MLM5's "moved" TR

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

Squirrel are just glorified rats.  shish ka bob would have been too good for him :banana:

And kudos to you, I would never have been brave enough to take my kids on a trip all by myself. :banana:

It was a good time, we really enjoyed it, I just wished I had met some fiends on that trip, I sure could have used a nice adult beverage and adult conversation once they were asleep!  I was talking in tongues by the time we got back home  :banana:  Me being the hard headed women that I am, will do it again next week.  My hubby is somewhat of a city boy and works more than he should, so it's only for 3 days this time and we will only be a few hours from home so if the house critters get to rowdy I can call in the back up crew!  The halloween trip I have convinced him that we ALL need to go and that he will LOVE the fort.  If he doesnt, I will duck tape him to the nearest fiends RV and run a IV drip of rum to keep him happy until the kids and I get our mouse fix..  :banana:

As long as you have a plan. This might help :banana:

[MLM5.. aka Judy 97]

Your a Genius! 

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

No just an empty nester with too much time on my hands

[Total Joker ... TJ 203]

Ok, I have to know where did you get the screen for you canopy??

[MLM5.. aka Judy 97]

Ok, I have to know where did you get the screen for you canopy??

Walmart.com  baby!  :rofl2:

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

Great trip report. You have a beautiful family!

[MLM5.. aka Judy 97]

so I had to come revist my own trip report to remember what to pack and not to pack for the halloween trip.. how ditsy is that? :rofl2:

[SCTigerCock 171]

so I had to come revist my own trip report to remember what to pack and not to pack for the halloween trip.. how ditsy is that? :rofl2:

I thought we covered this before:

BEER

clothes

food

BEER

and kids possibly....

:rofl2:

[MLM5.. aka Judy 97]

I thought we covered this before:

BEER

clothes

food

BEER

and kids possibly....

:rofl2:

oh yea, I forgot the kids!! :rofl2:

[DaveInTN 3,247]

If you forget the kids, you can pack LESS food...and pack MORE beer!

[momof3kids-Yvonne 596]

If you forget the kids, you can pack LESS food...and pack MORE beer!

That sounds logical to me.

[Doggmeat-aka Todd 3]

If you forget the kids, you can pack LESS food...and pack MORE beer!

isn't beer a food group by itself????

[Roller ... aka Ed 351]

You have a beautiful family. Loved your set up, but squirrels, I hate squirrels.

How to handle squirrels ...

spanish braised squirrel or rabbit

I almost always cook squirrels with some sort of nut sauce. This recipe is an adaptation of a Spanish rabbit dish I found in Penelope Casas’ Delicioso! The Regional Cooking of Spain, which I highly recommend. It’s a luxurious, thick stew that cries out for crusty bread. The combination of almonds and olives is also a hit. Keys here are good green olives, and brineing the squirrel — this makes it more tender.

Figure on one Eastern gray squirrel per person, 2 fox squirrels or Western grays for 3 people, 1 cottontail for two people — or if you are not a hunter, 1 domestic rabbit for 2-3 people. And yes, you can use chicken thighs and legs, too.

Serves 4.

Prep Time: 6 hours

Cook Time: 3 hours

• 3 squirrels, cut into serving pieces
• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup almonds
• 25 green olives
• Flour for dusting
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion
• 1 small hot chile, minced
• 1 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup chicken broth, rabbit or other light broth
• 1 pound fingerling potatoes (optional)
• Parsley for garnish

1. Mix the kosher salt with 4 cups of water, the bay leaves, cracked black pepper and the thyme. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat, cover and let cool to room temperature. When cool, add the squirrel or rabbit pieces and refrigerate for 6-8 hours — no longer, or the meat will get unbearably salty.
2. Toast the almonds in a dry pan if they are not already roasted. Pound them with the garlic cloves and a pinch of salt in a mortar; you could also buzz them in a food processor or chop them fine by hand.
3. Pit and slice the olives in half or chop roughly.
4. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
5. Pour the olive oil in a Dutch oven or brazier — something ovenproof with a lid — and heat it over medium-high heat.
6. Remove the squirrel or rabbit from the brine and pat it dry. Roll in the flour. Brown the meat on all sides over medium heat. Take your time and do this in batches so you do not crowd the pan. Remove the meat from the pot as it browns and set it aside.
7. Slice the onion in half. Grate one half through a coarse grater, and roughly chop the other half. You could also slice it in half-moons.
8. When all the meat is browned, add the white wine and broth and scrape off any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Bring this to a rolling boil. Here is a tricky part: You want to cook it down on the stovetop to the point where when you put the meat back into the pot, the liquid comes up only about halfway. You do not want to submerge your meat. How long you’ll need to boil depends on the size of your pot.
9. When the liquid is boiling, add the almond-garlic mixture, the chile and the grated onion. Mix well and let boil for a minute. Add the squirrel back to the pot. Make sure it is not totally submerged. Halfway is ideal.
10. Cover the pot and put it in the oven for 45 minutes.
11. After 45 minutes, take the pot out and add the sliced onion, the olives and the potatoes. Mix everything together. If the stew looks too dry, add a little more broth — but remember this is a “dry stew,” not a soup. I eat this with a fork and a piece of bread, not a soup spoon. Add just enough broth to keep everything from drying out. Cover the pot again and return to the oven for at least another 45 minutes, maybe an hour.
12. Check the meat and potatoes: The squirrel should be thinking about falling off the bone and the potatoes should be cooked through. When this is done, remove from the oven and let it cool — covered — for 10 minutes on the stovetop.
13. To serve, spoon out portions and garnish with parsley. I’d drink a robust, complex white wine with this, such as a white Cote du Rhone or an older Chardonnay. An Italian Grillo might be nice, too, as would a Tocai Friulano

Tada ...

[scooterminnie...paula 20]

I'm sure it taste like chicken. :rofl2:

[Roller ... aka Ed 351]

I'm sure it taste like chicken. :rofl2:

You wish. It taste like Tree Rat ...