My Favorite (and Not-So-Favorite) Holidays

Yesterday was Memorial Day... one of my favorite holidays... and I enjoyed it very much. We cooked a large pork roast on the grill and I took some pics of the birds on the bird feeders.  Sissy (dogger) soaked up some Sun while Miss Kitty got in some serious tree climbing in her best effort to impress us.  It was a nice day.  
Some holidays are not that enjoyable.  Sure, some of us get the day off to celebrate whatever that particular holiday commemorates, but many holidays come with baggage.  Actually, depending who you are, maybe all holidays come with baggage... but some are worse than others... and here is why.
Let's start with the big one... Christmas, or whatever you wish to call that holiday season.  Call me a Scrooge if you will, but no matter, Christmas is just not all that enjoyable of a holiday.  Sure, it's great to watch the kids get their toys and laugh and play on Christmas.  Some of us get to see our extended families during the Christmas season also, and that is good... sometimes.  But here is the catch.  We are all EXPECTED to buy gifts for people on Christmas Day.  Sometimes that can be a LOT of people.  And that can be a LOT of money.  We are expected to spend money during what is a very tough economic time of the year.  Layoffs (of full-time jobs) are rampant during the Christmas Season.  Factories shut down and stores virtually quit ordering new merchandise.  They have already stocked up for Christmas and now must sell down their inventory to avoid paying too much tax on their inventory come the new year. Warehouses slow down, trucking slows down, and generally employment goes way down during the season.  Utility bills go up because of the cold weather and our household budgets get strained to the limit.  It is just not a time that I can honestly say that I enjoy.
There are other holidays where we are expected to buy gifts, but not all of them are really that bad.  We are expected to buy gifts on Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Birthdays (other than family), and probably others that I am forgetting about.  Now, don't get me wrong... I am not against buying my loved ones a gift every now and then.  I am a gift giver and I enjoy doing it.  So far this year I have gifted quite a bit and most of it had nothing to do with any holiday.  (Wifee's chocolate diamond ring was the exception, but I know better than to forget HER birthday... lol.) 
As I said, I enjoy giving gifts.  I just don't like to be told that I HAVE to buy gifts for folks that probably feel the same way about it as I do.  That is my main complaint about some of the holidays.
I do enjoy the holidays where I am not compelled to give gifts but can just enjoy the time with my family and friends.  New Year's Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, and Thanksgiving are My Favorite Holidays.  These holidays are meant to remember and to enjoy.  Memorial Day is tough... a lot of us have lost friends and loved ones who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country.  I take time to do this on Memorial Day and then I do my best to enjoy the off time.  I think this is the way that they would want it.  It is a meaningful and enjoyable (for the most part) holiday.
And then there are the meaningless holidays.  Columbus Day comes immediately to mind.  I won't go into this one, but you already know how I feel about Christopher Columbus if you have read all of my earlier blogs.  Why in the hell is it even a holiday?  Go figure.
Easter is one that has really gone down the tubes.  It has evolved into a day where we go out and watch little kids run around and try to find and eat all of the chocolate Bunny eggs possible.  Nuff said.
Halloween... All Hallow's Eve.  I say let the kids have their fun. 
And let's not forget Groundhog Day.  Puxsutawney Phil and his silly band of characters.  Wow, what a zoo... pun intended.  At least Groundhog Day is good for a laugh or two, so maybe it's not so bad after all.

Abused Women... Leave... Now!

Jodi Arias says she was abused so she retaliated by stabbing, cutting, and shooting her boyfriend.  Lorena Bobbitt says she was abused so she sliced of her husband's manhood while he was asleep.  Whitney Houston was obviously abused by Bobby Brown but she chose not to leave him.  She ended up taking her own life in desperation.
These people are famous now but domestic abuse is a very prevalent occurrence in virtually every nation on the planet.  Domestic abuse is not something that "works itself out" over time.  In almost every case the abuse only gets worse as time goes on.  The only way out of the situation is for one of the two parties involved to separate themselves from the other.  Unfortunately this does not happen nearly often enough.  Women tend to stay with the men who beat them and they end up getting beat over and over again.  Don't ask me why this is the case... I simply don't know.  Some may say that she stays because of love.  If this is the case then it is not the kind of love that I am familiar with.  Women who are being abused need to get away from the man who is abusing them and they need to do it now.
That is all that needs to be said about this situation.  It is the only solution.
Abused women... get out... now!

A Really Good BBQ Sauce

I used to eat nothing but Kraft BBQ sauce but when I moved to WV I was treated with this simple homemade BBQ sauce that Wanda and her sister Brenda made for the many cookouts they have and it is delicious.  I love it on everything and it is especially good on pulled pork.  Wanda and Brenda don't use a recipe... they just throw it together and taste it as they go.  I have attempted to quantify it into a recipe but remember to adjust it as needed while you are fixing it.  Try it... you'll love it.

Ingredients:
32 oz. ketchup
1 cup mustard
1/2 cup light brown sugar (dark brown is fine)
1 oz. (by weight) chili powder
1 oz. (by weight) paprika
1 tblsp. black powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp powdered cayenne (red) pepper
1/4 tsp celery salt or powdered celery
beer (This is used to thin the sauce and does add some good flavor.  The alcohol cooks out quickly.)

You can estimate the weights of ingredients by referring to total weight on jar label.

Notes: Beer can be substituted with apple cider or cola... I do not use vinegar.
            Make adjustments after sauce has simmered for at least 5 minutes.

Put all of the ingredients in a pot and cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally to keep sauce from sticking.  Try not to let it boil because thick liquids can be messy when they begin to bubble.  You don't have to cook this for very long... just long enough for the sugar to melt and for the flavors to combine.  Adjust to your taste.  Enjoy.

Bill's Dry Rub Recipe

Are you about to cook a nice big chunk of meat and you want to add some zing to the flavor?  Try a rub... that will do the trick.  Here is the recipe for the rub that I throw together when I want a really tasty slab of good meat.

Bill's Dry Rib Rub Recipe
Ingredients
5 tablespoons paprika  (the darker the paprika the better the flavor... avoid cheap generic paprika unless you plan on using a LOT of it.)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin (This gives it the smokey flavor.)
1 tablespoon garlic powder (Don't worry about your breath... everybody will have garlic breath and won't notice yours... lol.)
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 tablespoons brown sugar (light or dark... I usually use light.)
2 tablespoons kosher salt (I use sea salt... much better flavor than regular table salt.)
1 teaspoon powdered cayenne pepper (more of less according to your taste)
1 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon white pepper (optional... you can substitute this for black pepper... actually it is immature black pepper... milder and much more tasty.)

Don't worry about going strictly by the ingredients. Basically a dry rub is spiced-up paprika (as is chili powder) and all of our tastes are different.  If you are going to use the rub on light meat like chicken or turkey then you may want to add some oregano, parsley, chives, basil, and/or allspice.  Of course these ingredients will have to be ground into a powder.  Just fly by the seat of your pants... you really can't mess up a rub.  Taste it as you go and you will have a feel for what it needs.
Combine ingredients and store in an airtight container and shake well.  Be sure to grind any ingredients that are not already powdered.  It probably wouldn't be a bad idea to grind all of the rub after you get all of the ingredients mixed.  I use a cheap blade spice grinder... works great and really helps the flavor to penetrate the meat.  Don't use your good coffee grinder.  The coffee flavor won't hurt the rub but I doubt you will want your fresh ground coffee to taste like BBQ.
Sprinkle the Rub on the meat before you put in on the grill or in the oven.  This Rub uses sugar so remember not to cook the meat too hot or the sugar will burn.  This Rub is similar to a Memphis Rub but lacks the mustard powder that most Memphis Rubs contain.  You can also use a BBQ sauce with this rub but I would recommend adding the BBQ sauce toward the end of the cooking so that it, too, won't burn.  Adding BBQ sauce early in the cooking stage is a common mistake among folks who only BBQ on rare occasions.
Note: You can baste your meat in the refrigerator overnight by mixing some rub with some beer and maybe some apple vinegar. Some folks even use Coke in their basting mixture, but I use beer... any brand will do.  If you plan on basting, make a separate helping of the rub to use in the baste and hold out the salt because a salty baste will remove moisture from the meat.  The alcohol will evaporate quickly as soon as you remove the meat from the bag and the barley, oats, and hops in the beer will add a wonderful flavor to the rub that will keep all of your guests wondering what that delicious flavor is.  Just tell them it is your "Secret Ingredient."  Beer also is known to help tenderize meat that is basted overnight.  Cheap wine is another option to use in basting.  If you prefer not to baste and you really don't like to use the rub dry you can make a thin paste using the beer (or wine) and the rub.  Just don't let the kids see you doing this... lol.
I hope all of this helps and I really hope I haven't confused you with the extra information.  My brain works(?) in very mysterious ways.  Enjoy...

Wanda's Fabulous Hot & Sweet Salsa

This is the recipe for the best salsa you will ever taste.  It is hot, sweet, and out of this world.  Everybody who tries it loves it!  We call it Wanda's Salsa but it is actually a hand-me-down recipe that came from others.  Wanda just made it famous with her charming personality and her special touch.  Even Robert Redford loves this stuff.  It is very easy to make and will make you a movie star like Redford.  Here is the Robert Redford story:

Several folks have requested that I tell the story of how Robert Redford came to taste some of Wanda's salsa, so here goes.
Sue, one of Wanda's sisters, lives in Fostoria, Ohio and for a long time she was the Commander of the American Legion there.  Sue had been in the army and was stationed in Germany for a time.  It seems that Wanda had left several jars of her salsa with Sue and it turns out that Robert Redford's bus driver is from Ohio and comes back to visit from time to time. When he is in town he often stops in for a beer at the American Legion.  On one of his visits he and Sue got to talking about the salsa and Sue ended up giving him a jar of it.  As the story goes he took the jar of salsa back to California and shared it with Redford and apparently he loved it and wanted some more.  The next time the bus driver was back in Ohio he dropped by the American Legion and told Sue how much Robert Redford liked the salsa and he wanted the driver to pick up some more of it.  Wanda's memory isn't real clear on this part of the story but she thinks that Sue gave him one more jar of the salsa and after that Sue started making the salsa herself.  Wanda isn't sure if Sue gave the driver any more salsa after that and she keeps forgetting to ask sister about it.  That's the plain and simple story about how Robert Redford came to try and enjoy some of Wanda's wonderful salsa.

Before I give you the recipe I want to tell you that Wanda does not grind this salsa up into a paste.  She slices the banana peppers into rings and uses them just like that.  You can cut them up a little more but I'm not sure how this would work if put into a food processor.  It would probably still taste great.  If you do this let us know how it turns out.  This recipe is easy, easy, easy.  Give it a try.

WANDA'S ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC HOT & SWEET SALSA
Ingredients:
~60 Large Banana Peppers
1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
1 Cup Vinegar
32 Ounces Ketchup
2 Cups Sugar or Splenda (or 1 cup of each)

Chop Banana Peppers (or use Food Processor) and mix with all of the Ingredients listed above.
Bring the mixture to a near boil and simmer for about 20 minutes.
Place hot salsa in canning jars and seal.
That's it... times and amounts may vary according to pepper sizes and taste.  Note: Wanda uses Splenda which measures just like sugar.  Spicy characteristics will vary according to the peppers used (of course).  Also, you can boil the above mixture on a low boil for about 15 minutes and then simmer for about 10 minutes with the same results... just sort of fly by the seat of your pants on this one.  Enjoy...

Wanda's Fabulous Hot Dog Chili Recipe

Today's blog is a little different from my previous ones.  My wife has some really good recipes of her own and I thought I would share one of them with you today.  As with most recipes, hers was developed by slightly modifying others' recipes.  They should be given credit for their work also.  Below is the recipe in both original large format and also in a converted smaller format.  Please let us know if the smaller version needs to be adjusted as we have not tried it since the conversion.  Enjoy...

WANDA'S FABULOUS HOT DOG CHILI RECIPE
30 lbs Lean Ground Beef
1 cup Chili Powder (or 6 Tblsp.)
 8 Large Onions (finely chopped)
 Salt
 Seasoned Salt (any generic brand will do)
 1 and one half tablespoons black pepper
 4 cups Light Brown Sugar
 1/2 cup Yellow Mustard
 260 oz. Ketchup (any brand)
Put about 1/2" of water into a large pot.  Add hamburger meat and sprinkle salt and seasoning salt over meat to taste.  (You can always add more salt later but it is important that at least some salt is put in the chili early in the process.)   Add all of the other ingredients except for the ketchup and cook on medium heat (low boil). When meat is brown I use a hand blender or a wooden spoon to break the meat into smaller chunks.   As it cooks, the water will become greasy with meat fat.   Scoop out most  of this grease (but not all, leaving some of it for flavor) before adding the ketchup.  Now add the ketchup and cook the chili on medium low heat, stirring often for about 60 minutes.
Below is the recipe converted to a smaller potion.  You can freeze any excess chili for use at a later date.

Note:  I am getting feedback from those who have tried the smaller recipe and they are all very positive.  Some said next time they will make it spicier by adding more Chili Powder, Black Pepper (BP is hotter than most people think if enough is used.), and/or maybe adding some Powdered Red (Cayenne) Pepper.   This is understandable since this recipe is for retail consumption where many of the buyers are getting this for their kids.  Adults will find this recipe to be mild, but very tasty.  When Wanda brings the mild version home from the store I like to top it off with chopped onions and Texas Pete.

2 lbs.  Lean Ground Beef
1 Tbsp. Chili Powder
1 Small Onion (or 1/2 Large Onion) finely chopped
Salt (to taste)
Seasoning Salt (to taste)
Black Pepper (to taste)
1/4 cup Light Brown Sugar
1 tsp. Mustard
16 ounces Ketchup

I Hate Telephones

Maybe "hate" isn't the appropriate word for how I feel about telephones but it is probably pretty close.  Telephones can be a wonderful thing... but they can also be a pain in the butt.  We need telephones for medical emergencies but I am having a difficult time thinking of any other reasons we really need them nowadays.  Most of my family interaction comes via social media (Facebook, email, etc.) these days and I very seldom use the telephone anymore.  When I say "telephone" I mean the one that we call a "land line"... the one that is hardwired into the house.  I really think these are soon to be another dinosaur in the big scheme of things.  I figure they will follow the transistor radio, pagers, and vinyl record albums into the archives of oblivion very soon.
Why do I despise telephones?  Mainly I hate them because they are an invasion of my privacy, which is the only reason I should need.  I value my privacy and I do not appreciate it when it is invaded.  I get telephone calls when I am trying to sleep, when I am busy doing something I feel is important, and when I am just sitting here enjoying the silence.  Maybe 1 in 100 of these phone calls is pleasant, but most are calls reminding me about doctor's appointments, filled prescriptions that have been filled and need to be picked up, requests for donations, political surveys, etc.  Once in a great while I get a telephone call that I really enjoy... but that is a high price to pay for the intrusion this blasphemous device brings to my solitude. Yes, I could just turn the ringer off, but then I might miss that "important" phone call that we all seem to be waiting on but never comes. What a mess.  I am thinking that it won't be much longer before I decide to just toss this infernal thing into the river.  I don't really need it anymore.
My wife has a cellphone and she loves it.  She has a large family and they are very close.  The cellphone allows her to stay in touch with them and to access the internet as well as take pictures of memorable moments.  I can even text her on it using my email client on my computer.  Cellphones aren't bad... as long as they belong to someone else.
There was a time in my life when I thought that I couldn't live without a telephone.  That time has passed.  I really don't need a telephone anymore.  Is that a bad thing?  I don't think so.