Boston Butt Carolina Style

We had a wonderful time with our guests and hated to see them go. 

The butt? Absolutely de-lish-us. 

Rubbed and rested overnight in the refrigerator.

I have an issue with measuring.  My roast was too big for my crockpot whole so I had to cut it in half and shove into my cooker

After a little cooking (about 2 hours on high and 7 hours on low.  Once cooker turned off, I left in crock pot for about an hour) the bone slipped right out. 

I was able to pull all the fat right off and I shredded it by hand.  I made my own sauce – Eastern Carolina style – and tossed it with a little of the sauce and put it in the fridge for about 3 hours until we were ready for dinner.   I heated it up and served with additional sauce.

I made the Eggless Blueberry Muffins because D&T’s daughter has an egg allergy and I made chocolate dipped strawberries – some with red, white and blue sprinkles - to go along with our (indoor) July 4th picnic theme.

I did an arrangement of blue and white hydrangeas and red geraniums.

 

Eastern North Carolina Barbecue Sauce

1-1/2 cups apple cider vinegar

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

1-1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

3 Tbsp. brown sugar

1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce

One squeeze of yellow mustard

In a large bow, mix together cider vinegar, salt, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, brown sugar and hot pepper sauce.  Stir until salt and brown sugar have dissolved.  Cover and let stand at least 3 hours before using as a basting sauce or serving on meat.

I can’t remember where I got the recipe. I had a 12 oz. bottle of vinegar and made the whole thing so adjusted my ingredients for the extra vinegar.  I made it Friday evening so it stood about 15 hours before I marinated the cooked meat in it.  It’s a little spicy, but that’s how we like it.   If it’s a bit too tangy, you can increase the amount of brown sugar.  You can also adjust the spice by adding more than called for or decreasing.  I’ve read some people use a dollop of mustard to help keep the pepper flakes from immediately sinking to the bottom; I did.  Can’t taste the mustard and it certaily didn’t keep the flakes suspended for any geat length of time, so I may or may not use it next time.

I’m calling dinner a success.  I think the barbecue and sauce turned out great.  It is definitely a keeper and I plan on making it again.  Next time with a smaller butt or a bigger cooker.

Fat Ants

We either have fat ants at our house or the hummingbird food evaporated.  I suppose it’s possible they could dine in private when we’re not home, but I’m not so sure about that.

Being a family who needs pretty quick gratification, we decided to get a regular bird feeder.  Introducing Cafe de Seed

PhotoHunt: Bright

This is how the sun sets through the trees in my back yard.

You can see other PhotoHunt particpants here.

Doin’ Da Butt

A pork butt, that is.  We have company coming into town this weekend and I’m making homemade barbecue.  Don’t get too excited thinking I’m all fancy and stuff; I don’t want you to be disappointed.

Will met D when he deployed to Iraq in 2005.  D and his family live about three hours from us and had Will not deployed, we wouldn’t have them as a part of our lives.   D came home early because T had to have surgery so it wasn’t until a few weeks after Will got home I was able to meet him and give him a hug thanking him for taking care of Will while they were gone.  I could tell in his response to me and by the way he hugged back, he knew I was sincere and it was obvious he was appreciative of the relationship they had developed. 

We visited with them about a month before we traveled to China for Olivia.  Staying with them at their home, I realized not only are they good friends and great cooks, but they are fantastic parents.  On the way home, Will and I were talking and we could not get over just how well behaved their kids were.  We met the kids briefly when they came to town for a Welcome Home celebration we had, but it was at a restaurant with so much commotion, but it wasn’t until we were with them in their environment we saw their little personalities shine. E is their daughter and she is the oldest.  Their son shares Will’s name, so it’s Big Will and Little Will.  We decided then their kids were the type of kids we wanted to raise: well-mannered and polite.  We’re doing our best.

Anyway…we have been talking for moons about turning our very unused screened porch into a playroom and D graciously offered to help us.  He has been a home builder for years and Will was a builder in the reserves.  Ahhhh…I love friends with benefits.  This weekend they are coming to help us figure out all the stuff we need and we’ll gather the goods and he’ll trek back into town another weekend and we’ll add it on.   While he’s here, we’re testing his assembly skills in finishing Olivia’s swing set.  I’ll post it’s story with pictures once it’s done.  Sadly, it has a story.  

T is very, very pregnant so we will be doing something fun indoors; maybe a movie and some giddy girl talk while the boys are sweating their arses off working on outdoorsy stuff. 

This is a new BBQ recipe I’m trying so I hope it turns out well.  Nothing like making guests your guinea pigs, huh?  I don’t have a smoker or anything fancy, so I’m using my crock pot.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

(spice rub from Cooks Illustrated)

Spice Rub:
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1-2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon dried oregano
4 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons table salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon ground white pepper

1 bone-in pork shoulder
½ teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
2 cups barbecue sauce

1. Mix all spice rub ingredients in small bowl.

2. Massage spice rub into meat. Wrap tightly in double layer of plastic wrap; refrigerate for at least 3 hours. (For stronger flavor, the roast can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.)

3. Unwrap roast and place it in slow cooker liner. Add liquid smoke, if using, and ¼ cup water. Turn slow cooker to low and cook for 8-10 hours, until meat is fork-tender.

4. Transfer roast to cutting board; discard liquid in liner. “Pull” by tearing meat into thin shreds with two forks or your fingers. Discard fat.

5. Place shredded meat back in slow cooker liner; toss with 1 cup barbecue sauce, and heat on low for 30-60 minutes, until hot. Serve with additional barbecue sauce.

This rub makes a lot!  I rubbed my butt (6-1/2 lbs.) last night and had quite a bit left over.  I’ll be making my barbecue sauce tonight, but I haven’t decided on which one to make yet.  I’ll let you know.

Keep your fingers crossed it turns out okay.  Otherwise it will be PB&J.

 

Wordless Wednesday

 

 

 

The only diners at my hummingbird feeder. 

&*^%#@$ – Updated

I’m absolutely disgusted over this.  

I reentered the link above, but here’s the address if the link doesn’t work: http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/columnists/seate/s_573477.html

If his wife didn’t already have his balls hanging from her rear-view mirror, I’d go for them.  Obviously she has them, why else would he have ”… sat through not one, but two, chick flicks with my wife in as many weekends”?

I don’t even know what my rational response is right now because the response I started to him went a little something like this:

Asshole.

I dare anyone to tell me face to face my child is less deserving of a home than any other child in the world, especially some classless, nadless asshole who doesn’t have a f-ing clue.    I. Dare. You.

And as far as him being a journalist?  You can put kittens in the oven, but it doesn’t make them biscuits.

I googled this columnist’s name last night and it appears this is his style.  His bigotry and racism spreads far and wide, which he pawns off as “jokes.” 

Last night I also thought about my initial reaction to what he wrote and I was somewhat ashamed of myself.   I thought about deleting my post, but then I decided not to.  It was my initial reaction and, while I’m not proud of it, it is still my reaction.  Some things chap me and this is one of them.   Maybe I’m being thin-skinned, maybe I’m not.  

So, I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that he’s found a new since of self in being proactive with children who need forever families.  I’ll be looking for his follow up article talking about fostering and adopting some of these children he is so concerned about.  Oh, yeah.  What about the white kids who are in the foster care system?  I guess only black, biracial and Latino children are the ones special enough to make his list of domestic ”must haves.”   What?  Surely you don’t think he would cast stones if he wasn’t already working on becoming an adoptive parent himself.

Pompous jerk.

 

Sabotage

I had a vendor rep stop in to say “Hi” since she was in our “neighborhood.” BTW, she “loves passing through our part of the state.” She showed up with a dozen half-frozen cupcakes from the local grocery store disappointed she couldn’t find a doughnut place. I laughed. There isn’t one. For many, many miles…maybe 40. But, remember, she loves passing through our neighborhood. After talking with her and listening to her fumbling with small-town city names and such, she’s never been in our neighborhood or even to surrounding ‘hoods. Anyway, how could I deny myself the CHOCOLATE cupcakes with the bright orange, blue and pink icing? I couldn’t.

I went to Wendeez for lunch today and ordered a burger and substituted my fries for a side salad with fat free dressing and had my usual Diet Coke. They gave me fries, too. How could I deny myself the warm, salty goodness of fries? I couldn’t. What goes better with burger, fries and salad than a cupcake? Nothing.

Can’t wait to see what saboteur is hiding in the bushes for this afternoon.

Signed,

No Willpower

Strawberry Shortcake

For years I’ve read the recipe on the back of the Bisquick box for shortcake, but I never made it.  I did tonight.

1 pint strawberries (sliced)

1/4 cup sugar (I used much less than this; the berries I had were pretty sweet)

***********

1 cup Heart Smart Bisquick

1/3 cup skim milk

2 T sugar

Whipped topping

Mix strawberries with sugar and set aside.

Preheat oven to 425*

Mix Bisquick, sugar and milk together until soft dough forms.  Drop by four spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheet.  Bake 10-12 minutes or until done.

Split and serve with strawberries and whipped topping.

 

Was pretty good.  Think I’ll make it again.  Next time I’m going to roll my dough and make pretty shortcakes. 

Photo Hunt: Water

Today’s photo hunt them by TN Chick is water.

We took Olivia to the little waterpark at the aquatic center in town.  This was the first time we’ve been there since it opened who knows how many years ago.  Seeing how we pay for the gym, but don’t ever go, we figured this was easily an $800 waterpark visit.  heh.

I took our little pocket digi camera and because of the glare from the sun and not being able to see, pictures weren’t good. 

 

The slide?  She didn’t go down it.  You know why?  “It’s wet.”

Great Cookie Swap (and more)

Trying has started a cookie swap blog thingy where she has asked some of her readers to post their favorite cookie recipes on their blogs. Well, as much as I love to cook, I’ve never been a baker with the exception of a special occasion cake here and there or banana pudding. A couple of weeks ago, I posted her Eggless Blueberry Muffin recipe and it’s been made at least 4 times since then with variations including strawberry, which Will says are better on day two. I wouldn’t know; he took them all to work. My favorite version is mixed berry with blueberries, blackberries and raspberries. This idea of hers has had me in the kitchen trying out some new stuff I’ve had recipes for, but haven’t made for one reason or another.

Here is the Eggless Blueberry Muffin recipe again. This time I made it in a square pan instead of muffins.

Egg less Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour ( I’ve been trying to use more whole wheat flour so I use 1 cup whole wheat flour and 1 cup regular)
1 cup sugar, plus 2 tsp. more
4 tsp. baking powder
1 cup milk
3 Tbs. melted butter
1 cup fresh blueberries

Heat oven to 350. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. Combine flour, sugar and baking powder in a medium-size bowl. Stir in milk by hand and melted butter. Fold in blueberries. Fill each cup 2/3 full. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Last night I set out on my quest for a new recipe, which she happened to do, too. Ahhh, great minds think alike. However, I’m much more impressed with her since she made hers from scratch. Mine? Out of a box. I’m going to try hers one day.

Pumpkin Spice Cookies

One box of Spice Cake Mix

One can of pumpkin – not pie mix, but pumpkin

Mix them together. Throw in some chocolate chips or raisins, if you want, and bake at 350* for about 18-20 minutes. I used chocolate chips, but Will and I both think raisins would be better. They have more of a muffin top consistency and a bit chewy. Yummo.

The second baked item last night was a recipe for brownies. With the new things I’ve been trying, we have implemented the rule Will can’t ask what’s in it until he tells me if he likes it or not.

Black Bean Brownies

For this recipe, do not follow the ingredients list on your brownie box.  You are only using 1 can of beans and 1 box of mix.  Only use the oven temp. and baking times listed on the box.

1 Box brownie mix

1 can black beans

Preheat oven to per brownie box.

Drain and rinse black beans well. Put back into can and fill with water until beans are just covered. Puree in blender or food processor.

Mix with dry brownie mix.

Cook according to brownie package directions.

Notes: Be sure to process good….you don’t want to end up with a sliver of bean skin in between your teeth. You really can’t taste the beans. Will had no clue and neither did the folks he works with. They were the consistency of a cross between fudge and a chewy brownie. I’ll definitely make them again. It’s a way to get in a veggie and some fiber!

Finally, tonight’s delight….

Eggless Banana Bread

3 ripe bananas
1/4 c. vegetable oil (I used 1/4 c. applesauce instead)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 c. sugar
2 c. flour (I used 1 c. all purpose and 1 c. whole wheat)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 c. chopped walnuts or pecans (I didn’t use nuts – didn’t have any)

Mash bananas (overripe make the best bread). Add oil, vanilla and sugar. Mix well. Sift flour, salt and soda together and add to banana mixture with walnuts if using. Mix until flour is blended in but do not overmix.

Put into loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees F. for 45-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan, then remove to rack to cool completely before cutting.

Notes: My substitutions are in blue. I made muffins vs. bread and baked about 20 minutes until my knife came out clean. I think next time I’ll make the bread. They turned out pretty delish.

(By the way…the pics aren’t with my new camera…no CF card reader and too lazy to hook it up to the laptop)

Wordless Wednesday

This is the chicken I bought to keep in my kitchen that I wrote about in my post on Granny H. 

Brown

If you ask Olivia, “Who brings prezzies?” She squeals with delight, “BROWN!” Yes, that is UPS. Well, today Brown brought me a prezzie at work. What is it? It’s one of these.

I’ve had a Nikon D50 for a couple of years, but have wanted something more. After seeing the pictures Sandra and Mary-Mia have taken with their D300, Will immediately said okay. What? That was way too easy and we’ve been talking about it for a while. He was gung ho. I, on the other hand, was spellbound by sticker shock.

I decided I would go middle of the road – get a step up but not all the way to the top of the mountain. After all, I’m an auto mode picture taker, at least until I take some classes. I knew that even though the Nikon D80 was a step up, it wasn’t a step up enough that I would enjoy having the camera. So, after making the little guy at Wolf Camera pink with frustration with all my questions (some several times), I decided to go with the Canon. I loved my D50 the first time I held it in my hands. I’ve loved it for two years. I’m afraid to fall in love just yet with this one. Of course, my new CF card is at home and the camera is here with me so I can’t really play with it to get the warm fuzzies having a new camera brings with it. Yes, my lenses would have worked with the D300, but I only have two, which are kit lenses and a 3rd thrown in for good measure, but I simply couldn’t bring myself to spend that much money. I’m wanting to be giddy. I’m wanting to be giddy so badly, but I just can’t. Not yet, anyway.

It’s smiling at me from across my office as it’s battery charges knowing pictures will be taken this evening and I’ll be smitten by bedtime.

You can’t see me!

But I’m around.  After such an exciting, fun, poop slang filled week last week, I’ve lost my blogging zen and am behind on posts.  There have been some goings on at Chateau L…our biggie is being held hostage on my PC and as soon as I figure out how to get my Dell-icious PC to release her death grip on the pictures I have on her, I’ll post them.   And don’t hold your breath on the “biggie”…’tis not that grand, but it’s created a bit of excitement around the homestead and is a family project.

Happy Tuesday, friends. 

Gotta Go

Olivia: I’m going now.

Me: Where are you going?

Olivia: To turn the walls green.

“Huh?” you ask.  That’s daddy/daughter speak for going p00p. 

Have I ever mentioned how proud I am?

“13″

My friend Sarah commented on my favorite things post about today being Friday the 13th.  I have a smidgen of history with the number 13…

I’m not superstitious.  I do, however, try not to tempt fate.  I’ve never been a fan of the number 13, for whatever reason.  When we bought our house, it was still “Lot 2″ and it wasn’t until right before closing we found out our address was 13XX.  Cripes.  Too late to do anything now.

We put out sidewalk lights once upon a time and the box had 16, but we have a short sidewalk and only needed 13 with the way it curved.  Nope…ain’t happening.  Take one up or put another down.  This was before the days we wised up to solar lights and it was a pain to do.  I knew in his mind Will was giving me a beat down, but he obliged.

Little things like this went on and I avoided the number 13 whenever possible.  Then came Olivia. Her birthday is on the 13th and I took a new liking to the number.  The first things I bought for her after her referral totaled $13.xx.  Will and I went to dinner that night and the total was $13 even.  It set a little mind altering pattern for me.

I know Friday the 13th explains some of the whack jobs that wander aimlessly through the world, but I ain’t ‘fraid of the 13th any more.  No sirree, not mee…

Talking to Mars

Will and I had a conversation last night that went like this:

Will: Can I go to a wedding in July?

Me:  Sure.  Who’s getting married?

Will: Wxxx from my unit.  It’s in South Carolina.

Me: Wasn’t I invited?

Will: I guess so.  Your name was on the invitation. 

Me: You don’t want me to go? 

Will: It doesn’t matter.  You can.  I’d like for you to.

Hmmm.  After another 5 minutes of this conversation, this is what it boiled down to:

W is getting married in Same City, SC where some good friends of ours live.  We’ve been invited to the wedding and Will would like to see M&T while we are in town.  Did I want to go? 

After my realigning the story, this is how the conversation went:

Me: [Recap from above]

Will: That’s what I said.

Me: No, it’s not.

Will: Well, it’s what I meant.

You’d think after all these years together he would learn to communicate as well as me I would be better at reading between the lines of his cryptic messages.

I don’t think he has realized that he’s going to be wearing a suit in the middle of July in a nice hot Southern city.  Heh. 

 

 

 

A Few of My Favorite Things

I have a theory on Fridays…I typically don’t like them because Friday is 3 short days away from Monday, which are historically crazy/bad days. Therefore, I like Wednesday as it is 3 short days from my weekend. Think about it.

That being said…

It’s Friday and, I promise you, it’s not a day too soon.

This morning I got to experience a few of my favorite things.

1. Delightful kisses from my delightful daughter. “Good morning, mommy,” she told me with a big smile and crusty eyelids as I moved in for the wake up call. That was the end of the pleasantries from her. It was an uphill battle all the way out the door. Don’t tell anyone the t-shirt she wore to school is the same one she slept in last night. That battle wasn’t worth fighting. She’s double jointed, strong and stubborn as granddaddy’s prize mule. I ended up leaving her in a crying heap in the bathroom because I put the watermelon flavored toothpaste on the YELLOW Snoopy toothbrush, not the PINK one. Needing to leave the house soon, I conceded and got the pink one out of my bathroom and put on said toothpaste. Not good enough…”I can do it all by myself.” Toothbrush rinsed off and toothpaste reapplied by her. It wasn’t enough toothpaste – yes it is (insert speech on the perils of too much toothpaste) Toothpaste wasn’t cold – room temp is the best for toothpaste. If you don’t believe me, brush your teeth and we’ll call daddy and ask him. The toothbrush was wet. I have never uttered the word “duh” with my child. Ever. That is until this morning. Seriously? She’s the one who won’t let you put paste on it unless you douse it with water first not to mention she made me wash the other toothpaste off. I’ll skip shoes, vitamins and breakfast menu, but I think you can guess the paths those took.

2. About 11 minutes into my commute, I move over into the far right lane because I have to turn right off one highway onto another and every.single.time I try to drive in the center or left lanes, I have a terrible time moving over. Sooo, I stay put and have found it really takes no more time to get to my turn, only a smattering of patience. Enter the not-so-patient uber tailgater. This is the person that doesn’t understand you can only go as fast as the person in front of you. Dude moved up so close to me, I not only lost sight of his headlights, but half of his hood, too. Doesn’t he understand that he becomes my new trailer hitch if I had to even think about my brakes? How ’bout you move over into one of the other TWO lanes and pass me, mmmk? Oh, wait. That’s not an option because you like knowing the fact I have my 3 yr. old in the car is the only thing keeping me from letting you eat the azz end of my car. He FINALLY moves over and guess who I meet at the next stop light. Yup. Two more lights. Yup. Guess who has to make the same right hand turn I do, but had a hard time getting over. Yup. Guess who ends up back on my bumper for the next 16 miles of our journey. Yup. Guess who maintained a 56 m.p.h. speed? Yup. Hey, they’re doing construction. I can’t afford the fine or the license points.

3. In the zone, we are all cruising at our safe speed until one car sees a cop with an unlucky soul pulled over on the other side of the highway. What does he do? Slams on breaks causing 2 tractor trailers to squeal, swerve and smoke up the highway. I’m a nerd; I typically practice safe driving distances…I had plenty of room to slow it down. Uber tailgater? Swerve right taking up some grass on the shoulder of the road because he isn’t a nerd and doesn’t practice safe driving distances. We don’t just slow down a few m.p.h. We crawl at 30 m.p.h. never making it back up past 45 for fears of being the next unlucky soul. (I promise you this was not a situation, where slowing down to provide a safety cushion for cop or driver was an issue. They were well off the road – on the other side of the highway – and the traffic approaching them had no highway space issues to contend with)

4. The last 19 miles of my trip is a two lane highway with now and again passing zones. I’m behind the one driver I loathe to get behind. The exhaust on his truck is terrible and he leaves a Pig-Pen type cloud behind him. He goes 40 in a 55 m.p.h. no-passing zone. He goes 65 in a passing zone. Back to 40. Up to 65. If I try to pass him, I have to go ridiculously fast because he speeds up. I’m not okay with that. Mainly because of the schedules of the law enforcement folks who travel the same roadways and I can’t afford that ticket or points, either.

Olivia made it to school unscathed. I made it to work with sanity mostly intact.

Good morning, internets! Did I mention I’m glad it’s Friday?

Wordless Wednesday

Someone sent me an email asking about the picture.  When I posted, I was inclined to include a blurb, but in the spirit of “wordless” and totally not wordless last week, I didn’t. 

This is PomPom – our beloved Shih Tzu and “first born.”  I don’t remember exactly what was ailing her, but she was chewing on herself.  She was so ticked off having to wear the cone.  Most of the pics I took of her, she turned her back to me.  She does love me again

You can check out other Wordless Wednesday participants here

PSP (red one) – Check

Over the weekend, I caved on buying the PSP early Will picked up his new PSP (the red one).  I had a quick errand to run while he gave Olivia a bath tonight.  I left When I left I heard them arguing over hair washing so I took my time and I knew he would be fine so I drove 7 miles below the speed limit and enjoyed some music and peace and quiet.

When I came home, Pom Pom met me at the door and promptly took off down the hall.  It was eerily quiet and this is what I walked in on.  Oh yeah, it was bedtime.

Want Legs With That?

I’ve been wanting a new table for the kitchen for a while, but haven’t been able to find the one that is just right.  Today Will and I ventured into P ier 1 to see what they had.  One was so delightful, but wouldn’t work with my new place settings and colors.  Then we saw it.  THE table.  Perfect size for our kitchen.  Has a leaf for those times we have guests.  Great color.  Sales girl came over and we started talking about the set I had picked out.  Tag on table was $299.  Chairs separate.  Okay.  Then I noticed another tag on the table and gasped.  The table TOP was $299.  The LEGS were $99 each.  No freaking way.  So, I threw the question out there and asked what were the other leg options for said table.  NONE.  Those were the only legs for the table.  

That was such a deal breaker for me.  I told Will I thought our guests may be offended when asked to balance our new table top on their laps.