How was your Fourth of July--or for that matter, this holiday weekend?
It sure has been different, at least in our part of the country. Instead of having a house full of relatives for a big cookout meal, we had...yep, just my husband and I. And our 80# Golden Retriever Sage, who clung to my side like a limpet because of the fireworks out here in the country. Believe me--it's not easy to be productive with a big, worried dog clinging to me. And it's entirely too easy to fall!
Were you able to get together with your family? Do you have a certain special meal that you enjoy on the Fourth? I usually have potato salad, a big fresh fruit salad, a lettuce salad, crudites, corn on the cob (if it is available yet), garlicky buttered French bread and chicken or ribs on the pellet grill, and/or steaks on the gas grill. It was very simple this year...except for one incredible change!
In our early marriage (the dark ages of the late 1970s) we had a charcoal grill, but then moved "up" to an easy-lighting Weber gas grill and never looked back. We added a pellet grill a couple years ago, for the wonderful smokey flavor. I thought we were set.
But then, a few weeks ago, our daughter and her husband invited us for supper, and made pork steaks on their new Weber charcoal grill.
Oh. My. Goodness! The flavor was amazing!
Smitten, I searched Facebook Marketplace and found a used 22" Weber grill for just $20, and then bought a Weber coal starter chimney, cover and some gadgets at the hardware store. Yesterday, for my birthday, I bought a nice ribeye that my husband and I shared. It was SO good!
Do you like to cook outside? What is your favorite method? I'd love to hear about it! Do you have any favorite rubs and BBQ sauces, or just opt for salt and pepper?
Wishing you all my best for a wonderful Sunday, and a perfect summer. Stay safe and well!
Leave a comment and be in a drawing for a free copy of my newest book
Roxanne Rustand
When I developed a yearning to be a writer, it seemed like an impossible goal. I couldn't imagine actually "getting the call" from an editor. During those next five years, give or take, it seemed like an insurmountable barrier--like scaling Mount Everest barefoot. In the winter. But it also seemed as if once over that first peak, the process would be easier. Surely then I would have learned the necessary skills! I was so naive. I didn't realize that the learning process would continue over the years--which has actually made it all so much more interesting, fun and challenging. Even after twenty years of writing for Love Inspired and other Harlequin lines, I never cease to be fascinated by all that I don't know, and the ways I want to become better.
In September I attended the Novelists Inc annual conference and also the the all-day pre-conference "Un-con" where authors discuss all aspects of being published; sharing what works (or doesn't work) for them. I couldn't take notes fast enough--and by the end of the week, I had filled a spiral notebook. It was wonderful!
I've been learning in other ways this fall. That annual resolution for trying to lose weight usually lasts a day at best, because I'm an avid cook. I love experimenting, love cooking for family and, well...love eating, too. LOL! There are two tall sets of bookshelves in the kitchen plus a smaller one, crammed with over three hundred cookbooks that I've collected over the years, and I subscribe to a number of cooking magazines as well. I love trying out new ethnic restaurants, Do you have an engrossing hobby? It might be better for me if mine didn't involve calories! :)
At any rate, I finally heeded my doctor's advice and got more serious about health at the end of August. Because so many friends have found success with a low carb diet, I've been trying that. And, despite the siren's call of my favorite cookbooks on the shelves and the glossy food magazines that arrive every month, I've found it fun to learn about a new way of thinking.
For instance, I had no idea that there were a number of Facebook groups devoted to low carb eating--and a number of groups are devoted to "chaffles." A new word in my lexicon, but instead of experimenting with a new souffle or unique versions of creme brulee, I've been experimenting with these sweet or savory mini-waffles that have almost no carbs (around 1-3 grams) and can used as, well, a waffle--or as a sub for bread. Or, with sweetener and flavorings, a treat!
Here are the pumpkin-shaped chaffles I made this morning, with this tiny waffle iron. The recipe is so simple, and one of these cuties is just 67 calories, 5 grams of protein and 1 gram of carbohydrate. Two could be a sandwich!
CHAFFLES
1/2 cup shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese
1 egg
Pinch of salt
1 Tbsp almond flour
Seasonings of choice
This morning I added lemon zest, pumpkin pie spice, and a bit of sweetener, but the options for sweet or savory versions are endless.
What do you enjoy doing? Have you developed new interests over the years? Have you tried making positive health changes lately? I would love to hear about what you have been doing!
Leave a comment and you'll be entered in a drawing for my new Love Inspired novel, SNOWBOUND WITH THE COWBOY, which will be out in late December!
All the best,
Roxanne Rustand
