Shelby

I'm a blancher.....I've done it before without blanching (no butter) and I just didn't like it as well.

Made a big batch of sauce so I could start building up my stash in the freezer. So spaghetti and venison meatballs happened. Ronnie came home with some beautiful pork belly on Thursday so had to have that with tomatoes sprinkled with onion, a bit of rice vinegar and dash of sesame oil. And Asian salad My egg rolls and frozen potstickers (that are surprisingly good) Belly Yesterday I did another cold smoked turkey breast in the SV. Turned out much better this time. Had to make bread for the sandwiches. Garden shishitos Fries

Put up the last of the corn yesterday. As per @rotutsinstructions I added a pat of butter. Because butter makes everything better

It's been raining since before dawn. Very much needed. Feeling cozy and lazy today. A bunch of cantaloupes were ready to be picked yesterday. Delivered some to friends and family. Kept two for us. Snacking as we speak. Very sweet and juicy. Some of our best ever.

My order window doesn't open until Sunday at 3 pm. If there are still some, I'm buying and I'll let you know

Goooood point. I don't buy clothes..I live in VERY old t-shirts and leggings. Haven't gotten my hair done in 3 years.... Back on topic I'm jealous that you can go to a market like that. I need to google and see if there is anything like that close to me..... you never know...

PHEW! That is very hot for you up there. I feel for you You are such a good dad

I ADORE fresh flowers. I never buy them for myself. And no one really sends them to me lol...need to buy them for myself Those posies are precious. Reminds me of May Day which no one seems to celebrate any more.

Thank you Kenneth!!!!! I know it's a lot of work to take us along 😬!!! Where are we going next? 🛫 I need to know what kind of clothes to pack 😁

Welcome Jeff! Can't wait to see your cooking!

Misfits tells me that they are offering a Kent mango. Are those any good?

I had a one day burst of energy lol. I am feeling way lazy today...... don't feel sloth-like (I think sloths are so adorable). Jam seems like a daunting task to me!!!!

Yes, my dill is all done in the garden . I like the dill at the Asian Market a lot better and it's way cheaper, but I didn't want to drive all the way there and Misfits had some...so...yeah....laziness won out lol. Ronnie uses a couple limes and half a lemon every night in his evening vodka soda--he likes a lot of citrus flavor. I use limes in salsa....that green enchilada sauce.... Lemons I squeeze over my shishito peppers and with fish.... Love lemons when roasting a chicken. I really like just having citrus on hand.

I don't think I have...if I did it was years ago. We love them in tomato juice and bloody mary's. If I get a glut I may have to do that!

That's the thing, though, they aren't stuck together. Two separate fruits. I've seen ones that are conjoined...but never two separate on one stem

First (any maybe only lol) beans from the garden. We will see if they spring back after this heat breaks a bit. Look at these fat hogs just sprawled out in there. This is only one group. We're gonna have a lot of melons if the raccoons leave them alone. And, all you smart people. I've never seen this happen in my garden before. Two cantaloupes on one end. Is this weird? Do I need to keep these seeds because a miracle has happened lol?

Oh yeah. Tons of seeds. You can spit all you want.

Busy busy over here. Not canning any tomatoes yet....going to do a big batch of sauce today. I'm totally out of frozen and that scares me lol Lots of corn being shucked/blanched/cut off the cob/frozen. Bring large pot of water to boil. Throw the corn on the cob in. Blanch for 4 mins. Out and into an ice water bath. Cool/cut off the cobs/vac pack/freeze. @rotutssuggested putting a pat of butter in with the corn and then vac packing. Will try that today on my next batch. Been making a lot of Vivian Howard's corn stock with the leftover cobs. Misfits had tomatillos so I bought another 3 lbs and made more green enchilada sauce/salsa Lots and lots of pickles Had a TON of cherry tomatoes so I made a batch of @ElainaA's Slow Roasted Tomato Sauce . That cooled off overnight in the fridge so I'll bag it up and freeze it today.

@Kim ShookRegarding the corn silks, I don't have any tips or tricks. Most come off with the husk and the few remaining I just stand there and pick them off lol. I don't usually buy corn in the husk from the store so maybe the difference is that ours is fresher from the garden? Beautiful tomato, btw! @KennethTELK!!!! It's been so long. Elk tenderloin is one of the best meats I've ever eaten. Your mapo tofu looks amazing. Biscuits and sausage gravy/eggs/Brussels sprouts/sausage links. Sausage wasn't my favorite....maple sausage must not be my thing. Bought some good peaches from Georgia (not as good as Palisade peaches from Colorado, but I might be biased). Also had some pretty decent strawberries and blackberries so I made a cobbler for dessert. Our usual cucumbers from the garden BLT's (yum) with the first of our sweet corn (double yum) Ronnie swears this is the last of the doves from the freezer. Not sure I believe him. Fried crappie/Mac and cheese/spinach/tomatoes Last night after shucking a bunch more sweet corn I decided to make a Vivian Howard recipe--more about that here. Fresh corn roasted in chicken drippings. Good stuff. First beans from our garden--don't know how many more we will get. The heat has been kinda hard on them but, our friends who passed away from Covid in December...their daughter is carrying on their excellent bean growing ability and gave me a big bag yesterday. Both a sad and happy gift. We will be eating those soon! Done in the IP with bacon and potatoes from the garden

Our watermelons should be ready in 2-3 weeks. We have a TON this year (that is if the damn raccoons don't carry them off grrrr). We also have a lot of cantaloupes --just picked the first one this morning. Haven't cut into it yet. I hope they are good. I get a pot of water boiling and then put the shucked corn in and blanch for 4 mins. Take out and plunge in ice bath. Then use a knife and slice it off and vacuum pack ----love love love that Vacmaster (I'll post on the preserving thread some pics).

It's that time of year again where I pull out DRR and pour over it. I don't think I'll ever tire of reading this wonderful cookbook. Our sweet corn is ready and I've been shucking around 10 ears a day/blanching/and then freezing. Yesterday I thought of Vivian's Fresh Corn Roasted in Chicken Drippings on pg. 222. Instead of freezing this batch, the corn went into this dish. @Katie Meadowalso made the dish and posted about it here. Vivian says to season the chicken with salt and pepper and brown it slowly in a skillet with oil. As the legs did their thing I tossed the corn with a little more salt and pepper. Like @Katie MeadowI omitted the teaspoon of sugar that Vivian calls for. This corn is so sweet that I didn't want to add to that. I also didn't have any fresh thyme so that didn't happen either. Anyway, I placed the chicken on the corn and roasted it in the CSO at 400F. Vivian says to do it for 45 mins but I couldn't hold out that long...the chicken would have been too done IMO. I was only using 2 smallish quarters. I didn't get the edges of the corn done quite like the picture in the book but we didn't care--this is SO GOOD. I plated the chicken and then stirred the corn around so all the juices were mixed. I could have just dove head first and swam around in it. Another stellar meal from this book!

I have deviled egg platters. One is that ceramic Easter bunny one that Grammy made in her ceramics class, one is a standard round cut glass type and one is plastic with a lid for traveling. Also, have iced tea spoons. Just wanted you to know I'm a proper southern 😬 I'll also do a vote for the deviled eggs. My niece brought this to a family gathering and it was gone in a flash --Dorito Taco Salad . I know, I know. It's prolly a little trashy 😁but I could have eaten the whole bowl. Same niece also did this --Better Than Sex dessert not quite like the name says, but pretty darn close lol. Someone up thread mentioned homemade bread. That's what Ronnie's family always asks me to bring. I bring two loaves and if there are leftovers, people grab and take it home. Right now I'd probably do a big bowl of cucumbers and onions sliced up with the usual cider vinegar/water/salt/pepper/sugar mix. Made a few days before so it can marinate. I'm always a sucker for that 7-layer Mexican dip--refried beans, taco meat, guacamole, sour cream, salsa etc. Muffuletta sandwiches cut up in wedges keep well. OR this Muffuletta Cheesecake is awesome. I've done this using the IP. I sliced up some French bread and toasted it. Need to bring a knife to spread the dip on with. In line with your brownies, but a Texas Sheet cake always goes down well around here. Made one for a gathering early this spring and there were no leftovers I'm told. Also just a good old fashioned sour cherry pie. Use store bought refrigerated crust. Makes it easier

When you mentioned the slight taste that reminded you of Banquet Chicken I immediately wondered if they brine their chicken (I'm pretty sure that Banquet was brined). Could be a salt and water mix--we use water and Morton's Tender Quick. Now, I don't think that has anything what to do with the crust. I tend to agree with the double dipped method that's already been discussed.