Home on the Range November Highlights

I'll be blogging a lot on the road in November. I'm doing a class for the Academy and then have a few short hops here and there to testify and do some follow up work on some old cases. The posts will be posting, thanks to my own little laptop.

Strong Willed

I survived another day at Academy. Imagine a class made up of predominately ex veteterans, many special forces or fighter pilots. As usual, I'm the lone female. So yes, it wasn't a happy bunch today. But we kept going. That's what we do. We "gun nuts clinging to our religion" as we were called during the election.. We take stock in what is right, gird our loins (well I adjusted mine after I sat in my chair too long) and we keep on going. We don't have hysterics and consult our psychics or have vapors like some people did with the thought that McCain might win. We'll keep going, and plan for our future.

I mentioned writing a will at 40, I have no idea where it's at, and perhaps should think about writing another one.. Hopefully I'll live another half century or so, but things happen and with my parents quite elderly and my daughter, not legally my inheritor, as I gave her up for adoption when I got pregnant at 19, I probably need to spell it all out. At least so we know who would get custody of my gun and cookbook collection as well as making my best girl friend legal custodian of Barkley. But if I'd had my way, my will would simply have been this. . .

Brigid's Living Will

I BRIGID D, being of sound mind and body, do not wish to be kept alive indefinitely by artificial means. Under no circumstances should my fate be put in the hands of pinhead politicians who couldn't pass seventh-grade biology if their life depended on it, or the hands of the doctors/lawyers who want to run up my already huge hospital bill. If a reasonable amount of time passes and I fail to ask for at least one of the following:


A frosty IPA
A Medium Rare Steak
A Terry Pratchett novel
My laptop for blogging
Bladerunner, or Firefly and the Remote
My 1911-A1
Reloading goodies
Fresh boxes of .223
My AR-15 with new PRS stock
A Omlette with Bacon and Cowboy Potatoes
Cheese
Dark Chocolate
or a long slow deep kiss

it should be presumed that I won't ever get better. When such determination is reached I hereby instruct my appointed person and attending physicians to pull the plug, reel in the tubes and call it a day. Note: if the "Rev." Jesse Jackson shows up at my bedside, someone, please just shoot me and make it quick. At this point, it's time to call simply ask my friends to raise their glasses and toast the good times we had, preferably after an honorary range match. Don't buy flowers. Give the money to a good conservative military organization. . . . if there's any left.


Signature: ___________________________


Date: ___________________________


P.S. I hear that in the Scotland they have a Nursing Home with a Pub. The patients are happier and they have a lot more visitors

SOMETIMES YOU'RE THE WINDSHIELD, SOMETIMES YOU'RE THE BUG

I flew out today, and after 4 hours on an airplane I'm settled in safety at my hotel. No work today other than the search for a perfect steak somewhere. Most days I do have a beautiful drive to work, through open countryside, cornfields, and barns for most of the way. It was a nice change from my drive through the city where I used to live, where, with the roads I was on, the little VW was a fun little vehicle. This beautiful drive now involves the above country roads head on traffic, usually doing 50-60 mph on narrow pavement that may have had a plow sometime this month. There are also several four way stops through which some people sometimes don't. . . stop. With my county growing fast, the number of vehicles taking this route into the city is increasing.

When I first moved from living right in the city to a more rural smallish town, I was almost twice smooshed by another, much larger, car piloted by a driver inattentive or coping with some unexpected ice. We stopped before paint met, but the screaming of brakes and the image of something much bigger on the automotive food chain filling my window got my attention. Driving home one night in heavy rain and fog, I realized that not only was I only a few feet from the oncoming traffic but that I was essentially looking directly UP at their license plate as my car was about the size of a shopping cart. If they went over centerline, I was toast. Plain and simple.

I've lost a family member in a vehicular accident in a small car. It's something that shadows my mind. Sure I get 30 plus miles to the gallon, but what good is leaving a smaller carbon footprint if I have no footprint to leave. Yes, you don't need a 5 ton SUV to drive to the store in suburbia or to take one child to soccer. I DO need one out here in the country on less than stellar roads. So I did the math. With the miles I drive, including car pooling with a coworker with a large truck who lives a mile away, I'm only going to use an extra 25 gallons a month to commute and go shopping and see friends in the city once or twice a month. So before the Fall and Winter set in I bought a truck. Al Gore will have to get over it.

So what did I get? The Secret Service uses GM. They're good robust vehicles for the mission. They've got good electronics and transmissions. But that's a bit TOO big for what I need, though I do haul stuff for the Range. So my final choice - a Chevy Silverado, with the bigger engine. 5,967 cc, 6 liters, V 8 front engine with 101.6 mm bore, 92 mm stroke, 9.4 compression ratio, overhead valve and two valves per cylinder LQ4 for those of you that think that way. Four wheel drive. Four door extended cab. Truck liner. 2800 pound payload (I can haul some GEAR in this thing) It's a 2007, with only 22,000 miles. I got a good price. (well good is relative in quality large vehicles. It was more than my old car and less than purchasing say, Vermont.) And it's black with tinted windows in the back.

For those covert missions to Fresh Market.

BLOG MEET

AS USUAL, IT WAS A BLAST, Roberta X HAS ALL THE DETAILS.

THE DAY STARTED WITH FUEL -
BLACK CHEVY TRUCK AND THE ROAD:

ALWAYS HARD TO LEAVE THE COMFORT OF A SMALL TOWN FOR THE BIG CITY:


BUT IT'S TIME TO MEET ALL THE KEWL KIDS IN TOWN:


BRIGID CAPTURES THE GROUP WITH HER CAMERA. IN ADDITION TO THE USUAL BLOGGER GANG, WE HAD ROBD AND MR. AND MRS. K, (on the left), READERS AND LOCAL SHOOTERS, LOKI and and MAD SAINT JACK CAME IN FROM OUT OF TOWN. THE TURONISTAN AWARD FOR THE BLOGGER THAT TRAVELED THE FARTHEST. It's a large china mug with a pattern of three red stripes, the widest marked in silver with the traditional Turnonistani symbols of friendship and hospitality: six "bullet hole" symbols, three each side of a single stalk of wheat. Some others that traveled got little concealable squirt guns from Roberta.
WHEN GEEKS GET TOGETHER. WE HAVE TOOLS FOR EVERYTHING.

BRIGID GOES FOR A QUICK SHOT AT AHAB WITH THE SQUIRT GUN.

SMALL BOAR FUN

It started last weekend. My friends and I were scouting around and spotted this place, Locally Grown Gardens, a cool little farm market operated by Indy chef Ron Harris. It is in what appears to be an old gas station, completely revamped and spotlessly clean. Check out the website, lots of interesting food ideas and recipes using local fare. What caught our eye as we drove past and almost missed it, were the books in the window. Turned out to be a great old collection of cookbooks.There was produce and the best apple cider I've ever had in my life. Served up icy cold, in cups and sippy straws to go. Great if you've been biking or hiking the Monon Trail. Lots of produce, all locally grown, at decent prices. Baked goods, their own bread, rolls and noodles and fruit.

Then, we saw the sign. The words Hog Roast to hungry shooters is like ringing the dinner bell.

So today we went back. After a little detour.

I like my new Ruger Mark III. I like it a lot.


The trigger was nice, and the groupings were decent for the first day with it, my first .22. It was purchased for the sole purpose of additional, inexpensive range fun. A more formal and detailed range report Monday, for now it's off to the Hog Roast. It was served barbecue style, on slices of their delicious white bread (of which I brought home a loaf). Then covered with Chef Ron’s homemade barbecue sauce, Carolina style: sweet and spicy. Indiana hog farmer Greg Miller was on hand to slice the hog and share some piggy wisdom.

There was honeygold apple pie as well. Don't blame me, this time, I didn't make it, but boy do I wish I'd brought more than a slice home.

Then - time to walk it off with a wander through Broad Ripple. Across the street was this cool hippie music store, in which we found a plethora of good used movies, some two for $5. A girl can't have too many copies of Gladiator, you know. And I replaced a worn CD of mine with a new one - Led Zeppelin IV.
Finally, some porch time at the cottage with a frosty glass of. . . yes. . . how appropriate.


Lastly, a trip to Fresh Market for just a few things, including something new - Bacon Chocolate. Yes indeed folks, Mo's Bacon Bar with applewood smoked bacon, alder wood smoked salt and deep milk chocolate. Incredible. $7 for a three ounce bar and they can't keep it in stock.

Too soon it was time to pack up and go home, while saying goodbye to all. As "Black Dog" played loudly in my big, black Chevy 4 x 4, munching on a piece of bacon infused chocolate, I was cautioned, leaving the artsy part of the city, with a wry grin and "careful you don't hit a hippie".

Isn't life just grand.

Champagne Balsamic Chicken

Champagne Balsamic Chicken - It's not the most photogenic dish in the world, but it was really good.  I made it with a champagne balsamic vinegar I picked up at Artisano's  last week and hadn't tried yet. For those that don't live in Indiana, they ship, and if you order something get a 1 or 2 ounce sample of the applewood smoked salt, ghost pepper salt (hot!) and espresso sugar.

It was pretty simple, cooked on the stovetop in my favorite red French Oven (you can use any big, sturdy pot.

In the pot mix: 

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup champagne balsamic viniger (or any good quality balsamic)
3/4 cup plus 3 Tablespoons chicken stock (or canned broth)
3 generous teaspoons of jarred minced garlic
2 dashes of sea salt
1 bay leaf
1/2 heaping teaspoon mixed dried herbs (I used a mixture of chives, basil, tarragon, chervil and a tiny bit of dill, but just tarragon or basil would work).
a couple grinds from the pepper mill

Add 3-4 skinless chicken breasts and bring to and maintain, a low boil.  Cook for 15 minutes, flip chicken pieces over then reduce heat slightly and cook at a gentle simmer until internal temp is 165 F. on a meat thermometer, (around 30-40 minutes for the pieces I had), keeping lid OFF so that the liquid is reduced to better caramlize the chicken pieces, still leaving enough for you to drizzle on other things. 

When the chicken is about 160 degrees F., remove the bay leaf, lower the heat slighty and put some bread in the oven.  What's good?   Popovers, always good on a cold, blustery day.

The popovers were 1/4 of the cost of packaged frozen rolls and much tastier. Between  gust fronts they went in, as those are a little more temperamental cooking wise, but they were worth it, tall, buttery custard like texture inside, flaky layers on the outside.

Dinner was easy and good, the chicken staying really moist and the garlicy champagne balsamic sauce, absolutely wonderful drizzled over the sweet potatoes (there was also broccoli).

Thai Drunken Noodles

1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce (Red Boat is the best, avoid "Squid" brand fish sauce, which tastes as enticing as the name even if you could buy a case of it here for next to nothing).
1 1/2 teaspoons roasted red chile paste (or a dash of Sriracha)
3/4 teaspoon soy sauce sweetened with 1/4 teaspoon molasses
1/2 teaspoon honey
a pinch of crushed red pepper (optional)

1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into slivers
3/4 cup assorted veggies (mine had thinly sliced carrots, some green beans and a few water chestnuts,  nuked until softened so they didn't take too long in the pan)
1/2 large jalapeño, seeded (depending on how spicy you like it) and  finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 eggs whisked
1/3 pound thinly sliced beef, chicken or pork
1/2 of an onion thinly sliced
4 cups thick sliced rice noodles, soaked in warm water for about 10 minutes to soften.
1 cup fresh Thai basil, loosely chopped

In a bowl, mix stock, oyster sauce, fish sauce, chili paste, soy sauce and honey, set aside.

In a wok or tall, high sided skillet, heat a couple tablespoons of oil over medium high heat.  Add the red pepper, jalapeño, and garlic and stir fry until fragrant, about 2 minute, then push it up along the edge where it's cooler. Add the egg mixture and scramble, breaking it up into small bits, pushing it up to the edge while it's still a little "wet".   In pan, cook meat and onion until the onion is softened and meat is partially cooked (1-2 minutes) adding a dash of red pepper if you like it nice and spicy.  Add the noodles and veggies and stir-fry until  it and the meat is cooked through (4-5 minutes) adding a couple tablespoons of water if the noodles are crisping up too much, Add the sauce and stir until incorporated,

A PERFECT SATURDAY

After breakfast off to my friends at our usual spot at the range. I brought just the P220 today, but had a chance to play with some other toys including a Ruger Mark II 22/45. A very nice shooting 22. There was revolver action and we pretty much shot until our happy fingers had blisters on them.

I tried some tactical practice. Shooting with just one hand, and the left one to boot (I'm right handed). Harder than it seems with a .45 acp, even at about 7 yards.

First shot was spot on, the next two were a bit high. These target backs are Andre the Giant sized, so the center was set right where the heart would be on about a 6 foot male. As my arm got tired (which was surprisingly quickly) the rest were lower and to the right. But assuming I'm shooting one handed and off handed because I was winged in the good arm, it would work. The first shot should have put him down anyway with that load.
Then off to Rick's Cafe for lunch. Everyone was eating outside and we quickly saw why.


I had this giant wedge of ultra crisp lettuce covered with blue cheese dressing. And to round out the meal, a Blue Moon Pale Ale. My friends had togorashi seared sashimi tuna, and somehow some peppered deep fried onion rings with ranch and mango-jalapeno glaze for dipping found their way on the table and ended up to my right.

Then time to say goodbye to Ricks and head out. What's this? Some tractor beam has latched onto the truck, and it was PULLED into several gun stores. (I gave up fighting it after the first one). Where I bought a brand spanking new version of what I was treated to a shoot with this morning. A Ruger Mark III 512KM .22 LR with the 5 1/2 inch barrel and adjustable rear sight. Perfect for some inexpensive target shooting on the weekends. I'll play with it and do a range post next weekend.
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It's sunning itself on my deck right now while I finish this post.
Then, home alone, time to sit on the deck and just relax, build a fire in my little fire pit and be thankful for my friends and for the life I have, one of freedom and comfort, hard earned perhaps, but still a gift. I left a life of mountains and large coastal cities for a life in the heart of the land. Sitting here on the deck with Barkley I can look far away to corn fields coming down, the harvest upon us, full of promise and perhaps a bit of danger. It is not the mountains, the hills of stone and wood and ice that were my life for so long, but here is hope and abundance, the fluid need of love and the laughter of shared communion with friends strong and true. I am very grateful to be here.

Senate votes today -

"Gentlemen, I have had men watching you for a long time and I am convinced that you have used the funds of the bank to speculate in the breadstuffs of the country.

When you won, you divided the profits amongst you, and when you lost, you charged it to the bank.

You tell me that if I take the deposits from the bank and annul its charter, I shall ruin ten thousand families.

That may be true, gentlemen, but that is your sin!

Should I let you go on, you will ruin fifty thousand families, and that would be my sin!

You are a den of vipers and thieves."

---- Andrew Jackson, 7th US President

Cardamom Bread

Ingredients

1 1/2 Tbsp instant yeast
4 cups flour
1 and 1/4 cups lukewarm milk  (about 115 degrees)
3/4 cup melted butter
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cardamom

Egg Wash:
1 tsp Cardamom
1 tbsp. heavy cream
1 egg yolk

Sugar for garnish

Instructions:

Mix flour, yeast, and cardamom in a large bowl and stir until foamy.  Set aside.

Heat milk, remove from heat and stir in sugar until dissolved.  Add to the flour mixture. Add 1/2 cup melted butter and mix on low (if you are using a mixer)  or by hand with a wooden spoon until a nice sticky dough forms.

Change out the mixer blade and use a dough hook. Knead for a few minutes and then stop. Let the dough rest for about 20 minutes with a light cover over it (I use a plate and just stick it over the top of the mixing bowl).  This is basically your breads "afternoon nap" during which the gluten relaxes and absorbs moisture.

When the twenty minutes is up, knead again, adding in salt, with the hook or by hand on a lightly floured board until the dough is smooth to the touch and elastic.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into three dough balls.  Let rise for 40 minutes. Roll each chunk of dough  into ropes and braid them on the greased baking pan. Tuck the ends of the braid under.

Mix ingredients for egg wash and brush on loaf and sprinkle it with sugar. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven until golden brown (about 30 minutes).

RANGE SUNDAY

We may find in the long run that tinned food is a deadlier weapon than the machine-gun.
--George OrwellI think the ,45 acp gave Mr. Target a headache.

Moosecellaneous Notes from the Road

When life hands you lemons you make lemonade. When someone gives you moose meat. . . .

What do you do when you've been charged with putting together a meal for a working (or hunting) group and what's in the freezer is a four pound moose roast (or venison, or a freezer-toughened cheap cut of beef).

Slow Cooker Italian Meat on a bun. A 4 pound game roast, peperoncini, dry Italian dressing seasonings,Worcestershire sauce, garlic and bouillon, 10-12 hours in a slow cooker, and you can shred this with a spoon. Add some crusty rolls, a sprinkle of Italian cheese perhaps and it might be the high point of everyone's day. It certainly is delicious.

Heller Decision

YES! YES! YES!

To celebrate I made an Apple Pie. (recipe will appear in comments).

Actually - an apple pie with Almond Crumb topping (but it's still American!)

.Then I'd like to make something else.

BECAUSE I CAN.

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Lord, but it's great to be a woman in this country.

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins.

Welcome to my blog - some recipes, some family stories and fun with firearms.  Tonight a family favorite for breakfast. Yes, the blog is Mausers and Muffins and I'm starting out with a scone here, (which, baked from a bad recipe, can be a lot heavier and thus more deadly than the muffin) but Sigs and Scones just didn't have the same ring to it. :-)

All I could think of was

Sigs and Stones Can Break Your Bones. . . .

But since this place is known as Mauers and Muffins, I'd better come up with some muffins.

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins 

2/3 cup granulated sugar
one large lemon at room temperature, juice it and save the juice, then finely peel the zest
2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream (do NOT use low or non fat)
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted in a pan until just starting to bubble and brown, then cooled.
1  and 1/2  Tablespoons poppy seeds

Preheat the oven to 400. Line a 12 muffin pan with paper liners.

In a large bowl mash the sugar with the lemon zest with the flat side of a spoon until the sugar is scented with lemon and has a faint yellow color. Whisk in the baking powder, baking soda, salt and flour.

In another bowl whisk together the eggs, sour cream, vanilla, melted butter and lemon juice.  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients to that, fold (or stil) gently until incorporated, adding the poppy seeds in when almost completely mixed. There should be some lumps in it, no more than 10-12 stirs.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffin comes out clean.

Let cool in the pan for 5-6 minutes then remove to a wire rack. When cool glaze with:

1 cup powdered sugar,
2 tsp milk,
1 3/4 tsp lemon extract
1/4 tsp lime juice (or additional lemon extract)
and a splash of 7-up

Whisk together, adding additional 7 up or milk if too thick or additional sugar if too thin.
Enjoy - B.

Note for my shooty readers  - the gun in the background is a Swiss Karabiner K-31.