Chuys Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients 2 lbs chicken (split chicken breasts with ribs) 2 tbsp olive oil 1 chopped medium white onion 1 chopped carrot 1 chopped celery 16 cups chicken broth (99% fat free) 1 tbsp habanero powder (optional) 4 diced Roma tomatoes 1 cup corn 1 tbsp lime juice 1 tsp pepper 4 oz can diced green chilies (Hatch) 2 cups chopped cilantro 1 avocado chopped 1 cup chopped sweet potato (optional) shredded jack cheese tortilla strips (optional, but way better with) Preparation Boil chicken and remove meat from bones. Cook onion, carrot, celery in oil until onion starts turning golden.Add chicken br oth and bring to a slow boil and turn heat to medium. Add chicken meat, green chilies, corn, Roma tomatoes, lime juice, cilantro, avocado, sweet potato, habanero powder and pepper. Allow to cook for 20 to 30 minute on medium heat. When serving add about ¼ cup of jack cheese to bottom of bowl, add soup, and top with tortilla strips.

What is the difference between Sterling Silver, Overlay Silver and German / Nickle Silver

Several times a week I have someone ask me about the difference between Sterling Silve, overlay silver and German or Nickle Silver. Here is what I know:

 

 

Sterling Silver:

Fine silver is 99.9 percent pure or more, but it is very soft and unsuitable for most uses. Sterling silver is defined as 92.5 percent pure or higher. Sometimes, as you note, 95 percent pure silver is sold; this has more silver than the minimum it needs to be called sterling but its still sterling.

The remaining 5 to 7-1/2 percent is usually copper because this has been found to be the best metal to alloy with the silver to not discolor it, while making it hard.

Silver Overlay:

Silver overlay is a process of taking nickel silver and applying a layer of solid sterling silver....it is many times thicker than "Plated". The overlay is then engraved, etc....whereas plated items are engraved and then plated with a very thin electro plate of silver.

The process of using sterling silver overlay is done by the finest silversmith. It has the great appearance of solid sterling at a reduced cost but will far out last plated products.

Of course there are good quality plated items and cheap quality plated items. Not all plated items are cheap....for instance some of the finest dinnerware (forks, spoons, etc) are plated.

Sterling overlay is much better and more expensive than plated but not as high a solid sterling silver.

German silver or Nickel Silver:

German silver also known as Nickel Silver is a copper alloy with nickel and often zinc. The usual formulation is 60% copper, 20% nickel and 20% zinc. Nickel silver is named for its silvery appearance, but it contains no elemental silver unless plated. The name "German silver" refers to its development by 19th-century German metalworkers. This is NOT Mexico silver.

How to I know what size rodeo glove to buy?

 

Measure the width of open palm without a glove on - fingers together and thumb sticking out.

 

BULL RIDING (Deer Skin) Gloves:

 

NOTE: Average measurements accross your palm:

 

3"-3 1/8"  - 7 glove

3 1/4" - - - 7 1/2 glove

3 1/4" - - - 8 glove

3 3/8" - - - 8 1/2 glove

3 1/2" - - - 9 glove

3 5/8" - - - 9 1/2 glove

3 3/4" - - - 10 glove

4"     - - - 10 1/2 glove (Not available in many styles)

 

Typically if you measure around the thickest part of your palm (measuring around it) a person with a palm that measures approx 9 inches or so will wear a size 8 to 8 1/2 glove. This is for a fairly tight fit. If you prefer a looser fit order a larger size. Of course a lot just depends on how tight you like your glove? Some folks wear their glove very tight and some wear it loose and all degrees between.

 

For a BAREBACK (Steer Hide) Glove, the sizing is as follows Measuring accross your palm:

 

3 1/4" - - - 8 1/2 glove

3 1/2" - - - 9 glove

3 3/4" - - - 9 1/2 glove

4"     - - - 10 glove

4 1/4" - - - 10 1/2 glove (not avilable in all styles)

 

Bare in mind that these are averages and NOT exact measurements. Rodeo Gloves are hand made and as a result each is not the same as the next. In other words if you have 3 gloves all size 8 they may vary in size from glove to glove just depending.

How to install Dee's for Rope Lariat

For installation we suggest taking to your authorized saddle repair shop. When we install these in our own professional shop we first use a 1/2 inch "Oblong Punch" . We customarily punch thru the saddle leather but only deep enough to go through the top layer of the leather BUT not thru the Rawhide tree covering the tree or into the saddle tree per say. These are normally installed on the top are (In General) of the swells aka pomel) of the saddle. Then we use a leather fid or a flat screw driver to open the hole up a little so the clip portion can slip into the hole you just punched. Once this is done then we slide the clip into the hole and using a "saddle screw and washer" attach it to the saddle. We normally face the dee and clip facing forward. The screw seldom needs to be more than 1 1/4 inches long. We use special saddle screws and washers but in a pinch any wood screw with a small flat washer will work. Your done!    If at any point you have questions or concerns we strongly suggest you stop and ask your local saddle repair shop so not to risk potentially damaging your saddle.

Thanks for checking us out and if you are looking for more info just let me know.

806-687-2367 

RANCHco Saddle Shop signs go up!

Signs go up.... Coming soon the new and improved RANCHco Saddle Shop!

A New Day and a New Building!

Ranchco is proud to announce that after a year of negotiating we have
purchased the strip shopping center from JH Properties. We are currently remodeling the
entire building and will move from the current space we occupy on the south end
of the center to a much larger space on the north end. Our address will remain
unchanged.

This will greatly increase our retail show room, saddle shop area along
with larger shipping area and offices.

The new retail showroom will occupy a 6,000 square foot area capable of
handling increased inventory of saddles, tack and many new items.

We are very proud of Ron, Jeremiah, Jon, Layton and the team of folks who
have assisted in the remodel process. Also kudos to Laura, Bethany and Haven
for their hard work in painting, decor, and handling all the new merchandise. Also
thanks to Kenneth (Kmac) for holding down the fort while we concentrate on the
remodeling.

Despite the mid summer heat we are nearing completion. We have most likely
increased the stock value of Gatorade as we try to stay hydrated in over 100 degree
weather!

This project has required we become carpenters, electricians, plumbers,
painters, interior decorators, sign workers, tile and flooring experts, cabinet
makers and more. Luckily we grew up learning these skills  (I hope my Dad would be
proud of all this as I think of him often during this process).

This new space has been a dream of ours and we hope you will come check it
out.

Ron and Laura Eaton

Join us on Facebook at RANCHco Saddlery for daily deals on Tack and
Saddles! Watch for free give aways!

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000230310922

Laura Eaton
Eaton Ranchco Saddle Shop
806-687-2367
461 Hwy 62/82
Wolfforth, TX 79382
Please visit us again soon at:

www.ranchco.net

What is a mecate?

Traditional Mecate reins (pronounced either muh-caw-tee or McCarty) are made from horse hair, but can also be made from nylon double braid marine rope. These reins are normally between 20-22 feet long. Don’t worry, you won’t have to figure out what to do with an extra 15 feet of rein. Approximately 8-10 feet are used for the rein and the remaining 10-12 feet are used as a lead rope or popper when in the saddle. The mota is the thing at the other end of the rope (from the popper) which has the knot or cluster of horse hair and tassle on it.


Mecate reins are meant to be used with slobber straps and bits with a 3" ring (you need room for the headstall and slobber straps). The slobber straps protect the mecate and help provide a quick release (feel) for training. When riding, we usually put the end through our belt/ belt loop or tuck it into the waist of our pants. Some people prefer to wrap the end around the saddle horn for easier access. This is really a personal preference kind of thing.


We prefer the horse hair mecate for a number of reasons:


The horse responds to the feel of the horse hair on their neck much better than nylon.


They look really good on our horses.


But, marine grade rope has it’s advantages too:


Feel on your hands. Horse hair takes some time to get used to.


Price. Horse hair mecates are hand made – which adds to the cost.


Easily washable.


Mecate’s are an excellent training device. Here’s why we like them:


The weight of the reins with the slobber straps provides an instant release when working with a horse. The release is the reward that the horse is seeking when you ask for something.


You can teach a horse to neck rein significantly faster with horse hair mecate reins than with traditional reins.


You can use the popper to make a correction while in the saddle without having to go for your progress string.


When trail riding, you can use the lead to tie your horse safely. You can’t do this with any other headstall, rein, bit combination that we know of.


When schooling your horse, if you want to get off and make a correction or longe your horse – you have the lead rope attached and you are ready to go.


When working other horses from your horse you can use the lead to yield the other horse.