The Perfect Country Western Blog

What does a Prickly Pear and a Snake in the Grass have in common?

Well, let me tell you a little story.........read on my friends and you may just find a recipe for a little summer fun.

I am sure we can all recall a few fond summer memories.  Maybe it was that last day of school and all the promise that summer would hold and was yet to come.  Maybe a rafting trip down the Truckee River, a ball game with a cold beer and hotdog, the smell of fresh cut grass, the sound the sprinklers made creeping through the screen door on a warm summer evening or that rubbery smell you got drinking from a garden hose on a hot day.

These days it’s the smell of BBQ, my dog making a splash in the swimming pool................over and over and over again, and the mamma cows mooing to her calf at the end of a warm day.  It’s also the excitement of our guests trying a few new summer cocktails as we do some summer grilling.

We love grilling our JNB Ranch grass fed, and grain finished beef.  From burgers to NY’s, from Hangers to Ribeye’s, to Kabobs and Smoked Brisket.  This year jack is doing a special long-cut short rib.  When you say, “let’s throw some ribs on the Barbie”, these are the ones you want.

My father-n-law Joe was the first to introduce me to a Prickly Pear.  He showed me how to pick them with a pair of tongs, cut the end off, slice down the middle the long way and roll the fruit right on out.  This is a precision operation because if not done correctly you will feel those little thorns in your hand for days to come – so be careful.  Picking and eating those warm just off the cactus is good but even better is this easy recipe:

To make a tasty and refreshing Skinny Red Rider - 

Blend the fruit and strain into a bowl 

Grab a glass and some ice and some silver tequila

Add a tablespoon or so of the strained prickly pear juice, squeeze a whole lime in there, splash of triple sec, and fill with club soda

Kick back and relax!

You ever try a snake-n-the-grass?

Of course, this had to originate from some California State University Chico alums I know.  My oldest son Jared graduated from Chico, but I don't recall him sharing this one with his dad.  I'm sure he was in the library that day.

This one comes from my pal Jabin.  I have known Jabe since 2nd grade at Lighthouse Elementary School.  He whipped up a batch of these for us last summer.  Obviously Jabe was not at the library that day.  Here he is in the middle with the funny hat.  Here is how he says to make it:

Ooohhhh be careful

A) 1, 12oz can frozen lemonade concentrate, pour in pitcher

B) Fill empty can lemonade concentrate full Vodka and pour in pitcher, mix until concentrate dissolves.... just concentrate and vodka at this point.

C) Fill pitcher with ice

D) Pour in 3, 16oz Coors Lights little slow to minimize foam.

Stir and pour into glasses with ice...I usually make one batch at a time, so the ice doesn't melt, and the beer still stays little carbonated.... shouldn't really taste the beer or vodka...just lightly carbonated lemonade.... have fun