Diversity

One of the interesting things about this oil boom here in North Dakota, is the diversity of people working here.  I have meet folks from Florida, California, Washington, Oregon, Minnesota and Michigan.  They are here for one reason - to better their lives.  Many are here to keep from losing their homes miles away, because there hasn't been work there.  Some are here because work is slow where they came from.  Some are here because their company down south has sent them here.  But all are here for the oil - OIL - I try not to say it Texas style Awle.
 Oil.
O-e-ull. Oil.
  Besides, North Dakotans can't understand plain Texas English!

Our friend, Pat, brings seafood from Louisiana in his carry-on luggage every trip back from home and we have "cook-ups" at our house (since we are the only ones with a house), but I don't think we've had a "shing-ding" (that's a more festive cook-up I think) yet.  Last night we had a cook-up of speckled sea trout, frog legs, and fried potatoes.

Pat is the head chef and prefers to fry in the garage (since we still don't have weather warm enough for the patio) and cooks with minimum clean-up.  There are no protests from me!

Not only did we cook in the garage, we also ate there around the table clothed industrial spool.

Our group last night was the most diverse international group we have had yet.  They were from Russia, Australia, Thailand, Louisiana, South Texas, West Texas and Houston
(not all their own countries, but they could be).
We all spoke our own special pronunciation of English

 - even us Texicans didn't talk the same.

 I do believe this I-Phone picture of frog legs is headed to Thailand.

The man discussions were all about hunting, fishing, weather, and of course,

the oil and the pipelines, the tanks, the trains and the trucks.  

I didn't hear any talk of politics or religion, but I knew from bits and pieces of prior conversations that we had in our midst Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, Jew, Buddhist, and BaptiCostalLutheran (that's what my man says I am - a Baptist Pentecostal Lutheran!).  I think he was a little nervous that I might open up a religious conversation.  That man!  But it could have been really interesting...

My smash-hit contribution to the meal was Skillet Peach Cobbler, a recipe I found in
the recipe book, The Homesick Texan. 
The recipe is in the book, but not on her blog. 
It's probably copyright protected, but I made a few changes to it.

Iron Skillet Peach Cobbler

1 stick butter

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup milk

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 cups fresh or frozen sliced peaches (I used 4)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2.  Melt butter in iron skillet

3. Mix flour, sugar, milk, and baking powder.

4.  Pour the batter over the butter

5.  Toss the peaches with cinnamon and ginger

6.  Place the peaches on top of the batter

7.  Bake uncovered for 45 minutes

It's a guaranteed man-pleaser!

Enjoy!

And thanks for stopping by!