Happy Mothers Day!

I hope all the Mothers had a great day today. We did lots of yard and garden work this weekend. Saturday night I made Mindy a tasty camarones en salsa de coco (shrimp in coconut sauce).



She requested pulled pork for Mothers Day dinner so I smoked a big shoulder all day today and it was fantastic. We had quite the spread and finished the meal off with some grilled pineapple slices and vanilla ice cream.



Very good weekend all the way around. Thank you's for my Mom and Mom-in-law, you two are great and thanks for putting up with me all these years!

Most of all thanks to you Mindy, you are the best. Couldn't do it without you.

Sunday Night Sate or Satay?

I don't know which spelling is correct, either way it's good eating. Marinade of coconut milk, fish sauce, minced garlic, lime juice. Peanut sauce of coconut milk, fish sauce, minced garlic, ginger and scallion, brown sugar and a splash of lime juice. Russ's had nice whole pineapples on sale so we got two. Cut some of the pineapple into long swizzles for the missus who prefer's a Chi Chi to my Navy Grog.

I found a recipe for Trader Vic's Navy Grog which has Pimento liqueur in it. I ordered a bottle from Reggae Treats along with an overproof rum for future use. The Pimento which is acutally allspice berries is very unique. Never tasted anything like it before. Mindy suggested I try and find some kind of white creme liqueur and make a "pumpkin pie" drink. That might just work!

Trader Vic's Navy Grog was very tasty if a bit overpowered by the allspice (quarter of an ounce is all). But I'm still stuck on a Beachbum Berry's original "Captain Vadrna’s Grog". 2 1/2 ounces Captain Morgan spiced rum, 3/4 ounce fresh lime juice, 3/4 ounce demerara sugar syrup (equal parts demerara sugar and water), 1/2 ounce white grapefruit juice, and a dash of Angostura bitters. I don't like spiced rum so I substitute Appleton Estate V/X.

Have a great week everyone!

This and That Saturday...

Got caught up on some much needed "Honey-Do's" around the house Saturday. Finally had a great weather day to fiddle around the house and garage.

Changed the front brake pads and shocks on the better half's vehicle. It had 91,200 miles on the original parts, and the pads were toast. The shocks were probably okay but since I was in there, why not change them.

Two of our three bird houses in the back yard were falling apart. Mother's Day is coming and so I had "The Boy" help me do some repairing/rebuilding/renewing on them. We built one from scratch using an old one as a template. Put a new roof on the second one. New coats of paint make quite the difference. I was a bit amazed that Alex was afraid of an orbital sander when the snowblower doesn't scare him at all. Weird kid!

While I was tinkering with stuff I decided to smoke a ham we picked up at Russ's Market. It was one of those freebie deals from using their rewards card. The ham turned out wicked good. Gonna be lots of sandwiches, ham and bean soup and a cheesy tater and ham dish. Mmm!

While the ham was cooling we kept picking at it and about spoiled our beef taco dinner! They went well with the Navy grog's I was drinking. Rum, grapefruit juice, lime juice, demerara syrup, dash of bitters. I'm on the lookout for a Martinique rum the next trip to The Still.

Party at BorK's place!

Thanks for the beer and bacon Steve and Theresa! I was only there a short time but I had a good time. The new kitchen is awesome, gotta get me one of them sinks. The counter and cabinet space is great.

I got to meet Lynda from http://www.lnkitchen.blogspot.com/, she's pretty cool! I'm bummed I missed some of our other Lincoln web personalities, maybe next time. I hope everyone that went had as good a time as I did. Loved the beer tap right through the fridge door!

Jerk Pork

Whipped up a spicy jerk marinade for a pork loin. Onion, green onion, ginger, fresh thyme, lemon juice, soy sauce, olive oil, a whole habanero (might grow some scotch bonnets this year), nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, salt and black pepper. Puree in the food processor then cover the pork loin and refrigerate for six hours.

I loaded the grill up with hickory and indirectly cooked the loin for an hour and a half. Tented the loin with foil and let it rest for ten to fifteen minutes.

Nicely flavored with a good bit of zip from another one of those orange fireballs I grew in the garden last year. Served with a small salad and some red pepper cilantro basmati rice.

Looks to be a great week for grilling. Have a great week everyone!

Stupid camera....I miss Chicago already..

When I turn the flash off, it deactivates the image stabilization. Every dang picture I took in downtown Chicago was blurred. Me mad!

Chicago was great, wish I was still there. Wednesday night we skipped the scheduled company event (hockey game) because my companion wanted to eat at Ditka's downtown. I didn't mind, we were half a block from Michigan Avenue, the city was alive and "the John" awaited us after dinner.

My companion had a strip steak, I enjoyed a nice piece of bone-in prime rib with one of the best sweet/spicy peppercorn crusts I've had. If you like beef, sports and eye candy, this place is for you.

Outside Ditka's a guy was having trouble with his car.....

That same old place, Sweet Home Chicago

Hello from Oak Brook Illinois. Here for a three day training school for work. Had a chance to eat on my own last night before having to eat at the hotel for the next two days.

Volare was very good. I had a ricotta gnocchi with parma ham and peas in a superb parmesian cheese sauce. My companion had grilled salmon, sauteed spinach with garlic and a nice little polenta cake.

I forgot a cord to take the pictures off the phone as I forgot the good camera. Err!