Ode to Bacon

I don't feel to good today so no cooking for me, but here's a poem i wrote about bacon last year in English class.

Sizzling, savory bacon tantalizes my tongue.
It's like Christmas morning when you're young.
I hear it crackle and pop in the frying pan;
I will always be a fan,
Of bacon.
Bacon sings to me,
A melody of deliciosity.
It's like a siren which lures me to the kitchen.
I will always have an itchin',
For bacon.
If eating bacon was a crime,
I'd go to jail a thousand time.

A+ material right there for you.

Pepper Party

I'm at my Dad's for the week and our garden has flourished this summer. We have an overload of peppers. Cowhorns, Mexibells,Habeneros, and another kind who's name fleets from my memory. As a result of these bunches of peppers i was enlisted by my Papa to make salsa, and lots of it! I made 3 batches; hot, medium, and mild. All three delicious. First I roasted a multitude of peppers and garlic cloves, drizzled with olive oil at 350 degrees for about 10 mins or less. Each salsa started with a base of tomato paste, fresh cilantro, vinegar, salt, sage, rosemary, and ancho chili powder. The results were incredibly enjoyable. Fresh homemade salsa to the max!





I made the labels on photobucket :)

Medium Cowhorn-Mexibell Salsa:

-6 oz. tomato paste

-A handful of fresh cilantro

-3 tbs. dried cranberries

-4 tbs. white distilled vinegar

-1 1/2 tsp salt

-1 tsp. rubbed sage

-1 tsp. dried crushed rosemary

-1 tsp. cinnamon

- 2 tsp. chipotle chile powder

-2 tsp. Cayenne pepper

-3 roasted cowhorns

-2 roasted mexibells

-5 cloves roasted garlic

-half of a red onion [roughly chopped]

-2 medium fresh tomatoes [quartered]

-16 oz. can diced tomatoes [drained]

Put the tomato paste, cranberries, vinegar, and seasonings into the food processor, and combine until roughly smooth. Add in the roasted peppers and garlic and puree until the peppers and garlic are combined smoothly into the tomato paste mixture. Put in the red onion and fresh tomato quarters and pulse about 10 times. Finally add in the diced tomatoes and pulse another 10 times. Season to taste with chile powders, salt, herbs and/or pepper. Now you have yourself some fine and dandy salsa.

I bid you a fond farewell.

I'm not voracious; only peckish.

I'm at a loss of things t do before my Dad comes to pick me up, so I've decided to make of a list of things i want in my kitchen.These are all adorable things from www.fredflare.com

Russian Doll Measuring Cups:



Cute Tatter Herb Planter:


Panda Skillet:

BBQ Sword:


[Miguel De Cervantes Quote for Title]

A Day At The Drag.

It was a lovely Sunday morning, i slowly crept out of bed, had some peppermint tea, listened to Vivaldi, and got ready to go to Godfrey's. Godfrey's is a gay club that has a drag brunch every Sunday, and today was the day I lost my "Godfrey's virginity." For those of you who are unaware of what a drag brunch is, its when you eat brunch while watching a fabulous Drag Queen [Transvestite] performance.

When you first get to Godfrey's, you must wait outside the doors and wait for your reservation to be called by a fabulous drag beauty. Once you're inside you go to your table and a waiter takes your drink order. They had a selection of Bloody Marys and Mimosas, which my Mama enjoyed, but I had iced tea while my best friend Mary sipped on coffee. Their brunch menu is quite delectable, Quiche, Salmon, French Toast, Mushroom Quesadilla, Eggs Benedict, and a few more things which escape me at the moment. I had the Eggs Benedict. The two poached eggs were cooked exquisitely, the perfect texture and runny-ness, and the hollandaise sauce was delicious. The Toasted Cuban bread was perfect for sopping up the run over yolk, and the country ham balanced the flavor together.

After the orders are taken The Divas start the show! Preforming to a multitude of songs with a variety of different styles and outfits. These divas are damn pretty, prettier than lots of girls. Not to mention the man running the show was hilarious, making the perfect toasts such as "Here's to you and here's to me. Friends may we always be. But, if by chance we disagree, Up yours! Here's to me!" He also made a point to rag on the men who got brought there by their wives or girlfriends. It was a great experience, and my mother and I are planning to make it a tradition to go there.

So If you're looking for a damn good time on a Sunday instead of going to church, head over to a drag brunch and have yourself a damn good time with your friends.

"I love chicken. I would eat chicken fingers on Thanksgiving if it were socially acceptable."

I was browsing through my fridge tonight figuring out how i wanted to prepare these chicken breasts i had. I looked to the top shelf, and a large container of plump ripe blueberries was staring me in the face. Then it hit me a mustard rosemary blueberry roast chicken. Yeah i know not the most common thing, but my thought process is odd therefore i create odd dishes. so i created a mustard based marinade slathered it on the chicken topped it with blueberries, slid it in the oven for 30 minutes, let some shredded asiago melt on it, and viola! It was moist, delicious and the contrasting flavor of the mustard and blueberries perplexed me in the best of delicious ways.



Roasted Mustard Blueberry Chicken:
-2 chicken breasts
-2 tsp. olive oil
-Salt
-Pepper
-2 tbs. Dijon mustard
-2 cloves garlic, crushed
-1/2 tsp. cinnamon
-2 tsp. fresh rosemary, finely chopped.
-A handful of fresh blueberries
-Grated Asiago cheese

Preheat the hotbox [oven] to 375 degrees

Using a fork poke holes in the top and bottom of the chicken breast. Rub a teaspoon of olive oil on each breast then salt and pepper to your liking. In a small bowl combine the mustard, garlic, cinnamon, rosemary, and a pinch of salt. coat each side of the breasts with mustard mixture. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and top with blueberries. Roast in the oven for 30 mins or until the thickest part reaches around 160 degrees. top with grated cheese and put back in the hotbox until it melts nicely atop your scrumptious chicken.



Enjoy with a salad or rice. Good night.

[Todd Barry quote for title]

Ohio Grows Their Corn In Love

Ohio was most excellent, fabulous weather,farmers market produces, Boeuf Bourguignon, Cherry Pie, Laning's Restaurant, Shopping, Family, and the most delicious plump sweet corn i have ever devoured.

This simple vegetable picked up from the farmers market, was so juicy, sweet, delectable, tantalizing, scrumptious, taste bud rapping deliciousity. By Far the best corn i have ever had off the cob, no butter or salt needed, and that's saying something. I also think it has to do with how my Grammy cooks it, she adds a tablespoon or so of sugar into the boiling water when she adds the corn and it makes the flavor explode.

Aside from that mind blowing corn, I enjoyedBoeuf Bourguignon i made using the new cookbook i got in Ohio called The Cook's Bible: the definitive cook's guide [recipe follow]. It was entirely incredible, My mother, brother, Grammy, && Grandpa Joe all loved it. My Grandpa even did the dishes, which he only does after an exceptionable meal.


Boeuf Bourguignon:
-2 tbs. olive oil
-6 oz. unsmoked bacon or fatback, sliced into thin strips
-3 lbs. stewing beef, cut into 2-inch pieces
-2 large carrots, sliced
-1 onion, chopped
-2 cloves minced garlic
-3 tbs. flour
-4 c. red wine
-1 c. beef stock
- 1 bouquet garni sachet
-2 tsp. salt
-1 tsp. pepper
-1 tsp. marjom
-pinch of cinnamon
-12 oz. pearl onions
-12 oz. white mushrooms

Heat the oil in a large, oven proof casserole dish or dutch oven, over medium heat. Add and brown bacon for 2-3 mins. Remove with slotted spoon, and set aside. Add the beef in batches to cook until browned, then remove and keep warm with bacon. Add the carrots and chopped onions to casserole and cook for 5 mins. Add the garlic and cooki until just colored. Return the meat and bacon to the casserole . Sprinkle on the flour and stir, while cooking, for 1 min. Add the wine, enough stock to cover, the boquet garni, and the salt, pepper, and marjom. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer gently for 3 hours on a low heat.

Heat half the butter in a skillet. Add pearl onions, cover, and cook until softened. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm. Heat the remaining butter in the skillet. Add the mushrooms and cook briefly. Remove and keep warm.

Strain the casserole liquid into a clean pan. Remove the surface fat from the coking liquid, simmer for 1 to 2 mins. to reduce, then pour over the meat and vegetables. Serve in a big bowl with scalloped or roasted potatoes as a side.

Enjoy with a nice big piece of crusty bread!

"There's Something About Ohio That I Can't Help But Love"

Tomorrow Mama and I are heading past the Mason-Dixon line to go to Ohio! I love going up there. I get to see family, and there's just something enchanting about it, the smell, the look, the air (so much less humid than VA.) I cant remember the last time went up in the summer, i usually go up for thanksgiving, so Ive only seen it in the cold and snowy weather, but i feel its gonna be even more awe inspiring since its summer.

Here are a few things I'm going to do:

-Go to epic diners and dives with Mama on are way there and back.
-Hug My Gramy Jane and Grandpa Joe,and Gramps, Aunts, Uncles, 1st cousins, 2nd cousins, and 3rd cousins.
- make a strawberry goat cheese tart
- make boeuf bourguignon
-Try and find a chef coat or two for Tech Center this year.
-play football and what not
-paint a new picture
-take lots of photos
- Run and then run some more

I'm hitting the road bright and early tomorrow at 6am, so i bid you goodnight.

[Chase Coy lyrics for title]