If you could…

…what would you consider the perfect Dinner party?  Would you do all the cooking yourself trying out new recipes pushing the bounds of your cooking skills or are you the tried and true using your old stand-by recipes? Is it your time to shine or do you feel like it makes you want to hide under the blankets?  Are you a social butterfly at gatherings or do you find a comfy chair and people watch? Do you find it enjoyable mixing friends of polar opposites to see the interesting interaction or do you enjoy the “comfortable old slippers” kind of friends who tend to entertain themselves more your speed?

By now you are most likely wondering why I am asking these questions…right?  Well there is a yearly gathering at the WikiJan household for all the members (and some select former members) of the Big Green Machine.  It has become almost the epic eating event of the summer.  Chatter starts long before the first tulips break though the cold ground…what will I be cooking?  How many pounds of BBQ will The Boss eat this year?  Do we really need to bother with sides since it is all about the BBQ, Big Bertha the Grill and what she produces? Are we really having Wild Boar? Kangaroo what?!?

You see this annual event started as a social experiment by me with a hand picked selection of people whom I thought would be interesting as a group to observe.  See I am a people watcher…I love blending into the background seeing how people and their personalities change as they forget they have someone in the room.  So I pulled together this amazing group of people I work, my KY BFF and his lovely wife. I lured them to the WikiJan household with some of the best Brisket, steaks and various other proteins I had on hand.   From those dozen or so people this gathering of carnivores grew into what is now known as The P.E.T.A  BBQ at the WikiJan Meat Emporium. Yes that is People Eating Tasty Animals.

This is a time where we can all get away from work and interact more as a family with all our warts and foibles razzing each other throwing down challenges on who can pound down the most brisket (The Boss is still the KING when it comes to this) a time to just sit and chat, meet new family additions  (3 babies this year!), offers of riches and first born children for my BBQ Sauce recipe. The sniping of tasty bits of meat hot and sizzling right off the grill.  The chasing of toddlers and swilling of glass after glass of tea as we await the sun going down past the house to cool things off.

Other than the Christmas cookie box that appears like magic at a number of offices I frequent this is one of the biggest food focused things I do.  I LOVE the prep…the days of brining and basting, turning and smoking, chopping and boiling.  I find the feeding of all those who at various times though the year have noshed on WikiJan food a great joy!  To sit and watch as plate after plate disappears…for me there are few things I love more.  To be so busy I don’t know if I am coming or going at times..I live for that!  But on the down side just like when I get finished with that marathon baking session in winter by the time everyone is descending upon the eats all I want to do is grab a little helping of Green Pea Salad, pickled beats (THANKS BETH!!) and a deviled egg or two.  The work Peeps usually seem  surprised that I am not pounding down the meats but after dealing with them for a few days BBQed meats are the last thing I want to eat.

So because there were a few in attendance this year who are either moving away (BOO!!) or not returning to The Big Green Machine I am posting my Green Pea Salad as they keep asking, its nothing fancy and is super easy.  So Eat-A-Pretzle & family, and Beth & Family you will be missed at C.C. but you will always be welcome to P.E.T.A.!

Green Pea Salad

2 12oz bags frozen Peas (thawed & uncooked)

5-6 slices of  Bacon (or more if you like)

1 c Hellman’s lt. Mayo

1 Onion (Shallot, sweet, Yellow your choice)

1/2 of a 3/4 oz pkg Fresh Dill

4 Hard boiled Eggs (rough chop)

1/4 ts Salt

1 ts. Pepper

1ts Garlic powder

Dice bacon and fry until crispy and nicely browned. Finely dice onions, remove the fronds from the dill and finely chop.

Rinse thawed peas and toss into a large mixing bowl add in the bacon, onions, dill, eggs, salt, pepper, garlic and mayo, stir well and chill for a few hours.

Just dump every body in the bowl and give it a good stir…

Just don’t blame me if you sit down with the bowl and a spoon and eat it all by yourself!

Now go play with your food!

WikiJan