The Perini Ranch Burger

So pretty much all summer we've been out of town. Not the out of town vacation type thing, but just gone. My house and my car and my life definitely show it. And not that I'm organized anyway, but everything is pretty nearly a disaster around these parts.

But since I like to cook and I miss my blog, here is a new post... two weeks later......

If you haven't been to Perini's in Buffalo Gap, you're missing out. It's an Abilene National legend, and up until a few weeks ago we were too scared to go when it was on our tab. I had been once with a sweet family friend who paid for my dinner - I had no idea what it cost, but according to all the hype, it was expensive. 

One Saturday morning we ventured out to the Buffalo Gap Flea Market. After walking around looking for really cool stuff but only finding sickly looking puppies and completely drenching my outfit in sweat, we took off and headed for Perini Ranch. 

It's a really neat place. Lots of cool outdoor seating and patios, a real rustic "ranch" feel. 

And no air conditioning.

Despite the fact that I was about to have a heat stroke, we ordered the Perini Ranch Burger, the one that was featured on the Today Show, the one that everyone told us about, the burger to top all burgers.

And it was only nine bucks!

It lived up to all the talk, so we went back. And ate it again. 

Partially because it is one of few menu items we can afford, but mostly because of it's utter deliciousness.

Since we are now on a much tighter budget, I decided to attempt to make a copycat version. 

Here's what you'll need:

King's Hawaiian Sandwich Buns - splurge for these - they make the burger, but are about $3.50/4

Ground Beef

Red Onion

Green Chiles

Monterey Jack or Provolone Cheese

Kosher Salt

Black Pepper

Garlic Powder

Season the meat with the salt, garlic powder, and pepper  -I don't measure, so just go with what you think looks good! Squish it all together until thoroughly mixed, then use your fingers to score the meat into even portions.

I made the patties then put an almost hole in them. I heard it was supposed to keep them from shrinking up - didn't work out so great for me. I'll probably try it again though, with a real hole. I just chickened out this time on puncturing it all the way through. I'm not so good at burgers and everytime I make them they fall apart. Purposely making a hole does not sound appealing to someone whose burgers fall apart on their own accord anyway.

Throw 'em on the grill and cook to your desired temperature.

Top with cheese. 

While the burgers are cooking, slice the red onion, then chop it up.

Toss it in a skillet with the entire can of green chiles and sautee.

We aren't afraid of calories at this house, so I buttered the buns and stuck them in the oven while these veggies were cooking. 

I figure since we're going to eat vegetables we can eat a little butter, too, right?

Once the patties were finished and topped with cheese, I stuck mine on a bun, covered it in the green chile/onion mixture and topped it with none other than Perini's own Barbeque Sauce. 

Not too bad if I do say so myself.

Enjoy!!

Baby Headaches

Hope your Wednesday is fab. If it isn't, you can let me know and I will make sure and pray for whatever is going on!!

In other news, Monday night we had our first CK super trauma. 

She likes to run.

She also likes to open the bottom metal cabinet drawer and empty it out.

Running and metal cabinets do not go together. 

As she was "JET"ting around the kitchen

  (she puts her arms back behind her when she runs, I guess for less wind resistance??),

 her foot caught on a rug and BAM!

Face to corner of drawer.

Screaming immediately ensued, followed by tears - mine and hers-

blood was gushing out of her face - I couldn't tell where from AND we couldn't find Jared.
By the time we ran out the front door and found him, I figured out it wasn't her eyeball,
thank the Lord,
but I was still thinking we should go to the ER.
So we went.
And walked in.
And there were 50 bazillion people in line.
And C wasn't crying or bleeding anymore, so we left.

Hopefully this thing heals up without scarring. It's pretty tiny, and looking back on the situation, we probably shouldn't have even walked in to the emergency room.
With a naked bleeding baby,
and an unshowered, covered in blood mom,
and a sweaty, outside working dad.
I think we could have more problems brought on by CPS than the slight forehead gash,
if they were judging us by the way we looked.

Disclaimer : We called the Dr., in case you were wondering, and he said she would be fine.

And she got an "icicle" out of the deal.

We got several "you shouldn't be a parent" looks at the grocery store with our butterfly stitch, 

and then to confirm their fears CK's diaper overflowed onto the basket. 

Gross.

We definitely should have stayed home, or ditched the bandage.

Today it rained.

And it was glorious. I don't think I've ever been more excited or surprised. 

And even though it can't personally tell me, I'm pretty sure that dead grass I've been talking about was quite appreciative, too. 

Source: dressdesigndecor.blogspot.com via Debbie on Pinterest

We sat on the patio and watched it like we had never seen rain before. Even CK knew how cool it was. 

Thank you, Lord, for the rain. 

Please send some more. 

"A-MANNNN"

C likes to pray, especially say the amen part...loudly...

P.S. Don't forget the coupon code JGSUMMER for 10% off in my shop

I'm still alive, thanks for asking!

For any of you who might have been wondering, I am still alive. Although the month of June NEARLY did me in, I made it through. Here is where I have been, oh, the last 11 or so days of my life.

Living every 12 year old boy's dream... working in a big honkin' fireworks warehouse.


And while I was gone, our house went up for sale, all our grass died, my car was filled with fireworks, a trailer was filled with furniture for me to refinish and sell (somewhere...), I got a pinterest, our favorite neighbors moved, and no one kept up with my blog.

Dang. 

When you break it down, we probably all made about $2 an hour, what with the burn ban and drought and all, but we did have fun. 

CK stayed with her Grandy, GrandMike, and Mister all week. I think she had fun. Apparently, she got to boss ... A LOT. 

Here are just a few examples of the things my sweet, sweet child says:

*While riding in the car with my mother and 16 month old through the Dairy Queen drive-thru, CK yells from the backseat, "Gangey, Iwancake!" (translation: "Grandy, I want cake!!!"Obviously while she was with her grandparents they let her eat whatever her little heart desired, which right now consists of chips, cake, ice cream, french fries, and goldfish. 

*Every adult in the house pushed the kid around in her stroller whenever she asked demanded. And sat on the rock ledge when they were told to "seet down". She speaks in the cutest authoritative little voice, it's hard to turn her down.

* One morning my mom called and told me CK was yelling at her to "find it!!!" because they had lost the changer.

We may be in trouble. 

Hope you all had a Happy 4th of July!

How much do you LOVE sales?

I love sales. 

I love digging through looking for just the right price. 

I buy things I don't even need if they're on sale (hope you aren't reading this babe!).

Luckily for you, there will be no clawing, fighting over, & ripping away of items at this sale, because it is online, and it's in 

     MY SHOP!!

Enter code

jgsummer 

to get a sweet 10% off any purchase from my shop, 

because you probably need some new old stuff for your house.

P.S. I'll go ahead and give ya some jalopy and cake cupcakes at 10% off too!

Parade Day

Thursday we went to the Western Heritage Classic Parade! I love living in Texas - people here will line the streets to watch fancy old cars drive by,  kid's wave from floats, and horses poop. 

We went to the parade with our neighbors and BeBe. It was a blast (most of the time). We accidentally sat on the wrong end of the parade, and since we got there early to get a good spot, we waited an especially long time to see anything. The babies had to get up and walk around a little bit. 

This little doll carries around as many "paisssss" as she can hold, and switches them out randomly. I've already told her when she's two they disappear, but I think we both know that probably won't happen. 

Finally, we saw something. Hohs (horses), yee-hawyee-haws (cowgirls - this one sounds more like a donkey), mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm (cows), and babies (any kid under the age of 4ish). All of the kids loved it, although there were a couple of complaints about the lack of candy! 

Isn't this the most adorable face you have EVER in your whole life seen?

This is Tate, Ck's future hubby. (Also extremely adorable.) 

These two ask for each other all the time, and then when they get together, CK starts bullying him and he has to push back. I think they're in baby love. 

We went and ate at Lucy's. If you live around here and have never been, get up right now and head down Treadaway. They finally got a sign up so if you didn't know where they were, now you can find them. This place is packed ALL. THE. TIME.  And it's delicious. And they have homemade ice cream. And if you're still reading, you didn't get up and go yet.

Then we came home and CK played in the sprinkler. That kid can't get enough sprinkler - we can't get the grass watered because her big kid self moves it. Yesterday, she got me and her dad with it. Then her BFF came over. 

When she tries to say her name it comes out "Ya ya".

I don't know what we're going to do when they leave!

Bacon Wrapped Brown Sugar Pork Chops and Mango Pico

Here's what ya need:

Pork Chops

Bacon

Brown Sugar

Honey

Mango

Cilantro

Garlic

Jalepeno Pepper

Lime

Onion

Olive Oil

To make the Mango Pico:

Chop a medium sized mango into small pieces, add 1/2 of a small lime's juice, two tsp. chopped cilantro, 1/8 an onion chopped, 1/4 of the jalapeno finely chopped (NO SEEDS),  then drizzle honey over the top. Stir and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Butterfly the pork chops (if they're thick ones) and lay sliced jalapeno pepper in the middle. Squeeze lime juice then close. 

Drizzle a teensy bit of olive oil on top, cover completely with brown sugar, wrap with bacon and cover in honey. 

Grill for about 15 minutes or until done.

Top with mango pico and serve. YUMMMMMM!

PLEASE can we go on a vacation?!?!?!?

Not just a vacation as in off work, but the real deal, big time, going SOMEWHERE vacation? PLEASE?

I've honestly been really blessed in the vacation department. My family took us all over the U.S. in High School (although on most of those trips I was playing in basketball tournaments and my family was vacationing). I've even been to Hawaii, and Mexico, and Costa Rica. But those days seem so far in the past....

And don't get me wrong, we still go A LOT of places, but I've got this dream stuck in my head:

me and the hubs on our honeymoon in Riveria Maya, Mexico

And while I know I can't ever talk my hubby into going here again, for fear that my face might blow up (click here to see what the heck I'm talking about)

I do REALLY want to go on a vacation this summer. 

So here's the question of the day:

*What is your DREAM vacation?

(It doesn't have to be somewhere realistic)

* What is your most memorable vacation spot?

*Do you have plans to vacation somewhere this summer? Where? And would you like to take a friend (meaning me)?

I'm going to try and talk the hubs into a little wager - if I can get 50 comments, he takes me somewhere. Hopefully that works out for me - ha!