The Pie Shop

Thursday, November 13, 2008



Old fashioned pies and desserts! Wow, talk about being in food heaven, that's where we were today. We visited with Melba Nance as she shared some wonderful recipes on old fashioned baking. Melba works out of the Madison County Farmers Market on Cook Ave. You can find her there or you can call her @ (256) 684-1355. Her specialties are home-made pies, cakes and other desserts that are made from scratch. The word "Good" does not do justice to her creations. Melba has agreed to share a few of her recipes with us, but remember, it's not just the recipe that makes food good, but the way you prepare it that counts.

The Pie Shop
Old Fashioned Pies & Desserts
Madison County Farmers Market
1022 Cook Ave.
Huntsville, AL 35801
Melba Boles Nance ( 256) 684-1355

Old-Fashioned Sweet Potato Pie
(family recipe,)
2 to 4 large sweet potatoes (approximately 1 ½ pounds)
2 to 3 eggs
6 to 8 ounces evaporated milk
1 ½ cups sugar
¼ cup butter melted
1 Tablespoon flour
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Boil, peel and mash potatoes. After mashing, add butter , milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and eggs. Stir well or pour into mixer and mix well until all ingredients are blended. Pour into 9” pie shell.
Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 50 to 60 minutes. Pie should be lightly brown on top and the edges should be a golden brown.



Classic Pecan Pie
(reprinted from Karosyrup.com)

1 Cup Karo corn syrup (dark)
3 eggs slightly beaten
2 Tbs. Butter
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 ½ cups pecan halves (chopping pecans is optional)
1 unbaked pie 9” pie shell

In large bowl, stir the first 5 ingredients until well blended. Stir in pecans. Pour into pie shell. Bake in 350 degree oven for 50 to 55 minutes or until inserted in the center of the pie comes out clean. Cool and serve.


Cream Cheese Pound Cake
3 cups sugar
3 sticks of butter
1 8oz. pack cream cheese
6 eggs
3 cups (sifted) cake flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Using a flat beater, cream butter, sugar and cream cheese, until light and fluffy. Add flour and eggs alternately, beginning and ending with the flour. Add vanilla and give a final stir with mixer.
Scrape bottom of bowl and pour mixture into greased10 inch tube pan.
Bake at 325 for 1 hour or until tested done with toothpick.


Basic Pie Crust

3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup Crisco shortening
1 stick butter
1/8 teaspoon salt
½ cup water

Mix dry ingredients. Mix shortening & butter together, then chill for at least 1 hour to form a “fat patty.” Cut the “fat patty” into the dry ingredients with pastry cutter. Add water and work until the dough forms.

Makes 2 or 3 flakey pie crusts.

I tried all three of these great recipes and they are just that, GREAT!

Jack Daniels 20th Anniversary World Championship Bar B Que Cookoff

October 27th, 2008

It's in the books, the 20th anniversary of the Jack Daniels World Championship Bar B Que Cookoff. This was my 15th year to judge and it amazes me that the competition gets better each year. I really look forward to being at "The Jack" for several reasons. Of course, the obvious is the bar b que, but it is also great to see a lot of folks that I only get to see a couple times a year. The KCBS group is made up of a bunch of really good folks and I am proud to be a member of the organization. Not only that, but the people that come out to enjoy the events of the day are so much fun. I can't begin to tell you how much I appreciate all the kind words, the picture taking and the comraderie that we share. It is my pleasure to see you all and spend time talking with you. Thank you so much!

Here's some pictures from "The Jack" and also the list of winners from the competition.

Grand Champion: 4 Legs Up BBQ - Great Bend, Kansas

Reserve Grand Champion: 4 Mile Smokin' Crew - Pleasant Hill, Iowa

Pork Ribs: Carcass Cookers - Pueblo, Colorado

Pork Shoulder: Butcher BBQ - Chandler, Oklahoma

Beef Brisket: Bubba & Jeff's BBQ - Lees Summit, Missouri

Chicken: 4 Legs Up BBQ - Great Bend, Kansas

Chef's Choice: I Que - Hopkinton, Massachusetts

Homecookin' From The Homeland: World Barbeque Team - Switzerland

Sauce: Pellet Envy - Leadwood, Kansas

Dessert: 4 Legs Up BBQ - Great Bend, Kansas

A record 66 champion teams from the U.S. and 18 teams from countries across the world including, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Estonia, Germany, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Puerto Rico, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom, fought for this year's title.
The highest-placing international team of the day was Barbeque Symphony from Estonia that placed nineteenth overall.
To compete at "The Jack," domestic teams must have in the past year won a state championship with 25 teams or a competition of 50 teams, or have won an event considered an automatic to the event like the American Royal, Memphis in May or Houston World Championship Bar-B-Que.

If you have never attended the cookoff, you owe yourself this one. It is great fun and there are tons of things to do for the whole family.

Phantoms of The Depot Dinner

October 13, 2008

Happy Columbus Day! I feel like I should be singing the Ernest Tubbs' song "Back in The Saddle Again." It has been 9 days since we were on the air. It is great to be back, although I had a great vacation. Jacque and I went to Gettysburg, PA. Wow, what an awesome place to visit and experience!! We also visited Lexington, VA and also Appomattox Court House. Once I get my photos downloaded, I will put some on the blog along with more about our trip.
Today, we were at the Historic Huntsville Depot to highlight a neat fundraiser that is coming up. It is called "Dinner With The Phantoms of The Depot." It will feature a sit-down dinner and then a ghostly tour of the Depot led by local historian and author, Jacque Reeves. The event is set for October 28th and 29th and starts each night at 6:30. Seating is limited to just 30 people a night and reservations are being taken right now. You can call 564-8100 for reservations or more information. The cost of the tickets are $30 per person and includes the dinner and the tour. Once again, it is a fundraiser for the Depot and promises to be very entertaining.

October Means German Food at Its Best

October 2, 2008

We kicked off October by featuring a really great German restaurant, Hildegard's German Cuisine. I have to tell you, Jacque and I love to eat there! The food is home-made, from scratch, and outstanding. The bread is freshly made each day and the desserts are out of this world. Hildegard and her daughter Sabine seem to try and outdo each other when it comes to cooking and the real winners are the folks who eat there. Here's the recipe we used for hot red cabbage, it is simple but sooooo good.:

HOT RED CABBAGE

1 medium-to-large red cabbage (shredded thinly)
7 oz. bacon (chopped)
1 medium onion
8 whole cloves
3 bay leaves
1/3 cup veg. oil
1/2 tsp. pepper (black)
1 tsp salt
1 cup vinegar (white)
3/4 cup sugar

Clean and peel onion
attach bay leaves to onion by sticking cloves through them into onion
heat oil in a large pot and add bacon, cook until crisp
add cabbage and cook for about 7-10 minutes
add vinegar, seasonings and salt
cook for about 30 minutes.

The hot red cabbage can be used as a side with almost anything and also can be used as a vegetarian dish by leaving out the bacon and substituting portabello mushrooms.

Hildegard's desserts are a stand alone delicacy and are also home-made from scratch. In fact, Hildegard specializes in Wedding Cakes and offers catering, too.

Hildegard's is located at 2357 Whitesburg Dr. (at the corner of Whitesburg and Bob Wallace)
(256) 512-9776

Cafe Michael Recipes

September 22, 2008

I hope you enjoyed our segments from Cafe Michael today. Chef Michael and his staff do a great job with their meals and also with the cooking classes. What a great idea to have classes for children! The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday and also offers private parties. As promised, I have included the recipes that we featured today and also the dip that we made during the program. Here is the recipe for the dip...it's real easy.

Corn Relish Dip

1/2 jar of corn relish (can be found in Cafe Michael kitchen shop)
1 to 2 cups of sour cream (or to taste)
Mix together well and serve with Pita chips, potato chips or Fritos




CAFÉ MICHAEL SALMON DINNER

Sauteed Blackened Salmon
Israeli Couscous
Vegetables Medley

-Cut salmon filets into 6-8 ounce servings. Rub generously with blackened seasoning (or other seasoning mix you like). Place a small amount of oil in a saucepan and heat to very hot, then add salmon and cook on each side about 3 to 4 minutes, until center is done. Remove from heat.
-Make Israeli couscous according to the directions on the package (boiled in salted water about 10 minutes). When couscous is fully cooked, Place in a small saucepan with about 3 Tbs. white wine and salt and pepper and sauté just until hot through and wine is reduced. (Fresh Market is the only place we have found this couscous).
-Make a vegetable medley of onion, zucchini, cherry tomatoes and blanched green beans. Slice onion thin, slice zucchini, halve tomatoes and cut green beans to bite size (or use haricots verts, which are very small thin beans).
In a saucepan, heat about 2 Tbs. oil, add vegetables, toss until all vegetables are soft, season with salt and pepper.
Corn relish, sold at Michael’s kitchen shop, makes a good topping for blackened salmon.

CAFÉ MICHAEL
GRILLED SHRIMP WRAPPED IN BACON

Use large uncooked, tail on peeled and deveined shrimp. Make a slit lengthwise across the top of the shrimp and fill space with a small amount of fontina cheese. (You may also use asiago or jalapeno cheese). Wrap each shrimp in one half piece bacon and secure with toothpick.
Shrimp are best grilled, until bacon is cooked and browned. Shrimp can also be baked in the oven at 375 degrees until bacon is cooked. Serve with your favorite barbeque sauce for dipping.

For information on catering, kitchen shop items, and cooking classes, call:
MICHAEL GRIFFIN
Restaurant: 564-7007
Or you can ask for Cary Mason or Kathy Barnhart
CAFÉ MICHAEL is located between Monte Sano Mountain and Hampton Cove in the Interior Marketplace, 5732 Highway 431 S.

Scene Restaurant and Lounge-Monaco Pictures

September 11, 2008

First, I hope that everyone remembers the significance of today's date and what it means in the history of our nation. I hope and pray that we never have to deal with such a tragedy again.

Secondly, I hope you enjoyed this morning's show from Monaco Picture's Scene Restaurant and Lounge. What a neat place to enjoy a good meal and I do mean a good meal. Executive Chef Anthony Gutierrez has a menu that runs the gamut of foods, including sushi by Sou Chef Paul Visuthikosol. Can you say OUTSTANDING!!! Here are a couple of recipes from this morning's show for you.

Bananas Foster

1/4 cup (1/2) stick butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup banana liqueur
4 bananas, cut in half lengthwise, then halved
1/4 cup dark rum
4 scoops vanilla ice cream

Combine the butter, sugar and cinnamon in a flambe pan or skillet.
Place the pan over low heat on top of the stove and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves
Stir in the banana liqueur, then place the bananas in the pan. When the banana sections
soften and begin to brown, carefully add the rum. Continue to cook the sauce until the rum is hot, then tip the pan slightly to ignite the rum. When the flames subside, lift the bananas out of the pan and place four pieces over each portion of ice cream. Generously spoon warm sauce over the top of the ice cream and serve immediately.
For added flavor, toast slivered almonds in melted butter in a skillet, salt to taste and spoon over bananas.

Sexy Ban (Sushi)

Tuna -2 slices
Salmon-2 slices
Yellowtail-1 slice
Shrimp Tempura-2 pieces
Avocado-2 slices
Jicama-2 slices
Spicy Garlic Aioli-1oz.
Spicy Sesame Sauce-1oz.
Eel Sauce 1-oz.
Sesame Sauce-1oz.
Sliced carrot
White rice-1 cup

Cook white rice according to instructions on package. (Amount depends on how much sushi you are making.
Spread rice on seaweed wrap, place two shrimp tempura on rice along with jicama, roll into tube shape.
Alternate strips of fish and avocado and press into roll. Slice into serving sizes.
Mix Spicy Garlic Ailoi and Sesame Sauce together and Spicy Sesame Sauce and Eel Sauce
together or any variation of choice and serve with sushi.

Or you could just go to Scene Restaurant and Lounge and let them fix it all for you. By the way, Scene is this week's featured Real Deals coupon. You can purchase a coupon for $50 worth of food for $25. You can log in to whnt.com Friday morning and go to the Real Deals segment. The coupons go on sale at 8:30am. For more details go to the Real Deals section right now and check it out.

MDA Telethon

September 4, 2008

First a BIG thank you to all of the Tennessee Valley for your generosity during the annual Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Labor Day Telethon. Because of your help, we here at Newschannel 19 marked another record year in pledges. For the first time ever, our total topped the three hundred thousand mark. That is fantastic, especially considering the extenuating circumstances of this year's event. Hurricane Gustav for one and the less than good economy for another. Neither kept you from listening to your hearts and generously helping us. Whether you called in a pledge, donated money during any one of the many fund-raisers through-out the year or by volunteering your services, we could not have done it without you. From the bottom of my heart, I salute you and thank you!!!

Second, I hope you saw our segments this morning from Burritt on The Mountain concerning Earthscope. What a neat concept that the Huntsville City Schools have to provide system-wide environmental education for elementary students. I wish these kinds of programs were available when I was in school, but then again, that was so long ago that our classrooms had dirt floors anyway. (Just kidding.) If you don't know about Earthscope, I urge you to find out about it and really support this great educational tool for our children. The program is funded through community partnerships and Huntsville City Schools (grants and such). The more you learn about it, the more you will want to help.
For more information, contact :
Earthscope Environmental Education
1107 Monte Sano Blvd.
Huntsville, AL 35801
(256) 428-7309
jrussell@hsv.k12.al.us

Tail Gate Recipes From Terranova's

August 28, 2008

Finally it's here. Football season gets underway tonight as there are high school ballgames scheduled all over our area. Then tomorrow night there are even more high school games to enjoy. I LOVE IT! Of course, college football gets underway this weekend as well and that means folks heading out to the games early so they can do a little tail gating. Today we visited Terranova's Italian restaurant to pick up a few recipes to add to our collection for tail gating. These are a little different than your normal hot dogs, hamburgers, stew and chili. These you can fix at home, put on ice, warm up at the game and have a great meal that will have folks from all over the parking lot coming over and asking for a taste.
Here are four of Chef Paul Ackerman's recipes from Terranova's:

SPICY DILLED SHRIMP

1 lb. boiled shrimp
1/2 cup mayo
1 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tbsp. minced shallots or red onion
1 tsp. dried dill
1/4 cup sour cream
6 dashes Tabasco sauce (or to taste)

In a mixing bowl combine all ingredients except shrimp. Mix well. Add shrimp and toss well to insure good coating. Refrigerate, the longer the better, then eat to your heart's content

MACARONI AND CHEESE

8 oz. grated fontina cheese
8 oz. grated American cheese
8 oz. heavy cream
16 oz. pasta (shells or elbow) cooked according to pkg. instructions
4 oz. gold fish crackers

Add heavy cream and cheese to a heavy pot and melt, stirring constantly until cheese is melted and smooth. Add the cooked pasta and stir in well to incorporate. Pour into an oven safe pan and top with crushed gold fish crackers. Cook in a 350 degree oven until the top starts to turn golden brown.

BBQ BEEF RIBS

1 rack beef ribs
2 cups water
1/4 cup Dales steak marinade
2 bay leaves
1/4 onion sliced
1 half lemon rind and juice
2 tbsp. seasoned salt
2 tbsp. liquid smoke

Add all wet ingredients to bottom of broiling pan along with bay leaves, onion and lemon. Place broiler rack on the pan. Remove membrane from back of ribs and put beef rib on the rack. Brush some of the Dales and liquid smoke on both sides of the ribs. Place ribs inside down on the rack and sprinkle additional seasoning evenly over the beef rib. Cover the whole thing tightly with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Place in oven at 225 degrees and cook for three hours.

Ribs can be chilled before grilling or you can grill them right out of the oven. Remember, when you grill them from cold, you have to start out a medium temperature to heat them up, then bring your temp up and add your favorite sauce to caramelize.

PURPLE CHICKEN

1 whole fryer chicken
1 cup raspberry walnut vinaigrette dressing
1 baking pan

Place chicken in oven safe pan (I would use disposable aluminum pan that can go from oven to frig.)
Fill basting bulb with dressing
Lift skin off the breast of the chicken but do not remove skin from breast bone. Squirt some of the dressing under the skin making sure to coat all of the breast meat. Make a small slit in the knees of chicken. Use baster to squirt more of the dressing into the drumstick and thigh parts of the chicken. Use about 2/3 of the dressing under the skin, rubbing chicken to insure even distribution. Cover with aluminum foil and place in preheated to 375 degree oven. Cook until chicken reaches internal temp of 150 degrees. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Drain off juice and add remainder of of the dressing to make a grilling baste. To grill, cut chicken into halves or quarters and place on grill inside down first. Baste generously and flip. Repeat a few more times making sure inside temp of chicken reaches 165 degrees.

This chicken can also be used to make a fantastic chicken salad using mayo, walnuts and celery to taste.

Scottsboro Meats

August 25, 2008

Talk about a kid in a candy shop, that's what I felt like when we visited Scottsboro Meat Market. Maybe it's a primal thing, but I have always been fascinated with taking a big hunk of meat and turning it into various prime cuts to cook over an open fire or roast in an oven to perfection. Whether it's beef, pork, chicken, turkey, well, you get the picture, if it is meat you can get it cut the way you want at Scottsboro Meats. They have three meat cutters on staff and will take your order and cut it fresh or you can check out the meat cases and pick and choose from the pre-packaged selection. Now don't get me wrong, you will find all kinds of groceries at Scottsboro Meats, but meat is their specialty. What I really like is being able to talk with Tommy Miller, the owner, and get his recommendations and also find about any of the specials he offers every week. Here's some information for you about that.

Scottsboro Meats is located at 116 Chestnut St in Scottsboro. The website is scottsboro-meats@yahoo.com. They have a new weekly special every week. It is always $ 19.99 and contains 4 meats and other staples. There is a Meat for the Month special and a Meat for the Week Special. They are open Monday thru Saturday from 7:30 am to 5:30pm and still carry your groceries to your car. The products are restaurant quality since they buy from foodservice suppliers. The phone number is 256-574-2626

Practical Shooting Club

August 22, 2008

Wow, what fun! The Rocket City Practical Shooter's Club took us out to their shooting range near Arab for a quick course in practical shooting. It is a form of target shooting that incorporates speed, accuracy and movement with either a pistol or a rifle. The primary firearm is the pistol, but shotguns and rifles have been added to make it an all-around event. The club stresses safety in every facet of the event and is very strict in enforcing the correct way to shoot firearms. It is very educational and truly fun. I am adding a couple of websites that you can check out to learn more about the sport of practical shooting and also the Rocket City Practical Shooter's Club.
http://rocketcityshooters.com
United State Practical Shooting Association:
http://www.uspsa.org

Rocket City Rock Crawlers

August 15, 2008

Talk about having fun in the woods, the Rocket City Rock Crawlers really know how to get it done. They have a big event coming up Saturday the 23rd and it's open to the public. If you like the sound of roaring engines, vehicles getting turned every which way you can imagine, even upside down, and drivers with a velvet touch, then this is an event for you...It is family fun that stresses safety, good stewardship for the environment and tons of fun. I am putting a link to two websites for all the info concerning the King of the Hill event and also the Rocket City Rock Crawlers:
Sponsored by the Rocket City Rock Crawlers and Rocket City Off
Road.
* King of the Hill info at http://www.koth4x4.com
* Rocket City Rock Crawlers info at http://www.rocketcityrockcrawlers.com
* Timed event with timing provided by Tennessee Valley Region
SCCA.
* Morgan County Sheriff's Department and Morgan County Rescue
Squad EMTs will be on site for the safety of competitors and spectators.
* Concessions will be provided by the Morgan County Sheriff's
Auxiliary.
* A raffle will be held throughout the day with a portion of the
proceeds benefiting Toys for Tots. Prizes include a Warn Winch, Detroit Locker and Custom Bumper.

The gates open at 8am and the races start at 9am. The course is privately owned and only about a mile from Brewer High School. There is a map with directions on the King of the Hill website.

First Real Vacation With Jacque

Long time coming, but better late than never...I hope you have had a chance to watch our morning program...we have been having a lot of fun visiting places that are close by and would make great vacation spots. We started with Lake Guntersville State Park, as you know, it is one of my favorite places. The view from atop the mountain overlooking the lake is breathtaking and the newly renovated rooms at the lodge are fantastic. The dining room and the food is even better than before. Terry Darcy and his crew won't let you leave hungry and the view from the restaurant is outstanding. From there, photojournalist Thad Blake and I went to Cathedral Caverns...wow, no matter how many times I visit the caverns, I come away amazed at the beauty of the rock formations. If you have never visited Cathedral Caverns or haven't been in a couple of years, you should go. The Welcome Center is just that, so welcoming and the tours are even better. Next we headed over to Joe Wheeler State Park and checked out the new cabins they have opened. Wow, they are something else! Great place to take the family for some real fun and relaxation. The rooms have a view of the lake and the restaurant faces the lake as well. The new boat docks are great for either staying for a few days or just coming in to grab a great meal. By the way, the fishing is great at either Wilson/Wheeler or Guntersville.
Then we got a close look at the new tour boat that the Tennessee Aquarium has purchased to start their Tennessee River Gorge tours. Awesome...it will hold 70 people at one time and can travel at 55mph on the river. The River Gorge Tour is a new addition to the Tennessee Aquarium and is really relaxing and educational. In the next few weeks, we will be bringing you more places to see and things to do within a one tank of gas area...including heading up to Desoto State Park on Lookout Mountain, Noccalula Falls in Gadsden and The Dismals over near the Mississppi line.
I hope you had a great 4th of July holiday, I certainly did. Jacque and I went on our first ever vacation where we were actually by ourselves. Let me explain, as many of you know, my stepson, Jeff, is autistic and can't stay by himself. Well, he went to camp for a week at Camp McDowell (gosh, what a great place and a great group of teens and adults that give their time to see that folks with special needs get to have a good time, too) and it just happened to be over the 4th. He had a great time and Jacque and I took the opportunity to take a little trip ourselves since Leslie, my stepdaughter, wanted to stay home by herself and take care of our menagerie..three cats and a dog. We went to Lake Guntersville State Lodge and spent the night before we headed up to Sewanee and Monteagle, Tennessee for their 4th of July celebration. Then we went to Chattanooga for two days and visited the Aquarium, took the River Gorge cruise, the Ghost walk around Chattanooga and then went out to the battlefield at Chickamauga. We searched and found where some of Jacque's ancestors fought in the battle. Then we rode the Incline up to the top of Lookout Mountain and walked around where the battle for Chattanooga was fought..."the battle above the clouds." We even found the spot where one of her ancestors led his men to set up and defend the lower ridge during the battle. Talk about getting your exercise, we walked and walked and walked...and had a great time doing it. We wrapped up our little trip by heading back to Lake Guntersville State Lodge and spent one more night there...sitting on the balcony and listening to the crickets, cicadas, loons and other wildlife...when it comes to pure relaxation, it just doesn't get any better. Then we headed down to Camp McDowell and picked up Jeff and headed home. He was so excited about camp, he was already talking about next year and so were we. It was great for everyone.
If you have any questions about any of the places I have mentioned, please log on and let me know and I will be happy to answer them, assuming I can.

Ramblings

June 10, 2008

Wow, hard to believe it is already June...and worse than that, it feels like the middle of July outside. Can you believe 96 degrees the first week of June. Oh well, welcome to summer in the South. I hope everyone had a good Memorial Day weekend and I hope you took time to remember why we have Memorial Day.
I am writing this from our community pool...every since it opened, Jeff, my stepson has moved in and either Jacque or I have to be here with him. When I say moved in, I mean that he is at the pool from when he wakes up to when it closes in the evening...he's kind of the welcoming committee to everyone that comes to the pool. Well, at least I can work on my tan...yeah right!
Speaking of the pool, I know most of you are thinking about vacations and all this month I am featuring places to go and things to see and do on our Robert on the Road segments. I will introduce you to places you probably know about and some you might to know about. Not only that, but all will be easy to get to without spending a lot of money on GAS!
Monday we were at Lake Guntersville State Lodge, one of my favorite places to visit. It is convenient to get to by either car or boat. The Lodge has been totally renovated and the rooms are outstanding. The restaurant is even better than it was and the camping area and beach now features new transient docks. You can dock your boat and take a shuttle up to the Lodge for a quick meal or spend a night or longer. There are also Chalets and Cabins for rent as well as camping with all the amenities and primitive camping. Oh yeah, don't let me forget the beautiful golf course, hiking trails and serenity of looking across the lake from high up on the mountain. Your kids will love to see the deer and other wildlife, in fact, there are so many deer, you can drive around the park and see them up close and personal. For more information call 1-800-ALA-PARK...or check out the state parks website. www.stateparks.com/al.html

Wednesday I will be at a unique place in Guntersville...Tennessee Valley Floating Condos.
These are located at Spring Creek Marina and are really cool. They are actually floating cabins that you can stay in by the night or week. They have two sizes, one sleeps four, the other sleeps six. Now, if you have done any camping, you know that you can always get one or two more people in a camper...the same works here for these cabins...be sure and check out these floating condos Wednesday morning on our morning news. For more information,check out their website at www.floatingcondos.net I will take you on a tour inside these "condos" and I believe you might want to try them out. Join us Wednesday morning on Newschannel 19 This Morning.

Robert

National Tourism Week

May 8, 2008

Next week is National Tourism Week and the Huntsville/Madison County Convention and Visitors Bureau is gearing up for a lot of great events. The celebration actually starts Saturday the 10th and goes through Sunday the 18th with a visitor celebration scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday. From 9:30-11:30 there will be free popcorn for all visitors to the CVB. On Friday, the Ardmore Welcome Center will be handing out Fast Break candy bars to incoming tourists...the theme being "Make a Fast Break to Huntsville. Plus, there is a Huntsville Tourism Trivia contest running through the 16th on 103.1 The River & 106.1 WTAK and WBHP radio stations.
There is going to be an Historic Districts Walking Tour on the 17th. There will be four different tours. 10am-Old Town
12pm-Twickenham
2pm-5 Points
4pm-Downtown

The tours are free to the public and for more information contact the Huntsville/Madison County Convention and Visitors Bureau at www.huntsville.org or by calling (256)551-2230.
or Bruce Walker @ (256) 658-1735.

Barbecue Tips

April 28, 2008

It's time to get outside and enjoy Spring. Of course, that also means enjoying the smell and taste of food cooked on a bar-b-q grill. I thought I would go to the experts and get some tips to pass along so that we all can cook out on the grill and not turn everything into a cinder or have the meat holler at us when we go to cut it.

Now, when I say expert...I mean expert. I visited my good friend Chris Lilly at Big Bob Gibson's in Decatur to get the tips and a couple of recipes. Chris is the Head Chef of Big Bob Gibson's Bar-B-Q team...the same team that has won many championships including,Grand Champion at Memphis in May twice, 5 times best pork shoulder, plus best sauce there.Chris and his team also took best ribs at the Houston Round-up...it's unheard of a team from east of the Mississippi to win out in Texas...their sauce has won practically every KCBS competition there is and Big Bob Gibson's Bar-B-Q was named best in the nation in a competition held by the New York Times. Actually they have won so many titles, it would take two days to list them all.
Anyway...Chris and I had a great time talking about the differences between grilling and Barbecuing and sharing some recipes.

Speaking of recipes...here's a couple Chris sends along for you to try out at home...believe me,
you will love them and remember..it's ok to experiment with them. By the way, if you have a favorite recipe that you would like to share with our viewers, please feel free to send them to me so that I can post them.

Here you are...Enjoy!!!

Grilled Chops with Apple-Cranberry Maple Glaze

Experts Note: This can be made with either bone-in pork chops or boneless pork loin cut about 1 inch thick. The Apple cider brine will ensure your chops will not dry out when grilled over hot charcoal. The fruity sweet glaze made from Apple sauce, cranberry sauce, and maple syrup is a perfect compliment to the brined pork. For a healthier entrée, try the chops without the sweet sauce.

Makes: 6 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes, plus 12-24 hours for brine
Cook time: 16 minutes

Ingredients:

6 Bone-in Pork Chops or Boneless Loin Chops (1 inch thick)

Brine
2 cups water
2 cups apple cider
2 ½ tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 tablespoon thyme leaves (dry spice)
3 teaspoons cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic (dry spice)
6 allspice berries (dry spice)
1/2 bay leaf

Sauce
½ cup maple syrup
½ cup cranberry sauce
½ cup apple sauce
2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1/16 teaspoon red pepper

Mix Brine ingredients and stir well. Place chops in brine and refrigerate for 12-24 hours.

In a small pan add sauce ingredients and mix well. Heat until mixture is warm. Reserve ½ cup of sauce for plating.

Build a charcoal fire for direct grilling. Grill chops directly over coals (approximately 450 degrees F) for 8 minutes on each side. During the last 3 minutes of cooking, baste both sides of the chops well with sauce. Internal temperature of chops should reach 150-155 degrees prior to removing from grill.

Drizzle reserve sauce over chops when serving or serve warm on the side.




Sweet & Spicy Pineapple BBQ Ribs

2 slabs of baby back ribs or St Louis cut spare ribs

Dry rub marinade
¼ cup dark brown sugar 1 ½ cups pineapple juice
¼ cup paprika
3 TBL garlic salt
1 TBL onion salt finishing glaze
1 TBL chili powder ½ cup Big Bob Gibson Championship Red Sauce
½ TBL cayenne pepper 2 TBL Honey
½ TBL black pepper
1 tsp oregano
½ tsp white pepper
½ tsp cumin

Raw Preparation
Place slab of ribs bone side down on table. Slide knife under the membrane an against the end bone to separate the two. With a dry paper towel or rag, grasp the edge of the thin membrane and pull. The entire membrane should separate from the rib.

Combine rub and mix well or use Big Bob Gibson Seasoning and Dry Rub. Generously apply rub onto the front and back sides of ribs. Gently pat to ensure that rub will adhere. Preheat smoker to 250 degrees. Place ribs meat-side up on grate and cook for 2 hours 15 min.

Remove ribs from smoker. Place each rib meat-side down on its own doubled aluminum foil square. Foil should be large enough to completely wrap rib. Mix the marinade. Pour ¾ cup of pineapple juice over each rib. At the same time wrap and seal each rib tight. Place back in smoker for 1 hour.

Remove wrapped ribs from smoker. Remove from foil and apply a light shake of rub to the meat-side of the ribs. Place uncovered in the smoker meat-side up for 30 min.

Remove ribs from smoker. Brush finishing glaze on both sides of ribs. Place ribs in smoker for 15 min., or until sauce caramelizes. (yields 4-6 servings)


Recipes provided by Chris Lilly – www.bigbobgibson.com
For more helpful tips and recipes visit www.mealstogether.com

Tigers for Tomorrow

Sunday March 16th, 2008

First off, I guess I had better give everyone the dates to cut the wild onions for April. March's dates have already come and gone. According to the "Old Farmer's Almanac" the dates to get rid of pests and weeds...(wild onions fall under both of these categories in my book)...are April 5th and 6th. Once again, no guarantees...just passing along the word that many folks swear by every year.

Heads-up....Don't miss tomorrow's Newschannel 19 This Morning. I am visiting "Tigers for Tomorrow" an Exotic Animal Park and Rescue Preserve. It is a two part Robert on the Road and you are going to love it!!! This is a fantastic place to take the kids or yourself if you care about wild animals at all. Susan and Wilbur McCauley, the owners and operators of the Preserve have spent a total of 32 years rescuing and caring for animals, such as lions, tigers, bears, wolves that have been either retired from animal shows or turned out by people who thought they could be made into pets. It is very educational and really cool to watch the interaction with these animals.
This would make a great field trip for school kids, church groups or just families...I am putting their website here so that you can learn more. www.TigersForTomorrow.org
I hope you get to watch the program, I know you will enjoy it.

Cut The Wild Onions

Thursday March 5th, 2008

Ok, I guess it's that time again, at least based on the number of e-mails and phone calls I have received in the last couple of weeks. What am I talking about? Cutting the wild onions, of course.
Yes, it is time to cut the wild onions so that they don't take over your yard later this spring. According to the "Old Farmer's Almanac" the days to cut the wild onions for March are this Saturday and Sunday...the 8th and 9th.
Based on the "Old Farmer's Almanac's" astrological charts, there are certain times that are best for just about everything, from planting, destroying pests and weeds, harvesting, ...to even getting your haircut. Back some years ago, my dad, Grady, started announcing the days to cut the wild onions. This has become such a tradition that some folks get real anxious if I forget to start talking about the dates a month or two ahead. The idea is that cutting the onions on the days when the moon is in the sign of the heart means that they will bleed to death and not come back. Now, whether it works or not is up for discussion, I know some folks that swear by it and some that swear at it. Notice I gave credit to the "Old Farmer's Almanac"...that way if it doesn't work, HEY, WHAT CAN I SAY...I just read their charts.
Anyway, once again, the dates are this weekend...the 8th and 9th so happy cutting. Oh, by the way, there will also be a couple of days in April to cut the onions, but supposedly those days don't work as well. I will include those dates a little closer to April so there is no confusion, in the meantime, good luck.

Lowe Mill Arts & Entertainment

Thursday March 5th, 2008

Lowe Mill is one of the four major textile mills that fueled Huntsville's economy in the early 1900's. The mill was built in 1900 and employed entire families because each mill was a small community into itself. The mill would later become a shoe factory known as General Shoe. Then it became Genesco and even made boots for the military up into the 70's. Eventually the mill would fall on hard times and would stand virtually vacant except for a small manufacturing company that would use one part of the building. Enter Jim Hudson, he would buy the property and begin renovations to the inside and outside. His dream, to have a place for artists and entertainers to display their talents. The dream is well on the way as I can attest. From beautiful and amazing glass blowing to scuptures and paintings to all of the folks involved with the "Flying Monkey Arts" there is something for everyone. The Flying Monkey even has a new theater that features entertainment each weekend. Oh, and don't forget Tina's Cantina...great food available for dinner and soon for lunch as well. You can enjoy the food outside in the courtyard. For more info, check out these websites: www.lowemill.net and www.flyingmonkeyarts.org.

Special Needs Kids Dance

Saturday March 1, 2008

Friends, I am writing this to tell you about a wonderful group of teenagers that I had the opportunity to spend some time with Friday night. The guys and gals of the Junior Civitan clubs from Huntsville and Grissom High Schools hosted a dance for the special needs students that attend those two schools. Also sponsoring the dance were the members of the Huntsville Civitans and the Friendship Civitans, a group of special needs adults. Everybody had a great time and I am not sure who had the biggest grins on their faces...the students or the parents of the students. I do know this, the Junior Civitan members were great the way they paired off with the special needs students and adults and had them dancing and singing for two solid hours.Believe me when I say, based on the way these teenagers interacted and genuinely cared about their guests, the fuure of America is in some very capable, caring and compassionate hands. My stepson Jeff, who is autistic, had so much fun I was afraid we weren't going to be able to get him to leave. He commandeered one of the microphones and sang along with every song that was played. Jacque and I were grinning so big our faces hurt.

I can't begin to thank the young ladies and young men of the Junior Civitan Clubs enough for their positive and enthusiastic attitudes and the way they accept and encourage the special needs students. My hats off to you, Junior Civitan Clubs of Huntsville and Grissom High Schools.

Move It

Saturday March 1, 2008





I hope you are enjoying our Move It segments and are getting some incentive to join us in our quest to get healthy. Please feel free to let me know if you have any ideas, suggestions or comments for us concerning these segments.Our production guys, Jonathon and Zach along with the head honcho Lori are truly creative, but it never hurts to have other ideas in the mix. By the way, I am adding a couple of attachments from Mary Martin Nordness of the Southeast Dairy Assoc. These are good charts to hang onto when planning your diet.

http://whnt.images.worldnow.com/images/incoming/news/health/Guide_to_good_eating.pdf

http://whnt.images.worldnow.com/images/incoming/news/health/Healthier_Eating.pdf

I hope these help with getting you up moving toward a healthier life for you and your family.

Severe Weather Awareness Week

Thursday, February 21st

The National Weather Service is working very hard to bring our attention to severe weather awareness. This is Severe Weather Awareness week in North Alabama. Do you have a weather radio? If not, it would be a good idea for you to get one. The more ways that you can be alerted to severe weather the better. Most Weather radios have a back-up battery power system that takes over when the power goes out...that is if you make sure the battery is in place and hooked up. There are more good tips that you can find out about from the National Weather Service by going to their website,
http://weather.gov/huntsville , including how to put together a survival kit and where to go in your house that will offer you the most safety in case of severe weather. Help us at Newschannel 19 and the National Weather Service help you be safe, check out the tips and put them to use. By the way, the National Weather Service in Huntsville is having an open house March 8th. It is open to the public and free. You can check out more info on their website.

Merrimack Hall

Friday, February 15, 2008

Talk about deja vu with a twist, I was at Merrimack Hall Performing Arts Center this morning on Triana Blvd. This building at one time was a hub of activity for the folks that worked at the old Merrimack Mill back in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Pretty much all of the social activities that took place were held at Merrimack Hall. There was a basketball court upstairs and one of the first women's teams in Huntsville played there. Many years later, I played a lot of hoops in that same gym. Now, the gym is a theater that has already hosted many Off-Broadway plays and entertainers. Billy Bob Thornton was there not too long ago and is planning a return sometime this year. Tonight an extremely popular comedy opens at 8pm..."Defending The Caveman" will also have two shows Saturday, 5pm and 8pm. Tickets are $37 adults and $35 for students and seniors. For more info you can log onto their website at www.merrimackhall.com or call (256) 534-6455.

Adopt-a-Pet

Saturday, February 9, 2008

I hope you enjoyed our Robert-on the Road segments Friday morning on Newschannel 19 This Morning. I always have a great time when we visit the Huntsville Animal Center. I wish I could take home all of the adoptable cats and dogs there, but, I can't. What I can do is show them to you so that maybe you will take a ride to the Animal Center and adopt yourself a great pet. Also, don't forget, now is the time to get your pet spayed or neutered, if they aren't already. Local vets are offering special discounts on spay and neutering during February. For more information, call your vet or the Huntsville Animal Center. (256)883-3783. The Center is located on Triana Blvd.

National Cornbread Cookoff Recipe Search

Monday, February 4, 2008



It's that time of year again. Time to dig out your favorite casserole recipes and tweak them so that they have cornmeal in them. Yep, it's time for the annual Martha White National Cornbread Cookoff in South Pittsburgh, Tennessee. Today, Linda Carman and I are cooking the second place recipe from the 2007 cookoff. Caribbean Crab Cakes. I am placing the recipe here so that you have it and also I am placing a link to Martha White's website so that you can have all the information about the cookoff and how you can enter the competition. Enjoy!

National Cornbread Cook-Off 2007

Second Prize Winner

Lanie SmithTopeka, KS

Caribbean Cornbread Crab Cakes

1 (6 oz.) Martha White® Cotton Country™ or Buttermilk Cornbread Mix

Salsa3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon honey1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger

1/8 teaspoon salt2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

2 mangos, peeled and cubed1 cup chopped fresh pineapple

Crab Cakes

2 eggs

1 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon seafood seasoning

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 cup sliced green onion

2 (6 oz.) pkg. pasteurized lump crab meat, lightly drained

Black pepper to taste

1/2 cup Crisco® oil, for frying

Bake cornbread according to package directions in 8-inch Lodge® cast iron skillet. Cool and crumble.Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together lime juice, honey, ginger and salt. Add cilantro, red bell pepper, mango and pineapple; stir. Refrigerate.

In large bowl, combine eggs, mayonnaise, lemon juice, seafood seasoning and dry mustard; mix well. Add crumbled cornbread; blend. Fold in green onion, and black pepper.Heat oil in cast iron skillet over medium heat. Form crab mixture into 12 cakes. Cook in hot oil 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until lightly browned.Drain on paper towels. Serve topped with salsa.6 Servings

Here's the link to Martha White's website.

http://www.marthawhite.com/promotions_news/2008/cornbread_cookoff.aspx

Move It

January 28, 2008

It's hard to believe we are in the last week of January already. So here's the big question, or questions. Did you make any New Year's resolutions? Are you still maintaining those resolutions? As you know, we at Newschannel 19 are doing our best to help you with those resolutions, especially if they concern good health, by bringing you our Move It campaign. Move It means just that, get up from that easy chair and get moving. Whether it is a full scale exercise program or just walking around the neighborhood for an extra 30 minutes a day, the benefits are amazing. We are participating in the 2ND annual Scale Back Alabama program and even if you aren' t, you can still reap the benefits of the idea behind it. In fact, you can go to www.scalebackalabama.com/Handbook/Prescriptionpadcontract.pdf and get some ideas on how you and your family can have some fun and get healthy at the same time. There is one statement that really says it all and if you follow it, you and your family will accomplish all that you set out to do in getting healthy.
"Our family agrees to make at least one dietary change, one physical activity change and one behavioral change."
Believe me, if you commit to this, the results will come much quicker than you think and will be a lasting change. Let's do this together....remember "MOVE IT!"

How to Talk Dog Training

Saturday Jan.5th, 2008

Happy New Year!!! I hope you had a great Christmas and that the new year brings everything you deserve. Did you see our show Friday morning from the Alabama RV Super Show? The RV's are pretty cool, but I have to tell you, I had more fun with Bill Matney, the man who talks dog. If you didn't see the show, go to the video part of our web page and take a look at Bill and his dogs. As I promised this morning on our news program, I have posted a link to the website that tells more about Bill and also about the Huntsville Training Center which is located at Whitworth Animal Clinic.
You call talk with Sherry Whitworth or Missy Young by going to the website or call either of these numbers: (256) 682-2053 or (256) 651-1106 and they will be happy to help you with training your dog or dogs.