Wednesday Night Stir-Fry- Sweet And Sour Scallops???

Occasionally, I get annoyed with the standard issue of food offerings.. I, like all of us, have left-overs or surplus food, and this is probably where I do my best work!
I took 12oz. of sea scallops, a pineapple looking for a place on this Earth, leftover brown AND white rice needing a purpose.... and helped them all!
I love the flavor print of sweet and sour Asian sauce... my wife- not so much! I created my own version of this sauce using orange juice, pineapple(finely minced), soy sauce, tomato paste, rice vinegar, brown sugar,sesame oil, hot sauce, crushed garlic, and corn starch (as the thickening agent!).. This sauce was bright, tangy, and yet had a sweetness you need to make it balance... Stir-fried green pepper chunks, onion, mushrooms, and more pineapple- to soften a bit, but still leave crunchy... Added thickened sauce, and sea scallops to mix and brought to heat, until scallops were done but still tender! The rice was micro'd until hot, and dinner commenced... I will cut the crap here and now- I am my toughest critic, but found no fault with this dish! My wife simply ate and went "Mmmmm-mm" a lot! Total cost of meal(with enough left-over for my wife's lunch tomorrow!), about $8.00...- which works out to less than $2.70 for each meal! Look at the photo, and think about it the next time you go into McDonalds... There is a better way to live, we just have to remember that!

4th Of July- Four-Hundred Posts, Food, Fun, And Forgotten Items!

Well, I made it to 400 posts! It took me about 2-1/2yrs of blogging, but I must say- It was fun, rewarding, and met a lot of neat people along the way! Thank-you all for stopping by over the years, reading and commenting...
Friday the 3rd, my wife didn't have to work, so the day was mostly spent in preparation of Independence Day- the 4th of July! The first two photos were an Asian-flavored skewered shrimp I broiled quickly and serve with a side of white rice...Really hit the spot while putzing around the kitchen making brines, mops, and sauces for tomorrow's food offerings..
The 4th of July around here was as busy(or busier!) as anticipated, with smoked BB-Q chicken and pork ribs, sauces and of course- fireworks! The 'Que was cooked for about 5 hrs total at, low, slow temps.... 4 whole chickens got brined/marinated for 12 hrs previous to their beer can up the butt (Chicken on a Throne recipe!)and smoking in a hickory/charcoal heat.. Sprayed with olive oil/water/red wine vinegar mix during cooking (for moisture) the tenderness and flavor achieved was incredible.. A BB-Q sauce touched up with lemon pepper, and orange juice made a tangy, light sauce ideal for chicken! The ribs were dry rubbed with spices, and slathered with mustard before resting overnight in the 'fridge.. They were tender, tasty- but a touch dry for my taste... the sauce was a Big Moe's base, with dark molasses, liquid smoke, sour mash bourbon, and white vinegar added.. Made for a K.C. style sweet/smokey/tangy flavor that was a hit!
The fireworks were incredible this year, with our group more than holding it's own against 3 or 4 others on the lake shooting off their nukes! We had some mishaps, which fortunately were not injurious to anyone- but caused some not needed excitement none the less... Younger guy didn't block a 16 shot cake right, which caused it to tip over and shoot sideways, until after three shots fell into the water.. Stay tuned, this story ain't over! He then threw the wet firework into the bonfire, which we have always done AFTER a firework was done. The thing dried out, and about a dozen more shots came flying out of the fire- where I was sitting! About a half-dozen of us were running like North Korea had finally shot one at us... No one hurt, but a good lesson was learned! That kid now knows I will kill him if he ever does it again!
On to the forgotten items.... 1. My camera. I had hoped to take photos of the fireworks for you, but couldn't..sorry! 2. A jacket. It got cold after dark(which is why I was so close to that damn fire!) 3. A flashlight. Shooting fireworks off the end of a dock goes better with light to see by...
A good day was had by all, and I hope yours was as fun as mine- only safer! Tell me about your holiday experience!

Handy Food Product Of The Day!

We are, like most Americans these days, eating and enjoying Mexican and Tex-Mex food a lot more than ever! The products available for making versions of this cuisine have never been more plentiful, with quality being higher in freshness, and more convenience!
When it comes to tacos, my wife prefers the hard corn shell, where I like the soft flour based tortilla more than she does... One product we discovered at our local grocery store is one we both agree was an excellent idea- the stand-up Taco Shell from Old El Paso brand!
When you get tacos from a chain restaurant to remain nameless, you need about 4 or 5 of them to get enough to satisfy your hunger- sometimes even more than that! These shells from Old El Paso were designed to hold substantially more ingredients and toppings- 2 apiece is plenty for us! They are easier to eat.. you can enjoy them without ending up looking like you were in a Mexican cantina food fight... You also can produce them at a higher quality than a fast food restaurant for less than a buck a piece (and remember, they are twice as big!).
This is my 399th post... my next will of course be 400! I plan to include smoked BB-Q, and possibly fireworks- as I will post Sunday morning about the great Independence Day we plan to enjoy! I hope all you Americans have a great 4th of July this year!

Sunday Dinner Was Son's Girlfriend's Birthday Party..

My son called about Thursday reminding us it would be Beth's(his GF) birthday this week-end.... After a deliberate pause, I said; "Would you like us to fix her a birthday dinner Sunday?" "Well, that would be nice"... he says- knowing that's what he was calling about all along! I asked what treat she might want that day, and he was all ready with an answer- salmon!
We shopped Saturday, with me picking up some nice Sock-eye salmon, corn, potatoes, rolls, and a birthday cake, with Peppermint ice cream (that was for me- I love that peppermint ice cream!)... I gave DogB permission to enter the Au Gratin Cheddar/onion in his potato contest...
We weren't eating until 3:30PM, so plenty of time to get it right... From scratch Au Gratin potatoes, salmon seasoned with butter, dried dill, lemon pepper, fresh lemon, and salt.. The once a week thru Summer corn on the cob, whole wheat rolls with honey, all made for plenty to eat.. We took a break before cake and ice cream- too full not to! We got her a card, and some small gifts also... she appreciates what we do for her, as she had a difficult time while growing up, and isn't used to being put first, even if only for one day...
Fireworks photo for G-man, who along with other shared enthusiasms, appreciates these things as much as I!

Hot Weather = Light Meals

Last night, it was still in the 90's, as it has been for a few days.. I know a lot of you are getting hotter weather than that, but in Michigan it tends to be humid also- and we're not used to it yet!
I thought I'd pick up some bakery sub rolls, some thinly sliced rare roast beef, and make a popular sandwich that doesn't require an oven on- The French Dip! It is a simple sandwich, that shows well if you don't try to make it gourmet... I slice the roll length-wise (but not all the way thru!), pile on the roast beef, along with some thinly sliced Swiss cheese. The Au Ju is a beef broth, with a bit of garlic and thinly sliced onions simmered in it- both to flavor it and create some soft onion slices to put on the sandwich... Heating the sandwich in a Microwave until cheese melts, then placing the onions on the sandwich makes for a hot, neat to eat treat on a hot summer's evening! Use a dense bread, as it takes the dipping well without getting soggy, or falling apart sloppy.... Enjoy your week-ends, I'm off today to get my fireworks for the 4th!

Pasta Salad For A Guy, And Stuffed Pork Chops For A Girl

Earlier this week, I decided to make pasta salad- my wife enjoys this as a lunch or a side dish... I take my version into the "one stop meal" range, by the ingredients I put in it!
First, I hard boil and peel a couple of eggs, and let them cool. I then get the spiral, multi-colored pasta underway, boiling salt water, and cooking to Al Dente, shocking it after draining in a colander with cold water.. I then start chopping... Onions, celery, green olives, pepperoni, ham, Monterey Jack cheese, sharp Cheddar cheese, the hard boiled eggs,and- darn! Out of bell peppers! Oh well, there is a substantial amount of stuff in this already.. I then mix with a zesty Italian dressing, with a creamy Italian dressing and pour over the added pasta and other ingredients- chill for a couple of hours, draining a bit of dressing off as moisture in salad settles.. This is a popular dish to haul to summer potlucks, or picnics!
Yesterday afternoon, I got a light trim of a haircut(I'm trying to grow a pony tail for the first time in my life!). I was close to a good butcher shop, which makes a wife-favorite treat- stuffed pork chops! I bought two for dinner. When I got home, I seasoned the pork with salt, pepper, and savory blend.. sprayed with olive oil and baked covered for 1-3/4 hrs. They swelled, as shown in the photo, stayed moist as I roasted uncovered for 15 min. With a little gravy on the side, it made for a pleasant surprise for my wife...

Stale Pitas, And Father's Day Dinner & After

Saturday, I finished up my jerky, which came out tasty! We grocery shopped, and did a few other errands... Bought some pita pocket bread with the intent of continuing my cold sandwich craving with a new twist! I planned to make a couple of pita pocket sandwiches filled with lettuce, tomato slices,mayo, smoked turkey breast, and Swiss cheese... the pitas became two pieces of unleaven bread, with ingredients between.. It tasted OK, but are you supposed to heat these up first, or were my pitas just plain stale? I'm going to make pizzas out of the two left...
The Father's day feast went way better! Marinated small fillet minions for grilling over charcoal, sauteed mushrooms, sweet corn, sour dough bread, and scallops sauteed in garlic butter.. I crushed the garlic, which is something I normally don't do, scooted it around in the butter for a bit, then removed... Everything came out on time and was good! Nobody wanted dessert(cheesecake) everyone too full. Typical Father's Day.. I cook they eat, one son in K.C. called, other was here eating- forgot to bring the card he bought. No gift yet, but all I want is another rib rack- and I don't need it until the 4th of July! I apologize for only one photo, as we were on the food like jackals...
After dinner, my wife and I went for a ride down by the Grand River, which had flooded upstream and cancelled a big outdoor free concert of country music in Ionia, MI.. They were at capacity crowd, when they announced it was cancelled.. I almost drove over there to see that many pissed off red necks! Anyway I threw in a couple of photos of our mighty river... Have a good week everyone!