Weekend Gumbo

I've got hankering for some old fashioned Gumbo. Think I'll use this sweet lady's recipe, http://bywayofthebay.blogspot.com/search/label/dinner. When you reach her page just scroll down until you find her 'Granddaddy's Seafood Gumbo.'

It should look something like the above picture and taste even better.The picture is from Deep South Dish.

I've had Little Bit here at my business for most of the day. Her mom's at the dentist and asked me to 'baby sit.'  Lucky me. Don't tell anyone, really, but we watched a Disney movie using Netflex on my computer. I'm serious, don't tell. If word gets out I might be required to hand in my Dude Membership.

Have a nice evening and I'll see you good folks tomorrow.

Stephen

Google Account

The short of it is, it's easy.  It only requires a user name and password...it's free. It just gives us blog writers a sense of well being knowing we're writing for you special people that take precious time from your busy lives to read our work. Puffs me up, too.

Thanks.

Picture posted just because I like it. Pickled eggs make me smile...and with the handgun, well, what's not to like. I came across the picture on the AR-15 website and would give due credit to its owner if only I knew his or her name. Thanks anyway unknown nice person.

Stephen

Things We Say

 We're on our drive to summer camp. Traffic that morning was bad. The car in front of me is slow, I mean slow, and I can tell the sucker is on his cell phone. I can't move right, I'm stuck. I get, well, mad.

Me, "Mumble, mumble, sorry "bad word" so and so."

I regret my words almost immediately. I look over at Little Bit and she's turned away as if the bloomed lavender Crepe Myrtles were the most important objects in here little life. I felt bad.
We move along at a silent snails pace for a few more minutes.

Then I say, "Sorry, Honey."

Her, "Papa."

"What, Honey?"

"It's okay, Papa, he can't help it."  I glance over with one of those questioning looks we all give children. She continues, "He's only a Democrat." 

Silence. Then, "Little Bit."

"What, Papa."

"Why did you call him that?" She's still looking out the window, hasn't moved.

Her, "Papa, I love you more than orange juice,"  in a rapid little voice, quick.

My heart broke. She now thinks she's in trouble for something I said and she feels her response has placed the blame on herself.

This is all my fault and it began many months ago. It's all due to my big mouth and my impatience with others. Allow me to explain, please.

We were driving down a busy city street, and like above, a driver had cut me off. Little Bit was with me, of course, and without thinking I yelled, "Damn Democrat." She heard and remembered and had seen the person in the car.

Thirty minutes later we're standing in a checkout line at our local Publix grocery store. We're second in line. The lady in front of us is swiping one plastic card after another. Each swipe the cashier would say, "Sorry, it's rejected."
I began to mumble. Little Bit looks up at me, takes my hand and in a crystal clear very loud voice said, "It's okay, Papa, she's just a Democrat."

Now, I'm a fairly large man, I fear no human. I have a great deal of respect for others but I know my limitations and have long outgrown the need to pick fights, so when I say I wish I had had a place to hide at that moment, I mean it.

If looks could kill they would have that day. Yet, it was my fault.

Back to the ride.

I turn to Little Bit after she said she loved me more than orange juice and reached over and took her hand. Said, "Sweet heart, Papa isn't mad at you. It's okay. Please look at me." She looked over and I continued, "I love you, you're not in trouble. Papa is mad at himself and I'm sorry I said those words. Do you understand?"

Silence. We're close to her school and I feel the need to heal my habit and heal her hurt feelings.

"Little Bit."

In a small voice, "What, Papa."

"Sometimes I use words I shouldn't. Words that can hurt other people's feelings and I will try real hard not to say those words again." She's locked her little brown eyes on mine. "Please, Honey, don't repeat bad words you hear Papa use, okay."

I pull into the driveway. She sips the last of her morning orange juice. Then, "Okay, Papa, I won't."

I helped her from my truck and she reaches for my hand, "I still love you more than orange juice, how much do you love me?"

"More than the whole world, Little Bit."

A kiss and she's gone.  

Stephen

An Answer for Rose

Good morning, my friends.  Rose from Simple Everyday Living, http://simpleeverydayliving.blogspot.com/, asked me for the recipe for my Cajun Irish stew I built last Monday morning.

Rose, the simple fact is I seldom use a given recipe for this stew as I've been making it for well over thirty years. Guess you could say I just kinda throw the sucker together. It takes a bit of time since I almost always make a Roux when cooking stews. I love Cajun and Creole cooking methods. So, with that said, let's get 'er done.

Now, please understand I will not give set amounts, I cook by feel unless I'm using a recipe for a dish new to me.

Take a good cast iron pot, a large one. I favor Le Cresuet, but any good cast iron pot or heavy stainless steel (if the pot can't inflect bodily damage throw it away) will work. Add about two tablespoons of bacon grease and set the flame to medium high.

I use about a three pound pork roast but beef will suffice. Season to taste, and I mean season. I like to sprinkle with Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper. Any brand name will work.
Then coat with flour, and brown all surfaces of the roast. A good pecan brown, and don't forget the ends. Set aside to rest.
In the drippings of the pot add four or five tablespoons of the flour you used to coat the roast, watch your heat and adjust as necessary. Stir the Roux continually until it reaches the color of a light chocolate or a pecan, the deeper the color, the better the flavor. WATCH the heat, do not burn the Roux. Remember, stir....
A good heat resistant spatula works best for this operation.

 
Click this link for professional instructions on making a great Roux. http://www.deepsouthdish.com/  

Take two large onions (I use Georgia sweet onions) and cut fine, add three to four large cloves of garlic, and put the onions and garlic into the Roux, when it's reached the color you prefer, stir until soft.
Our next step involves stock, your choice, but I prefer chicken stock. Slowly, while stirring the Roux and onion mixture, pour small amounts of stock into the pot....stir, stir, stir.  It will thicken. (And Rose, I know you know how to do all this. Just trying to help the novices.)
When the Roux mixture has reached a little boil, reduce heat and add the following in no special order.

The pork roast, keep it whole for now.
2-3 lbs of little red potatoes
2 38oz (or 34, forget what size they come in) cans of tomatoes, crushed.
Chopped carrots, any amount you prefer, just watch the level of the pot.
Adjust seasonings.

I like my stews to simmer for at least six (6) hours. I have a gas range so I just add a simmer plate beneath. Allow the stew to just form tiny bubbles, a long slow simmer. Near the end, take a utensil and gently separate the pork roast into three or four sections, adjust seasonings to your taste. This stew is good served over rice, but I like it best served in a bowl with some classic Southern Corn Bread.

As you can see I'm not a food writer. I'm sure the sweet lady at http://bywayofthebay.blogspot.com/, written by The Kitchen Witch can treat this recipe much better than I. By the way, try her site. This sweet lady can cook.



Hope this helped, Rose. Enjoy

Stephen 

Blue Barrels

After a morning of yard work, then a cool-off period, I decided to clean and refresh my three 55 gallon blue barrels. Our first tropical storm formed off our southeast coast last evening, and for us folks living in hurricane country, we don't take these storms lightly.

I don't care how much emergency food you've stashed away for 'that day,' if you don't have ready access to clean potable water you're in deep poop. I, for example, live next to a large river, but here at my location near the ocean, it's brackish and not fit to drink without complicated filtering processes utilizing expensive equipment I not only don't own but haven't the means of procurement.  Sure there are little lakes and retention ponds in the park next door, but in a grid down lead flinging situation, I'd rather avoid the risk and instead walk into my yard and tap one of my three barrels. Besides the pond and lake water needs treatment and filtration, my barrels are pre-treated with bleach and ready to drink.

Below is one of the barrels I drained and refilled this morning. As you can see from the picture I purchased this barrel many years ago from Emergency Essentials. No, I do not receive any payment from my endorsement of the company. I've purchased many items from them over the years, some you'll see in these pictures, and they've yet to fail or disappointment me. They're good folks.

 One thing I did forget to mention; if you so desired it would be a simple matter to take your water from the barrel and filter it with a Berkley Water Filter. Just saying.


My second barrel. The barrels sit on either landscape timbers, bricks or concert blocks.

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These barrels can be found fairly cheap at bottling companies, such as Coke, and some wineries. I found two at a local hardware store which had been used to ship white wine for the unholy price of five bucks each. Of course they smelled like wine too, but I didn't complain.


You will also need a bung wrench, again sold at Emergency Essentials, and a pump. In this next picture notice both on top of the barrel. The pump will reach the bottom of the barrel making it easy to remove all your water. These three barrels give me 165 gallons of clean water and with a good filter system I can use those murky duck ponds if the need should arise.

I would strongly suggest if you are new to this vast world of survival preparedness to find the following book. It's well written and comprehensive and covers all aspects of physical survival. It can be found on-line at many locations. Amazon.com has them for less than twenty dollars. My copy is well used and bookmarked beyond description.

Stephen

Take A Look

One of my personal friends has just started her own blog. Please take a moment and drop by her place and say hello. She's a fine woman and even better mother and best of all, she packs a gun. What's not to like.

http://talesfromtheclothesline.blogspot.com/

Thanks,

Stephen

Sunday Morning In The Rain

It's raining here and you won't hear me bitch about it at all, we need it.  I've spent the last two nights alone since my Sweet Wife has spent that time with her mother at the Mayo Clinic. So far she seems fine. Time will tell. She underwent several hours of brain surgery yesterday.

After my morning coffee I decided to make a pork roast Irish stew. Prep time was about forty-five minutes and now my house smells great. As a matter of fact my fingers now smell of fresh rosemary cut from my herb garden.

I hope all of you have a pleasant and restful Sunday. See you tomorrow.

Here's my roast settled in for a long day of simmering.

Stephen