updates and such.

First off, thanks to everyone who reached out this year inquiring about Thanksgiving barbecue.  I had a ton of turkey requests, some ribs, and even some chicken.  Unfortunately, I will not be smoking this Thanksgiving.  With rapid spikes in Covid-19, I've been reluctant to cook for everyone lately. That, along with the fact that I ditched my old fridge and haven't picked out a new one yet (turkeys take up a TON of fridge space for thawing and brining) and also the fam and I thought this would be a good year to take off and just enjoy the holiday before (hopefully) things really pick up next year.  Hope you all understand.

Additional update....(drumroll)...a new menu item!

I'm pretty jazzed to add Magic Shells to my menu.  I've been messing around with a mac & cheese recipe for years now--fancy cheeses, non-fancy cheeses, "cheeses", macaroni, penne', rigatoni, pulled pork, brisket, sausage...you name it.  Finally, I decided on a recipe that I've been using for years and never considered offering to the masses.  It's essentially my version of Hamburger Helper.  Sounds great, huh?  Yeah, the little animated white glove dude has nothing to do with this recipe, although he did inspire me to create my own version back in my single, one bedroom apartment days.

I bought a box of Hamburger Helper and dug it.  I dug it so much so that I started buying different flavors.  Then the guilt set in.  "I can't eat this."  So I started making my own with different spices and noodles, then I'd make a bechamel and turn it into a cheese sauce.  Pour that gold all over the noodles and meat--dang.

So, the version I'm offering is shells (duh), a flavorful ground beef mixture in a modest amount, and a cheddar cheese sauce (not in a modest amount) mixed in.  The noodles cook in the meat mixture along with onions, garlic, and spices for a full flavor, then drenched with sauce and more shredded cheese to top it.  This dish is not smoked, as my wife and I decided that we prefer some of our side dishes non-smoked to give your pallet a breather in between bites of ribs & brisket.  So even if you're not in the mood to taste hickory smoke and meat, grab a pint of Magic Shells and indulge.  I have sporks.

Additional, additional update...
 
Both styles of Earl Todd Barbecue t-shirts are still available, and they make magnificent stocking stuffers!  The Elvis (all sizes and colors available) and the Regular (limited sizes and colors) are $20 and $15 respectively ($5 shipping).

I dearly appreciate your continued support, and look forward to actually becoming a little bit more of a "BBQ Joint" in some sort of capacity next year.  Happy Turkey Day, friends.