Tag Team eG Foodblog: Light My Fire!

[Marlene]

Marlene, you are really hardcore (could we say fanatical?) to grill pizza in the rain! (Sing with me, or at least my mind's ear: "I'm singin' in the rain, just singin' in the rain...")

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There are those who just call me stubborn. I thought I was in between raindrops. I had planned (and purchased) to use two pizza grill pans. It was gently suggested by one of my fellow team mates that it might be "cheating" to use them. So I went ahead without them. Now Don will wonder what we are going to do with two unused pizza pans.

(What a glorious feeling, I'm happy again.....Just singin in the rain) Trust me. Like my piano playing, you only want to hear that virtually.

[lancastermike]

I'm signing off for the night with two comments. In the planning session grilling pizza was my idea and I'm the one who stayed inside. And marlene if you let me know who told you using pans would be cheating,let me knowand I'll kick his ass

[maggiethecat]

Crust thickness.  Everything I had read stressed thinness of the crust.  I know you don't want it too thick, but windowpane thin is way too thin.

Snap! Thinner is not better unless you own a brick-lined professional pizza oven. For a grilled pizza you need a middle way: rolling out the dough or stetching it too thin makes it more like a flatbread than a pizza.

All your discouraging words, and Marlene's, don't take away from the fact that you've provided us pix of some molta bella pizzas. Try it in better weather.

[Marlene]

I'm signing off for the night with two comments.  In the planning session grilling pizza was my idea and I'm the one who stayed inside.  And marlene if you let me know who told you using pans would be cheating,let me knowand I'll kick his ass

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And given the weather, you're the smartest of the three of us. And yeah Mike, I'll be sure to point him out.

[snowangel]

Shit. I just got the butt out of the freezer. It's going into the back garage tonight to thaw so I can brine the thing and smoke on Saturday. Either Paul fixes the vent problem on the Trusty Old Kettle or we buy a nw one as soon as the stores open on Saturday morning and hope for an easy and problem-free assmebly.

The pizza thing. Doesn't help that we had almost gale force winds, plus by vent trouble. But, we would do this again in a minute!

[Marlene]

I think Maggie's right, and better weather is needed. As she says, having the mis right there would have made a huge difference. Oh well, it was fun. I even got to play in the rain.

[snowangel]

Imagine you're a 10-year old boy, sitting around with a friend:

Kid: "Mom, what are you doing?"

Mom: "Getting my butt out of the freezer."

Boys dissolve in laughter. One boy asks mine, "Why is your mom getting her butt out of the freezer?"

My boy: "Because she's going to smoke it."

More laughter.

My boy: "And, then she's going to pull it."

Then, my boy (Peter) proceeds to tell the other boy about Chris's butt crack.

By now, the boys are almost sick with laughing and the tears are running down their eyes. When they can finally contain themselves, the other boy (Michael) declares "Peter, you have the coolest mom."

Anyway, I've pulled my butt from the freezer.

It is a hair over 9 pounds, and was $.89/lb! I would have preferred one a little bigger, but my butcher knows that I want the fattiest one! My butcher knows and loves me. I made friends with him shortly after we moved. I asked for a nice fatty bone-in butt, and was sold one. A stopped by the following Monday with a plate of smoked butt, some sauce and buns for the guys in the meat department. They've never forgotten me. They are very, very good to me.

[rjwong]

Marlene, the grilled pizzas looked great! And how was your dessert? Which one was better: the first one or the refill?

Susan, pardon my ignorance. What would happen if you didn't brine that pork butt?

Mike, how about a picture of your oven with the pizza stone? Is it worth buying one? At which size?

... just grillin' ... and singin' ... in the rain ...

[Marlene]

Which refill are you asking about? They're all good.

My butt, sadly, is boneless. Its hard to get a bony butt here in Oakville. I have no idea whether this will reflect on cooking time or quality. But at least my butt is fatty.

[snowangel]

My butt, sadly, is boneless.  Its hard to get a bony butt here in Oakville.  I have no idea whether this will reflect on cooking time or quality. But at least my butt is fatty.

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Oy, would the boys have fun with this one! I only have great and easy access to bone-in, skin-on butts because I've plied my butcher with the result.

[snowangel]

So, a busy mother deserves some dessert once things are quiet and the kids and nestled in, right?

But, I don't do many sweets. It has nothing to do with health and all about taste. I could have had chocolate, or ice cream, or berries.

But, there was that leftover lamb rendang. It won out.

Reheated in one of a massive set of custard cups (two sizes, small and large) from my great aunt Laura. I did reheat in the nuker. I've discovered that reheating stewy meats works well on the defrost cycle. Just run it for longer.

I'm off to bed. I wonder what the mix of spicy and Crest basic plain mint paste will be like?

[lancastermike]

Good morning to all. We got more than and inch and a half of rainlast night but the boomers caused no damage I can see. It was a loud and windy time.

This mornings breakfast. Hot, strong black coffee. The press pot produces a nice crema on top. Sort of like the crema on a good pull of espresso. And a Costco Oatmeal Rasin cookie. Unlike Susan I do crave a sweet breakfast. Back in my mispent youth when I was a real big guy a half dozen donuts was a good start. Now, I can't remember my last donut. We try to keep the breakfast baked goods to the weekend now. Tommorow we will go to our favorite bakery. A Saturday treat for us.

Here ya' go Sandy

Martins potato rolls. A wonderful thing. Soft and chewy. Perfect for smoked pork butt, and also the perfect base for this.

The famous Lebanon Bologna. Heaven in lunch meat form

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sandwich construction underway

Swiss cheese added

next some of this. One of my favorite products

the final product, my lunch at work today.

In my lunch post today I will add some comments about Lebanon Bologna, types,brands and even some comments from the guy i work with who grew up and still lives in Lebanon PA. He is a real Lebanon bologna expert

Edited May 12, 2006 by lancastermike (log)

[Marlene]

I love Fridays. Even though there's the usal morning bustle of getting people up, fed and out the door, I don't mind so much because I know that the end of the day is time to relax. We tend to eat later, there's no rush to complete homework, it's a "stay up late" night for Ryan and on the weeks we don't have Ryan, it's date night for Don and I. The weeks we do have Ryan, are family games night.

While I wait for the lad to finish the obligatory 25 minute shower, so I can take mine, I am glancing through recipes and jotting down things i'll need to pick up at the store to make dinner tonight and tomorrow.

I'm also getting ready for our first RV trip of the year. See Camping, Princess style for life on the road. Don will pick up the RV tomorrow in preparation for taking it to the dealer to have it made ready for our first trip, beginning next Thursday. The first meals of the year in the RV are important to us and I'm busy planning the things to make and take.

I have that stupid gas oven in the rig, and this year, I'm seriously considering one of those convection toaster ovens to add to our kitchen equipment. The question will be which one.

The forecast today calls for mostly cloudy rather than rain. It rained all through the night though and everything is wet. However everything is very green and my little herb garden is going great guns!

I'm off to fuel myself with coffee!

[snowangel]

It's raining here today. And, it is cold. I'm prepping myself for the day with coffee, and once the kids get out the door, I'll contemplate some breakfast. I'm also meeting some friends this afternoon at an awesome plant sale.

[Jake]

Marlene, do a comparison with the toaster ovens. We have a Delonghi toaster convection that I thought would be a great addition after our last toaster oven died. I HATE it. My SIL has another brand, high end, forget which, she hates it too. To simply toast bread takes so long it's like a cracker and the convection cycles take forever to heat up and do not heat evenly at all for some reason.

[Marlene]

I don't need it for toast really since I have a toaster in the rig. It's more for oven use for those days especially when it's raining and harder to grill.

It should be noted for the record, that leftover grilled pizza is very good. I don't normally eat breakfast, but the leftovers were lurking in the fridge, and hey I needed the room for the groceries I bought.

[I_call_the_duck]

You guys are such troopers. My dad refused to grill if there was even rain in the forecast...three days in advance...and whimpy old me somehow latched on to that. Actually, I'm getting better. I just wait one day now.

Beautiful pizzas, everyone. What a glorious feeling, I’m happy again!! (tapity-tap-tap)

Marlene, my husband considers smoothies to be dessert. He’ll probably love it even more if there was whipped cream on top, but we’re going to have to go on diets once we return from our vacation. BTW, we never have leftover smoothies. Once he knows there’s still some left, it’s a beeline to the kitchen. And I vote for satay for your kabobs.

Mike, your wife is a smart woman. Tee! Threatening to banish you to the garage. Thanks for the pics of the bologna.

Susan, making friends with the butcher…clever woman!

Since I do sometimes have the sense of humor of a 10-year old boy, and I’m getting a kick reading the butt jokes.

As for a toaster oven comparison, I have a Delonghi convection toaster oven which I don’t like either. My old GE, which is about 25 years old works better.

[MarketStEl]

I'm envious, Mike.

I'm eating leftover tuna casserole today for the second day in a row.

In my lunch post today I will add some comments about Lebanon Bologna, types,brands and even some comments from the guy i work with who grew up and still lives in Lebanon PA.  He is a real Lebanon bologna expert

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I'll have my notebook at the ready to jot down recommendations. I usually buy mine from Hatville Farms (where I took the picture).

It would be great to have something like that waiting for me after my lunch-hour workout.

[snowangel]

A repeat of last nights dessert for breakfast -- lamb rendang!

I think a leftover curry is just about my favorite breakfast. Whenever I make a Thai curry, I always make twice as much as we'll eat for dinner just so I have plenty for breakfast.

It continues to drizzle and is only about 40 degrees here. Yuck.

Mike, that bologna is interesting. What we associate with balogna here is a very finely ground sausage and very bland. What kind of seasonings is typically found in Lebanon bologna? It doesn't appear to be smoked, just cured?

That mustard looks mighty fine, too. I'll have to add it to the list of things to look for here -- I love mustard.

[CaliPoutine]

Mike, I love that you're a soda fan...what's your favorite soda to drink with a burger?

If I had to pick just one it would be Coke Classic, if possible a sugar one not a HFCS one.

In any case it would not be a flavored one. No lime or cherry or anything. I really like the Diet Coke with Splenda. I think there are two kinds of diet soda drinkers. Ones like me who drank regular and want to find something that tastes like it. And those like Megan who were weaned on diet and never drank regular and have no memory of it. To my taste, Diet Coke with Splenda is the closest they have gotten. This product seems to have bombed as I can't find it anymore. I guess Zero is my next choice. Unless I go back to the real deal.

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I'm in former camp as well. I used to drink regular until I was diagnosed with diabetes and had to switch. I love the diet coke w/ splenda as well. I really enjoyed making a coke float with it. I too can't find it anymore. ( I used to buy it in Michigan as I've never seen it in Ontario)

Have you tried any of the flavored diet dr. peppers? Personally, I enjoy the regular diet dr. Pepper. All those new flavored ones take away from the original dr. pepper taste.

[Marlene]

Time for a coffee break. Laundry is done. How can three people go through that many clothes? Particularly since I do laundry every other day! I've made rice krispie squares for Ryan for after school snack, because, well Fridays are special. I have to say though, they may be the easiest treats on the planet to make, but they require significant arm power and with an arthritic shoulder, I'm finding it harder to make these. I think I'm going to have to pass the making of them on to Ryan in future.

I'm all set for dinner tonight. But I'm wondering what I should make for dessert tomorrow. There'll be smoked pork of course, coleslaw and corn on the cob. =Mark's BBQ sauce for the pork. But I'm at a loss for dessert. I thought of a 4 layer devil's food cake, or molten lava cakes. I've done creme brulee too many times, and i'm not looking to wrestle with pie dough.

Any suggestions?

[Marlene]

Susan, pardon my ignorance. What would happen if you didn't brine that pork butt?

... just grillin' ... and singin' ... in the rain ...

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I'm not sure, but I'm considering committing the ultimate heresy of not brining first.

[lancastermike]

Susan, pardon my ignorance. What would happen if you didn't brine that pork butt?

... just grillin' ... and singin' ... in the rain ...

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I'm not sure, but I'm considering committing the ultimate heresy of not brining first.

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It is only on my last butt that I brined. I have smoked many a butt without brining. Did I notice a difference? Well, maybe a little not so much in taste but in cooking time. I know Susan says to and so does Klink in the famous EGullet smoking class. Some thinks NEED to be brined like the pork I did the other night. I think poultry for grill or smoker as well. The butt? It can't hurt, and it may help but I don't think it necessary

[lancastermike]

Mike, that bologna is interesting. What we associate with balogna here is a very finely ground sausage and very bland. What kind of seasonings is typically found in Lebanon bologna? It doesn't appear to be smoked, just cured?

Susan,

it is indeed smoked. After the mix is made they are hung in smokehouses. The smoke is what gives it the flavor. it is beef, not pork. It is akin to what some call summer sausage, but not the same. It is also sort of like the beef stick that Hickory Farms sells in malls, but not the same.

It comes in two main varities. Lebanon and sweet lebanon. Although nobody calls it that. If you go to the deli counter you order Lebanon bologna or sweet bologna. The difference is the addition of sugar to the mix for the sweet. So that I may not be indicted under the Truth in Blogging Act, what I have pictured above is, in fact, the sweet. I prefer the sweet. Maggie the lebanon

My late father, Charlie, loved the Lebanon as well. He prefered american cheese with his and added butter to the bread no mustard or mayo. Some folks like mayo on there Lebanon bologna sandwich. I do not. But is is a matter of taste. Spreading cream cheese on it and rolling it up and serving as an appetizer or snack is well known. I don't really care for it. Not a big cream cheese fan unless it is baked in a cheesecake.

There are lots of brands. The two largest being Kunzler and Seltzer. Kunzler is in lancaster and I drive by the plant every day going to work. They are also the largest single producer of hot dogs in the world.

Seltzer's is in Palmyra, Lebanon County. The brand I got last night is Seltzer. If you see this product outside my area most likely it came from one of these two. they each make it for other places using different brand names.

My co worker, Dave who is from Lebanon County likes the Kunzler brand. There are lots of others, Baums, Weavers, berks just to name a few. Some small local places also make their own.

Dave also said that i should tell you that Lebanon bologna and sweet bologna are true nectar of the gods. I can't argue with that

Seltzers home page

Kunzler Home page

[Marlene]

The rice krispy squares before cutting. Don insists on calling this rice krispy cake, which drives me crazy. Everyone knows they're squares. (or they will be when I get around to cutting them.

One of my mottos in life is "a day without new kitchen toys, is a day without sunshine" And lo, new toys arrived on my doorstep.

4 Le Crueset mini casserole dishes. I have absolutely no clue what I'm going to use them for, but I thought they were darned cute.

Some desperately needed new cutting boards. I like these because of the 'grippers" on the bottom:

And a gravy separator ladle. I'm not quite sure how to use this and there's no instructions. I suppose it's supposed to be intuative.

Not pictured is the new set of stainless steel mixing bowls with lids, or the 5 qt waffle bowl. Mostly because I forgot to take a picture and now that I'm uploading, I don't feel like running back downstairs to take pictures.