holiday weekend recap

Well, it was a fantastic July 4th weekend (until our unfortunate accident, the details of which I'll spare you though I'm tempted to post the picture of my poor mangled Subaru!)

Hubby and I drove to Lafayette, Louisiana to share the holiday with his family there. Thursday, we were treated to my mother-in-law Jacque's "no recipe" gumbo. She's insisted that there is no recipe for her gumbo, but this time, I grabbed a sticky note and started jotting down her ingredients. So, in addition to brownies, I will be working on making a version Jacque's gumbo and a tabbouleh salad recipe she gave me.


Think I'll be able to follow that recipe?

Friday we were treated to stuffed chicken and pork chops, homemade mac and cheese casserole, baked beans with sweet onions, peppers, and ground beef (a really delicious twist on the traditional sweet baked beans), salad with homegrown tomatoes (yeah, just like the Guy Clark song), and chocolate eclair cake.

Friday night, after my initiation into the world of Wii Bowling, the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra treated us to a blend of Cajun music and traditional July 4th tunes, followed by a beautiful fireworks display.

But, back to the food: Saturday was spent strolling the shops in downtown Breaux Bridge, my mother-in-law's hometown, then catching up over drinks with Aunt Helen and Uncle Fred. Fred and Helen collect, repair, and sell antique collectibles, linens, and vintage fans; and make and sell all kinds of fantastic preserves and syrups. (If you're ever in Breaux Bridge, you can find their booth at Le Napoleon downtown.)


A sampling of our goodies from Fred and Helen!

While in town, we had lunch at the Cafe Des Amis, a popular spot for visitors that features a fun Zydeco breakfast (which we missed) and a very tasty turtle soup which my hubby is quite fond of (though I seriously doubt I'll be attempting a recipe any time soon!) If you are in town, however, I hear the humbler Le Cafe is amazing for delicious po' boys.

Sunday, it was time to hit the road, though Adam couldn't return Texas without a stop for some hot boudin sausage links that we spread onto bread in the car for sandwiches, which makes for a nice retro road trip luncheon, in my opinion!






Happy July! Enjoy a wheat beer for me. I'm sadly stuck with ibuprofen for a few more days!