I wasn’t planning on doing anything special for supper tonight – just serving my people some leftovers that we could all pretend were tasty and delicious – but at the last minute my husband suggested that we go out to dinner. It took me all of two seconds to say, “YES, PLEASE,” and within a couple of minutes we were in the car and on our way.
We ate supper at one of our favorite non-Chuy’s Mexican places (Chuy’s, of course, is the pinnacle), strolled through a nearby bookstore, and grabbed some frozen yogurt before we headed home. I’m going to be out of town this weekend, so as we pulled in the garage, I was thinking about how fun it had been to have an unexpected night on the town with my fellas before I leave for a couple of days. I was still in my little reverie as I got out of the car, but then I stopped, and I looked around, and I smelled it.
I didn’t know what “it” was, exactly. But I knew that it was a cross between Italian food, smoke, and a white-hot BBQ grill.
Then it dawned on me.
I must not have. Turned off. The leftovers. On the stove.
I mean, I thought I did. I announced that I was going to turn them off. But apparently there was a significant user error, because when we walked through the kitchen door, I realized that I might need to practice getting that control knob to the COMPLETELY OFF position.
Oh, y’all. The smoke. It was so very smoke-y. Granted, I’m so grateful that nothing actually, you know, caught on fire, and I think we’ve gotten most of the smoke out of the house, but oh, it is some charred-smelling awfulness in this place tonight.
And for the record, I am never cooking meatballs again.
Anyway. Let’s talk about something fun now. Like prizes!
Here’s the winner of the cornstick pan and two copies of A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet.
Yay, Jennifer! I just sent you an email.
I’m also starting to feel like a game show host. And I don’t mind it.
So I’ll make this next giveaway pretty quick because I need to start typing “how to get smell of burned Italian food out of my house” into the Google, but I think y’all will enjoy this next little Southern treat. Especially if you’re planning to take some road trips this summer because, well, hash brown casserole, anyone?
Yep. It’s a $50 gift card to Cracker Barrel, plus, you know, a copy of this book.
And who knows? If I can’t get this smell out of my house, I may be at the Cracker Barrel first thing in the morning. Coffee and homemade biscuits can cure a world of hurts, you know.
Have a great weekend, y’all!
This giveaway is now closed.
Love the blog! Have left the burner on myself, and wish that the smoke detectors sometimes could differentiate between my dumb cooking booboos and REAL smoke (-:
BTW… HAVE to go to Cracker Barrel… my kids LOVE it, and called it Crackle Ballor growing up (-:
I LOVE Cracker Barrel!
So glad there was no permanent damage! I have pulled back into the driveway to run in and check the iron and/or toaster oven before. So paranoid about leaving something on! Can’t wait to read your book, and who doesn’t love Cracker Barrel! :)
Odo-Ban is a wonderful cleaner that has a nice fragrance and might help with the clean up! I love this font I am typing in, by the way!!! Thanks for the opportunity to win your book and the Cracker Barrel meal!
Pecan pancakes & your book? Yes, please!
Have a great weekend Sophie! Can’t wait for the book to come out!!!
I love the pancakes!
Love the Cracker Barrel for kid friendly meals out! Excited for your book too. Good luck w the burnt smell. Ugh.
Went off and left Easter eggs boiling on the stove a few years ago. Husband came home to find the hard-boiled explosion. He cleaned it all up by himself. That’s why I am still married to him. But the stink….oh MY GOODNESS. Used lots of scented candles and sold that house! Lol! And I’d love to go to Cracker Barrel and read your book.
Excited to read your book. Love reading your blog.
We used to use Cracker Barrel as an incentive for my daughter when she had an early morning soccer game. We would head to Cracker Barrel after the game and she wouldn’t fuss one bit about getting up early!
Can’t wait to read your book!
I love Cracker Barrel and would love to read your book too!
Just thinking of going to Cracker Barrel makes me happy. I might have to sit a spell in their rocker & read a while.
I’m just a girl who can’t say no…to hashbrown casserole & awesome books!
Wow, I would love to win! Your book sounds like it will be an awesome summer read, and as a Southerner living in Michigan, Cracker Barrel is one of the few places nearby we can go out to eat and get sweet tea!
I can’t wait to read your book!! Will it be autographed?
OMGoodness! I’m so glad you didn’t have more adventure last night than what you did. Yea for dinners out, give-aways and God’s had of protection!!!
I read the first chapter of your book and cried a good cry. I can’t wait to read the rest!
Well the only thing better would be to sit down and eat with you at a Cracker Barrel! Thanks for the opportunity to win the next best thing. :)
Bless your heart!! Hope you are gettin’ that smell out!! Oh the horrors!! I am so excited about reading your book!! Have a fab weekend!
Love Cracker Barrel! Can’t wait for your book!
Please, I’m traveling across country with my fellas this summer. They are 50, 15 and 14. Do you know how much food that requires? And do you know how much I’m gonna need your book to relax with?? Pick me Pick me!
I may or may not have left something to burn on the stove, but I tell you what… I can never seem to remember to cut the oven off. EVER. Probably because I am too busy running cold water over my hands because I forgot to use an oven mitt.
Ah, The Barrel of Crack…I do love thee…
Stop at CB all the time! Lots of goodies there…jawbreakers in a mason jar are my fave. Can’t wait to read the book.
Oh, the hash brown casserole goodness! Yum :) What a fun giveaway!!!
Cracker Barrel AND your book–the perfect combination!!!
Chicken and Dumplins here I come! Porch swing and iced coffee here I come with my copy of BooMamas great book!
My summer will officially begin when I get a copy of your book! It is first on my list of Summer reads. I can’t wait!
So excited about your book!
The CB! I’d save my gift card until I can go with my Daddy when he comes to visit. But I’d read the book right away!
Good luck getting the smoke smell out of your house!
Thank you for being so normal!
Love to eat and SHOP at Cracker Barrell! Looking forward to reading (and relating to) your book! :)
Maybe this time?
I’m picturing a lazy summer afternoon spent reading your book on my patio… followed by dinner out at Cracker Barrel!
CB’s hashbrown casserole is my favorite CB side dish.
No help with getting the smoke smell out of your house. But we are getting a new Cracker Barrell about 15 minutes from my house – so can sure use the gift card! And can’t wait to read your book!
So, while I already may have a copy of the book, and am giving away two copies of my own next week, I still wanted to enter because, well, Cracker Barrel!
Timing is perfect! We are expecting the opening of a new CB a mere mile or two from our house! How sweet is that??
What a great giveaway! I would love to win your book & the gift certificate! :)
Yeah! We have Cracker Barrels out here in Colorado!
Love Cracker Barrel & would love to read your book. Hope you & BigMama have a great time this weekend in my “neck of the woods!”
I usually order a double portion of the HB casserole instead of two sides. One cannot have too much!
This is a great prize combo!
Oh, Mawmaw does love her some Cracker Barrel! Especially the brown beans and cornbread with a little chow-chow on the side. No better eatin’ on earth!
Of course, people don’t love ME so much after I’ve been there, if you catch my drift. :)
Love this giveaway! Cracker Barrel is a family favorite!
thanks for sharing – and making us feel more normal!
Yes, please… and thank you!!
I would love to win please!
Oh I have been in your predicament before…not pretty smelling for sure! Thanks for the opportunity to win a couple of treats!
love Cracker Barrel anything. look forward to the book. winning would really be nice.
I’ve done that before– leave something in the oven and COMPLETELY FORGET ABOUT IT. And boy do I ever flog myself afterwards– could have burned the house down and all that!! :-)
CAN.NOT.WAIT.TO.READ.YOUR.BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WANT.TO.WIN!!!!!!!!!!!! :)
I love me some Cracker Barrel and cannot wait to read your book! So sorry to hear that your nice evening out ended on a “smoky” note, but thankful nothing caught on fire! Enjoy your weekend!
Thanks for another giveaway! I would love to read your book and treat someone special to Cracker Barrel!
Yikes! I’m so glad there wasn’t a fire! And I wouldn’t need any excuse to head to Cracker Barrel. ;)
Thats never a good smell- so glad your house is ok! I look forward to reading your book!
Ugh! It totally get the smokey house smell. Try having your ditzy college roommate warm up pizza in the oven WHILE STILL IN THE CARDBOARD BOX. Yuck!
I love me some Cracker Barrel!
And what is a road trip without stopping at Cracker Barrel somewhere along the way? I love to read on road trips, and would love to receive a copy of your book.
I absolutely cannot wait to read your book! I purchased it months ago!
I have a fool proof method for getting rid of odors: squeeze the juice from a lemon into a plate, shallow bowl, etc and then sprinkle a couple of teaspoons of baking soda into it. It will bubble up, and look like it’s doing something. Then just leave it sitting on the counter for about 8 hours. The smell will be completely gone. I use this for all smells now, and it is amazing.
Oh dear. I’m so glad everything was ok (besides the horrendous smell)!!
We love Cracker Barrel!
Me and Cracker Barrel and your book (I might invite my loved ones along) sounds like a plan!
I absolutely LOVE the Cracker Barrel! my daughter*in*law calls it crackle barrel!! they have wonderful food and I love to shop the little girls clothes there as well.. can’t wait to read your book!
thanks, jill
I would love both of these – thank you for the opportunity! I’m so looking forward to reading your book!
Yes, please! This Mamaw and Pawpaw eat at Cracker Barrel on a regular basis. This giveaway is a perfect pairing as far as I’m concerned.
I’m so excited to read your book!
Oh, yes please. To both the book and the gift certificate. Having a toddler and being in grad school means we get to go out to eat every Tuesday (after never). So, this would be awesome!
I would love to know where I can buy a set of those cute measuring spoons you gave away a couple of days ago.
Thanks!!
We have done that before with the oven that had a pizza stone in it. Took forever to get the smoke out.
I’m always up for a cross-cultural experience!
Hi boomama!
MMM…I could do some damage on a Cracker Barrel breakfast (or several!) with that gift card. And, as always, would LOVE a copy of the book! Pick me, pick me!
I did that with a pot of boiling water. I thought I had it turned off but did not. Luckily I caught if before it was too late. Also, my house was very humid that day. Glad nothing happened to you and yours!
We love Cracker Barrel!
I love Cracker Barrel and I would love to read your book!
LOVE the Cracker Barrel! and I KNOW that I’ll LOVE the book too :)
Looking forward to your book. Have a great weekend!
We have lots of traveling planned for the summer! Would love the book for the car ride and the gift card for my family!
So glad there was no fire!! Cracker Barrel is a favorite of ours also!
Yum! Cracker Barrel! That would be wonderful.
So thankful your house is okay!! And I heart gift cards!
oh my….the husband’s favorite place to eat.
Thank you, Jesus, that there wasn’t a fire!
how fun! we love us some cracker barrel. and amen to the hashbrown casserole. and biscuits and gravy?? my.happy.place. :)
I’d love to win!
Cracker Barrel & a new book–Awesome!
I would love to win the gift card but the one thing I would really love is the book. Let me win the book please.
i can’t wait to read your book!
The smell of burned food in the house is the worst! Been there, done that. Can’t wait to read your book!!
When I was about 4 years old we came home from church on a Sunday afternoon to find my mom’s meatloaf on the back porch with a note from the fire department. That was a very long time ago so I don’t remember what we ended up eating for lunch that day. I know we would have loved some Cracker Barrel. Can’t wait to read your book!
I am glad there was nothing worse than smoke when you returned!
Free food and your book?!?! Yes, please!
I was initially going to write, “Oh man, that stinks!” but then I felt like it was too on the nose. So uh, that’s cruddy! :) I hope your house smells better now.
Also! I love Cracker Barrel. And I also can’t wait to read your book so I’d love a copy!
I ate ice cream after dinner last night, then decided I needed to cut the sweet with some popcorn… then I realized I have to read your book. I’d love to win either of those :)
I would love to win! I can’t wait to read your book.
Love the Cracker Barrel! And it is always amazing how I didn’t realize I needed all of the country decor until I get there and see it all in it’s retail glory.
I love Cracker Barrel and can’t wait to read your book!