Science

Start BBQing!!!

Winter is just finishing up with us. And Spring is close, which means BBQing! Leah has kept us busy, so no Winter BBQing... Next year.

We are talking about Easter and I said I would BBQ! Then I get static, Ham is for Easter (History of Easter Ali)... blah blah blah; How 'bout Brined Turkey (Tree hugging Liz)... blah blah blah. Nope, I think a nice BOSTON BUTT fills the bill!

And Tree hugging Liz (I have not forgot about the Coach Squirrel comparison), how come Mother Earth loves Cows and Pigs and does not want them to become tasty BBQ! BUT, Mother Earth apparently thinks turkeys and chickens are fowl (little BBQ joke). Even Sofy wants you to have beef (and Easter Boston Butt).

As for Leah, she is already making all kinds of sounds and noises in a low voice along side your own voice when you talk. I had my suspicions she would have her Momma's high intellect, and imagine soon the conversations will go like the above caption.
Leah loves to talk along with Karen, so I'm sure it's a matter of time before... “David, the grilled cheese is tepid (Karen). Yes Father, this is a culinary calamity and my apple juice is simply insipid (Leah).”

Leah and Lawrence

It's saturday night and Leah has a little head cold. The Doctor says nothing to worry about, but she is unhappy about this new experience.

So I find myself trying to comfort a stuffy nosed baby and nothing on television other than a 2 hour Lawrence Welk Show (a PBS fund raising special). Well, it is upbeat music that a baby might like.

As the Champagne Orchestra plays on and brightly costumed people twirl about, I am wondering how I arrived at this point in my life?

It seems to work, warm blankets and wide lapel - pastel clad polka dancers.

And then it hits home... one of those moments in life when it all comes together. I am holding Leah... the Lawrence Welk Show finishes a dance number... PBS goes to a fund raising break, and there is a guy volunteering to take calls for donations. A guy about my age, giving up a Saturday night to fund raise. So into this cause is he, that he decides to show up wearing his Commander Riker (Star Trek Next Generation) uniform.

Commander Riker of the USS Enterprise is fund raising for the Lawrence Welk Show on PBS... Life is clear to me now, I am one with the Universe.

I am not sure Leah feels the same way.

Baby Leah is here!

Mom and Baby are doing Great! Leah was quiet and mellow after birth, that did not last long. She can get loud and fussy when she is hungry.

I am in awe of Karen, I do not know how she does it. Little sleep, lots of feedings, recovering from delivery, coaching Dad... She is AMAZING.

And WOW, Baby Leah... HAPPINESS, INCREDIBLE, WONDERFUL, BEAUTIFUL, it is difficult to find the words (all of you that are Parents can laugh at me now).

What a Great Christmas, I am GRATEFUL and BLESSED to have Karen and Leah in my life.

Christmas Baby

I think we are ready for the Baby, but she is not ready for us yet. We have are bags packed for the hospital, the house clean, everything possible washed, and baby gates in place. Yeah, I know, a new born is not going to be wondering around the house. And we have all the Christmas decorations up!

But there is no sign that the Baby is ready to come. So we are on the count down to thursday, when Karen is induced. Until then, it's Christmas Music and playing lots of cards...

Diaper Pail and Mr. Coffee

This Christmas is going to be Great and different. We are down to a few days until the Baby's due date. Karen is definitely ready for the Baby to be born, and I am too. I'm excited to see her and to hold her and to help out the New Mom.

So this Christmas under the tree for me, is a Diaper Pail and Mr. Coffee! Thank you Ladies of the North (Mom, Mary, Jane) for the MR. Coffee.

Karen and I decided to use cloth diapers. Part of what influenced this decision was the Star Trek Washing Machine we have, it came with a DVD on how to operate it. The Star Trek Washing Machine has a Sanitize setting that so far has worked great, we'll put it to the test with the Baby's diapers.

So in a few days, I will be keeping up with Baby, keeping up with New Mom, and keeping up with Diapers! Thank you again, Ladies of the North for the Mr. Coffee.

BBQ 003 - Bullet Smoker

White Wine Turkey Butt!

Ok, I am not actually bbqing the butt of a turkey. White Wine Turkey Butt is actually a 5# turkey breast that I am bbqing on an upright Can Roaster that Ali and Scott got me for my birthday. I am putting White Wine in the Can and placing the turkey breast over the Can. The Can (with White Wine) is up the Butt of the turkey, thus White Wine Turkey Butt. Yeah, I know, not the most savory of images. I did not create the expression, but it is fun to say to Karen and Liz who find the expression a little disgusting.

I will bbq in my Water Smoker (Bullet Smoker), which is great for smoking and keeping the bird moist!

Turkey Preparation:

Brine the turkey as mentioned in previous blog.

Drain, and rinse the turkey breast in cool water.

Turkey Rub:

¼ cup Olive Oil
¼ cup Lemon Juice
1 tbs Thyme
1 tbs Pepper
½ tbs Ground Garlic

Mix Rub in bowl. Rub turkey breast all over and under skin. The Turkey Rub keeps the bird from burning in the Bullet Smoker.

Smoking the Bird!

Fill the Charcoal Pan of the Bullet Smoker with Kingsford Charcoal, light and about 20 minutes later you are ready to BBQ! I place a large soup can in the middle of my Charcoal Pan, to put hickory chunks in for smoking. With the Water Pan full of H2O, I put the Bullet Smoker body in place over the Charcoal Pan.

Set the Can Roaster, with turkey and white wine loaded, on to the Bullet Smoker grill. Cover smoker with lid and about 1 ½ to 2 hours later... Waa Laa, White Wine Turkey Butt!

Just a few notes about the Bullet Smoker:

There are two grills in the Bullet Smoker, lower and upper grill. Usually I bbq on the upper grill, but because of the height of the Can Roaster, I bbqed on the lower grill. However, there is little difference in heat between lower and upper grill. Using the upper grill just makes it easier to get to the meat and add water to the Water Pan.

And I usually put wine or apple juice in the Water Pan. The meat you are bbqing takes in moister from the Water Pan liquid, and it is a great way to add flavor to the meat. Since the Can Roaster was loaded with white wine, it was not necessary to put white wine in the Water Pan. But you always want to have liquid in your Water Pan to keep meat moist, hence Water Smoker (Bullet Smoker). Water Smokers are also called Bullet Smokers, because they are shaped like a Bullet.

A final note on Bullet Smoker BBQing... USE BBQ MITS WHEN WORKING WITH SMOKER GRILL! Liz gave me a great BBQ mit for my birthday, and it is a must when working with HOT Smoker Grills.