Corn Skewer Ribs

 

      This one was too good to pass up.  Something new to try; creative yet tasty.  It will take one day to create these or divide the smoking, frying process over 2 days.  Realistically you can smoke one rack, eat half and use the remaining 3-4 ribs for this.  Makes for 2 days of great eating.  I chose baby back ribs as spareribs might be too large and baby backs have thicker, more tasty meat.  I used my traditional Johnny Trigg recipe.  

1 rack baby backs, smoked

Corn dog skewers

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cup corn meal

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup canned cream style corn

1 cup beer

Johnny Trigg Ribs

Honey

Parkay Squeeze Butter

KOSMOS SPG

KOSMOS Dirty Bird Rub

Apple Juice (for spritz)

1 Tbsp. Tiger Sauce 

Brown Sugar

Rich’s Custom Pork/Chicken BBQ Sauce

      Rinse ribs and remove membrane from the back.  Sprinkle the first (light) SPG rub, then finish with a liberal covering of Dirty Bird.  Rest the ribs, if possible, for 2 hours.  Heat pit to 225-240F.  I like oak and/or cherry wood.

      Place ribs in the pit and smoke for 3 hours, spritzing hourly with the apple juice.  Remove after 3 hours.  Lay down foil and squeeze 3-4 Tbsp Parkay over ribs: sprinkle brown sugar over the Parkay butter, as well as honey and Tiger Sauce.  Repeat for both sides.  Seal in foil and place back on pit for 2 hours.  

      After 2 hours remove ribs from pit and uncover.  Return to pit un-foiled for 30-60 minutes.  Ribs are done when meat begins to recede from bone.  Slice and serve with sauce on the side.  

Smoking

Rib separated meat from bone

Skewered

      When ribs are done, remove from pit and slice apart 1/2 half of the ribs.  You eat one half and then trim meat from bone on the other half.  After you eat the bone in ribs on Day 1, prepare the remaining smoked, sliced rib meat by inserting a dog skewer.  This can be delicate as meat wants to come apart.  Make mix (adjust this recipe for number of ribs to fry) Heat deep fryer or deep skillet with oil to 350F.  Fry till golden brown.  Remove and place paper towels to drain.   Serve with mustard or custom drizzle.

Corn Meal Breading

Draining

Plated w/fries

      Of course these aren't the most beautiful results we had hope for.  Keeping the rib meat intact is not easy.  The corn meal process is no easier, but the outcome is still quite tasty.  

“The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking, you’ve got to have a what-the-hell attitude.”

Julia Child

Croissant Ham & Cheese Casserole

 

      Believe it or not this is another recipe we picked up in South Texas.  This is a tasty dish good for 1-2 nights, company, or even some OTR leftovers.  It is a filling, tasty dish that can be good for dinner or breakfast.  The choice of sliced meats and cheese can be modified to suit your own tastes.  This one will warm your belly. 

Croissants

Sliced ham or turkey

Sliced Swiss cheese

1 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp rosemary

1 tsp thyme

1/3 cup Honey

2 Tbsp butter 

3 eggs

1/2 cup Milk

1 cup Half n half 

      Grease baking dish.  Cut croissants in half.  Mix eggs, milk, half n half, garlic salt, rosemary, and thyme.  Whisk.

  

      Dip croissants into mix and place in bottom of baking dish.  Pour remaining mix on top.  Roll ham slices into small rolls and place throughout croissants.  Slice Swiss cheese into long strips and layer on top of dish.  Top with some shredded mozzarella.  

      Bake in 350 oven for 15 minutes.  

      Mix butter, honey, and a dash of rosemary/thyme.  When dish is removed from the oven, brush top with honey/mix and serve.  

      We found this dish to be absolutely delicious.  Barb really loved it.  It takes less than 45 minutes to prepare.  Easy, peasy, yumdoggeasy.  A keeper. 

"A good marriage is like a casserole; only those involved actually know what goes in it"

Unknown

 

Manistee Lake Pizzeria & Bakery

 

      This is a very small pizzeria close to our place.  Located on the NE side of Manistee Lake, MI on East Shore Drive.  This is basically a cottage business.  In the past we have always either ordered our pizza in town at Little Caesare's or nearby at The Cove.  Northwestern Michigan rural towns can be fairly limited as to their choices, but we wanted to try this place.  Manistee Lake Pizzeria & Bakery

Monday - Wednesday closed

Thursday - Noon to 8pm

Friday - Sunday 8am -8pm

Taking Pizza Orders Daily Until 7:30pm

Carry Out Only

      They not only offer a variety of tasty pizzas, but the bakery offers cinnamon rolls, donuts, SMORES, Danish, and breakfast biscuits.  They offer their own blend of Neighborhood Blend Coffee as well.  

       Manistee Lake Pizzeria & bakery used to be Ford’s store. Right in the middle of a beautiful neighborhood nestled around Manistee Lake in Kalkaska Michigan.  Ford’s Store was first established in the early 1950s by Mr. and Mrs. Ford. It went through a couple different sets of hands then finally was purchased by Chuck & Dee Bondy.  They ran it for many years.  Their little store was well known & loved throughout this lakeside community.  They closed the store down and sold it in the late 90’s.  It took several years to purchase the property and get the business up and running, but VOILE' here we are.  

      Needless to say the pizza menu is fairly extensive.  In fact, for the size of this place extraordinary.  Obviously, they offer 'take out' only.  The pizzas are offered in 14" and 16" only, On this night Barb ordered on Cook's Choice Night.  She ordered the (of course) the Meat Lovers Special.  

      She says her pizza was okay, but she is a THIN crust fanatic.  I tried some later and it was pretty heavily over seasoned with a bland crust.  I also wasn't overly impressed.  The cost was $24 for her 14" pie.  Although not a large business they serve a large area of rural lake residents very well.  In fact, they said during the spring/summer months they are very busy; last night they served 100 pizzas.  Unfortunately, our rating is:  

  

"The important thing is not being afraid to take a chance. Remember, the greatest failure is to not try. Once you find something you love to do, be the best at doing it.”

Debbi Fields

The Audacity of Success; the Buck Stops Here

 

      When I began this blog I decided I wanted to write about informed topics:  camping, cooking, traveling and a variety of other subjects: wine, peppers, knives, hunting, etc.   The list goes on.  However, sometimes an issue just sticks in my craw and even though I feel like I'm skating on thin ice I try to stay away from politics.  

      Admittedly I voted for Donald Trump in 2016, mostly due to the fact that I considered Hillary Clinton to be a dangerous, toxic individual that has operated most of her life with deceit, lies, and corruption, even downright treason.  I have to be honest, I expected some backlash from the Democrats after their loss, unwilling to cooperate with POTUS due their partisan nonsense.  It did, however, get very much out of hand.  Stalemates in Congress from tools such as Pelosi, Schumer, and the newly elected SQUAD.  It was the birth of the Occupy Democrats/Resist Movement.  I understood their opposition, but to logjam the halls of Congress at the expense of all their constituents, Americans baffled me.  For most of us, this was the beginning of being held hostage, while they drained our tax dollars.  

      They promoted resistance, takeovers, blocking roads, burning communities, mostly thru violence.  It was unbelievable.  America was becoming very polarized.  It did not matter to POTUS.  He only did what he promised to do.  My only disappointment is that they did not fix healthcare.  OBAMACARE was a huge failure.  In fact, I still pay a portion of my USAF retirement to that.  Since, many states have taken it upon themselves to create their own system of medical care.  My mother was a benefactor of Oregon Care. 

 

      Let's face facts.  President Trump did make us energy self-sufficient during his first term.  He did begin to fix the border crisis.  He didn't wipe out President Obama's policies, just tried to make them work. DACA was only a band aid enabling more and more illegal immigration.  He did a lot of good which only fueled the anger of the left.  And so, it began.  He lost the 2020 election due to a number of reasons.  He has made many enemies along the way and the willing involvement of the 4th Estate did nothing for the truth.  It never has.  In fact, they are even stronger this time around.  It's easy to feed America the Kool Aid.  Bernie Sanders late exit and the party's willingness to support VP Biden has always confused me.  With the current information about his health, it further broadens the questions of the party's motives.  A figure head without much capability, but they could control him.  Much like the 2000 election the integrity of the system comes into play once again. 

 

     Here we are, 2025 and Trump is back in office, this time by a landslide.  The reasons were obvious.  Kamala Harris, really?  Biden had left the reservation (probably years earlier) and the party's autopen pretty much led the way.  We wanted the same aggressive reforms he began 8 years ago.  The choice was obvious.  Once again, he has energetic ideas which he has set in motion:  the border, America's National Security, realistic tax reform, oil, tariffs, and everyone's favorite......DOGE.  Mr. Musk and his team have uncovered trillions in fraud and waste spending which they are eliminating.  The left is fuming, but keep in mind waste is being eliminated, personnel are an unfortunate side effect of this.  Too many Americans get into a government job and figure "Whew, I'm home now".  The government tit has begun to dry up.  I know people who have lost their jobs and are hurting.  I also know some who were not eliminated.  They uncovered even more trillions from bogus programs that provided funds to other countries for frivolous things, some even to known terrorists.  I am not going to address the investigation into the Department of Education, an invention of Jimmy Carter's years ago.  Democrats are livid that POTUS named an outsider to head this team but conveniently forget that Dr. Fauci was appointed by President Biden and even President Obama had nearly 30 outside 'czars' he appointed to do his bidding.  Remember, he had a 'phone and a pen'.  

       The tariffs are being used to force foreign countries to the bargaining table to make things more equitable for both sides.  I'm not saying that both sides aren't guilty of this, but this is something the Democrats have been sliding on for many years.  Don't like tariffs?  Buy local.  

      The soulless attitude of the Democrats as to their brand of opposition and resistance only hurts their constituents.  They will burn America to the ground to hurt POTUS.  Remember Minneapolis?  That was Tim Walz' fiasco.  Nobody is solving any problems, but POTUS is certainly trying.

      Trump is a businessman, something our country has needed for a long time.  True, he is arrogant, pompous, even offensive at times.  But, if he is the best at what he does, how can you fault him for trying when no one else has?  I don't put much faith in all this PC crap which placates those with an inability to have thicker skin when they don't try to temper things themselves.  Keep in mind that he is cutting a large tumor out of America's deficit and debt but has not raised taxes, although several companies still have.  I am in favor of his wanting to eliminate taxes on retirement, social security, overtime, and tips.  Benefits that help all American workers.  I keep hearing about the tax cuts for his rich cronies, but where the hell is this happening?  It hasn't.  

 

      I could live without the posturing about 'The Gulf of America' and annexing Canada and Greenland.  Greenland does possess many valuable minerals as does the Ukraine, which POTUS recently negotiated a treaty with to obtain these.   I could really live without his posting on social media.  There are no politics with him, just straight shooting.  He loves America.  True he has been bankrupted twice and was convicted of a felony by a corrupt NY judge but always lands on his feet.  Show me one person that always lands on their feet without failure.  Bill and Hillary, as well as Biden and his son are guilty as hell, but have never been convicted; doesn't make them off limits.  

      This isn't over by a long shot.  Waiting in the wings there are already candidates shunning their jobs and constituents by going on the campaign trail.  I have issues with these but am not going to share them here.  Just suffice it to say it's AOC/Harris/Sanders, part 3.  I just wish that folks would let him try to accomplish what he set out to do without throwing every monkey wrench in the toolbox to derail it.  Most left-leaning don't like what their party has done but just hate Trump that much.  I am worried that many folks will not have the patience to wait out these tough times so we can turn the corner instead of circling the drain.  We recently finished our winter trip this year and can't tell you how many folks I saw protesting nonsense that hasn't even happened and probably won't.  Do your own research my friends.  I have too many conversations with those that are actually willing to have a reasonable debate about this without me asking for their facts and sources and the sound of crickets ensues.  Opinion is not fact.  No disclaimer, just my side.  Regardless I do respect you all.  Now all I need is a ladder to get me down off my soapbox.

NOTE:  In light of Elon Musk's resignation from DOGE and his statements about the current spending bill in the Senate, I am more than a little disappointed.  I hope this doesn't come around to bite us in the bahookie next year.   

  

"If you hate one man more than you love America then YOU are the problem"

Many Americans

Food of the Gods.....Mussels

        It is no secret to anyone who knows me, I LOVE SEAFOOD; all of it.  Several types of clams, all of which are delicious please my palate, but mussels are in a class all to themselves.  They're bigger than butter clams and a bit bolder in taste.  They are delicious steamed with garlic, shallots, and wine as well as a delicious ingredient to pasta.   Mussels are high in vitamin B12, needed for the production of red blood cells.  Omega-3 fatty acids are necessary for heart health.

       I was not able to get fresh this trip so bought frozen and went from there.  One rule of thumb for any clams:  Throw away all clams with open shells prior to cooking.  Throw away all clams not opened after cooking.  It's a matter of being alive and healthy........or not.  Seafood has a delicate shelf life.  

 

Extra virgin olive oil

4 large garlic cloves, minced

1 large shallot or small red onion, halved and thinly sliced

kosher salt

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or Aleppo pepper

3 pounds mussels

1 cup chicken or vegetable broth

1/2 cup dry white wine

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for garnish, optional

      Rinse the mussels under cold running water, scrubbing with a brush, until the water runs clear.  Discard any mussels that are not fully closed or do not close when you give them a gentle tap with your fingernail.

      In a large Dutch oven or 6-quart cooking pot, heat about 2 to 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering.

      Add the garlic and shallots and season with a good pinch of kosher salt.  Add the Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes, if using.  Cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until fragrant (manage the heat to make sure the garlic does not brown).

      Add the mussels and stir them around a bit, then pour in the broth and wine.  Cover the pot and let the mussels steam over medium-high heat for about 5 to 6 minutes or until the mussels open up (give them a quick stir midway through).

      As soon as the mussel shells are open, immediately remove the pot from the heat and stir in the fresh parsley.

      Transfer the mussels and broth to serving bowls and serve immediately with French or Italian bread to the side.  Bowls are important to savor the broth.  I served these with corn o' cob, garlic bread, and a glass of Chardonnay.   

      This was a Cook's Choice selection for me.  Barb doesn't care for them.  It's cool, more for me.  

“People are like mussels. You can put them in a vat of boiling water, and some of them will pop open immediately. Some of them will have to float around in the water for a bit, then they’ll slowly release. Others never open up at all, no matter what sort of hot water they’re in.”

Rhian J. Martin

The Decline of Sustainable Fish Stocks in Alaska

 

      Alaska has long been the destination sought for adventure, sightseeing, hunting, and great fishing opportunities.  We have twice ourselves visited with another possibly scheduled for 2026.  We were initially lured by the prospect of catching a huge 200+ lb. halibut, big as a barn door.  We did end up with 4 fish, all being pretty small, the largest perhaps 25 lbs.  The limit at this time was 2 halibut apiece, one being under 29".       

      Our second trip in 2019 we went salmon, rockfish, and cod fishing out of Seward.  We easily caught our limit of coho with an additional bounty of rockfish and lingcod.  By this time the halibut was shortened by 2 days a week.  This trip proved to us that rockfish and lingcod are the best eating fish out there. 

      When researching this year's limits on fish I discovered the seasons have once again been drastically shortened and catch/possession limits reduced as well.  Everything is cyclic they say. 

      For several years there was even a closure on King Crab as Alaska Department of Fish and Game biologists have decided to close the Southeast Alaska commercial red king crab and blue king crab fishery for the 2023-2025 seasons.  This does not, however affect the larger fishing areas near the Bering Straits. This year’s harvest limit for red king crab from that part of the Bering Sea was set by the state at 2.31 million pounds, up from last year’s 2.15-million-pound quota.  That follows an unprecedented two-year harvest closure in the winters of 2021-2022 and 2022-2023.  The largest forecasting problem here is a migrating biomass.      

     In 2019, Bristol Bay saw a sockeye return of 56.3 million fish, which was 33% higher than the preseason forecast of 40.2 million. Fishermen caught 43 million sockeye out of this total return.  However, Sockeye salmon populations in Alaska, particularly in Bristol Bay, have shown declines in recent years.  In Cook Inlet however, the 2024 commercial harvest of sockeye salmon was 1.87 million fish. In 2025, a run of approximately 6.93 million sockeye salmon is forecast to return to with an estimate of 4.93 million available for harvest.  

      Copper River with perhaps the most famous sockeye run is expected to be strong, with a forecast of 1.965 million fish, 8% above the 10-year average. This forecast includes a wild run of 1.965 million and a hatchery production of 36,000, resulting in a total run of 2.001 million fish.  These fish are renowned for their rich red color resulting from the generous river shed nutrients resulting in exceptional flavor. 

      Bottom fish are another matter.  Let me first say that these fish are the best tasting of all the fish.  With Alaskan Halibut the "harvest down" of halibut refers to a reduction in the number of halibut that can be caught or harvested, either through a decrease in the total allowable catch (TAC) or a change in recreational regulations. This can be due to various factors, including stock assessments showing a decline in the halibut population, in-season actions, or changes in fishing regulations. Folks flock to Alaska, most notably Homer to catch a 200lb+ 'barndoor' for the experience.  The larger fish are nearly always females and each one harvested result in a loss of millions of eggs for future generations.   In actually all halibut is very tasty, however the smaller 'chickens' are most definitely the best. 

      Rockfish, true cod, and Ling Cod limits have to be strictly managed to provide a sustainable resource.  There are growing concerns about declining rockfish and ling cod harvests, leading to management actions like reduced catch limits and seasonal closures in certain areas.  

      Perhaps the most desirable, delicious catch is the Yelloweye rockfish.  Although they look like a large, gaudy goldfish, their flesh is some of the best eating seafood in the world.  Yelloweye rockfish populations in Southeast Alaska experienced a significant decline, leading to the closure of the fishery in 2020, and a subsequent recovery. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game initially reported a 60% decline in yelloweye biomass since the mid-1990s before the closure.  These fish can live 114 to 120 years, so a recovery can take much longer and is more crucial.  Additionally, these fish are taken from DEEP DEPTHS and are less likely to survive if released due to their air bladders.  

      Several factors are credited to the decline of fishing in Alaska, including climate change, overfishing, illegal fishing, increased competition, and economic pressures.  Climate change, particularly warming waters, impacts fish populations and ecosystems, while overfishing strains resources and undermines sustainability. 

      The current limits, days, and guidelines are different for commercial, recreational, and even nonresident fishing.  In Seward, AK fishing regulations generally involve a daily bag limit of two Pacific halibut of any size, but charter vessels may have specific limits. There are also size limits, with charter vessels often having a maximum size limit of 28 inches for one fish. There is no halibut fishing on Tuesdays or Wednesdays.  Salmon fishing is open year-round, with specific limits for king salmon and other species. Lingcod fishing is closed year-round, and any caught must be released. Additionally, certain areas within Resurrection Bay have specific regulations, such as restrictions on fishing for salmon. 

      In Homer, AK halibut fishing on charter vessels have a two-fish daily limit, with one fish being any size and the other being 27 inches or less. There is no halibut fishing on Tuesdays or Wednesdays.  Lingcod fishing is closed until July 1st, with a limit of up to 2 per person, depending on the area. King salmon retention is prohibited in some areas, and anglers may not remove a king salmon 20 inches or longer from the water before releasing it.  In the Lower Cook Inlet area, including Homer, Alaska, the daily rockfish limit is 3 fish per person, with only 1 of those being a non-pelagic rockfish like yelloweye. The possession limit is 6 rockfish per person, with only 2 being non-pelagic. 

      These results, although disappointing are indicative of the type of aggressive management necessary to keep this a sustainable resource.  Sometimes, unfortunately, the balance between commercial and recreational fishing becomes a bit blurred.  What is the current definition of a sustainable resource?  Alaska Fish and Wildlife Services officials have acknowledged concerns about declining fish stocks, attributing some declines to factors like marine heatwaves and changing ocean conditions, as well as overfishing and other management challenges. They emphasize the need for collective efforts, including collaboration between scientists, managers, industry stakeholders, and local communities, to address these issues.  If not addressed now, in the future this exceptional resource may no longer exist.   The United Nations assessment of fisheries estimates that around one-third of the world’s fish stocks are overexploited: these populations are declining because we’re catching more fish than can reproduce.  Of course, with reduced supply will result in increased prices.  

      Of course we want to go again, and of course we want to catch lots of fish, but reality at times dictates differently.  At this point we are still undecided about a trip north in 2026. 

 

"Across all regions we are still seeing a troubling trend of increasing stock collapse"

Dr Boris Worm