We are continued from here
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/931439/#new
ice on crabapples - ice storm Christmas Eve, 2004
ORVG COFFEE HOUSE #137 Sleigh Bells Ring....
Thanks Jules...
Hope everyone has a great day!
I posted this on the Recipe forum, in the Crockpot thread, but thought I would put it here too... this was inexpensive, and SO good!
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I download a wonderful food related audio podcast to listen to on my iPhone (which has an ipod in it) called "The Splendid Table" it must be a PBS radio show. It is everything I wish the Food Network was, LOL.
About a month ago, they interviewed a man who judged BBQ contests across the country. He was asked what the home cook could do to prepare a good BBQ at home, if they did not have access to a pit etc. He said - he does his in a CROCK POT! He uses Liquid Smoke. The interviewer was appalled! He explained that Liquid Smoke is not full of chemicals like many think, but is an all natural product, and is in most BBQ sauces etc that you buy. Anyway, I tried the simple recipe that he gave, and it got 5 stars from my Mom, my guest, and myself.
I wrote this from the podcast, so pardon the not so professional sounding directions.
Make up several tablespoons of your favorite dry rub. If you don't have a favorite, he suggested equal amounts of kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder and dry mustard. I actually used less salt and pepper, and added some Emeril's Bam mix I had made up, plus some Stubb's Lime Chili dry rub I had on hand.
Use 4-6 pound Pork Boston Butt, which is a pork shoulder. Rub all over well with the dry rub. Place in crock pot.
Pour over with 1/2 cup of liquid smoke. Put lid on, cook on high for 6-7 hours, or low for 10-12 hours. Internal temp should reach 190. Or, until fork inserted makes meat fall apart. DO NOT lift lid at ALL during this cooking time! He said don't poke it, don't stir it, turn it, look at it - just forget it!!!
Remove meat from pot. Use juices to help scrape hardened bits from side of crock pot. Briefly put juices in fridge to bring fat to top. (I have a gravy separater - I put in that - but there was very little fat) skim fat. In mean time, shred meat with two forks - oh, sorry I mean **pull** meat... LOL... Put juices in pan on stove, add a bit of cornstarch to thicken. (Guess you could use flour) Add meat, heat through. Make sandwiches, or eat as is.
This meat was SO tender and flavorful! We actually bought another pork roast, made it a few days ago, without the rub or smoke. We used chicken broth instead of liquid smoke. Just to see what it would be like. My elderly Mom lives with me, she is 84. She has a hard time chewing any meat that is not really tender. She wants all the meat cooked in the crock pot now! The unspiced pork was really good too - we ate it with rice, and then the left over we shredded and made sandwiches.
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Kimberley - I can relate on the car expense. I have spent almost $1000 on mine in the last couple weeks. I dodged another $1000 - one of the main computers went out and it was just barely under warranty. Another 1100 miles and it would have been on me. I only have one car, so I don't have a choice on repair.
I got shocked yesterday - my hairdryer transformer blew up in my hand that has the RSD in it. Big old fireball !!! My hand was covered in black carbon stuff. Didn't knock me on my butt, but close to it. My hand is still tingling this morning. Looks like the cord broke where it went from the dryer into the transformer block thing. Man, scared the you know what out of me. Nothing like a good electrical jolt to get the RSD fired up. Didn't do the doctor thing, cause figured they couldn't do anything for it anyway. I don't have any actual burn - just a red spot about the size of a nickle with a small black spot. With the RSD having my pain nerves on edge anyway - this really has me going !! It HURT! Feels like when I went to the shooting range with my Ex recently and shot a revolver that was to much for me!
I used to do a lot of target shooting when we were married. He's BIG into target shooting. He goes all over, even other states to shooting competitions. Even shoots against SWAT guys. I have not been able to shoot since the RSD attacked my shoulders - can't lift my arms up high enough to site a pistol... but between my Ex and Blackwing Shooting Center north of Columbus, they have set me up with laser sites on my target pistol, gloves that absorb shock and a new way of holding the gun. I can now shoot again! I had to give up so many of my hobbies, that it is fun to have one of them back again! I know it's odd to think of a woman who likes to shoot, but target shooting can be really fun, and I am (was) really good at it. The woman instructor at Blackwing works with physically impared people and was full of good ideas for me. I never thought it was something I could do again.
Well, best get busy, time is flying! Nice coat of ice out there today. Wanted to go get the rest of my x-rays done today, but maybe Friday. To slippery today.
Good morning to all.
Jules....that pork sounds good! I will have to try it.
Here's another woman that used to shoot. My dad had an NRA rifle range when I was growing up...so I learned there. He had a 4-H club that was a gun club. It was fun! And then...Dave and I used to go target shooting too. Haven't done any for a while though.
Well today is cleaning day...plus 'my boss' wants me to get the wrapping done!! I sooo don't want to do that!!
Bonnie....our wintery mix didn't even come till late afternoon. Now we have ice everywhere! I'm staying in!
You all have a great day!
Jules that does sound good. Quick question.....you mean your Pork Butt is really a shoulder? LOL! Made me laugh.
I actually know many women who shoot. I got my CCW from a gal over in New Philadelphia who is a national winner - sounds like your ex. She shoots competitions and against swats, etc. That's a different league for me though. I'll have to tell my DH about Blackwing - we live in Dublin - just moved a year ago.
Hey gang! Yeah, I know - been gone so long you probably thought I'd dropped off the face of the earth. Almost.. :) Just been running around like a little chicken with her head gone, and keep forgetting to get on and say Hi! Still no word on the substitute teaching gig, but I'm beginning to think it may not come through as they just announced they're closing 6 elementary schools here, so there's probably a glut of subs already. So...gotta get out and see if there's anything at all left that I can apply for and try to get some bucks in here.
It was great to meet Ric Lector and his lovely wife this past weekend. Both sis and I laughed at the fact that there was a LAMB, IN close to where we met! Nora's one of those folks that can't handle eating anything with big eyes, so when I told her that Ric was getting two of sis's lambs she promptly told me she wasn't going to go meet any more of the new ones when they're born, can't stand the thought of them being on someone's plate. So...she's limiting her visits to the alpacas - LOL! Sis is a breast cancer survivor, and got 4 alpacas from her plastic surgeon as a gift. He is not only one of the best surgeons around, but he's a real sweetheart to boot - not like a lot of surgeons I've met or she's worked with (she's an OR nurse, currently working for a vet).
WAY TOO COLD here for this little California transplant. OK, it's been 30 years since I lived there - but they were the formative years, ya know? The ones growing up where you learn to think that anything that requires a jacket is cold! I still believe that anything below 60 is too cold to warrant tracking.....
Got a nice little sheet of ice on everything here still, so no errands today (I'm in a piggy swap, and am a couple days late getting my seeds in the mail - I'm a bad kitty).
I've been busily cross-stitching like a fiend to finish some gifts for the niece and nephew - it's a homemade Christmas this year. Stockings for the adults, and gifts for the kids. We're looking on craigslist for an old beatup lawnmower or something of the kind for my 12 y.o. nephew as he's just hitting the age where he wants to tear apart engines and put them back together. We figure this will keep him occupied and away from all the engines on their farm that need to work properly. Here's a pic of the piece I just finished for the nephew, and will follow with the one I'm working on for the niece.
Hope everyone's doing well, staying away from frayed electrical cords, not getting firewood in floppy sandals, and not getting too nervous about any heart/health issues - everyone is held close in our hearts and prayers!
Robin
Here's the one I'm trying to get done for my niece, but I'm not holding out hopes - too much backstitching to finish in just one week....I'll fess up on this one too. She's 18 - as is this cross-stitch! I started it when she was born and didn't get it done in time for her first Christmas (she's an August baby) so I put it aside, and put it aside.......and now she's 18....and it looks like she'll get it for graduation - LOL!
cheles_garden, you have d-mail
Being an avid cross-stitcher, I have a lot more patterns than I'll ever finish, and I've always got multiple projects going - and actually some finished - LOL! Here's what the dear niece is going to get in case I can't get that angel finished in time. I loved doing this one, even though it's crammed with nasty backstitching and french knots (I HATE french knots....) (And Ric, I found a great pattern for a sheep - on ice skates - that looks like I can knock it off in a couple days - that's going to sis - buwahahaha!)
(Don't look too closely at the beak - HA! I prefer to do stitching on tiny little things, so whenever a half-stitch is required I have to get a bit creative, and it was a little wobbly for that beak.)
This message was edited Dec 17, 2008 1:55 PM
Wow, Robin, your cross-stitching is gorgeous! Anyone would be thrilled to receive them as gifts. And since teenagers truly need a guardian angel to look after them, that would be an excellent gift to give her now.
I want to be Robin's nephew! "whine"
now, now George - on the other hand, whining does seem to get a response, doesn't it? - LOL!
Thanks KyWoods :) I've been cross-stitching for many, many years, and at first was a bit cautious about giving them as gifts - not everyone likes the "crafty" stuff - ya know? But I like to do things where the stitches are so small you can't see them, which sometimes drives me to the edge (that whole eyes bouncing around thing) but when they're done I personally think they're kinda cool. I've done some angels for very close family friends (Mom's friends), and the one I did for her I gave to her very good friend at the assisted living place after she passed. I knew it would mean as much to her as it did to me and Mom, and I wasn't sure I could handle looking at it again. On the other hand, I do have the snow birds and covered bridges I did for Mom and Dad as gifts years ago, and find myself smiling whenever I see them.
This message was edited Dec 17, 2008 3:11 PM
Robin...chile where you been? ♥
Your crossstitching is amazing. That looks smaller than 18 (if I remember the number from my cs days years ago)....don't know that I could handle that!! Glad to see you back.
Sue...did you get any cookies????????????????????????☺
I been cross-stitchen' Aunt Cookie! And running errands, and the usual stuff, ya know? It is indeed smaller than 18 (for those of you who don't stitch, the number is "count per inch" - so 18 is 18 squares per inch). I usually work in nothing smaller than 22, and prefer such things as 30-32, and for special things will stitch on linen. Yep, I have a floor-stand magnifying lamp that my parents got me, otherwise there'd be no way I could do this anymore. Here's one of the covered bridges I did YEARS ago for Dad. And then I promise to quit bogging down the thread with pics :-)
Hey Robin! Good to "see" ya :-) Lovely work! I love needle work.
Speaking of holiday recipes, one that came from my Grandmother on Dad's side was Transparent Pie. Must be an old recipe, I have only seen references to it in a couple of cookbooks. Its very similar in flavor and appearance to Chess Pie, and its pretty close to the Chess Pie recipes I've found, so probably just a different name for the same pie (and a weird one too). Every Thanksgiving and Christmas there were several of them on hand, and rarely any leftovers. Mamaw's hand written recipe offered no instructions.
Transparent Pie
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup sweet cream (I assume that's heavy cream, so thats what I use)
2/3 cup butter
2 T flour
1 to 1 1/2 t vanilla (good, real vanilla makes a difference here)
2-9" regular pie shells
Bake at 300F for 1 hour
I've found the texture is best when I cream room temp butter with the sugar, gradually add the eggs, then the remainder of the ingredients. I usually turn the oven up to 325 the last 15 minutes, or leave it in for a little longer- sometimes its not quite set in an hour, and I like for them to be golden on top too
Slurp...I want one now, LOL!.
Hi Neal :) That sounds a lot like a custard pie. Mom loved those, so we have various recipes - from the real thing to the quickie kind.
It is very like custard pies I've tasted, but this is more buttery...and richer, hehehehehe.
ooohhhh....I can feel my cholesterol going up just reading the recipe - hee hee hee....
Do you do the pre-baked crust (you know, brush with egg yolk and all that) for this pie to keep the crust crispy?
I'm back home, Safe and ...... I have to question how sound!
I skipped reading the last 2 days but will try and read them tomorrow.
Robin!!!!! Hey You!
Evening folks, I have to agree about the Transparent pie, sounds more like a custard one. My chess pie recipe only has butter, eggs, sugar, and vinegar in it. But it does sound very good. You can make a basic custard, leaving it like vanilla, adding brown sugar insead of white to make it butterscotch, use white sugar, adding cocoa and make it chocolate, using the white sugar, and adding coconut, and making a coconut cream pie. Very easy to do.
Robin, good to see you back, and loved your pictures of the cross stitch. I used to do cs, but my eyesight is too bad to manage it anymore. Recently I came across some in a box in the attic that had been finished, but never framed. So one of my winter projects will be to get them framed.
I am another woman who is a target shooter, and a darned good shot, or was. It has been a long time since I have been. Sounds like this group better keep their words sweet and don't p*** off these women here!!
Darius, you can't just pop in here and tell us you are home, without telling us about the tests and the results!! Get yur hinney back in here.
Today was grocery/errand day, and the traffic and crowds in the stores was horrible. I know it isn't gonna get any better until Christmas is over.
I am going to Georgetown tomorrow to poke around in some antiques stores. DH has a cousin that we always buy Christmas gifts for, and she is one who has everything. I have no clue what to get. I do know that she collects Roseville Pottery, and I am hoping that I can find some of that. Also there is a stained glass supply store there, and need to pick up a few things there too. My DTS is meeting me there, and if nothing else, we will have lunch and visit.
I am home safe too... Last night was a fun trip home!! NOT!! No more than 20 mph all the way down I-75 on the Ski slope...Took me an hour to do a 15 minute drive...I beat Cookie home today... LOL ..I got home at 3:40 and made a 45 minute stop to get the white fluffy thing, aka Anemone, in the Salt tank...Sorry for the cwappy pic but best I can do tonight...You can see the 2 Tomato Clowns just below and to the left...and if you look realllly hard, you can see some of the snails...I got some really good tutoring from the owner of the shop, and I think I am ready to tackle the tank this weekend....
Prayers for Lana today, and good results for Darius...
Welcome Home Robi....You have been sorely missed...as have you Velnita...I passed by your house last week on my way to Childrens from Fairborn...:-)
I have my Mason guy at 6am in the morning, so I hope the predicted freezing rain holds off as 3/4ths of the way to his house is 2 lane, very hilly and curvy, and not one that would be salted that early so it can be very treacherous, not to mention the dozens of deer to dodge...
I remember it well from last February...Can be a really skeeeeery ride...
I backed down about 75 yards on a hill at the VA at 6am today on sheer black ice...Thankfully I had the curbing to set my wheels against once I realized that they had unlocked the gates, but never salted...I made it 3/4 of the way up, and went immediately sideways...NOT good... brakes don't work on black ice, nor does the accelerator...Can't get up, and can't stop or hold...I turned the wheel to get my rear to bump the right hand curb and then turned again to parallel it, and eased the way back down holding the right side wheels to the curb, and back out the gates...Once I hit 3rd St and the salted street and I was secure again, I *skated* to the Gates on foot, and shut them and then went around to the main tower, and had Security get the salter down there...Somebody was gonna get hurt , and it was almost my Wheelie...
Oh Yeah.. I forgot to say... Bons is right...I took the NRA Jr Championships as a Marksman at age 11 and I have the medal to prove it...I am a crack shot to this day and shoot 100 straight in skeets...Before Gen Westmorland passed away, he and Gen Schwartzkoff and me and a bunch of others held bi-annual shoots down in FL...They threw me off the Gunnery range after 2 hrs in basic once they figured out I could outshoot my instructor...Daddy started me shooting the caps and then the handles and then the necks off the old glass Clorox bottles floating down the creek when I was about 6 yrs old...If I missed and busted the bottle, the shoot was over for the day...I hated that, so I got really good, really fast...LOL
Bedtime for Bonzo here....~~~~~~~ to everyone, and Huggs to all...
Stay safe!!!
This message was edited Dec 17, 2008 11:07 PM
Robin, I've never prebaked the crust, but I bet that would be good. If the crust is prebaked, it would be a good idea to cover the edges with foil afterwords to keep it from over browning.
Bonnie, I've done them with chocolate and coconut before and they were really good, but I hadn't thought about the brown sugar for butterscotch. Good idea! When coconut is added, they're very like what I've seen called French coconut pie. Very like a custard, just more eggy and buttery than other custards.
Dusty, your salt tank sounds exciting! I love reef tanks and all the colorful salt water critters.
YAY on the sw tank Dusty! I had one for years when we lived in Chicago - it was a reef setup too, and absolutely loved it. Sold off the critters and reef to a couple of folks a while ago (actually right after Mom and Dad moved into the condo building, didn't have time for the tank anymore) but loved having it when we did. I've got some pics around somewhere, I'll dig one up and post it so you can see the critters I had. A clown, a yellow tang, a very independent anemone (liked to wander around the tank - every now and then it would be in a different spot), and some sort of really neat snail thing that came with the reef rock. Glad you made it through all that nasty weather!
Hey ya Toni! Glad to see you had a nice trip out and a safe one back! (Shame on you for peeking...)
The only lessons I had on shooting was from my Grampa, and involved a slingshot. I got to be pretty dang good with one of those things. Good enough that when my brother got an air gun in high school I went out and popped a few cans, and told him he needed to correct the sight as it was off to the right :) I've not fired a gun in years, but I bet I could still hit the near side of a far barn - LOL!
Bonnie... I won't know test results until June, unless they are bad. It was a liver scan since I'm at very high risk for liver cancer. The gal DID re-do some shots in one area, but I choose to think it was operator error and not anything on/in my liver.
Today, I start a blitz on my main room (library, living-room and bedroom combined). The non-skid piece I had under an old oriental rug turned to a sticky mess and stuck to the hardwood floors, I took up part of it by hand with steel wool but that would take forever to do it all. A neighbor suggested either alcohol or mineral spirits. I trashed the oriental rug, but the non-skid residue is a major dust collector. But first, I have to get up all the cat fur... maybe make some kitten britches, LOL!
Be back later...
darius - I wonder if either that Goo Gone stuff or those Mr. Clean Erasers would work?
Goo B Gone kind of stuff works... BUT (1) it's largely benzine or toluene, both carcinogens, and (2) it would take a LOT for the entire floor! I just tried rubbing alcohol... takes up the dirt but not the residue. Off to get some mineral spirits...
egads! I had no idea it was full of such nasty stuff! I wonder if WD-40 would do anything without hurting the wood? But that's an aerosol too......
I use the Mr. Clean erasers, and they're good for stained sinks and countertops, and getting scuff marks off floors, but not really so good for gooey or sticky messes.
Well, the mineral spirits works! Only problem is the town hardware only had 1 bottle on the shelf, and in a small size at that. So, now I need to drive down to Bristol to Lowe's or a paint store... grrrr. I sure won't get it finished today.
Don't you just hate that? Getting a good start on a project and then discovering that you need more "stuff"....glad to hear the mineral spirits work!
Whew, the job is half-finished, except for 2-3 spots that need steel-wool + mineral spirits. Now to move some furniture back for TV and sleep (later).
On my trip this week, I made a detour to Walton's Mountain. The museum was closed for winter, as was a nearby craft shop. However, the tiny town had a lovely church... with a For Sale sign. The photo isn't very good because it was raining and darkly overcast. Pretty church, anyway.
Around the bend from the church was this dam. The derelict buildings at the side (not shown in the photo) look to be an old grist mill, and a stack that looks like a shot tower, but smaller scale.
I'm sorry everything was closed... I REALLY wanted to find a cap that said "Goodnight, John-boy"!!
Wow, what a beautiful place, Darius! Is that the dreaded kudzu vine on the church?
Nope, it's ivy.
I am having an identity crisis....am I Mid-Atlantic? Am I Ohio River Valley? Am I North Eastern? SERIOUSLY!! :)
I am a southern girl recently transplanted to Morgantown, WV. I really love the landscape here and enjoying real seasons......although my fascination with snow is dimming!!
I had only just begun in Alabama with the gardening.....raising six kiddos left little time for outside care. The last two years I have really enjoyed working outdoors to make the home more inviting. The herbs smell wonderful and the flowers are breath taking.
I waited till we moved to put in the daylilies........BEFORE curtains were hung I had 25 daylilies snuggled in the ground and covered with fresh mulch. BUT that is all I have in my yard ....we have done some dirt work and added 20 loads of dirt and fill......seeded and have beautiful grass.
We have a blank slate and I have been making notes and drawing out ideas......but really have little experience.
Heny, I have the same problem. I live more-or-less closer to the Mid-Atlantic folks, but my growing zone is closer to ORV. (Even the Old Farmer's Almanac puts me in ORV, LOL)
Welcome, anyway!
Henygirl, DL's before Curtains?......you're definitely in the ORVG!
As Darius says it's all about the conditions!
That and being somewhat slightly crazy but HEY that's a condition!
Welcome!
Ric