Here Fishy Fishy!

I was able to find some time to take the canoe out to the West Harpeth this weekend for a 4 hour tour.
The first three hours were a little uneventful.  The fishing has been slow lately but even the good holes seemed dried up.  I managed to land 3 sun fish...yes 1 fish an hour!  I almost turned around and went home at that point because I had a long portage to the next hole, but knowing the next hole is always active, I figured I would make the trip.  I push pulled and drug the yak for the 300 yards or so and hopped in.  Right off the bat I landed 2 small small mouth and 2 or 3 good sized redeye.  I then caught a fish I had never seen before, I was very intrigued so I took some picks of her.

Come to find out, it's a black crapie and it must have washed out from someones farm pond during the flood.
I only wish I had know this sooner and I would have kept him instead of sending him back.  Luckily, I know where he lives! :)

I then fished the rest of the hole catching a few more redeye until I felt a little tug on the end of my line and saw the line moving sideways quickly.  I knew something big was moving with my bait, but I also knew setting the hook in a kayak is NOT easy!  I have missed more fish since I started using it.  So I was patient and set the hook hard and fast!  The next 5 min was frantic.  The fish pulled my yak around the Harpeth in circles.  Once he came the the surface looking like he had given up, only to make another run...deep into some brush.  I thought he had broken me off, but after probing the bottom with my rod tip, he surfaced again to give me one good ariel show and then slowly gave in and got in the boat with me.  The hard work payed off, the biggest fish I have caught in the Harpeth.

The long paddle upstream into the wind, was very easy after such a great fish!

Lindsey's 29th Birthday Dinner!

Happy Birthday to my beautiful wife!

Okra-and-Corn Maque Choux

Makes 4 Servinds in about 20min.

1 Andoulle Sausage, the spicier the better!
1 Cup Chopped Sweet Onion
1 Cup Chopped Bell Pepper
4 Garlic Cloves
1/2 Fresh Jalapeno (if you want more spice)
2 Ears Fresh Corn, cut Kernels off the cob.
2 Cups Sliced Fresh Okra (add salt and pepper)
4 diced tomato's

1.  Saute sausage in a large skillet over med-high hear until browned.
2. Add onion, Bell Pepper, Garlic, and Jalapeno
3. Cook untill Veggies are tender
4.  Add Corn, Okra, and tomato
5.  Cook, stirring often, for about 10-15 min.
6.  Add Salt and pepper and serve!

I was going to take a pic, but there were no leftovers.
Serve with: Garlic Mashed Potatoes
This is one of the best summer dishes I have come across!

For Desert....Berry Trufle!

For the Berries
1 Pint Blueberries
1 Pint Strawberries, sliced in half
1 Pint Raspberries
1/2 Cup Sugar
2 Teaspoons Cornstarch
Juice of 1 Lemon

For the Lemon Cream
1 Cup Heavy Cream
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 C Lemon Curd (Its in the isle with the Jams)

1/2 of a pound cake.

1.  Combine all the ingrediance For the Berries in a saucepan over Med-High Heat.
2.  Bring to a simmer and cook until berries break down and are warm (about 5 min.)
3.  Take berries off heat and let cool.

4.  In a glass bowl, whip cream, sugar, and vanilla to soft peaks.  (use a hand mixer!)
5.  Put Lemon curd into a second bowl and mix in some of the whipcream till loose.
6.  Fold in the rest of cream.

Assembleage:
Spoon a layer of lemon cream into a wine glass, add a layer of pound cake (breaking as needed to fit), add layer of berries and juice.  Make 3 or 4 layers finishing with layer of lemon cream.  Cover and Refrigerate for about an hour or until ready to serve!

Fist Pump Friday!

I spent my Fist Pump Fiday doing a little bit of weeding and cleaning in the yard.  I found a great Garter snake while doing it,  he was about 4' long.  I could not snap a pic, I know he lives in the wood pile so I will be ready with the camera next time.

Did you know that the garter is the most common snake in America, and the only snake that lives in Alaska!

It's the summer...and it's HOT

Not much to do in the yard when its this hot.  Grass does not need to be mown (not like I would do it when it was 100 degrees anyways!)  All I can do is sit around and dream of all the things I want to do when spring gets here!  So, I have spent most my time in doors driving my wife insane every time I decide to repaint the kitchen or some project that needs to be done just because I have nothing else to do.

Kitchen Redo

Happy Independence Day! oh yea and...FIST PUMP FRIDAY!

What a great 4th weekend!
First off my beautiful family will be growing by 1 in November and this weekend we were able to announce to our families that we are having a baby boy! 

I am so excited to have a son!

To celebrate my dad came down and we went fishing on the Harpeth.  We slayed the fish and caught lots of nice small and large mouth bass.

My dad, first fish of the day

Right after that, I got my first fish of the day

The Harpeth is actually a beautiful River!

The next day my buddy Matt and I did the same float as I had done the day before.  Since I knew there were big fish in the areas we were fishing, we decided to only use larger bait to catch the big fish....and we caught big fish...Probably between 20-30 small and large mouth and some of the biggest Red-Eye Bass I have ever seen.

Matt and his 4lbs Large Mouth.  In another river this fish would have easily been 6lbs!

At night I have been slowly working on redecorating our kitchen.

What color do you like?

Repainted the trim and the walls.                                Redecorated the kitchen

Cabinets removed and ready to be sanded primed and repainted

The paint store is closed this weekend so this is where I leave you for now!

HAPPY FIST PUMP FRIDAY!

Simply the BEST Summer Spaghetti!

If you have a garden you can grow most of these ingredients and have the best fresh summer meal ever!

First pick of the year!

Spaghetti with Summer Squash and Tomatoes!

Things you need:

Kosher Salt

1 zucchini, sliced into thin rounds

1 summer squash, sliced into thin rounds

1 pint cherry tomatoes

1 onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tsp chopped oregano

1/4 C EVOO

S &P

1 LBS Spaghetti

Arugula leaves

3/4 Parmigiana-Reggiano cheese

1.  Bring large pot of salted water to a boil.

2.  Preheat oven to 400 Degrees

3.  Combine zucchini, squash, tomatoes, onion, garlic and oregano in a large bowl.  Add EVOO S&P to taste and toss.

4.  Empty onto a baking sheet and roast for 10-15 min, until squash is tender and caramelized.

5.  Empty into a large pasta bowl and cover to keep warm

6.  Add spaghetti to water and cook until al dente

7.  Add 1/4 C spaghetti water to the veggies.

8.  Drain the spaghetti and add noodles to the veggies

9.  Add arugula and Parm and plenty of black pepper and toss.

10.  Add salt as desired and serve!

Ain't Ja Mommas Pancakes!

Just finished devouring these and I must say, they are some of the best I have ever had.
"What are the best you have ever had, Connor?"
Well it is funny you asked that.  The best I have ever had were in San Fransisco at a little hole in the wall, Dottie's True Blue Cafe'.  After waiting in line for at least an hour or two, you will be served some of the best home cooked breakfast EVER!  Don't believe me, watch this video and tell me you don't want to wait in live 2 hours a day (Lind's and I did 3 times) to get you some of this!
Diners Drive-ins, and Dives-Dottie's True Blue Cafe'.

Ok, so the reason I make that shout out is to tell you that the 3 times we went, we had to order some of the pancakes to figure out what it was they put on them to make them so amazing!  Their secret ingredient...

The Cakes:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 1/4 cups milk
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions
1.In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.
2. Pour in the milk, egg and melted butter; mix until smooth.
3. Let stand for 10 min.
4. Heat a lightly oiled griddle to 350.
5. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake.
6. Brown on both sides...Serve with butter, syrup, and the secret ingredient...

Secret ingredient...My Version of Dottie's Mix:
1T Powdered Sugar
1 tsp Sugar
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Ginger
splash of Nutmeg.

Sprinkle onto and serve!