The Family

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New Year's Black-Eyed Pea Soup

2010-01-01T22:25:00.003-06:00

Kitty Crider published this recipe from Dottie and Joe Wilkison in the Statesman one of those years ago when the Longhorns were in a New Year's Day bowl game. She said it was not only tasty, but kind of orange colored, so perfect. It's also very easy, with only six major ingredients. We save our spiral honey-baked ham bone from Christmas dinner for this.

It is a really, really tasty soup ... a stew, really. We've changed it up to work in a crock pot.

2 cups dried black-eyed peas
Ham bone with meat or ham hocks
2 cups minced celery
1 large onion, minced
2 cups minced carrots
1 lb. smoked sausage
2 Tsbp. chili powder

Wash the peas and put in crock pot with 1 1/2 quarts of water. (No need to soak peas.) Add the ham bone, the celery, onion and carrots. Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8. Cut up the smoked sausage and chili powder and cook for another 30 minutes to an hour, or whenever you can't stand it anymore and have to have a bowl. If needed, add more water, salt or black pepper. It's great with corn bread.

Dragon Stew

2009-11-12T06:08:00.002-06:00

A quick recipe by Tony and the Dragon Patrol from Pack 61.

All Veg is done with the handfull method. Size of boys depends on how many handfuls.

* cubed beef, braised with a little oil and butter to bronw the meat or sear on the outside.
* onions - Yellow
* carrots - baby carrots in the bags snack size no cutting needed
* potatoes - Red small
* celery - just chopped for eating size like that for tuna salad
* stewed tomatoes (a must, even for one who doesn't really like them) - Can of these large size for a 12 quart pot
* Tomoto paste as standby. Sometimes needs a little thickening
* Sugar need this. The tomatoes and the carrots do not have enough natual sugar for the stew to not be bitter.
* water to cover all ingredients.
* Salt and pepper to taste.
* beef broth - Don't need this unless you are cooking ahead and can't stew the whole thing for about 3 hours.

Should cook at rolling boil for about an hour covered. Then about 2 hours or less depending on the size of the beef cubes and the veg. We typically had this ready to eat by 5:00 starting at 2:00 with the whole crew working on the activity under supervision.

Hike to Highest Point in Texas

2009-07-06T08:15:00.001-05:00

From Guadalupe Peak

Again, hope to add to this post soon, but here are photos of the trip Cory and I took to Guadalupe Peak, the highest point in Texas.

Camp Cris Dobbins in Colorado

2009-07-06T08:12:00.004-05:00

From Colorado

I hope to update this post soon with more detail, but here are photos from our Boy Scout summer camp trip to Cris Dobbins near Colorado Springs.

And here is video of Brian riding, and wiping out, on a mountain board.

Family Trip to Utah

2009-06-21T07:41:00.002-05:00

We took a driving trip to see Cory's family in Utah, stopping in Escalante to see Beth, Summit to see Peter and Salt Lake City to see Lee. We saw some great scenery and had some good times visiting with everyone.

Now Cory has flown home and the boys and I are heading up Pike's Peak this morning, then on the Camp Cris Dobbins for a week of Boy Scout Summer Camp.

Sean's 5th Grade Graduation

2009-06-05T23:07:00.001-05:00

Congratulations Sean! He will join Brian next year as they both open the new Gorzycki Middle School.

Sean at Mo Ranch in Hunt

2009-05-16T13:01:00.002-05:00

All of 5th grade at Sean's school went to Mo Ranch near Hunt, Texas for the class trip. The classes had team building exercises and played in the Guadalupe River, including this cool slide.

Looking forward to summer

2009-04-28T21:23:00.005-05:00

The soccer season is closing, the boys are in the midst of TAKS tests, and we are getting warm spells in between the divine spring weather of Austin, which all means the school year is winding down and we are getting excited about summer.

We haven't taken a summer traveling vacation in a while, so we are pumped that we are combining the boys Boy Scout summer camp in Colorado with a pre-trip to see Cory's western flank of the family in Utah.

We will all drive together to Escalante and Salt Lake City, leaving June 13 or so. We are not sure our itinerary traveling or when we get there, but we know we'll leave Cory somewhere in Utah on the 20th when the boys and I head to Camp Cris Dobbins at the Peaceful Valley Scout Ranch near Colorado Springs. Cory will end up flying straight home for some quiet time while Sean, Brian and I frolic in the Rockies.

Our outings lately have been centered around Scouts:

District Adventure Weekend:

Camping 101 was Sean's first campout as a Troop 448 Boy Scout, but it was District Adventure weekend where he really showed his mettle. His Storm Patrol did well in the patrol games and he also was a part of the Troop team that took third place in the troop games competition. Dad also won the Dutch oven cookoff with two types of lasagna: meat and vegetarian. Brian was trying his best to juggle soccer and scouts, trying to make two games that were both eventually canceled over wet weather and fields.

Well, that catches us up. ... we'll update in a couple of weeks after the soccer season ends and Sean competes in the UIL Music Memory and Math Pentathalon events.

Black Bean Taquitos with Cream

2009-04-05T13:09:00.004-05:00

This is a modification of a recipe from "Hot & Spicy Mexican." It calls for fresh ingredients like corn cut from the cob and fresh black beans, which is certainly better, but sometimes you just don't have all that.

1/4 cup butter
1 can kernel corn
2 jalapenos, stemmed & chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cans black beans
1/2 cup vegetable oil
15 corn tortillas
2 cups cream

In large saucepan, heat up the butter and add the corn, jalapenos and onions and fry until the onions are translucent. Add the black beans and cook down until the moisture is almost gone.

Heat oil in skillet and briefly fry the tortillas, blotting off the extra oil with paper towel after you pull them out.

Stuff and roll the tortillas with the black bean mixture and place them in a baking dish. Add the grated cheese over the top. Pour in the cream. Cover with foil and bake at 300 degrees until the cheese is melted. If desired, pull off the foil for the last 5 minutes to brown the cheese a little.

So much for frequent updates

2009-04-01T23:09:00.005-05:00

My New Year's resolution didn't take long to break. I promised to update blogs more, and this family blog has sat idle since.

That doesn't mean we are not busy. We've been updating photos fairly regularly (OK, more in spurts) but some momentous occasions have been chronicled.

Here are some highlights, though click here for the full stream.

Sean's graduation from Cub Scouts

Sean's first Black Belt

And our Spring Break trip to Park Chalk Bluff

On the bright side, I have written a couple of entries for Technical Bent, though nothing to write home about :-(.

More updates for 2009?

2009-01-01T11:38:00.003-06:00

One of my New Year's Resolutions is to update both this blog and Technical Bent more often in 2009. I probably won't, but hey ... I should try, right?

We've had a good holiday so far. I was able to take off much of the same time as the boys, so we spent lots of time together at the house, preparing for the holidays, working on school projects and general fun.

For Christmas, the boys got bikes from Santa and a .22 rifle from Dad. Lots of books, Legos and general fun stuff from everyone and we are thankful to have such good and generous friends and family even during this troubled year. We fell like we always get more than we give, and it humbles us.

Brian and I spent later days of vacation at Winter Camp at Lost Pines Scout Reservation in Bastrop. Typical Texas weather, we started out in the 80s, but it dropped to 24.6 degrees before we were done. We earned the "Polar Bear" badge, given for camping in freezing weather. Twice.

Brian worked on four merit badges -- Emergency Preparedness, Personal Fitness, Camping and Citizenship in the Community -- all Eagle-required badges. He is First Class now and lacks only the leadership position to make Star rank. He aims to make Eagle by the time he gets his driver's license. Oh Gawd ... he's that close to driving? Brian's soccer team is in hiatus for a couple of weeks, but will resume practice for cup play before January closes.

Sean will finish up Arrow of Light requirements this week and should make Super Webelo, earning all 20 activity badges. He's not as excited to cross over into Boy Scouts, but I think he'll enjoy it once he gives it a try. He is also nearing testing for his first black belt in Tae Kwon Do. His goal has been to earn that before finishing elementary school, and I'm sure he will.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-23T21:56:00.002-06:00

From Christmas 2008 Outtakes

The McDonald's want to wish all our friends and family a Merry Christmas and a great new year.

Taking a Cosmic Vacation

2008-12-23T21:50:00.004-06:00

Sean was an Elvis impersonator who was mixed up on who he was impersonating in the 5th grade play "Cosmic Vacation." As Sean would say the line of John Wayne, Johnny Mathis, Yoda, Forest Gump & Humphrey Bogart, his handler, Pedro, would have to correct him. It was a funny play!

Elvis has left the star cruiser!

Photos on Picasa

2008-11-29T09:08:00.002-06:00

A reminder that photos of the family are on my Picasa page, including this awesome flying trip in a small plane.

New Year's Black-Eyed Pea Soup

2008-11-29T09:02:00.004-06:00

New Year's Black-Eyed Pea Soup

3 rounded cups dried black-eyed peas
Ham born with meat or ham hocks
3 cups celery
3 cups minced onion
3 cups minced carrot
2 lb. smoked sausage
2 tbsp. chili powder

Please peas in 3 quarts water with ham bone and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook until peas are soft, about two hours. (No need to soak peas.) Discard bone, leaving bits of ham in soup. Add celery, onion and carrots and cook for another hour. Add diced smoked sausage and simmer 30 minutes. Add chili powder. If needed, and more water, salt or black pepper. Serve with corn bread. Makes about a gallon.

-- Dottie and Joe Wilkinson, as published in the Austin American-Statesman

Want to order Scout Popcorn?

2008-11-11T22:15:00.001-06:00

If you missed our personal plea to buy excellent Scout Popcorn, then here is your chance to order online.

Go to this site:

http://www.orderpopcorn.com/Store/Catalog/Default.aspx

and use this code for Sean:

TEV70HM

Sean and Pack 61 thank you.

Table Scraps at Mills Talent Show

2008-06-11T20:14:00.001-05:00

The Table Scraps played the Mills Talent show in may, 2008

Where the Sidewalk Ends

2008-05-09T00:07:00.002-05:00

Sean was Jimmy Jet in the fourth grade choir musical "Where the Sidewalk Ends." It was a fantastic play based on the poetry of Shel Silverstein.

Rush concert at the Erwin Center

2008-04-24T13:56:00.005-05:00

Brian and Sean were invited to a Rush concert for Blake Richardson's birthday. Dad, of course, had to take them there and make sure they were safe. Wish I had such a great dad at 10 years old!

The concert was awesome and funny and loud.

Setlist (I think):

* Limelight
* Digital Man
* Ghost of a Chance
* Mission
* Freewill
* The Main Monkey Business
* The Larger Bowl
* Red Barchetta
* The Trees
* Between the Wheels
* Dreamline

Intermission

* Far Cry
* Work them Angels
* Armour and Sword
* Spindrift
* The Way the Wind Blows
* Subdivisions
* Natural Science
* Witch Hunt
* Malignant Narcissism

Drum Solo ... about 8 minutes

* Hope
* Spirit of the Radio
* Overture/Temples of Syrinx
* Tom Sawyer

Encore

* One Little Victory
* Passage to Bangkok
* YYZ

The Thief: Forgivenes

2008-03-23T11:52:00.003-05:00

This post is about a rock song, but it is really about Easter.

Today, at Easter Service, our paster talked about the words Christ gave us from the cross. When he got to the story about the thief who hung on the cross next to him, and how he was forgiven even then, at the end of a long life of sin, I was reminded of a great song.

Third Day "Thief" comes from the thief's perspective as he hung on the cross. It is a powerful, haunting, wonderful, rocking song.
Give it a listen.

Luke 23:39-43 (New International Version)

39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"

40 But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? 41We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."

42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.[a]"

43 Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."

Chicken and White Bean Chili

2008-03-20T22:51:00.004-05:00

I don't have the reference for this recipe, unfortunately. It was some kind of dutch oven cookbook and uses that in the recipe, but I usually use a crockpot or stove pot.

Serves 8 to 10
2 tbs. olive oil
4 onions, chopped (I usually use less)
6 garlic cloves, chopped
4 (4 oz) cans chopped mild green chiles, drained
1 (12 oz) bottle regular (not dark) beer
2 cups chicken stock
3 tbl chili powder
2 tbl ground cumin
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
salt and black pepper
6 boneless, skinless chiken thighs, but into 1-inch cubes (I used canned chix at campout for ease.)
1 (15.4 oz) cans white northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15.5 oz) can chickpease, rinsed and drained
1 (15.5 oz) can cream-style corn
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup lime juice

Optional toppings
Grated cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses
Sour cream
Chopped green onions
Chopped tomatoes
Sliced jalapenos
Tortilla chips

LIghtly coat a 5 1/2-quart Dutch oven with nonstick cooking spray. Over medium-high heat, add the olive oil, onions, garlic and cook until soft. Add the green chiles, beer, chicken stock, chili powder, cumin and red pepper flakes and salt and pepper to tase. Stir in the chicken. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for about 45 minutes, or until the mixture is nicely thickened and the chicken is cooked (I always cook the chicken first anyway.)

Stir in the northern beans, chickpeas and creamed corn. (I usually dump it all together in the beginning, to be honest.) Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking. Stir in cilandro and lime juice and mix very well. Serve in large bowls, garnished with the optional toppings.

Spring Break Tour, Reprise

2008-03-16T22:41:00.004-05:00

In need to write a long post about our Spring Break trip, but I don't have time now, and I want to point out all to the photos:

http://picasaweb.google.com/christian.mcdonald

U.S. vs Mexico

2008-02-07T22:47:00.000-06:00

Brian and I went to Reliant Stadium in Houston to watch the U.S. national team play Mexico in a "friendly" match. Of course, there are no "friendly" matches between U.S. and Mexico, and Houston is not a "home" stadium for the U.S. team. The crowd was probalby 90% pro-Mexico. It was a lot of fun and we had a great time and saw some great soccer. The teams tied 2-2, but Mexico moved the ball much better than the U.S. team.

Hiking in the New Year

2008-01-22T23:09:00.000-06:00

We spent New Year's Day hiking the Lost Maples State Natural Area with the Reyes and Manceaux families. It was an awesome way to ring in the New Year!