Steak Enthusiast

We’re trying to eat in as much as possible here on our vacation. We’ve done the restaurant scene around these parts for a few years and we usually leave disappointed.

Granted, some of that is due to the fact that we’ve always had little ones in tow. Meltdowns are a given when you’re waiting an hour for a table after a whole day running and playing in the sun.

So this time we decided to get smart. We are cooking up a storm and loving it.

Last evening, it was spaghetti in a meat sauce made with ground sirloin and ground hot sausage. It was divine. Take a look . . .

For us, a leisurely meal made exactly how we like it — and that amazing view — is heaven on earth.

It’s funny how “heaven” for us always includes some sort of beef. Uh huh, just wait ’til it’s steak night!

My husband brought this handy little vacuum sealer home for me from a business trip last week. He had been gone all week leaving me home with the children — 24 hours a day. For days on end.

Now some people may equate this gift to receiving a mop or feather duster from your husband for your anniversary.

To me, it was a sweet love note. A romantic gesture.

It has a picture of a steak on it for heaven’s sake! Of course he knew I’d like it.

And since it has a photo of a steak on it, it must be useful for steaks, right?

I decided to investigate further.

This puppy removes the air from freezer bags so you can vacuum seal them and keep whatever you want fresh for months. Namely . . . steaks.

So, when you have a big barbecue this summer and you grill tons of ribeyes, T-bones, filets and Porterhouses and your friends don’t eat near as much as you anticipated — voila! Vacuum seal ’em.

Then, you have ready-made steaks the next time you get a hankerin’. Just heat and serve.

I love this!

And I love that man. He’s a genius.

Well, we made it! And we’re all in one piece and very happy to have arrived in Florida.

Our drive went pretty smoothly. But we did get to experience many, many oddities of humanity along the way.

We traveled down lots of two-lane highways so we got to see fellow travelers going the other way up close and personal. And I have to say, if I never see another pair of bare feet perched on the dashboard again it will be too soon. I counted 11 pairs of feet in Alabama alone.

The state of Mississippi is beautiful and green and it provided lots of entertainment for us. One of my favorite sights was the yellow fiberglass cow balancing on its front two feet with the words “Jesus Saves” emblazoned on its side. This was in someone’s front yard. Talk about a sacred cow!

And speaking of cows, as soon as we got here I ventured out to the local supermarket to get some basics and prepare for our steak dinner later in the week. I got potatoes and all the fixins, A-1 sauce for the hubby (don’t judge) and Teriyaki sauce for me.

I love ya, Florida, but I’m not buying your supermarket steaks. I’m having the good stuff delivered!

Stay tuned for more adventures so far from home . . .