The Village Pub

A sad sad night.

We have been to the Village Pub many times...from the Two for One Curry nights to after church lunch. For a little over year it would be one of the first restaurants that would come to mind when it was time to go out for dinner.

The staff was great...the food as wonderful. The atmosphere could not be better. Great curry, great fish and chips, decent beers. Who could ask for more. Our allegiance was even to the point that our eight year old (now ten) would request going there.

So a Friday night found us in Gulfport again. There is a art walk on the first and third Friday of every month. It is always fun to walk around, see the crafts and look at people (probably the best part).

Without a second thought we decided to go to The Village Pub for dinner....we were greeted at the door by the owner/waitress. She gave us hearty welcome of someone inviting old friends into ones home... we chose a table inside.

Where we witnessed people coming in after us getting service....owner making room for people at the bar and serving them (after we arrived). People that were put on the wait after we arrived...get sat and served...

Needless to say...we left. I am greatly saddened by this evening that we experienced at The Village Pub.

I hate to say it...no longer will this be a destination. There are too many decent restaurants that would be more than happy to take my dollars. Next time I walk into this door it will be an after thought....or a moment that I am severely outnumbered.

Smokin' Rib Shack

The sun was shining....My forehead was burned...a long day was had at the soccer fields watching my daughter's U12 team play in a tournament...um, they didn't do all that well, but all of the girls played their hearts out.

Next stop, ROCKFEST 2011 at Our Savior Lutheran Church East Bay Campus. As we pulled into the parking lot my eyes began to get wider and wider. What did I see?



You guessed it...something that I would love to have in my back yard. The smoker of all smokers. Well not really, just a real nice smoker that I would love to get closer to.

With the smoke wafting out of the stacks I had to make my way over to the wonderful piece of metal. When the doors were opened I stood in awe at its contents. I love the sight of smoked food. I love the smell of smoke. I just love it.



So of course we had to order some of this smoked goodness...



I got two of the three dishes that they were offering. On the Rib Shack menu were Ribs, Pulled Pork and Chicken. I of course had to get the Ribs, because that is the barometer that all BBQ should be measured by. I also ordered the Pulled Pork, just in the mood for pork.



The pulled pork was delicious. Or I should say that mine was. My 10 year old also got pulled pork that was filled with fat and a good portion was not eatable because of it. The flavor was very good though.

The Ribs,...well, not all that tender. I first was a little leery when the gent that was cutting the ribs had a huge meat cleaver and was smacking between the bones...and at times was having a hard time splitting them. They tasted good though, although on a scale of 1-10, I would say these ribs were a 5.

Now the highlight...THE SAUCE. I think that the sauce saved some mediocre ribs, and made the pulled pork wonderful. I would have liked to have a straw and drink the stuff, it was that good.

While this was not near the best Q I have ever had, I do realize that it was on location. The sauce makes me want to go and check this place out.

Getting My Grill On

Seasoned Crackers

Here is the first recipe of the St. Paul's Pantry Project....where to start? Oh, where to start? Well the beginning duh...

And here is the first selection in the book. Seasoned Crackers...nice snack, pop in you mouth saltiness (is that even a word?).



As you see the ingredients are easy enough:

2 Bags Oyster Crackers
Garlic Salt
Dry Ranch Dressing
Lemon Pepper Seasoning
Dill Weed

Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl until all of the crackers are coated.



I transferred the crackers to a large plastic bag and let them sit in the refrigerator for several hours to let the flavors soak in...



These little guys are ready to snack attack. My 10 year old had a friend at the house for a sleep over...and this stuff wowed them. A thumbs up from the kids is good enough for me.

St. Paul's Pantry Project

This falls under the catch all..."...and Stuff"

I have really been missing things from my past recently. I am not talking about the recent past either. I am talking about when I would run around outside and play all day. I am talking about those days when nothing mattered, you woke up, ate and played....repeat. Then school got tossed in there, but all was still right with the world.

A year ago my Grandmother passed away, and I have been thinking a lot about her. Thoughts of her I am sure are what took me back to my childhood. I lived in the little town where my grandparents (and almost all of my relatives) lived.

I miss my cousins, I miss the Baseball shaped water tower, I miss the curve on Highway 5 as it rolls into town past the NAPA and Glenn's Mobil (Sinclair)...not sure what the latter is called any more.

I could go on and on. But it would be dribble about Little League Baseball, and playing whiffle ball and hanging out with my cousin. So I will spare you all of this, because hopefully we all have these memories tucked away in our psyche to pull out on occasion.



But what I will do is introduce you to the St. Paul's Pantry Cookbook. I saw it reaching for me from the shelf. This will be unlike any other. Most people take "The Joy of Cooking" or Julia Child. Me...it is going to be a good, old fashioned look at where I came from and tastes of old. What a better than to make every recipe in the fun raising cookbook from the church I grew up in.

This project is for you Grandma....and the wonderful people of Arlington Minnesota.

BBQ/Crock Pot Chicken

"Don't play with your food!"

Those are famous words of parents everywhere....well I am a parent...and I say "Play with your food". Or in the least bit, experiment with it. Where is this all going? Well several years ago I made a Chicken Wing thing by broiling the wings and then finishing them in a crock pot. The memory of these wings got me to thinking the other day....

If this worked for wings...why not with these buy one get one free packs of drumsticks and thighs?...and instead of broiling them before the crock pot I will cook them on the Weber...yes that is it. That has got to be good

I thought this was a good idea, so that is what I did.




I took 4 drumsticks and 4 thighs and salted and peppered them....



The sauce was a combination of:
1 18 oz bottle of BBQ sauce ( I used KC Masterpiece)
1/4 cup honey
Regular old yellow mustard
Worcestershire Sauce
Tabasco



I tossed the chicken on the grill and cooked it about 15 minutes....I kept turning it trying to crisp up the skin a little. (doesn't really matter when you are putting it in the crock pot for 5 hours). Transfer to crock pot and cook on LOW.....for five hours...

LOW: That is the key..I had it on high and the chicken dried out. Thighs? Who can dry out a thigh? Well I can I guess....



It doesn't look very appetizing does it? I did not think so either. Well, my wife said it was ok...that is all that matters I guess. Next time I need to remember to put the crock pot on low....maybe the results will be different....

KC Masterpiece

Here it is....probably the most recognizable name in the BBQ Sauce world. Or should I say the mass produced BBQ Sauce world. In my little mind it seems as if it has been around forever, and that my Father used to use the stuff....



First check...their web site.... . Yup, I was right. Seems as if the have been around for over 30 years. Well I guess I just could have read the bottle, it says it right there.

KC Masterpiece was born in Kansas City-the heart of barbecue country (some will probably argue that). And 30 years later, we're still Kansas City's #1 sauce. Combine legendary American foods with the thick, rich KC Masterpiece inside this bottle to create your instant classic. It's The Real Deal.

Makes a person kind of want to try this now doesn't it? Taking a quick look at the ingredients on the label: Tomato Puree, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Molasses....and so on. Well, my first thought is that this is going to be sweet, sweet, sweet, it is the whole Corn Syrup thing...



Out of the bottle..smells like bottled sauce, with a hint of smokieness and molasses (feel like I am looking at a bottle of wine). Having a real dark brown color, it pours thick... As far as the taste? The sweetness that I expected was not there....but the flavor wasn't also. It isn't terrible, but I did not find it anything special either. But it was cost effective, so I guess that, and name recognition are the big selling points. (although the flavor is lingering as I right this, which isn't a bad thing).

All in all...not terrible and don't run away from it. If it is what you have, by all means use it. I think I will, on some chicken real soon...