Dinner At The Texas Roadhouse

Song:  Fire On The Mountain

Group:  The Marshall Tucker Band

Last night...

I took my mother out to the Texas Roadhouse for supper.

Every so often...

we wish to explore other restaurants.

Although there were problems with our meal...

I was very pleased in how the management had handled it.

The rolls were hot and delicious.

We always drink non-alcoholic beer with our suppers.

We had ordered medium WELL Prime Ribs.

We got them...

and they were medium RARE!

I called over the waiter.

He apologized...

and took them back.

A few minutes later...

he brought them back...

and they were still medium rare.

The waiter got the assistant manager.

The assistant manager came over and apologized.

She then took them back to the kitchen.

A few minutes later...

she brought them back.

This time the manager came with them.

I immediately cut into it...

and found that, although it was done well enough...

it still was not medium well (it was more medium).

The manager apologized.

He said that a dedicated steak house should get it right the first time...

never mind not getting it right after the third time.

He had asked me if I wanted to have them try it again.

I said NO!

I was hungry...

and it was good enough  :)

The manager then said he would take 50% off the bill for having had us wait

for something that should have been done right the first time.

I thanked him.

That is the way to correctly manage problems!

I ended up tipping the waiter as if it were a full price dinner.

The waiter was not at fault.

No doubt the cook was inexperienced.

Any way...

two meals for the price of one.

It turned out to be a good night.

We took all of the trimmings to Hana...

and she had quite a feast that night.

On the way home...

I had seen a peek-a-boo sunset.

---------

I had gotten back from an almost one week trip a few days ago.

My elder sister had stayed with my mother until I had gotten back.

The day after I got back...

I took them shooting at my favorite shooting place.

In Nevada...

so long as you shoot safely...

you are out of the city limits...

and you are at least 1 mile away from any residences...

you may put up targets and set up your own shooting range.

This is where I go to set up my targets to shoot.

My brother in law took his Springfield 45 semi auto pistol.

We were firing at the tiny metal rotating targets...

and various limbs of the dead tree.

Next time I go....

I will take out my Mossberg 590 shotgun...

my Ruger SP 101 357...

and my son's scoped Marlin 795 22.

My brother in law is a retired NCO in the Army.

My elder sister had fun shooting.

The metal target got bent up a bit.

I will be getting a better target in the future.

I am thinking of taking my mother out to the mountains just at the end of her street

to teach her Archery, soon.

I will first have to take her to a sports store to get a child's bow...

as the one I have for Alex is too heavy of a draw for her.

We will be able to shoot near her home...

as just a few houses away...

the mountain trails start.

Unagi Sushi / Inarizushi / Yaki - Imo

Song:  Something

Group:  Beatles

Now...

almost everyone has had Unagi Sushi, and even Inarizushi.

However...

very few Americans have even heard of Yaki - Imo

(Fire roasted Japanese Sweet Potato).

Now...

I don't have the patience to fire roast these...so...

I bake them  :)

Japanese sweet potatoes are highly nutritious...and delicious.

However, their magic does not end there.

The fiber they provide, gently cleans the whole intestinal system.

I will be making these very often for my mother so she may snack on them

straight from the refrigerator at any time of the day, or night

(they are delicious cold).

These sweet potatoes have a slightly sweet flavor...

and a silky smooth flesh which is so good going down.

They are inexpensive and very easy to cook.

Simply wash the potatoes using a vegetable scrub brush

(however, you do not wish to take off the skin...

it is highly nutritious, and provides fiber).

After washing...

simply place on a square of foil...

roll it up in the foil...and twist wrap the ends.

Place them into a preheated 350 degree oven for 1 to 1.5 hours
(they should be light and fluffy inside)...

let cool for half an hour...

and they are ready to eat.

Keep them in the foil...

as they may be stored in the fridge that way.

I had already started the rice...

and I had my mother dice up some green onions for the Unagi Sushi.

Once again...

the best scallops I have found are from Trader Joe's.

Defrost them in a warm bath.

Drain them of excess water...

and then further drain out water through compression.

I like to butter sauté the scallops.

For this dish...

I then quarter the cooked scallops...

and place them into a mixing bowl.

I then add Unagi Sushi sauce...

and mix until all pieces are thoroughly coated.

I took the cooked Japanese Sweet Potatoes from the oven and let them cool.

The roasted seaweed long roll sushi wrapping.

This sushi rice seasoning may be gotten at almost any Asian market.

Pour over the cooked rice in a large mixing bowl...to taste.

Thoroughly mix it in...

and add more seasoning according to taste, as necessary.

The start of the long roll process.

The bamboo mat is used to compress the roll.

These seasoned and fried Inarizushi pouches come ready to fill.

The Inarizushi pouches may also be gotten from any Asian market.

And no...

I don't have dirty hands.

It is unagi sauce.

I had been sneaking bites of the prepared Unagi  :)

My mother filling the pouches.

Be sure to not stuff them with force...

as the pouches are rather delicate...

and may rip.

A finished Inarizushi.

(It wasn't the first one. I had eaten that one before it could hit the plate  :)

This was a full three uncooked cups of rice (5 cups cooked)...

and we were almost ready to eat.

We like adding wasabi to the soy sauce in which we dip the long rolls.

My mother...at first...attempted to fully peel the potato.

I had her try eating it with the skin on...

and she liked it even more.

It is also far more healthful to eat them with the skin on.

This was my plate.

You can see the fluffy inside of the sweet potato.

Yaki - Imo is so delicious...hot or cold.

The uncooked potatoes will keep in cold storage for months.

However, you will want to eat the cooked and refrigerated Japanese sweet potatoes

within a few days.

As these are so easy to prepare...

you will want to eat them often with meals...

but even more so...

you will want to snack on them while watching TV.

After eating one...

you will feel the greatly beneficial effects

on the morrow...or even later on that same day.

Try them...

you will then want to eat them often.

Another great plus...

these will fully satisfy any carbohydrate craving you may have...

with far fewer calories than would be had with bread.

They are the perfect snack for teenagers...

as they are healthful...filling...and will help fuel their growing bodies and minds.