An Outdoor Wedding,BBQ Sauce, and Pot Roast Sunday!

Today we must attend good friends daughters' wedding. It is to be held outside at a small park, with reception at same park afterwards. I was asked to make some of my signature Memphis-style bourbon bbq sauce. It's sweet, herby, some heat, with a smoky flavor courtesy of Jack Daniels (and a little Liquid Smoke!). It's about 90F, humid, and could rain-Yee-Hah!!! I'm already looking forward to Sunday when I'm making (in the air conditioned comfort of my own kitchen!) Beef Pot Roast. The recipe as follows:
Seasonings- onion powder, garlic powder, coarse ground black pepper, Lawrys seasoned salt.
Meat- 2 pcs of beef chuck about 2-1/2lbs. each. Roll,flop,turn meat in seasonings 'til coated.
Put seasoned meat on heavy duty aluminum foil(enough to wrap and seal meat completely).
Pour 1 can of cream o celery soup(unduluted) over meat, then a pkg of dry brown gravy mix over soup.
Wrap and seal tightly, roast for 3-1/2 hrs at 325F in oven.
Pour off juices into pan, thicken w/flour mixed with cold water, heat until gravy.
Meat is flavorful and dead tender, with gravy for potatoes, noodles, or on the meat.
Enjoy your week-ends!!!
Oh- A quick footnote! Thanks go out to Akelamalu (Awesome Dude Blogger Award!) Mike M (Fun Bag Friday Award) and Doggie B (Rockin' Blogger Award) you are very kind!

Tagged For The First Time-By Kate!

I have never been "tagged" so I thought I should go along with this. Facts about me you probably don't know-
1. Until 7 years ago, when I switched jobs- I had never used a computer.
2. The last movie theater I was in was probably 8 yrs ago- I rent them and watch them at home.
3. I still have my motorcycle permit renewed every drivers license renewal- even though I haven't been on one in 25 yrs!
4. The only country I've ever been in other than USA is Canada.
5. I am the most left- handed person you will ever know. Bat, golf, bowl, eat, write, etc. All large and small motor skills are with left side. I had to learn to kick right-footed when I had an ingrown toenail removed from left foot in 4th grade...
6. Had cataract surgery(genetic curse of family!) in my 40's'. Have permanent corrective lenses in both eyes.
7. Lost appendix at 35. Unusual age to lose appendix-until I found out my father(other side of genetic curse!) tols me that was the exact age he had his removed...
8. Cannot play a musical instrument, or sing very well-but love music!

The Sorry State of Restaurants In West Michigan..

Last night, the owners of 3 Famous Dave's Restaurants announced they had closed one, and the other two weren't doing very well. In the past year, two landmark restaurants(Duba's and The Schnizelbank) closed and knocked down. Pietros, another long time player-closed 1 of 2 they had. Nobody is busy, all in area are able to seat you w/out reservations. The barely controlled liquor licences available are flooding the downtown area with little pubs, with quaint names that go in and out of business like mad. This is the downside of "trickle down" economics in Michigan. The loss of Manufacturing jobs, has caused bars, restaurants, barbershops, convenience stores, etc. to fold at an alarming rate. Houses are selling (if at all!) for 10-15% below prices 2 yrs ago! The closed fast food joints around are mute testimony that cheap can't make it either! Turning this states' economy around will take longer than I will live, and it's too bad- because it's a beautiful state!

When a Dentist says "If we hurry"......

Friday, I was scheduled to have my teeth cleaned. The dental office I go to are all old friends who expect a joke or two when I come in. I had forewarned them I had broken a crown, but wasn't causing any pain. When I got there, my bud Charlene was missing because her son was having problems and was at the hospital all night. The Doc looked at my little problem and proclaimed not only broken crown, but the one in back of it needed replacing too! He just happened to have a cancellation, that left him 2hrs of free time. "Let's do them both right now!" I said OK before I realized the ramifications of that commmitment... I was in that damn chair for over 2-1/2 hrs.! Because he was rushing a bit, it wasn't the "gentle dentistry" I'm used to. 4 shots of Novacane will numb you to your groin! Damage this morning(Sat.) burned inner lip from cleansing agents, a jaw that will open about 65%, and a few drill marks on my tongue! Temporary crowns, a bill that should get my attentioon, and I didn't even get my teeth cleaned yet..... I'm loyal to my friends, but Jeezo-Petes"!!!
Oh yeah, the joke: Guy goes into a bar, good looking bartentress only person in the place. Big sign behind her reads "Hamburgers $1.50, Cheeseburgers $2.00, Handjobs $5.00!
The guy asks the bartentress "Are you the one who does the hand jobs?" She answers with a wink "I sure am!" The guy then says "Could you please go wash your hands- I'd like a Cheeseburger, please".

A Present In The Mail......

It was in the mailbox Tuesday night. A couple months back Dutch Bitch ran a contest to name and describe a toy that some women use in the bedroom-use your imagination! My entry won, and last night the contest prize(s) showed up from the Netherlands! I now have a Dutch cookbook, a pack of Dutch choclate bars, and some Dutch rolled up black licorice whips! Leave it to Dutchie to get in the black whip theme! As soon as I can, I plan to make some the the recipes and describe them(and how they turned out). The name of the toy? Check out her blog!

The Buffalo Bros. At The State BBQ Contest....

Well, we've done better. Potatoes 4th, Beans 6th, Dessert 6th, all other catagories ranged from 10th to 34th! 42 teams, 40 KCBS Certified judges! We're looking at scores that showed presentation was rated far higher than ever before, and certain judges who were so harsh, they won't be asked back to judge again. The two top teams must have gotten a dozen ribbons between them, and for only the 2nd time in our lives-we got skunked! All our catagories were good-no screwups. My one team member was drinking all night, and missed the first 2 meat catagories(me and other guy did them). We beat some teams overall that are quite good, so I'm sure comments will be made to KCBS. Oh yeah, in was a downpour from 6-10am, after a very chilly night of cooking! When I'm wearing my leather winter jacket at 11am in July in Michigan-well, you get the picture! Already planning our strategies for next year.....

State BBQ Contest This Week-End! Our Entrees...

Potatoes- Our team is a 2 time blue ribbon in this catagory. Chili Dan(one of the Buffalo Bros.) is the lead singer of this tune! A hollowed out redskin potato, stuffed with Procuitto, sharp cheese, onion, and buttered spices-baked to perfection!
Veggie- 1 time blue ribbon! This year three trimmed pieces of asparagus sauteed in bacon grease til crisp/done. Then strip of pepper jack laid in, mopped with a pasta sauce, all wrapped in a Polish ham slice to make a bundle. heated 'til cheese slightly melted, then into the judges!
Dessert- Apple/White Chocolate(infused w/Buttershots Schapps)/butterscotch caramel Crisp! Granny Smith apples. of course. Got a third and a fifth place with this before!
Baked Beans- Best we've ever done is 5th, but hope springs eternal!
Meat catagories- Well, I'll explain them later-those are the big money, so I'll tell you what I did later if we place!
Tommorow is shopping, Friday and Sat. the cooking days. Wish us luck, as there are 45+ cooking teams from all over the country-and they mean business too!

No Cooking Today-Going To The Ballpark!

Our local Class "A" team, the West Michigan Whitecaps are in town today, suiting up to take on the Great Lakes Loons. Don't you just love the minor leagues' names and mascots? Baseball at this level is half baseball, half circus-with events happening between almost every inning! Little League kids get introduced, large groups that came out are aknowledged, mascots race each other, they slingshot tee-shirts into the crowd, etc. Probably a slice of Midwestern life that hasn't changed as much as some! Our ballpark is a really excellent facility, and believe it or not-the food is really good! It's going to be a hot, humid day here so we will see how long we last.
Yesterday was Make-The-Dry Rubs-BBQ Sauces-Marinades-Day in preparation for the State of Michigan BBQ Cook-off. When you come back from Gordon Foods with $56.00 in spices and sauce bases, you know we mean business! Enjoy your Sunday!

The Update On The 4th- In Bullet Points!

1. Ribs came out tender, a little bland, sauce helped alot(which I hate to reley on!).
2. Seafood Boil was lame- shrimp only seafood, with corn, potatoes, and sausage-all boiled not steamed!
3. Rest of food was non descript, not as big a selection as years past.
4. Glorious weather! No rain, light breeze, no bugs, light humidity!
5. Mood was relaxed, with no unhappy kids or adults!
6. One downer that day- best friends expected to show didn't, womans' Mom died night before...
7. Fireworks were great! Lake Association didn't do any, so everyone on lake brought some- going up from every point on the lake!
8. Stuff we brought was excellent, all mortar balls-6 huge ones, 36 smaller which we loaded into a tri tube launcher for geater effect(worked great!).
9. Home by Midnight.
10. Middle of the week 4th with only one day off sucks!

It's The 4th of July- Time To Make Those Ribs!

It's supposed to rain pretty much off and on all day, with possible thundershowers. The festivities go on regardless! After this post, I will begin the pork baby back ribs (15lbs of them!).
My method today because of weather will change from the norm in only one way-they will be done in the oven rather than in the smoker. First, I strip the membrane off the backside of each rack of ribs(6). Next they will be slathered in a mustard sauce(they won't taste mustardy at all, it actually tenderizes them) then sprinkled with the dry rub mixture. Dry rub? A blend of sugar, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, thyme, rosemary, and chili powder. This will be allowed to rest for about 3 hrs, then into a 250F oven for 3-1/2 hrs, basting with wet sop(dry rub mixed with water, vinegar and olive oil) every 40 minutes. They will then be cut into invidual rib portions and placed in a Nesco roaster, covered in finishing sauce(bbq sauce) and covered with aluminum foil. When we get to the party, we plug them back in for 1- 1-1/2 hrs on 200F, until quite tender! Now you know all my pork rib secrets, enjoy your 4th!