Texas Style Homemade Canned Jalapeno Peppers

In the last few years I have been trying to learn to put food away in the old style like my great grandparents and those before them did on a day to day basis. I have learned about brining, drying and smoking meats. In the last month I have been working on pickling such things as eggs, sausage, cucumbers and jalapeño peppers. I hope to have a recipe for you in the future to be able to make pickled spiced peaches like I used to sneak out of my grandmothers house. I could sit behind the barn and eat a whole quart jar of those things. I never got her recipe but have been able to get several that I think will do her proud so we will talk about pickled spiced peaches again in the future.

My family grew up on Tex-Mex foods and we have an addiction to hot peppers. There is always a search for a brand of canned jalapeños that have flavor, heat and yet retain crispness and do not get soggy. It seems like as soon as you find a brand you like they go out of business or they are no longer imported into this Country. Success has come with a simple recipe that has been tested by those close to me and pronounced a success. You can make them sweetened or not depending on your own preference in flavor.

Start with a batch of your favorite fresh jalapeño peppers.

Wash them well and place in a cold water bath.

Peel and slice some fresh carrots and set aside.

Cut your favorite kind of onion in quarters and set aside.

Peel two cloves of garlic for each quart of peppers you wish to pickle and set aside.

Wash your jars and lids in the dishwasher and set out on a clean towel on a counter top.

The pickling brine consists of two parts water and one part white vinegar, for a little different flavor you may substitute cider vinegar.

Place the brine in a large sauce pan and bring to a rolling boil.

Stir in Kosher salt until it starts to fall out or no longer dissolves in the brine. This is about ½ cup for every 4 quarts of brine.

If you wish to try the sweeter tasting peppers use equal amounts of salt and sugar in the brine.

Now take a jar and place some carrot slices, onion and two garlic cloves in the jar.

Pack the jar full of the clean jalapeño peppers and set in the sink in case you spill some of the brine when filling the jar.

I then dip out the boiling brine, about a cupful at a time, and pour over the peppers until the jar is full.

Screw the lid on tightly, rinse the jar with warm water and set upside down on the towel on the counter. Repeat until all your jars are full. I let them sit upside down and cool for about ten minutes before setting upright. After they have cooled place them in the refrigerator. They should sit for about 10 days before you start to eat them. Be careful who you feed them to as these are Texas style and they are hot.

Good eating, Wild Ed

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Road Kill, It's What's for Dinner

How many times have you seen a fresh killed deer on the side of the road and wonder why it is not being utilized for food? The number of deer killed on our public roads in Texas will probably equal if not exceed the amount of deer taken by hunters each year. In Texas it is illegal to possess any road killed game no matter the condition. The State needs to take another look at this policy. If you hit a deer or someone else hits a deer and the meat is not damaged why not make use of it. If we need to have a 1-800 number to report it and give a name and address where the carcass can be checked if they want, so be it. Mike Leggett our Austin Outdoor Writer recently covered the topic in an article in the Austin American Statesman. I whole heartily agree with him and think this is a topic that each of us should write, email or call our representatives in the Texas Legislature and let them know how we feel about it. Here is a link to the Statesman article, it is worth the read. Wild Ed

http://www.statesman.com/sports/outdoors/whats-wrong-with-taking-road-kill-home-for-441490.html

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Maybe I Will Build a Boat

Have you ever gotten the urge to do something off the wall or completely foreign to you? I am not a craftsman by any means even though I have built a few storage sheds and other odd things. I have even assembled some black powder gun kits and knapped a few replica points. I have never taken on a major project that takes long-term dedication and some skill. For many years I have had the urge to build a boat. Somewhere close to twenty years ago I bought the plans, bow stem, stern stem and ribs pieces for a Cajun pirogue or canoe. It has been in my garage all this time waiting for me to get the tools, time and desire to give it a whirl. I recently saw an ad for a boat building class being taught in Austin in which each student will build a canoe for their very own. If I can work it out I want to take that class before starting my boat just to learn some tricks and skills. Either way I believe this is the year I will finally build my boat. I hope each of you does something this year that you have always wanted to do. Take the time, Wild Ed

PS: I am headed out to buy a router and hand plane today.

Customer Service Alive and Well at American Hunter

http://www.americanhunterfeeders.com/

I have had several of the American Hunter brand deer feeders on our family place at Lampasas for several seasons. They are an economical feeder and are mostly plastic components. I realize you can buy a lot more expensive all metal feeders, but I was trying to put out several feeders and stay within budget. I was into my third season on one of the feeders when the week before Christmas cows broke into the feeder pen and broke the timer and feeder motor completely off of the barrel. The barrel and legs were still in great condition so I told my daughter I would have to get a new timer and motor and fix it when I could. She liked to hunt that particular feeder and surprised me with an American Hunter Pro Feeder Kit for Christmas with instructions to fix the feeder where she liked to hunt. To make a long story short the new feeder motor was installed but never worked correctly. It also had a crack in the plastic housing around where the battery was housed. After it had dumped two barrels of corn on the ground I took it off and sent it back to American Hunter. Since I had gotten it as a gift I had no receipt and knew my daughter would not have a receipt. I was not sure what American Hunter would do when I sent the feeder back. I returned the feeder to American hunter with a letter telling the problem but did not have high hopes.



The mail person just dropped off a package today from American Hunter and when I opened it there was a brand new pro feeder kit in the box. Any company can have a defective product once in a while but the company that stands behind their products are the ones I will do business with in the future. Just thought you might like to know about these guys if you are looking for an economical game feeder. Wild Ed

The Best Dill Pickles You Ever Ate

The following is a recipe for some of the best crispy dill pickles you will ever eat and you make them yourself. They are ready to eat in just one week. They are simple to make but need to be kept in the refrigerator from the day you make them. Simply wash your jars in the dishwasher and place on a clean counter top. Wash cucumbers and cut into quarters and then cut lengths to fit in your jars. In each jar place a couple of peeled garlic cloves, three or four springs of fresh dill and a couple of fresh red chili peppers, jalapeño peppers or serrano peppers. Mix one part white vinegar to three parts water in a large sauce pan and stir in as much Kosher salt as the mixture will absorb. Around one half to two thirds a cup of salt per gallon. Bring the Water/Vinegar salt brine to a rolling boil. Fill the jars with sliced cucumbers and place in the sink or a tub in case you spill some of the boiling brine. Pour the boiling liquid into the jars filling each one. Screw the lids on tight and run warm water over each jar and place on a towel upside down on the counter top. In about five minutes turn each jar upright, after cooling, place the jars of your homemade pickles in the refrigerator. Let them sit for one week before you start eating them. You can also enjoy the pickled peppers if you like. These pickles are so good you won’t believe that you made them.
Enjoy, Wild Ed


You will need the following:
Fresh Cucumbers
Fresh Dill Weed
Fresh Peppers
Fresh Garlic Cloves
Kosher Salt
White Vinegar
Water
Jars and Lids

Texas Style Night-Time Predator Calling

There was very little moon and it was a somewhat cloudy misty type of night. The darkness settled in on the two of us standing in the back of my truck. We would stand motionless and quiet for several minutes to let the sounds of us driving to the spot and climbing into the back of the truck settle into the night. I set my E caller on top of the truck cab, chambered a round and laid my shotgun beside it. My partner quietly bolted a cartridge into the chamber of his rifle to be ready for the shot we hoped would come. I picked up the red lens Q beam and turned it on to make a sweep of the area before pushing the play button on the caller. The panic stricken scream of a cottontail rabbit rang out in the darkness as I scanned 360 degrees around the truck watching for those shining eyes that would let me know a predator was coming to the call.From a distant oak mott came the unmistakable bouncing eyes of a Texas grey fox. It was heading directly downwind to try and get the scent of whatever was involved in the process of making the rabbit scream. I reached for the shotgun and at about 35 yards I pulled the trigger dropping the fox with a load of #4 buckshot. I immediately pumped the shotgun putting a new shell in the chamber and kept scanning with the red beam. About three minutes later I picked up eyes around 150 yards out on the other side of a Prickly Pear Cactus flat. It was a coyote and he was headed downwind. I knew when he got our wind the game would be over and he would disappear into the night. I lip squeaked to make sure my partner was on the coyote with the rifle and made a loud woof sound. The coyote stopped frozen in time looking directly at us and instantly dropped to the ground as the .223 bullet hit home. We continued to call for another five minutes before giving up on this location. We picked up the fox and coyote, unloaded the guns, climbed back in the cab of the truck and headed for our next location to call.




I started calling out of a vehicle at night about 45 years ago with my uncles, dad and grandfather in the Texas Hill County. I have repeated calling scenarios similar to the preceding one thousands of times. The thrill and suspense of what is going to come to the call is still just as strong today, when it is no longer there I guess I will have to do something else, but I am not too worried about that. The great thing about night calling in Texas is you never know what kind of critter may show up. I have called the typical coyotes, bobcat and fox along with javelina, feral hogs, raccoons, ringtails, feral cats, deer, hawks, owls and dogs. I am still hoping that some day those eyes coming in will be a mountain lion as the Texas population is increasing.




Most Texas callers hunt pretty much the same style out of trucks or special hunting vehicles with spotlights. Some have elaborate platforms or shooting chairs for the truck and I too would love to someday have one, but for now I just stand in the back of my truck or sometimes on a tool box and use the top of the cab as a table for my E caller, rifle, shotgun and light. Even when calling by myself I have a rifle and shotgun handy as you never know what will come and how close or fast it will come in to the call. I prefer a red lens spotlight but others use white, green or blue. I like the red as it does not light up my truck or shooting partners like the white light does.




The technique is simple; I drive to my calling locations and sit tight for a few minutes to let things settle down. I then call with either a hand or E caller and scan for eyes. I do not turn the light off and on but leave it on the entire time I am calling and scanning all around the truck with the light. I allow about fifteen to twenty minutes for calling at a location. If nothing comes in that amount of time I drive to the next location and call again. This allows me to cover a lot of country in a short time and have more chances of success. Some of the key things for me are changing sounds if nothing comes in during the first five minutes. Scan 360 degrees around the truck as animals can and do come from any direction. Once a predator is spotted keep the direct beam out of the animal’s eyes until you are ready to shoot. Develop a signal between partners to let each other know when a predator is spotted or you are ready to shoot. I just lip squeak to let my partner know I have spotted eyes. Be ready to bark, woof or lip squeak to stop the animal for the shot. The one technique that has really helped me to pick up animals is to keep calling after shooting another animal. I have discovered that many times another coyote, a bobcat or a fox will come in to the call even though I shot just a minute or two before. I have had three fox come in less than two minutes total time and act like they did not even hear the other shots. If I kill something I usually call for at least five minutes more just in case. My success rate on bobcats is much better at night and I believe it is because I see more of the cats called at night. A cat can be in the brush or just stalking behind every piece of cover and in the daytime I just sometimes don’t see them. At night the one thing a cat cannot hide is those big shining eyes. One of the most important things at night is after you cut the truck off, BE QUIET! Don’t slam doors or kick things around in the truck bed getting ready to call. When I have everything ready to start a set I still stand motionless and quiet in the back of the truck for several minutes just to let the area settle before calling.




If you want to see how hunters in Texas hunt at night there are some great DVDs out with Texas style night predator hunting. There are two I really like and recommend. I don’t have any connections to these boys but they did good work and I think you will enjoy their DVDs. The first is “Hunting the Night Shift and the next is “The Ultimate Predator, Rulers of the Night”.Always make sure night spotlighting for predators is legal in your area. It is also good to let landowners and the local game warden know that you will be out predator calling with a light. I have been stopped by game wardens many times that would have much rather been at home asleep than checking on someone spotlighting that was doing everything legal. Of course don’t be surprised if the game warden stops by just to see how you did.


Have a great time, make sure of your target and stay safe, Wild Ed

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A Speech by Colonel David Crockett

"Not Yours To Give"Originally published in "The Life of Colonel David Crockett,"

by Edward Sylvester Ellis.

Provided as a courtesy by US Rep. Ron Paul (www.house.gov/paul/nytg.htm)

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"Not Yours To Give"

Col. David Crockett US Representative from Tennessee One day in the House of Representatives a bill was taken up appropriating money for the benefit of a widow of a distinguished naval officer. Several beautiful speeches had been made in its support. The speaker was just about to put the question when Crockett arose:"Mr. Speaker--I have as much respect for the memory of the deceased, and as much sympathy for the suffering of the living, if there be, as any man in this House, but we must not permit our respect for the dead or our sympathy for part of the living to lead us into an act of injustice to the balance of the living. I will not go into an argument to prove that Congress has not the power to appropriate this money as an act of charity. Every member on this floor knows it. We have the right as individuals, to give away as much of our own money as we please in charity; but as members of Congress we have no right to appropriate a dollar of the public money. Some eloquent appeals have been made to us upon the ground that it is a debt due the deceased. Mr. Speaker, the deceased lived long after the close of the war; he was in office to the day of his death, and I ever heard that the government was in arrears to him. Every man in this House knows it is not a debt. We cannot without the grossest corruption, appropriate this money as the payment of a debt. We have not the semblance of authority to appropriate it as charity. Mr. Speaker, I have said we have the right to give as much money of our own as we please. I am the poorest man on this floor. I cannot vote for this bill, but I will give one week's pay to the object, and if every member of Congress will do the same, it will amount to more than the bill asks.” He took his seat. Nobody replied. The bill was put upon its passage, and, instead of passing unanimously, as was generally supposed, and as, no doubt, it would, but for that speech, it received but few votes, and, of course, was lost. Later, when asked by a friend why he had opposed the appropriation, Crockett gave this explanation: “Several years ago I was one evening standing on the steps of the Capitol with some members of Congress, when our attention was attracted by a great light over in Georgetown. It was evidently a large fire. We jumped into a hack and drove over as fast as we could. In spite of all that could be done, many houses were burned and many families made houseless, and besides, some of them had lost all but the clothes they had on. The weather was very cold, and when I saw so many children suffering, I felt that something ought to be done for them. The next morning a bill was introduced appropriating $20,000 for their relief. We put aside all other business and rushed it through as soon as it could be done. The next summer, when it began to be time to think about election, I concluded I would take a scout around among the boys of my district. I had no opposition there but, as the election was some time off, I did not know what might turn up. When riding one day in a part of my district in which I was more of a stranger than any other, I saw a man in a field plowing and coming toward the road. I gauged my gait so that we should meet as he came up, I spoke to the man. He replied politely, but as I thought, rather coldly. I began: 'Well friend, I am one of those unfortunate beings called candidates and---""Yes I know you; you are Colonel Crockett. I have seen you once before, and voted for you the last time you were elected. I suppose you are out electioneering now, but you had better not waste your time or mine, I shall not vote for you again. “This was a sockdolger...I begged him tell me what was the matter. “Well Colonel, it is hardly worth while to waste time or words upon it. I do not see how it can be mended, but you gave a vote last winter which shows that either you have not capacity to understand the Constitution, or that you are wanting in the honesty and firmness to be guided by it. In either case you are not the man to represent me. But I beg your pardon for expressing it that way. I did not intend to avail myself of the privilege of the constituent to speak plainly to a candidate for the purpose of insulting you or wounding you. “I intend by it only to say that your understanding of the constitution is very different from mine; and I will say to you what but for my rudeness, I should not have said, that I believe you to be honest. But an understanding of the constitution different from mine I cannot overlook, because the Constitution, to be worth anything, must be held sacred, and rigidly observed in all its provisions. The man who wields power and misinterprets it is the more dangerous the honest he is. “I admit the truth of all you say, but there must be some mistake. Though I live in the backwoods and seldom go from home, I take the papers from Washington and read very carefully all the proceedings of Congress. My papers say you voted for a bill to appropriate $20,000 to some sufferers by fire in Georgetown. Is that true? “Well my friend; I may as well own up. You have got me there. But certainly nobody will complain that a great and rich country like ours should give the insignificant sum of $20,000 to relieve its suffering women and children, particularly with a full and overflowing treasury, and I am sure, if you had been there, you would have done just the same as I did. “It is not the amount, Colonel that I complain of; it is the principle. In the first place, the government ought to have in the Treasury no more than enough for its legitimate purposes. But that has nothing with the question. The power of collecting and disbursing money at pleasure is the most dangerous power that can be entrusted to man, particularly under our system of collecting revenue by a tariff, which reaches every man in the country, no matter how poor he may be, and the poorer he is the more he pays in proportion to his means. What is worse, it presses upon him without his knowledge where the weight centers, for there is not a man in the United States who can ever guess how much he pays to the government. So you see that while you are contributing to relieve one, you are drawing it from thousands who are even worse off than he. If you had the right to give anything, the amount was simply a matter of discretion with you, and you had as much right to give $20,000,000 as $20,000. If you have the right to give at all; and as the Constitution neither defines charity nor stipulates the amount, you are at liberty to give to any and everything which you may believe, or profess to believe, is a charity and to any amount you may think proper. You will very easily perceive what a wide door this would open for fraud and corruption and favoritism, on the one hand, and for robbing the people on the other. 'No, Colonel, Congress has no right to give charity. “Individual members may give as much of their own money as they please, but they have no right to touch a dollar of the public money for that purpose. If twice as many houses had been burned in this country as in Georgetown, neither you nor any other member of Congress would have thought of appropriating a dollar for our relief. There are about two hundred and forty members of Congress. If they had shown their sympathy for the sufferers by contributing each one week's pay, it would have made over $13,000. There are plenty of wealthy men around Washington who could have given $20,000 without depriving themselves of even a luxury of life.” The congressmen chose to keep their own money, which, if reports be true, some of them spend not very creditably; and the people about Washington, no doubt, applauded you for relieving them from necessity of giving what was not yours to give. The people have delegated to Congress, by the Constitution, the power to do certain things. To do these, it is authorized to collect and pay moneys, and for nothing else. Everything beyond this is usurpation, and a violation of the Constitution.” So you see, Colonel, you have violated the Constitution in what I consider a vital point. It is a precedent fraught with danger to the country, for when Congress once begins to stretch its power beyond the limits of the Constitution, there is no limit to it and no security for the people. I have no doubt you acted honestly, but that does not make it any better, except as far as you are personally concerned, and you see that I cannot vote for you.” I tell you I felt streaked. I saw if I should have opposition, and this man should go to talking and in that district I was a gone fawn-skin. I could not answer him, and the fact is, I was so fully convinced that he was right, I did not want to. But I must satisfy him, and I said to him:” Well, my friend, you hit the nail upon the head when you said I had not sense enough to understand the Constitution. I intended to be guided by it, and thought I had studied it fully. I have heard many speeches in Congress about the powers of Congress, but what you have said here at your plow has got harder, sound sense in it than all the fine speeches I ever heard. If I had ever taken the view of it that you have, I would have put my head into the fire before I would have given that vote; and if you will forgive me and vote for me again, if I ever vote for another unconstitutional law I wish I may be shot.” He laughingly replied; 'Yes, Colonel, you have sworn to that once before, but I will trust you again upon one condition. You are convinced that your vote was wrong. Your acknowledgment of it will do more good than beating you for it. If, as you go around the district, you will tell people about this vote, and that you are satisfied it was wrong, I will not only vote for you, but will do what I can to keep down opposition, and perhaps, I may exert some little influence in that way.’ If I don't, said I, 'I wish I may be shot; and to convince you that I am in earnest in what I say I will come back this way in a week or ten days, and if you will get up a gathering of people, I will make a speech to them. Get up a barbecue, and I will pay for it.’ No, Colonel, we are not rich people in this section but we have plenty of provisions to contribute for a barbecue, and some to spare for those who have none. The push of crops will be over in a few days, and we can then afford a day for a barbecue. 'This Thursday; I will see to getting it up on Saturday week. Come to my house on Friday, and we will go together, and I promise you a very respectable crowd to see and hear you.’” Well I will be here. But one thing more before I say good-bye. I must know your name.”‘ My name is Bunce.''Not Horatio Bunce?''Yes'"Well, Mr. Bunce, I never saw you before, though you say you have seen me, but I know you very well. I am glad I have met you, and very proud that I may hope to have you for my friend.” It was one of the luckiest hits of my life that I met him. He mingled but little with the public, but was widely known for his remarkable intelligence and for a heart brim-full and running over with kindness and benevolence, which showed themselves not only in words but in acts. He was the oracle of the whole country around him, and his fame had extended far beyond the circle of his immediate acquaintance. Though I had never met him, before, I had heard much of him, and but for this meeting it is very likely I should have had opposition, and had been beaten. One thing is very certain; no man could now stand up in that district under such a vote. At the appointed time I was at his house, having told our conversation to every crowd I had met, and to every man I stayed all night with, and I found that it gave the people an interest and confidence in me stronger than I had ever seen manifested before. Though I was considerably fatigued when I reached his house, and, under ordinary circumstances, should have gone early to bed, I kept him up until midnight talking about the principles and affairs of government, and got more real, true knowledge of them than I had got all my life before. I have known and seen much of him since, for I respect him - no, that is not the word - I reverence and love him more than any living man, and I go to see him two or three times every year; and I will tell you, sir, if everyone who professes to be a Christian lived and acted and enjoyed it as he does, the religion of Christ would take the world by storm. But to return to my story. The next morning we went to the barbecue and, to my surprise, found about a thousand men there. I met a good many whom I had not known before, and they and my friend introduced me around until I had got pretty well acquainted - at least, they all knew me.” In due time notice was given that I would speak to them. They gathered up around a stand that had been erected. I opened my speech by saying:” Fellow-citizens - I present myself before you today feeling like a new man. My eyes have lately been opened to truths which ignorance or prejudice or both, had here to fore hidden from my view. I feel that I can today offer you the ability to render you more valuable service than I have ever been able to render before. I am here today more for the purpose of acknowledging my error than to seek your votes. That I should make this acknowledgment is due to myself as well as to you. Whether you will vote for me is a matter for your consideration only.” I went on to tell them about the fire and my vote for the appropriation and then told them why I was satisfied it was wrong. I closed by saying:” And now, fellow-citizens, it remains only for me to tell you that the most of the speech you have listened to with so much interest was simply a repetition of the arguments by which your neighbor, Mr. Bunce, convinced me of my error.” It is the best speech I ever made in my life, but he is entitled to the credit for it. And now I hope he is satisfied with his convert and that he will get up here and tell you so.’ He came up to the stand and said:” Fellow-citizens - it affords me great pleasure to comply with the request of Colonel Crockett. I have always considered him a thoroughly honest man and I am satisfied that he will faithfully perform all that he has promised you today.” He went down, and there went up from that crowd such a shout for Davy Crockett as his name never called forth before. I am not much given to tears, but I was taken with a choking then and felt some big drops rolling down my cheeks. And I tell you now that the remembrance of those few words spoken by such a man, and the honest, hearty shout they produced, is worth more to me than all the honors I have received and all the reputation I have ever made, or ever shall make, as a member ofCongress.'"Now, sir," concluded Crockett, "you know why I made that speech yesterday. There is one thing which I will call your attention, you remember that I proposed to give a week's pay. There are in that House many very wealthy men - men who think nothing of spending a week's pay, or a dozen of them, for a dinner or a wine party when they have something to accomplish by it. Some of those same men made beautiful speeches upon the great debt of gratitude which the country owed the deceased--a debt which could not be paid by money--and the insignificance and worthlessness of money, particularly so insignificant a sum as $20,000 when weighed against the honor of the nation. Yet not one of them responded to my proposition. Money with them is nothing but trash when it is to come out of the people. But it is the one great thing for which most of them are striving, and many of them sacrifice honor, integrity, and justice to obtain it."


Col. Crockett later died defending liberty in the Battle of the Alamo, in the War for Texas Independence.