Who eats Chili for Thanksgiving?

 

A few weeks ago Taylor was in the kitchen cooking chili. Typically she has a recipe and special ingredients she bought. I had a bowl of it and it reminded me of my Mom's chili, a staple on Halloween and every Fall weekend. I thought what was the spice profile? Mom's was a bunch of outdated McCormik bottles in the cabinet. Ingredients for both her and Mom were Walmart or the Jewel Store.

So for Thanksgiving meal I asked her to reprise the chili. My ingredients organic kidney beans, tomato sauce and Thomas Farms 85/15 grass fed ground beef. Later I find out it's from Australia. Got it from Rouses Biloxi. I prefer my Dutch Meadows ground brisket more but they are sold out most likely due to tailgaters in the local Philly PA area. lol Today they are sad as Da Bears beat them yesterday.

Secret Ingredient

Yes that Carol Shelby, he was great at vintage sportscars pretty good at Chili spice kits. Not sure how he got Mom's recipe lol. No wait she never wrote anything down. He was lucky I guess.

Just Delicious!

Here's the finished product in my 9" Churchill Stonecast coupe bowl. Delicious. Had leftovers and froze a small container.

Hmmm how did this get in here? Chicken Salad Chicks cracker packets made and distributed by Kelloggs Battle Creek. Most likely standard private label restaurant variety. Might as well get your condiments free from restaurants and grocery stores. I did.

Thanks Taylor, your becoming quite the Chef/Baker coming a long way from the Homemaker kids kitchen stove and garage full of Hospitality Place samples.

Jay's Potato Chips "can't stop eating them"

 

Jay's potato chips had this sign on the expressway to Chicago. We didn't drive by it much as kids but when we did. I would scream "named after me". Lol my Mom would buy us Lay's and we would get a little baggy full. Some Tuesday's a nickel bag of Peerless from the bowling alley in our brown bag lunch. Mom said Jay's was too greasy...lol Oscar Mayer too (we had Eckrich). Now they've both been sold. The girls bought this bag online from Target. It was very thoughtful.

 Not the same. I've moved on to Kettle Chips ironically owned by Campbell Soup since 2018. When original recipes and companies sell to conglomerates and profit is the motive over taste and experience. Not the same. 

Peerless Potato Chips once made on 11th Ave in Gary IN...permanently closed. Maybe maybe not.

Hidden on the Gulf Coast... Sugar Pop Baking Co.

So first the backstory. The girls were shopping Saturday and planned to buy me pastries for early Father's Day celebration. They are taking next week off to see the Savanah Bananas Baseball team play at home. The bakery they were going too closed before they got there so they stopped at Sugar Pop Bakery Co. in Waveland MS. It's owned by Renee and Darren Loranger. Renee has been a winner on the Food Network Halloween Baking Championship Season 7 and Finalist on Season 6. I got to meet her yesterday. Saturday the girls bought me the Chocolate Eclair, Caramel and Chocolate Cupcakes and we split the Fruit Tart below. Renee gave them the fruit tart as they were closing soon and couldn't store the remainder product. They are closed on Sundays. But today is about sandwiches. This weeks special the Cuban, BLT and Smashburger.

 

First up the Cuban. Darren explained to the girls he researched the popular Florida sandwich and tested it repeatedly. He thought he got it right. I judged it perfect and it beat my favorite from Bracato's in Tampa. Granted Bracato's typically had off season professional baseball players there for lunch but we're talking sandwiches. Each bite you tasted mustard and pickle. The pork soft fleshy goodness, lightly salted ham and melted cheese. Thumbs up Chef.

The BLT was also perfect, the premium bacon extending the sides of the sandwich and crisp. The bread toasted and the sauce and condiments plentiful. 

Smashburger a "homerun", soft perfect sized sesame bun two huge patties of delicious burger meat, cheese, sauce lettuce pickle tomato. All over the plate tasty.

The sandwiches came with Kettle Chips...a ton of them. The cost more than reasonable and we'll probably get 9 meals out of my three sandwiches and chips for a week.

It's rare that I don't find something that I would change but nope those 3 sandwiches were/are superbly done. When I was Edward Don's National Account Manger for Rich Melman's Lettuce Entertain You, Richard sent his crew to Mexico for the Summer to get authentic recipes for the Hat Dance Restaurant on Huron Ave Chicago. I even sent the Pullman trash cans out to be painted at a local body shop to get the color right. So when Darren told the girls he researched the Cuban...I had to have one. Job well done Chef.

PS I did take pictures myself but the ones I got from sugarpopbakingco.com were much better. I did like mine though a typical culinary mess in my 9" coupe bowls spread across the countertop.

AMX #13188 45 Years Later

 

I was researching as I do every few years... googling my old cars by Vin number or in this case of the 1969 AMX by dash plaque number 13188. Well it turned up last night 45 years after I bought it on the AMX Registry. Below is the dash plaque picture the current owner posted along with the car today. (current owner photos)

These current pictures were taken at a local Car Show on the East Coast. To see all photos go to Americanmotorsinfo.com click on search and enter 13188.

My part of the 1969 AMX #13188 story begins around 1978. I was attending Michigan State Hotel School. I found out about this 1969 AMX. I was more of a MOPAR guy and still am but my buddy Gene Nawrocki, where I worked fresh out of high school had a 304 Gremlin. I tried to buy a new Javelin back then but the dealer pricing fell through. This AMX opportunity probably came from the Lansing State Journal ads.

I drove out to Charlotte MI just south of Lansing and bought it, bringing it home to my apartment in Okemos. Pictured below is the AMX with my 67 Camaro and 71 Cutlass Supreme. I bought a house in Lansing shortly there after with a 1 car garage. I rented 2 rooms out to buddies, one had a 71 Z28 and I had traded the Camaro for a chopped 73 Triumph Bonneville Motorcycle by then. Still in school and working at Frandor Mall and then Lansing Mall in the Sears and Wards Auto Centers part time.

Over a period of a couple years I began work on the AMX. It was originally a Alamosa Aqua (irid 68A) with White stripes Go Package car. 390 cubic inches and a Hurst 4 speed. Basically a racing package schooled in Kenosha WI by the likes of Mark Donahue and crew. While in the Army (1973-1977) I saw Mark race at Nurburgring Germany, the last Gran Prix of Germany held there and his last race. He was killed in practice the following week in Austria. He was a great racer and AMC guy (his name sake javelin).

A friend of a friend recommended I get the heads done by the engineers at the Oldsmobile plant in Lansing. Ported and polished, new guides. I replaced  the clutch with American Perfection parts and added headers. My dentist's son owned a body shop and he did the body in Black with Gold stripes. Painted bumpers and carved the rear quarters into the existing curvature (big tires) and the interior was completely redone in Black/Charcoal. Gold Cragar Supertricks rounded out the package. The AMX was "GO FAST" and sparsely decorated. lol FYI everyone in MI were racers. 

 

Finished restoration pictured in Atlanta. 

About that time I graduated, sold the house and went to work for Edward Don and Company setting up the new Atlanta Office as their district manager. The moving package included my stuff and the AMX packed in the semi trailer. It was pretty cool unloading it in ATL. The car was covered and parked on a concrete pad behind the rental house on Drew Valley Rd. Yes some street racing was done on weekends. Finally it became my daily driver as the Don HR people kept asking me to chauffer them around ATL when they came down to recruit. The AMX was my excuse, lol sorry only two seats. So I sold my Buick Le Sabre Chocolate colored coupe. Hey it was the 80's. 

When my stent was up in Atlanta I headed back to NW Indiana rejoining Edward Don's National Account Office in North Riverside IL. On the way I spent the summer doing specialized sales in Cincinnati. I raced the AMX once at Tri County Dragway there. I sold the AMX to a guy who lived in Highland Indiana in the mid 80's. 

Next up was this 1988 Mustang 5 liter ironically faster and more modern in the logistics, electronics and chassis set up than the AMX. Ordered to be converted to drag racing by a customer at the Ford dealer in South Holland IL I got it for about $13,000 and put 250,000 miles on it. I traveled the midwest in sales mainly MI, OH and KY. The company compenstated me for the mileage. It paid for itself 4 times over. It would easily run 137 MPH on the Indiana Toll road.

Now my daughter and I have matching 2011 Dodge Nitro Heats. Vintage with less than 80,000 miles. We belong to the MOPAR club out of New Orleans and enjoy the annual cruising the coast celebrations.

It was pretty cool to find the AMX again and remember the fun times and the one time I ran out of gas in East Lansing. Steve (work buddy) and I pushed it to the gas station. Oh and once I took it to a meeting in Grand Rapids and the throttle cable broke. I fabbed a replacement on the spot from my suit coat hanger. Replacing it of course when I got back. You could do that in those days. Craftsmen Tools.

Vaya con Dios Paddy Wagon

There goes the 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan alias "Paddy Wagon" after retiring here in a comfortable parking space it was donated to Vehicles for Veterans the Gary Sinise charity he touts on TV.

I would be remiss if I didn't tell the Paddy Wagon story one more time. We lived in Punta Gorda FL. I traveled extensively owning a company selling mainly dinnerware from England to hotels, resorts and casinos. Carmen had a Suzuki XL7 and I drove a Lincoln Touring Sedan. I traded the touring sedan to get her a Mitsubishi Montero and eventually drove the Montero myself. The Air Conditioning was going out in the Montero and I had spied a Dodge Grand Caravan at the Miami Dodge dealer online. Well, the AC gave out in Miami and I drove it into the dealer thinking I'll trade for the minivan.

I covertly began the sales transaction saying just looking thanks...I did see a White Grand Caravan online. May I see it? SOLD. Hmmm of course it was. They showed me PW next. It had 45 thousand miles on it and was under a premium warranty. We cut a deal I left the Montero there. Off we went.

The following week we tripped to Jackson MS and on the way had a few mini problems but made it back home, where the Punta Gorda Dodge dealer went over it. Wow! $3500 worth of warranty covered problems (billed to Miami). That made my cost basis about 12K. Nice and I drove it with the understanding and AAA, that if we broke down PW would be left at the nearest Dodge dealer. 

Nearly 200 K miles later here we are. One of the best most comfortable minivans ever. Stow and Go seats turned the back into a covered pickup truck bed. We styled and profiled across the USA south for about 8 years. Doing shows in New Orleans and visiting my sick Mom in NW Indiana. A great ride.

PW was originally slated to be Taylor's first car but she took me to the Tampa Dodge dealer instead and picked out her own 2011 Dodge Nitro Heat alias "Thunder". So, PW stayed with me on the road and we did nicely virtually no repairs as business and territory increased. Sidebar Taylor did fail her first drivers test in PW calling him a "dump truck".

Pictured left is PW with the Dodge boys grouping, Thunder on the end and Lightning my 2011 Dodge Nitro Heat. The Heats have Scatpack plates and we belong to the NOLA Mopar Group. Yes Father/ daughter Nitros. The Nitros have only 80k miles each. Vintage baby!

The covid scare put PW on hiatus with a sunny berth on the "Gulf of America" Long Beach (no... the other Long Beach MS). He sunbathed and rode Taylor's dog around the complex and to the beach lol 1 block away a couple times. I was reminded numerous times to find PW a new home. Friday April 30th the auction guys in Moss Point MS are going to be offering him up to new owners. He's online and available. Vaya con Diaos PW!

Breakfast Burrito but CRAVING Chili

 

OK!  So I woke up craving Chili, and why not it's 39 degrees in MS. Do I want to make it? No way. As we discussed in previous blog postings the term "mis en place"... the French culinary term meaning to gather or put your things in place. Earlier in the week I insta-potted pinto beans with organic onions, white pepper, and garlic powder. A week or so prior (see brisket post) I sauteed the DM Farms grass fed grass finished ground brisket and froze it. Yep, there was just enough... 4 ounces left. A half individual size sticky rice and 2 green onions also. Irish Cheddar Cheese (A2C) in thin shards. Mixed in the Libbey glass bowl. Seasoned with Chili powder it became the Breakfast Chili Burrito filling.

I assembled in my 9" coupe bowl... the DM Einhorn Ancient Flour Sourdough tortilla and a couple spoon fulls of Publix Organic (Greenwise) medium hot salsa. lol Apologies for the pictures I woke up hungry. Chuckles. It was good and I have enough filling for 2 more.

While I did that I also made our weekly veges dish, layered carrots, broccoli, cauliflower and onions. Spritzed with Olive Oil and my 3 seasonings. Garlic powder, white pepper and sea salt. Got some DM Farms Chicken soup in the fridge too. Good with sourdough croutons or with a half sticky rice. I had that for breakfast/lunch yesterday. Usually eating at 10 and 2-3 pm. Til next time Bon Appetit!