I'm Now On YouTube!

Well after years of being asked if I will ever make a YouTube Channel, I have finally done it!

Please visit my new channel by clicking here!

The channel is called, "Russ Is Right" - because I am always right, except for when I am wrong.  :)

Seriously, I'm not always right, but I thought it was a catchy name for the channel.  But I'll do my best to be right in the things I share with you!

As a new YouTube Channel, I need your help desperately to view the videos and to Like them and to PLEASE subscribe to my channel!  I need at least 1000 subscribers before YouTube will take it seriously and at least 4000 hours of people viewing the channel!  Yikes!  That's a lot.  But it can be done with your help.  Already a number of my students have subscribed.  Thanks!

I have thousands of students, and I hope I was influential in teaching you photography and that you'd like to learn more from me for FREE on YouTube!  But to keep the channel going, I need each of you to please help me get to the minimum of 1000 subscribers!  It doesn't cost anything, but if you have a gmail email address or if you have a YouTube account (which is free from Google), you can help by clicking on Subscribe button and also clicking on the little Bell icon next to subscribe to get email notifications whenever a new video is uploaded to the channel.  I've learned that the YouTube lingo for this is called, "Dropping a new video"... yeah, I have a hard time getting used to that terminology!

Anyway, I hope to try to do a short 5 minute video daily and perhaps one or two longer videos per week.  Yes, that's ambitious, but at least for now, I'm going to try to do it.  I want to grow this channel fast!

I hope to talk daily about things that I like and things that I don't like.  Photography of course, music, guitars, cooking, fishing, you name it!  Like my blog (which you can see by clicking here), I won't limit the content to just photography.  I have more interests than just that.  Plus I know you do too!  So, let's just say the channel will have a variety of content that I hope you will be interested in.  And please leave me a comment in the comment section of the videos.  I would appreciate that too.  Tell me what you like, what you don't like and tell me what other kinds of videos you think would be good for me to do!

I truly appreciate each and every one of my students and hope you will like this new free service I will be offering to you.  Watch the videos often and please let your friends know on Facebook, Instagram, via email, whatever!  With your help, I know I can grow the channel quickly.

See you all on the Tube!  There are two brand new videos "dropped" today and a few in the past couple of days!  More to come!  Hopefully daily!

Thanks!!

Russ

Cast Iron Popcorn - Orville Redenbacher

I decided to make some popcorn in my Lodge cast iron dutch oven.  I used Orville Redenbacher's classic popcorn.  I poured in some oil, heated up the iron and poured I the popcorn.

Disappointed.

Only half of the corn popped.  Perhaps I took it out too soon?  Well, I was worried that I could burn the popcorn with the cast iron, so after the kernels stopped popping a while, I decided it was done.  It wasn't.

I took out the popcorn and ate what I had and it just tasted stale.  I put the other half that did not pop back in the dutch oven after adding a bit more oil.  While they all popped this time, some of them were burnt.

I don't think cast iron is the way to go for popcorn.  Perhaps a regular teflon coated pan is better.

My wife tried air popping the corn.  After seeing it fly all over the kitchen, I don't think she was happy with her popcorn either.

I think we are headed back to microwave popcorn.  It's just easier to deal with!

Chinese Char Siu Pork

Chinese roast pork is called Char Siu.  It is very easy to make if you have some pre-mixed Char Siu mix!  I use the one depicted here by NOH of Hawaii.  I don't add water as they suggest though... I use Kikkoman soy sauce instead.  I also add in some dark brown sugar.

Char Siu is typically pork butt (shoulder) that is cut in strips (or use Country Ribs which is essentially pork butt that has been sliced already) and then marinaded in this powder mix and soy sauce and brown sugar mix for at least 2 or 3 hours and refrigerated.  Then, just put the pork in a pan and bake it in the oven at 400 degrees until the internal temperature of the meat hits around 190 - 195 degrees.  A lot of water and juice will be collected in the pan, so be careful moving it.

Making Char Siu is so easy to do, you'll wonder why you haven't tried doing it sooner!

The mix is inexpensive too... perhaps $2 to $3 per packet.  At Asian markets, it probably around $2.  If you can't find it, Amazon sellers have them as well.  I recall buying these packets for only $0.89 way back when... but those days are gone, I guess!

Clay Oven Tandoor Indian Grill & Bar - Long Grove IL

This was my second time at Clay Oven Tandoor Indian Grill & Bar in Long Grove, IL.  My first time was perhaps a year ago when I went there with my fishing partner Jim.  I had to try four entrances before stumbling onto the correct front door!  Apparently I parked near the back, but with a sign in the back, it looks like the front!  So off I went trying each door before door #4 turned out to be the front door!  Don't give up!  It's worth it!

I like Indian food.  I was first introduced to Indian food when I first moved back to Illinois from California.  Several coworkers introduced me to Indian food for lunch and I have been hooked ever since.  This was perhaps 24 years ago.

I typically go to Indian buffets.  Why?  I don't know what anything is called!  But I do recognize the food from just looking at it.  Now you may say, "How can you tell what is what?  A lot of the dishes look the same!"  Look at the photos above.  Yes, they do, don't they?!  But I can tell.

Yes, there's lots of sauce.  I recall at another workplace, some coworkers and I went to an Indian buffet and it was their first time.  They didn't like it.  They said, "For the money, I'd rather go to a Chinese buffet!  It's just a bunch of sauces!"  But the sauces do taste different.  You just have to pour it over some basmati rice or use some fresh Naan (bread).

Clay Oven Tandoor is nicely decorated.  Many Indian restaurants I have been to are nicely decorated. The owner is very personable.  He made sure to come to my table to ask if I would like some Mango Ice Cream.  They don't leave it out, they bring it to you.  That's nice.  At least this way, it's not sitting out at the buffet line to melt while you have your meal.  It's always a highlight to end my Indian meals!

So how was the rest of the food?  Well, I will tell you this.. the tandoori chicken was NOT dried out!  Most often, I'll skip tandoori chicken because they usually just dry it all out.  Not here!  In fact, I had two pieces of chicken thighs!  It was great.  While there wasn't any butter chicken this time (they had it the last time I was there) and that is typically my favorite item, other items came really close to the taste of that.  Don't ask me what it was, because like I told you, I don't know what anything is called!

My daughter likes Mutter Paneer, but they did not have it.  Instead, some other kind of paneer was there and that was just as tasty.  The naan was very freshly made for me but I asked for no garlic... but it came out with garlic.  Oh well... can't win them all.  Not that I don't like garlic, I do.  But if I don't want garlic breath all day long, I typically skip garlic.  Still, if it is on the food, I don't really complain and just eat it.  It is after all better with it... just not better after you have eaten!

Go to Clay Oven Tandoor Indian Grill & Bar,  It's a nice restaurant with good food.  Approximately $14 with tax.  Tip of course is up to you, but be sure to tip them even though it is a buffet.  They bring out your naan, get you ice cream and pour you water.  Enjoy!

Clay Oven Tandoor Indian Grill & Bar
3970 Rt 22 Half Day Road
Long Grove, IL 60047
847-550-8600

Fried Tofu and Calamari on the 22" Outdoor Wok

Fried tofu and calamari on the 22" outdoor wok. Panko crumbs for a nice crisp crunch! 

Video posted here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVCCW3nerBE

Chicken Drumsticks on the Weber 22.5" Kettle

Easiest method to make chicken drumsticks!  Cooked until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

KFC Extra Crispy or Popeyes Spicy Chicken?

Which do you prefer?  KFC Extra Crispy or Popeyes Spicy (or Mild) Chicken?

Yes, that's an Original Recipe chicken wing in the background of the KFC plate, along with mashed potatoes and gravy.  The Popeyes has a biscuit.

Which is your favorite?

Lake Michigan Lake Trout

Lake Trout on the Weber Spirit E-310 gas grill!

Brown sugar, soy sauce and green onions.  That's it.  Simple!  The fish rack really helps when grilling fish.  Very easy to flip.  I cooked it until the fish hit an internal temperature of 140 degrees.