Ruby Tuesday

This is pretty self-explanatory. There is a shop in Eureka Springs, Arkansas that sells hot sauces, BBQ sauces and dry rubs. Many of them have multiple chilies in the recipe and are extremely spicy. Most of the inventory is not available in your average grocery store.
Here are two prime examples. The one on the left is a mustard based, tequila/chipotle sauce, while the one on the right is a more traditional chipotle sauce. Both are great, but the mustard based sauce is out of this world on pork loin!

Friday Thoughts

Our office building is located about a mile from the local private airport and we are directly in the flight path. Since this little airport is the home of Walmart aviation and they own the largest fleet of private corporate jets in the country, I am afforded many opportunities each week to look out my window and capture a photo similar to this one. This particular day even the clouds cooperated.
This has been a work week that I would just as soon forget. I've been dealing with some client related issues that are wearing on the last nerve of just about everyone involved. I'll be glad when we get all of this resolved and get back to a normal relationship.
We're making final preparations for the November cruise. My passport should be here in a couple of weeks. I've a couple of new pairs of water shoes for the excursions and I've actually lost about 10 pounds. I only have another 90 to go! Well, not by Nov. 1, but my long term goal is to lose as close to 100 lbs as possible. I am guessing that 75-80 will be a more realistic stopping point.
September 16 is right around the corner and we will be leaving for the National Quartet Convention in Louisville, KY. This event focuses on Southern Gospel music. No, I don't sing, but I do love to listen and we will get plenty of opportunities to hear the best groups in the business over a four day stay. I can't wait. I might even be another 10 pounds lighter by then.
For the inspirational song this week, I've decided to find something from one of the groups that will most certainly be at the convention. Here is Real Faith by Brian Free and Assurance. Enjoy

Wordless Wednesday

Beautiful End To A Less Than Beautiful Day!

Ruby Tuesday

Last week I shared a Ruby Tuesday related to where I currently live. This week it will be related to where my heart will always be...Oklahoma. I was born in a small town in Northeast Oklahoma named Henryetta. I grew up in Tulsa. I actually attended both Oklahoma State University and the University of Oklahoma. But I got my degrees at OU and that is where my heart is.


This coffee mug is a commemorative of the 2000 National Championship football team. OU has played for the National title several times since and lost. We do however have seven titles to our credit. This season we open ranked No. 3 behind Florida and arch rival Texas. Let the games begin! BOOMER...Sooner!!!


When the drumline starts this roll and 300 band members form the interlocking OU, it just sends chills up the spine of any Sooner fan. May your team have a great season. Roll on Crimson and Cream, Roll On!!!

Looking at the Sky Friday Thoughts

Click on the logo above to see other participants.

Click on any photo to enlarge.

I guess you've figured out by now that I like sunsets. Here is essentially the same location as last week. I took these photos on four different evenings. I probably should have saved a couple of these for future posts, but I couldn't wait to share them with you. Now you know why I like to go to this spot to fish. I really don't mind if the fish aren't biting, I'm going to get a great view of the way that God has chosen to end the day in my part of the world. That's not a bad thing.

For my inspirational song this week, I have chosen another praise song from Chris Tomlin. Enjoy.

Wordless Wednesday

Transform this!!!

Ruby Tuesday

WOOOOOOOOOOOO PIG! Soooie!
Arkansas Razorbacks!

Football season is just around the corner and in this part of the country only one team matters to the locals, the Arkansas Razorbacks. For those of you unfamiliar with the Razorback cheer known as "Calling the Hogs". Here is what it sounds like when 60,000+ fans call the hogs.

Friday Thoughts/Looking at the SkyWatch Friday

This little lake, 67 acres, is about 5 miles from the house. I go there on summer evenings and do a little bass fishing from the bank. Around sunset is the best time. The evening prior to this was better because there were clouds for the sun to peek through and reflect off of. I tell you to always keep a camera handy. I should have followed my own advice.

It's been busy week. I smoked a pork loin last Saturday, grilled fourteen chicken halves on Sunday, went fishing Tuesday and Wednesday evenings and last night we planned a little more of our November cruise. I booked a deep sea fishing excursion while we're in Montego Bay, and my bride booked a day at the beach when we get to Cozumel. I think we will probably do the submarine excursion at Grand Cayman. It's a 48 passenger sub that takes you approximately 100 feet deep. I'm betting that there are going to be some great photo opportunities.

So what do you want to see and hear for an inspirational song? I think I'm going to share a song that brings back the old time southern gospel sound. It's a feel-good song from Signature Sound. We're going to see them and a whole bunch of other groups next month at the National Quartet Convention in Louisville, KY. Enjoy, "Old Camp Meeting Days"

Grillin' With Driller Part II

Saturday I posted my latest BBQ experiment with pork loin. It turned out great. Well, at least the family liked it. For more information scroll down a couple of posts. Sunday I grilled 14 chicken halves for the family, using an old family recipe. Here is how it goes.
Take about two parts red wine vinegar to one part lemon juice and add garlic salt and butter. We mixed enough that it took two sticks of butter (Paula Dean would be proud). Baste fryer halves with the mix. Sprinkle a little cracked black pepper and Canadian Steak seasoning on each bird. Marinate for 2-4 hours (overnight is best).
Now let's get the fire ready. This time I build the fire on one side of the grill, just like before, but I am going to use hickory chips instead of apple wood. Now it's time to throw the birds on the fire.Okay, so they look like me on the first day of summer. When I first put them on the grill I put the skin side up. Personally, I believe that exposes the cavity to the smoke and you get a little more of the hickory flavor infused into the meat early in the process.Remember the tip I gave you last time. Always soak your wood in water. It decreases the flame-up and imparts more smoke into the meat. Yes, I did add a little Canadian Steak seasoning to the birds. Actually, it's the spicy Montreal steak blend. I think it's about time to turn the birds.
They're looking pretty good. When I turn the skin side to the fire, I splash on the marinade. This is a really thin sauce so you can actually puddle it in the cavity if you like. Check to be sure that there is spice still on all of the meat and add a little if necessary. I try to leave the skin side down long enough to get a nice crust. That will seal in the juices. Believe me these birds will be juicy when we're done. Are you hungry yet? One last tip. If you have room, take a small aluminum bread pan and partially fill it with water or with your marinade and set it on the grill. When you close the lid, it will add additional moisture/flavor to the whole cooking process. I had too much meat on the grill to do it this time. I guess I could have put it on the warming tray, I just didn't think of it. Oh well, you can't think of everything.Well, I believe these fowl are done! Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside. I doesn't get any better than that. Since this was a family affair, everyone brought a side dish and I don't have enough space for all the pictures that would require. Let's just say that everyone ate well. And yes, the pork loin in the first Grillin' With Driller was also on the menu. Good eats y'all!

Wordless Wednesday

Busy as a Bee

Ruby Tuesday

Grillin' With Driller

Pull up a chair. We're going to do some serious grilling today. My bride's family is coming to our house Sunday evening to celebrate my bride's mother's 82nd birthday. A favorite dish of her family is grilled chicken. Her dad used to grill chicken using a basting sauce of melted butter, red wine vinegar, lemon juice and garlic salt. It is excellent. I did a practice run a few weeks back and it was outstanding. I will also serve a smoked pork loin. I CAN do pork loin. I cooked the pork loins today and my bride and I enjoyed a couple of slices from one of them for dinner. So here is how it's done.
We purchased a whole pork loin at SAM's Club. I cut it in half and will prepare each half with a different set of spices. One set is a favorite of mine, the other is an experiment.
First up, my old stand by...Tony Chachere's!

Once the loin is cut in half and placed in a large glass dish, I inject Tony Chachere's Creole Butter marinade. I use about three syringe fulls to completely inject the marinade.

The experimental half will get a new marinade, Bronco Bob's Tangy Apricot Chipotle marinade. It actually has small chunks of apricots and chipolte peppers. At first it's a little too thick to go into the injector. So, I mixed about one part orange juice and two parts of Bronco Bob's in a cup to thin it out a bit. This helps, but the chucks are clogging up the syringe. Next step, the rub!

For the old stand by, I use Tony Chachere's original Cajun seasoning.
For the experimental half I use Southwest Chipolte seasoning. Both halves get a little Canadian Steak seasoning for good measure. Are we hungry yet? I let these marinate for about half an hour while I build the fire and get the temperature correct. Okay, let's go outside.Call me a Barbeque snob, but when it comes to real meat, I use only natural lump hardwood (oak) charcoal....NO briquets! Bricquets are for hot dogs and hamburgers. I'm going to do something new here too. I am going to use apple wood chips for the flavor enhancer. Typically I use hickory chips. One tip. Soak the chips is water before putting them on the fire. This keeps them from flaming up an generates more smoke. The flavor is in the smoke, so the more smoke the better. Bring on the meat.I will start with the meat directly over the fire in order to put a bit of a crust on it. I have seasoned the opposite side of the loins when I put them on the grill. They will stay here for about half an hour. Are you hungry yet?
Next, I turn the meat. See that crust I was talking about? I also move it to the side of the grill away from the fire. Now we are grilling with indirect heat. This will take about another half hour. Then comes the good part. Are you hungry yet? See that apple wood smoke?Your pork loin has been on the grill at about 250 degrees for about an hour. Now remove the loin and put it on some heavy duty aluminum foil. Build a tent and pour about 4-6 oz. of your marinade in the tent. The photo is the one with Bronco Bob's Tangy Apricot and Chipolte/orange juice. Does that look good or what! Eat your heart out Bobby Flay. Now we're going to steam this in the marinade on the grill, for about an one and one half -two hours. Keep it on the side away from the direct heat. Hold on, we're almost done.


Once the loin is done, bring it in and let it rest for about 15-20 minutes. Open the foil tent and pour the juices into a bowl to serve with the loin. Slice the loin. Serve with a green salad that includes feta cheese and cranberries, some green beans and potatoes.
This will buckle your knees and make you slap your mama! Enjoy!!!
Tomorrow we're grilling chicken. Are you hungry yet?

Looking At The SkyWatch Friday Thoughts

Looking At the Sky/SkyWatch Friday

This week has been a lot like these photos, a storm cloud threatened, there was a bright spot. It got a little hot, but the week-end will be better.

My in-laws are coming for Sunday dinner, so I'm grilling chicken and a pork loin. It's gonna be good. We'll spend a little time planning our cruise. I think we might try para-sailing! Have any of you done this? They put you in a parachute one the back of a speed boat. They attach you to 400' of ski rope and let you fly! I'm up for it, but I doubt if there will be any photos to prove that I actually did this. I'm more willing to put my own body in harms way than my camera.

I know this is a short post,but I really don't have much on my mind. Here is this week's inspirational song. It's another praise song. I guess when I get in one of these moods, I really need to spend a little more time in praise mode. This should help. Enjoy.

Wordless Wednesday

"Wake Up Little Susie"
(Black-eyed Susans)

Ruby Tuesday

Ruby Tuesday is my favorite Meme. I love looking for red subject matter to photograph and post weekly. I thank Mary the Teach for coming up with this idea and giving us the opportunity to practice a little photography. I was looking through a few of my recent Ruby Tuesday photos and decided that a few of them would make pretty cool Ruby Tuesday badges. So, I fired up PhotoShop Elements and went to work. My Ruby Tuesday this week is a collection of new Ruby Tuesday badges. Yes, most of them have an automotive flair to them and one is baseball oriented. Please feel free to grab one and use it anytime. Happy Ruby Tuesday everyone!