27 Sunday Sep 2015
Posted in Photography
Tags
365 Day Photo Challenge, Bacon, Breakfast, Cast Iron, Comfort Food, Cooking, Dinner, Eggs, Lodge, Pizza, Sausage, Supper
I spent nearly all day in the kitchen starting off with breakfast. Bacon, eggs, and sausage all cooked in my 10in Lodge skillet.
After breakfast and after I cleaned up the kitchen I began the finishing prep work for the pizza for supper.
There were no left overs.
“Life Goes On!”
26 Saturday Sep 2015
Posted in Photography
https://tchphotography.smugmug.com/HDR/i-KHf48kK/A
I had a fairly busy day today. It started when I took my daughter to the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame for her music lessons then home for lunch. After lunch I prepared the dough for the pizza that I’m planning on cooking tomorrow night. I did get a chance to watch a little bit of the Alabama game but it wasn’t long before I had to leave and go watch my daughter’s perform with their high school band at a band jamboree.
Tomorrow is going to be just as busy. The girls are wanting me to cook breakfast in the morning then I’ve got some cast iron that I’ve got to start on the re seasoning process. I’ve got yard work that I’d like to do plus I wouldn’t mind going on a bicycle ride if I have time.
Once I start on the pizza I’ll try and remember to take pictures so that I can share the cooking process. Right now the dough is sitting in a bowl with tin foil over it so it can rise. According to the instructions, once I get it in the skillet I’m supposed to let it rise again for another hour before I put it in the oven. I’m really hoping this works out.
“Life Goes On!”
25 Friday Sep 2015
Posted in Photography
I have many hobbies and as I’ve stated in earlier posts I love to cook and I love to cook in my cast iron. If you love cast iron cooking as much as I do then you need to follow The Black Pot on Facebook. It’s just a group page where I am starting to share my recipes as well as some tips on how to take care of your cast iron. I have even put some information regarding restoring your cast iron if the need arises.
I’ve been seeing some homemade pizza recipes on different websites and it’s really sparked my interest being that I’ve never made homemade pizza before. Tonight, on my way home from work, I stopped at the store and picked up everything I need to make this dish. According to the directions, I have to make the dough a day ahead of time. So, I’ll be making the dough tomorrow afternoon and set it aside to used Sunday evening. I can’t wait.
“Life Goes On”
24 Thursday Sep 2015
Posted in Photography
I got into restoring cast iron back last summer. This was my first project. It’s a Lodge Sportsman Grill. I paid a lot of money for it and I accidently left it outside for several years. I had misplaced it and couldn’t remember where I put it. I originally thought that I had either left it at the last location I used it or someone stole it from me. I never dreamed that I left it outside but alas I did. When I found it I was so mad and disappointed in myself. I thought it was ruined.
I started seeing a lot of posts on some of the forums that I follow about how to restore cast iron by using a process called Electrolysis. At first I thought this was so far above my head that I wouldn’t be able to even consider it. I was wrong. I first started off with a five gallon bucket, a battery charger and a couple pieces of scrap iron. I put the smaller pieces into the tank and after a couple of days, the process had stripped all the rust off of it and left nothing but raw metal. I was impressed. After I got all the pieces stripped I then began the process of re seasoning. Which is another story altogether.
If there’s one thing I learned during the whole process is this. Don’t re season your cast iron in your house. It will leave a nasty odor and it will linger all day long. If you have an outdoor grill this is where you should re season your cast iron. Your marriage may last a little longer if you do everything outside.
“Life Goes On!”
23 Wednesday Sep 2015
Posted in Photography
The wife and daughters had a meeting right after school and would be very late getting home so I used this opportunity to do a little cooking. I really enjoy cooking but I don’t get the opportunity to do so. I get home after my wife and usually she has supper cooked when I get home in the evenings. When we first were married she used to cook a lot every meal. She’s part Italian and she cooked just like one. Now, she does the bare minimum. It may be chicken fingers one night, hamburger helper the next but she does cook. I’m not complaining mind you, she does work and she has to put up with a lot being a elementary school teacher. I’d be happy with a PBJ sandwich but she feels that she must cook something. Tonight we had grilled pork chops, fried potatoes and salad. IT was late when we all sat down to eat but it was good, even if I have to say so myself.
22 Tuesday Sep 2015
Posted in Photography
Francois de la Rochefourcauld stated that “The only thing constant in life is change.” This may be the case but I don’t have to like it. My boss has implemented a few changes in our department that has made himself a few enemies. Me for one. I won’t bore everyone with all the details but the point is that he’s messing around with our pay. His excuse is that these changes will “make us better stewards of our time.” Now with these changes we’re spending more time on the computer keying in our time than we are on the jobs. It makes no sense to me nor to anyone else in our department. It’s enough to pull my hair out.
“Life Goes On!”
21 Monday Sep 2015
Posted in Photography
Five years ago we decided to purchase one these wooden storage buildings to store some of my camping equipment. It has a loft on the front side as well as one on the back side to allow more storage space. My wife and I signed a 60 month agreement and shortly thereafter the building was delivered and set in our back yard where we wanted it. This past August we mailed in our last payment, or so we thought.
A message was left on our answering machine a couple of weeks ago stating that we were behind in payments and for us to contact them immediately or the building would be confiscated. When my wife heard this she immediately called them up and they stated that we still owed 14 more payments. My wife told the lady on the other end that we had sent in our last payment in August and we had emptied the coupon book. The lady on the other end said that she would contact her supervisor and she would call us back.
This past Friday someone called again but this time would not talk to my wife but would only talk to me. When I got home and got the message they had already closed for the day. Today I called and talked to them and again they told me that we were behind and still had 14 more payments to go. Of course I had a few choice words to tell them and again I was told that a supervisor would call me.
Shortly after lunch my phone rang and it was them again. They informed me that a mistake had been made in the accounting department and that my account was paid in full. Wonderful news. The supervisor informed me that my ownership papers would be mailed to me no later than eight weeks. I called the house and left a message to my wife telling her the good news. Or so I thought. About an hour later a different person contacted me and after a short discussion I was informed that I still owed 14 more payments on the building. You have got to be kidding me right? Obviously they don’t communicate very well with other associates within their department. After about an hour on the phone with this person she finally realized that the problem had already been resolved. I couldn’t help but laugh once she finally realized.
“Life Goes On!”
20 Sunday Sep 2015
Posted in Photography
Last week I put this 14in Lodge cast iron skillet in my electrolysis tank and today I pulled it out, scrubbed it with soap and water, dried it with a towel, coated it with Crisco and put in my gas grill for several hours to start the re seasoning process. It took most of the afternoon but she’s finally done.
After the skillet cooled down I couldn’t wait to try it out. It was after 8pm but still I cooked up a pound of bacon. This skillet is so big that I had to use two eyes on my electric stove. Bacon is gone now, all eaten up.
19 Saturday Sep 2015
Posted in Photography
I was under the weather and didn’t feel like posting last night so I guess I’m another day in the whole. Oh well.
Spent the day in Tuscaloosa watching my son practice with the Million Dollar Band. We left soon after the band marched down the street toward the stadium. My team is loosing and unless a miracle happens they won’t win tonight. But, that’s ok. I got to see my son play out his dream of being in the Million Dollar Band. He should graduate in December so he doesn’t have much longer.
“Life Goes On!”
17 Thursday Sep 2015
Posted in Photography
I had to work on the roof today for far too long. At least the temps were in the mid 80’s and it was overcast for most of the day but the humidity was up and that’s what did me in. By the time quitting time came around I was soaked to the bone. I was a bit tired when I got in my truck to go home but the closer I got home the worse I felt.
After arriving home I took a long, hot shower and I felt a little bit better. My wife had supper ready but I just didn’t feel hungry enough to eat. Right now I’m sitting in my recliner and as soon as my girls get home I’m heading to bed. Maybe I’ll feel better after a good nights sleep.
“Life Goes On!”
