Chillin and Grillin

Tonight’s  grilled pork loin kebabs in a balsamic vinegar marinade, first in the Sous Vide and then on a hot grill with a side of veggies. I reduced the remainder of the marinade for a sauce over the meat. Very tasty and a lot of leftovers for the rest of the weeks lunches.

The marinade:
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3 cloves minced garlic
2 tbls dried thyme
2 tbls sugar
2 teaspoon salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 cup olive oil

I cubed a 1/2 pork loin into 1 1/2 inch cubes then I divided the meat into 2 freezer bags, added 1/2 the marinade to each bag and used water displacement to seal the bags. I let them cook at 137 degree water bath  for 3 hours, drained the marinade into a pan and reduced till thickened. The meat was placed in a grill basket over hot coals till a nice color was achieved. I served it with a bit of the marinade spooned over.
The veggies were large cuts of zucchini and summer squash, onions, peppers and fennel, doused in olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper. Grilled till they got a little char in a basket then served along side the meat.

Eating Iowa....Milk and Honey

We went on a lark this weekend, motoring to Manning Iowa to visit a retail shop we both liked on Facebook called 'The Marketplace'. It was nice drive out to the country about an hour and a half long.  The town of Manning is a sleepy little burg of about 1500 people in the heart of Iowa just along Highway 141.

We visited the shop, spent a little money and looked around Main Street before heading back home. Jill offered us a  few places to stop and eat. One of them was 'Milk and Honey' in Harlan Iowa. About 40 minutes from Manning in a westerly direction, the little café sits right off the town square that is  dotted with some specialty shops and historical buildings.

You walk in basically right to the kitchen and place your order at the counter then take a seat after grabbing your own water and place setting. I had a cheeseburger with a side salad and Brenda ordered a sweet and spicy chicken sandwich. As we waited for or order we looked around the sleepy little town. Not much activity this Saturday morning but a regular crowd shuffling in and out of the café which boasted reasonable prices and some unique fare for such a little joint.

My cheeseburger came, obviously handmade, and heavy with melted cheddar, lettuce and fresh sliced tomato. The side salad had thinly sliced beets atop arugula and mixed greens with a side of ranch dressing. Honestly, the salad was delicious and simply fresh and tasty. The burger was large and the bun was fresh with a brioche quality. It was very good also. Brenda's grilled chicken was moist and flavorful with an onion jam and a bit of heat. The home fries on the side were crispy and tender in the center. Not your usual fry. The tab was only $16. Such a bargain for a delicious afternoon meal. We were that much closer to home after stopping that the trip back to Omaha seemed much quicker than embarking on our little adventure. Great way to spend a Saturday.