Homecoming

This weekend we are headed to Starkville for the Mississippi State football game! Danny’s two best friends and college roommates are joining us from Fort Benning, Georgia and Fort Rucker, Alabama (one prepping for Army Ranger School and the other for Army Flight School). It will be the first time we’ve seen them since our wedding and Danny is stoked! A few months seems like a long time to go without seeing your best friends who you lived with and saw every single day, but the harsh reality is that it is actually a brief separation compared to what the future entails for these best buds. I know this will be a special weekend because these visits will become few and far between as these men get ready for their deployments and positions at international army posts.

To make the upcoming weekend even more special, it is a reunion weekend for former Mississippi State football players. Danny’s dad, Wayne Harris, was a football hero when he played Right Guard for the Bulldogs from 1979-1982. He is a very humble man for having been such an OUTSTANDING athlete! He received the Jacob’s Blocking Trophy two straight seasons, as well as playing professionally for the USFL New Jersey Generals and later the Buffalo Bills. Being a Georgia native, I thought it was the coolest thing ever that he was roommates with our Bulldogs' hometown hero, Herschel Walker, when they played pro together! That sort of put into perspective what kind of a player Mr. Wayne must have been in his day!

We are so blessed to be able to share a weekend with family and friends like this. The Lord is certainly looking out for us…three best friends from three completely different parts of the country, all able to get together for a Saturday afternoon football game in Mississippi. This will be a treasured family memory for sure.

There’s sure to be some tailgate action going on this weekend! Here are some HEALTHY side dishes to take to your tailgate!

Cucumber & Black-Eyed Pea Salad

6 servings, about 1 cup each

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried

Freshly ground pepper to taste

4 cups peeled and diced cucumbers

1 14-ounce can black-eyed peas, rinsed

2/3 cup diced red bell pepper

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/4 cup slivered red onion

2 tablespoons chopped black olives

PREPARATION

1. Whisk oil, lemon juice, oregano and pepper in a large bowl until combined. Add cucumber, black-eyed peas, bell pepper, feta, onion and olives; toss to coat. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

NUTRITION

Per serving: 160 calories; 10 g fat ( 3 g sat , 6 g mono ); 11 mg cholesterol; 12 g carbohydrates; 5 g protein; 3 g fiber; 270 mg sodium; 273 mg potassium.

Black Bean and Corn Salad

Prep Time:

10 min

Inactive Prep Time:

15 min

4 servings

Ingredients

1 can, 14 ounces, black beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups frozen corn kernels

1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1/2 red onion, chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, half a palm full

2 teaspoons hot sauce, just eyeball the amount (recommended: Tabasco)

1 lime, juiced

2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil, eyeball it

Salt and pepper

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Let stand at least 15 minutes for corn to fully defrost and flavors to combine, then toss and serve. The corn will also place a quick-chill on this easy side-salad as it defrosts -- no need to refrigerate!

*Another tip: Grill up some shrimp and veggies (Think grilled onions, peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, zucchini…etc.)! These are LOTS better for you than a burger and high-calorie potato chips! Remember to go easy with the oil!