Saturday, after the gun show, when I arrived, there were books and baking and a lovely dinner out in town at one of their favorite restaurants (thanks Mr. B.!) and then home for fun with movies and videos. Sunday morning, Og and family stopped by after church for a visit, probably drawn to the smell of Amish BACON!
After breakfast, Barkley was thrilled to curl up with a root beer with the Oglette, who relayed her adventures in learning to drive (or being a Bush pilot, one of the two :-)
There was much discussion on guns, travel, including TSA seizing personal grooming utensils, (watch out for the unibrow unibomber) and many things involving engineering and physics.
Those two gentlemen are the best cooks on the planet, so after MC and I made 3 loaves of homemade bread from her recipe (which will be posted later in the week) including one studded with garlic, Parmesan, and red and black pepper, we enjoyed just chilling at 180 mph while they created.
While the grill was heating up, EJ got a reminder, last chance for the e-Postal shoot from Mr. Completely 's blog. I'd not heard of it before, but several times a year, apparently, the contest is run. Folks print out the designated target and then mail or scan and send in their results. This one involved, not hitting tiny targets, but hitting AROUND them. Namely one with flies on it. We have a printer, we a place to shoot, being out in the country and all, and with 45 minutes before dinner, let's go!
Oops, somebody winged one.
EJ was all set to formally enter the contest so he read the instructions carefully before we left the house and set up at the same required distance. He'd not shot the Ruger before either, but you'd not have known from watching.
We both agreed that it's a great little gun. Apparently there are so many accessories for it, I think you can actually have a Ruger 10-22 that doesn't have a single Ruger part in it. :-). At a little over $250, I'm told, I'm definitely buying one when I get home, for inexpensive, fun, plinking.
Back into the house we went. Not knowing who all was going to make it for dinner, there were a number of chops on the grill as the dogs sat in puddles of drool by the deck. The pork was stuffed with Mr. B's secret mixture of seasoned bread crumbs and spices, 25 year old Wisconsin cheddar, a dollop of ranch dressing and sour cream. They were about 3 inches thick so the menfolk sealed them with toothpicks and rubbed the outside with a secret, smoky blend of spices (they didn't say they'd have to kill us if they gave us the secret but there was mention made of giving them the remote during Caution if they told us, so I still don't know what's in them).
The pork was served with fresh, lightly cooked asparagus tossed with a bit of oil and balsamic vinegar, a dash of soy sauce and magic and then tossed with freshly grated Parmesan. With that were stuffed cheesy mushrooms and the home made bread, which was fragrant with the crushed red pepper, cheese and garlic. Midwest Chick and I sort of experimented with one of the three loaves, agreeing that you really can't mess it up. I told her "come on, it's homemade bread, if it's really bad, just run it over in the driveway at high speed and call it flat bread."
Everyone gathers around the table, family style.
Watch your 9 o'clock!
Sounds like a fun day. What is Amish bacon? I have never been a huge pork chop fan, but yours sound scrumptious, and I may have to make a batch.
ReplyDeleteDood!
ReplyDeleteI love my Ruger 10-22!
I broke down and Bubba'd it once, but once I got my brain back in gear, I un-Bubba'd it back to it's true (and perfect) form.
I'll put up some pictures. No teasing!
Rose - Amish bacon is found in Amish country. A local butcher shop carries it. It's thick, meaty (not tons of extra fat that's just going to pop and spatter). It has nitrates (but you're not going to eat it every day, anything in moderation is good). But it doesn't have all the preservatives and chemicals found in a lot of store bought bacon. It's a wonderful treat.
ReplyDeleteYesterday (Sunday) while you were watching NASCAR (not the all caps - I'm "In The Know") My lovely bride and I were out at a friend's ranch shooting pretty much every rifle that they own.
ReplyDeleteOne casualty. The .270 popped back more than the Mrs. expected and the scope caught her in her goggles. She has a wound between her eyes. Somehow that makes her even sexier.
Fun days, when you get to cook AND shoot! :-)
ReplyDeleteLOOK OUT! A Barkley at 9 o'clock low!
ReplyDeleteAnd, the ubiquitous food porn!
YUM!
PS - WHEN does North's honeymoon end, anyway? :-P
PPS - good for them!
Yeah, you can totally take a Ruger 10/22 and turn it in to whatever. Rails, tacticool stuff, ect.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great weekend! Glad you had fun, by all means pick a 10/22 up. They are fun!
Oh, NASCAR?!?!? I live here! Go straight, take a left and repeat as needed! Don't go to one and sit down front! Chicken bones and beer cans will be incoming!
ReplyDeleteI have a carbon-copy of that rifle that I've had since I was a hunting guide. I don't possess a more useful rifle. Mine has gone in and out of scopes and is currently wearing open-sights again. I love them. The food looks fantastic. I can't think of anything more beautiful than a griddle with no room for more bacon.
ReplyDeleteI am so jealous of you, your life and great friends :D And the whole living in the country thing where you can go shoot without dropping a mortgage payment for permits and dues.
ReplyDeleteNow, are my eyes deceiving me, or are you using your left eye on that scope while shooting right handed?
ReplyDeleteBob
III
And a good time was had by all, because BACON. And shooting.
ReplyDeleteAnd BACON. (/drooling)
My 10/22 isn't just for plinking. Last week it did it's part in bringing home 4 fat AZ cottontails. They got brined and slow braised with the recipe from Louis' Basque joint in Reno. Like the gun, the rabbit was superb. Sounds like your day was the same.
ReplyDeleteIf you shop around, you can still snag one for around $175. I got mine for $144 at K-Mart. I couldn't resist giving the bird to the Rosie O'Donnell cardboard cutout on my way out of the store! That being right after she beat-up Tom Sellick on her show!
ReplyDelete