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“I did not keep the yellow dahlia tuber - it was already rotting in places. I will have to keep an eye out for it at the store(s) next spring.”

‘Kelvin Floodlight’ is a Classic, so you should be able to easily find it. ;)

You will love that pot roast. It just falls apart it’s so tender. Perfect for your cheaper cuts of meat - and who doesn’t like a bargain?

Beau had four of the small butternut squash hidden from me, so I’ve got 2 big ones and 4 smalls to use up, now.

He got all of the mulching and winterizing done on the north side of the kitchen, so that’s out of the way and the mower is under cover for the winter, now.

The puppies are adorable (Plott Hounds) and coming along well. Paiute has proven to be a very good mother. Beau made a ramp for them so they can more easily get in and out of the enclosed dog box that is filled with shavings and big enough for Mama and Puppies - for now. It’s going to be ‘interesting’ when I have TWO puppies in the house in a few weeks! ‘Sunshine’ (Walker Dog) that I raised in 2019 is now a Mama and we’re getting one of her pups. She won ALL THE CHAMPIONSHIPS in Minnesota her first year out as a raccoon hunter. Good Girl! :)

Did I mention I still have fresh Parsley in the garden? Also Kale; but it takes a nuclear blast to kill off that stuff. I have a hanging basket in the greenhouse that STILL has white and purple BLOOMING Wave Petunias in it; those won’t last much longer.

Amaryllis are planted and growing, but probably no blooms at Christmastime, though my Thanksgiving Cactus is putting on a show right now and will probably keep blooming until Christmas - lots of buds still coming up. She’s an amazing plant!

Your trip sounds interesting, to say the least. I hate traveling in bad weather, but here’s hopping you get a break for some of the journey.

Just looked at the radar - it’s raining here & there are yellow/red patches to the east that missed us - storm motion is northeast. There is a big yellow patch of heavy rain headed our way - should get here about the time we’re loading food in the truck. Another patch of really heavy rain yellow/red should slip north before it would be east enough to get us. After that patch, it looks like a bit of green, then we’re out into spotty showers for the rest of the trip. By the time we need to head home (5-6 I would guess), we’ll be following the front, so driving ‘should’ be ok - might be some wet snow/ice but just on the mountain.

The baked beans are smelling divine - I think I’ll take them out at 3.5 hours (recipe says 3-4). The bacon on top is looking a bit dark/crispy around the edges - don’t want it too dark/black. The Jiffy corn pudding is in the toaster oven, Cranberry fluff in the fridge. We are taking some cheesecake assortments mom had in the freezer because the pecan pie bars are not cooperating, coming out of the pan.

I’m really tired - didn’t sleep much last night & got up at 5:30. Cooking always takes longer than you think, so I allow ‘extra’ time & it usually turns out to be just right. Coffee is not doing the trick this morning either. Hopefully, seeing everybody, which I am really looking forward to, will perk me up. Last year, mom and I were zombies - 2 weeks after dad’s funeral and we were barely functioning we were so exhausted with everything. I did eat a bunch of fried oysters - that I DO remember! I think they’re having oysters again today .... oh boy! 😋

Fingers crossed my hot dishes will fit in the new casserole carrier!

Have a good day, everybody!

Woo hoo - the 9 x 13 beans are in the casserole carrier & it zipped up easily which was the ‘big test’! I cut two cardboard pieces out of the box my freezer came in .... really heavy cardboard. This protects the lining of the carrier (some shiny stuff) - the instructions on the carrier were to use a tea towel. So one piece of cardboard is on the bottom & one goes on top - casserole dish itself is covered with foil. The cardboard will add extra insulation.

The top compartment also has two pieces of cardboard. The dish is 8 x 8. I bought a potholder/towel set at Walmart - 2 potholders, glove & two dish towels. The dish towels are rolled up & will take up the extra room on each side of the dish so the 8 x 8 doesn’t slide around.

The carrier has a pocket on the outside - the new potholders will go in there, along with 3 serving spoons I picked up when I bought the potholder/towel set ... $.97 each for the serving spoons. The Jiffy corn pudding has 15 minutes to go, but if the 9 x 13 fit, the smaller dish will, too. Whew - glad the carrier is working out as planned - I’ve needed one for years!

I made a 3 lb tri-tip last night in the air fryer. Could have cooked it a little longer for my taste. Came out rare but I like medium rare. I hit the steak button which is 12 minutes and bumped it up to 16. Will try 20 next time. My son must have liked it because he stuffed himself.

I splurge on NY Strip when it’s <$10/lb but generally try to stay under $6-7/lb which doesn’t leave many cuts and no steak cuts. I have the coffee pot roast recipe open in a tab.

Freezing this morning, high up near the mid 40s with gusts to 22 so I’ll be doing housework today. That and a grocery store run which makes me cringe due to the cost.

Store has bottom round rump roast $5.28/lb and ground chuck for $3.98/lb so it looks like pot roast. No Dutch Oven so I’ll use the instant pot for the pot roast. The pressure will be better for the leaner cut.

The ground chuck is also $3.68 in 10lb tube so the $3.98 is probably the same, just repackaged, else they would have chuck roast on sale too.

The ground chuck will be for further work on our taco recipe. I regrind the beef with a fine plate. I’ve been buying the 12 pack of tacos from Taco Bell every couple of weeks but $20 is a bit much so we’re going to start making our own.

Chicken thighs $1.49/lb so those will be on the menu twice this week. Air fryer does them well and is an easy button meal for work nights.(literally push two buttons) We like the air fryer wings even better but they’re hardly ever a good deal.

The old lettuce seeds I broadcast all sprouted but aren’t really growing much nor are the Bok Choy. Should have started the bok choy indoors and got them to 4-6” for the head start and then transplanted them. Started way too late anyway and didn’t expect much results. That’s why I only did a few of each and am saving the rest of the seeds for Spring.

Never could get a reading out of the rocketbombplane wind sensor for wind speed. I had my doubts that a multimeter would work. I tried my oscilloscope but it’s old and I’m no expert at using one so who knows. I may have to buy a part for it but I won’t know for sure until I get the $400 controller that it will be connected to in the end. I need that regardless, no matter what wind speed sensor is used. I can get a refurbished 3 cup anemometer that’s a good brand name for $30 to get by with if the rocketbombplane doesn’t work and then fix that whenever. The wind vane/direction works on it.

Gonna pick up another load of firewood tomorrow and then I can transform my truck back into a crane for lifting high tunnel trusses to set them. I’m ready to set #3. Thurs and Fri look decent(as of now) for working on holes for #4 and maybe getting it set.

Maybe this should be the weekly gardening/cooking thread most of the year and transform into the weekly cooking/gardening thread by Winter. LOL