end allows it to soften more evenly.
4. Using a knife or pastry brush, spread butter mixture onto bread slices and sprinkle with mozzarella.
5. Broil until toasted and bubbly.  But keep an eye on it,  broilers are notorious for burning!  { Or, at least mine is. }

We have another package of Sage Sausage in the freezer... and I have a feeling this one's going to be back in the dinner rotation pretty soon!

Better Late Than Never!

So I'm a little late with the Christmas recap.  The whole emergency-room-overnight-stay-till-Christmas-Eve-craziness kind of put me behind, but getting snowed in makes for time to write.  Better late than never!

We had a little Christmas Party at our house, so of course I channeled Mom to cover the place in Christmas.  I'm pretty sure a Hallmark store exploded onto our tree.  Jayne would be so proud.

And if you're channeling the legen- { wait for it } -dary Philly G then there has to be a flower arrangement.  I think she was proud of me on this one.  Except that my container leaked.  Hence the dish towel.  Oh well.  Next time I'll line it with foil.

And if you're going to channel the women in our family, then the infamous Maude is next on the list.  Which means Christmas cupcakes are not far behind.  A little piped white chocolate { okay clearly it's green }, a few Red Hots and... BING!  Instant holly berries.

Just prior to what shall now be referred to as the Emory Adventist Adventure, we had the in-laws over for dinner.  Well, I guess they're really only my in-laws.  They're Spencer's parents, sister and such. : ) However you slice it,  I got to break out the china, silver and crystal and I was PUMPED. { Oh my word I am my mother.  At least I'm aware of it. }

And then we finally made it to Macon to wake up there on Christmas morning, post-Emory Adventist Adventure.  I've never not woken up with my parents on a birthday, and I'm so thankful to have been able to have done it for the 27th time.

No Gamble family Christmas is complete without some sort of redneck gift { or gifts, as the case may be }.  While I'm embarrassed to admit that we actually like our comfy $5-clearance-bin-at-the-tractor-store-camouflage-deer-patterned-flannel pajama bottoms, Spencer's hat stole the show.  Picture a camouflage hat with animated, light-up deer antlers that sings "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer".  Oh yes, and it came with a turkey call.  Thanks, Jimmy Boy.  If there are turkey in the suburbs of Atlanta, we'll find 'em.

How on earth do you top that?  Well, to be honest you don't.  But we tried.  With "It's A Major Award!" pajamas for Dad.  { I need suggestions for next year, people.  Help a girl out. }

So... while this Christmas didn't exactly go as we'd planned, it was Christmas all the same.  Here's to 2011!