Randy’s Blog

Starry’s been acting funny for a bit in the backyard. Looks like I found the culprit.

We think we got 22-24 inches, but the drifts got big..

Darn near everything you can think of, Japan has made in a Kit Kat. Pancakes, wasabi, blueberry cheesecake, cherries, and ginger.

I’ve got a lot of things that keep me busy, but as hobbies go, never quite finish them or feel that I completed them.  Here’s my list:

• Silver quarters and half dollars turned into rings.  Seriously cool.
• Galaxie miscellaneous leaks
• AT-AT Driver helmet
• MINI Cooper chair into household furniture.
• Wine (I’ve got some IceWine to make still, and Sadie’s foo-foo wine)
• Limoncello that I need to filter
• Mac Aquarium
• Hope Chest to refinish
• Outdoor table from pallets and I found 21 ways to do it
• Mosaic coasters and a REALLY cool mural
• Starry’s agility equipment and agility for her
• Soda making (corny kegs, and need the CO2 regulators)
• Orchid growing (done it before, but always let them lapse)
• Smoker (not really a hobby, but I am doing everything right now)
• Exchange replacement in my colo at the data center.  Damn if I can’t get our Public Folders replaced.
• Dragon Missile Box replacement latch.  They are really expensive, and I don’t know why.
• Ipad applications
• Mini trebuchets
• Wine bottle glasses
• Frankie the fish

More to come…

Yuck.  It’s coming.  12-24″ of snow. Sadie already changed her flight, and schools are already closing.    DIA said it might have 45 MPH winds with snow.  Nice.   Good luck coming to Denver.

TONIGHT: A major winter storm is moving into Colorado tonight. Snow will be developing this evening and turning heavy overnight with gusty winds. Blowing snow will create reduced visibility and whiteout conditions especially east of the city where a BLIZZARD WARNING will go into effect at 11 pm.  A WINTER STORM WARNING goes into effect for Denver at 5 p.m. with 5-10″ of snow possible across the city overnight. Forecast lows in the lower 20s.

TOMORROW: A WINTER STORM WARNING remains in effect for Denver and the front range for heavy snow and wind for much of the day on Friday. Additional accumulation is likely in the 5-10″ range. Afternoon temperatures will hold in the mid to upper 20s. Snow will gradually decrease Friday night but another 1-3″ of snow is possible with forecast lows in the mid teens.

UGHHH..   It’s about to snow in Colorado.  Like a lot.  More on that in another post.  Going to the gas station to get some gas for the snowblower my neighbor lets me borrow.  Fill up, and it’s really stinky in the car.  Speaking of, I have the dog with me, who likes to ride shotgun from the back seat, like kids do, halfway in the front and back.  We are in a double turn lane going left.  I am in the outside lane.  Green light, we go, grandma comes right over to my lane.  Holy crap, hit the brakes, hop the gas doesn’t spill, and the dog comes flying over.  She just bonked my arm, but didn’t get hurt.  I lean on the horn.  WTF!!  I look up to see the middle finger.  Grandma almost committed vehicular homicide, and what of that sweet little old lady is left, but a middle finger.  People suck usually.  But old people who can’t freaking drive, and then have the misconception that they were doing the right thing is what grinds my gears.   If I would have remembered the plate, I would track it and call the kids to have her de-licensed.    GRRRRR…

Tokyo Pictures

Had a good time.  VERY busy.  I think I need a Japanese toilet now.  They are awesome.

http://www.japan-guide.com/forum/quereadisplay.html?1+48109

The ribs came out medium, but were not fall off the bones. I used the 2-1-1 method, next time will be 2-2-1. We ate too much. Good smoke, but need to trim even more off the bones. Took the silverskin off, but still had some or something stringy in it. Good, but not perfect.

Baby backs – Two racks of them.  One for tonight and the rest for the week.

Smoking is a funny art, EVERYONE has a different opinion and different method, how hot, how long, what to rub.  Funny.  I roughly did this recipe.  I am following the 2-1-1 method however.  I want “fall off the bones” but a lot of people said that fall off the bones is overcooked.  Hmm.  We’ll see.   I cut the middle down to an hour or so, and used hard cider instead of apple juice!   My rub and glaze were from “my” rib recipe which is just out of Bon Appetit.  Sweet, not spicy.   I used Jameson Whiskey (of course) and our own Apple Butter we made last year.  So don’t be offended Texas.

Basting sauce

• ½ cup (packed) golden brown sugar
• ½ cup apple butter
• ¼ cup bourbon whiskey
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons apple cider
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Rub

• 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon (packed) golden brown sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons dry mustard
• 1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 2- to 2 1/4-pound racks baby back pork ribs

Best blog directions:

post #3

A full rack of Spare Ribs will take about 6 hours at 225*F…The 3-2-1 smoked rib recipe is a good way to smoke ribs and tends to turn out perfect ribs every time whether you are using the meatier Full rack spare rib or the Saint Louis cut. Baby Back ribs use a 2-2-1 method. The ribs are smoked at 225 – 250 degrees for best results…

The 3 stands for the 3 hours that you initially smoke the ribs with nothing but your favorite rub on them and some smoke with your favorite hardwood such as hickory, mesquite, apple, pecan, etc. After the 3 hours you remove the ribs and quickly double wrap them in heavy duty foil.. just before you seal them up add some Apple Juice or Foiling Juice and close the foil leaving some room around the ribs for the steam to be able to flow around the meat and Flavor/Tenderize it.
The ribs cook in the smoker wrapped for 2 hours undisturbed. There is no need for Smoke at this point… After 2 hours remove the ribs from the smoker, unwrap and place back into the smoker for the final 1 hour, with smoke if you wish.This firms them up, creates a nice Bark and finishes the cooking process. You can add a glaze or sauce at this point if you like. The meat will be pretty close to fall off the bone and be extremely juicy, tender and flavorful…JJ

After a half a day in Tokyo, a 12 hour flight, getting locked out of the house, time to see the Rev.