No caviar in Texas!! December 2, 2011

Ok, here we go with a couple of ideas for the weekend…..Poached Pears in Red Wine, and Texas Caviar(fabulous for game day). I told you I bought pears for Thanksgiving name tags….here’s what we did with them the next day…

Peeling and core the pears...the cook gets a glass of red wine...

So delicious, and so simple really. All you do is peel and core the pears, leaving the stem intact…and plop them into red wine that has sugar(to taste) and cinnamon and cloves in it. Make sure you turn the pears occasionally so they color evenly.

Just let them simmer away....uncovered

Doesn't that look pretty?

Take the pears out and chill,  put on a platter, reduce the red wine to a more syrupy consistancy….pour over and serve chilled or room temperature. Here’s a recipe….

Texas Caviar....almost finished...

And several people wanted my sister’s recipe for Texas Caviar(she’s famous for it in our family…everyone always requests it)..here goes it too is easy, but you chop a lot)…

Audrey’s Texas Caviar

2 CANS YELLOW CORN–DRAINED

2  CANS BEANS–I USE 1 BLACK BEANS AND 1 BLACK-EYED PEAS–DRAIN AND RINSE!!

2-3 TOMATOES–SEEDED AND DICED

2-3  GREEN PEPPERS–DICED(Donna says, a red one would be pretty too)

8-10   GREEN ONIONS–DICED

1-2 JALAPENO PEPPERS–MINCED

1/2 CUP PARSLEY– CHOPPED

1-3 CLOVES GARLIC–MINCED

JUICE OF 1 or 2 LIMES

1 TSP CUMIN

ITALIAN DRESSING–TO TASTE–I USE ABOUT 1/2 A REGULAR SIZED BOTTLE–KRAFT TUSCAN ITALIAN IS GREAT FOR THIS, AND SALT TO TASTE.( Donna- I would add that some people who love things spicy might want some Tobasco or Crystal in it as well)

Serve with plain chips….  Our family loves this –especially in the summer and on any game day! (Thanks sis for sharing this recipe!)

ground chuck, onion and green pepper....

The beginning of Cowboy Dinner....

And here’s Cowboy Dinner, which I offer up only to those who have picky kids or someone who who doesn’t eat everything…it’s an easy meal and pretty healthy…I adored it as a kid, and found it was still pretty darn good as a grownup! I made it over Thanksgiving in Alabama….more as a childhood novelty memory for my sisters.

That's about it...and the black iron skillet is a nice touch...

Brown a pound of hamburger along with an onion and green pepper, when the meat is brown(drain the fat if needed) add, your can of pork and beans(regular size can), some Worchestershire Sauce, a touch of ketchup…let the flavors blend a little, and it’s done, baby. (Someone on Facebook wrote that this was also called Firehouse meal, and was served regularly at the firehouse where he worked.)

Cowboy is tuckered out after all this cooking....

The little Jack Russell dog Cowboy(my niece’s dog) hopes all of you have a great weekend…cook something delish(or non-cook, like Texas Caviar) for yourself or the family, or friends…stay warm, and enjoy the start of the holiday season…but don’t let it get you all crazy. And come home safe, ’cause we miss you! ♥

Football and Ice…..I flew all the way south, for this???? January 10, 2011

Covered in a sheet of ice.......note the license plate-war eagle!

Ok, here’s the thing…a while back(when it was determined that the Auburn Tigers would be in the national championship game)that we all get together to watch it. You know, it’s fun to watch a big game in the company of people who understand the significance of the event.

And while we knew there was a little weather headed to ‘bama…ummm…we didn’t quite understand the signifcance of the event.  Yeah. So we are all iced in at my sister’s house, just hoping we can get our flight out tomorrow, and thought it would be ironic(among other things) if I had come to the only place in the country I couldn’t see the game if the power went out! Right now we are watching pictures from the Birmingham airport where lots of disappointed would be fliers are sleeping on the floor. At least I have a bed.(My sister Jan just walked by and said, “Tell everybody hey!”

Now you stick that where, and then do what??

This morning she and her husband Jack were struggling to light their little used fireplace….it is ‘bama after all…which gives off a nice warmth. He said something like, ” This is the reason we had a $320 gas bill a few years ago.” But to his credit he got it going.

Wait, that's a lemon?

I will tell you we are eating well…too well….pork tenderloin for dinner last night with sweet potatoes roasted with Granny Smith apples...that was an inspired combo.

We definitely need more baked goods....

And the pic above is of one of a bunch of lemons my other sister Audrey hauled up from Gulf Shores along with a cooler full of other food…they grew on Ft. Morgan road and they ripen this time of year. I’ve never seen any lemon so….. large…so orange-like…it’s bigger than a baseball.

Garden gates on the ceiling...who woulda thunk it?

I did get out to an interesting restaurant, before the ice man cometh, called the Urban Standard. Very warehousy, artsy….great food(pork hash that was fab)…..and they have these rusted garden gates hung on the ceiling…love it. Oh, red velvet cupcakes to die for, with a touch of almond in the icing.

Tommy the dog in Auburn paraphanalia.....

But of course the big event is tonight…the Cam Newton show. Will the Auburn Tigers defeat the  Oregon Ducks? Well, I’m afraid they will, with apologies to you Oregon fans…I am truly sorry for what will happen to your team tonight. And we’re having duck for dinner!! Quack.