Injected & Smoked!

 Backup to Thanksgiving 2011...I usually don't follow traditional foods for Holidays but this year family was coming over and they were all bringing a few dishes to round out the meal and I would do a flavorful Turkey with a little twist.

So, I decided to simmer up some chicken broth with a few more herbs and spices that I liked (and some onion and garlic). Then I strained all the pieces out which I later rubbed into the skin of the Turkey.  I chilled the liquid then went in search of my meat injector.

Two Turkey's For the Price of One!

Using the liquid I created I pierced the skin and went into the muscle and continually forced the liquid into the turkey at several points in muscles all over the Turkey with my big commercial needle for meat.

Cooking it overnight in my smoker (standard $59 to $69 electric smoker sold at department stores everywhere) with apple wood chips.  Ranging in heat about 200F to 220F thru-out the night for about 10 hours.  The turkey's weight was about 16 pounds before cooking.

That's it.  I took it out and let it rest...later carving it for dinner.  Oh man was it moist delicious!  I have a house full of guests AND guys at work who got to eat the leftovers that can be my witnesses!

Breakfast at Cracker Barrel!

Leadership Appreciation Dinner

First I must confess...I need to get better at remembering to take pictures, or at least acquire some that others took so I can show you examples of the menu's or food I post here.  I don't always do that, or have the pictures to do it!

Our church usually has an appreciation dinner for the different leaders of this and that like sunday school, children's church, small groups...things of that nature.  I cooked the main food for it the weekend of November the 13th.

It was heavy hor' dourves this time.  Estimated about 70 people. Menu as follows:

Mens Retreat Menu

WOW!  So things have been really busy lately...this month, weekend of the 4th, 5th, and 6th we had a men's retreat and I was cooking for it.

This group is mostly 'steak and potato' guys and so I planned my menu accordingly!  In addition to that we watched the Alabama vs LSU game which was the only sad part of the weekend (LSU won). But I tried to have an amazing line-up of food for the game.

What's cookin' lately!

When I came back to Alabama I needed a job.  So when my other options fell thru and time was running out I went to work for a company I had worked for before.  The pay is OK,  the hours are long but only Monday thru Friday, and they were happy to hire me back because of my integrity and good work ethic from before...But it's not been enough.

Culinarily this job possesses nothing for me (pause to feel the emptiness).

Lately, I have been connecting with other like-minded people and really scoping the job opportunities ( which are few and far between) to get back to what I love.  The word 'networking' comes to mind...

Rare Sweet Potato Found!

Found in captivity, the rare and elusive Grandaddy Long-leg Sweet Potato!  Named after the Grandaddy Long-leg spider for its single unit body and multiple spindly 'legs' growing out of it.

Unlike rare animals that are usually found in the wild, this sweet potato is found in the captivity of homes, long forgotten and left in bins or cupboards never to be seen again until they start to rot and stink!

I ran upon this rare species in an even rarer spot than usual...it was found in a home that cooks and eats lots of food and hosts many guests each week.  I don't want to reveal any names for fear of embarrassment to the owner.  BUT it was found in a home in the Green Mountain vicinity on a Saturday night(hint, hint).