I’ve been running a tad too hard enjoying what like has to offer, but the trade off has been no time to smoke and no time to rest. It has been causing me severe hickory withdrawal. I made plans with my older brother and sister to make a quick run to visit our baby sister in Missouri last weekend. She has had a tough start to the year. Two brain surgeries and has just started chemo therapy and radiation treatments and something new called cyber-knife.
Baby sis asked me to cook for all the kinfolk, since I like doing that, and her kids were going to be home also. I was more than happy to oblige. It is a 7 hour drive for big sis and I and 14 hours for my big brother. I had to work Friday and we all had to leave Sunday after breakfast. I knew I couldn’t do anything fancy or long like a brisket or a pork butt, but I knew I just had to smoke something
A couple hundred gazillion down and dirty quick and easy recipes from the forum came to mind. The hard part was narrowing choices down to the meals allotted lunch and supper on Saturday, and breakfast Sunday morning. I finally decided on moinkloaf, baked beans, and ABTs with mashed taders and gravy for lunch and a good old catfish fry with all the fixens for supper. Breakfast is a cakewalk anytime with blueberry pancakes, bacon, and scrambled eggs.
I loaded up the AmeriQue, a cooler full of provisions, and some smoked pepper jack cheese for passing around and set out Friday night. Saturday morning I set up my kitchen and commenced to do the things I enjoy most in life, cooking and visiting which is followed real closely by watching people enjoy eating while they visit with one another.
I think my 5 year old grand-nephew devoured more of that moinkloaf than any of the adults. He kept saying “I can’t get enough of this meatloaf”. I know the saying is without the pictures it didn’t happen, but I had my hands full and it all disappeared quite rapidly. And that’s what puts a smile on my face.
Collectively we have had hundreds of friends praying for our baby sis and us, and I believe we were able to see the difference that it has made for her. It was very good for me to see my baby sis, witness her recovery process, and be able to give her something she enjoys.
I can’t thank all of you enough for taking the time to share your recipes and your thoughts on what works and what doesn’t. It made my weekend come together so much easier.
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