Bentley's Batch 5 - grace grits and gardening

On this Memorial Day weekend while you enjoy time off work having fun with family and chowing on delicious barbecue, be sure to make time to remember those patriots who sacrificed all for our country, our freedom, our tomorrows.

Upper Cemetery, Brinkley, Arkansas

Unknown Soldier, Berryville, Arkansas

Fly your flag. Say a prayer. Meditate on how lucky we are to live in a democratic society. Do something patriotic today and everyday.

We don’t have a flag yet for our new (old) house, but after searching and searching, I finally found the bunting which we brought from our Dallas house. It was hiding in a drawer. I love the look of bunting, especially draped on old porch railings.

Our house is dressed up for Memorial Day

Our porch dressed for Memorial Day.

I decorated our Little Free Library for Memorial Day too! If you live in the neighborhood, be sure to check out our book selection for every age reader. Books change daily! And there are seeds in the bottom drawer. Zinnias were recently added (although I can’t promise they are still there).

Our Little Free Library is ready for Memorial Day!

Our Little Free Library decorated for Memorial Day! (Fayetteville, Ar)

Oh, and eat some barbecue! John will be grilling ribs—he’s a master at it. If it’s raining where you are, and it seems to be raining everywhere, try these oven roasted barbecued chicken thighs I made last week. Trust me, this is simple. I made this dish using only my right hand. Why? Because my left index finger was wrapped in a paper towel held above my heart/head to keep myself from bleeding out. #DullKnifeProblems #Distracted #NoTimeForStitches

Rinse and pat dry chicken. Place skin side down on an oiled cookie sheet. Roast at 425 for 30 minutes.
Coat with your favorite sauce (see mine below). Turn and coat the other side. Roast 10 minutes skin side up.
Slather on more sauce. Roast another 10 minutes. (Do not turn again.)
Repeat one more time turning the oven up to 475.
Let rest 10 minutes before eating.

I made the sauce using one cup of Bentley’s Batch 5 Reserve (my favorite!) mixed with two heaping tablespoons of apricot preserves and 3-4 chopped garlic cloves. (Recipe inspired by the one and only Pioneer Woman.) If you are a vegetarian, try this sauce with roasted veggies.

Happy Memorial Day folks!

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

[tweetthis]Take time out of your #MemorialDayWeekend to remember. #America #Freedom @BentleysBatch5 [/tweetthis]

America, The Beautiful – Cedarmont Kids

I’ve since bought real Band-aids specifically for fingertips.

(I was provided free barbecue sauce; however opinions are my own. I swear.)

A few years ago, I discovered cauliflower. I mean really discovered it. Oh sure, I always knew about eating it raw with Ranch dressing. Cauliflower was never my favorite of the dip vehicles. Standing at a party veggie tray, I rotated through the choices not wanting to be that person hogging the carrot sticks or cucumber slices.

And steamed cauliflower with a thin cheese sauce? I consider that hospital food.

But the same head of cauliflower tossed with olive oil and sea salt, roasted in a 400 degree oven is a vegetable game changer. Heat brings out the caramelized flavor. The dark (almost burnt) bits taste like onion rings. Try it. You’ll agree.

Now that summer is (almost) here, I’ve been thinking about ways to spice up my regular recipes. This barbecued cauliflower—made with my favorite barbecue sauce, Bentley’s Batch 5—will complement all your summer meals.

Before we get to the recipe, let me tell you a bit about Bentley’s Batch 5. Bentley’s is a stick-to-your-ribs sort of sauce, not one of those namby-pamby thin vinegary concoctions. The flavor is robust as a Texas barbecue sauce should be.

I’m not just saying all this because it’s made by my Munger Place friends Harold and Gale, but this does make it more special. I know the history and all the work that went into it. After years of making his Dad’s family recipe, Harold and Gale perfected it. Now you can purchase Bentley’s at several Texas locations (more retailers added daily).

I love it on grilled shrimp, chicken, pork and all sorts of vegetables, which brings me back to cauliflower.