Ribfest

We went to the JA Nugget Ribfest today for the first time! It was a lot of fun with great food and wonderful entertainment....here's the link if  you 'happen' to be in the Reno, NV area through September 1, 2014...JA Nugget Ribfest
This is an annual event that attracts over 500,000 people each year. All of the big BBQ winners are here...and the competition is fierce to get that first place trophy!
We got to go because Kevin's company, Sportsman's Warehouse, Carson City NV bought a table for the Corporate lunch and Kevin was invited to attend as one of the Carson City representatives! Apparently, they like him :)
While Kevin was chowing down on free ribs from top BBQ places around the country and washing it down with free suds, I was walking around. This event is HUGE!
I got a couple of photos of some of the competitors...

The Carson City Sportsman's Warehouse carries BJ's sauces and rubs....they are pretty good!! They are a Nevada BBQ place.

That's Kevin in the brown shirt in front of 'Back Forty'...we laughed because there is a great restaurant in Klamath Falls called, "the Back Forty" and St. Pius X parish in Klamath Falls calls the grassy area, 'the back forty'. We thought it was funny!

 Kevin thought these were the best ribs, overall...Rasta Joe's

We also were proud to see Carson City represented...their sauce and rub is fantastic...and presently in our 'fridge and pantry...

MY favorite booth was the Fried Artichoke Booth...they had crab and shrimp stuffed deep fried artichokes, fried artichoke hearts and GARLIC fried artichoke hearts...guess which ones I ordered?? Ha ha...no contest, you all know I LOVE garlic fries- so, why not garlic fried artichoke hearts?

With a little Parmesan cheese; why, yes, thank you very much!
It was a very fun and delicious/smelicious event! Some of the BBQ booths had giant fans blowing the scent from the cooking ribs into the crowd!

This roasting pig was my favorite 'optic' of the day...

This band was my favorite entertainment of the day...

This was the one place I would not try....alligator? Eeeewww!

And this is for my friend, David O'Neill....Aussies are pretty Aussom.

Summertime Camping

I've neglected my blog a bit since Summer has hit the Great Basin; Kevin and I have been camping and kayaking every spare minute we can! Our little Aljo trailer has been getting quite the workout!

The reason we switched to a trailer from tent-camping,honestly, was comfort. I was tired of sleeping on an air mattress that usually was flat, and on top of ROCKS, by morning. I also love the fact that I have my own bathroom available in the middle of the night. I am not a big fan of going out in the dark in bear country in search of a restroom! Just ask all the folks camping in Zion 10 years ago....yes, I pretty much woke the entire campground with my screams when I ran into a giant deer unexpectedly....

We didn't change our cooking techniques, though. Well, not much. I have to admit the microwave has come in very handy on a couple of rainy nights!

This year we 'upgraded' to a Camp Chef 2 burner propane camp stove. It has amazing control on the burners, which has resulted in much less torched food. The ol' Coleman just didn't have the control I like to prepare meals!

I also made a cool chalkboard menu for the trailer...it's a nice touch to remind myself in the morning what needs to be defrosted- and it helps me to remember what I made when I take a photo of the chalkboard!
Here are a couple of examples from the last trip...

These two dinners were awesome. Kevin loves the fact that camping dinners can rival home dinners! All it takes is some menu planning, strategic use of the refrigerator/freezer in the trailer and a combination of a charcoal BBQ and the propane stove.

Santa Maria style steak is very easy to prepare. I always have a batch of Santa Maria seasoning made up...equal parts of table salt, ground black pepper and granulated garlic. Be sure you DON'T use kosher salt or freshly cracked pepper or it won't be the right consistency! Sprinkle your meat with about 2 tablespoons of the mixture and smoosh it all around in a gallon size plastic baggie. I also added 1/2 cup of red wine to the baggie and let it marinate all day. (I added a couple of lamb chops to this batch since I LOVE lamb and Kevin hates it- it's a good opportunity for me to have lamb while he's happy with a steak)

Hobo-pack au gratin potatoes are easy to prepare, too. I sprayed a little cooking spray on a large piece of foil and layered thin sliced potatoes and onions, flour, cheese and about 1 tablespoon of butter, chopped into bits. Wrap well in the foil and add to the BBQ. I usually put the potatoes on as soon as the coals are ready since the meat doesn't take as long. We hobo-pack a lot of veggies while camping; might as well use the heat from the BBQ!

The potatoes take about 30 minutes to get lovely golden brown and tender.
I added a green salad with tomatoes from the garden and corn on the cob for a complete and lovely dinner.

I also made a delicious spaghetti dinner on another night- I found that if I pre-cook the spaghetti at home and store it in a gallon plastic baggie in the fridge, I can portion it out with some homemade sauce and cheese into hobo packs and toss it on the BBQ also. 12 minutes later, we had a hot, cheesy pasta dinner!
The cheesy biscuits were biscuits in a can that I baked in our little toaster oven.

I hope this gives your some good ideas for easy meals that taste wonderful while camping!

Camping in Hope Valley-"God of Wonders"

I've been neglecting my blog because, well, frankly, I've been busy having fun.
Kevin and I are determined to cram as much fun into the summer as we did into the winter...and it seems to be working, in spite of some technical difficulties.
I just realized I haven't posted anything since Mother's Day! Oh, my!
I'll get up to date with other things later, but I wanted to tell you about this amazing trip we took last weekend in our little Aljo trailer to Hope Valley Resort.

It's about 40 minutes from Carson City, in Hope Valley CA on Highway 88.
It's hundreds of miles away from cares, worries and fears and filled with joy, beauty and serenity. Oh, there's a little road noise during the day ....but mostly it's just beautiful and peaceful.
I tried to post the photo above, which was our view from our campsite, but they really meant it when they said there is no phone or internet reception at all!
This view was just so breathtaking that I had to take a picture...it reminded me of the song, "God of Wonders". I just love that song because it reminds me of the beautiful world that He has asked us to steward and enjoy...well, this place is gorgeous! "Lord of all creation/of water, earth and sky/the heavens are your tabernacle/ glory to the Lord on high"

Even though it's a drought in the area, we could have a fire at night. Fire is so magical in a campsite- you sit, and watch the flames, warmed by the fire and dream about all kinds of things. Kevin and I talk about our dreams around the fire when we go camping- then next place to go camping, the future, things we'd like to do and places we'd like to see...."when I stumble in the darkness/I will call your name by night"

We could hear the Carson River rushing over rocks from our site at night. We visited it several times, in different spots- hiking with Bridget, finding a secret swimming hold, and seeking out the best place to fish...
"Lord of Heaven and Earth"

And of course, cooking in camp is my specialty! I try really hard to make amazing dinners on our little campstove and BBQ...

Butternut squash ravioli with BBQ sweet italian sausage and a homemade tomato/pesto sauce ....

 Camp-made BBQ sauce with chicken...

 broccoli, carrot and cabbage slaw with vinaigrette...

potato, onion, squash and pepper hobo packs...

 cabernet sauteed mushroom burgers...

with local corn on the cob with coal roasted potatoes...

all served with gorgeous views! "Precious Lord reveal your heart to me/Lord of Heaven and Earth"

Although a bear came through the camp at night (our cooler was locked away in the truck EVERY night) we didn't hear a thing- we slept so soundly in such a beautiful area.

Mother's Day and a great appetizer!

I had a wonderful Mother's Day weekend!
It all started on Saturday, when I arrived home from work. On the porch was an enormous box filled with the most beautiful two dozen lilies from Pat & Melissa, my oldest son and daughter in law. They know how much I love fresh flowers!

Kevin announced that he was taking me out to my favorite Mexican restaurant for dinner-El Charro Avita. I had my favorite meal- red posole. Posole is a delicious, brothy, pork and hominy soup. It's garnished with chopped onions, cilantro, radishes and lettuce. Yum! I also had a 'rocks' Margarita that was delicious.
Sunday was also a wonderful day! Chris, our youngest son, called and sent me a couple of books for my Kindle- he knows how much I love to read- and Pat & Melissa called by Facetime to show us their newly completed yard and raised bed planters.
Kevin took me to a late brunch at Bodine's Casino Restaurant. After brunch, went for a drive along the Carson River and took Bridget with us. When we got home, we planted the rest of the tomatoes and hung out in the sunshine on the patio.
That's when i decided to make this fabulous appetizer!
Halloumi cheese is a Middle Eastern/Turkish/Greek specialty. It's a semi-firm cheese made from sheep or goat's milk that is perfect for grilling or frying. I haven't seen it in very many places so when I found it at Trader Joe's earlier this week, I knew it would be a special treat!
I removed the cheese from the package, rinsed it (it is packed in a salty brine) and patted it dry. I drizzled some olive oil on both sides and fried it quickly on both sides- about 2 minutes per side, until it was browned and crispy.

I topped it with some zaatar and served with pita crackers.
It was crispy on the outside and melty-creamy on the inside! Delicious!

Dinner was another favorite- corn on the cob, grilled ribeye (for Kevin) and grilled lamb steak with roasted asparagus and salad!
The evening ended with q phone call to my Mother...the best mother in the world...

Kevin and I toasted Mother's Day with a lovely glass of Bogle Pinor Noir.
I hope you all were able to celebrate Mother's Day with wonderful memories and in the company of those you love!

Rich Seafood Stew

I'm trying to use up everything in the freezer/pantry in a timely manner after reading a blog reminding me earlier this week!
As you know, I canned/froze a ton of tomatoes/sauce when we left Klamath Falls last year. I also have a lot of frozen chicken stock/turkey stock from this past Fall.
The Lenten Fat Free Vegan (Engine 2) Diet was an eye-opener- I lost  12 lobs. of weight and felt a lot better by eating fat free vegan for 6 weeks. I've added some meat (very little) and some seafood to my diet, but I am continuing to keep the fat and processed foods at a bare minimum for both of us! We are also watching the grains...neither of us are gluten sensitive, but we are making sure that our choices are all good choices!
We are eating meatless meals a couple of times a week and Fridays are now seafood/meatless only days- it's not required of Catholics anymore year round- but it's good for our health and for my creativity in cooking!
I decided to make a delicious-sounding Seafood Stew for dinner tonight, with the basic recipe from a fantastic blog I read on a regular basis, An Oregon Cottage. I know I've referenced this fantastic blog before for many craft and food ideas.....but Jami had this wonderful recipe that I could not resist!
I made some of my own changes but the basic recipe is fantastic!
I stopped by Trader Joe's to find some scallops, since Kevin does not like fish ...and all I had was some shrimp- but Trader Joe's only had scallops in a wierd cream sauce or a 'Seafood Mix' that included calamari. Now, I would eat that all in a flash, but Kevin doesn't like calamari, either. His nickname in the family by the way, (as is my brother in law, Jim Regan's nickname) is "Picky-Fart-Suey". You will have to ask my Mom to tell the story...anyhow, I got a half pound of tiny fresh scallops at a local grocery store so I was all set for this seafood stew! You can also use only fish, if you like. It is a VERY versatile stew!
I first made a homemade Roman Arabbiata sauce...5 cloves of garlic, chopped, added to 2 teaspoons of red chili flakes and added to 1 tablespoon of good olive oil and 1 tablespoon of salt. Cook over medium heat in a cast iron pan (or, whatever pan you have) until it smells fantastic and then add 1 tsp. of each basil, oregano and garlic powder. Cook for another 30 seconds. Then, add 1 gallon bag of frozen tomato quarters (peeled) or 1 quart of canned tomatoes and 1 small can of diced green chilis...NOT diced jalapenos, and stir. Cook over medium heat for 30 minutes and cool.
In another pan, cook 1 rough chopped peeled onion, 1/2 green and 1/2 red bell pepper, 2 stalks of celery, cleaned and chopped and 2 chopped cloves of garlic in 1 teaspoon of olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add 2 large, peeled, and diced russet potatoes to the mix for 5 minutes, stirring all the while. Scoop the entire batch of veggies into the Arabbiata sauce and turn to medium heat. Cook until the potatoes are tender; about 20 minutes. Add 1 cup of either seafood stock, clam juice, or chicken stock if you don't have anything seafoody as stock! Cook for 5 more minutes and then add 1 lb of seafood or fish chunks. Cook for 5 minutes. Top with 1/4 cup of chopped fresh flat leaf Italian parsley. Don't ruin this with cheese! Served in bowls with some bread or like us, leftover broiled Texas Toast!
This make enough for 4 people or 2 people for dinner and 2 more lunches!
Holy Smokes, this was HOT and spicy, but flavorful and incredibly delicious!
MAKE THIS!!!

Run for the Roses...

Yesterday, May 3, 2014, was the Kentucky Derby. Now, normally, I'm not a big fan of horse racing- but this year, a local guy had a 'workingman's horse' in the running, and so Kevin and I decided to celebrate the Derby in high style!
It's a crazy thing, but this local horse, California Chrome, actually won the Derby! The owner works in Gardnerville, NV- just a couple of miles away, and lives in Topaz Lake, NV which is just a hop, skip and a jump away from us!
Anyhow, I stopped by our local liquor store, Aloha Liquor Store, which is an awesome place with great owners. Same place where we order our keg of beer for the kegerator...which we have to order tomorrow- we just ran out today! I talked to one of the staff members and told them that I... 1. don't usually drink bourbon 2. I don't like harsh liquor that tastes like, well, liquor, and 3. I didn't want to spend an arm and a leg, but I wanted a good bourbon to make some mint-less juleps.
After tasting 3 different types of decent bourbon,(Aloha lets you taste before you buy!!)  I decided on the Four Roses Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. It was very smooth, and had a nice mellow, silky feel. And the best part is that it only cost an ARM!  Yes, the tastings were all total less than one shot- and I live about 1/2 mile away, so yes, it's safe to taste and drive straight home :)
When I got home, I followed the 'classic recipe' for mint juleps...but we left out the mint. Neither of us are big fans of mint (if I have a mojito, I usually ask for it mint-less) so we added 2 teaspoons of simple syrup (1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water, boiled, and cooled) to 2 ounces of bourbon over shaved ice. We didn't have silver cups (traditional) and my copper mugs (for Mocow Mules) are packed in the garage somewhere, so we just used a short, fat 8 ounce juice glass and doubled the ingredients :) YUMMY!

OK, the picture is a little blurry, but I think I took the picture after the second cocktail, so forgive me!
We also made a classic Derby meal for dinner...Hot Browns.
This dish is named after the famous "The Brown Hotel" ...here's the story of the Hot Browns if you want to read it.
I decided to use Bobby Flay's recipe that I saw on one of his 'Throwdown' shows...and it was DELICIOUS!
I fried up a couple of slices of bacon...(there is a slice in the pan for Bridget the Yorkie) ...

roasted some tomatoes in the cast iron pan...

made a Mornay sauce with some smoked paprika,Cracker Barrel Sharp White Cheddar cheese and Grand Padano....

and I baked some 'Texas Toast' instead of making my own 'egg bread'. I also used some sliced roasted turkey from Trader Joe's and added some sauteed mushrooms as my own twist.

I put the tomatoes, turkey and mushrooms on the hot Texas Toast, added the Mornay Sauce and a slice of bacon and broiled until the sauce was browned.

It was so good!

Hope you make this- it is so Fatty Mc Fat but so delicious once a year!

This made me think of the Dan Fogelberg song, "Run for the Roses". I loved all of his music in the 80s.

Born in the valley
And raised in the trees
Of Western Kentucky
On wobbly knees
With Mama beside you
To help you along
You'll soon be a growing up strong

All long lazy mornings
In pastures of green
The sun on your withers
The wind in your mane
Could never prepare you
For what lied ahead

The run for the roses so red

From sire to sire
It's born in the blood
The fire of a mare
And the strength of a stud
It's breeding and it's training
And it's something unknown
That drives you and carries you home

And it's run for the roses
As fast as you can
Your fate is delivered
Your moment's at hand
It's the chance of a lifetime
In a lifetime of chance
And it's high time you joined in the dance