My Pit Barrel Cooker is a great addition to my BBQ set up.
I didn’t care that it was only 35 degrees yesterday, I was going to grill. It helped that I bought packages of chicken wings for $1.70 each at Jewel in the discount meat bin. And it also helped that I had this amazing cooker. Yes, that’s what is called – a Pit Barrel Cooker. It does smoke as well, but so far I’ve only used charcoal, lit with a chimney, to cook my meat. Tony and I once tried to smoke with hickory chips, and I don’t know if we used too much, or the heat was too high, but all we tasted was the smoke and it was just too much.
I start the coals on my chimney on my Weber grill. I place unlit coals in the bottom of the cooker (about 40 briquettes) and then top the lit coals from the chimney on top of the other coals. There is a vent on the bottom of the smoker where I can control the amount of oxygen the coals get.
While I wish it had a temperature gauge, it doesn’t really matter because I cook my meat to temperature. Since I had breasts, thighs and wings going at the same time, because the breasts were the biggest piece of meat, I probed the chicken breasts and once it hit 165 I pulled everything off the grill.
I used three different rubs on the chicken, but truly couldn’t tell in the end which was which, but they were all flavorful.
Jacob’s grandpa came over for Sunday dinner (his Dad didn’t come at the last minute) but we’ll have plenty of chicken for leftovers this week.
I also made macaroni and cheese because Hannah doesn’t eat chicken on the bone (or much chicken at all for that matter!) (wait, unless it’s a chicken finger!), oven roasted red potatoes and garlic green beans. It would have been nice to hang outside while grilling, but I guess Mother Nature prefers us midwesterners to wear down coats and a scarf while grilling this close to April.
Jacob’s birthday is tomorrow – the last of the March birthdays for our family! We went to Maggiano’s on Saturday night. So much good food and wine!
This is the dish I got – it was called Filet Mignon Risotto. This isn’t how I expected the dish to look – I assumed I would get a small filet with the risotto on the side, but this was delicious. Shiitake mushrooms were in the risotto and it was so flavorful.
Maggiano’s is not on the Weight Watchers app, so I had to improvise – so I didn’t actually eat at Carl’s Jr. 😛
I went to Weight Watchers on Saturday. I hadn’t been in two weeks, and I was up 2.6 pounds, so basically I am up just one pound in 2018.
I got many many DM’s on Instagram asking my why I am still on Weight Watchers since its obviously not working for me – why waste the money? Well, here is the deal – I am not working the program 100%. And I know that. I only have success when I follow the plan, treat the weekends like the weekdays. My meals are actually on point, it’s the extra licks, tastes, drinks, snacks, etc. that have to go. All those bad habits have come back with a vengeance, and I just need to get my focus back.
I love my leader too – she’s funny and upbeat. There is always a full house at the 8:30 meeting – and Saturday’s are so busy at this location they had to add another meeting.
Without being “on” Weight Watchers I could have easily been up 20 pounds, so I consider a one pound gain basically maintaining and I am fine with that. I have seen so many Weight Watchers go “off plan” on Instagram, showing gains for 13+ pounds for the month, so I know I’ll get my rear in gear soon. I still have my bronchitis cough, it is in week 4, so I am hoping that goes away soon. I feel fine, but every couple hours I have a coughing fit. Ick.
The flowers Hannah and I bought at Trader Joe’s are still going strong! I think it was my friend M.J. who said that these are called star gazers and that they do last weeks. We only spent $3.99 a bunch!
I did a lot of resting this weekend too in between cooking projects. Turns out the pups don’t mind that at all. They are the best snuggle buddies.
Happy Monday my friends – make it a great day!
Mmm, I could eat that whole plate of chicken. It just looks amazing. All of your grilling does! That sure is a full house at the meeting. I bet there is a lot of energy and great ideas that come out. Whew, finally all the March activities behind you. Now you can focus on you and your goals. Holidays, birthdays etc are always a difficult time and to have so many crammed in one month, I would gain a ton.
I bought J two 4.00 bouquets at TJ’s for her birthday. They lasted 15 days!! I’m not a huge chicken on the bone person either!!
One of my favorite restaurants, that makes the best filet I’ve ever had on this planet had a filet mignon risotto on the menu. I thought it would look more like the one you have pictured. But no! It was shredded filet mignon mixed in with the risotto. So disappointing! I learned my lesson and order only the filet from the menu from this day forward. (That way, I’ll NEVER be disappointed!
Aw man, I would have been pissed if I had shredded filet mignon – who the fuck would do that?! I’ll have to remember your trick next time – maybe order the filet and a SIDE of risotto. 😛
That chicken looks amazing!!!
I ultimately gave up on counting calories or points or macros. I no longer weigh or measure my food, and I still eat my favorite foods. It’s not so much about *what* I eat (although that is still important) as it is about *how* I eat – mostly mindfully. It’s also about lifestyle changes and finding what works for you. I love the freedom I have as I no longer stress about eating. Ever.
That’s awesome Mary! I wish I could say I had that self-control. I have to remind myself that if the kids buy treats and bring them home (read: a dozen donuts, muffins as big as my head) I have to tell myself if I didn’t buy it, I can’t eat it. 😀
Hi Biz….the Pit Barrel smoker sounds like a great addition to your grilling, chicken looks yummy and I bet you could smell that chicken all over Cary. I bought 1 lb of smoked salmon at the local butcher, man that was good. Yesterday I turned the rest of the left over salmon into Keto Salmon patties with an avocado sauce along with asparagus and salad with olives and feta cheese. Man, that was delicious. JP had mashed potatoes and gravy, and the above mentioned food also. I am amazed at the stuff I can eat. Check out the Atkins/Keto diet and tell me what you think.
Have you ever tried the Atkins/Keto diet? Cutting down on carbs and more proteins. I am having much success on it. Lost 22 lbs since last July….I know that is not much, but for me that is very good. The first month, I lost 10 lbs, mostly water. I kind of went off it for awhile, but then I noticed my blood sugars weren’t so high. ( My A1C was 6.6 that following August) I managed to maintain that loss over the winter months and then lose a few more lbs….just the last couple of months I have been a little bit more diligent…..hoping by this July to be down 35-40 lbs. I know it’s a slow process….but it’s working, for me. Have always had a hard time losing, this I can handle and JP doesn’t even realize he is eating Atkins/Keto food. I have noticed that sometimes you do some keto meals, breakfast is the easiest. Eggs and some kind to meat minus the bread and bagles. That is something I thought I could never go without….bread, pasta, starches etc. but it’s doable.
Have a good week and I always enjoy reading your blog every day, even though I don’t always comment.
Louise!! I am so behind on my blog reading, hope you are doing well. Yep, I know of keto/Atkins – Hannah and Jacob have done those for a while with success.
My actual breakfast/lunch/dinners are just fine – its all the in between stuff I need to cut out. 😀
I think the people who suggest that WW isn’t working for you have a point – yes, you aren’t working the program, so it’s not working. But maybe the point is – what I’ve found anyway – maybe it’s not working for you right now. Maybe it’s just not the right program right now. Not that it wouldn’t work if you followed it, but maybe it’s just too hard to follow.
I know that over the last 16 years since I first lost 57 pounds (then went through 2 pregnancies), that what worked 16 years ago doesn’t work now – and not only because of age (I could eat way more carbs back then, and wheat!), but because of life changes and personality changes.
That’s true Marcia – and I can’t compare my 70 pound weight loss in 1999 (nearly 20 years ago!) to today – I realize my body is different, but the snacks, wine, and fucking gummies won’t help me get to goal. I’ll figure it out eventually! And your boys are getting so big!!!
But but but…
Yes, the wine and gummies won’t get you to goal, but are you giving up wine forever? No. I mean, I didn’t, and I don’t. So you need to find something that WORKS with the wine. For me, that’s sometimes taking a month off of wine. Or just planning it in. Like: I can have 2 glasses a week. If I’m out, I can have wine OR fries but not both.
Now though (I feel so damned old!) – it turns out that wine messes with my sleep. Even a small glass, or half a glass while cooking dinner, and I sleep like CRAP. Insert sad face here. I love wine! I live in wine country! I have two wine club memberships! But I guess once or twice a week, if that, is it for me.
Anyway, I figure if you are eating lots of fruits and veg, and getting regular exercise, you are leaps and bounds ahead of most people, so eff the scale.
The flowers are alstroemerias! In the lily family, but usually super cheap as they’re considered a “filler.”
They are pretty just on their own! Thanks Katie 😀
Those flowers are alstroemeria and, if you change the water daily (or almost daily) they will last for several weeks. They come in such lovely colors too!
Best,
Bonnie
Thanks Bonnie! I have to make it look like spring even if it still feels like winter. 🙁
Hugs!