Get Along Little Doggie

Welcome to the 4th Saturday of July. If you’ve been around a while, you know that today is National Cowboy Day. Cowboys are near and dear to my heart. As are country folks.

I’ve been thinking about Cowboys a lot lately. As I’ve been digging through old photos, I’ve been walking down memory lane. Once a very long time ago, while our children were still teenagers, Hubby and I talked long and hard about pulling up stakes and moving to a small ranch in Wyoming. I think about how different our lives would have been. Kiddo might not exist. Our greatgrand daughter might have been born, but not as our greatgrand child. It makes you wonder about life and how much or how little we control our destiny to beging with.

Still it seems Hubby and I managed to end up fairly grounded when it was all said and done even without the ranch. As did our son. Maybe it’s something that happens to your heart the moment you view the world from a saddle. The prespective changes.

If you’re gonna dream like a cowboy, may as well eat like a rancher. Remember, when marinating a steak with whiskey, that’s one sip of whiskey for the steak, two sips of whiskey for the cook.

Cowboy Flank Steak Supper
1 (24 oz) Beef Flank Steak
3 Garlic Cloves
1 cup Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 cup Tennessee Whiskey
Olive Oil
Fresh Black Pepper to taste

The night before grilling prepare the steak for the marinade. Score meat with a sharp knife, place in a casserole dish or marinade container and set aside.

Peel and finely mince garlic. Place in a bowl. Add Worcestershire Sauce and whiskey, whisk to blend. Pour marinade over the steak. Let steak marinade overnight, turning several times for even flavors. One hour before grilling, remove steak for the marinade and let rest on the counter.

Prepare grill for direct high-heat grilling. Brush steak with oil to prevent sticking and help seal in the juices.

Grill quickly, about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare steak. Remove from grill, season to taste with fresh black pepper. Immediately slice into strips across the grain. Serve and enjoy.

Cast Iron Barbecue Beans
6 strips Bacon
1/2 medium Red Onion
1 (16 oz) can Great Northern Beans
1 (16 oz) can Pinto Beans
2-1/2 cups Barbecue Sauce
1/4 cup Brown Sugar

Cut bacon into pieces and set aside. Cut onion in half from tip to root. Wrap half the onion in plastic and store for another use. Peel and dice remaining half of the onion. Drain beans, set aside until ready to use.

Fry bacon in a cast iron skillet over medium heat until crisp and fat has been rendered. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon from the skillet and set aside, leaving bacon drippings in the skillet. Add onions, fry until just tender. Remove skillet from heat.

Add beans to the onions in the skillet. Add barbecue sauce and brown sugar. Scatter bacon over the beans. Return skillet to heat, stir to incorporate and simmer on low until headed through, about 20 minutes.

Northern Style Sweet Corn Bread
Dry Ingredients
1-1/2 cup Flour
2/3 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Yellow Corn Meal
1 tablespoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt

Heat oven to 350-degrees. Lightly grease an 8-inch square baking pan. Set aside until ready to use.

Combine dry ingredients in a medium size bowl. Set aside.

Wet Ingredients
3 tablespoons Butter
2 large Eggs
1-1/4 cup Milk
1/3 cup Vegetable Oil

Melt butter. In a bowl, lightly beat eggs. Add milk, oil and butter until well blended.

Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Mix until well incorporated. Pour batter into the prepared baking pan.

Bake in the heated oven until golden brown, about 35 minutes. Remove from oven, serve warm with plenty of sweet, creamy butter.

Enjoy a down right delicious Cowboy Supper – grilled steak, cast iron beans and sweet cornbread. Now that’s eating!

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My soul yearns and pines
for the courts of the Lord.
My heart and my flesh
cry out for the living God.