Ssshhhh This Time It's A Secret! Dec 2015 pre-trip report

[vleeth]

Our tour through Louisiana History was educational and fun.

This is the only picture I will post since the others have lots of people in them and I don't want to put them on here without permission.

I'm not sure you can read the text, but there is a confederate flag on here. I guess it's not popular enough to be removed because it was hanging in the museum.



To continue with our Princess and the Frog theme we stopped and got our late lunch



We then drove home and had shrimp stew for supper.



We had fun watching this movie. I'm sure there are jokes we think are super funny that most people don't get.

I guess we will try for Tangled next week!

 

[Chicago Mo]

Omg those alligator heads!!!!! Scary!!!!
Everything else looks amazing and beautiful I hope to get there one day!!!

 

[Gracefulskinny]

Catching back up! I don't know how I've fallen so far behind but it looks like you've got some good plans going! Your Princess and the Frog movie day looked really fun!

 

[vleeth]

Omg those alligator heads!!!!! Scary!!!!
Everything else looks amazing and beautiful I hope to get there one day!!!

Hope had a baby gator as a pet when she was younger. We let him go when we found out it's illegal.

Catching back up! I don't know how I've fallen so far behind but it looks like you've got some good plans going! Your Princess and the Frog movie day looked really fun!

It was a really fun day. I don't think we'll be able to top having a movie day and night.

 

[vleeth]

I just noticed my ticker says 2 months, 2 weeks and 2 days!

 

[Sisa]

Finally all caught up! Your plans look good

Oh my that school bread is SO good!!!!

New Orleans looked like so much fun and those bengiets look very yummy!

Really enjoy seeing your movie nights and totally agree with changing to Princess and the frog, definitely more fitting!

 

[Chicago Mo]

Hope had a baby gator as a pet when she was younger. We let him go when we found out it's illegal.

OMG where did you let it go?!?!

 

[vleeth]

Finally all caught up! Your plans look good

Oh my that school bread is SO good!!!!

New Orleans looked like so much fun and those bengiets look very yummy!

Really enjoy seeing your movie nights and totally agree with changing to Princess and the frog, definitely more fitting!

I am so looking forward to stopping in Norway for my snack. Reading trip reports has convinced me to stop at Germany and have some snacks there as well!

For this weeks movie night we are going to attempt homemade pretzels that we will braid to look like hair. I've never done this before, so it will be interesting.

OMG where did you let it go?!?!

In our back yard!

There is a wooded area that is also sometimes swampy right behind our property. So we let him go right next to the bayou. I know it sounds crazy if you don't live here, but that is his natural habitat.

I've lived in South LA all my life and don't know of a single person bitten by one. I think people confuse them with crocs. Crocs will attack and eat people, gators only attack people if they feel threatened or to protect eggs.

 

[Chicago Mo]

In our back yard!

There is a wooded area that is also sometimes swampy right behind our property. So we let him go right next to the bayou. I know it sounds crazy if you don't live here, but that is his natural habitat.

I've lived in South LA all my life and don't know of a single person bitten by one. I think people confuse them with crocs. Crocs will attack and eat people, gators only attack people if they feel threatened or to protect eggs.

Now it makes sense... I didn't know where you lived! LOL!!!! I was thinking the old wives tales about the gators in sewers in NY ha ha ha ha ha!
also remember.. City girl here...

 

[vleeth]

Now it makes sense... I didn't know where you lived! LOL!!!! I was thinking the old wives tales about the gators in sewers in NY ha ha ha ha ha!
also remember.. City girl here...

I guess we are polar opposites in that sense because I am a country girl. We live on 3 acres. Our current animal population consists of (in order of appearance) chickens, ducks, a dog, miniature goats, geese and our newest addition is a kitten that found its way into our yard this past weekend.

Hope has adopted her and named her Tiger Lily.

Sometime in the next 2 or 3 years we will gets cows (again) maybe sheep and Dave wants turkeys.

We also have squirrels that live in our trees

 

[vleeth]

Y'all we finally had our Tangled movie night.

I have to admit I wasn't sure how well (read tasty) the pretzels would turn out.

Thankfully Dave helped (he is good at making and baking bread.)



Now I'm sure you noticed the Mickey shaped one. Dave made it. When I saw it I couldn't help thinking how sweet he is. He made me a Mickey Pretzel.

Only, he didn't make a Mickey. He was just trying for a pretzel shape and he ate it.



So we had spaghetti with angel 'hair' pasta and braided 'hair' pretzels.



They tasted awesome! They were so good I didn't even want to eat my supper.


The plan was to have cinnamon rolls (braided of course) for dessert but we were so into the game of Catan we played after the movie that I forgot.

So we had this for breakfast this morning.

 

[Chicago Mo]

That looks SO GOOD!!! I would love the recipe?

 

[vleeth]

That looks SO GOOD!!! I would love the recipe?

Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/2 cups (360ml) warm water (lukewarm, no need to take temperature)
• 1 packet active dry or instant yeast (2 and 1/4 teaspoons)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon (8g) granulated sugar
• 3.75 - 4.25 cups (480-530g) all-purpose flour + more for work surface (or mix of whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour)
• 1 large egg, beaten
• coarse sea salt for sprinkling

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Set aside.
2. Dissolve yeast in warm water. Stir with a spoon until fairly mixed, about 1 minute. Some clusters of yeast will remain. Add salt and sugar; stir until fairly combined. Slowly add 3 cups of flour, 1 cup at a time. Mix with a wooden spoon until dough is thick. Add 3/4 cup more flour until the dough is no longer sticky. If it is still sticky, add up to 1/2 cup more. Poke the dough with your finger - if it bounces back, it is ready to knead.
3. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead the dough for about 3 minutes and shape into a ball. With a sharp knife, cut ball of dough into 1/3 cup sections. This measurement does not have to be exact - use as much or little dough for each pretzel as you wish - the size of the pretzel is completely up to you.
4. Roll the dough into a rope with an even diameter. My ropes were twenty inches long. This measurement will depend how large you want the pretzels. Once you have your long rope, take the ends and draw them together so the dough forms a circle. Twist the ends, then bring them towards yourself and press them down into a pretzel shape. See above for link to visual instructions.
5. This fifth step is optional: Whisk 9 cups of water and 1/2 cup baking soda together in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Place a pretzel onto a large slotted spatula and dip into the boiling water for 20-30 seconds. Any more than that and your pretzels will have a metallic taste. The pretzel will float. Lift the pretzel out of the water and allow as much of the excess water to drip off. Place pretzel onto prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the pretzels. Read why this is a good option here. But again, it's not necessary and I did not do it for these pretzels.
6. In a small bowl, beat the egg and pour into a shallow bowl or pie dish. Dunk the shaped pretzel into the egg wash (both sides). Place on baking sheet and sprinkle with salt.
7. Bake for 10 minutes at 425F degrees. Turn the oven to broil and bake for 5 more minutes to brown the tops. Watch closely to avoid burning. I do the 5 minute broil no matter if I do step 5 or not.
8. Allow to cool and enjoy. Serve warm or at room temperature. Pretzels may be stored in an airtight container or zipped top bag for up to 3 days (will lose softness).
9. Make ahead tip: Pretzels freeze well, up to 2 months. To reheat, bake frozen pretzels at 350°F (177°C) for 20 minutes or until warmed through. The prepared pretzel dough can be refrigerated for up to one day or frozen in an airtight container for 2-3 months. Thaw frozen dough in the refrigerator overnight. Refrigerated dough can be shaped into pretzels while still cold, but allow some extra time for the pretzels to puff up before the baking soda bath and baking.

 

[vleeth]

That looks SO GOOD!!! I would love the recipe?

Also, I should add we did not stir this. We used the dough hook on the kitchenaid. It would take quite a bit to stir this.

We did the baking soda thing. Dave says that's what make it taste like a pretzel.

 

[Sisa]

HAHA the Mickey pretzel story has me cracking up and I could totally see my DH doing that.

Love all the braided items!

Cinnamon rolls for the next morning sounds perfect!

 

[vleeth]

HAHA the Mickey pretzel story has me cracking up and I could totally see my DH doing that.

Love all the braided items!

Cinnamon rolls for the next morning sounds perfect!

He really is a good husband. He would do pretty much anything to make me happy. But he's also clueless sometimes. lol We'll be making pretzels again in a couple of weeks. Maybe he'll actually make me a Mickey one this time.

Thanks, the leftovers were good too!

 

[Gracefulskinny]

Now I'm sure you noticed the Mickey shaped one. Dave made it. When I saw it I couldn't help thinking how sweet he is. He made me a Mickey Pretzel.

Only, he didn't make a Mickey. He was just trying for a pretzel shape and he ate it.

 

[vleeth]

Well guys, today is the day...

not THE day of course, but it is my

Stay Up Late And Make Fastpass+ For A Trip Two Months Away Day

And as luck would have it (I don't know why I say that because I don't really believe in luck) I have a cold or something. My head and nose are stuffy. But better today than 60 days from now!

We didn't do a movie night last weekend because we made the decision to go tent camping...

 

[vleeth]

We all love camping. The weather was perfect for tent camping this weekend and since this was our only free weekend this fall, we went!



For some reason food tastes better when camping.



We played a few games of Catan while we were there.





Dave & I talked Disney while Hope was at the playground.

He said 3 things...two made me crazy and one made me happy.

The first two were changes to the touring plans I made. For our MK day he thought we should have our FP+ early so we could get more later and he wants to eat at the cs place in Morocco.

I love when the man gives me his thoughts...but not two days before it's time to make FP choices! (I did get them done, cause I'm awesome like that.)

Then we were discussing this hotel that I plan to stay at one day that is super budget but gets really good reviews. He asked me how much, so I looked it up. He then proceeds to tell me that's a really good price. So I booked one night to check the place out. That means instead of leaving at 9:00PM we will leave that morning!

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

I'm staying up late with you tonight and I also see to have a cold combined with only 2 1/2 hours sleep last night! Hahaha. Good luck to both of us!