"ELSBETH" LILIES" - SAUSAGE PEPPERS ONIONS - RIB EYE STEAK - PIT BOSS ON LINE - JIBBER JABBER

 LILIES

One of our favorite, first-in-the-morning go-to blogs is Ace of Spades HQ, smart, sharp, political commentary and analyses, world-class tech reporting and breaking news when it happens.  But on the weekend, Ace shows a kinder, gentler side with literature, hobbies, music, gardening, culinary and couture written by a cadre of talented co-bloggers.  Readers, however, are always encouraged to contribute and yesterday, the bride had this piece featured in the gardening section: 

Big as my hand

Long-time lurker - Lil ‘Ol Texas Lady – here. Hubby and I moved back home to Texas from the frozen northeast a few years ago and have been working on establishing veggie (his) and flower (mine) gardens since then. He inherited a green thumb while I, alas, can barely grow mold on a shower curtain; we tend opposite ends of the property.

Three years ago, my older sister sent me splits from daylilies hybridized nearly 100 years ago by my maternal grandmother. My grandmother, a tough little firecracker standing nearly 4’10 in heels, and HER husband, were passionate gardeners well into their dotage, so skilled and noted at hybridizing they became national judges of a slew of varieties from irises to daffodils to daylilies.

Of her creations, none were or remain as glorious as “Elsbeth”, a ruffled, butter-yellow daylily, growing as tall as 3 feet with blooms as long and wide as my hand. So prodigious are they that each bloom stalk will produce as many as 6-10 blooms over the course of their 90-day life.

And who knew, these magnificent flowers absolutely thrive in the East Texas sun and heat despite being tended by one as botanically ‘tarded as I.

Meet “Elsbeth”.

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SAUSAGE, PEPPERS, ONIONS

A test dinner using peppers and onions from the garden, jar garlic, Polish Sausage and one passing shake of Cajun spice.

Sauteed in olive oil, a little salt and dash of pepper.  In a perfect world there would have been homemade bread out of the oven. A test loaf, yea?

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RIB EYE AND BAKED POTATO

Four and a half minutes in a cast iron skillet. Pad of melting butter. 

I had 4 rib eyes hidden in the freezer for the past two years. Hidden so well that I had forgotten about them. A few years ago, our local market had standing rib roasts on sale, BOGO. They were also cutting them into rib eye steaks for the same deal. Biggest mistake here is not getting a dozen of these because today, rib eye steaks are not worth the price asked. Two left though. Come to think of it, the bride and I no longer eat a whole steak like the one pictured above. Now days, we get 4 meals out of two steaks. The half leftover steak made a wonderful Mexican steak salad smothered in salsa, guacamole sauce and sour cream for lunch the next day.

The baked potato should get an honorable mention here. Even with this steak front and center, I ate the baked potato first. Just butter and salt. 

Since I can remember, everything ever cooked at home had enough leftovers to come back to the table for another dinner.  Good old home cooking never lacking. 

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PIT BOSS ON LINE 

It has been months since I have uncovered the Pit Boss and smoked anything. With the 4th of July on the horizon, a test smoking of a chunk of beef today is in order. I let out the clutch and got the smoker up to 400 degrees for a half-hour yesterday. 

During the cool down and shut off, I thought it a big waste of time and heat, so I tested 4 frozen Wally World hamburger patties. Box patties. Let 4 of them rest on the top grate for 25 minutes at 300 degrees. Expected failure but learned the burgers were much better than pan frying. Much better!! Not dried out. The bride took care of two without a word. The sign of success. More grilling is in order now using heat over smoking. So much to learn.

JIBBER JABBER 

Appears that this turned into a food thread. We have had more time on our hands the past couple weeks giving way of how to seek ways to entertain ourselves. Both of us will take the time to bring back old good eats we like and have a go around of "oldies but goodies." The back bottom corners of the freezer have hidden "cookies" that we at one time knew about. Why not uncover and get that food on the table?

Fourth of July next weekend. Days getting shorter and weather in East Texas is textbook wonderful. Temperatures in the low 90's, some humidity and the countryside is still a wonderful green. Dozens of birds are hitting the feeders now and I enjoy the air traffic of fleeting colors. Come noon, I have to add a little more bird food to keep up with the demand.

I appreciate your visit this week.