The Cooking Ladies ON and OFF THE ROAD

Entertaining Recipe

2011-12-01T23:08:00.001-05:00

Here is a sample of holiday recipes by The Cooking Ladies

that can be found on the Go RVing Canada Facebook Page

FOR MORE RECIPES PLEASE CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINK
AND THEN CHOOSE THE RECIPE TAB

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Go-RVing-Canada/156852814413471

SALMON CHEESE SPREAD

(Makes 1 1/2 cups)
7 1/2    ounces (213 g)             canned salmon
1          tablespoon (15 mL)     horseradish, drained
8          ounces (250 g)             cream cheese
1          tablespoon (15 mL)     Worcestershire sauce

Drain the salmon and remove the bones and skin.

Combine the salmon, drained horseradish, cream cheese, and Worcestershire sauce in a food processor.
Blend until smooth.
Transfer the salmon spread to a small serving bowl and refrigerate to chill.
Serve with crackers.
©2011
www.thecookingladies.com

25 Holiday Recipes

2011-12-01T22:42:00.001-05:00

A recipe a day for 25 days.Check it out by clicking on the link below and then on the 'recipe' tab.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Go-RVing-Canada/156852814413471

The Cooking Comedians

2011-03-20T09:08:00.001-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgmKh1xnR5Y

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

2011-02-16T21:03:00.003-05:00

We drive into people's lives

Share the hour

And drive out again

Wondering

If we will ever see them again

And if we stayed longer

Would the withdrawal be as intense

Would the sweetness be diluted

We meet by chance

Connecting

At a moment in time

At a particular place on earth

We leave

Glad to have been there

Because after all

For that moment in time

It was our favorite place on earth

CUBA

2009-12-24T19:24:00.032-05:00

CUBA

Is Cuba ready for these characters??

Let it rain. Let it rain. Let it rain.....

Blau Varadero Resort Hotel

Drive on ...

Thumbs up!

You get to pour your own rum!!!

Love the classic cars.

Hotel Nacional in Havana

The famous Tropicana show

Cary and Tina Marshall from England enjoying the daiquiris.

Mojitos!!!!!

And check out these cigars!!

A Cuban Christmas tree.

AS USUAL, IT'S ALL ABOUT THE FOOD!!

2009-10-19T22:25:00.013-04:00

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, CANADA

The newest cook at the test kitchen!!!

Yum. These roasted peppers are about to become pickled peppers.

There are a lot of pumpkin pies in this field.

Life is short....Eat the dessert first!

Sweet potato casserole ready to go in the oven.

Big Bird!

Turkey plus rolled, stuffed, pork to make sure there are leftovers until 2010. What were we thinking?

It sure looks delicious.

And, isn't it pretty all sliced on the plate?

KEN CAN COOK

2009-09-26T19:06:00.006-04:00

LEMON TARTS

2009-09-26T18:50:00.002-04:00

We just made these lemon tarts and they are delicious if you love lemon.

ZESTY LEMON TARTS
(Makes 18 servings)

2 eggs
2 egg yolks
4 ounces (113 g) butter
1/2 cup (125 mL) fresh lemon juice (about 2 large lemons)
Lemon zest from 2 lemons, chopped small
6 tablespoons (90 mL) sugar
18 baked mini tart shells

Place the eggs and egg yolks in a small bowl. Whisk the eggs until smooth.
Melt the butter in the top of a double boiler.
Add the eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest, and sugar to the melted butter. Whisk the ingredients in the double boiler over medium-high heat until the mixture thickens.
Remove the lemon filling from the heat. Cool. Spoon the filling into pre-baked, cooled mini tart shells.
Tip: In order to squeeze the maximum amount of juice out of lemons, roll whole lemons on the counter while applying pressure from the palm of the hand. Use a zester to get extra fine zest from the lemon peel.

WORK BEES, FOOD, FUN, FAMILY & FRIENDS

2009-09-21T17:28:00.031-04:00

Painting, Trimming, & Cementing

Raclette party with Pat & Joan

PJ party with Brenda and Barb

An afternoon with John, Peggie, Bonnie & Doug

A frequent visitor to the test kitchen

Tomatoes soon to be Ketchup

Nephew Ross off to Peru

Here are two Underground Railroad Sites that are definitely worth a visit.

Labour Day Weekend in North Buxton, Ontario, at the Buxton Historical Society. Great speakers. Excellent food. And we were thrilled to be invited on the hay ride. What fun!

Then off to the Dawn Settlement in nearby Dresdon, Ontario, and the site of Uncle Tom's Cabin

The Road Crew joins The Cooking Ladies at the test kitchen for ...

an event at Mcnaughton's Home Hardware in Newbury.

VISITORS AT THE TEST KITCHEN

2009-08-22T09:49:00.022-04:00

Loving that low-country boil...

A monarch butterfly drops by to taste the geraniums

What is that brown thing between the wipers on the motorhome. Is it something the wind blew in?

You have to get a little close to see it..... scroll down...

Here's what the wind blew in.

IT'S A BAT!!!! Hanging upside down from the rubber beneath the windshield. We have never seen one here before.

Isn't she cute sleeping in the middle of the afternoon with her nose under her wing? It was way too bright for her. When it also got too hot, she was suddenly gone. Bats eat more than their body weight in insects so she can come back for a visit anytime.

HUNGRY ISLAND

2009-08-21T19:06:00.020-04:00

SIX MILE LAKE

It's a difficult decision but sometimes a person needs to get away from one lake and go to another.

This orange boat will stand out as warning to other boaters that they should get out of the way, but really, do you trust these two to drive it?

Six Mile Lake in the Muskokas is quite a contrast to Lake Erie in Southwestern Ontario. Lake Erie can change it's mood several times in one day. If you wait 20 minutes the wind can turn calm, clear tourquoise water, like the Caribbean, into an angry, grey monster with waves crashing like the Atlantic.

On the other hand, with the wind in the Muskokas the leaves dance in the trees while you lie back in your favourite hammock.

One of a hundred photos of this humming bird

CHAUTAUQUA INSTITUTION

2009-07-25T18:01:00.005-04:00

We recommend the Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, New York. We spent a week there with friends in early July. It is a community where visitors come to find intellectual and spiritual growth and renewal. It runs for nine weeks every summer and encompasses the arts, education, religion and recreation. It is a place, removed from the day-to-day world, where some of the leading thinkers of our time come to speak to the concerns and issues of today. There is also music, dance, opera, theater and the visual arts.

Chautauqua is perhaps best known for its morning lecture series when the Amphitheater stage becomes the platform for distinguished speakers across a broad range of disciplines.

The theme for the week we attended was National Geographic. Donald Johanson was one of the speakers. His claim to fame is that he found the skeleton of "Lucy" who lived 3.2 million years ago.

Susan B. Anthony argued for women’s suffrage in 1892, and Franklin D. Roosevelt gave his "I Hate War" speech in 1936. Margaret Mead, Amelia Earhart, Thurgood Marshall, Freeman Dyson, Jane Goodall, Sandra Day O’Connor and Kurt Vonnegut have all spoken at Chautauqua.

JUNE AT THE TEST KITCHEN

2009-07-01T19:03:00.014-04:00

Ahhh!!!!

Vicky's big fire vs Judy's little fire. Happy Birthday, Judy

Is that a dimple, Bob?

The bikers!!!!

The pelican gets its head back - thanks to the cement doctors.

Hello to the neighbours, Ranald and Jeffery

The human foot stool

Dinner under the cabana with Laurel, Ranald and Carol

Laurel the painter

Lamont the painter

Thanks for your help, Carol.

In Toronto for the Canadian Authors' Association Conference....

Three authors having dinner -

The Cooking Ladies with Lamont's brother, Bob

Toronto City Hall

and Art Gallery

POLKA-BOBS

2009-05-27T22:36:00.003-04:00

POLKA-BOBS are marinated, tenderized, skewers of pork that are breaded and deep fried.

Frank Srokosz poses with The Cooking Ladies in his Polka-Bob kitchen near Erieau, Ontario.

TORONTO

2009-05-27T20:06:00.008-04:00

A DAY AT THE ROYAL ONTARIO MUSEUM (ROM)

MONTREAL

2009-05-27T10:17:00.017-04:00

THE COOKING LADIES meet DEBBIE TRAVIS

SPRING

2009-05-27T09:03:00.007-04:00

SOLD OUT Gals' Night Out

2009-04-29T11:00:00.016-04:00

GALS' NIGHT OUT with THE COOKING LADIES

It was a SOLD-OUT event on April 30 with over 200 women attending the Fund Raiser for Gable Rees Pool in Blenheim, Ontario

Event Coordinators:

Karen Herman (GRRP Committee Chair Person) and Elinor Mifflin

The Cooking Ladies, Phyllis and Lamont, entertain the crowd.

Martha Miller models during the Fashion Show presented by The Little Change Room

Yoga instruction

by McLauchlins Wellness Studio

Host Greg Hetherington of 93.5 Radio

"The Foodies"

Mike Brown of Brownies Catering with Lamont and Phyllis

Road Crew Ruth in charge of Cookbooks

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Road Crew Roger!!! How many men have 230 women wish them a happy birthday?

WHAT'S COOKING?

2009-04-24T14:31:00.018-04:00

ZESTY CHICKEN BITES RECIPE

Read

Jessie Tyson

click on the arrow to view

To experience more readings by Jessie Tyson

please click on the link below

http://jessiebtyson.blogspot.com/

SPECIAL TIME WITH PHYLLIS' FAMILY

2009-04-17T12:04:00.009-04:00

Aunt Ruth cooked ham and all the trimmings for Easter. The food was delicious as always. We thought we would never be hungry again.

But the next day, we had room enough for more food and even ice cream.

"THE GIRL COUSINS"

Brenda, Phyllis, Jenni, and Jacqui

Cousin Brenda, Aunt Ruth, and Phyllis

Our newest addition to the family, Lyndon getting attention from Daddy Keith, Mommy Jacqui, and Grampa Ron

Too cute!!!

IN CELEBRATION OF A FRIEND'S NEW BOOK

2009-04-10T15:00:00.012-04:00

Shannon and Bryan Prince show off Bryan's latest novel, A SHADOW ON THE HOUSEHOLD.

Bryan and Shannon farm in North Buxton, Ontario. They are decendents of slaves who came to Canada prior to the American Civil War.

Shannon reads an excerpt from A SHADOW ON THE HOUSEHOLD. Their combined presentation brings alive a family's story of the struggle for freedom from slavery.

Bryan's incredible research details the true story of the challenges John and Arabella Weems' faced as they gathered their family together for their journey to safety in Canada.

The Cooking Ladies with their friends, Bryan and Shannon at the Blenheim, Ontario, Library.

THE NORTH SHORE OF LAKE ERIE

2009-04-10T14:55:00.004-04:00

Back at the test kitchen on the north shore of Lake Erie.

Question: Where is home?

Answer: Wherever we park it.

Question: What is your favorite place?

Answer: Wherever we are.

For awhile that spot is watching the lake change it's mind and it's mood.

Ahhhh........you can't beat that!

ON THE ROAD AGAIN HEADING NORTH

2009-04-09T22:08:00.009-04:00

Suspense!

More photos and adventures are coming soon.

If you haven't visited our website or watched us on YouTube,

Here are the links!!

http://www.thecookingladies.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enOaJWsdHr0

THE LONGFORD WATER COMPANY

2009-04-04T12:06:00.004-04:00

Wava & Kim Kramer hold a jug of Kiowata.

The water from the Longford Water Company in Longford, Kansas, is pure naturally, thanks to the Kiowa Aquifer deep below the surface.People in the area say it is the best water they have ever tasted.

We have to agree. We left with two cases of it in the motorhome.

WE THOUGHT IT WAS SPRING!

2009-04-04T11:54:00.010-04:00

What a difference a day makes.... Or did it have something to do with April Fool's Day?

April 1, 2009 at the Nichols' Ranch in Kansas

April 2, 2009 at the Nichols' Ranch in Kansas

Is this another April Fool's Joke? Has the motorhome grown legs? It's Loran Nichols, Darren Nichols, and Lamont Mackay checking out the new shocks. Good thing they did this on April 1 and not a day later in the snow.

LONGFORD, KANSAS

2009-04-04T10:32:00.036-04:00

DINNER WITH FAMILY AT THE COACHLIGHT RESTAURANT IN LONGFORD, KANSAS

Lloyd Nichols

Edna Nichols

Loran, Lonny, and Leo Nichols

Coachlight Restaurant

Longford, Kansas

A poem by Lloyd Nichols

Written in 1989

There's a little ole' restaurant

Here on Main Street.

They have food that can't be beat.

Roast Beef, chicken, and mulligan stew,

And they'll cook up anything

That will satisfy you.

The waitresses are humble - yet so sweet.

And they'll stand all day on their two feet.

First thing in the morning,

When they open the doors,

In come the ranchers

With great big roars.

Boots from the west,

Tennis shoes from the east,

Nobody cares, not in the least.

Cattle and hogs are really the talk,

Some gals come in just after a walk.

Here's to the Coachlight,

To both young and old,

There are a lot of stories yet,

That haven't been told.

Chicken fried steak

Thank you Edna & Lloyd Nichols, Leo & Donna Nichols, Lonny & Carol Nichols, Loran & Sharon Nichols, and Don & Carol Sutter for your Kansas hospitality.

WHERE'S THE BEEF?

2009-04-04T09:39:00.018-04:00

THE BEEF IS IN LONGFORD, KANSAS!!

It's feeding time with cousin Loran Nichols in Longford, Kansas.

Look at the size of this bale of hay!

Loran and The Cooking Ladies feed the orphan calves.

LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS

2009-03-30T16:06:00.013-04:00

At the Whole Hog Cafe, there are so many choices of BBQ sauce that you need to eat there a few times to try them all. This is not a problem because the food is so good.

The number of trophies and ribbons all over the walls must make this the best-loved BBQ in the United States.

We joined our friends, Jane and Carl Pierce, for a tour of the William J Clinton Presidential Library.

An exact replica of the oval office is in the building.

A beautiful glass Christmas tree created by glass artist Dale Chihuly is on exhibit in the Clinton library. The entire ceiling of the foyer of the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas consists of glass flowers by Chihuly. His work is spectacular.

HOT SPRINGS, ARKANSAS

2009-03-30T14:59:00.005-04:00

Beautiful buildings in downtown Hot Springs, Arkansas

The Fordyce Bath House is now a tourist attraction.

Our friends, Judy and Max Wehunt and their dog, Doodles, live in Hot Springs. Judy was our tour guide.

There are two things that make McClard's Bar-B-Q famous. One is the fantastic food. The other is that it was here where Bill Clinton proposed to Hillary.

YUM! YUM! What could be better than take-out Bar-B-Q from McClards, and a jug of natural spring water to go?

Lamont is filling a jug with cold, clear, natural spring water to take with us.

The water comes either hot or cold, depending which side of the moutain you are on. Hot water from open springs has an average temperature of 134 degrees Fahrenheit (56 degrees Celsius).

Lamont and Judy check out the Hubbard Tub in the Fordyce Bath House. The tub was installed in 1939. Today, there is only one bath house in operation. Although the hotels offer the service.

The Fordyce Bath portrays the elegance and sophistication of the bath houses of the past.

ACADIANA TRAIL

2009-03-25T12:04:00.017-04:00

This is the first time we have seen alstramaria on the bush.

They are an edible flower and we used them to garnish our catering trays long ago when we owned Trios Catering Company.

Azaleas are everywhere. Beautiful!

Lamont went for a haircut in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and met Lauren Orazi, Thelma Reder Batiste, and Shonda Gobert. Lauren has a Canadian flag tattoo because her grandfather was Canadian. Thelma's grandmother lived to be 100 and only spoke Cajun French.

Brian Whetstine, security at the Coushatta Casino Red Shoes RV Park in Kinder, Louisianna, shared his recipe for sauce picante. He also introduced us to tasso, a brined and smoked pork meat used to flavor his sauce.

Our friends, Jim & Elaine McGowan,

arrived at the the Red Shoes RV Resort in Kinder, Louisiana. It was great to see them and their little dog, Darby. Like us, they will soon be on their way north.

LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL, LOUISIANA

2009-03-25T00:03:00.016-04:00

Kinder, Louisiana

Louisiana Crab boil comes in jars big enough to last a northern cook a lifetime.

Guess who's coming to dinner at Fausto's restaurant?

Now that's a hamburger!

Hey, I'm stuck. I knew we shouldn't have poked our heads through this wall to check out what's cooking.

Lauren Thigpen at Fausto's Restaurant in Kinder said, "The only celebrities that haven't been here are the US Presidents, Elvis, and Marilyn Monroe. We've had an Elvis impersonator but it just isn't the same."

Local specialties:

gumbo, cracklin, boudin, and crawfish pepper jelly, boiled crawfish, fried alligator and catfish.

Wanda Pitre and Kelsey Robert at Boudin & Cracklin Express

Boudin is a sausage made with a mixture of pork or crawfish and rice with lots of Cajun spices.

Cracklin is chunks of pig skin (pork rind with fat and meat attached) deep fried and seasoned with Cajun spices. It's better than popcorn.

What's a family reunion without a good southern BBQ? Randy Bellon, the County Agent for Allen Parish, and family were cooking Boston butt pork steaks. Randy said they had chicken "for those who didn't know any better."

You want live crawfish? You can only buy them by the sack. Crawfish like to eat rice stubble so crawfish breeders seed the rice ponds with crawfish, wait for them to reproduce and then set traps to catch them.

AN INTERLUDE

2009-03-19T20:17:00.022-04:00

Click the link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enOaJWsdHr0

We have also added a new e-cookbook to our website.

www.thecookingladies.com

More adventures coming soon...
Please stay tuned.

LEAVING MISSISSIPPI

2009-03-19T01:41:00.009-04:00

Here we are leaving the Majestic Oaks RV Resort in Biloxi, Mississippi

Good bye Mississippi. Thanks for a wonderful time. We will be back.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

When we stopped at the Flying J Truck stop to gas up with diesel fuel, this bus pulled up beside us. The dog was from California. We hope he has a fun trip in the hippy mobile.

This is why we love what we're doing so much. How else would we meet such fascinating people?

GULFPORT, MISSISSIPPI, ST. PATRICK'S DAY PARADE

2009-03-19T01:24:00.008-04:00

There were beads flying from the floats but who would have guessed they would also throw cabbages? And who would believe that Phyllis can catch so well?

What will these people do with all those beads?

We hope the green is not a permanent hair color.

Lamont is ready to make a quick get-a-way with the "loot."

NEW ORLEANS -after Katrina

2009-03-18T23:19:00.034-04:00

You can see how high the flood water went by the rust on the gate.

We saw many front steps with no house.

Lisa & Donnie put this on their home to let people know they were okay.

These new houses are part of the "Musicians Village" a joint venture of well-known musicians to provide housing for people who lost their homes during the flood.

The Lower Ninth Ward was badly damaged by the hurricane.

Brad Pitt's foundation is called "Make it Right" and here is one of his houses under construction.

Maryann Spriggens stands with her family in front of her new home in the Ninth Ward. As soon as the services are hooked up she will be allowed to move in.

"This was Home" is written on the outside wall of this house along with the markings of the people who came by after the hurricane to see if there were still people in the house.

The zeros on this marking on the front door of the house means the occupants are gone.

Here is a house that has been raised up onto stilts and is partially repaired.

The writing on the outside wall of this house says it all.

Here is a house with a hole in the roof chopped open by someone in the actic.

The Mennonite Disaster Service came from Canada to New Orleans to help out. Here is their work site in the Ninth Ward.

A city of contrasts!

Houses of New Orleans.

NEW ORLEANS - The French Quarter

2009-03-18T22:02:00.012-04:00

Le Richelieu Hotel is the perfect place to stay to experience the French Quarter.

Becky Vincent hands us our room key.

Some interesting characters in the French Quarter

NEW ORLEANS - IT'S ALL ABOUT THE FOOD

2009-03-18T21:22:00.012-04:00

The New Orleans School of Cooking recipe for Red Beans & Rice

Kevin Belton taught us how to make pralines and pecan tarts.

Waiter Noonie Guichet and The Cooking Ladies at Tujague's where they serve their dishes in traditional Creole style. We had the best beef brisket with Creole sauce here.

For soul food we went to the Praline Connection, an interesting eating place on Frenchmen Street

We stood in line to sample the po'boy sandwiches at Mother's, a famous restaurant downtown.

Irene of Irene's Restaurant with The Cooking Ladies

Boiled Crawfish near the French Market

NEW ORLEANS' FAMOUS BEIGNETS

2009-03-18T20:54:00.006-04:00

Our before and after pictures!

The secret ingredient is powdered sugar.

Here's the guy who makes those beignets so tasty.

And here's the guy who delivered them to us. Isn't he cute?

BEADS GONE WILD after Mardi Gras in New Orleans

2009-03-18T20:32:00.010-04:00

This sign says that there is $1000 fine for littering.

We assume this does not apply to the beads in the trees.

There were so many beads in this tree that it was difficult to see the house.

Cozumel, Mexico

2009-03-16T23:18:00.007-04:00

Cozumel is an island that is 33 miles long and 11 miles wide. Jacques Cousteau called it one of the greatest diving destinations in the world. To many people Cozumel means SHOPPING for souveniers.

Some of us are energized by shopping and others just want to have a little sleep.

Belize City, Belize

2009-03-16T22:39:00.009-04:00

Belize is an English speaking country on the Caribbean coast of Central America borded on the north by Mexico, and the west and south by Guatemala.

Lunch and Mayan Temple beer at the Wet Lizard restaurant.

Our guide took us on a bus for a quick tour of Belize City before we headed an hour out of town over a narrow bumpy road to the ancient Mayan city of Altun Ha (Mayan for Rock Stone Water)

See the face in the stone?

See the croc?

John Gentle (on the left) creates wonderful walking sticks.

Santo Tomas De Castilla, Guatemala

2009-03-16T22:18:00.015-04:00

We travelled in small covered panga-type boats for a scenic cruise along the Rio Dulce to Ak'Tenamit, a community dedicated to empowering indigenous people through grass root programs in health, education and family income generation.

School children were making corn torillas for lunch.

Next stop was Livingston, the centre of the Garifuna culture where we had a snack and watched a Garifuna show at the Villa Caribe Hotel.

Lamont had a little siesta in a hammock under a coconut palm.

In Livingston, boys were arranging dried salted fish on the dock.

Costa Maya, Mexico

2009-03-16T21:55:00.003-04:00

The Costa Maya region is home to five of the area's ancient Mayan cities. We visited the Chaucchoben Mayan Ruins. We drove through swamps and low-lying jungle to reach the ruins.

ON THE HIGH SEAS

2009-03-16T21:34:00.010-04:00

A slight change in mode of transportation.....

We left the motorhome in Biloxi, Mississippi, and drove the towed car to the cruise ship terminal in New Orleans.

We spent March 1 to 8 aboard the Norwegian Spirit.

Our four ports of call were:

Costa Maya, Mexico; Belize City, Belize; Santo Tomas, Guatemala; and Cozumel, Mexico.

Every night the housekeeping staff got creative with our towels. This towel dog is wearing Phyllis' sunglasses. The green teeth tasted just like chocolate mints.

Our waitresses Elvie and Philisitos.

The Norwegian Spirit offers "Free-style" dining. We love it. No scheduled times or arranged seating.

BANQUETS & BEADS ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST

2009-02-28T17:38:00.013-05:00

In Biloxi, Mississippi, reconstruction started right after Katrina. The casinos, military, businesses, and local people literally picked themselves up, dusted themselves off and started again.

The Katrina Memorial in Biloxi, Mississippi

Many Live Oaks survived Katrina. Some did not. These along Beach Drive have been turned into works of art.

Along the waterfront the majority of the antebellum houses are gone. Foundations remain. Driveways and gate posts lead to nowhere.

We were wined, dined and toured around the area by Janice Jones and Nichole Learson from the Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau. For three days, the eating and the fun never stopped.

We even had King Cake for breakfast. It was delivered to our doorstep. King Cake is a Mardi Gras tradition. A soft coffee-style cake with colorful, sparkling icing. The traditional little baby Jesus, whether a plastic baby or just a bean, was not inside the cake. It seems this has proven dangerous over the years.

Mike Moore, captain of the Sailfish, took us out shrimping. The water was too cold for shrimp but our net caught blue crabs, squid, anchovies, and jelly fish. Pelicans and sea gulls came aboard to enjoy the catch.

Dinner at the Hard Rock Café at the Hard Rock Casino. Rock and Roll memorabilia. Our first meal in Biloxi and a hint of what was to come. Smoked barbecued ribs, fresh coleslaw, pulled pork and baked beans.

Walter Anderson Museum of Art in Ocean Springs. Walter Anderson’s love of the outdoors is very evident in his oil paintings, wood carvings and prints. He painted his seven seasons on the walls of the Ocean Springs community center. The staff treated us to more King Cake and we didn’t refuse.

Beauvoir, the home of Jefferson Davis, the President of the Confederate States of America. 12 feet of water inside and some window and roof damage but otherwise survived Katrina.

Dr. William Houston Tegarden, a friend of Jefferson Davis, joined us for a lunch of salad, red beans and rice with andouille sausage, bread pudding trickled with white chocolate sauce, and iced tea.

Caterer Calvin Coleman shared his recipes.

Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art. George Ohr was an eccentric, one of the first potter artists. The curator said that George “went over the edge and stayed over the edge.” George promoted himself as the mad potter in order to draw attention to his work.

JIA Asian restaurant at the Beau Rivage Casino. An incredible dining experience. Excellent service. The Beau Rivage is touted as the best casino on the Gulf Coast.

We dropped in to the preview to the Coronation Ball at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum & Convention Center. We watched from the balcony as the King and Queen of Mardi Gras, their pages and accompanying Dukes and Maids were presented to the crowd in their bright, traditional Mardi Gras outfits.

We all had the best time throwing beads from a float in the Mardi Gras Parade on Fat Tuesday.

We dressed up in tiaras, beads, and boas and threw colourful strings of beads from the upper level of the float to the thousands of people lining the parade route. We threw beads to people bouncing up and down in the backs of pick-up trucks, kids on the shoulders of their dads, and countless others with their arms in the air shouting “Me. Me.”

After the parade we ate at Mary Mahoney’s Old French House. The restaurant building was erected in 1737, predating American Independence by three decades. Mary Mahoney’s Old French House is mentioned in two of John Grisham’s books, The Runaway Jury and The Partner. Our seafood meal started with soft shell crab and fried and broiled crab claws.

As the first day of Lent arrived, we were ready to rest. And to diet.

The Cooking Ladies have fun on You Tube

2009-02-21T20:27:00.005-05:00

CLICK BELOW:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enOaJWsdHr0

Trouble on the Road to Biloxi

2009-02-19T16:53:00.007-05:00

It was going to be just a two hour drive from Foley, Alabama, to Biloxi, Mississippi. Everything was going well until we felt a severe vibration in the rear of the motorhome.

Phyllis pulled onto the shoulder. It wasn’t very wide. Fast moving semi-trailer trucks were passing just inches from our driver’s side mirror. Lamont went out to find that the rear end of the motorhome had lost air. It was sitting just an inch above the tires rather than the normal 2 to 3 inches. She could see a metal rod dangling in the middle of the axle.

Phyllis checked the GPS and there was an exit 4 miles ahead. We crawled along the shoulder of Interstate 10. The slower we moved, the less noise and vibration we caused. At one point, Lamont had to put on gloves and go out and remove a huge truck tire re-tread from the shoulder. The truckers call them alligators.

Once we were on the exit ramp, we telephoned James and Gayle Veraart at Patterson RV Sales & Service in Dutton, Ontario, for advice. We had to shut off the motorhome, crawl under the axle, take the rod and push it back up into its place. James said the bags would inflate and the motorhome would lift.

Phyllis noticed two men up ahead, also on the shoulder of the exit ramp. They were loading a pick-up truck onto a flat bed tow truck.

Lamont set off to see whether the men could help us. When Lamont as a "damsel-in-distress" explained The Cooking Ladies’ dilemma, Joe Vaughn, from Lucedale, Mississippi, and Andrew Rouse, also from Lucedale, immediately wanted to help.

Phyllis put the jacks down in order to raise the rear axle. In the meantime, Joe found a long stick and reached in and put the rod back into place. The airbags immediately started to fill with air and the coach began to lift up from the tires.

Phyllis pushed the usual buttons to store the jacks and nothing happened. Why could this be? The jacks worked a few minutes before. New challenge. The jacks had to be stored manually. Up went the hood over the generator. Four levers located under the generator hood, had to be turned in a counter clockwise direction. Andrew turned two levers, Lamont the other two so that the coach would drop evenly. Otherwise the windshield could crack.

Voila. The motorhome went down and the jacks tucked up into their sleeves. Later we learned it was operator error. Phyllis had accidentally pushed in the parking brake when she started the motorhome to fill the air bags. A built-in safety won't let the jacks store if the parking brake is not on.

The trip from Foley to Biloxi took six hours instead of two hours but, thanks to James & Gayle in Ontario, and Joe and Andrew and their Mississippi hospitality, we were on our way again.

Hitch-hikers at the Ferry to Dauphin Island, Alabama

2009-02-19T16:26:00.005-05:00

Beach houses on stilts dot the sand on the drive to the Dauphin Island ferry, west of Foley. Like snow, the sand drifts in around the stilts, filling in carports, driveways and roads. The landscape constantly changes.

On a windy, cool day, that was too uncomfortable for walking, we drove from the ferry landing to Fort Morgan, a huge example of military architecture. It was besieged by Union soldiers during the civil war.

As we sat in the car at the fort, we were approached by two women and a man. They asked if we could drive them to the ferry landing. They had come over from Dauphin Island and hadn’t realized how far the walk was from the landing to the fort. They were afraid they would miss the next ferry.

We squeezed Joanne Leon from Mobile, Alabama, and her cousin Jerry Long and his wife, Candida, from Orange, California, into the back seat. By having a ride they were early for their ferry so we sat in the car and talked.

Joanne gave us her recipe for gumbo, in detail because she had just made it the day before for her guests. We were ecstatic because we had been searching for a really good gumbo recipe. When Joanne finished with the gumbo she described her West Indies Salad. Made with crab. Both are at the top of our list of “recipes to try”.

When the ferry arrived we were so busy talking that the trio had to rush to catch it. We hugged and exchanged email addresses. Once again, we met people who inspire us with food ideas and a warm memory of where we’ve been.

The Beach Culture in Florabama

2009-02-19T15:56:00.010-05:00

Florabama, where Florida and Alabama meet on the Gulf of Mexico, is laid back and fun. We spent several days touring the area between and around Pensacola, Florida and Foley, Alabama. This is where songwriters from all over the States come to perform at beach bars, Jimmy Buffet style. And you can't beat the beaches here.

Seafood is the number one item on menus. Red shrimp. Flounder. Grouper. Swai. Oysters. We tried them all.

On our first night in Foley we went to the “must see” “throwed rolls” restaurant otherwise known as Lambert’s. The wait staff in red bow ties and red braces are perfectly happy to throw a roll to anyone who wants one. They’re easy to catch from across the room because they almost weigh a pound. In addition to the food that we ordered, waiters wandered with stainless steel bowls and pots of “pass arounds” like fried potatoes, tomato and macaroni, deep fried okra, black eyed peas, and molasses and apple butter for the rolls. Good fun but toooo much food.

Jimmy Buffet’s sister, Lucy, owns a restaurant in Gulf Shores, Alabama, called LuLu's. Miss Lucy’s original establishment was in Fairhope, Alabama, where she and Jimmy were raised. One day she loaded her restaurant/bar onto a barge and floated it down to its present location on the Intercoastal.

We enjoyed lunch at Lulu's with our friends, Carl and Jane Pierce.

And we have to tell you about the bar located right on the border of Florida and Alabama. It is called "Florabama" of course. A photo can tell it better than words.

What are those things hanging from the rafters?

Perdido Key, Florida

2009-02-19T15:38:00.005-05:00

Our friends Carl and Jane Pierce are fun people. Their home-on-the-road in Florida is Playa del Rio RV Park and Yacht Club on the barrier island of Perdido Key. The RV park is small and intimate. The white sands of the Gulf of Mexico beckon during the day and the cabana on the Old River becomes the gathering place at sunset.

Carl and Jane invited us to join them at Happy Hour at the Playa del Rio cabana. Always going the extra mile, they turned Happy Hour not only into a book signing by The Cooking Ladies but a feast of fresh Apalachicola Oysters. We signed books and made new friends while Carl shucked the oysters. Out came the cocktail sauce, lemon wedges and soda crackers. As an additional treat, Jane sprinkled some of the oysters with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese and Carl grilled them, on the shell, on the barbecue.

With us, it's all about the food!!!!

FRIENDS & FOOD

2009-02-19T15:34:00.006-05:00

Breakfast on the griddle. Sweet potatoes, fried green tomatoes, and eggs sunny side up.

Apalachicola oysters in Apalachicola

At Bayou Joe's with Ken, Dale, and Bob

At Hunt's Oyster Bar with Roger and Ruth

Lunch at La Friandise

We joined our friend Jan Bullard for lunch at La Friandise, the dining room of the Culinary Management Program at Gulf Coast Community College in Panama City, Florida.
Jan’s brother Jon Bullard who died last year, was a chef instructor and program designer at the College prior to his position as an executive chef with the US Army.
Chef Billy Redd and his culinary management class outdid themselves with Apalachicola Oysters, Chicken Piccata, Louisiana Style Shrimp and Grits, Triple Chocolate Cheesecake, and Apple and Walnut Strudel with Homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. The coffee was good too.
As we were leaving, Jan was presented with a personal copy of the menu signed by the wait staff and chefs.

White Earth Tribal Town, Blountstown, Florida

2009-02-19T14:32:00.005-05:00

We probably would never have visited the White Earth Tribal Town if we hadn't met Jan and her brother, Jon Bullard.

Blountstown, Florida, is the home of the White Earth Tribal Town, where the Muskogee/Creek Indians hold their seasonal ceremonies throughout the year. Our friend, Jon Bullard’s ashes were buried there during a “Green Corn” ceremony in June 2008. Indians travel from Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Texas, and Tennessee to attend ceremonies on the tribal grounds.

The day we visited was not a ceremonial time so the property was vacant. No celebrants. No shuffled dancing around the fire. No burning coals in the barbecue pit. Four white arbors were still covered with branches from the last gathering. The ceremonial circle sat silent in the sunshine, a line of seashells marking its boundaries.

It's 5 o'clock somewhere

2009-02-15T21:45:00.003-05:00

Our e-cookbook is now available on our website.

The Cooking Ladies’ Favorite
Happy Hour Recipes
It’s 5 o’clock somewhere

Add a dash of fun to your Happy Hour with Heavenly Hummus, Zesty Chicken Bites, Beef Wings, Maple Salmon Cubes, Blue Cheese Apricot Swirls, Exotic Island Meatballs, and more....We take great pleasure in tantalizing your taste buds with 30 of our favourites.

And to make this cookbook even more outstanding, we have included a photo of each finished dish. Recipe ingredients are given in both Imperial and metric measurements.

To get our favorite easy-to-make, something-for-everyone Happy Hour recipes now, go to our website www.thecookingladies.com and click on the "Happy Hour Recipes" link .

Price: $6.

Another Best Seller in the works

2009-01-14T13:28:00.002-05:00

We have a good reason why we haven't been blogging for several days. We are writing an ebook. Well, it's actually an eCookbook. And it's going to be beautiful with our favourite happy hour recipes and food photos. We plan to have it on the website within a week. So, please check back. http://www.thecookingladies.com

FIRST RECIPE FOR 2009

2009-01-05T17:29:00.018-05:00

Time for some fun! Here's a simple free-wheeling recipe that we just created and enjoyed. It was so good, we want to share with you. We're calling it free-wheeling because we're only providing the list of ingredients and the method. The quantities are up to you. Really it's not necessary to have exact quantities for this recipe. You just throw it all together, cook it, and enjoy. If you like the results, please let us know.

SIMPLE SHRIMP

(Makes as many servings as you want)

Ingredients:
Garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
Ginger, peeled and finely chopped
Extra virgin olive oil
Really LARGE fresh or frozen shrimp, peeled and deveined

Method:
Combine equal amounts of chopped garlic and ginger in a bowl.
Add enough olive oil to cover the garlic and ginger. Mix well.
Add the shrimp to the bowl and toss to coat them with the flavors.
We cooked the shrimp outside with a griddle on the barbecue.
A fry pan on the stove will work too.
Preheat the griddle or the fry pan to medium-high.
Cook and turn the shrimp until they become flamingo-pink on all sides.

Enjoy! AND HAVE A HAPPY 2009!

http://www.thecookingladies.com/

2008-12-18T12:51:00.039-05:00

SEASON'S GREETINGS!

When this...

Becomes this...

It's time for this ...

You can also access our BLOG by going to our website.

Please save our website as one of your favorite places.

There will be changes and new additions in the New Year.

http://www.thecookingladies.com/

AN UNWRAP PARTY

2008-11-23T19:19:00.007-05:00

We have been busy catching up with our "to do" lists after putting everything on hold for "On the Road 2008." For awhile getting our lives back in order looked like an impossible task but we think we are winning, as long as we don't add too many new things to our lists for a few days. The next deadline is to write our regular column for RV Lifestyle magazine by next week.

We were not the only ones that needed some rejuvenating after the road trip. The motorhome worked as hard as we did this summer taking us over 15,000 kms without any mechanical problems.

A couple of days at Patterson RV in Dutton for some tender loving care. Including replacing the windshield which sustained a nasty crack from a flying stone on the way to Fort McMurray.

We had an unwrapping party at Outhouse Design in Chatham complete with pizza and wings compliments of The Cooking Ladies.

Ladies' Nights

2008-11-23T19:00:00.003-05:00

November means Ladies' Nights at Home Hardware Stores.

This year we prepared goodies and demonstrated appliances at Milton Home Hardware Building Centre and Dorchester Home Hardware.

The Cooking Ladies with Ada and Aaron at Dorchester Home Hardware. You will recognize Ada from the Home Hardware commercials.

MORE EXCITING GUEST APPEARANCES

2008-09-01T06:32:00.011-04:00

The Cooking Ladies appeared along with Don Cherry at McNaughton Home Hardware Building Centre, Newbury, Ontario, on Saturday, September 13, 2008.

And were the guest speakers at the annual volunteer breakfast at the Ritz Villa in Mitchell, Onario.

Hurray! We have finally added words to the photos

2008-09-01T05:32:00.002-04:00

FINALLY. WE ARE UP TO DATE WITH "ON THE ROAD 2008."

WE BELEIVE THAT A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS BUT SOMETIMES THEY NEED A LITTLE HELP.

PLEASE GO BACK AND ENJOY OUR WONDERFUL ADVENTURES OF THE LAST THREE MONTHS COMPLETE WITH WORDS!!

Imagine. This is what our motorhome looked like before On the Road 2008 began.

ON THE ROAD 2008 COMES TO AN END

2008-08-14T06:32:00.020-04:00

Days on the Road - 80

Distance - 15,475 kms

Events to raise money for local charities and raise awareness of housewares at Home Hardware Stores and Home Hardware Building Centres - 30

Money raised for local charities - $22,423.31

Total number of people who came out to listen to us, laugh with us, and learn from us for two action-packed hours as we demonstrated Home Hardware products - 2,985

Additional Home Hardware and Home Hardware Building Centre drop-in visits - 36

Interviews on television, radio, and in the press - 84

Listening to Willie Nelson sing "On the Road Again -Too many times to count

Cracked windshields - 1

People we met, places we visited, and memories to cherish - The best!

A huge THANK YOU to our sponsors who made all this possible

August 10,11,12, 2008

2008-08-10T06:32:00.018-04:00

POLAR BEARS in Cochrane, Ontario

Swimming with the polar bears is possible at the Polar Bear Habitat and Heritage Village in Cochrane.

The Tim Horton Museum in Cochrane is also worth a visit. Very impressive displays.

The train to Moosonee -

Then the water taxi to Moose Factory -

The second oldest post of the Hudson's Bay Company was built here in 1673.

Lamont was hungry for bannock cooked on a stick.

Above ground utilities in Moose Factory. We haven't seen these since we visited Inuvik, NWT

Back in Cochrane, the motorhome shares the Home Hardware parking lot with the Home Hardware delivery truck.

Gifts, Good-byes and one last interview at Allan's Home Hardware

And we are "On the Road Again."

with drop-in visits to J.C.D. Home Hardware in Englehart, Ontario, Grant Home Hardware Building Centre in New Liskeard, Ontario, and Kidd's Home Hardware Building Centre in Sundridge, Ontario