Outside the dugout: What's cooking?

Last night we needed a quick dinner so it was boiled shrimp in Old Bay and a salad. Sometimes simple is really good.

Tonight I think my wife is making a "bread" salad with stale bread and tomatoes and other stuff.

 

I grew a cayenne pepper plant this year and made a big harvest today. Used the peppers to make a vinegar based pepper sauce. It is HOT!

Taking my SIL out to dinner for her birthday today. Of course we made dinner reservations for before the end of the UF/scUM football game.

 

For pulled pork or for sliced pork? Both are good. Sliced pork doesn't need to cook as long. If it is a big thing maybe some smoked one way and some smoked the other.

Have you ever made steaks from pork shoulder? I like it with a horseradish sauce and a mess of greens. I love mustard greens best of all. Next in line are turnip greens. Collards are very good when done right but not as good. I can always get collard greens and the others are hit and miss. I guess things like chard, kale and spinach are also greens but not quite the same as mustard, turnip and collards for a Southern meal. More of a Yankee thing but can be tasty.

 

Rib eyes on sale at Publix so grilling some tonight. Also roasted redskin potatoes with rosemary.

 

I was going to smoke some chickens and make a potato/poblano gratin but change of plans. Instead I made a bunch of jalapeno poppers to take to a friends' house. Chicken will have to wait until Wednesday.

 

It is Tuesday so we are having Tex-Mex tacos. I find them "meh" but my family loves them. I prefer making carnitas, one of several kinds of tinga, and faking barbacoa on my KJ as better taco fillings.

Barbacoa should be cooked underground but it can be somewhat faked with a ceramic grill. Getting lamb shoulder as a cheaper cut takes some doing. Leg of lamb, lamb shanks, lamb chops are too nice for barbacoa.

And too pricey.

 

Smoked two chickens today and made the poblano potato gratin. House smells good.

 

Chili dogs tonight.

 

Shredding a smoked chicken from the other day for enchiladas.

 

Shredded a smoked chicken last night for my wife to make chicken enchiladas but she was running late and we had take out from Gyro Plus instead. However margaritas were still on the menu. Enchiladas are on tonight's menu. I am guessing margaritas are as well.

Listened to the Lady Gator volleyball last night. Sad. Later my wife wanted me to play some music and I chose a Kinks Greatest Hits album. Ray Davies is a musical genius. My kids played Guitar Hero and I told them over and over again that "You Really Got Me" was a Kinks song and not a Van Halen song. The Van Halen cover is decent but the original is a classic.