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.
That sounds like something I would do! I love this blog!
Gotta. Have. This. Book!!!!!
LOVE Cracker Barrel and can’t wait to read your book!
I Heart Cracker Barrel! I am also looking forward to reading your book!
I would love to read your book, and I love the granola pancakes that barrel makes only this time of year – yum!
I’m new to your blog and I love it!
Can’t wait to read your book!!
Never had that casserole, but would love to try it. And the book, of course the book!
Would love both!! Thanks. :)
Love Cracker Barrel…..
Me and my daughter love us some Cracker Barrell. So thankful nothing serious happened with the burnt food. My sister-in-law actually had her big pot melt completely down on her stove when she forgot about it, and that was a smokey hot mess too. Thanks for giving us a chance to win your book.
Oh wow thank God your house is okay! I am always terrified I’ll leave my flat iron on or a candle burning!
Awesome giveaway thanks so much! I love Cracker Barrel but I’d love getting my hands on your book more!!!!
3 more days until Amazon ships your book to me. Cannot wait!!
I MAINLY would love a copy of your book, but I sure would take a gift card to go with it! I live in Kentucky where Cracker Barrel is quite the hotspot.
So excited to read your book! Cracker Barrel sounds good. Maybe I can talk my family into CB after church tomorrow. Now I am hungry!
I still really want that book and I love Cracker Barrel. It would be a win, win. But, unless I win I refuse to tell you about the time I left something on the stove and went to…….for the day. (Pick me and I will tell you the rest of the story.)
Glad fire did not make an appearance.
Happiness= my boys at Cracker Barrel.
So, a while back you mentioned that Google Reader was going away and you had switched over all the blogs you read to something else. And I thought, “I should do that.” Except I didn’t at the time… and now I can’t find the name of whatever you switched to. So, may I ask… what was it?
Would love to read your book while eating some hash brown casserole. :)
I can’t wait to read your book!
Been there. Chili. It’s been two years and I still gag a little when I think of eating chili ever again. So sorry.
(love Cracker Barrel!)
I’ve had to throw away a pan before because I left it on and ruined it!
Love some hashbrown casserole!
OH NO! So sorry about the smoke but glad you didn’t burn the house down.
Mmmmm….Cracker Barrel
Can’t wait to read your book!!
I can always use a Cracker Barrel fix…and a good book. Thanks for the opportunity!
Would love to win the book and the gift card….but especially the book! Are you doing any book signings in Georgia? We’re just next door!
Sorry bout the burned meatballs! Can’t wait to read your book. Love family stories that stir up so many different emotions. My husband is the baby of 10 children and they have some good ones!!!
I heard about your book through a tweet by a Duck Commander wife and I must tell you i am excited to read this book!
I am so sorry about the burned smell. Ugh. Cracker Barrel is sounding pretty good. I can’t wait to read your book!
Would love to win this!!
It’s our tradition to eat at Cracker Barrel when going on a road trip. Would love to win your book and this gift card for our little family trip later this month!
Oh my, how funny!
I once put a pot of water on the stove with some apples, orange peels, cinnamon & cloves. I wanted my house to smell all Christmas like. I forgot all about it when I left to go drop my kids off and do a little shopping. I remembered in the middle of Michaels and flew home in a panic fully expecting to find smoke billowing from my roof and fire trucks in the drive way. Thankfully there was none of that, but I did have to throw out the pot, and it didn’t smell at all like Christmas.
I would LOVE a copy of your book. And I love Cracker Barrell.
would love to win – your blog never fails to make me smile. thanks for that.
Look a southern thing we have way up here in Michigan! I love Cracker Barrel. :)
Also – I’m glad your house didn’t have any damage from the stove being left on! I think I would have been freaking out if that happened to me! Then again I’m that person that always thinks I left something on, makes my husband to back so I can check, and then it’s off. :)
I LOVE some Cracker Barrel and would love to read your book!!!! Congrats!
Oh my goodness, I do love a Cracker Barrel ! My parents and I stopped at each and every one between Memphis and Lake Junaluska — good memories.
And your book would be the PERFECT summer read !!! I would love to win !!
Thank God your family AND your house are ok. I’ve done that before. :( That smell stayed for DAYS .. but after a week of open windows in December … it is GONE.
Your book is delightful. I’ve only read a small snippet … Can’t stop laughing, shaking my head in agreement and crying.
Thanks BooMama
That sounds awful! I hope the smoke is clearing out by now. Looking forward to reading the book!
This would be such a blessing to win! We are displaced from our home due to the Moore, OK tornado, but our hotel is right next to a Cracker Barrel :) And I can’t wait to read your book!
Love, love, love Cracker Barrel and can’t wait to read the book!
Glad there was no serious damage!
Oh my goodness! $50 to Cracker Barrel! I can hardly imagine how fun that would be to have! I got your book yesterday, but want a copy to pass on to my big sister
I can’t wait to read your book! I made a very tasty salty & sweet treat yesterday (chocolate chip cookies with crushed brown sugar pretzels) and thought that if I lived close by, and wasn’t a stranger, I’d bring you some in honor of your book release!
Love Cracker Barrel and can’t wait to read your book!
Great give-away! Can’t wait to read your book. :)
Another reason to never cook. I burned sweet Italian green beans recently. I had to toss the pot. And the smell…ick.
Ugh – burned food is the pits!!!
Cracker Barrel Meal: Lemon pepper trout, collard greens, pinto beans, a bite o f my daughters dumplin’s, and biscuits with a little of my husbands spiced apples. It takes a family to feed this mama ; )
I hope I win, but if not I’m buying the book to read anyways! Can’t wait!! :)
I’d love to win your book!
Holy moly, you’re giving away some good stuff! I’d love to have an evening without cooking (and I wouldn’t even start cooking a meal at home before going out!) I’m looking forward to your book too!
How awesome. I love to let Cracker Barrel make the chicken and dumplings for me.
Ohh! Cracker Barrel is one of our favorites!
I say raise the windows and light some yummy smelling candles to get the burnt smell out of the house. Meantime, go sit outside and prop your feet up! Looking forward to reading your book and this siesta loves Cracker Barrell. PS I saw you sitting on the front row at Beth Moore this weekend in ATL. I would of loved to have talked to YOU!
Boy do I need some good old Southern comfort in my life! My husband was medically retired from the Army in October and we moved out west from Georgia. I can not wait to read your book!