The Smells Outside.

[Pete_C]

Well, I mowed the lawn yesterday and I can't say it smelled much. Early in the spring, fresh cut grass has a great smell here in Texas; but it has been so hot and dry not much to enjoy and it just stirs up the dust and pollen and drives my allergies crazy. So by the time I finished; no grass smell, just itchy eyes and a clogged nose

Let us pray. Oh mighty one, we raise our noses to you blocked and unblown, send the handkerchief O blessed one that we may be wiped clean.

Memorable quotes from Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Rain and big boomers on the horizon, just a few sprinkles so far today, but enough to give that pre rain smell. That I enjoy.

Tom Thumb grocery ( a division of SafeWay) had whole bottom rounds on for 99 cents a pound. So I bought a couple and froze one and will slice the other up right away. Minute steaks for the grill pan, thick steaks for the grill outside, trimmings for stirfry and LoMein, a roast, a flat for grilling for fajitas some good eats coming up.

But given the weather I think I will go with home made chicken and dumplings with green peas . A new grocery chain (Sprouts Farmers Market) specializing in organics and "natural" food just opened and they had chicken breast on for 49 cents a pound (and seedless watermelons for 99cents apeice and jalapenos 3 lbs for a dollar and lots of other good produce buys ).

That has to be my real favorite; the smell of good food cooking; especially meats grilling. Smell is as important as appearance in food in making it appetizing ; of course taste is the real winner.

I love my ridged cast iron grills (have the grill pan and a big grill platform ) . It makes really great grilled meats and veggies. In fact it does a better job on veggies than the outdoor grill does. I used the mandolin to slice up some fresh zuccinni and summer squash for grilling and it was great.

[JDoors]

Thanks for the tip on preparing veggies on a grill pan. I never did like using the outdoor grill for veggies and always wound up steaming them just to avoid the hassle.

Do you heat it up hot, spray with oil THEN put the food on?

------

Back to mowin', the sun's out today but after a few days of rain everything's too wet to mow -- according to the proper directions -- but the grass is so high and it's supposed to rain again tomorrow so it's gettin' cut wet.

See, the Honda's plastic deck will shrug off the moisture. What a great lawnmower.

[TheTerrorist_75]

I'm just going to look at my lawn grow until this weekend. I bought a new blade for the Murray push mower yesterday. Man, have they gone up in price. The MTD rider is going to sit out most of this year. I have a lot of work to do on it. Once they hit ten years old the part failure occurs regularly if you can't stay on top of it, but it does start up immediately and runs great. The MTD is a beast. 18HP twin cylinder industrial with a 46" cut. I've put slings around small trees that were on the ground and pulled them with it. I used to like the old Cub Cadets but the newer ones are cheaply built with higher price tags.

[tenmm]

I do not mind mowing the lawn this was the third time so far (once a week) just wish the weeds would slow down

Getting harder to bend over.

We had hail yesterday, it is still cool up here. I probably won't mow the lawn for some time yet. It must be warm in your neck of the woods, tenmm.

Warm??

Overnight lows are in the mid 30's dat time high is 60-65 but windy as all get out.

If I tried to fly a kite as suggested but some,I could end up in the next county....

Normal low is mid 50's with a high near 75.

Well, I mowed the lawn yesterday and I can't say it smelled much. Early in the spring, fresh cut grass has a great smell here in Texas; but it has been so hot and dry not much to enjoy and it just stirs up the dust and pollen and drives my allergies crazy. So by the time I finished; no grass smell, just itchy eyes and a clogged nose

Hi Pete

It must take some "intestinal fortitude"{John Wayne reference}to do something that takes that kind of a toll.

I foil wrap my veggy's when I cook them on the grill,keeps them from drying out.

I like to use small red potato's with yellow onions two cloves of garlic,paprika,parsley and a teaspoon of butter or olive oil.

Cut it up,mix it all up,then wrap it in foil set it on the top grill and cook slow for about 20-30 minute.

TT75

After seeing some of the pictures of snow you get,I am suprised you can see your grass

Pulling trees around here get done with my 4X pu

[TheTerrorist_75]

TT75

After seeing some of the pictures of snow you get,I am suprised you can see your grass

Pulling trees around here get done with my 4X pu

With all the snow I get plus the spring rains the ground is too soft to use my 4wdPU. I already have two foot deep ruts in my side yard which is the highest point of the property.

[Pete_C]

Thanks for the tip on preparing veggies on a grill pan. I never did like using the outdoor grill for veggies and always wound up steaming them just to avoid the hassle.

Do you heat it up hot, spray with oil THEN put the food on?

------

Back to mowin', the sun's out today but after a few days of rain everything's too wet to mow -- according to the proper directions -- but the grass is so high and it's supposed to rain again tomorrow so it's gettin' cut wet.

See, the Honda's plastic deck will shrug off the moisture. What a great lawnmower.

I use a Lodge Cast Iron Grill pan

As well as the two burner griddle

Once seasoned they do not require oiling and for cleanup you just scrub them with a stainless steel scrubbie (if camping out, sand and some pine needles or straw).

Just heat it up until it feels hot as coals and put on the veggies or meat. (Cant hold you hand three inches away for over three seconds).

I love cast iron cookware.

Here, in Dallas, if your lawn reaches a foot tall they fine you and put it on your water bill so that you have no choice but to pay. Same thing if you put out grass clippings without buying clipping pickup stickers to put on the bags or if you put out your brush on the wrong week.

They used to send you a certified letter and put a notice on your door, but found out that most people just mowed their lawn and then called the city and said "What the F are you talking about over a foot tall, come out and take a look" and refuse to pay .

Edited May 3, 2006 by Pete_C

[rv56]

Hi tenmm....great to see you back again!!!

Yes the smell of spring and BBQ's....my favorite time. Well we have had a great April with warm weather and so far probably had at least 4 BBQ's already. But as usual mother nature still likes to play with us at times..

It's been kinda rainy here for the beginning of May 2 which is pretty much the first rain we've seen of any amount lately...so I managed to squeeze in another BBQ today because there maybe a chance of snow or snow flurries tonight or tomorrow...aaaahhhh!!!!

Anyway....good to see you back.

Take care......and happy BBQing everyone.

[JDoors]

... Once seasoned they do not require oiling ... in Dallas, if your lawn reaches a foot tall they fine you ...

Forgot about 'seasoning,' thanks.

Here they give you a citation if the grass is over 8" tall (a foot seems generous to me). I guess it's just a warning. But at some point they will send a crew out to mow it and they'll bill you.

I have some fairly steep hills on my property that, if you obey safety rules, are too steep to mow. But if I don't mow them, I get a citation. Catch-22 right there. (Yeah, landscaping/ groundcover, I know, just can't afford it though.)

Supposed to get up to the 80's today!

[Pete_C]

... Once seasoned they do not require oiling ... in Dallas, if your lawn reaches a foot tall they fine you ...

Forgot about 'seasoning,' thanks.

Here they give you a citation if the grass is over 8" tall (a foot seems generous to me). I guess it's just a warning. But at some point they will send a crew out to mow it and they'll bill you.

I have some fairly steep hills on my property that, if you obey safety rules, are too steep to mow. But if I don't mow them, I get a citation. Catch-22 right there. (Yeah, landscaping/ groundcover, I know, just can't afford it though.)

Supposed to get up to the 80's today!

Yes, you have to season cast iron properly. I just got a new cast iron 16Quart Dutch oven and was going

to prepare it when I realized it was still covered in shipping wax. Gotta remove that first (the recommended method they have is four hours upside down in a slow oven with some foil to catch the dripping wax . I think I can think of some easier and faster ways . )

How to season a cast Iron skillet

If they send out a crew here, they put a lein on the property until it gets paid. If the lein goes unpaid for a couple years, they hold a "tax auction" and sell your property for you to recoup the cost.

Edited May 3, 2006 by Pete_C

[TheTerrorist_75]

We're allowed 6" high grass/weeds before it gets mowed by the city in two weeks after being notified, who then attaches the cost ($25/hour) to the water/sewer/garbage bill. We can bag grass clipping/leaves and leave them out to the curb along with branches upto 6" diameter and 3' length anytime. When the garbage crew comes by on Wednesday for my ward they will call into the DPW garage and report that the stuff is at the curb and that crew will come and pick them up.

[JDoors]

... the recommended method they have is four hours upside down in a slow oven with some foil to catch the dripping wax ...

THAT can't be right ... wax is flammable, isn't it? Or at least acts as a fuel? Even the fumes can ignite under certain circumstances.

[tenmm]

... the recommended method they have is four hours upside down in a slow oven with some foil to catch the dripping wax ...

THAT can't be right ... wax is flammable, isn't it? Or at least acts as a fuel? Even the fumes can ignite under certain circumstances.

Ya,that is what I thought...

I understand you coat the pan with veggy oil and then turn it upside down and basically burn the oil to the pan.

(repeat as needed to coat the whole cooking surface.)

Edited May 3, 2006 by tenmm

[TheTerrorist_75]

I just scrub my new cast iron skillets and such in the dishpan so they are clean of residue then place them in the oven. Once they are warmed up I rub oil all over them and place them back in the oven for a couple of hours. I place a cookie sheet on the shelf below to catch any drips.

[Pete_C]

... the recommended method they have is four hours upside down in a slow oven with some foil to catch the dripping wax ...

THAT can't be right ... wax is flammable, isn't it? Or at least acts as a fuel? Even the fumes can ignite under certain circumstances.

Precisely my feeling.

This one the wax is so heavy that scrubbing alone did not remove it.

When heated on a burner it smokes .

So , my solution is to take a liquid which dissolves wax and take it outside and set it in the middle of my concrete basketball court and scrub with the grill brush till it seems clean. Go in and wash up so I do not have any flamable liquid residue on myself and go throw a long wooden match (lit) into the pot and let it all burn off.

They had whole bottom rounds on for 99cents a pound last week and I bought a couple and carved one up last night. One eye of round roast , some stew meat and a whole bunch of steaks cut to any desired thickness (I pretty much looked at the face and said that looks like it will be tender at 1/2 inch, that one is minute steak material, that one will be tender no matter how thick. )

While I am leery of raw meats, when you are busy cutting up a fresh peice like this where the interior cannot have been contaminated, well Steak Tartar is just to delicious to pass up.

Of course the OL passed, said she couldn't even come in the kitchen because of the smell of blood. But freshly cut, paper thin with a little olive oil and lime juice sure is good.

[shanenin]

[ But freshly cut, paper thin with a little olive oil and lime juice sure is good.

I grew up eating raw beef(that even included ground beef , I know better now). I usually just eat a chunk with a little salt. I think I am going to make a meal out of it the way you mentioned. That sounds delicious. I may also add a little salt, pepper, and capers to my version.

[bozodog]

Dang! You guys all all making seasoning an iron pan hard. All I do is build a nice wood fire (outside) and cook the son-of-a-gun to death. If it's waxy burn all that off and give it a good scrub then coat with oil or (best) lard. Then heat till smoking and all the oil is gone. Wash well with hot water and a green scrubbie or sand if camping. Never, never use soap or put anything in the pan until it's smoking hot.

[blim]

"Old Fashioned Recipe"--rub pans with lard, place in 200 degree oven for 2-3 hours. I do this after Thanksgiving because I always have lard leftover from pies.

Speaking of pies, a cast iron frying pan is the BEST pie pan in the world! I don't like a soggy crust and the crust is perfect. And it makes a cool looking pie, too (although MY inlaws think its weird....but they eat it!)

And the "purists" say just wipe the pans out with a rag, not even water....I don't go that far--too hard to "just wipe" chili . In fact, if I cook pork, I use soap...that Jewish Heritage of mine coming to play, I guess.

That griddle is awesome, Pete. I want one! Is it "flat" on the opposite side for pancakes?

Liz

[tenmm]

I have not tried to make chili in a cast dutch oven but I know a guy who does.

As for the seasoning I have use my BBQ grill for that it is outside and adds no heat to the house never mind the odor.

We have had a lot of rain and snow this year and it has brought the desert here too life,wild flowers and such.

Some people have a problem with the sagebrush,but I like the smell it should take off good this year.

Down side is when it dries out this summer it will be prime range fire time

An old quote"Stop and smell the flowers" if you only take the time for the flowers you still have missed way to much.

[shanenin]

what purpose does the "seasoning" of the pan do? Is it more then just cleaning off the waxy residue?

I have always just cooked with a no stick pan. You guys are making me want to go out and get a nice cast iron one. What things does a cast iron pan do better then non cast iron?

edit added later//

do you guys mainy use it for cooking over an open flame(firepit)?

Edited May 5, 2006 by shanenin

[tenmm]

what purpose does the "seasoning" of the pan do? Is it more then just cleaning off the waxy residue? [/q]

[q]I have always just cooked with a no stick pan. You guys are making me want to go out and get a nice cast iron one. What things does a cast iron pan do better then non cast iron?[/q]

[q]edit added later//

do you guys mainy use it for cooking over an open flame(firepit)?

Cast iron needs to be "seasoned" to keep your food from sticking to the pan/pot/grill.

Have you ever tried to use a "nonstick pan"on a pit or a hot flat rock??

They (cast)do nothing better,but they do take rough handling better.

Some people say cast adds a flavor to food,I say that cast is use outside more often,everyone knows that food cooked outside taste better

I use it then or on a gas camp stove.

[blim]

Like Tenmm said, seasoning makes the cast iron pan non stick. A properly seasoned pan is as smooth as any teflonny pan.

And the beauty of a cast iron pan is that you don't need to be so careful with it. When I make chicken dishes, I start with frozen chicken breasts and as they cook, I cut them up into pieces right in the pan. I do the same thing with stew meat--the chunks are always cut up too big at the grocery store.

You can start a casserole on the stovetop and finish it off in the oven without switching pots

You can scrape stuck on food with a paint scraper. Can't do that with a teflon pan

You best bet is to look for a 3-4 inch deep 12 inch wide frying pan--my favorite and you can cook absolutely ANYTHING in it, from grilled cheese sandwiches to homemade soup. And the best places to find cast iron pans are at yard sales, thrift shops, etc....you'll have to scrub and re-season them, but the oldies are worth it.

They "say" that the iron from the pan gets into your food and boosts the iron level....not sure if it's an old wives tale or not, but most old wives tales end up with a lot of truth to them!

And of course, an angry wife armed with a cast iron pan is much more threatening than one with a simple wooden rolling pin

Liz

Edited May 5, 2006 by blim

[JDoors]

As they said, the 'seasoning' helps to keep food from sticking (the oil soaks into the pores) plus it keeps the pan from rusting (it's iron, after all). Far as I know it's a fact that the iron actually migrates into the food, giving you a nutritional boost.

Regarding "smells outside," I'm gonna hafta mow for the fourth time today. <sniff!> Mmmm.

Edited May 5, 2006 by JDoors

[tenmm]

As they said, the 'seasoning' helps to keep food from sticking (the oil soaks into the pores) plus it keeps the pan from rusting (it's iron, after all). Far as I know it's a fact that the iron actually migrates into the food, giving you a nutritional boost.

Regarding "smells outside," I'm gonna hafta mow for the fourth time today. <sniff!> Mmmm.

Ditto.

[JSKY]

Your all making me hungry for my moms cooking. Cast Iron was the only things she used when I was young. It's been many years now since she has been gone. But what wonderful memories reading this has brought back.

[Bubba Bob]

I'm gonna hafta mow for the fourth time today.

Wow! That's some fast growin grass.

I just tried out my new weed eat w/ shoulder strap. That strap sure saves your arms.

Oh, and Blim. After reading your post, the song "Redneck Woman" popped into my head. No clue why.... Oh, it may be the image of you holding a frying pan while threatening the kids to slam that screen door one more time...

Edited May 6, 2006 by Bubba Bob