Can You Smell It???

Top of the day to you .... and a BIG Happy Birthday to my friend and mentor DAN CHANCE!!  You all know there aren't many people in this world I trust, but this guy is at the top of the list.  He and his wife Patty and I have been long time friends and I'm thrilled we all keep having birthdays.  Without them, I wouldn't be in the RV business at all.  I know Patty is cooking an amazing dinner and I'm sure it includes a big fat CAKE!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAN!!

With the final decision that my printer was in it's last death throes, I trotted off to the den of inequity that sucks money from your pocket the second you cross the threshold ... COSTCO!  Unfortunately there aren't any other options unless I order something on-line and take the chance that after using it for basketball practice and upon arrival at my house, it will actually work!!

There were three choices, this one being the winner at $130.  It does everything and is wireless ... can't be too hard to set up right??

Wrong ....  I am forever optimistic however as I began the download of the drivers from the internet. There's that connection problem again.  It even KNEW I was going to have a problem because the screen said, "If you have a problem, click HERE".  Perseverance prevailed however, as after SIX hours, I finally got it to download and install on my computer.  The connection to the internet was a little easier, you just let the printer itself find the router and type in the password.  EUREKA!!  After SEVEN hours, it was up and working.

This printer is even set up to print your own Christmas and Birthday cards.  I think I'll practice on one for Dan, but really, don't expect a card from me for Christmas, because I'm sure it will take a year to figure out how to print one!!

I never go to Costco without blinders on ... you can spent a LOT of money there, especially if you are single.  Everything comes in sizes for a family of eight.  The good news is I only have to make one trip a year!!  Paper towels were on my list, but since I don't have anyplace to store them, they will remain on the floor for now.  I think I can stuff six in the RV!!  Same goes for the Ziplock bags and I now have enough chicken in one package to feed the entire neighborhood.

By then it was time to get the ribs and pork shoulder on the smoker.  Hope springs eternal here too as I seasoned them up the night before, left them in the fridge, then brought them out to warm up before going in the smoker.  

Five hours later ... can you smell it??  Wonderful juicy porky goodness!!  The smell wafted around my house, through the kitchen and into every corner of my wardrobe.  I always wondered why I got those strange looks at the Elks Magic Castle.  So here's the thing with smoking meats .... you have to be good enough, or maybe smart enough, to adjust the cooking time by the weight of the meat.  Unfortunately, there's nothing in writing and everyone just has to wing it!!  Eventually you figure it out ... I have a long way to go!!

Lucky for me, I kept my mouth shut and kissed the dog, putting the BBQ Gods on my side.  The ribs came out perfect!!  Now if I only had some BBQ SAUCE to put on them, I would be in Seventh Heaven!!  RATS!!  How did I forget THAT??

The shoulder stayed in the smoker until a quick check at 6:00 am, 18 hours later.   Hmmmm a little overdone it seems ... actually, black as a chimney!!  Good thing I decided to do a test drive.  I let it sit on the counter for about 20 minutes and spritzed it with apple juice, before cutting off the top layer of fat and MY OH MY!!!  It's PERFECT!!  Melt in your mouth tender!!  Now that's MY kind of breakfast!!

So what am I going to do with all this porky goodness?  The ribs are going to the Magic Castle to the Guards who deserve so much more, and the pulled pork will remain in the fridge for company.  Tomorrow I'll throw on two more racks of ribs and hope the BBQ Gods smile on me again!!