Yesterday was so much fun and totally jam-packed with random activities.
Around lunchtime, my mother in law, Diane, and her boyfriend, Les, arrived at our house to spend the weekend with us.
Since Ryan and I are still new to the area, when people come to visit we really aren’t sure where to take them just yet. Thankfully Kate, an extremely thoughtful blog reader, helped us solve this dilemma when she provided us with tickets to the Autumn Gift Market.
The gift market was kind of like a craft fair with lots of trinkets and collectibles. We had a good time meandering in and out of the aisles of stuff, pointing out stuff that caught our eye… and made us laugh. Craft fairs always have some of the most random stuff.
As a Florida resident, I always see University of Florida and Florida State stuff for sale everywhere we go, but stuff for my alma matter, the University of Central Florida, is sparse. Yes, UCF is much younger than the other two schools, but it’s bigger in terms of size, and I think we need a little more UCF love out there.
I was quite happy when, among the sea of orange + blue and garnet + gold, I spotted a lonely UCF ornament.
Gooo Knights! 
Lunch
We ended up eating lunch at the Autumn Gift Market. I was excited when I saw a booth of food from Mojo’s, a restaurant I’ve heard is a “must try” in Ocala.
Ryan, Diane and Les all ordered pulled pork sandwiches which would’ve been my number one pick as well, but since they already had that selection covered, I opted for pulled pork nachos.
They were so, so good. The pulled pork was perfectly shredded and coated in delicious barbeque sauce. I asked for extra red onions and went to town on this dish.
The Chick-Fil-A cow was obviously mad we didn’t stop by his booth for lunch and decided to harass our table.
Errands
After lunch, Diane and Les were game to drive around the area a bit and run in and out of some stores. Ryan’s birthday is coming up very soon and Diane said she wanted to get him a grill (Woo!), so we popped into Lowe’s and Home Depot to check out the selection.
Hardware stores are high up on my list of the most boring place in the world, but Ryan’s mom kept me entertained and I think we found a couple of grills that may work. We might be making another trip to Lowe’s today to pick one up. I need some grilled food in my future!
We also stopped by a consignment furniture shop where Ryan and I bought some patio furniture for in our screened in porch that we will pick up on Monday. I can’t wait to have a table out there so we can start eating our meals outside once the weather cools down a bit. I love outdoor dining!
Secret Sauce
Our last errand of the day took us to the grocery store where Les picked out all the necessary ingredients to make his secret tomato meat sauce and chicken soup.
I was so excited to watch the master at work when we got home.
Les is Italian and when I say he’s Italian, I mean it. He has family living is Sicily, speaks the language and cooks the most delicious Italian food.
His special sauce is unreal and takes hours and hours to make.
I was excited to serve as Les’ sous chef in the kitchen to learn the recipe first hand.
We spent several hours in the kitchen cooking away.
Luckily we had fuel in the form of beer!
My new favorite!
The kitchen smelled incredible. The sauce still isn’t done (I told you it’s intense!), but today I’m planning to enjoy a delicious dinner centered around the amazing sauce.
(Please note the meat balls and hot Italian sausage in the pot. Yum.)
We’re planning on freezing the sauce as well so we’ll have it on hand in the future. Yum.
I think I hear people waking up… Time to get back to our guests!
P.S. The Fashion page was updated this morning.
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Looks Like a great day! I live In an area with a very high Italian population, and sometimes I feel Like the Only one whose last name doesn’t end in “o” or “a”! The greatest thing is That my area is PACKED With homemade Italian restaurants with lots of deleicious sauce! 🙂
Hello Julie, I live in Kissimmee would love to know where the fair was located. Also I agree with you in regards to finding UCF items both my daughters go to UCF and I am always on the look out for different items and that Ornament was way cute.
it was at the college of central florida’s gymnasium, but i think it was only taking place friday and saturday. 🙁
GO KNIGHTS! I agree with you– the only place I can find UCF stuff is at the bookstores on/around campus. FSU and UF apparel are so overrated 😉
That is some intense sauce! I love authentic italian meals – enjoy it!!
Tomato sauce is my favorite thing in the world- I need some authentic kind! Your apron is super cute 🙂
Glad you found something fun to do 🙂
A sauce that takes hours and hours to make must taste awesome! 😀
yay for UCF! I agree, totally underrated!
& that sauce sounds delicious!! It’s always the best when it has to cook over night. Sounds like an ideal Sunday to me 🙂
Oh I love craft fairs! You can find the most random stuff haha. And I bet you will have an amazing dinner tonight! That sauce sounds awesome :). Oh, and thank you for your reply to comment on your post yesterday!
oh my goodness this sauce looks delightful! I’m sure the actual version is a family secret, but is it possible a “Julie’s version” will be featured on the blog ? 😀
sadly, no. it’s a big-time family secret. 🙂
Sounds like you had an amazing day! Dinner looks amazing, I love authentic Italian food!
Looks like a fun day!
That sauce looks absolutely amazing!!
I love Sam Adam’s Cherry Wheat! It’s not around up here anymore though–been replaced with the Fall flavors 🙁
And that apron is supercute! 🙂
Love your apron 🙂
I go to ucf and whenever I gO somewhere I usually only see one thing if I’m lucky! Boo but it’s getting better and a little more popular so hopefully soon it will be a little more noticed!:)
Back home, in Rhode Island, people refer to that as “gravy.” God, it is so good.
That sauce looks SO good. Red sauce is my all time favorite. I would love to have someone Italian come and make it for me! 🙂
Sounds like a GREAT day to me! Our big craft fair comes through Thanksgiving weekend and is a great break from the craziness of Christmas shopping.
The sauce looks amazing.
The Kidless Kronicles
Go UFC! 🙂 I wonder if a few glugs of the beer went into the secret sauce…;)
not beer… but wine! which we also drank. 🙂
that sauce really does look like it will be delicious! And what a great way to hang out with Les and learn about making sauce! Oh, and my brother will just die when I tell him about those nachos – two of his favorite things put together! Just add some jalapenos on top and I think he’d be in heaven!
One of my roommates in college is Italian, and she made us her “secret red sauce” as well a few times. Like you said, it took hours upon hours to make, but it was truly amazing!
Your apron is super cute, by the way!
I’m going to chime in with everyone that’s saying your apron is super cute! I’ve been wanting a cute apron – where did you get yours?
thank you! it was a gift from my mom and sister at my bridal shower. they got it from marshall’s.
Please share the secret sauce recipe…. please?
i wish i could but i was sworn to secrecy!
Homemade sauce is so good 🙂 I grew up with my mom and grandma making it every Sunday with meatballs. Put a jar of Ragu or Prego near me and I’ll start gagging! And-I’m jealous you found cherry wheat! I looked for it this week and can’t find it in the grocery store!
I adore homemade sauce! My husband’s family has the best recipe, that is really simple too, but I’ve butchered it every time I have tried to make it! It’s a good thing my husband likes to cook and has saved me every time!
My mom’s family is Italian. It was her first language and we still have a ton of family back in Italy so I know the sauce is and allllll day event. I just made an easy-version of it myself this week.
Sounds delish.
Hum that looks so good! And the pot is enormous! You’ll be having tomato sauce for some other meals! And I love your apron! Really chic!
Tell Ryan big ups for the sportin the Bulls shirt down in the big FL
he’s diehard. 🙂
Ha..god love him…Atleast he has a good team to watch again with DRose and his cast of studs behind him
Awww I love craft shows. My mom and I used to go all the time together – it was more her thing than mine, but we always had a great time going together!
oo I really need to learn how to make my own tomato sauce. i’ve seen the cherry wheat beer in the store before but never bought it. I may have to try it per your recommendation.
the craft fair looks awesome. We kind of have something like that, but its over winterbreak and its called the armadillo bazaar. My friends and I are thinking of having our own booth at it. Those pulled pork nachos look amazing. I love pulled pork. Def one of the greatest things ever.
I meant to comment on your last post about the cherry wheat beer- it’s so amazing!!
my new fav!
I love exploring craft fairs especially around the Christmas holiday season!
Never been to a gifts fair, but I’d definitely enjoy it–wonder if there’s anything like that in socal.
And those nachos seriously look sooo good!! Time to eat breakfast. 🙂
You guys are such great hosts when it comes to having guests over and finding stuff to do and stay busy 🙂
I sauce that takes days to make? Woah!
i know! it’s no joke.
Can you let us know the recipe? 🙂
i wish i could! i was sworn to secrecy though… and i don’t want to anger the italians. 🙂
So glad you enjoyed AGM! It’s such a great fundraiser for the Junior League, and many of the vendors there were local, so their actual stores are all over town (Like Blakely House and their Christmas ornaments. Or more importantly, their cupcakes…).
JLO also hosts a massive BBQ competition in the spring; I’ll send you more details once I have them.
thanks so much, kate! and thank you for the tickets!!! i’m going back to link to your blog in this post! i totally forgot to when i typed out your name. doh.
I love craft fairs – they really are random! Loving your apron! Where’s you find that gem?
thanks! it’s from marshall’s and was a gift from my mom and sister.
pulled pork nachos?! I want. I want. I want!
How cool?! An autumn craft fair? Brilliant, I tell ya.
ps. I am with you on hardware stores being boring.
pps. Oh em gee. That sauce looks amazing!
WOW. That is a long time to make a sauce….it better be amazing! Hehe.
I think hardware stores are SOOO boring too. Yawwwwwnnn
Mojo’s is AH-MAZING! We always stop there on our way to back to Orlando from Gainesville and I haven’t had anything there I haven’t loved. Not many healthy options but it was so delicious!
What a fun-filled day, Julie! It looks like you really had a blast. I love how family-oriented you are. It really is so important! 🙂
And I’m kind of craving tomato sauce now. Like a lot. Off to honor that craving!
Sauce looks amazing. I’m not a big red meat eater and like my sauce very, very plain (not chunky and not one where you can spot the tomato seeds…yuck). My neighbor’s are Italian, but their sauce is not so secretive. My neighbor is funny b/c I was over his house once and he was making sauce for an upcoming party and said I was “sworn to secrecy”. He was only kidding. He also purees the veggies so his daughters don’t know what is in the sauce.
Those nachos look amazing! I love pulled pork. I had some on a baked potato last week and was in love. Definitely something I have to make at home.
I’m a big fan of the cherry or strawberry beers out there. I haven’t tried that Sam Adams before, but it def looks interesting.
I am in love with your apron! I have a green polka dotted frilly apron, but it’s not nearly as cute as yours! 🙂
This is exactly how my family makes Sunday gravy! ( we say gravy because it’s so thick and full of meat it’s more than a sauce) yum, I cannot wait for my dad to make it!
I love your apron! Where is it from?
thank you! it’s from marshall’s.
I must confess: I LOVE LOWE’S. Anytime anyone in my family needs to go there, my little face pops up asking if I can come with. I love looking at all the appliances, light fixtures…I could honestly spend an hour looking at paint samples alone. Now you know.
Secret family tomato sauces are the absolute best – I could eat them like soup! 🙂
nooooo! you can officially take my place in all future outings to lowe’s.