I think you'll be fine. My Publix had Green Giant brand green beans at 5 for $5 but I got Publix brand for 91 cents. Plenty of mushroom soup - Campbells too. Two ladies were looking at gravy and I steered them into the mushroom gravy. I wouldn't have even said anything but they sounded really undecided and I thought a third party's intervention might help. Then over in the cheese section I got steered into a wedge of Manchego cheese. People love to talk about food, don't they? I did get a half gallon of apple cider too! Getting into the spirit of things a little bit.....
Whew......just had some hot and spicy wings from Publix......that cold apple cider was very welcome on the lips!
We have made the trip to Jasper, Ga. to Alan’s and Tim, Kayla, and Magnolia Grace’s for Christmas. We have been able to maintain our social distancing as our trip was without issue or concerns. Both of their houses are plenty big enough for us to spread ourselves out. Two nights ago (arrived) we had chili topped with Sargento shredded sharp cheddar and choice of over white rice or Fritos. Last night I grilled the bone-in country cut ribs indirect over applewood smoke with grilled fresh asparagus and baked potatoes for everyone. Ice cold longnecks and chilled wine were available the late afternoon and early evening for everyone. We are going to have Mags Christmas Santa Claus today and our traditional Christmas meal as Kayla is off today but has to work her COVID19 shift (7:00a—7:00p) Christmas Day. How well I remember that part of the job on FHP. 31 years/ 31 Christmas—2 off.....All part of the job. It’s great to be able to be with family....Life is good in Gator Nation!
Tomorrow will be Zoom calls and cooking. Missing family sucks, but seeing them on Zoom is what we have to deal with. Family is spread from Germany to Portland, Oregon, so several Zoom times. Tonight is warmed up leftover enchiladas and margaritas. Nothing wrong with that. Tomorrow is thick boneless rib eyes, roasted redskin potatoes in butter and rosemary, salad with endive, red leaf, tomatoes and English cukes, and as an appetizer shrimp and fennel, lemon juice and serrano pepper using Meyer lemons from my tree. With the freeze coming I think that I need to pick all of them tomorrow. At least I am only cooking for four instead of forty like I have for many Christmases. And I wouldn't want to pay for thick rib eyes for forty. Gotta get a NICE bottle of wine out of my wine cellar/converted closet with a cooling unit. I have some nicely aged Rochioli pinot noirs to choose from.
Wife and I are Roasting a terducken with sausage stuffing, potatoes au grautin, tossed salad. Wife’s making a pecan pie—I never could bake. Accompanied by a 2015 Burgundy I first drank in Belgium and later bought at Ward’s
Only got down to 38 here last night - so no freeze....yah! Enjoying a nice hot cup of Earl Gray & honey and watching The Greatest American Hero on TV. 1981...hard to believe almost 40 years ago! Great show though.... Hope everyone is doing well!
We are headed back home today—Ms. Jan’s Mama has taken a turn for the worse—That is where we need to be, family always comes first. Today is Ms. Jan’s birthday—we will just celebrate that when the appropriate time comes. God willing, her Mama can make it until tomorrow—it’s tough any time to lose a parent, I just pray it doesn’t happen on Ms. Jan’s birthday but we will accept what the good Lord gives us. I have no idea what we may do for supper tonight—but— Life is good in Gator Nation!
Yesterday my Thermapen died so I had to judge the rib eyes "old school": by feel. My wife said to err of the side of medium as opposed to rare. We like ours medium rare. They turned out somewhere between medium rare and medium so tragedy was avoided.
I’ll go ahead and give myself an “off topic” emoji but I don’t know where else to say this— Ms. Jan’s Mama passed away peacefully this morning at 5:35am with both of her daughters at her bedside. She was 92 years young and had lived a wonderful life where her family was always at the center of everything she was involved in. I’m sure that she is fishing with her “Mr. Bud” and looking down on us and smiling now that she is at peace again.
Thank you for sharing this with us, Bill. Lovely tribute to your Mama-in-law. 92 is a good run and to leave this world peacefully with your daughters by your side is more than most have, I'm sure. A lot to be thankful of at this time of grieving. Peace be with your and yours, sir......
Bill, My MIL lives in a smallish house that we built on our property: one bedroom and a sewing room because she is a quilter. I know what you must be feeling because I know I will be devastated when she passes unless she out lives me. And she might. She is in her late 80's and takes no meds because her doctors don't think that she needs them and not that she is adverse to them. As for dinner I am making clam linguini with a side salad with pears and gorgonzola. I wanted to chill a nice sauvignon blanc to go with dinner, but my wife said that her current favorite "white wine" is a gin and tonic. I think that it is too cold for that, but I have found that agreeing to your wife's wishes when not outrageous is a good way to go through life.
Ward's has some great value wines. They used to have a really good rioja at less than $10 a bottle that came in a wooden case if you bought twelve. Ramon Bilbao. Not a great wine, but at that price point surprisingly good.
Russ, their wine manager, does things like read the trade magazines and if he sees a winery is going to introduce new packaging he buys up cases of the old bottles at a big discount
Last night was take out from Gyro Plus at their new location on south 13th. Think about near where the Red Lion was if you are a Gainesville old timer. I couldn't get out to shop for dinner because I had to wait for a furnace repair man to show up. Good thing that in our two story house we have separate HVAC systems for the two floor. Our house is so old that it was built with no AC and used fireplaces for heating. We have four fireplaces and it is clear that there used to be a wood stove as well. And always good to support local business. Tonight is using some stuffed with cheese and broccoli chicken breasts from Omaha Steaks that my younger brother sent for Christmas. (We ate the bacon wrapped beef tenderloin the day after we got the present.) Rice pilaf and a salad will accompany. Tomorrow I am smoking a turkey. My wife scored a fresh turkey on DEEP sale. Things like that do not wait very long in the frig before you have to cook them. Probably a mistake at the supermarket about how many fresh turkeys they needed for the holidays. And New Year's Eve will be my 38th wedding anniversary. The plan is macadamia nut and panko encrusted grouper filets with lots of butter. One of my favorite thing to make. My wife grew up in Cincinnati and her experience eating fish was not so good so when we were first married I broiled some grouper for her and she said "Not bad. Tastes like chicken." Maybe the best fish she ate as a child was fried smelt. I like them. I used to net them in Chicago when the season was right. You eat them bones and all. My response was "Next time I cook grouper for me and chicken for you." She has come around. I also love cobia, but not often available at our local fish monger.
Lurk, First time I ever had macadamia nut and panko encrusted grouper filets was in the Keys with a girl I was dating, at the time. Since then - it has also been my favourite. The girl's dad was a retired football coach from one of the Miami area high schools. That's where my girlfriend grew up. Her Dad was pretty well connected with the sports scene down there, naturally. One night in fact when we were having dinner at her parents - their dinner guests were Mr. and Mrs. Angelo Dundee (Ali's trainer). I still have his business card and autograph. Her Dad also played football at FSU back when players were playing on both offense and defense. That was in the 50's I guess, not long after it went away from just a girl's college. They had a beach house up here and that's how we met. Congratulations on your upcoming 38th wedding anniversary! Pretty cool that it's on New Year's Eve! Please feel free to pass along my regards to the bride. Back on topic.....why is it that wings taste so good? Aside from the chicken flavor....it always seems tastier than just eating other ways. Hooters...the The Winghouse....etc etc....huge business - but why do they always seem to taste better?
I think it is the coating that tastes great and not the chicken. I really liked the wings at Nellie's Raw Bar way back in the early 1980's in Hogtown. The wings at CJ's back then were also good. My dad, rest his soul, liked the wings at Hooters but I think that he really liked the breasts.
@GatorLurker— Congratulations to you and your wife on y’all’s upcoming 38th Wedding Anniversary! Ms. Jan and I celebrated our 47th this past September. It’s amazing what you can get these girls used to....