Friday, July 13, 2012

FFF - Day Tripping and Fun Fast Food (at home)

Happy Friday!

Wednesday Hanna and I took a little day trip up the Hudson.  We were headed for the Frederik Vanderbilt Mansion in Hyde Park, NY.

This is one of 43 mansions built by the Vanderbilt families.


Hudson river view - north.


view south -

The side facing the river -


Entry hall.  Italian marble, French tapestries.  The interior shots were taken on my cel phone and no flash was allowed, so I'm sorry they are so bad.


 The gold room (ladies sitting room)


ceiling

This is Louise's bedroom.  It was styled after Marie Antoinette's at Versailles.  Check out the gate around her bed.




A column on the 2nd floor landing.  I thought it would make a good border pattern.


The gardens - lovely.






This is a model of the 60 member staff that worked at the mansion and on the grounds.


Fun Fast Food to make at home on a busy summer day -

BBQ Pulled Pork

A 2-3 lb pork shoulder (or you can use 2lbs of pork tenderloin), salt, pepper and 1 can of cola (or enough to almost cover the roast) into the crock pot.  Cook on Low 8-10 hours.


Prepare cole slaw - the photo says it all.  People have actually asked me for the recipe.


Remove fat and bone from the pork and reserve liquid.  Using 2 forks shred the pork.  Return to the crock pot adding a bottle (or to taste) your favorite BBQ sauce and heat through.  I also add back some of the liquid to thin it a bit.


Easy and delicious!


I recently tried this box mix cookie bar.  It was great.  I added a banana to the brownie portion. They were gone in a hurry.


Along our way we ran into Jake and Elwood statues, the Blues Brothers - how funny!


A quilting report is on tap for next week.  In the meantime I hope you are finding ways to have fun!

12 comments:

Thimbleanna said...

Wow -- 43 mansions??? That's a pretty amazing legacy. And now....well, now, I just want a gate around my bed LOL! Your recipe looks delicious!!!

Spice said...

Cool. One of my favorite day trips.

The dinner looks yummy. When should I get there?

regan said...

Great pics of the mansion, Barb! I've been to the Biltmore, and it's amazing, too! Those Vanderbilts just didn't know when enough is enough! What decadence! Your pulled pork looks so good; I've never tried the cola version....I may have to now! Have you ever used those crock pot liners? I love 'em! Practically no clean up at all! I love that!

MB in MI said...

What a nice mini vacation i got to take with your post!! Thanks, Barb!!

Kim said...

You were up here in my neck of the woods! Yesterday I was volunteering at Locust Grove, the Samuel Morse estate ( Morse code), just a couple of miles away. You can't imagine how many volunteers work at the these mansions up and down the Hudson.
It was a beautiful summer day to be in the Hudson Valley wasn't it?

So the gate around the bed is for the "subjects" to stand behind when they came into her bedroom to make their request from the queen.( since it was a replica) Same in the kings bedroom. Having an audience with the King or Queen sometimes meant just coming into their bedroom with the rest of the people and just observe them getting ready for their day.

Happy Sewing

Jan said...

What a beautiful place. The outside, and views to the outside, are the best parts, I think.
Thanks for the recipe, and the review of the mix. I will be on the lookout for it!

Janet said...

How very elegant! Not very cozy however :0) I love pulled pork- so easy.

Rachaeldaisy said...

What a fun filled post!! I loved the mansion!! It's so Grand!! The Hudson is beautiful too. That Pulled Pork looks so tasty! And love the coleslaw recipe!

Judy in Michigan said...

Wish I would have known you were up there - my daughter and her family live in Rhinebeck. She took us to the mansion a few years ago. I loved the lower level where the help stayed. Pulled pork now on my menu for next week. Thanks! How long did it take you to drive to Hyde Park?

Pinkadot Quilts said...

A gate around the bed??? Do we know why? What a beautiful place.
I love the moss on the bricks too.
Now that is a quick and fun dinner.

Dixie Howard said...

Thanks so much for the mansion tour! We made pulled pork the same way this last week too! Isn't it amazing how the soda melts the fat away in the crock? We've been trying to be creative with the meat - did bbq sandwiches one night, but our fav was to make homemade rice bowls - brown rice, and then mix some of the meat with teriyaki sauce, and top with green onions - yummo!!! XX Dixie

Sandra Henderson said...

i went and bought a new crock pot, have not used one in YEARS!~ lol~ just to make this... The Pioneer Woman does one using Dr. Pepper...
Hey, next time ya do it, use a BUTT and see if you can tell any difference . That is what we use down here. It looks yummy and I've thought about it ever since you posted this. I sent this to my friends in Macon, with a pic of my crock pot, coke, buns, butt, etc. layed out on my counters, so they will know what's for dinner. lol

Love the pics of your day trip! Thanks for sharing!