Labor Day is almost here! I'm looking forward to a long weekend and for once, Jimmy is going to be off, too. Usually the chicken business continues on without a break, but this year it's a hol-i-day! Whoo Hoo!

First on the agenda will be getting some meat to smoke. Ribs, brisket, pork loin, pork butt...I'm not sure what all he'll choose. Usually he is the one who makes the smoking decisions. He and Layke consider smoking a sport! Jimmy will get up all through the night to babysit his brisket. And let me tell you, the man can smoke a brisket! Layke is the champ with ribs. Oh my. My job is always to provide side dishes. Typically I do corn on the cob, potato salad, slaw, stuff like that. I might prowl around some cookbooks or websites and try to find something new and unique to prepare. Anyone have any suggestions? I tried a new slaw that a guy at Jimmy's work makes the last time we smoked and it is fabulous! It has hot peppers and chopped tomatoes in it. Sounds weird, but honey child, it will make you want to slap your grandmaw. ;)

A Different Kind of Slaw

Chopped cabbage

Finely chopped hot pepper, about a half of one

Finely chopped seeded tomato

Mayonnaise to taste

Chopped onions

A couple of capfuls of cider vinegar

A little bit of sugar, about tsp.

Salt & Pepper

Aside from cooking, I also plan on having plenty of margaritas. I'm not a big drinker as my friends can tell you. One, maybe two of something is my limit. But these margaritas...oh my. I had gotten a margarita at Santa Fe when I was having dinner with some friends. One of them asked the bartender what kind of mixer he used. He said Finest Call sweet and sour. So, off to the store I went and got some and followed the recipe on the bottle for margaritas. Oh. My. God. I really have to watch myself with these. I limit it to two, but I think I could drink them until my eyes bugged out!

Well, that's about it for today. Unless I think of something else. OH YEAH...a funny from Rachel that I've just got to share~

Rachel purchased some Nag Champa incense the other day (I love the stuff) and burned a stick in her apartment. She went out to walk the dog and when she got back there was a note taped to back of the outside door. It said: "To my pot-smoking neighbors, please raise a window, it stinks!" She cracked up and left them a note telling them it was Nag Champa, not pot, but she wouldn't do it again! I told her, "Welcome to apartment living!" She said it wasn't worth pissing off the neighbors to burn it. I just thought that was humorous.