Tonight I’ll be grilling chicken halves over regular Kingsford charcoal. Our sides will be Ms. Jan’s homemade Mac n’ Cheese, a fresh pot of pink eye peas with snaps, and fried cornbread. The warmer weather has allowed us to get all of Ms. Jan’s plants that were inside moved back outside and get her citrus trees that were wrapped uncovered. Low was 40* and we topped out at 69* today. Ice cold longnecks and chilled wine will accompany our weekly Zoom call with our regular group of college friends that we’ve kept up with over all these years and then we will enjoy the sunset. Life is good in Gator Nation!
Making pozole rojo today using the chicken stock that I made from the two smoked chicken carcasses I had around. Some finely diced onion, diced avocado, finely chopped cabbage, finely chopped cilantro, finely chopped radish, and dried epazote (you rub it in your hands to add it to the pozole and it is an acquired taste) for toppings. And margaritas.
I thought we'd win but not by that much. I guess Coach White gets to keep his job - at least until Saturday's game....
Making an Asian mustard greens soup tonight with ground pork and the usual things (soy sauce, fish sauce, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, scallions, salt and pepper) and Sichuan peppercorns. Sichuan peppercorns are not really peppercorns. They are the seed husks of prickly ash shrubs. While you might think that being called peppercorns that they might be quite spicy hot they are only a tiny bit spicy hot. The thing that they do is to numb your mouth in a way that I find pleasant, but others might not. It is a very curious ingredient to use.
Tonight it’s freshly fried cubed beef steak and continuing to work on the leftovers. We’ve got Mac n’ Cheese, zipper peas, and pink eye peas with snaps. Instead of jalapeños cornbread tonight I’m mixing in a can of Rotel tomatoes with my cornbread mixture and we’ll see how that comes out. Sunshine this morning has faded away to overcast as far as you can see. Rain is supposed to be in here tonight and pretty much spend tomorrow with us. Adult refreshments are available on the back porch this afternoon and evening. Life is good in Gator Nation!
A rain day brings a “pot luck” menu here today. That said, I’ve got a big pot of taco bean soup (with ground chuck) simmering for this evening. We will top it off with Sargento 4 Cheese Mexican shredded cheese, sour cream, and chopped up fresh jalapeños. Tostitos Multi-Grain scoops are on the side. The ice cold longnecks of the day will be Pacifico’s with fresh cut lime wedges. Of course Ms. Jan’s chilled wine will also be on hand. Life is good in Gator Nation!
Grilling pork shoulder steaks tonight. Rubbed with ground coriander, Coleman's dry mustard, garlic powder, light brown sugar, and freshly ground black pepper. It will be plated as thinly sliced pieces on a schmeer of a sauce consisting of prepared horseradish, Dijon mustard, coarse whole grain mustard, and honey. I will grill at medium high indirect heat instead of a low and slow method like you would for pulling. I will pull it off when it reaches an internal temperature in the 140 to 150 F range. Cooking low and slow would result in something without the texture of a steak. Also sautéing mustard greens with garlic and lemon juice. And a rice pilaf. Earlier in the day I made pickled red onion for when I use leftover pulled pork from last weekend to make pulled pork tacos with fresh pineapple and datil peppers. I think that would be a good thing for Sunday. I also made a batch of dirty rice because my 25 year old son that still lives at home loves it and he "grazes" a lot out of the fridge.
While making the mustard greens I was tasting it and something was missing. I wasn't following any recipe because all the ones that I saw online were not what I wanted. The most delicious sounding ones were all Asian and would be great, but not for tonight, and the "traditional Southern" ones would end up with something prepared for people that gum their food. I usually use mustard greens in Asian cuisines. And then the "Aha" moment. Just a little crushed red pepper did the trick. Dee-lish and almost done.
Brother Lurk....... Love the term "graze". My friend (who is doing the micro greens) and I were chatting about a month or so ago about eating habits and he used the same term to describe how he eats most of the time. I had given him some trail mix that was heavy in cranberry and that is what initiated the conversation. He said he likes the nuts dot com products, but I don't think I've ever looked at that site. I have bought off Amazon macadamia and Brazil nuts in bulk and then divided them up to give away and also to freeze. While I'm here - a pet peeve that continually annoys me. People who are not aware that other people exist. Demonstrated by how they leave their shopping cat(s) in the way - as well as how they meander through both a store and it's parking lot. Like a boat without a rudder.... I bought a sumptuous packet of ground beef today and will start feeding it as a treat to my girl, Winkipop. Her back legs are failing a bit and I fear the end may be near. Vet appointment Tuesday to get a diagnosis. In the meantime she will have some fine dining experiences.....
Been there and done that and it is always hard to deal with. After my first two dogs that were my dogs about the same time passed everyone asked if I was getting another. I said "No. My next dog will just appear." That dog was a Humane Society rescue American foxhound from when my oldest son was volunteering there. I had no say in getting this dog into our house. I was wary of having a hunting breed dog as a house pet. Beau was a great dog and of course he was my dog because I was the person that bonded with him and did the everyday things that he needed. Then Beau got really sick, but he didn't complain. But I knew that he was in severe pain and we had to put him down. Again folks asked if I was looking for another dog and again I said "No. My next dog will just appear." Then about one year ago a longtime friend of my youngest son said that he had a dog that he "inherited" and could not give her what she needed. My wife said that we would take her. So now I have a new dog and she is an Aussie Mini shepherd named Rosie.
Thanks for sharing @GatorLurker - I have no plans to go out and get another either. I love your philosophy and feel the same way. Hugs to Rosie!
Going to have dinner (socially distanced, of course) with some friends where they will grill pizza. I made Thai sesame noodles.
Any burrito fans here? Do you make your own? I've purchased and consumed MANY of them.....but don't think I've ever made one, myself. But am intrigued enough to try. I love a good burrito!
Tonight I’ll be grilling bone-in country cut ribs indirect over cherry wood smoke. And yes, Pat’s Homade on the last two turns. Inside we will have fresh cream 40’s & petite butter beans with fresh okra and Ms. Jan’s scalloped potatoes. We started out the day with 49*, it’s been sunny/partly cloudy all day topping out at 68*. The ice cold longnecks and chilled wine will be available on the back porch this afternoon and evening. Life is good in Gator Nation!
I make my own sometimes. Tonight I am making pulled pork tacos with datil peppers and pickled red onion.
Tonight I will grill pork chops and also grill apples and onion with sage in a cast iron skillet. Just need to add some olive oil and chicken broth to the skillet. And saw somebody that skewered his pork chops so that they were vertical (bone down) on the grill. No grill marks and no need to flip. Sounds interesting. Also making some rice. Trying out B&B lump charcoal because I was out and it was at Lowes and I did not want to drive all the way to Home Depot.