Steak Enthusiast

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY, EVERYONE!

This was the scene in my parents’ front yard and all around our area. It’s been a very patriotic weekend — just the way it should be.

We’ve celebrated so far by eating LOTS and LOTS of meat.

Yesterday, we gathered my family, my parents and my brother, his wife, his mother-in-law and my niece and nephew for ribs and brisket.

Around these parts, we call it brisket. In some areas of the country it’s called tri-tip and others the same cut of beef is used to make corned beef.

Whatever you call it, we smoked them both in the smoker for a long time and it was all really tender and flavorful.

You can see in the photo no one would keep their mitts off the plate long enough for me to take a picture. That meat was decimated by the time we were done. No leftovers around here.

We’ve done lots of swimming — although it’s not nearly as warm as I’d like it. But that NEVER stops the kids. They don’t mind swimming with goose bumps.

I hope you’re having a great weekend, too!

We have a new member of the family!

So, it’s not a puppy and it’s not a child, but she’s just as cute!

I’m almost as excited about her as I was about my two boys. And THIS delivery was much easier, let me tell you. (Thanks to Ron and the guys over at Home Depot.)

Here she is — our new baby grill . . .

We’re looking forward to working her hard. She’s got to earn her keep around here. No one gets a free ride. Why, I had to walk 5 miles to school every day with no shoes, in the snow, uphill . . .

We’ll miss our little Weber friend. But, gosh, this one is much cuter. And isn’t that what REALLY matters in life?

Have a great Memorial Day weekend. We’ll be grilling and enjoying time with our family. I hope you do, too!

I took a survey of my neighbors (as we were standing around the yard yakking) and I asked, “What are you cooking this Memorial Day?”

I got lots of different answers. Some surprising, some quite traditional.

But there was one theme that carried throughout:  family.

Whether extended family will be getting together or it’s just the immediate family staying home, everyone was looking forward to being with their loved ones . . . and eating.

Most of our kids are out of school on Friday and Monday, some just Monday, and that usually requires some planning of activities and meals to cut down on the whining and restlessness.

So here’s a sampling of their answers . . .

“Burgers and hot dogs in the back yard.”

This is the go-to meal for April and Bobby*. Good choice, good choice.

“We’re just going to sleep in and rummage around the house for food. Maybe order a pizza,” said Vicki.

(Boo, I thought, we do that every other weekend. This is MEMORIAL DAY, man!)

Elizabeth and Ron said, “We’ve got some steaks and we’re going to make some potato salad and invite our folks over on Monday.”

Now we’re talking. “What kind of steaks?” I asked.

“Some sirloin and strips.”

My mind wandered off and I pictured myself running through a meadow in a white lace dress with my husband carrying a plate of freshly grilled sirloin and strip steaks . . .

. . . but I came back to reality when I realized someone had asked me what we were having.

“Barbecue ribs,” I said.

I am looking forward to that. We’re inviting my whole side of the family over. My parents and my brother and his family.

We let the kids run around together and we all pretend they aren’t acting like animals. Denial. It’s a gift.

And if there’s whining, I’ll send them all over to rummage around at Vicki’s house.

*Names have been changed to protect the innocent — or guilty, whatever the case may be.