30 Kasım 2012 Cuma

Turkey Burgers, Forts, and Leopard Nails

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I hadn't noticed it's been 10 days since I have last blogged! What the heck! Well, I haven't really been up to a whole lot. Just trying to keep up with household chores, doctors appointments, house hunting, and job searching. I am feeling better every day, but some days are definitely worse than others. This morning I woke up in excruciating pain in my mid back and shoulders, but it was somewhat cured with some Naproxen. Hopefully I will be back to work in no time. Speaking of work...I am looking for another job where I don't have to stand like I do where I currently am. I have sent out over a dozen resumes, and I already got one bite! Keep your fingers crossed! We are looking to move as well. Our cramped house isn't really cutting it anymore. I need some central heat and a dishwasher people! As much as this house has grown on me, I am ready to get my stuff out of storage and have some space. With all this time on my hands, I have, however, made some nummy homemade dinners. Here is my recipe for "Spicy Ranch Turkey Burgers". It was super easy and a great way to get rid of some stuff in the fridge!
So, first things first: wash your hands and prep your area. Get out all of your ingredients.


1 lb Lean Ground Turkey
Chopped Yellow Onions
Sliced Mushrooms
Ground Pepper
Minced Onions
Crushed Red Pepper
1 Spicy Ranch (or original) Packet
Pepperjack or your choice of cheese
Olive Oil
Minced Garlic
Fresh Kaiser Rolls

Now, most of these ingredients I just eye ball. I don't have any measurements. Plus, it's to your taste. You can always substitute things. I only caution against using wet ingredients in the Turkey. I put diced canned jalapenos in the mix once and they literally fell apart and wouldn't cook.
You will need either an outdoor grill or a skillet to cook the burgers on, and another separate saute pan for the onions and mushrooms. Start the onions first, as they need the most time to cook and caramelize. Place them in your saute pan with some olive oil on medium to high heat, using a spatula to move them around frequently until they start to turn a caramelly opaque color. Add about a teaspoon of minced garlic for flavor.*don't add mushrooms yet*




Ok, while your onions are gettin' their sizzle on, place the ground turkey in a large bowl and add the Ranch packet and spices. Mix it all together, and shape your meat into little patties. Large or small, whatever you want. If you are cooking indoors on your griddle, make sure it's hot, but not too hot. You don't want to blaze these suckers and dry them out. Prepare your griddle with some olive oil spray so they don't stick. If you are preparing outdoors on the grill, you lucky devil you, grill away!My burgers took about 12 minutes to cook. They were very thick, so make sure if you are doing thicker patties, lower the temp and remember they will take longer to cook. Once you have your patties on the griddle, or grill, you can add your mushrooms to the onion and garlic mix. This way, they won't dry out or burn. 

So my burgers got a little cooked on one side, boo. I have a very temperamental electric stove, mind you. When your onion and mushroom mixture looks caramelized, lower the heat to warm. Once you've flipped the burgers and they are mostly cooked, you can add your cheese. I used pepperjack, you can use whatever you want. Swiss would be yum! Take the cheese square and fold over the left side about 1/4 of the way. We used to do this at In N Out, hehe. 

Time to toast your buns. Either place them under the broiler, or right on the grill. You want the bun to be a little crunchy to add to the texture of the burgers. Once your burgers are thoroughly cooked and your buns are ready, it's time to plate this sucker and eat. Place some onion and mushroom mix on top of the cheese and put the bun on top. Remove from griddle, or grill, and enjoy! You don't really need many condiments, if any. Try ranch, chipotle mayo, or dijon mustard to taste. Enjoy!

---It was pretty crummy this weekend. Not much sunshine, but then again, what can you expect living in the Northwest? I built the little guy a fort on Saturday. He totally dug it. Daddy was working, so we decided we would indulge in a cinnamon roll while watching movies in our cool fort.

I have mentioned before in earlier posts I am getting very bored and stir crazy by not being able to work, or workout much. AHHH. I decided to try some of those cool nail stickers from Kiss and I bought a feather to put in my hair. Now I feel foofoo and fabulous. They have been on for about 5 days now, and they are still on! The feather looks cute still too :)

Well, that's about it for me this evening. I hope you have all been enjoying one another and are grateful for each day. 
All my love,xo Kayla





New Pad. That's what's up.

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Hello all! I have been slacking on my blogging duties.
For shame!
I had an incident with my computer charger, so I have not had any battery power :( Luckily, Mr J let me use his new laptop to blog and obsess over Pinterest!
Ok, so here is the update. I should be going back to work soon! About 3 weeks. Crazy, I know. Well, in the meantime, we have moved! Our other house in the B-town was a shanty... full on SHANTY. When I say that, I mean it literally was falling apart underneath us. It's a 1930s farm house with no modern luxuries; like a dishwasher or closets. When we were moving out, we found hella mold and bugs. It was so gross. Thankfully, we are out of there and into our new rambler. WOOT! Our new spread was built in 1969 and has so much more space than what we are used to. It's completely updated and renovated, with granite counters, hardwood in the kitchen, brand new cabinets, 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. The best part... CENTRAL HEATING. No more space cadet heaters! Ah! The yard is very large for our location, and it also has 4 fruit trees. Jenni, there is tons of space for me to finally plant my flowers hahah!
Yesterday, we moved all of our stuff out of the B-town house and hauled it down to P-town. We got moved in fairly quickly, but couldn't fall asleep to save our lives. 6a poked it's ugly head in so early, and we were off to go get my stuff out of storage. It's been over a year and I finally got everything out! What a relief. My couches are like brand new, they had only been used for 2 months before they sat and then got packed up. I have tons of clothes I don't fit in to anymore, and gobs of foofoo decorations.
Here are some pictures of the house as of now. We have a lot to move around and things to get rid of, and a lot to add. The weather has been crap, so the pictures aren't crazy bright.


These are all pictures without much decorating. The 2nd bath is my "travels" bathroom. I put my worldly trinkets I have acquired myself, and from deployed friends over the years. I have a boomerang about the toilet and a rug from Baghdad on the floor. The kiddos room is going to have some cling-on deals on the walls, and I found a rug I am thinking I should put down...seeing as the carpet is white.. The guest room I have put on my never been used zebra bedding and my semi-used bed and dresser. Mr J suggested I put up all of my achievements there, so I put all of my awards and certificates and pageant stuff in there. Ok, so the master is like 50 feet bigger than our old bedroom. It feels monstrous! I have a DIY headboard project I have in my head I want to make, but money and my injury are preventing my tufted headboard from being completed. The living room is nice and big. I should've taken more photos, but eh, I will later. My semi-used furniture fit in PERFECTLY! It's so weird to go from hearing frogs and coyotes at night to cars and trains. I don't mind the suburbs so much because I grew up with a major road in my backyard, plus I am half deaf from C-17s. It's weird to be back in the 'burbs, and moving is still surreal, but we are adjusting well so far.  Anywhoski, I am tired. Good night -- sweet dreams.
xo

I'd like to buy a 'high five' please!

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There you have it! It is official, I will be on Wheel of Fortune! I got the phone call today and I will be taping on 3 April! 
Typically, I am super reluctant to answer the phone for any area code that I don't know, but LUCKILY I answered and to my surprise, it was well worth it!
The episode will air during the week of 21 June- 25 June.THE GREAT OUTDOORS WEEK
Stay tuned :)


Sorry it's been a while...

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Well hello friends, family and visitors!
I haven't really written a new blog since my pity party after Wheel of Fortune. Well, good news. I am no longer pouting and I am out of my hermit shell. Since Wheel, not much has really gone on. PSYCHE! Everyday is a new journey, duh! How freaky deaky is this, so most every day, Mr J sends me my horoscope. Typically I read them and think, "hmm, oh Leo..." But recently, the best 'scopes have been sent. A few days ago, Mr J sent me one saying something like, "Leo, you are worried about finances and blah blah blah, just wait, something good is coming. When the opportunity arises, take it." I shrugged it off, thinking maybe my Wheel check will show up 5 months early, or I will win some lottery. Around 8:30p, I get a text from my Aunt Ellen. She sends me this link to a job post and asks me to read it and see if it's something I would like and not to worry because she had connections. I read it and show Mr J and he agreed, it's the perfect job for me. I text back, long story short-- Sign me up. Tuesday rolls around and I meet up for comida with AE (Aunt Ellen) and we catch up, shoot the breeze, and discuss the fab opportunity. Oh, hello! It's my cousin's company, and I get to go work for him! How exciting! Him and I met over coffee, I know, it's sooo Seattle... and he said the job is there if I want it. Sold, I am there!
Today is the day I am putting in my 2 week notice at my job. I think to myself, although they have not been the nicest people to me, and it's definitely not been the most pleasant place to be employed, I professionally owe them 2 weeks. Who knows what will happen, they could just let me go here and now, which I am hoping they do, or they could keep me on for the remainder of my employment. Either way, SAYONARA!
---UPDATE---
I left for therapy midway through finishing this blog, and I got a lot accomplished while I was out. After massage therapy, I went down to T-Town to put in my resignation. I wanted to keep it formal and quiet without  a huge hullabaloo. The girl in HR is so nice, and I filled out the proper paperwork, put in my last date of work, and that was that. I am a free woman! It's rather sad how miserable people are there. The company, whom shall remain anonymous but I am sure everyone knows where it is, was not the best place, as aforementioned, but the opportunity I have been given is much greater than working on-call with no schedule. Instead of my fridge calendar looking a muck, I have consistent hours, consistent schedule, and a steady income. What a sigh of relief.

Well, let's see, what else has been going on?

The air date for Wheel has officially changed. The episode I participated in will air 23 MAY instead. Stay tuned and watch it! 
My parents came over for a fabulous meal! I made my famous turkey burgers with fiesta ranch, and might I say, they were fabulous. We got to showcase our awesome 3D TV, and my dad was watching Deadliest Catch and was acting like a kid. haha it was so awesome to see him get to excited! He told us about what he used to do for DEA and when he worked in Alaska and Florida and it was so cool to hear those stories. I am almost 25 years old and haven't heard stories like that, so it was cool! Also, PLEASE look for this man's mug on the side of Gordon Trucking trailers in the Western US! He tends to be very modest and doesn't want people to know these things, but now I have officially put him and his accomplishments on blast. WAY TO GO DADDY!

He's very "google-able"

Let's see... what else...
Mr J took me to the tulip festival as well. It was so lame for him, but A+ for his efforts to do something totally lame for me! I loved the colors and the assortment, but I must stand on my soap box for just a moment. Mr J and I are walking through the fields and fields of tulips, and I am taking pictures, doing my thing. Well, I wanted a picture of both of us with the tulips as the background... sigh. I asked a man to take our picture, keep in mind, we have taken pictures for other people, and he says NO, NO NO and shakes his head and walks away. Um, what? After numerous expletives pouring out of our mouths like vomit, we left. It really put a huge damper on the day. Everyone was just very rude and unmindful  and it really soured me. Luckily, we could laugh about it later on through the day.


The photos are uploaded and updated in the SONY SHOTS page of my blog!
That is what has been going on. Stay tuned, I will be sure to write some fabulous things more often when I get back into to groove of things! See you later!
WHAT A HUNK-- lookin' good! winky face winky face

What's New?

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Happy Tuesday, amigos!
So, a lot has been going on lately. Let's begin. First of all... just to clear the air. I have found out some things about my ex that has made his death much easier to handle. Apparently, he had another girlfriend as well. Ouch? Yes, ouch. Some people have mocked me and said that I am crazy, but really.. put yourself in my shoes. If you had no idea there was someone else, you would act like any normal person would if your significant other passed away. However, I am just a normal person who was fed lie after lie. Do I feel like a fool? Completely. Has it made me never want to date again? Absolutely. Unfortunately, it is a hard pill to swallow, but in the end, it will all be ok. Life does go on!
Off to fight the good fight with my M16
In other news.. Recently, I came back from a Military exercise. It was so much fun! We got to play in a simulated war! The first few days, we brushed up on last minute "deployment" items, and then we headed off to the middle of nowhere via C17 to play in the CASF (Contingency Aeromedical Staging Facility). We had our chemical gear and helmets, and I was part of the PAR (Post Attack Recon) team. This job means that I go out along with a buddy after an attack to check for UXO's (Unexploded Ordnance) and other potentially threatening devices. Every exercise or training something we have going on I always get tasked for this job. Either I must be good at it, or people want me to be the first one blown up! Ha!
If anyone has experienced Chem Gear, you know how god awful hot it is, how heavy it is, and how much of a pain it is to go to the bathroom. Battle thong anyone? We were in MOPP 2 the entire time, and MOPP 4 for over 6 hours two consecutive nights! MOPP 4 is your chem pants, jacket, chem boots, gloves, glove inserts, and gas mask. Not to mention a helmet as well, a weapon, and sweat dripping down every inch of you. Needless to say, we all looked so good once the masks came off. Haha..
We worked 12 hour shifts, which made my sleep schedule so off. Not only was the time difference a challenge, but so was the 6p-6a shift. Off course, once you get used to it, you have to get back on the plane to come home. After being up for 41 hours, going through the Persco and redeploying, we all had to get mandatory flu mist. UGH. The past few days I have been quite snotty and congested, and feeling like crap. Ick. All in all though, it was such a fun time. Now the real fun begins when we get our inspection by the IG in a few weeks. It's pretty much the same thing as I just got back from, but it's the actual inspection to check our readiness and capabilities, not to mention it's longer.
I am happy to report that I am not dating anyone and I am focusing on myself and what my next adventure is going to be. Once the inspection in October is over, I am hoping to focus more on finishing my education and taking short trips to see different places and experience new things.
My inbox has been flooded with messages from people who found me on theCHIVE, and I wanted to say thanks for all the kind words! (Boo to some of the haters, jerks) but for the most part, thank you! John, the owner, has even asked me to be COTW! Yay! I am stoked! 
Now that I have more closure from the whole other girlfriend thing, I feel like I can move on and close that chapter. I found out that I was forbidden to go to his memorial service in order to keep myself and the other girl away from each other. I have no idea who she is, and I would not even try to cause a problem. I doubt she knew or knows who I am as well, but in all reality, both of us were lied to and I can't be mad at her for that. I send her my condolences as well, and now it's time for me to move on.
Work has been busy since getting back. I have tons to catch up on, and even more to do when I get home at night. Currently, I am studying for Airman Leadership School in hopes of getting promoted to Staff Sergeant here in the next few weeks. It's all computer based now, which makes studying a little more difficult for me, but from what I have heard, the test isn't too hard. It's just a matter of actually finding the time to study and get it out of the way.
My little sister got married! I am so excited for her and her new adventure ahead. Currently, her husband is deployed and upon his return, the big wedding will happen! We were talking about her wedding and it's fun to get to help her plan it and send her over ideas. I am sure that it will be spectacular, and I am so happy to be a part of it. Not only my sister, but one of my best girl friends is getting married too! She is going wedding dress shopping this weekend, and I wish so badly I was back home with her. There are so many great things to look forward to next year! Let's put this crappy year behind us, and make next year a brand new beginning.
I should get going now. But thanks for the nice comments and words from everyone. My blog has 13k viewers, which is incredible! Again, thanks!

Have a great day everyone. Stay away from drama, don't be a child, and stay classy.
xo

29 Kasım 2012 Perşembe

Fermin's Smoked Bar-B-Que

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ODEM: Fermin's Smoked Bar-B-Que
1016 Voss Ave
Odem, TX 78370
361-368-2416
Open M-Sat 7-5


I should have known what to expect when I saw the business card on the front counter as I waited for my order. The trio of businesses on the same card were Fermin's BBQ, Mexican restaurant and trucking company, but the screened in smoker out back gave me hope.






In short, it was awful. Baby back ribs that even looked promising were so tough it took significant effort just to take a bite. The brisket was little more than steamed roast beef. A warmed link of V&V sausage was fine, but that had more to do with the sausage stuffer back in Cistern, Texas than the skill of the pit tender here in Odem. A side of rice and beans seemed like an interesting choice that might give the plate a multi-cultural flavor. I've had Dasani with more flavor than the watery beans that were so washed out it was puzzling. Don't bother stopping.

Rating *

King's BBQ

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DEER PARK: King's BBQ
1322 Underwood Road
Deer Park, TX 77536
281-478-6851
Open Daily 10-9
kingsbbq.biz


A trip up to the top of the towering San Jacinto Monument nearby that was marred by thick fog, and it was a rough day of barbecue. We were looking for any sort of high point to finish the day with, and smoke was pouring from the side of King's BBQ. After we parked I noticed the Southern Pride smoker. The smoke was coming straight for our car, so I turned off the AC and cranked up the vent to let the smoke in case my car didn't smell enough like it by then. I turned off the car, we walked in and quickly had a three meat plate in our possession.


We sat inside in the sparsely populated dining room to sample our options. It was nice to have some greenery with the side of zucchini and squash and the beans were very good. A thick spare rib was decent, but tasted more roasted than smoked. The seasoning was too heavy for a good crust to form. Brisket was also passable with a hint of smoke, but nothing special. Slices of juicy turkey were the best item on the plate. It had better smokiness than either the brisket or ribs, and it was sliced from a real breast of turkey instead of the usual deli loaf. I'd order it again, but turkey alone isn't really enough to get me back here.

Rating **

Baker's Ribs (Deep Ellum)

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DALLAS: Baker's Ribs
3303 Main St.
Dallas, TX 75226
214-748-5433 
Open M-F 11-7, Sat 11-9, Sun 10-2
www.bakersribs.com

You may have been familiar with the Baker's Ribs location in Deep Ellum. It stood for decades in a brick building on Commerce Street with a large pig painted on the side. They leased that building, but were looking for a permanent home, so they bought a building just a few blocks away in the same Deep Ellum neighborhood. I made a couple of stops to see just how well they've dealt with the transition.


Some things have changed for the better like the addition of the Original Fried Pie Shop inside the restaurant (more on that later) and some things have thankfully remained like the all hickory-fired Bewley smoker that they brought over from the old location. It was so clean and shiny I thought it was new, but the lady doling out the food orders said they just gave it a good cleaning.


I've always liked the brisket here from a smoke standpoint. Baker's knows how to get the smokiness into the meat, but it's harder to also keep the meat moist and tender. The beef on this day was no different than I'd expected which is to say that it had a great looking black crust and ruby-red smokering along with a strong smoky flavor, but it also lacked good seasoning, good fat and it was just too dry. An unexpected meat option of fried turkey was outstanding. They smoke a seasoned turkey breast then dunk the whole thing into a fryer to finish it off. The result is juicy turkey whose slices have thick crispy edges. It was some of the better smoked turkey I've had. No word whether or not fried brisket will make it on the menu.


The ribs were also excellent. The meat was moist and came from the bone perfectly. A subtle sweet rub allowed a good dark crust to form and the meat was very smokey. I included the photo above to show how a well cooked rib will look after a bite is taken. The bone should be exposed easily, but the meat on either side of the bite should remain intact. It should not fall of the bone entirely, nor should there be meat left on the bone where the bite was taken.


On a subsequent visit I ordered a plate of both lean and fatty brisket. If they could just mix the supple texture and richness of the moist brisket with the smokiness of the lean slices, then they'd be onto something. Neither cut was great on its own, however. All of the sides here are good from a simple creamy mac & cheese to crispy cole slaw and a potato salad heavy with dill. Don't forget about dessert either.


If you want one of these famous fried pies you have to order them at a second counter at the back of the restaurant and pay for them separately there. A wide array of filling options are offered and all pies are made to order. This allows you to create flavor combinations, which is actually encouraged. The lady frying the pies on this day confirmed that I could combine any fillings together in one pie since it would be made fresh. Brisket and pulled pork are filling options and I really wanted to try the shredded beef in pie form. I thought pecan and blackberry might be complementary flavors so I asked for what was probably their first order of a brisket, blackberry and pecan fried pie. This masterful combination of ingredients landed on the table just as were polishing off the barbecue. It was hot, flaky, and rich from the overflowing filling. The sweet blackberry, nuttiness of the pecan and the smoky beef were a better match than I'd ever imagined. This was an excellent dessert but could easily double as a hearty main course. I'm thinking apricot and pulled pork for my next visit.

Rating ***

Sam's Bar-B-Q

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ROBSTOWN: Sam's Bar-B-Q
15801 Northwest Boulevard
Robstown, TX 78380
361-387-6677
Open Tues-Sat 11-7


This visit had to happen. I got a recommendation for this joint while dining in a tiny cafe between Del Rio and Eagle Pass and then again once we reached Corpus Christi. Just west of Corpus is the tiny town of Calallen which provides the perfect excuse for a short drive on I-69 (yes, they designated an interstate highway with that number) where you can find Sam's Bar-B-Q. The sign also says 'Lidia's Road Kill', but we stuck with beef and pork.


While waiting for our order we checked out the pit housed in a trailer out back. The pit man proudly showed us the cold briskets that had been smoked on Saturday night that he was warming for service. It was Tuesday. My expectations plummeted. Back at the ordering window I picked up my three-meat combo. The sides were great. A pasta salad had zing and wasn't too heavy while a broccoli salad with raisins, sunflower seeds and red onion reminded me of my childhood. The V&V sausage was fine but the smoker hadn't transformed it into anything special. The huge smoky spare rib was the best item on the plate. A bit of sweetness in the rub gave it a boost, but more time on the smoker would have got it a bit more tender and rendered out some of the chewy fat. That brisket from several days before was as dry and chewy as I'd predicted, and it was hard to tell how word of this joint's quality had traveled so far.

Rating **

Mr. G's BBQ

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CORPUS CHRISTI: Mr. G's BBQ
4701 Ih 37 
Corpus Christi, TX 78408
361-882-1880
Open Tues-Sat 11-9


Mr. G's is a newer place in town. On a Tuesday morning just after opening they already had a few full tables at a few minutes after eleven, but we were taking ours to go. Dressed in a shirt and tie, Jesse took our order in the front. He was waiter at the legendary Joe Cotten’s down the road in Robstown for forty years before it burnt to the ground in 2011. Jesse had planned to retire after the fire, but sitting at home he figured he would die sooner if he wasn’t working, so he gathered up some of the staff from Joe Cotten’s and they opened this joint. Carlos came along and brought the Joe Cotten's sausage recipe with him.


No word on where the pitmaster is now, but they’re using the same mesquite wood on an all-wood fired smoker. The brisket had taken up some of that smoke but was a good two hours or more shy of being done. Ribs were decent with a rub too heavy on the powdery ingredients. The meat was tender and well-cooked and the smoke level was pleasing. All of this paled in comparison to the excellent link of sausage. Juice shot out of the link as I took a big bite out of the tip. The casing was taut with a juicy filling that wasn’t too fatty. The meat mix was heavy on the pork (if not all pork) a great seasoning mix, heavy on the cracked black pepper. With sausage this good and the fact that they’re carrying on a bit of the Joe Cotten tradition makes this place worth a visit.

Rating **

28 Kasım 2012 Çarşamba

Fermin's Smoked Bar-B-Que

To contact us Click HERE

ODEM: Fermin's Smoked Bar-B-Que
1016 Voss Ave
Odem, TX 78370
361-368-2416
Open M-Sat 7-5


I should have known what to expect when I saw the business card on the front counter as I waited for my order. The trio of businesses on the same card were Fermin's BBQ, Mexican restaurant and trucking company, but the screened in smoker out back gave me hope.






In short, it was awful. Baby back ribs that even looked promising were so tough it took significant effort just to take a bite. The brisket was little more than steamed roast beef. A warmed link of V&V sausage was fine, but that had more to do with the sausage stuffer back in Cistern, Texas than the skill of the pit tender here in Odem. A side of rice and beans seemed like an interesting choice that might give the plate a multi-cultural flavor. I've had Dasani with more flavor than the watery beans that were so washed out it was puzzling. Don't bother stopping.

Rating *

King's BBQ

To contact us Click HERE

DEER PARK: King's BBQ
1322 Underwood Road
Deer Park, TX 77536
281-478-6851
Open Daily 10-9
kingsbbq.biz


A trip up to the top of the towering San Jacinto Monument nearby that was marred by thick fog, and it was a rough day of barbecue. We were looking for any sort of high point to finish the day with, and smoke was pouring from the side of King's BBQ. After we parked I noticed the Southern Pride smoker. The smoke was coming straight for our car, so I turned off the AC and cranked up the vent to let the smoke in case my car didn't smell enough like it by then. I turned off the car, we walked in and quickly had a three meat plate in our possession.


We sat inside in the sparsely populated dining room to sample our options. It was nice to have some greenery with the side of zucchini and squash and the beans were very good. A thick spare rib was decent, but tasted more roasted than smoked. The seasoning was too heavy for a good crust to form. Brisket was also passable with a hint of smoke, but nothing special. Slices of juicy turkey were the best item on the plate. It had better smokiness than either the brisket or ribs, and it was sliced from a real breast of turkey instead of the usual deli loaf. I'd order it again, but turkey alone isn't really enough to get me back here.

Rating **

Baker's Ribs (Deep Ellum)

To contact us Click HERE

DALLAS: Baker's Ribs
3303 Main St.
Dallas, TX 75226
214-748-5433 
Open M-F 11-7, Sat 11-9, Sun 10-2
www.bakersribs.com

You may have been familiar with the Baker's Ribs location in Deep Ellum. It stood for decades in a brick building on Commerce Street with a large pig painted on the side. They leased that building, but were looking for a permanent home, so they bought a building just a few blocks away in the same Deep Ellum neighborhood. I made a couple of stops to see just how well they've dealt with the transition.


Some things have changed for the better like the addition of the Original Fried Pie Shop inside the restaurant (more on that later) and some things have thankfully remained like the all hickory-fired Bewley smoker that they brought over from the old location. It was so clean and shiny I thought it was new, but the lady doling out the food orders said they just gave it a good cleaning.


I've always liked the brisket here from a smoke standpoint. Baker's knows how to get the smokiness into the meat, but it's harder to also keep the meat moist and tender. The beef on this day was no different than I'd expected which is to say that it had a great looking black crust and ruby-red smokering along with a strong smoky flavor, but it also lacked good seasoning, good fat and it was just too dry. An unexpected meat option of fried turkey was outstanding. They smoke a seasoned turkey breast then dunk the whole thing into a fryer to finish it off. The result is juicy turkey whose slices have thick crispy edges. It was some of the better smoked turkey I've had. No word whether or not fried brisket will make it on the menu.


The ribs were also excellent. The meat was moist and came from the bone perfectly. A subtle sweet rub allowed a good dark crust to form and the meat was very smokey. I included the photo above to show how a well cooked rib will look after a bite is taken. The bone should be exposed easily, but the meat on either side of the bite should remain intact. It should not fall of the bone entirely, nor should there be meat left on the bone where the bite was taken.


On a subsequent visit I ordered a plate of both lean and fatty brisket. If they could just mix the supple texture and richness of the moist brisket with the smokiness of the lean slices, then they'd be onto something. Neither cut was great on its own, however. All of the sides here are good from a simple creamy mac & cheese to crispy cole slaw and a potato salad heavy with dill. Don't forget about dessert either.


If you want one of these famous fried pies you have to order them at a second counter at the back of the restaurant and pay for them separately there. A wide array of filling options are offered and all pies are made to order. This allows you to create flavor combinations, which is actually encouraged. The lady frying the pies on this day confirmed that I could combine any fillings together in one pie since it would be made fresh. Brisket and pulled pork are filling options and I really wanted to try the shredded beef in pie form. I thought pecan and blackberry might be complementary flavors so I asked for what was probably their first order of a brisket, blackberry and pecan fried pie. This masterful combination of ingredients landed on the table just as were polishing off the barbecue. It was hot, flaky, and rich from the overflowing filling. The sweet blackberry, nuttiness of the pecan and the smoky beef were a better match than I'd ever imagined. This was an excellent dessert but could easily double as a hearty main course. I'm thinking apricot and pulled pork for my next visit.

Rating ***

Sam's Bar-B-Q

To contact us Click HERE

ROBSTOWN: Sam's Bar-B-Q
15801 Northwest Boulevard
Robstown, TX 78380
361-387-6677
Open Tues-Sat 11-7


This visit had to happen. I got a recommendation for this joint while dining in a tiny cafe between Del Rio and Eagle Pass and then again once we reached Corpus Christi. Just west of Corpus is the tiny town of Calallen which provides the perfect excuse for a short drive on I-69 (yes, they designated an interstate highway with that number) where you can find Sam's Bar-B-Q. The sign also says 'Lidia's Road Kill', but we stuck with beef and pork.


While waiting for our order we checked out the pit housed in a trailer out back. The pit man proudly showed us the cold briskets that had been smoked on Saturday night that he was warming for service. It was Tuesday. My expectations plummeted. Back at the ordering window I picked up my three-meat combo. The sides were great. A pasta salad had zing and wasn't too heavy while a broccoli salad with raisins, sunflower seeds and red onion reminded me of my childhood. The V&V sausage was fine but the smoker hadn't transformed it into anything special. The huge smoky spare rib was the best item on the plate. A bit of sweetness in the rub gave it a boost, but more time on the smoker would have got it a bit more tender and rendered out some of the chewy fat. That brisket from several days before was as dry and chewy as I'd predicted, and it was hard to tell how word of this joint's quality had traveled so far.

Rating **

Mr. G's BBQ

To contact us Click HERE

CORPUS CHRISTI: Mr. G's BBQ
4701 Ih 37 
Corpus Christi, TX 78408
361-882-1880
Open Tues-Sat 11-9


Mr. G's is a newer place in town. On a Tuesday morning just after opening they already had a few full tables at a few minutes after eleven, but we were taking ours to go. Dressed in a shirt and tie, Jesse took our order in the front. He was waiter at the legendary Joe Cotten’s down the road in Robstown for forty years before it burnt to the ground in 2011. Jesse had planned to retire after the fire, but sitting at home he figured he would die sooner if he wasn’t working, so he gathered up some of the staff from Joe Cotten’s and they opened this joint. Carlos came along and brought the Joe Cotten's sausage recipe with him.


No word on where the pitmaster is now, but they’re using the same mesquite wood on an all-wood fired smoker. The brisket had taken up some of that smoke but was a good two hours or more shy of being done. Ribs were decent with a rub too heavy on the powdery ingredients. The meat was tender and well-cooked and the smoke level was pleasing. All of this paled in comparison to the excellent link of sausage. Juice shot out of the link as I took a big bite out of the tip. The casing was taut with a juicy filling that wasn’t too fatty. The meat mix was heavy on the pork (if not all pork) a great seasoning mix, heavy on the cracked black pepper. With sausage this good and the fact that they’re carrying on a bit of the Joe Cotten tradition makes this place worth a visit.

Rating **

27 Kasım 2012 Salı

Sam's Bar-B-Q

To contact us Click HERE

ROBSTOWN: Sam's Bar-B-Q
15801 Northwest Boulevard
Robstown, TX 78380
361-387-6677
Open Tues-Sat 11-7


This visit had to happen. I got a recommendation for this joint while dining in a tiny cafe between Del Rio and Eagle Pass and then again once we reached Corpus Christi. Just west of Corpus is the tiny town of Calallen which provides the perfect excuse for a short drive on I-69 (yes, they designated an interstate highway with that number) where you can find Sam's Bar-B-Q. The sign also says 'Lidia's Road Kill', but we stuck with beef and pork.


While waiting for our order we checked out the pit housed in a trailer out back. The pit man proudly showed us the cold briskets that had been smoked on Saturday night that he was warming for service. It was Tuesday. My expectations plummeted. Back at the ordering window I picked up my three-meat combo. The sides were great. A pasta salad had zing and wasn't too heavy while a broccoli salad with raisins, sunflower seeds and red onion reminded me of my childhood. The V&V sausage was fine but the smoker hadn't transformed it into anything special. The huge smoky spare rib was the best item on the plate. A bit of sweetness in the rub gave it a boost, but more time on the smoker would have got it a bit more tender and rendered out some of the chewy fat. That brisket from several days before was as dry and chewy as I'd predicted, and it was hard to tell how word of this joint's quality had traveled so far.

Rating **

Mr. G's BBQ

To contact us Click HERE

CORPUS CHRISTI: Mr. G's BBQ
4701 Ih 37 
Corpus Christi, TX 78408
361-882-1880
Open Tues-Sat 11-9


Mr. G's is a newer place in town. On a Tuesday morning just after opening they already had a few full tables at a few minutes after eleven, but we were taking ours to go. Dressed in a shirt and tie, Jesse took our order in the front. He was waiter at the legendary Joe Cotten’s down the road in Robstown for forty years before it burnt to the ground in 2011. Jesse had planned to retire after the fire, but sitting at home he figured he would die sooner if he wasn’t working, so he gathered up some of the staff from Joe Cotten’s and they opened this joint. Carlos came along and brought the Joe Cotten's sausage recipe with him.


No word on where the pitmaster is now, but they’re using the same mesquite wood on an all-wood fired smoker. The brisket had taken up some of that smoke but was a good two hours or more shy of being done. Ribs were decent with a rub too heavy on the powdery ingredients. The meat was tender and well-cooked and the smoke level was pleasing. All of this paled in comparison to the excellent link of sausage. Juice shot out of the link as I took a big bite out of the tip. The casing was taut with a juicy filling that wasn’t too fatty. The meat mix was heavy on the pork (if not all pork) a great seasoning mix, heavy on the cracked black pepper. With sausage this good and the fact that they’re carrying on a bit of the Joe Cotten tradition makes this place worth a visit.

Rating **

How should we celebrate Inter's upcoming loss?

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Should we throw pieces of cheese at MateRATzi or get him that rash cream for his face?How should we celebrate Inter's upcoming loss?Wow you can predict the future? Who is gonig to win the Euro...AND DON'T SAY FRANCE!How should we celebrate Inter's upcoming loss?
i say go to the bar for a few beers.....and talk trash all niteHow should we celebrate Inter's upcoming loss?nahh party at mine...all invited...wait a minute, me celebrating liverpool winning?? forget it....How should we celebrate Inter's upcoming loss?
Get told!!!!!How should we celebrate Inter's upcoming loss?Wow, can't believe you are correct.



I thought Inter were going to walk all over them!



So much for Italy's top team then!



I hope Liverpool get a thrashing in Italy.How should we celebrate Inter's upcoming loss?
LETS GO OUT AND GET LAID! :)

Do Alien's, UFOs and inter-dimension life forms in many parts of different galaxies and vortexes exists?

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I am a big believer in anything to do with time, space, galaxies, vortexes, UFOs and aliens we have proof and evidence of it all existing but is there any sightings or actually secret government documentation of area 51, roswell been leaked.



Because the government is so wrapped up in keeping it all a top secret project that's its all bin blown out of pa-portion.Do Alien's, UFOs and inter-dimension life forms in many parts of different galaxies and vortexes exists?http://www.projectcamelot.org/index.htmlDo Alien's, UFOs and inter-dimension life forms in many parts of different galaxies and vortexes exists?
There is more evidence to suggest extra-terrestrial life than there is to suggest the existence of God.Do Alien's, UFOs and inter-dimension life forms in many parts of different galaxies and vortexes exists?... if they existed don't you think ppl would know and it would be a big thing? your basically seeing too much fking tv and and crap seriously? think about it logically why it is EVERY time a ufo/bigfoot/loch ness or anything of thoes other crap fairy tales appears one person just so happen to have THE worst camera ever made in human history to take a pic of it. you might as well be going on about how god exist while your at itDo Alien's, UFOs and inter-dimension life forms in many parts of different galaxies and vortexes exists?
Well obviously there is going to be MILLIONS of different life forms.



Every star is a sun.



Around every sun are planets.



We arn't the only universe.Do Alien's, UFOs and inter-dimension life forms in many parts of different galaxies and vortexes exists?Protip: tinfoil hats are bad for you hairDo Alien's, UFOs and inter-dimension life forms in many parts of different galaxies and vortexes exists?
well there is no evidence of that nature maybe on different planets but not here on earth they never existed
Yes just look at the Conservative Front Bench?? How far out of it can you get???.
  • helly hansen
  • If Adam and eve had 2 children, wouldn't their children have to inter-marry which is biologically unfavorable?

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    First of all, Adam and Eve never existed. The genetic variation of the human species is such that it could never have arisen from one breeding pair about 6,000 years ago (which is what the bible actually states). And, of course, this is before we take into consideration that Eve is somehow supposed to have been some kind of a gender-altered clone of Adam so that genetically, Adam was in effect breeding with himself.

    Furthermore, the bible also states that we are not all descended from Adam and Eve because god is supposed to have wiped out the entire human population of the Earth in a gigantic flood, leaving only Noah, his wife and their children.

    So even if god is supposed to have created people other than Adam and Eve so that there wasn't any inbreeding, he wiped them all out with the flood so that the children of Noah were required to commit incest if they were to repopulate the Earth.

    As is now being demonstrated in the Muslim communities of the UK where marrying first cousins is commonplace, inbreeding causes numerous genetic problems, even from apparently healthy parents. In just a few generations the human race would have all but died out if we were all descended from Noah's children.

    Yet one more reason why the bible is nothing more than a collection of Bronze Age myths and legends with no firm foundation in reality.

    EDIT: "Just about every science source I've ever read from says we're descended from a small group of primates that originated in Africa" [flyingpig] - yes... that "small group" was never less than an estimated 60,000 individuals, all of whom inherited considerable genetic diversity from their ancestors on account of having been evolving for the previous 3 billion years, not created from nothing at one instant 6,000 years ago.If Adam and eve had 2 children, wouldn't their children have to inter-marry which is biologically unfavorable?Well first of all, Adam and Eve had quite a few children.



    As far as inbreeding. Just about every science source I've ever read from says we're descended from a small group of primates that originated in Africa.

    Meaning, we're all inbred anyways. Maybe not to the same extent as if Adam and Eve only had two children, but enough to make you wonder how in the world the human race has survived all of these years.If Adam and eve had 2 children, wouldn't their children have to inter-marry which is biologically unfavorable?
    Well their two children were both boys so in fact they would have to pair up with their mum again, and hope that they get a girl before she hits menopause. Then savagely abuse the girl for years to come in the interests of populating the planet. God is pretty harsh deliberately giving two sons...If Adam and eve had 2 children, wouldn't their children have to inter-marry which is biologically unfavorable?In the bible, God said he made Adam and Eve. But what he didn't say was that he also made other human beings. It was just not mentioned in the bible. The bible is not a science text book, it doesn't explain everything.
    They had more than two children, but that's irrelevant.

    "Unfavorable" only happens if there are deleterious recessives. Adam had no deleterious recessives. Eve (who was made from a piece of Adam) didn't either.If Adam and eve had 2 children, wouldn't their children have to inter-marry which is biologically unfavorable?Yes, that is why Adam and Eve did not exist. Humans evolved out of apes. DNA proves that all humans originated in east Africa about 150,000 years ago, way beyond the Bible timeline.If Adam and eve had 2 children, wouldn't their children have to inter-marry which is biologically unfavorable?
    I'm pretty sure the person responsible for writing the bible didn't know much about inbreeding.
    don't question the logic found in works of fiction... they don't need to make senseIf Adam and eve had 2 children, wouldn't their children have to inter-marry which is biologically unfavorable?
    do they have a choice?

    26 Kasım 2012 Pazartesi

    Sam's Bar-B-Q

    To contact us Click HERE

    ROBSTOWN: Sam's Bar-B-Q
    15801 Northwest Boulevard
    Robstown, TX 78380
    361-387-6677
    Open Tues-Sat 11-7


    This visit had to happen. I got a recommendation for this joint while dining in a tiny cafe between Del Rio and Eagle Pass and then again once we reached Corpus Christi. Just west of Corpus is the tiny town of Calallen which provides the perfect excuse for a short drive on I-69 (yes, they designated an interstate highway with that number) where you can find Sam's Bar-B-Q. The sign also says 'Lidia's Road Kill', but we stuck with beef and pork.


    While waiting for our order we checked out the pit housed in a trailer out back. The pit man proudly showed us the cold briskets that had been smoked on Saturday night that he was warming for service. It was Tuesday. My expectations plummeted. Back at the ordering window I picked up my three-meat combo. The sides were great. A pasta salad had zing and wasn't too heavy while a broccoli salad with raisins, sunflower seeds and red onion reminded me of my childhood. The V&V sausage was fine but the smoker hadn't transformed it into anything special. The huge smoky spare rib was the best item on the plate. A bit of sweetness in the rub gave it a boost, but more time on the smoker would have got it a bit more tender and rendered out some of the chewy fat. That brisket from several days before was as dry and chewy as I'd predicted, and it was hard to tell how word of this joint's quality had traveled so far.

    Rating **