Beer Can Chickenz

In honor of the Solstice, I roasted up a couple beer can chickens.

I keep thinking they're talking to each another.

Y'know, something like this...

On a Sunday in the snow when there's nothing much to do...

Actually, I'm glad today is the solstice. It all gets better from here. Although I don't mind the cold. It's a pain, yeah. But it'll help kill off the bugs... and it'll help next year's seeds germinate... y'know, that kind of thing. There's a bigger picture going on. And I don't mind. It makes the rest of my life tolerable.

Bring on the chicken!

The Bounty of the Sea

Roadmap:
First, purge your shellfish... then you warm a small amount of olive oil in a pan. Add chopped garlic and saute till golden and aromatic, add diced yellow peppers, green onions(whites only, reserve the green for later) and your favorite hot peppers. Saute til tender. Add shellfish and your favorite chopped smoke grilled sausage, some dry white wine and simmer covered till shellfish open. Toss with the greens from the onion, sliced grape tomatoes and fresh chopped cilantro. Slice fresh crusty bread, rub with garlic clove, drizzle with E. V. O. Oil and toast in a pan or on a grill. Serve with your favorite beverage, adult or otherwise. For me it was a toss up so I had a little of both "Kung Fu Girl" Riesling and a wonderful redhook "ESB".

Gingerbread cake

So this year Brandy and I made a gingerbread bundt cake instead of a regular gingerbread house. It looked better than it tasted after a few days.

A Pork Roast and Smoked Salmon (by Association)

So I thought I'd smoke up a pork roast... and since there was space on the grill I thought, "Hey, I should throw some salmon on, I mean... A guy's gotta eat."

Thankfully, I have plenty of salmon courtesy of Canada this last August.

Salmon, after I introduced it to the BBQ.

The Pork Roast, Resting.

I Thank God for Meat
(and smoke rings!)

Smoked Pork Ribs

The Richland Facility is up and running!

Smoked Meat & Steamed Veggies

Feels like Winter's Coming on Strong.

Not everybody's favorite, but I don't mind.

Pumpkin Seeds

David and I wound up with a bunch of little pumpkins in our garden this year. Chris helped me carve them and cook up the seeds. All we did to it was a Tablespoon or two of olive oil for appx two cups of seeds... and then sprinkled with whatever seasoning we wanted... we used lawrys on some and garlic salt on others, then roast it in the oven.

Sometimes,

When you want fresh seafood, it is best just to go out and get it yourself.

Cleaning razor clams is easy.
Even Chris can do it!

A little Panko breading.

Make sure to keep the tempature up or you get soggy oil soaked Razor clams!

Drain them well. If deep fried correctly , there is minimal oil. (proper temprature sears the clams sealing the sweet Razor clam flavor in)

Goes great with steamed baby red potatoes and Broccoli. Don't forget the 2006 Big Fire Oregon Pinot Noir!

Steamed Clams / Oysters

Matt came to visit me in Bremerton. We thought it'd be nice to hit up the seafood while we were there. That's Matt shucking oysters in North Bay...

We also went clamming. This was an excellent beach for Manila and Native Littlenecks.
40 apiece per the regs.

Once you're home you should purge your clams. All shellfish will purge sand from themselves if placed in clean saltwater... But here we've added cornmeal to the water so they also feed on it. Basically, we were "breading" them on the inside! Just remember to change the water often while purging the clams, otherwise they'll use up the oxygen in the water and die.

While you're purging your clams you may as well eat up the Oysters you grabbed...
since they're just laying around...
For our Oysters, we poached them in their own liquor with butter and garlic, then topped them off with green onions and a little Tabasco.

They're a bit big to be considered "shooters", but hey, whatever.

Once the clams are purged and scrubbed, you're ready to steam!
Looks like we picked up Manila, Native Littlenecks, a couple Horse Clams, and even a Mussel.

Chopping up a little Parsley.

We're going for subtle with the clams, nothing overly fancy. Just steamed in a local white wine with a little parsley and green onion.

Steamed Clams

Top them off with a little fresh cracked black pepper, and a little chopped tomato.
Serve them with some crusty bread for soppin' up the juices.

And then, you're officially a glutton.

Paella Baby

I donated my Paella pan and Tapas pans to Matt tonight.
Giving up my Paella pan was one of the hardest things I've done. Right up there with giving up the Shun knives.

So, in honor of the Paella pan, it's Paella.

Bachelor Party BBQ

Well, Chris and I cooked for a little party. We ended up smoking 5 racks of ribs, about 30+ lbs of meat. About twelve guys showed up. What followed can only be described as lots of great eating, great drinking, and laying around in the yard.

Chris getting his rub on.

Beer

Smokin' Away

Beer Baste

Beautiful

Salsa Fresca Verde - On the Vine

The key to the best Salsa.

Grow your own.

Zucchini Bread

It's that time of year again.

I grabbed the shotgun, went outside, and bagged myself a couple of wild Zucchini.

Makin' some bread.

Nachos

I forgot the grilled chicken and the sour cream, but my nachos were so pretty today!

Smoked Pork Butt with grilled Fennel, Zucchini and Veg. Rice

Relax, Pork Butt is really just a shoulder cut.
Smoke your pork butt. See the smoke ring?

Let your Pork Butt rest while you grill the Fennel and Zucchini.

Serve this up with some brown rice and Veg.

Barring Breastmilk, It's One of Nature's Better Foods

No Preparation Necessary

V-8 can Rootbeer Game Hens

Prepped Gazpacho fixins...

Getting my grind on...

Cucumber and onion salad with red pepper.

Game hens in a 3 hour bath of rootbeer, scallions, cinnamon sticks, corriander seed, ginger and garlic.

Oiled up, rubbed and ready to go.

Tasty, Tasty goodness!