4 Hard Downs: 4th of July, Titans Are Wild, Chicken Parm and The Heat
It is the 4th, what is the Titans' plan, it is hot as the sun and great chicken parm
The Fourth of July has happened. I truly did not care because:
1-I worked
2-I do not like fireworks
Seriously, if you’ve seen one fireworks show, you can retire from fireworks. They’re all pretty much the same. It reminds me of when I lived in Chicago and they had the “Air and Water Show” and I was like, “I grew up on an Air Force base, I’ve sat in a Stealth before the rest of the world knew they existed, I’m good on seeing planes do loop-d-loops.”
However, I am not here to “yuck your yum” I am just here to say, leave me out of it. And that doesn’t even get into the whole “Independence Day” of it all because my folk damn sure weren’t independent of shit in 1776.
That said, my wife likes the 4th. She likes fireworks. My kid likes fireworks. So, I oblige in terms of hosting and setting the stage. I smoked a pork shoulder.. I made macaroni salad, cole slaw for the pulled pork, shrimp cocktail and deviled eggs as hors d'oeuvres plus the bar was fully stocked.
Your boy can put on a show and lay out a spread.
Speaking of the spread…offense…SPOT THE BALL
1st Down: The Heat Is Real
I went for a walk this morning, then went to Lowe’s and checked my phone:
Yes. That is what it is. I’m back in the south. 9:43 it is real feel 109.
Stay safe folks because this isn’t not a drill and it will get worse.
2nd Down: Made Chicken Parm To Kickoff A Visit
One of my wife’s best friends came to visit and she is a real Philly Italian, so I decided, let’s do, “chicken parm.” De-boned, skin-on thighs instead of chicken cutlets of boneless, skinless breasts. Soaked in buttermilk because I’m from the south. Seasoned flour. Egg wash. Homemade bread crumbs with parm and oregano and basil.
The best part of making bread crumbs is not wasting anything. I bake bread every week; buns, loaves, rolls etc. When I take parts out or have the butt ends and I save them in a bag and freeze so they are available for bread crumbs. Then I put them on a rack in a 350 degree oven with S&P and olive oil and let them crisp.
Then into the food processor with oregano and parmesan and basil and olive oil and get them good to go.
For the chicken, we all know I’m a thigh guy. So I take full thighs, skin on, and de-bone them for their little buttermilk bath.
While you let them soak you make your pasta. Very simple 1.5 cups semolina, 2 eggs plus some salt and olive oil, very easy. Let that rest for 45 to an hour and cut it into fourths and roll it out. Some folks like a pasta press, I like to just use the rolled and a pizza cutter to get what I need.
After a few hours in that buttermilk, I keep my Italian food with a southern tang, hit them with an egg wash and then into those aforementioned bread crumbs.
I like to fry mine in a vegetable/peanut/canola oil. I ain’t using olive oil because that feels like a waste of what should be a dressing or seasoning. Yes, that is right, I don’t fry in olive oil, ever.
Homemade red sauce. Pasta dressed in the sauce. Chicken thigh on top. Mozz. Under the broiler.
Let’s eat.
3rd Down: What Is The Titans’ Plan
They pick Will Levis in the 2nd round, trading up to get him. They are shopping Derrick Henry on the trade market to try to get out from under his contract. They have a WR room that is wildly unproven. They cut Taylor Lewan but did draft Pete Skoronski.
Basically, especially offensively, I don’t know what they’re doing.
Starting with trading AJ Brown a season ago. Then gutting the roster. Putting Henry on the chopping block. Is this a redo? Traded up for Will Levis, so I assume he’s the QB of the future, but what is this? Are they trying to win now, a division they were in 2nd place in a season ago, or is this a “Ryan Tannehill is all we need” situation.
As I get more into the NFL I just don’t understand the path of teams, most notably this one. You either fish or cut bait. The Jets cut the Zach Wilson bait. The Steelers doubled down on Kenny Pickett and are building a physical team around him. The Eagles and the Ravens muscled up. The Panthers and Texans found a guy and said he is him.
I don’t know what the Titans are doing, and as my co-host on Inside Football says, Vrabel is in trouble.
4th Down: 4th Of July Evasion
As I said before, I am doing a lot for the 4th, which did allow me to get out of fireworks at the swim club and going to the pool. A lot of work, for a small win. But a win nonetheless.
This is a lie. I thought I got out of it. Instead my kid did ask me to go. I went. She’s my kid, I can’t say no. I did get overheated and then walk home. And by walk home I got halfway there and then my wife had to pick me up because it was farther than I thought it would be.
I hope you enjoyed the 4th if that is your jam. I am going to get through it and then we’re back on schedule for Pizza Wednesday. Stay cool with this damn hotness.
Cheers!!