Things have quieted down a bit in my house after a week of visitors and celebrations. I'm glad for the warm, heavy weight of my four-year-old nephew in my lap; the glee in my father's eyes as he threw his head back to laugh at some irreverent observation; and the feeling of my cup being poured into with the love and pride of my family. With graduation in the rearview mirror, my moratorium on leisure reading and Lego has ended. I finished a book in a day and am looking forward to building Van Gogh's Starry Night out of little colorful bricks. We ate tacos, drank champagne in the parking lot, sat in the rain, and did lots of talking and laughing. And we ate.
During his visit, I was pleased to introduce my dad to the team at The Fallon Post. He sometimes sends me 700-word missives about green beans and pizza-stuffed chicken that I gleefully pass along to my editor to earn myself a one-week break from my column. Rachel, Leanna, and my Pops formed a huddle at my graduation party. While Dad does his best to embarrass me, I've been training since childhood to care not what others think and to find joy in self-deprecating humor. But I won't be surprised if my contributor photo is replaced with one of me at five kissing a frog or dressed up as an astronaut for Halloween.
When he visits, my dad always wants to do something to help out. Last visit we replaced the front door handle and installed a storm door. The latest chateau Dos Kellys has little in the way of repair projects, so Dad was limited to straightening up around the yard until I mentioned the Traeger.
Last November, something happened to our pellet smoker and after a long season of at least three-day-a-week use, the Traeger stopped working. The winter was picking up steam, so I decided to just cover it up and address the issue in the springtime. But this week my dad was eager for a project we could work on together. Thus, we began an adventure that involved grease, a screwdriver, a few curse words, and a replacement auger motor–and my Traeger is back in action.
I am so glad that my dad came to visit. Happy to have him in the audience along with my moms, my sister and nephew, and, of course, my best friend and life partner.
The first meal with the new motor was mustard-bourbon beef tenderloin and smoked beets with horseradish cream sauce.
Kelli's Beef Tenderloin on the Traeger
Ingredients:
- ⅔ c Dijon mustard
- ¼ c Frey Bourbon
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 T salt
- 1 T black pepper
- 1 ½ - 2 lb. beef tenderloin
- Green onions
- Assorted fresh herbs
Directions:
- Combine mustard, bourbon, garlic, salt, and black pepper. Rub all over the tenderloin. Press green onions and herbs all around and refrigerate for at least one hour.
- Get your smoker smoking then turn the thermostat to 180°. Smoke beef for about 1 hour. Increase temperature to 375° and continue smoking until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat reads between 125-130°. Remove meat from the smoker, cover with aluminum foil, and let rest for 15 minutes.
- Slice across the grain and serve.
Smoked Beets with Horseradish Cream Sauce
Ingredients:
- At least 1 large beet per person
- Oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- Fresh Thyme
- Sour Cream
- Grated Horseradish
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375°. Remove beet tops and wash beets. Place beets in an oven-safe dish. Drizzle with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, add thyme sprigs and ¼ c water. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and roast in the oven for 45 minutes or until the beets are easily pierced with a knife.
- Let cool until the beets can be easily handled. Rub off the skin, stems, and roots.
- Start your smoker a-smokin'. Set the thermostat to 180° and smoke beets for about 30-60 minutes, depending on how much smoke you like.
- Meanwhile, combine sour cream with grated horseradish. Make as much sauce as you need to put a nice dab on each beet slice and as spicy as you like.
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