Robert on the Road

Martha White National Cornbread Festival and Cook-Off

2009-02-26T06:20:00.001-08:00

February 26, 2009

Hello everyone, sorry that I am so far behind in my Blog. I will bring you up to date from last year, but first I want to tell you about the Martha White National Cornbread Festival and Cook-Off and how you can still enter your favorite recipe. First and foremost, if you want to enter, you need to do so by the end of this month. Here is the link that explains how to enter the contest: http://www.marthawhite.com/promotions_news/media_2009/cornbread_cookoff09.aspx
Don't forget, your recipe has to be in by the 28th of this month.
The actual festival runs the week of April 25th and the cook-off itself is on Saturday the 25th in South Pittsburgh, TN. If your recipe is picked in the top 10, you will cook on site and the judges will decide the winner Saturday afternoon. The first prize is $5,000 cash plus a 5 Star Stainless Steel gas range (worth roughly about $2,000). Good Luck!!!
On today's Morning program I was joined by Martha White's Linda Carman. She is the co-ordinator of the contest and is over the Test Kitchen where the recipes are tested and picked.
We featured two recipes from last year's competition, in fact the winner and runner-up recipes from last year. Here are the recipes that we fixed this morning. By the way, the crew inhaled them after the program!!!

Ancho Shrimp on Smoked Gouda Corncakes
First Prize WinnerLori Stephens – Hendersonville, TN
Corncakes
1 tablespoon butter
1/3 cup sliced green onions
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 egg1 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 1/3 cups Martha White® Yellow Self-Rising Corn Meal Mix
1 1/2 cup shredded smoked Gouda
1/2 cup Crisco® Canola Oil

Ancho Shrimp
4 tablespoons butter
2 or 3 large dried ancho peppers* (split in half and seeds removed)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 lb. fresh uncooked shrimp, shelled and deveined
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup canned petite diced tomatoes, undrained
Sliced green onions

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in 10-inch Lodge® cast iron skillet on medium. Add 1/3 cup green onions; cook 1 minute. Add corn; cook 2 minutes. In large mixing bowl, whisk egg. Add buttermilk, sour cream, and corn meal; whisk until smooth. Stir in cheese, corn and onions. Wipe out skillet with paper towel. Add 4 tablespoons oil; heat on medium high. Spoon batter into oil by 1/4 cupfuls. Cook until golden brown; turn and brown on other side. Cook in batches adding oil as needed. Drain on paper towels. Wipe out skillet.
Melt 4 tablespoons butter in skillet on medium high. Add ancho peppers; cook 3 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute. Add shrimp; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until shrimp turns pink, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomatoes; cook just until hot. Remove ancho peppers.
Place 2 corncakes slightly overlapping on serving plate. Top with shrimp and sauce; sprinkle with green onions.
6 servings

*Ancho chile peppers, a dried red heart-shaped pod, have a mild earthy flavor. If unavailable, add 1 teaspoon ground ancho chile pepper (available in the spice section) with the salt and pepper.

Zesty Italian Sausage Skillet with Sundried Tomato Cornbread Crust
Second Prize Winner
Teresa Ralston – New Albany, OH

Filling
2 tablespoons Crisco® Olive Oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 pound Italian pork sausage
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomatoes with Italian seasoning
2 teaspoons dried sage
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Crust
1 (6 oz.) pkg. Martha White® Cotton Country™ Cornbread Mix
2/3 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
1 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Toppings
6 cups baby lettuce greens
Balsamic salad dressing, to taste
1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
Fresh ground pepper

Heat oven to 400° F. Heat oil in a 10-inch Lodge® cast iron skillet on medium high. Add onion; cook until softened. Add sausage; cook breaking up with a fork until done. Drain, if needed. Add cream; simmer 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, sage and red pepper. Simmer on medium about 10 minutes or until sauce thickens.
In a medium bowl, combine cornbread crust ingredients; mix well. Spread over top of sausage mixture in skillet. Bake at 400° F. for 15 to 20 minutes or until cornbread is golden brown.
In a bowl, toss greens and dressing. Cut cornbread crust into 6 wedges. Place each with sausage filling on plate; top with 1/6th of the greens. Sprinkle with Gorgonzola and fresh pepper.
6 servings

The Pie Shop

2008-11-12T05:41:00.000-08:00

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

2008-10-27T07:16:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-13T04:50:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-02T07:23:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-22T05:55:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-11T05:28:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-04T04:02:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-28T05:05:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-25T06:07:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-22T08:27:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-15T10:10:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-02T06:54:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-10T07:36:00.000-07:00

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

2008-05-08T05:18:00.000-07:00

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

2008-04-28T04:29:00.000-07:00

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

2008-03-16T06:41:00.000-07:00

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

2008-03-06T08:25:00.000-08:00

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

2008-03-06T07:33:00.000-08:00

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

2008-03-01T15:38:00.000-08:00

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

2008-03-01T14:47:00.000-08:00

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

2008-02-21T06:30:00.000-08:00

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

2008-02-15T05:32:00.000-08:00

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

2008-02-09T05:39:00.000-08:00

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

2008-02-04T02:38:00.000-08:00

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

2008-01-28T08:23:00.000-08:00

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

2008-01-05T06:47:00.000-08:00

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.

Morning Show Recipes

2007-12-14T02:13:00.000-08:00

December 14, 2007

Hi everyone, I hope you are all doing great! We are doing our best to help you get ready for the holidays....whether it is cooking, decorating or finding neat places to visit. Today we were at one of our favorite places..Limestone Bay Trading Company in Mooresville. That's just west of Madison off I-565 before you get to I-65.

Here are two of the recipes we used this morning...by the way, the recipes are from the cookbook written by my wife, Jacque. The book was done before she and I got married, thus the last name difference.

From Recipes from Buttermilk Alley by Jacquelyn Procter Gray (now Reeves)

Cheese Ball:

1 lb finely grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 (8 oz) package softened cream cheese
1 t. salt
1/4 t. garlic salt
1 T. mayonnaise
paprika

Mix together cream cheese and cheddar cheese, add salt, garlic salt, and mayonnaise. Split dough in half and roll with hands to resemble the shape of an apple. Roll in paprika to coat. Take 1 cinnamon stick and break in half. Place each half in top of 2 apple shapes to resemble stems. Take 2 whole bay leaves and place near stem to resemble tree leaf.

Spicy Pecans:

2 T. brown sugar
2 T. orange juice concentrate
1.5 T. butter or margarine
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. chili powder
1/4 t. pepper
1.5 cups pecans

Cook first 6 ingredients in a skillet over medium-high heat, stirring until brown sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and stir in pecans. Coat well and spread over lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes or until toasted.

I hope you enjoy these as much as we do.

Here are the other two recipes we used from Limestone Bay Trading Company..
Candy Strawberries

1/2 tsp vanilla
2 strawberry jello 3 oz
1 cup ground pecans
1 cup coconut
3/4 cup Eagle Brand Mild

Red deco sugar
graen deco sugar
thinly sliced almonds for stems

combine jello, pecan, coconut, Stir in milk, vanilla, and mix well. Chill about an hour.

take spoon full of mixture and roll into ball. pinch one end while flattening the other. roll bottom portion in red sugar, press top in green sugar. stick stem in end. Should resemble shape strawberry.

Fruit Cake Cookies

1 lb candied fruit
8 oz of craisins ( or raisins)
1 cup small pecan pieces
7 oz shredded coconut
5 tbl self rising flour
1 can eagle brand milk

Put all ingredients in bowl. Mix well, Spoon onto well greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.

bake 14- 16 minutes until golden. Cool and remove with spatula to cooling rack. Do not place on wax paper - will stick.

Also you might be interested in a Special Dinner Meal out the restaurant...it is absolutely fantastic.

Dinner

Thurs Dec 20
6pm - 8 pm - one seating

Beef and all the fixins'

Salad thru Dessert

Call for reservation 353-6326

Sacred Christmas Music Concert

2007-11-29T06:56:00.000-08:00

November 29, 2007

I hope you enjoyed our program this morning. What a great way to start your day and hopefully get you in the Christmas spirit. We were entertained by the Regents quartet, a gospel group from North Alabama that has been singing together since 1968. They are one of four major entertainers that will be performing at the Sacred Christmas Music Concert Friday the 30th at the Von Braun Civic Center Concert Hall. Here's the particulars:

Third Annual Festival of Sacred Christmas Music
Friday - Nov 30 - VBC Concert Hall
Matinee 2 p.m. Evening 7 p.m.
Preshows 1:30 & 6:30 Tickets $10 - $25
800-277-1700 TicketMaster
Lifeway & Family Christian Bookstores
Discounts available (only at VBC Box Office)
to groups of 10 or more OR to individuals
with a church bulletin.

Here's the website for " Keep Christmas Alive" for more info.www.KeepChristmasAlive.org

Southern Living Test Kitchen

2007-11-25T15:30:00.000-08:00

November 26, 2007

I hope you enjoyed our look at the Southern Living Test Kitchens and especially the preparation of the two cakes. We took two recipes from the Holiday issue of Southern Living and I have included those recipes here on my blog...I have to tell you, they are really good!
Here you are and I hope you enjoy them.

Cream Cheese-Coconut-Pecan Pound Cake
Prep: 20 min.; Bake: 1 hr., 35 min. The bourbon gives this pound cake a wonderful aroma and flavor, but you may substitute an equal amount of milk, if desired.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups butter, softened 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened 3 cups sugar 6 large eggs 3 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup bourbon 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted 1/2 cup shredded coconut Powdered Sugar Glaze (optional) Sugared Rosemary (optional) Sugared Cranberries (optional)
Preparation
Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until the yellow yolk disappears.
Sift together flour and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with bourbon, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat batter at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla, pecans, and coconut. Pour batter into a greased and floured 12-cup tube pan.
Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 30 minutes to 1 hour and 35 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on wire rack.
Yield
Makes 10 to 12 servings
Note: This was the cover of our December 2004 issue. Don’t miss the cover of the December 2007 issue for the latest ‘white cake’ cover.

Powdered Sugar Glaze
Ingredients
Preparation
Stir together 2 cups powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth, adding another 1 tablespoon milk, if necessary, for desired consistency.
Yield
Makes about 1 cup
Southern Living, DECEMBER 2004

Sugared Rosemary
Ingredients
1/2 cup corn syrup 12 rosemary sprigs granulated sugar
Preparation
Microwave 1/2 cup corn syrup at HIGH for 10 seconds or until warm. Brush 10 to 12 rosemary sprigs lightly with corn syrup; sprinkle evenly with granulated sugar. Arrange in a single layer on wax paper. Use immediately, or let stand at room temperature, uncovered, for up to 24 hours.
Southern Living, DECEMBER 2004

Sugared Cranberries
Ingredients
Preparation
Bring 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup water, and 1 cup fresh cranberries to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring often, over medium-high heat. (Do not overcook; cranberries should swell and just begin to pop.) Remove from heat, and drain, reserving liquid for another use. Toss cranberries with 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and arrange in a single layer on wax paper. Use immediately, or let stand at room temperature, uncovered, for up to 24 hours.
Southern Living, DECEMBER 2004

Fluted Chocolate-Red Velvet Cakes
Prep: 30 min., Bake: 50 min.Fluted brioche molds, traditionally used to bake the rich and buttery French yeast bread known as brioche, are also perfect for baking fanciful cakes. Sold in a variety of sizes, we chose the 8-inch brioche molds for our cakes. Because we used nonstick molds with a dark outer surface, we covered them with aluminum foil. The shiny side of the foil reflects the heat away from the sides of the mold for a lighter, bright red crust. They're available in kitchen shops (such as Williams-Sonoma, 1-800-541-2233 or www.williams-sonoma.com), in discount department stores (such as Target), through mail-order catalogs, and on Web sites (such as amazon.com and cooking.com). You'll find baking instructions included on the packaging with most pans.
Ingredients
1 Chocolate-Red Velvet Cake Batter 1 Vanilla Glaze Garnishes: fresh mint sprigs, raspberry candies
Preparation
Spoon Chocolate-Red Velvet Cake Batter evenly into 3 greased and floured 8-inch brioche pans.
Bake at 325° for 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks.
Spoon Vanilla Glaze evenly over top of cakes. Garnish, if desired.
Yield
Makes 3 cakes
Southern Living, DECEMBER 2005

Vanilla Glaze
Prep: 5 min.
This recipe goes with Fluted Chocolate-Red Velvet Cakes
Ingredients
1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar 5 tablespoons milk 2 teaspoons vanilla
Preparation
Stir together 1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar, 5 tablespoons milk, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract just until powdered sugar is moistened and mixture is smooth. Add an additional tablespoon of milk, if needed. Use immediately.
Note: We kept this glaze very thick so that it wouldn't drip all the way down the sides of the Fluted Chocolate-Red Velvet Cakes, but feel free to make it a little thinner if you'd like to drizzle it over other cakes.
Yield
Makes about 1 1/2 cups
Southern Living, DECEMBER 2005

LEFT-OVER TURKEY RECIPES

2007-11-23T14:08:00.000-08:00

November 23, 2007

Hi everyone,

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and remembered to give thanks for all the things we have been blessed with. I alos hope you saw our show from Market Street Cafe this morning.
Wow, Chef Chris McDonald has some great recipes and in fact, I am sharing some of them with you. With these, you don't need to worry about getting rid of that left-over turkey and dressing and such.

Here's one we made this morning:Pulled Turkey Quesadilla

5 oz Pulled Turkey
1 flour tortilla “12 inch”
3 ounces cheddar/jack cheese (grated)
2 ounces of sautéed onions and peppers
2 ounces of sour cream
1 or 2 sprigs of cilantro
2 ounces of your favorite salsa

Place Flour tortilla in a lightly oiled large sauté pan over medium heat. Top with cheese, the mixed peppers and onions. Spread the pulled turkey out evenly and fold in half to look like a half moon. Cook lightly until well melted and heated in the center. Cut into 3 pieces and serve with sour cream and salsa. Garnish with sprig of cilantro and enjoy.

Recipe #2:Turkey Dinner Club

3 slices white bread
1 ½ oz Mayonnaise
5 oz pulled turkey
3 oz dressing ( aka Stuffing)
2 oz cranberry sauce
3 slices of cooked bacon
2 pieces of leaf lettuce
3 slices of tomato.

Toast the bread and spread each slice with mayo.(this will help to hold the sandwich together) Make a BLT with the first 2 slices of toasted bread. Next place the Turkey, dressing and cranberry on top and cover with last slice of toast. Serve cut on the Diagonal with a tooth pick or skewer holding the sandwich together.

Recipe #3:Turkey Pot Pie
(The Day after Thanksgiving )
5 ounces of pulled turkey
4 ounces leftover turkey gravy
4 ounces Peas and carrots
2 ounces of pearl onions
6 cooked button mushrooms
1 small can of cream of celery soup
1 small can of cream of chicken soup
1 puff pastry circle.

Combine all of the ingredients and place in an ovenproof dish or small crock. Cover with puff pastry sheet and bake at 325 for 15 minutes or until golden brown. You can also double or triple the recipe and serve a larger Pot Pie Family style.

I hope you enjoy these as much as I did and don't forget to drop by and check out Market Street Cafe or Grille 29. They are located side by side on Providence Main Street.

Charity Deer Hunt

2007-11-10T06:06:00.000-08:00

November 10, 2007

CHARITY DEER HUNT TO HELP BUILD HOMES FOR ABUSED, ORPHANED & NEGLECTED CHILDREN
Gander Mountain and Suzuki of Huntsville are sponsoring the Fourth Annual North Alabama Deer Hunting Classic to benefit Quinn’s Ranch, a Christ-centered professional care organization for abused, neglected, orphaned, abandoned and homeless children between the ages of 6-18.

Event Information
Date: November 17, 2007Tickets: $50.00 each. Tickets are available at Gander Mountain or any Suzuki of Huntsville location. All tickets must be purchased by 7:00 PM on November 16, 2007. All proceeds from ticket sales go to Quinn’s Ranch.Weigh-in at Gander Mountain parking lot from 7:00 AM till 8:30 PM. Complete rules,
regulations and scoring information are available at Gander Mountain or any Suzuki of Huntsville location.

New Hand Blown Glass Studio & Gallery

2007-11-05T06:44:00.000-08:00

November 5, 2007

Did you see our show this morning? I hope so, because if you didn't, you missed some really neat stuff. We visited Susan Knecht's Studio & Gallery in the historic Lowe Mill. Wow, this lady is super talented! Not only did she actually build or re-build most of her equipment, she makes all of the art there. I mean jewelry, hand blown glass, lighting and accessories. Talk about great gifts for any occassion, you can get custom-made blown glass or jewelry there at the studio. Susan is planning on offering classes on glass blowing and also jewelry making so if you are interested in learning the art or you just want to see her studio you can contact her by phone or e-mail. here's her e-mail address: info@susanknecht.com and her phone number is (256) 226-0169.

Southern Living Cook-off Recipe

2007-10-15T04:49:00.000-07:00

Monday, October 15Th, 2007

October 15Th, 2007

Hello everyone, thank you for checking out our blog. My wife, Jacque, and I just got back from a little vacation. We visited historic Williamsburg, VA and had a great time. Wow, how cool it was to walk on the same floors that men such as Thomas Jefferson walked on and visit the law library where he first studied. It is a beautiful area and I highly recommend the trip if you get the chance.

Today we visited one of the 15 finalists in the Southern Living 2007 Cook-Off. Ann Taylor from Harvest was one of three entries selected in the Sweet Endings portion of the competition. By the way, the overall winner won $100,000...hmmm, now where is that recipe book of mine. Ann shared her recipe for Coconut-Cream Bread Pudding with us and now, I'm going to share it with you. It is outstanding!!!!

Coconut-Cream Bread Pudding
Makes 8 to 10 servings
Prep:20 min., Stand: 5 min., Bake: 43 min.
Cook: 6 min.

1 (8oz.) package PHILADELPHIA cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups DOMINO granulated sugar,divided
4 large eggs
2 1/2 cups milk, at room temperature and divided
1 (15oz.) can cream of coconut, divided
8 Tbsp.butter,melted and divided
1(8oz.) French bread loaf, cut into 1 inch cubes
Vegetable cooking spray
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans

STEPS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Beat cream cheese at low speed with an electric mixer until creamy and smooth.Add 1 cup sugar and eggs, and beat at medium speed 2 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Stir in 2 cups milk, 1 cup cream of coconut, and 3 Tbsp. melted butter. Stir in bread cubes. Let stand 5 minutes.

3. Coat a 13x9 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Pour bread mixture into dish.

4. Bake at 350 degree for 35 minute or until set.

5. Stir together flaked coconut, pecans, and 3 Tbsp. melted butter. Sprinkle coconut mixture over baked pudding, and bake 5 to 8 more minutes or until browned.

6. Stir together remaining 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup cream of coconut.

7. Cook remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a medium-size heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, 3 minutes or until sugar is caramelized and mixture becomes a light brown syrup. Stir in milk mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes or until sauce is thickened slightly and sugar is dissolved. Stir in remaining 2 Tbsp. melted butter.

8. Cut bread pudding into 8 to 10 servings and serve with caramelized sugar sauce.

Ann Taylor says the recipe is great anytime and I have to agree.

2007-10-04T02:13:00.000-07:00

October 4, 2007

Good morning everyone. Today we are heading out to Tate Farms to check out the pumpkin patch. Every Year Tate Farms has hundreds of kids and adults visit the farm and go through the pumpkin patch, the corn maze, ride the cotton wagon, pick their very own pumpkin...play in the corn bin, you name it their's tons of fun for the kids. Tate Farms is located at 8414-A Moores Mill Rd and you can call (256) 828-7200 for tour times and any other info you might need.I have put a link to their website, just click on pumpkin. I hope you enjoyed our program as much as I did.

Racking Horse World Celebration, Priceville

2007-09-24T01:57:00.000-07:00

September 24th, 2007
We are on the road today to Priceville. It's time for the Racking Horse World Celebration at the Celebration Arena in Priceville.
The event got underway Saturday and goes through this coming Saturday.
Tonight is the 3rd performance which gets underway at 6pm. The Racking Horse is Alabama's State horse and is a natural gaited horse...we will have some horses and riders to explain and demonstrate what I mean. I have put a link to the Racking Horse Assc. website for all the information because there is a ton of it there. If you have never seen these horses or attended the Celebration,it is a huge event and also a very beautiful event.

Riverfest in Decatur

2007-09-21T01:49:00.000-07:00

September 21, 2007

It's friday the 21st of September and that means it time for Riverfest in Decatur. What a huge time can be had for everyone. Not only is there tons of entertainment to see, plus things to do for the entire family, but there is also an official Alabama Barbeque Championship competition....The event is located out at Ingalls Harbor on Hwy 20 in Decatur. The entertainment gets underway tonight at 5pm with local artist Dusty French..also tonight The Dave Mathews Tribute Band and Cowboy Mouth. Saturday is a full day that will wrap up with Drivin' and Cryin' playing tonight. armbands for $15 will cover the entire weekend or you can get in for $3 between 10am and 4pm...after 4pm, admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children...Since 1994, Riverfest has raised over $100,000 for local charities...The barbecue cook-off is Saturday with over 70 professional teams competeing for $20,ooo in cash and prizes.

Scarecrow trail

2007-09-20T02:09:00.000-07:00

September 20, 2007 Today, we are out at Huntsville Botanical Gardens to feature the Scarecrow Trail and some really beautiful flowers. Above, you'll see the huge lily pads we featured!

The Garden is having their annual daylily sale this weekend. Daylily Sale September 20, 12-5 p.m., Members Only September 21, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Open to Public September 22, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Open to Public

Treat yourself to some of the same gorgeous daylilies that grow in the Garden. Sale location is Botanical Drive, near Murray Hall. If you need more info, you can call the Garden..(256) 830-4447 for times and prices for the Scarecrow trail too.

Here's a look at some of the scarecrows you'll see!!

Sorgham Syrup

2007-09-19T16:24:00.000-07:00

Sept. 19,2007
I hope everyone got to see the early morning news today. I had the opportunity to finally feature a friend of mine that is one of the nicest older gentlemen you will ever meet. His name is Charlie Humphrey.

He has been making sorgham syrup for over thirty years and he still makes it the old fashion way...he raises and cuts his own sorgham cane...
then he presses it with a press that was built in 1897...it is powered by "Jonnie Mae" a John Deere tractor that is well over 50 years old.

Charlie designed the stainless steel cooking vats and the cooker that he uses to make his syrup..He is a master at making sorgham syrup that is so smooth, doesn't have a bite and makes any biscuit taste twice as good.

By the way, Charlie sells his sorgham for $10 a quart and you don't have to worry about it turning to sugar. Here's how to get to his place... Mr. Humphrey's place is out on Hurricane Creek Road...best way to get there is go out 72east to Brock rd...that is where Madison County High School is located...turn left and go to the stop sign in Maysville. Turn right, then bear to the left on Hurricane Creek rd when you come to the fork in the road. go roughly a mile and a half, maybe two and Mr. Humphrey lives on the right side of the road. His name is on the mailbox...Charlie Humphrey. Charlie's phone number is (256)776-3921

The Rockettes in town

2007-09-16T06:30:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone...Hard to believe it is almost time to start thinking about Christmas. OK, before you have a heart attack..I am talking about the Radio City Christmas Spectacular that goes on from November 15th through December 30th at the Grand Ole Opry House adjacent to the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center. I had the opportunity to talk with two of the world famous Rockettes as they were in town promoting their 6th annual event in Nashville. This event is part of the 24th annual "A Country Christmas" show put on at the Resort & Convention Center. I didn't know that Huntsville was one of the biggest markets for the show, but I was assured that it is, so I want everyone to know how you can get tickets to the shows and also how you can take advantage of special vacation packages being offered.
You can call: 1-888-999-OPRY for tickets or reservations.

2007-09-14T01:16:00.000-07:00

I hope you enjoyed our program Thursday the 13th of September. We talked about a new service in town. Dr. Robert Skidmore now has a mobile veterinary clinic and he took us through it. Pretty interesting. If you have questions for Dr. Skidmore you can call St. Francis Mobile Veterinary Clinic. (256)604-0763.

Friday September 14th.
We are going to Florence, in fact we will be at Florence High School. A new organization, the Coffee HS Alumni Endowed Scholarship Committee is having a huge fund raiser to set aside scholarships for Florence High School Students. We will be talking about the event and how you can be a part. Here's the phone number to call if you have questions, buy a ticket to the event, or make a donation: (256)765-4670. We will have several guests this morning including the key note speaker, retired Congressman Ronnie Flippo.

Guide Dog Training

2007-08-27T06:31:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

I hope you enjoyed our program this Monday morning. We talked about Guide Dog training and how you can be a volunteer host for a puppy, but also how businesses need to be aware of the animals in training. The handlers need the cooperation of the business owners by letting them bring the dogs into their place of business just as they would if the handler was blind and the dog was already trained. These dogs in training need to learn the social skills and be acclimated to all types of situations in order to perform their duties as Guide Dogs when they are placed in service with a person that is blind. If you have any questions or would like to be a volunteer, please call Rick or Joan Ackerman. They are located in Boaz and their number is (256)593-2239 or you can go the Southeastern Guide Dogs website...www.guidedogs.org.
These folks do a wonderful job and they need our help.

Thanks for watching Newschannel 19 This Morning and for reading our blog. Please feel free to send me any comments at robert.reeves@whnt.com.

Robert

Back Surgery Update

2007-08-24T06:33:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, long time no see. As you know we were out for back surgery and I want to give you an update. Everything so far has been great. Dr. Gil Aust with TOC/The Spine Center did my surgery on August 1st. The procedure was the fusion of a vertebrae because it had slipped forward and was pressing on the nerve running down my left leg. Dr. Aust had to use two titanium screws to pull the vertebrae back into position and then add some packing to re-establish the proper distance between the vertebrae. He also added bone grafts on each side to solidify the fusion. I spent three days in Huntsville Hospital and had excellent care to help put me on the road to recovery. I left the hospital with strict orders from Dr. Aust to not do anything stupid, like twisting quickly or picking up something that weighed more than a plate of food, but also to get out and start walking everyday. My goal was to get up to two miles a day which I have been at for almost two weeks now. Honestly, I can't believe how good I feel and how free of pain I am since the surgery. If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me or better than that, contact Dr. Aust at The Spine Center .

If you'd like to see a clip of our interview on the morning show, click here.

Pre-surgery update

2007-07-31T18:07:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone...I hope you all are doing great. How did you like last week's shows. Pretty interesting weren't they. Gloria Arthur at Bank Street Antique Mall knows so much about antiques and really enjoys having folks come by and chat with her about all the neat things in her store. We could have spent all day in there and not covered everything there is to see. Whether you are into antiques or not, a visit to her place on Bank Street in Decatur is a lot of fun.

Jimmy Sparks hydroponics farm is truly something to see. Can you imagine 17,000 strawberry plants, hundreds of tomato plants, green beans, lettuce, watermelons, cukes, etc. on about an acre and a half! If you haven't gone out his place on Esslinger Dr. you really need to drop by and pick up some great tasting vegetables. Believe me, his tomatoes are out of this world and the strawberries are so sweet, you don't need to add sugar. What amazes me is fresh vegetables and fruit all the way up to the first frost! If you are a tomato lover like me, that means pure eating heaven all the way into October...Outstanding! J. Sparks Farms is located on Esslinger, about a quarter mile off Cherry Tree...it is easy to find and he is open every day except Sunday and Monday.

Friday we were in Decatur at the historic Princess Theatre and featured Country Music star Chris Young. Chris has had three hits and is working on another cd at this time. He's truly a nice guy and very talented. I hope you got the chance to see his show, if you missed it, try to see him somewhere else..he's that good.

Monday we were at Constitution Village in Huntsville. It is the location where alabama's first constitution was written. It is a great place to take the kids to learn about the history of Alabama and Huntsville as well as see how life was in the early 1800's. Be sure and take the Trolley tours on Saturday as they go through the Historic part of Huntsville and your guide, Jacque Procter Reeves, is an award winning author and highly regarded historian and story teller.

Monday was my last show for a few weeks...I am having surgery on my back Wednesday the 1st. I am having one of my vertebrae fused because it is damaging the nerve that runs down my left leg. My goal is to be back at work by the MDA Telethon...actually, if possible, I will be back sooner. The doctor, Gil Aust, says it is up to me and how much pain I can handle while standing...I will keep you posted as to how my recovery is coming along and believe me, I will be missing all of you. I guess I will see you here until I can see you on tv...please take care and keep watching the morning show...
I Love You All,
Robert

Riley Behavioral and Education Center

2007-07-19T07:38:00.000-07:00

Hi, I hope you saw our program today (Thursday the 19th). We talked about the Riley Behavioral and Education Center...they especially work with autistic children. These folks are doing a wonderful job in working with the parents and children. They even have a diagnostic service. It is a non-profit organization that needs our help to be able to help these children. If you have any questions about autism, or what you can do to help...contact them by calling: (256) 539-5651 or you can use this link to their website.

2007-07-12T17:55:00.000-07:00

Hi folks, I know it has been awhile since you last heard from me, but I have had some minor health problems and I even took a week's vacation.
I had another procedure on the arthritis in my lower back, unfortunately, it still hasn't worked completely. I guess the next step is surgery, but I plan to put it off as long as I can....enough about that stuff...I hope you have been enjoying the places we have been lately. Wasn't the show with the penguins at the Tennessee Aquarium cool, no pun intended. Those little guys are fun and I know your families would have a ball watching them play in the water, they are just like kittens the way the are so curious.

I hope you liked the Therapy Partners show as well. The volunteers and their partners do such a wonderful job for so many people. I am not sure which enjoys themselves more, the animals or the volunteers.

We just finished another show at Huntsville Animal Services and I have to tell you, every time we are there, I want to take home several of the dogs and cats. These animals are so eager for affection and they make great pets...for anybody! I hope you will consider adopting one of them if you are thinking about a pet, you won't be sorry and you will save a life at the same time.

As most of you that have watched the morning program over the years know, I consider Friday the 13th a lucky day. I am going to prove it...we are going out to Limestone Bay Trading Company in Mooresville and do some cooking with Dee Green. We have done several shows from there and every time we do, Dee shares some of her wonderful recipes with us...in fact, I am giving you a head start...here are two of the recipes we are featuring on the program in the morning.

PINEAPPLE CASSEROLE

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
You will need:
2 (20oz.) cans pineapple chunks, drained, or equal amount of fresh pineapple. Reserve 1/4-1/2 cup pineapple juice to be used in topping.
1/2 cup sugar- Add 1/4 sugar if fresh pineapple is used.
8 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup Ritz cracker crumbs
4 tablespoons butter, melted

Stir together sugar, flour and cheese in mixing bowl. Add the drained pineapple chunks and stir until ingredients are well combined. Pour mixture into lightly greased (Pam or other spray works best) 9x13 casserole dish.

Place crushed cracker crumbs on top of casserole. Drizzle with melted butter and reserved pineapple juice. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Serve hot and enjoy...Reheats well.

OVEN ROASTED PORK LOIN
This recipe is meant to feed a good many folks, or some really big eaters.

Place pork (approx. 8-9 lbs.) in roasting pan, I would suggest one of the throw away aluminum pans that come with a top that will seal tightly. Make sure pan is deep enough to hold liquid (3-4in. deep)
Season pork with salt and pepper
Brown under broiler on all sides.

After pork is browned, pour 12 oz. Coca Cola over meat, then pour 1 cup red wine over meat and let sit.

Finely chop 1/4 to 1/2 cup onions...personally I would do 3/4 to 1 cup...can't have too many cooked onions
Add these to pork, making sure generous amount is on meat and balance is scattered around in liquid
Add 1/4 cup minced garlic the same way...you can use cloves or the kind that is already minced..
Tightly seal pork and other ingredients in roasting pan and place in 425 degree oven for 2 1/2 hours. Do not open foil until meat is fully cooked.

Carefully remove lid. Allow meat to rest for 20 minutes before slicing.

GRAVY:

Mix 1/2 cup flour to 1 1/2 or 2 cups water. Whisk until no lumps.
Place pan drippings in pan and bring to a boil. Slowly pour flour/water mixture into the boiling drippings until reaches the thickness preferred. Turn heat down and taste for need of additional salt and pepper. Most likely will only need black pepper. Note: gravy will only thicken when boiling and can be thinned by adding water or thickened by adding more flour/water mixture.

As I said, we will be cooking these Friday the 13th so you can check the recipes as we put prepare them...see you in the morning.

Robert

D-DAY VETERAN

2007-06-15T02:16:00.000-07:00

Wow, it has been rather hectic the last few days...Wednesday the 6th was the anniversary of D-Day and I had the opportunity and honor to talk to a World War II vet. Ken Barker was a member of Rudder's Rangers, the 2nd Battalion that climbed up Pont Du Hoc. There were 275 men who landed on the very small beach, but only 80 made it to the top of the cliffs. Mr. Barker climbed the 100 meter cliff carrying a 35lb gun plus ammunition and all of his normal gear. The gun was a 55 caliber sniper's rifle that was accurate up to nearly a half-mile. Unfortunately for Mr. Barker, he was captured by the Germans several days later. He spent time about six months in a prison camp and lost nearly 80 lbs before he and a friend,Andy, managed to escape by hiding in "honey pots" that were being removed from the prison camp. "Honey Pots" are receptacles used to get rid of human waste. He and Andy were shot in their escape attempt, Andy suffered severe wounds and Ken had to carry Andy in order to get away. Andy was so badly injured that whenever Ken could find anything that resembled food, he had to chew it and then put it into Andy's mouth. Ken managed to carry his friend Andy back to friendly lines, but Andy's injuries were so bad he died despite Ken's efforts. Ken Barker was named Alabama P.O.W. of the year for 2000-2001 and although he has lost most of his vision because of the beatings he suffered during his captivity, he is still active in most all of the memorials for our veterans. If you ever run across Ken Barker and his wife while they are eating breakfast at the Dairy Queen or anywhere else, please shake his hand and thank him for his service to our country.

Don't know if you saw our show with the "Cadillac", but if you missed it, you missed a lot of fun. Cadillac is the man who shines shoes at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Huntsville. His motto is " If you want a smile on your face, put a shine on your shoes." Cadillac has been in the business for over 39 years and says he is the King.
He says you have to pay the price and he did...he started in Council Court as a youngster and moved his way the ladder...and now is "the man" who shines shoes in a multi-million dollar hotel. Cadillac not only takes care of your soles and believe me he does, but he also can take care of your soul. He dispenses free advice in a non-stop sermon of quotes from the Bible and street sense garnered over the years. Cadillac is the ambassador for the Embassy Suites and has the name tag to prove it...he is so popular, folks from all over the world stop by his stand to have their shoes shined and their problems solved. In fact, folks from all over the U.S. actually send their shoes to him by the bagful and he shines them and then ships them back. He says it is because he has all the latest hi-tech methods to make your shoes keep a shine for more than just a couple of days and I have to say that the shine he put on my shoes still looks like new and it has been almost two weeks...cool, huh.
If you happen to be by the Embassy Suites Hotel, stop in and see Cadillac...trust me, your feet will love you for it. By the way, tell him I said take good care of you.

Monday the 11th I had a procedure done on my back to help me walk...For the last several months, I have been suffering with major pain build-up in my left leg..apparently some arthritis has developed in my left hip and also in one of my vertebra. Anyway, Monday, Dr. NaDella gave me an epidural in the vertebra to help the swelling and alleviate the pain. So far, so good, I am able to walk much better...still have a little pain, but I guess that is to be expected. To tell you the truth, if this is all the pain I have for next few months...I will be dancing down the sidewalks. Anyway, I will talk with you soon...

Robert

Fresh Tortillas Made in Athens?

2007-06-04T07:35:00.000-07:00

Hey Friends, I hope you enjoyed our program this morning from Athens. We were at Tortillas Blanco, an actual tortillas factory. Mark White and his wife April own and operate the factory and a small restaurant featuring their products. Nothing better than fresh, right off the griddle, tortillas or chips. Believe me, a burrito or taco or their special "Nacho Blanco" salad will make you forget about running for any "border". April has a special seasoning she uses when she slow cooks the chicken or steak and it along with the fresh tortillas makes all the difference in the world. Oh, don't forget the outstanding chips that are cooked in 0 trans-fat. Personally, my favorite chips are the cheese wheat...OUTSTANDING!!!
Tortillas Blanco is open from 10:30a.m. to 6p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Wednesday and Saturday they are open 10:30am-3pm.
Located on West Market Street in Athens...(256) 777-0874 or (256) 230-2330
You can also check out website for a complete menu...

2007-05-29T07:00:00.000-07:00

A fun day on Newschannel 19 This Morning. Most everyone has heard of the musical "Cats" which is in town today and tomorrow. We had a little contest and one of our lucky viewers, Russell Stephens, won the opportunity to join me and two of the cast members as they turned us into cats. Russell also won two tickets to the musical and I'm not sure which had him more excited.

This is Russell, a senior at Huntsville High School, as he is undergoing the process of becoming Pouncival, a playful tom kitten. Russell wants to go to college to study theater so this was like a dream come true for him.
I wasn't planning on becoming a character in "Cats", I figured I was already too much of a character, but Ryan and A.J., the two cast members and make-up artists convinced me I needed to represent the older members of our audience. Thus, I became Asparagus (Gus), the theatre cat.
The make-up takes between 15 and 30 minutes to apply in normal time and each character applies their own. It is quite remarkable how the change transpires and as you can see, the finished product is just fantastic. "Cats" starts this evening at the VBC and also has two shows tomorrow. It is a remarkable musical, go see it.

Robert

Veteran's Museum

2007-05-27T06:24:00.000-07:00

Hi friends, I hope you will join me Monday, Memorial Day, as I go on the road to the Veterans Memorial Museum. It is really an amazing place. The museum is located at 2060A Airport Road in Huntsville. It is run by a group of volunteers who are also veterans that take great pride in our nation and those who have served to keep it that way. There are artifacts from all of the wars our nation has been involved in and also lots of information about each one. We'll take you inside tanks, some of the very first jeeps, armored personnel carriers, even humvees and helicopters.
The museum is open to the public and for more information you can call (256)883-3737.
I will see you tomorrow!!!

Robert

Friday May 18th Morning show

2007-05-17T09:16:00.000-07:00

Friday morning promises to be an interesting show...I will be live from a brand new Civil War Museum on Bank Street in Decatur. The name of the museum is Blue & Grey of North Alabama, Located at Parham Civil War Relics. This is a non-profit museum and is one of the largest privately owned collections of Civil War artifacts in the country. The museum is open Monday thru Saturday from 10am to 5pm. The admission is $5 for adults, $3 for students and free to younger children accompanied by an adult.

You will be amazed at the documented artifacts. I hope you will join us Friday morning from 5-8am.

Maple Hill Cemetery Stroll

2007-05-07T09:15:00.000-07:00

An update to the annual Maple Hill Cemetery Stroll. What a great day we had! The weather was beautiful, although a bit warm for many of us in costume...the crowds were fantastic...we are estimating between 5-6 thousand listened to the 60-odd re-enactors' stories. That's one of the biggest crowds we have had in the 10 year history of the stroll. We took in $5,400 in donations!! This money goes for the continued care and restoration of the old headstones. On behalf of the Huntsville Pilgrimage Association and all of the volunteers...THANK YOU!!!

NewsChannel 19's Daniel Clayton took pictures of the stroll, and we've put them in a photo slideshow on WHNT.com. Check them out!

Here's what you can expect for our "Robert on the Road" segments for Thursday and Friday...Thursday, we will be in Scottsboro for the big fly-in at the airport.All types of planes are expected.

Friday we will be in Mooresville. It is time for the Home and Garden Tour. The tour will be Saturday May 12th from 10am-5pm. Friday we will be live from the oldest post office in Alabama.Click on the link for more information.

Until next time, stay safe.

Robert

Hello From Robert

2007-05-01T08:49:00.000-07:00

Hi friends, I know it has been awhile since you heard from me so I will try and catch you up on what's been happening with me...

Back in March..the 26th to be exact, I got married to an "ANGEL." If you watch our program you have met my new bride...her name is Jacquelyn Procter Reeves...she is the lady that always does the history programs with me, like the Historic Huntsville Depot or the Maple Hill Cemetery stroll. I will post some of our wedding pictures on this site in the next few days...believe me, it was not your normal wedding...first of all, about 25 people crashed the event...we had only invited family and a couple of really close friends. We were just going to have a nice quiet ceremony..short but sweet...yeah right! When Jacque and I walked into the old Brick Church out in Mooresville we got quite a surprise as the whole group of folks that had slipped in started singing the song.."Going To The Chapel, Gonna Get Married." From there it was wide open as a Case knife!

I will fill you in on the rest when I put the pictures in.

I hope you saw our Monday morning April 30th program from the Huntsville Animal Services...we featured the animals that are involved in the big Open House and Adopt-a-thon that is happening Saturday May 5th.

Both the City of Huntsville Animal Services and Greater Huntsville Humane Society are having open houses. Please come by and see the two shelters and meet the wonderful animals...there will be dogs, cats, bunnies and wildlife...treats for the kids like pizza, popcorn and cotton candy. Come adopt your new best friend...the shelters will be open for the adopt-a-thon Saturday from 9-3 at Animal Services and 11-4 at the Humane Society.

If you have any questions, please call (256) 883-3782. Huntsville Animal Services is located at
4950 Triana Blvd, Huntsville, Alabama 35805.

The Greater Huntsville Humane Society is located at 2812 Johnson Road SW, Huntsville, Alabama, 35805. The phone number is (256) 881-8081.

Here's a heads-up on our next two "Robert on the Road" segments...Thursday, Jacque and I along with several other re-enactors will be at Maple Hill Cemetery to give you a little history about the cemetery and some of the folks who are buried there and the part they played in Huntsville's history. The actual stroll is free to the public and will take place Sunday, May 6th between 2 and 4:30...Donations are accepted and used to restore some of the old headstones that are damaged. Also this weekend is the annual Huntsville Pilgrimage Tour of Homes which take place Saturday. Tickets are $15-$20 and money raised also goes to the upkeep of Maple Hill's priceless monuments and beautiful grounds. Call: (256) 533-9460 for info.

On Friday I will be at the Historic Huntsville Depot for the annual Whistle Stop Bar B Q event. Yes, my good friend Lee McWright will there with us to bring you some tips on how to properly cook ribs, chicken, pork and brisket. You will also meet some of the members of the only all-ladies cooking team entered in the Back-yard cooking competition...these ladies have the dubious honor of finishing tied for last for the last two years and they love it! And so will you....I hope you will join us, until then...remember, let a smile be your umbrella, but don't get a mouth full of rain.

See you soon,
Robert

CUT THE ONIONS!!!

2007-03-09T09:00:00.000-08:00

In response to all of you wanting to know when to cut the wild onions in your yards.
According to the "Old Farmer's Almanac" which is my source for information, the days to cut the onions to get rid of them are March 19th and 20th. Also, April 15th and 16th. Good Luck, I hope it works, but to use a phrase that James-Paul uses...if it doesn't, DON'T SHOOT THE MESSENGER!!!!

I hope you have enjoyed this past week's On The Road segments. As we move into Spring, I will do my best to take you to places you may not have seen or know about and give you a little history lesson along the way. Please feel free to make suggestions if you have a favorite place you would like us to share with our viewers...no promises, but I will try and get there.
Have a great weekend and I hope you will join us on the weekend additions of Newschannel 19 This Morning at 6am on Saturday and Sunday. By the way, don't forget to turn your clocks one hour forward Saturday night when you go to bed.

Until the next time,
Robert

Huntsville Animal Services

2007-02-28T09:03:00.000-08:00

Wednesday morning I was out at Huntsville Animal Services and I hope you saw the show. We had a mini-telethon to adopt as many animals as possible. Dr. Karen Hill and her staff were very kind to come in at 5am to answer phones and help people with adopting these animals. If you aren't familiar with Animal Services, I wish you would call (256) 883-3782 to find out how you can adopt some really loving animals that need a home.

Animal Services picks up stray dogs and cats or is a drop off for animals that people no longer want or can care for, this is sad because many times the strays belong to someone who just doesn't think to check with Animal Services. After a certain length of time the animals are either moved to the adoption wing or euthanized. If they are lucky, they are deemed adoptable and are kept until a home is found for them...

take a look at this little one...as sweet as can be and just begging for someone to come and take her home. Of course, if the animals are lucky, someone will do just that, like Dee Johnson who saw this beautiful Schnauzer and rushed down to Animal Services while were there and took him home.
By the way, Dee wasn't the only person looking for a Schnauzer, one man drove from Danville and another drove from Decatur to adopt "Max".

Dr. Hill is going to update me on the number of adoptions and you can count on us featuring the animals at the Animal Center in the future...and if you haven't had your pets spayed or neutered...please do so for their sake and yours...

Until we meet again, I'll see you "On The Road"

The Rodeo's in Town!

2007-02-23T07:14:00.000-08:00

Today, I had a great time with the folks at the Longhorn Championship Rodeo. They're in town for a series of weekend shows.

I talked with Wendy Lattin, and she showed me some of the techniques of trick riding. She also introduced to Speck, he's the oldest performer in the show , animal performer that is...he is around 36 years old.

For more on the Rodeo, show times, and ticket prices, click on this story on WHNT.com.

Heart Test Results

2007-02-23T06:18:00.000-08:00

As many of you know, I recently went through the Heart Center's battery of tests to determine the fitness of my heart. These tests are recommended for anyone and especially those who have a family history of heart problems. I do, so I went through the tests.

You may have watched the program where we passed the initial tests for circulation, carotid artery blockage and abdominal aorta blockage with flying colors...then we had the CT scan that is done without putting dye in you veins.

I was as surprised as many of you have indicated that I have heart disease. According to Dr.Ridner, I can thank my dad and mom for this because it is in their families.

My cholesterol has never been over 150 and I don't smoke or drink. Believe it or not, I actually eat pretty much the right kind of food as well...but I don't get enough exercise so that added to the problem.

I just went through the CT scan that Kym Richardson was featuring in her series, Cardiac Arrest, and got some good news, bad news...well, actually it wasn't bad news, it just wasn't what I would have liked it to have been. I have 50% blockage in one artery and 25% in another...not too bad considering my family history...the good news is we are going to treat it with an aggressive medicine approach. Dr. Ridner says my heart muscle is strong and shows no sign of problems, I just have to start an exercise program and lose about 20lbs...something I should have been doing anyway.

I will keep you posted and of course, you can see the results for yourself when you click here. By the way, I do have to change my diet some, but, I don't have to stop eating BAR B QUE!!!

Learn more about my adventures in our Robert on the Road page on WHNT.com.

2007-02-23T06:15:00.000-08:00

Hi, welcome to my blog! Can you believe it, I actually have a blog. I will be updating this on a routine basis, actually whenever I can remember something that I think is interesting.