Shelby

Good morning! I decided to add a little more crazy to this week and do a blog. As you guys know (or some of you know), we have a friend that comes at least once a year and stays with us. He's a very good guest--along with hunting he usually helps Ronnie with some of the more major difficult chores around here. Last year he even hung storm windows on every window in the house. Not a small task. Anyway, he arrives this morning and will be here until Sunday afternoon. I'm going to send a camera along with them with strict instructions to snap photos of their adventures going after birds. It's dove and teal (duck) season now. And, there might be some river fishing thrown in, too. There will be a lot of cooking going on. So, since I'm alone in the kitchen putzing around, I figure I'll take you guys along with me . PS: Our guest will be returning the first week of December for deer season (and goose etc.) so maybe we will lock this blog until then and open it back up. I've promised for years to post pictures of cutting up deer. Maybe this will be the year I get it done lol.

What was done if two or more men or two or more women were dining together? Everyone gets a menu with a price? I do think I would feel a little swept off of my feet if I were taken to a restaurant like that....or maybe not. I think I would still scan the menu and try not to pick something too expensive (if this was when I was dating....now, if my husband took me? all bets are off, I'm going for the works lol).

Well, it looks good!

Needed something quick and easy. Hotdog night. I was so tired that I think I forgot the ketchup lol. I hope you and your husband feel better soon, TFTC!

Hot wings

I've done it both ways (simply because I wasn't sure how much I was going to use for dinner one night) and have never noticed a difference. So, yep, easy peasy. I take it out and let it thaw and come to room temp. It gets a little puffy.

More teal hunting yesterday. Breasts, livers and hearts

NICE!!! I'm buying one of those pressure canners soon. Just haven't pulled the trigger. Going to try canning some venison.

Ronnie went fishing again behind the house. Came home with a drum or two. I steamed them in the CSO with a bit of olive oil brushed on and some cajun seasoning. Twas my first time ever steaming fish. We really liked it. So tender. Shrimp alfredo over zoodles, too.

Beggars can't be choosers.....I'm getting some (very) small tomatoes. This is my biggest harvest this year (sigh). They don't taste quite....right. I can't describe it. I know it has to be the lateness of their ripening. They are still good, though. Underneath is a ton of okra. I've canned like 16 pints of pickled okra. Good stuff. I also froze some that has cornmeal already on it --that will be a treat in the winter. And the squash are still going strong so that makes me happy

I'm reading this at 6:30 in the morning after getting my husband out the door to go hunting. Laying next to me are two soggy kleenexes from all the crying I just did. You are an amazing writer and your life experiences are just....I have no words. I kind of think you and Natasha should have gotten married......oh my I think this would make quite the movie. You should write a book. Seriously. I know how hard it is to take pictures and write when you're visiting but I do hope that you are able to post some when you get back to China. I know your mom is probably beside herself with excitement. And your son and daughter, too.

I knew I liked you!

Yeah, that pasta is amazing. I'm having some serious envy. They look like wheat berries but that can be right......... Are they grape seeds???

I'm the same way pumpkin-wise. My tomatoes are green green green but I have about 15 pumpkins that are ready to go. Very strange.

Damn it, the cheese isn't melted.

Got another shipment of boudin in from my favorite place so we had to have breakfast last night. Eggs were done in the Instant Pot.

Good idea about the towel. Adopting that for next time. You will love the salad....just let it sit for a bit...I let mine sit for about an hour and drain it along the way. I think I drain 2-3 times.

Boy they are pretty. I still see a tinge of red....ok ok pink...in there. Phew! I feel better. As a tomato-less person I was having palpitations over you tossing them lol.

Thank you! I don't know how we ate turkey before I learned to SV lol. The zucchini is just thinly sliced on my new mandolin (yes, I've cut my thumb twice now) and simply tossed with fresh lemon juice and salt. It's seriously SO good. It sounds too simple to be good, but I swear it is.

Ronnie smoked a turkey breast (domestic) for a bit and then I SV'd it for 3 hours at 143F. Oh it was so juicy.

That stroganoff looks so good, Anna. I've been craving that for a while but every time I think I want to make it, I'm out of mushrooms...or sour cream...or both ( I like the version with sour cream in it).

Chris, that looks incredible! I hope you have a wonderful time!

Teal season opened yesterday. A big group of guys went. I think they got around 40 of them....Ronnie brought home 3. If these would have been mallards or anything other than teal, I bet we'd have a lot more lol. Everyone loves teal. Very mild...like a rich steak. I SV'd these at 125F for about an hour and then seared.

Please adopt me so I can eat this.

I did a beer batter. Equal parts of flour and cornstarch with a light beer poured in ( I usually do 1/2 a cup of flour and cornstarch and use most of the can of beer. Too much beer and it's too runny, though. You want to be able to leave a "trail" in the batter if that makes sense.) They are all catfish.