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| Vince Gill |
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| Vince Gill and The Time Jumpers |
Chandelier in The Volcano Room
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| Vince Gill |
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| The Time Jumpers |
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| Vince Gill |
Located near the foot of the Cumberland Plateau is McMinnville Tennessee. Underground adventures are here in the Cumberland Caverns. You can take excursions of this magnificent cave, or attend the monthly bluegrass concerts. The Volcano Room, 333 feet below, water and time meandering to generate one of the most acoustically pure extraordinary spaces on earth. Performing last night was Vince Gill, a country singer-songwriter who has recorded more than 20 studio albums, sold more than 24 million albums, has been honored with 18 CMA awards, earned 20 Grammy Awards and in 2007 he was inducted into the Country Music Hall Of Fame. Stone and I along with Carleen and Daniel arrived two hours before the concert was to begin. We found a spot to lay a blanket and proceeded to place the food for our picnic. I made an untraditional Pan Bagnat, (French Sandwich), Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies and some fruit while Carleen supplied us with the wine. Content, we ate and sipped our wine out in the warm sunshine. The grassy parking area began to fill up quickly. Everyone wanting to get in the cave as soon as they let you, to get a seat up front. Time to pack it up and get in line, we where lead down into the Volcano room, where the temperature is a constant 56 degrees. Finding the perfect seats, we settled in, waiting for the concert to begin. As expected, the concert was marvelous. The evening over, we made our way home. Another adventure coming to an end.
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (not all-natural)
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon corn syrup
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
6 ounces peanut butter chips
Preheat oven to 325'. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch and baking soda. Set aside.
With an electric mixer, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Bear in the peanut butter until combined. Add the egg, vanilla, and corn syrup, beating until mixed well, scraping down the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.
In two additions, beat in the flour mixture on low speed. Mix just until combined.
Scoop the dough onto the prepared sheets using a 2 Tablespoon cookie scoop.
Bake for 11 minutes. (the cookies will not spread). Cool on the cookie sheet for 1-2 minutes, the transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Pan Bagnat
1 large boule (round bread)
3 Tablespoon olive oil
6 red roasted red peppers from a jar
1/2 red onion, peeled and sliced thinly
fresh basil leaves
2 dozen green olives
2 balls mozzarella cheese, sliced
2 fresh tomatoes, sliced thinly
3.53 ounce package prosciutto
salt and pepper
Cut the top off the bread, digging out the inside leaving a 1/2" shell. Brush the inside of the shell and underneath the lid with olive oil. Place three of the roasted red peppers in the bottom of the shell, cutting in half to make fit if you have to. You want them to fit snuggly. Next add the sliced onions. Top with some basil. Time to add the olives. I cut mine in half to they flatten better. Next is 1 ball of the mozzarella cheese, putting the slices into the corner to fit snuggly. Next add the first layer of tomatoes, salt and pepper them. Add a few more basil leaves over the tomatoes. Next add the entire package of prosciutto. Now duplicate the ingredients, except the prosciutto. When done wrap the loaf in some saran wrap. Sit something very heavy on top, I used a cast iron skillet for at least 2 hours, preferable overnight.
