You got me what ? From where ?

Had a lot going on this week, food wise, and I wanted to share some of it...


Date Night... A couple of months back, my wife and I agreed that we would take turns planning our 'date nights'. We've been married 18 years and some times our date nights would turn into the same restaurant, same dinner and so on. Since we've started taking turns planning it, we've actually been on some really good dates. We've eaten some really good food. Played some 'championship' caliber pool (not really) and attended 'poetry slams'. Its really been a lot of fun. I tell you some of this because there was a time in our marriage, when my wife had a run of bad luck picking restaurants for us to try. So much that at one point and I quote " I'm never picking another place to eat, every where I pick sucks". Not really and I don't ever recall the food not being good it just seemed to have always been a service issue. Anyway, she's moved passed that and she knocked it OUT OF THE PARK this week...


First... This was her week to plan a date. She had researched and looked for some fun stuff to do and she decided that we would do a 'Paint Night'. We were going to eat at this particular restaurant and during dinner, we were to paint a picture of some sunflowers. We were really looking forward to this time together and we both thought that it would be really fun. Two days before our date, she gets an email, that the class had been cancelled... Now, she's on the shot clock trying to get a plan B in place and she pulled it off famously. We left the house and she said we were going to Grille 29 in Madison Al, to eat and then to a 'Poetry Slam' and a local arts mall called Lowe Mills (Huntsville Al). We started with an appetizer of Gorgonzola Fondue (WOW)... Fondue with chunks of blue cheese and lightly FRIED bread sticks. They were like a pretzel, breadstick and savory doughnut all in one. Then we had soup and salad, both fantastic. The service was exceptional and I would highly recommend this place.


Second... Christmas time, yep I said Christmas. Several years ago, we started purchasing experiences and memories as gifts for our family. We've given Journey concert tickets, weekend Bed & Breakfast reservations and so on... Last year, for our 15 year old daughter that's into theater, we bought her Phantom of the Opera tickets. This really works well in most cases. The gift is given in the winter and usually cashed in sometime in the spring or summer. Its the gift that keeps on giving. Well last night we headed to Birmingham Al for the production. My wife, once again, had looked around and found us a place to eat dinner and it was Bistro 218. What a choice !!! I'm going to share my dining experience through photos. Below is our appetizer of charred octopus with squid ink aioli, scallops on a bed of creamed corn, asparagus, roasted tomatoes and country ham with a crème brulee for dessert.

The dinner and show was fantastic... NOTE: Once at the restaurant, they asked if we were going to the theater and we said yes. They actually had a 'Theater Menu'. If we had know this it would have helped us research the menu and would have been a little less expensive. If your doing the whole dining and theatre experience, when you make reservations, ask for this. The place your dining at just might have the same option.

Third... Happy Birthday to Me. Yep, this week I turn 48 and for my birthday, my wife gave me possibly the best gift ever. Its called 'Discover the World through Food'. For 12 months, Ill receive a package in the mail. Each package will contain 7 - 8 delicacies from a different country. These delicacies will be prepared and packed by the highlighted chef, from that country on that particular month. The first month, my package will arrive from Chile.

Didn't cook much of anything this week but had great food experiences with my family...

I'm beyond blessed and I'm very thankful !!! 

Well, no matter what I do, mine don't taste like that...

Have you ever tried to recreate a meal or a recipe that you've had somewhere else ? It might be a pot of soup that you had at a local deli or your grandmother's meatballs, the odds are, you're not going to 'Nail It'. Now it might be good. It might be better than the original but there's something missing. It's just not right... Well there are several things that contribute to this.


I used the examples of soup and meatballs simply because that's the 2 things I've tried to recreate with some success.


The soup, Beefy Lintel... A deli in Pulaski Tennessee called 'The Yellow Deli' has the best that I've ever had. I wrote about this place a couple of blogs back. BUT, before you go up there thinking that you have to try it, call first. Its not on the menu every day. They have a 'Soup of the Day' and if your lucky, beefy lintel will be on it, when you go.

The above pic is my cookbook collection. I read through just about every cookbook that I have, researched on line recipes and when it was all said and done, I combined 3 different recipes to come up with something, that to me, was better than what I had there but it just wasn't the same.




The meatballs belonged to Dorothy Hutchenson (my grandmother). They were so simple, no secret ingredients (just ingredients... we'll get to that in a minute). Ground beef, onions and tomato juice. I've made these meatballs several times over the years and they're always good and go great with a pan of cornbread.


Before my sister passed away, she and I and my mother would talk about things my grandmother made and how we missed her cooking. Her fried pies, her fried chicken... her meatballs. The joke is ALWAYS her biscuits. Could possibly be the worst that I've eaten. They were so heavy. Full of buttermilk and lard but anyway, back to the meatballs. Like I said, all they were was ground beef, finely diced onion and an egg for binder, rolled into a ball and browed slightly before she would pour tomato juice over them, cover and simmer until done.


It wasn't until about 2 years ago, while watching Anthony Bourdain, that it was made crystal clear as to why my meatballs don't taste like hers. You see, she used simple ingredients and so do I but I have no idea where she got them or what brand she used. Was her beef ground special for her, at the grocery store ? Did she like a certain cut of beef ground into burger ? Where did she get her eggs ? We're they fresh eggs ? Did they have the same stuff pumped into their 'laying chickens' back then (antibiotics and steroids) ? I'm going to say absolutely not. Were her onions locally grown or possibly grown in her back yard ? You see, we can use the same ingredients in a recipe but they might not be SAME ingredients. On the episode of his show that day, he was eating meatballs that a little old lady in Italy had made. She was explaining to him that her and her daughter make meatballs exactly the same but they taste different. Now this gets a little weird but true, she claimed that the oils in their skin were different therefore, when rolling the meatballs they would absorb the oils in their skin, adding to the flavor of the finished product and I think she's right.


You see, you can do everything in your power to recreate something and not get it right. Don't be too hard on yourself. Embrace the fact that you make it good and that you'll always miss the recipes and the loved ones that made them before you. Now if your fortunate enough o know exactly how someone made something and you've nail it or have the EXACT recipe, congratulations to you !!!


These past conversations, with my mother and sister, inspired my mother to write 2 cookbooks. She wrote them and had them printed and we all have copies, family and friends. She's taken the time to write down just how she does what and so for many years to come, her family and friends can and will enjoy the recipes that she's made for us over the years.

The white paperback was her first and man have we used it. I don't even keep it with my other cookbooks. It stays in a drawer right next to the stove...


So there you have it, why your recipe might not taste just like what you want it to BUT, it still taste good and one day your kids will say, I wish I knew how HE/SHE made this or that, talking about you so I urge you to spend time with them in the kitchen. Teach and show them what your doing. Make those memories !!! I guarantee, it will be time well spent. There's an old country song and the pivotal line is "She thinks we're just fishing'... Let them think that your just cooking. The rest will sink in later...

Discovering New Vitamins

This past Tuesday night, some great friends of ours came over for dinner and brought fresh made Torta's. Our friends are Hispanic and referred to the sandwiches as 'Mexican Subway'... They brought the sandwiches, filled with steak and pork, fresh lettuce, sliced tomatoes, fresh sliced avocados and 2 different types of sauce (red & green). About half way through the meal I told them just how good I thought they were and David told me that in the Mexican culture, this is how they get vitamin t (torta). He went on and on listing letters as he referred to them as vitamins but had an Hispanic dish of food that started with that letter. We had a great laughs with some great friends and great food.


 I was first introduced to the Torta about a year ago. A friend of mine from work was talking about a 'drive thru' Mexican restaurant in Decatur that was supposed to be fantastic and as authentic as anything around, so we gave it a try. Now like I've said before, my middle daughter Shelby and my oldest daughter Ashleigh, will try absolutely anything once so when I headed out to El Palomino for a Totra De Lengua (tongue sandwich), I had Shelby in tow. Now I ordered tacos (chorizo x 2 and tongue x 2), Shelby ordered the Torta De Lengua and we kind of shared our lunch so that each of us could get a taste of what the other one had ordered. My friend was correct. The food was delicious and as fresh as any place that I've ever been. The lettuce was crisp and avocado was beautiful green but not mushy and the meat had been prepared as we waited. Great experience. If you want to try this place, they only have outdoor tables (NO DINE IN), so you'll want to make sure the weather is cooperating or get it to go. I've added a pic of the Torta. At the time I wasn't planning on blogging and posting pics so the detail is lacking...

After dinner, I had baked an iron skillet apple pie (Southern Living) and made homemade cinnamon ice cream (Ree Drummond). The combination worked really well together. I was able to capture a pic of the pie, right out of the oven, but once I combined them and started plating, they got gone in a hurry..

Pretty simple pie to make and the recipe is easily found on-line. Its basically butter and brown sugar in the bottom topped with a store bought crust then 4 lbs. sliced apples tossed in cinnamon and sugar poured over the bottom crust and topped with the other store bought crust (they come 2 in a pack). Brush the top with a frothy egg white, cut about 5 slits and bake for about an hour.... It cuts more like a cobbler than an actual pie but believe me, the taste is there !!! The ice cream recipe can also be found on line (Ree Drummond or The Pioneer Woman). Its a basic ice cream recipe with a lot of egg yolks, half and half, heavy cream, cinnamon and vanilla. NOTE: On the show, she used vanilla beans and cinnamon sticks to steep in her cream mixture. When I was doing my shopping, I discovered that whole vanilla beans were $11 each (jar of 2/$22.00). I went the written recipe route and used a good vanilla extract but the choice is yours. There is already a teaspoon of ground cinnamon in the recipe so you'll actually not see the vanilla beans (inside scrapings) as much as you would think and the extract taste really good in this recipe.

My wife and I finished up our week, like we normally do, on a date night. We went to a cool little place in Madison for dinner called Stem's and Steins but hey, that's another blog post that I'll get to later.

Hope you run out and get some tongue tacos or a tongue torta and then head home to make pie and ice cream... You won't regret it !!!



You're planning on cooking what, how ?

Cook (kook) verb
     1. to prepare (food, a dish or a meal) by combining and heating the ingredients in various ways.




You've probably heard someone say "oh, I cook, I don't bake" or vice versa... Well, as you know, it's all cooking but the methods and preferences vary greatly.




I've always told people that I don't really grill and that I'm way more comfortable in the kitchen but the fact is I do grill, just not a lot. Whatever I cook on the grill seems to always turn out and be edible but its still not my passion. I give the marinades all the credit... the rest is just a heat source. Now I do get the fact that food cooked over charcoal taste great and that adds tons of flavor. I totally understand that. I myself, have both a charcoal grill and a gas grill (as well as a smoker) and my go to is the gas. Its quick, convenient and its gets us to the table quicker.

The above pic is a couple of grilled venison tenderloin slices. I grilled them on a screaming hot grill for 3 minutes a side then placed them in a 400 degree oven for 3 minutes (then allowed them to rest under tented foil for at least 10min). There's a couple of things that I give most of the credit to. First, when I'm fortunate enough to harvest a deer, I have the tenderloins sliced 2 inches thick. That seems to help keep them moist and second, the marinade. I marinade 99% of the wild game that I cook in the following;


1 cup ginger ale
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup orange juice
2 T brown sugar
fresh ground pepper
garlic


The sugar will allow your meat to get that great tasting 'char' pretty quick. The soy has plenty of sodium so salt isn't really necessary. The green beans are home canned, the potatoes are out of a pack, 'Idahoan' instant. They are absolutely FANTASTIC and cost less that $1 per pack. I'll usually take the pan drippings and make a gravy for them.


Another great marinade for ANYTHING grilled and please try this, you won't regret it...


1 bottle zesty Italian salad dressing
1 bottle A-1 steak sauce
(equal parts)
mix together and marinade, brush, baste or dip anything grilled into this mixture. Really, its good on wild game, chicken, beef, pork and vegetables.


Like I said before, I'm more comfortable in the kitchen and with that said, I do very little baking. For those that know me well, that might come as a bit of a shock. I'm very OCD, with some things. Everything in my garage has its place. The lines in the grass, when I mow, have to run a certain way... you get the point. In the kitchen, I'm not that way with the food. Now I want all my utensils, knives and gadgets where they are supposed to go but that's about it. See, the way I view baking is that it has to be perfect exact measurements. The amount of soda you use works perfectly with the amount of flour that the recipe calls for. The egg count is perfect as well as the vanilla. (HINT), I have taken some cooking classes and its been told that room temperature eggs work better in your baking recipes, than cold ones do. I like to cook and just add a little of this and a little of that. You'll see that when I write about chili... I'll put almost anything in a pot of chili but I believe I've got a winner recipe and its only took 2 decades to get it just right.


About the only thing I really enjoy baking is a certain cheesecake. To be honest, I don't know if I enjoy baking it or decorating it more. I truly think its simply because everyone that gets to try it raves over it. It taste really good and the presentation is stunning. Below is a pic of a Banana Pudding Cheesecake that I baked a while back...

You can get this recipe online. Just google 'Banana Pudding Cheesecake Southern Living'.


I really enjoy cooking period, no matter the heat source. I've even 'cooked' ceviche. A method of cooking fish and small diced vegetables in lime or lemon juice. The acid in the citrus fruit actually cooks the fish. No heat source required. You're really just marinating it.


The next picture is one of my favorite meals. Not just because of the preparation or flavors but the fact that I home canned the pinto beans and sweet potatoes. The potatoes I canned in a sweet syrup and the beans I cooked down with some bacon fat and a couple pieces of smoked sausage (from Louisiana). The collards were cooked down for about 30/45 minutes, until tender, then I added some brown sugar, a splash of bourbon, red pepper flake and just before serving, a splash of cider vinegar. The vinegar will take away that small bitterness that collards sometimes have. The cornbread is one of my beautiful daughters (Shelby) responsibility. She knocks it out of the park... This particular day, she poured half the batter into a cast iron skillet that was passed down to me form my grandmother. She then added about 1/2 pound of browned breakfast sausage and a hand full of mild cheddar cheese then topped of with the remaining batter. When its golden brown, you have sausage stuffed cornbread. The mac and cheese is on the edge of gourmet. Its Publix store brand and my baby girl (Rebekah) absolutely loves it and wants it with every meal. Now my wife (Nicole) adds a little extra flavor to it by adding a couple slices of American cheese and from time to time she'll add a little cream cheese.

Before I shut it down for this week I'll tell you about our 'Go To' dessert. Ready ??? Its Marie Callender's  'Razzleberry'  pie served with Vanilla Ice Cream... That's it. Easy and delicious !!!

Now, do some reading and get you some recipes to try. It don't matter if you fry, bake, broil, boil, smoke or grill, just cook something....

The Bucket List

One thing that I would encourage of everyone, have a bucket list of food items that you would like to try as well as restaurants that you would like to eat at. It don't have to be anything crazy, although I hope it is, and it don't have to be an expensive restaurant. When my wife and I are planning 'Date Nights', 'Family Vacations', 'Weekend Getaways' and even the occasional business trip that she'll accompany me on, we start googling the restaurants in the area. A great tool, if you watch Food Network, is the show 'Diners, Drive-ins and Dives'. I hit pay dirt one time just outside of Anaheim CA with a little mom and pop Italian restaurant called 'Mama Cozza's'. I had seen it on triple d so when we were there we thought that we would give it a try and it didn't disappoint.


Now over the years my bucket list has gotten smaller, which it should because I'm always trying to check stuff off but I'll also add items along the way. My latest addition of things to try is squid ink
(I get a lot of items from watching Andrew Zimmern). I saw him eating it one day and thought I would like to give it a try. A few days later, I had squid ink pasta delivered to right my door. Amazon is pretty cool... you can get anything you want from them.

The Nduja, will be the base of the pasta sauce. Its a spicy, spreadable pork salami that I'll combine with tomatoes, garlic, lemon juice, fresh chopped parsley and shrimp. My whole family is anxious to try this one and I for one cant wait.


Just a few more of my 'bucket list' items that I have knocked off over the years include Sea Urchin, Goat, Fried Grasshoppers, Fried Grub Worms, Calf Fries, Tripe, Rattlesnake, Turtle, Marmite (vegemite), Chitterlings and Souse Meat just to name a few. I've always said, I'll eat anything that don't crawl too fast. If I can catch it, I'll eat it and most of these listed are not a one and done. I'll continue to eat them regularly, if they're on the menu.




Nicole and I were on our way home from somewhere and the 'Men at Work' song came on the radio. Next thing you know, I'm at the grocery store buying 'Marmite' (the same a vegemite). You remember the line in the song "He just smiled and gave me a vegemite sandwich". Marmite is a spreadable yeast extract that's very popular in Australia and from all that I have read, its an acquired taste and you either love it or hate it. But that's not true, everyone at my house tried it that night and 3 out of the 4 (including me) came to the conclusion that we could take it or leave it. Its wasn't bad at all, just a little strong. We didn't make a sandwich with it, not really. We just had it on a piece of buttered toast. If you try this, don't be heavy handed with it... Crawl before you walk !!!

Someone told me last week that as much as I like to try new things that I should try the game 'Bean Boozled'. I'm sure it would be a tremendous amount of fun and I can only imagine just how hard we would laugh but for the life of me, I have no desire to eat a jelly bean that taste like ear wax...or dog food...or dead fish...or skunk spray...or spoiled milk.


With that being said I would like to let everyone know that my two oldest daughters are my partners in crime, when it comes to eating stuff that's really out there. Shelby and Ashleigh are a lot like me and will try anything once. My wife Nicole will get out there with me sometimes but she has defiantly drawn a line in the sand. No innards of any kind... She's not eating liver, kidneys, tripe, chitterlings or anything else form the inside of an animal.


When you make your list, that don't mean that you have to sit down and eat a whole plate of anything. I had rather pick blackberries naked than eat a whole plate of Sea Urchin. That's possibly the worst thing that I've ever eaten and it didn't taste that bad. I cant get over the texture but hey, that's just me.


As far as a list of restaurants, just do some research. One of the coolest places we've eaten at in a while just came up in a conversation between me and a friend of mine. We were talking about eating out and he suggested we try the 'Yellow Deli' in Pulaski TN.

Now this is a really cool place that's open 24 hours a day (mon - thurs). They close on Friday afternoons at 3 pm and re-open on Sunday at noon. My favorite combination is the 'Deli Rose' sandwich with a bowl of 'Beefy Lintle' soup. They have root beer on tap and the sodas are all natural. The bread is baked fresh as well as the desserts. At the register, you'll also find a good selection of homemade goodies, soaps, lotions, teas, toothpaste and candles (all made by the owners).

Now, go get you a list !!! Get you a list of places to go and things to try and by all means, HAVE FUN WITH IT.... 







The Great Debate

And no, I'm not talking about Hilary and Donald... I'm talking about BBQ !!! I don't think there's another type of food out there that has so many opinions...


1. To sauce or not to sauce
2. Red sauce or White sauce
3. Pulled, chopped or sliced
4. Hickory, Pecan, Oak or Mesquite
5. Beef, Pork or Chicken
6. Brine or not to brine
7. Wrap or not to wrap Boston Butts ???
8. BBQ sandwich with or without pickles and mayo


You see what I mean ? Everyone one of you have had these conversations with someone at some point and time and as my daddy used to say "I'd bet a dollar against a hole in a doughnut" that you probably don't get your 'take out' bbq from the same place. You more than likely get your sandwich from one place, your chicken from another and your ribs from yet another.


I can remember going into Big Bobs with my pawpaw, when it was on 6th ave, next to where it is now. O.M Hutchinson (my pawpaw) was a long time customer and we always walked in the back door, where the pits were. As a kid this was really cool stuff. I can remember him walking up to the pits and actually picking out the chickens that he wanted to buy. So I guess because of this child hood memory, I've always been fond of Big Bobs chicken. It's really good and I cant eat it without thinking back to the days with my pawpaw, riding in his El Camino while he chewed on that 'Tampa' cigar.


With all that being said, Southern Style BBQ (on Moulton St) has the absolute best pulled pork sandwich in town, hands down !!! I'm still searching for the ribs. I really liked Sonny's BBQ ribs (Hwy 20 Trinity). I believe they were possibly the best in the state but that business was hit by the 2011 tornados and have yet to rebuild. Smokey C's (Hwy 20 Decatur) actually won 'Best Ribs' in the state, by AL.COM. I've never tried them because it seems like they are only open from 11:00am to 1:00pm and I never remember that until its too late.


Chief and Snoogie's (Hwy 24 Trinity) has an outstanding smoked ham sandwich. That's all I've eaten there but its worth the ride out, I promise.


My wife and I had been to an Iron Bowl a few years back and for those of you who don't know, we are a true house divided. She's been a long time Auburn fan and I'm a life long Bama fan. Well just so happened we decided to go to the Iron Bowl one year and of all years to go, the 'Kick 6' happened right before my eyes. I couldn't believe it and neither could the other 70K folks that were there. Anyway, on the ride home I needed something to drown my sorrows. Something that would help me forget the horror that I just witnessed then I saw it, just ahead at the very end of my headlights 'Jim & Nicks". Oh my... We had eaten their food once before but it was catered in to an event that we were at. We had never actually been to the restaurant. The sausage was fantastic. Now its wasn't as good as 'Triple R BBQ in Whitewright Texas, but it was close.


Now, I'm going to give you my opinions on the 8 debates that I listed up top...
1. Only meat that I want red sauce on is brisket. Its funny because somewhere around the Cullman area and south of there, you don't have a choice really. When you order pulled pork, it comes sauced as to where from Cullman north, its always on the side.
2. I love them both. Red sauce on Brisket, White sauce on Ribs and Chicken. I believe that the only sauce that should ever be on pulled pork is a vinegar based sauce, apple cider vinegar w/ crushed red pepper flakes (Carolina Style).
3. Pulled... plain and simple.
4. I think if it wasn't so expensive, everyone would smoke with Pecan. It has a great flavor and its not over powering. Believe it or not, too much hickory can ruin a good cut of meat, in my opinion. I will generally mix pecan and hickory when I'm smoking at home. Mesquite is for Texans... I like it but keep it out there. I've recently read that oak will give a darker color and you'll have a better 'bark' on your meat but I've yet to try it.
5. All of the above
6. Its a must if you ask me (for poultry anyway). It gets so much flavor and moisture into the meat that if you ever try it, you'll always do it. Next time you smoke chicken, grab you a pack of thighs, leg quarters or half chickens and brine them for 12 hours in the following
1 gallon water
1 cup salt
1 cup brown sugar
garlic powder
sprig of fresh Rosemary
I'll boil about a quart of water and add my salt and sugar so that it dissolves then add the remaining gallon with cold water. You want the brine cold when you add the meat and you need to make sure you have room in the fridge, to store it. Its going to take up a lot of space.


Quick story, I smoked the family Thanksgiving turkey one year. I brined it in the above but added 1/2 gallon of cranberry juice. It added so much 'Thanksgiving' flavor but It also turned my turkey the most beautiful shade of purple that you've ever seen. I thought to myself, NOBODY will eat that. Well, when I smoked it, it turned the most beautiful golden brown. I'm glad because I was worried for a little while.


7. I've tried both and I prefer not to wrap. I like the bark you get from keeping the meat open. I'm not real concerned with it drying out because once I pull it apart, I add salt and cider vinegar to the pan of meat and it has always turned out. The key to pulled pork is 190 degree internal temp.


8. I want both... I've also heard that a slice of Vidalia onion isn't too bad.


Most books you read will tell you that pork needs to cook to an internal temp of between 145 - 165. Well it will be done at that temp but impossible to shred. You can slice or chop I guess but like I said, who wants to do that ?


We could talk BBQ all day and not even get into the side dishes. I'm a traditionalist... Baked Beans and Potato Salad kind of guy and I like my potato salad warm. Cant hardly eat it cold. I do have a killer recipe for a mustard based 'Pool Room' slaw that's perfect with pulled pork. I say I have a recipe, I have it in my head and its never the same but it always seems to turn out and its a real simple base... shredded cabbage, prepared mustard and sugar. Make a dressing, if you will, out of the mustard and sugar, add spices (celery seed is a nice touch) and pour over cabbage and mix well. Add whatever other spices, peppers and/or onions you want and just go with the flavors that you like.


Like I've already stated, this blog is all about my opinions and preferences. If you like red sauce on pulled pork, by all means, eat it up and enjoy it. If you like chopped pork and not pulled, I ain't mad at'cha.


Its almost BBQ weather so fire up them smokers and get after it !!!

'The Garden'

With this spring like weather we're having in North Alabama, I feel it only appropriate to talk about gardens and canning... I took an interest in cooking at an early age. I can remember watching Justin Wilson on PBS when I was about 8 years old and it seemed like a really cool thing to get in to. That's also about the time I really remember my summer Saturday mornings being overtaken by 'The Garden'. 'The Garden', referring to my granddaddy's garden. Thinking back, I believe he could have sustained a dozen families out of that thing... It was huge. I really didn't enjoy or appreciate the whole process as much as I do now but I'm glad I have the memories. It seems like all we did was pick and shell butter beans and peas, shuck and husk corn, pull peanuts, pick plums, pick grapes and there was always a box or two of tomatoes, watermelons, cucumbers, squash and cantaloupe's out by the mail box with a 'FREE' sign on them. I can remember my grandmother, mother and my aunt working endlessly in the kitchen canning and freezing the summers bounty and as a kid I just thought, "wouldn't it be easier to just go buy this stuff", totally missing the meaning of it all. Years passed and one day my sister, Phillis Nelson, said something about canning some vegetable soup. You see, that's what we done with all the left overs at the end of the year, we made soup...and a lot of it. It wasn't long before my sister and I were canning soup together. My mother would guide us along and over a couple of years we got pretty good at it. If you'll take a couple quarts of home canned vegetable soup and add browned ground beef or a shredded rotisserie chicken, with a pan of cornbread... Wow !!!


Canning shouldn't be intimidating at all... If you'll prepare yourself, have everything you need ready to go and pay attention to what's going on with your canner, you'll be fine. I usually process and can about 30 quarts of soup every year. I use vegetables grown in my raised bed garden as well as some fresh produce that I purchase at the local farmers market or that friends and family give me. *** IMPORTANT*** Always use a tested recipe when canning. The Ball "Blue Book' of canning is full of tested recipes and instruction.


Last year I ventured out a little and canned a lot more than I ever had. I canned green beans, pepper sauce, chow chow, pool room slaw, blackberry jam, fig jam, peach preserves, scuppernong jelly, pinto beans, chili beans, mushrooms, carrots, sweet potatoes and soup. Its very rewarding to walk into the pantry, pull out a couple of jars and have supper ready in less than 30 minutes. Its even more rewarding when those who eat it, tell you how good it is. On the healthy side of things, I can't even pronounce half of the ingredients listed on a can of soup that's bought in the store. If someone ask me what's in mine, besides the fresh vegetables... Salt, that's it.


At the end of last summer, when I canned about 10 quarts of sweep potatoes, I remember telling my wife "I'll never do this again". I mean, that's a lot of work and I really don't enjoy peeling 25 lbs of sweet potatoes but after I tried them for the first time, I changed my mind, they are absolutely delicious !!! I'll never say that its not a lot of work, its time consuming and a little costly to get started but so worth it. After the initial purchase of the canner and jars all you'll need is a little time an commitment.


Just a little heads up, it can become consuming, if you let it. In the winter months, I catch myself walking through the grocery store just looking for something to be on sale, that I can put up and can. I have so many jars in my house, it looks like a 'Ball' or 'Kerr' warehouse. I have pots and pans of all sizes, dishpans and 2 pressure canners (well, maybe 3 canners... I might have bough another one today just because I got a great deal on it and you can never have too many pressure canners but don't tell my wife, she'll think I'm nuts). I might have bought 8 more cases of jars today as well. I mean really, you can't can without them and I have not bought any since I bought 18 dozen last summer, that I also got a great deal on.


If preserving your bounty is something you're interested in, I would suggest reading all you can about it before you get started. 'Water Bathing' is pretty simple and that's how you preserve most of your jellies, pickles, fruits and salsa (high acid foods). That's where I would start and graduate up to pressure canning. Like I said before... be ready and have everything you'll need when you get started. Once you get a canner up to pressure, its hard to call time out and run to the grocery store for rings and lids.


As the summer progresses, I'll be posting recipes and pics of things I'm canning and or freezing. I've had over 350 people look at this blog site in the last 2 days. That's flattering and as I continue to post, I hope that I'll provide information, tips, ideas and suggestions that will be helpful to you. Thanks for following...