The Sandwich Project

      I have spent the past 3 years working on my next book.  A departure from my past photo essays or coffee table books, this is a non-fiction documentary.  This project has intrigued me for quite awhile and although I know the subject has already been done several times I decided to accept the challenge.  I am a conservative, but a firm believer in lending a helping hand to my fellow man when in need.  I enjoyed the challenge of research as well as travel and interviewing people.  I was amazed comparing the various causes, symptoms, and public/governmental reactions and responses.

      The Sandwich Project is a book about the homeless in America.  I traveled to and researched 3 different metropolitan areas, but found the causes to be pretty much synonymous across the country.  These aren't rich people, poor people, or any other particular demographic.  The only common denominator I could ever find were a wide variety of health care issues as well as significant percentages of domestic abuse, evictions, and age.  They are all Americans, yet there is a wide divide in Americans opinions, including government, as how to fix this.

  

      I researched and documented results from the cities of Detroit, Seattle, and Minneapolis.  The populations I discovered were not at all the same demographically and neither is the assistance available to help let alone save these folks.  Unfortunately they are a pawn within the system; at best political capital identified as needing our help, but without much results after the elections.  The vast majority of them survive only due to volunteers and private donations.  Yet some have simply chosen to live apart from society, sometimes blaming us for their ills.  As a people we are more alike than we are different.  You will be surprised as to how close 'homelessness' can be for any of us.  The cost to save these people is not as astronomical as you can imagine.  In fact the stats within will surprise you.  The book has finished editing.  I am meeting with several different commercial publishers for manuscript submission and hopefully a contract or I will meet with my current publisher.  It should be out in early spring.  I am proud of this work and invite you to read this book.  The results will open your eyes, hopefully as well as your heart.

"Let your love be the kindness to make a homeless person believe that a soul needs something more than just four walls and a ceiling"  

Munia Khan

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Quarantine at Home Series: Michigan Modified Cajun

      Such is the nature of 'fusion style' cooking, trying to meld two different cuisines that at the very least compliment each other.  Boudin is very near to the heart of Cajun cuisine and Pasties originated from the early Welsh miners in the UP of Michigan.  The UP culture is a singularly unique one of the outdoors and all that can be made of it and enjoyed no matter what.  I made this once before on a whim and it came out very well.  We both loved it.  Now, Boudin may be a bit difficult to obtain outside of the south, but you may be surprised.  It is a pork/rice sausage with spices; delicious.  For the pasty crust I simply used the Pillsbury boxed crusts.  This makes 2 pasties.

2 pounds boudin
2 Pillsbury pie crusts
1/2 cup diced taters
1/4 cup shredded carrots
1/4 cup chopped celery
4 sliced crumbled bacon
1 to 2 chopped jalapenos (canned fire roasted Hatch chiles work well too)
1 egg
extra virgin olive oil (as needed)
shredded cheddar cheese
brown gravy for serving (mix or homemade)

      First of all remove a single pie crust from the box and place on counter to warm.  Place the diced taters in a small sauce pan and par boil.  Then chop the bacon and fry in a cast iron skillet (my FAV) till crisp, but not burnt. Remove.  Slice the Boudin and simmer on medium low.  Add olive oil as needed.  It will break apart as it cooks and that is fine.  Add the bacon bits, taters, celery, and jalapenos, reduce and simmer for about 20 minutes on low.

Simmerin' boudin mix

      While the mix simmers, remove the pie crust from it's wrapper and roll out on counter to warm and lay flat.  Break egg and whisk in bowl, reserve. When ready, layer the boudin mixture and the shredded carrots on the inner part of ONE HALF of the pie crust.  The goal here is to be able to fold the crust and crimp edges while keeping mix inside.

Layered and ready to stuff n seal

      The final step is to sprinkle shredded cheddar over the mix before sealing the crust.  Then, fold the crust over from empty towards filled side and match edges.  Crimp with fork and brush entire crust with butter.  Finish by placing fork holes about 4 different place on top of crust to let steam escape.  

Ready for the oven

      Using a plastic turner or spatula carefully place the pasty on a baking cookie sheet.  Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes.  Remove and serve warm with brown gravy.  

Finis' with Brown Gravy 

      The summer isn't over yet folks and as much as it hasn't been all we hoped it is still a time of good weather and family time in the outdoors of our great state.  I still hope that you wear your masks when you are inside public areas.  Pandemic numbers have spiked once again in our county and climbing mostly due to the influx of tourism.  I realize this is a mainstay of our local economy, but use common sense and protection when you need.  God bless and Bon Appetit'. 

It's not pay stree

It's not pay stees

It's PASS TEE

Yooper food of the Gods

Unknown

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Quarantine at Home Series: Crawfish Potatoes

      Good God, I love Cajun and Creole cuisine. This is a simple casserole that combines several easily accessible ingredients that are always available locally including the crawfish...….at Walmart in the frozen seafood section.  Comfort food at it's finest.

1 pound crawfish tail meat (available at Walmart)
4-5 Russet potatoes
2 cans cream o' shroom soup
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
Creole seasoning and hot sauce to taste

      For this recipe I used a bag of small redskins.  Slice potatoes 1/8 to 1/4 inch slices, in large casserole bowl. Toss them with a lot of olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, red pepper, and garlic salt.  Heat soup in medium saucepan. To this soup add chopped crawfish and onions. Add cheese to potato mixture and toss when mixed well. Pour soup mixture over this.  Top with green onions for garnish.

Crawfish, cheese, taters, green onions, cream o' shroom soup ready to go in the oven

      Cover with foil and cook for about 1-1/2 hours at 350F. Check in about 1 hour. Uncover and let it brown for the time you see fit.

Finis ala plate w/biscuits

"Gretchen Witmer wouldn't know comfort food unless it was obtained from counties north of Detroit"  

(Quote currently awaiting validation) 

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Escape from Quarantine: Joe's Gizzard City Potterville, MI

      We've been good staying at home thus far, maybe a bit over cautious, but at some point in time everybody breaks down, decides to get out, explore, take a drive, maybe even freaks out, and just GET THE HELL OUT OF THE HOUSE.  Yeah, we still have a few quarantine restrictions here, but regardless we just bolted for some US TIME.  We had to drop the RV off at a repair shop for some long overdue Alaskan Highway repairs so we just kept heading a bit further south.
      It is no secret that I love chicken, especially gizzards!  I'm not even going into the anatomy of gizzards except to say you either love them or you don't.  Watching a recent edition of Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives I discovered this place.  Not that far from us and certainly worth a get away.  We drove 2 1/2 hours to Lansing and checked into a motel where we can bring our pets as well.  Our destination was not much further.  Joe's Gizzard City is located in Potterville, MI and made famous by the TV show.  Those of the Islamic faith may point their prayer blankets towards Mecca, but I tend to point my tummy towards a good chicken gizzard joint.  Although it can be a trigger food for my gout if I eat too many or too often, they are my weak point, located well within my blind spot.

Joe's Gizzard City Potterville, MI

      Of course due to the governmental restrictions for COVID-19 dining in was limited so we called in our order and took it back to the motel.   www.gizzardcity.com/  Although it looked like a small place it was indeed a pretty small bar with some tables.  We chose take out to go back to the A/C in the hotel.  It was ready when we arrived.  Great service, friendly staff.  Unfortunately we missed the 2020 Potterville Gizzard Fest the following weekend as well.
      They do offer much more than just gizzards, which made my bride quite happy as well including a Triple D Burger in honor of their appearance on the show.  They do offer 6 different styles of gizzards to include regular, Cajun, Garlic n Herb, Tex Mex, Naked Fried, and Naked Nuked.  www.gizzardcity.com/menu/

Traditional Style Gizzards w/FF and Cocktail Sauce

Loaded Crispy Chicken Smasher

Roux's Chicken Fingers and Fries

      Barb got the Loaded Crispy Chicken Smasher while of course I got the Gizzard Dinner Traditional Style and we got Roux the Repuplican the Chicken Fingers & Fries.  She deserved it as the best navigator all day.  We found the food to be excellent except they did not include plastic utensils.  Barb loved her meal as did I.  In fact the best gizzards I've ever had was in Alaska and these were better than that!   Roux had no comment.  How the hell could she?  Her mouth was full from start to finish.  In fact the Chicken Fingers are supposed to be 3 per box, but when they found it was for our pup they included 6.  Total price for our meal: $32.  One of these days I would love to visit here once again during the Potterville Gizzard Fest.  It's my kind of small country event;  good food, atmosphere, and friendly folks.  Keep wearing those masks and practice social distancing, sanitization, and common sense folks.  We are all together and can get through this.  This one gets the FULL MONTY.  

"Politics is the gizzards of society, full of gut and gravel"

Henry David Thoreau

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