Today I made pickled red onions and a tomatillo based guac as toppings for mahi fish tacos. I will grill the mahi on the KJ.
Tonight we’re having fried cubed pork steaks, and a big pot of fresh green beans & new potatoes with fresh white sweet corn added in. It’s windy, kinda cool and rainy here so we’re enjoying Moscow Mules this evening. Life is good in Gator Nation!
Last night's menu was changed slightly. Northwest Seafood was out of mahi so we bought grouper instead for the fish tacos. Best fish tacos I have ever eaten. A niece is visiting that used to be a strict vegan but now she eats seafood: fish, shrimp, clams, etc. Mostly for dietary reasons as seafood has the good fats like omega-3 so fish tacos were OK for her last night and tomorrow I am making pickled shrimp with fennel. Tonight there will be a kale and roasted veggie salad with grains but my son and I will also be having some grilled brats. Check that. My son will not be having the salad but will be having brats. LOL.
Tonight we’re picking up our supper from a newly opened local pizzeria. It’s name is Pappas Pizza House. We are going to try their baked spaghetti and pepperoni pizza rolls. We will make our own fresh Caesar salad to go with. Ms. Jan is enjoying her chilled wine and I am happy with ice cold longnecks. Life is good in Gator Nation!
Tonight we’re going to have a homemade chicken salad plate with a cold tray. Chips are available on the side. Beautiful day up here today. A little breezy but no complaints from that. Moscow mules are our drink choice this afternoon/evening. Life is good in Gator Nation!
Good morning Bill, Care to share your formula on the Moscow Mules? What brand ingredients.....where to buy......proportions......etc. I've never had one. Thanks! ~Baz
Start with the brass mugs, they set the drink up! Your choice of vodka, our everyday choice is Tito’s—if it’s a special occasion we like Ketel One. There are several ginger beers available, our choice is Goslings—it’s available at Walmart. The last ingredient is freshly cut lime wedges. The way we put them together is ice, squeeze in the lime wedge, a shot glass of vodka and top it off with a half of a 12 oz can of Gosling. Stir, smile, and serve.
Thanks mate! Awesome! I'll grab the Goslings when I hit WM this week. What is the impact of not using a brass mug? Other than compromising the overall theme? Is taste impacted at all?
Probably no impact on the taste. They just immediately frost/ice over on the outside surface of the mug. One of those “Oh yeah” things….
There are a few ginger beers that are readily available in Gainesville. Goslings is a very good choice for a ginger beer. Barritt's is OK. Fever Tree is also really good. Gosling is the best choice for a Dark and Stormy. It somehow is just right for that cocktail. While it is not exactly a Ginger beer a ginger soda that packs a real punch is Vernor's from the Detroit area. Kind of a ginger ale on steroids. Actually I prefer copper mugs over brass.
Lurk— You are 100% correct. I misnamed them when I said brass. Copper is what I meant. Thanks for catching that!
Never got around to posting our July 4th supper. We all gathered at Alan & Abbey’s. Alan smoked a Boston butt for pulled pork along with some link sausage and wings. Inside we had a fresh spring mix salad with chopped walnuts and fresh strawberries. We also had Alan’s barbecue beans and Ms. Jan’s homemade Mac & Cheese. Tonight we’re going with fried chicken, fresh green beans & new potatoes and biscuits. The longnecks are ice cold and the wine is chilled. Life is good in Gator Nation!
While I have lard mostly for making bird feeder blocks I just never have tried to do real fried chicken. Fried in lard makes the best. I have great memories of plucking chickens in my youth for Sunday dinner at the family farm north of Green Bay over Memorial Day weekend if it actually fell on a weekend. It wasn't always that way back when I was a kid. That weekend was when we tended to the cemetery that was carved out of the farm. Many people that I loved are buried there. Lots more now. The little church was across the road and also on land that my family gave up for that purpose. And when I was a kid I would bring in some wild asparagus from the ditch just down the road. Now they have to harvest it during the week before the city folks get to it. It is all on line now where to find it. Just not right.
Everybody that still fries chicken at home I’m sure has their preferred way of fixing it. I lay my cut up chicken out on aluminum foil then salt and pepper each side. In a good size bowl I pour some milk into the bowl, crack two eggs into it, and lightly add salt and pepper. Then I whisk the eggs into the mixture just like scrambling eggs. Add the chicken into the bowl and let it soak a little bit. Next I have another bowl ready with self-rising flour in it. When my lard or peanut oil is ready I roll the chicken pieces through the S/R flour and then put it in the fryer. I fry at 350* turning the pieces every 7 to 8 minutes until it’s done. I use a colander lined with paper towels to drain any excess grease off of it.
Last night was asparagus risotto and caprese salad. Fresh basil from the garden. Tonight we are going to a friend's house for Chicago "tavern style" pizza. Being a Southsider that is the type of pie that I grew up with: very thin and crispy crust cut into smallish squares/rectangles. Even more thin and crispy crust than typical NY/NJ pies. The Mecca is Vito and Nick's on the far Southside on Pulaski. Last time I was there was on my 69th birthday for lunch on my way to Midway Airport. Vito and Nick's has been around since 1920. Deep dish is not the only Chicago style pizza and not my favorite. After having a pie there you should go to the original Rainbow Cone on Western Ave.
Got a big bag of basil from our friend's garden last night so I made a huge amount of pesto today. I had a big bag of pine nuts in the fridge and lots of parmigiano reggiano, EVOO, lemons and garlic so I was good to go. Pesto on pasta tonight and three tubs of pesto in the freezer.
Grilled shrimp, kielbasa and veggies with chimichurri sauce. Baked potato & a cucumber/tomato salad on the side.
