Bad Girl BBQ

Valentines Dinner - Lobster Thermidor

2012-02-14T13:31:00.000-08:00

One of the most romantic experiences I can remember was stealing away to a sexy little Bed & Breakfast Inn up in Mendocino County and dining in a romantic French restaurant over looking the sea. We shared a beautiful dish that I will never forget. Here is the recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups dry white wine

2 cups water

1 large onion , thinly sliced

1 medium carrot , thinly sliced

1 stalk celery , thinly sliced

6 sprigs parsley

1 bay leaf

1/4 tsp. thyme

6 peppercorns

1 Tbsp. fresh or dried tarragon

3 live lobsters , 2 pounds each

1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms

1 Tbsp. butter

1 tsp. lemon juice

1/4 tsp. salt

5 Tbsp. butter

6 Tbsp. flour

1 Tbsp. cream

1 Tbsp. dry mustard

2 egg yolks

1/2 cup whipping cream

4 to 6 Tbsp. more whipping cream

Pinch cayenne pepper

4 Tbsp. butter

1/3 cup cognac

1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Swiss cheese

2 Tbsp. butter , cut into bits

COOKING MUSIC SELECTION: Peter Gabriel - InYour Eyes (Live)

PREPARATION:

Steaming the lobsters: Simmer wine, water, vegetables, herbs, and seasonings in the kettle for 15 minutes. Then bring to a rolling boil and add the live lobsters. Cover and boil for about 20 minutes. The lobsters are done when they are bright red and the long head-feelers can be pulled from the sockets fairly easily. While the lobsters are steaming, stew the mushrooms slowly in the covered saucepan with the butter, lemon juice, and salt for 10 minutes.

The sauce: When the lobsters are done, remove them from the kettle. Pour the mushroom cooking juices into the lobster steaming juices in the kettle and boil down rapidly until liquid has reduced to about 2 1/4 cups. Strain into the 4-cup enameled or stainless steel saucepan and bring to the simmer.

Cook the butter and flour slowly together in the 1 1/2-quart saucepan for 2 minutes without browning. Off heat, beat in the simmering lobster-cooking liquid. Boil, stirring, for 1 minute. Set aside. Film top of sauce with the cream.

Split the lobsters in half lengthwise, keeping the shell halves intact. Discard sand sacks in the heads, and the intestinal tubes. Rub lobster coral and green matter through a fine sieve into the mixing bowl, and blend into it the mustard, egg yolks, cream, and pepper. Beat the sauce into this mixture by driblets.

Return the sauce to the pan, and stirring with a wooden spoon, bring it to the boil and boil slowly for 2 minutes. Thin out with tablespoons of cream. Sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon fairly heavily. Taste carefully for seasoning. Set aside, top filmed with a spoonful of cream.

Sautéing the lobster meat: Remove the meat from the lobster tails and claws, and cut it into 3/8-inch cubes. Set the skillet with the butter over moderate heat. When the butter foam begins to subside, stir in the lobster meat and sauté, stirring slowly, for about 5 minutes until the meat has turned a rosy color. Pour in the cognac and boil for a minute or two, shaking the skillet, until the liquid has reduced by half.

Final assembly: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Fold the cooked mushrooms and two thirds of the sauce into the skillet with the lobster meat. Arrange the split lobster shells in the roasting pan. Heap the lobster mixture into the shells; cover with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with cheese and dot with butter. The recipe may be prepared ahead up to this point and refrigerated.

Place in upper third of 425-degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until lobster is bubbling and the top of the sauce is nicely browned. Serve immediately and share with someone equally as delicious!

Grand Marnier Souffle

2012-02-08T08:38:00.000-08:00

When I was growing up, my mother would take me out to dinner to fine little French neighborhood restaurants in our area. (I have a THING for French Bistro's) She would order this before dinner because they must make this fresh to order. This is one of the most delicate, delicious things you will ever eat. It's light, airy, not too sweet and magical on your tongue. When I think of my late mother, I am reminded of this beautiful dessert and the great local French chef that used to bring this to our table himself. He always made us feel special. Friends, I give you the most amazing dessert recipe EVER... I hope you enjoy sharing this one with someone you love. Will listening to a Rammstein song while baking your souffle destroy it? Probably not.

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter plus additional for buttering ramekins

1 cup sugar plus additional for coating ramekins

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup whole milk

7 large egg yolks

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon orange oil*

2 tablespoons Grand Marnier

8 large egg whites

COOKING MUSIC SELECTION:Rammstein - Du Hast

PREPARATION:

First, when making soufflé, it's a good idea to turn the bass down on your stereo and preheat oven to 400°F. Baking soufflé is sensitive serious business. Generously butter eight 1-cup (3 1/2 x 2-inch) ramekins and coat with sugar, knocking out excess sugar. In a 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan melt 3/4 stick butter over moderately low heat and whisk in flour. Cook roux, whisking, 3 minutes. Add milk and cook over moderate heat, whisking, until mixture is very thick and pulls away from sides of pan. Transfer mixture to a bowl and cool 5 minutes. In a large bowl whisk together yolks, vanilla, oil, and a pinch salt, and whisk in milk mixture and Grand Marnier, whisking until smooth.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat whites until they hold soft peaks. Beat in 1 cup sugar, a little at a time, and beat meringue until it just holds stiff peaks. Whisk about one fourth meringue into yolk mixture to lighten and with a rubber spatula fold in remaining meringue gently but thoroughly.

Spoon batter into ramekins, filling them just to rim, and arrange ramekins at least 1 1/2 inches apart in a large baking pan. Add enough hot water to pan to reach halfway up sides of ramekins and bake soufflés in middle of oven 20 minutes, or until puffed and tops are a beautiful golden color. Remove pan from oven and transfer ramekins to dessert plates. Serve soufflé immediately. You will LOVE these!

The Periodic Table of Meat

2012-02-07T22:30:00.000-08:00

Dungeness Crab Eggs Benedict Recipe

2012-02-06T10:31:00.000-08:00

I made this recipe for my house mate last weekend for her birthday. It was yummy! Best served and devoured while wearing distasteful funny wigs with silly friends.

INGREDIENTS:

2 English muffins, split
1 fresh live dungeness crab, cooked, shelled
4 large eggs, very fresh
Topped with my Hollandaise Sauce, here is a great easy recipe -
Easy Blender Hollandaise Sauce Recipe

COOKING MUSIC SELECTION: Faith No More:The Crab Song

PREPARATION:

Begin by heating a pan with about 2 inches of water. When the water comes to a boil, lower it to a simmer. Crack an egg into a bowl and then using the handle of a wooden spoon, create a whirlpool and gently slide the egg in. You want the white of the egg to wrap around the yolk. Continue with the other eggs. Poach in gently simmering water for 3-5 minutes. You want the whites set and the yolks runny.

Meanwhile, toast the English muffins. When the eggs are done, take them out with a slotted spoon and put them on a paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle with salt and pepper if you desire.

Put some crab meat on top of each half of the English muffins. Top with a poached egg, 1-2 tablespoons of hollandaise sauce, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper and serve.This is AMAZING!!!!! Your friends will love it!

Easy Blender Hollandaise Sauce

2012-02-06T10:16:00.000-08:00

Need an elegant quick Hollandaise Sauce for brunch? Here is the easiest best recipe EVER!

INGREDIENTS:

3 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 dash cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

COOKING MUSIC SELECTION:Etta James - A Sunday Kind Of Love

PREPARATION:
Place egg yolks, salt, pepper and cream in blender, blend for a few seconds at high speed until you have a smooth frothy mixture.

While blender is running begin adding hot butter in a thin, steady stream. As you add butter, the sauce should thicken. When half the butter has been added, add lemon juice. Continue blending until all butter is used.

Boil-n-Bake 5 Spice Ribs

2012-02-04T19:06:00.001-08:00

Great Superbowl Rib Recipe from Chef John....

Chocolate Ganache

2012-01-29T12:42:00.000-08:00

This is the sexiest frosting on earth. Dip anything in this and it will become irresistible!

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup heavy cream

CHOCOLATE MUSIC SELECTION: Chocolate Song

PREPARATION:

Place a heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water, and whisk together the chocolate & cream. Continue whisking until chocolate is melted and the mixture is thick, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Cheesecake Cupcakes

2012-01-29T12:27:00.000-08:00

So my friend has decided she is sensitive to wheat. This girl loves pasta and bread more than anyone I know. It’s got to be a huge bummer for her. She has been trying to cut back on gluten in her diet, but is really not too successful at it. We go out and buy the extra pricey weird ingredient filled gluten free stuff to help support her, and after all the fuss, she then goes right ahead and eats a huge piece of French bread. It drives her friends crazy. Most of the gluten-free recipes I’ve tried have come out dry, rubbery/gargummy and soy floury tasteless.

It was her birthday and I thought I would give one of the New Betty Croker box Gluten-free cake mixes a try. (Way easier then going out the high-end health food market and buying 5 different wheat free flours.) Here is what I did with it and these came out GREAT!

INGREDIENTS:

1 box of Chocolate Gluten-free cakemix

(Box directions include: eggs, oil & water)

Cheesecake filling:

3/4 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons

1 egg

3 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons mini semisweet chocolate chips

Frost them with this: Chocolate Ganache

BAKING MUSIC SELECTION: Cupcake Song

PREPARATION:

Place rack in the middle of oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 12 muffin cups with cupcake papers. In a medium bowl, add the cake mix with the needed ingredients from the box directions. Using a mixer, mix the ingregients well. In a small bowl, beat together the cream cheese, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons sugar, and vanilla. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Fill prepared cupcake liners with enough chocolate batter to just cover the bottom. Add a dollop of the cream cheese filling to each, then top with remaining batter.

Bake for 20 minutes. Let cupcakes stand in the pan for 3 minutes and then remove and allow to cool completely on a rack. Dip each cupcake into the ganache, forming an even layer of frosting. Place in the refrigerator to set, about 15 minutes.

2012 Chicken Wing Bone Super Bowl Prediction!

2012-01-26T18:05:00.001-08:00

Chef John's Annual Ritual...

Bacon Cashew Caramel Corn

2012-01-16T15:00:00.000-08:00

Do you like the taste of salty and sweet at the same time? Do you like Moose Munch? Do you like caramel corn? Do you like bacon? Do you have free microwave popcorn at your place of employment? Then here are five recipes you may want to try out! These were tested on twenty 18 year olds, and a dozen other silly adults last weekend.

Here is how they ranked:

1. Bacon Cashew

2. Macadamia Nut & White Chocolate

3. Squirrel Munch (Peanuts, Almonds & Cashews, Milk Chocolate Chips & semi Sweet Chocolate Drizzle)

4. Peanut Butter Cup (Peanuts, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups & Milk Chocolate Drizzle)

5. Spicy Parmesan & Almond (Smokehouse Almonds, a dash of Ground Cayenne Pepper, Fresh Grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese)

INGREDIENTS:

2 bags of microwave popcorn

1 stick of salted butter

1 cup of sugar

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons of light corn syrup

¼ teaspoon of baking soda

Dash of salt

(Any kind of nut, chocolate chips, M&M’s, Peanut Butter cups, Smokehouse Almonds, Cheese, Cereal… I tried BACON….

½ pound of crisp cooked bacon chopped

1 small can of cashews (Bacon alone would have been fine, but the cashews added a buttery depth that made them amazing!)

COOKING MUSIC SELECTION: Dj Packi - Popcorn Song (Remix) 2011

PREPARATION:

Preheat oven to 300º. Remove all unpopped kernels from popcorn and pour popcorn into a bowl. Combine butter, corn syrup, and sugar over medium heat. Cook and stir until mixture boils. Continue boiling at a steady rate for 4 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda and vanilla.

Pour caramel over popcorn and stir to coat. Spread onto greased cookie sheet, and bake for 10-15 minutes (10 for chewy, 15 for crunchy). Remove from oven and add toppings. For other versions, you can melt chocolate chips for 1 minute in the microwave oven and drizzle chocolate all over the caramel corn. I found that the lighter crunchier texture happened when I added the baking soda last to the pot, mixed it well and turned off the heat and poured it quickly. Let cool….. YUM!!!!!

Bacon Cashew Munch Goodness!

Peanut Butter Cup Munch Madness!

Macadamia Nut & White Chocolate

Nutty Munch to squirrel away with while watching a good movie!

I like to hear music when I cook.

2012-01-04T21:39:00.000-08:00

How to Cook & Clean Live Dungeness Crab - Before they Kill You!

2011-12-15T23:08:00.000-08:00

MMMmmmm... CRAB. Fresh Live San Francisco Crab.... The Bestest Crab EVER! Once you have REAL fresh crab, you will NEVER buy precooked store bought crab AGAIN! I promise. I haven't done my New England Sea-foodie Tour Yet....But if you live near the Pacific coast, you can ask around to find where your crab boats hang out to sell their daily catches. Out here in San Francisco, we drive down Highway 1 to Pillar Point Harbor, Half Moon Bay - near where the famous Maverick's World Surfing Competition happens!

Yea, it's a total blast living on the coast-side of San Francisco!!!!! The waves here are big and the weather is nice most of the time. Bring a cooler with you to the docks to make for easy crab transport. On your way back to the car, make sure to stop by the Half Moon Bay Brewing Company to try there new seasonal beers.... I know the brewers and they totally know what they are doing!

Once you get them home, check the crab to make sure it is alive. They should be moving and swearing profanities at you. Rinse under water. Bring a pot of water to the boil. Place the crabs (either alive or recently killed) in boiling, salted water and cover the pot. (Patrica McGregor aka the Marine Biologist "Crab Whisperer" in the film below) recommends picking them up from the back is the safest. There should be enough water so that the crab is completely submerged, plus an additional 4 or 5 inches on top of that. When it's fully boiling put in the crab.

You may hear the crab "shrieking" and think it is in pain. What you're hearing is the air escaping from its shell. Use about half a cup of salt per gallon of water. You may also add some Old Bay Seasoning to the pot. Cook for about 15 minutes; 10 to 12 minutes for smaller ones, up to 20 minutes for large ones.

When cooking live crab, you can put it in the freezer for half an hour beforehand so that it moves more slowly and is easier to handle when placing in the pot. Some people also feel this is a more humane method. They say the cold puts them into a dormant state and then they're not fully conscious when they're boiled.

Obviously, the crab will be hot. So, if you want to serve it warm, you’ll need to wear rubber gloves to clean it. Otherwise, put the crab in a bowl of ice water for several minutes and then drain before cleaning. To remove the back, hold the base of the crab with one hand and pull the shell away from the body with the other hand. Turn the crab over and pull on the triangular-shaped section and lift it away. Turn the crab again and gently scrape away the gills on either side with your thumb or a spoon.

Throw away the intestine, which runs down the center of the back. Most people wash away the "crab butter" (the yellow, mushy stuff in the cavity). But, some consider these organs a delicacy and there are recipes that call for them. So, set them aside if you like.

Twist off the legs. Rinse the rest of the body under cold water and break it in half. Crack the legs with a mallet. Dig out the meat with forks or picks or however you can get to it. Eating crab is a messy affair, so just dig in and enjoy. Crab meat is typically served with lemon wedges and melted butter. But, of course, there are many sauces and recipes you can experiment with. Butter is the best!

It may not always be safe to have your friends over for a crab feast.....

Frosty the Cheeseball Man

2011-12-07T14:48:00.000-08:00

Bacon Butter Thanksgiving Turkey

2011-11-22T13:57:00.000-08:00

Do you want your Thanksgiving Turkey to be moist, extra flavorful with a slight smoky flavor without actually smoking it? Try my Thanksgiving Turkey Secret Flavor Weapon – BACON BUTTER!

INGREDIENTS:

1 stick of softened salted butter

½ pound of raw bacon

½ teaspoon chopped fresh herbs (Rosemary, Thyme, Sage & Parsley)

Dash of black pepper

COOKING MUSIC SELECTION: Simon & Garfunkel Scarborough Fair

PREPARATION:

Place all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor on high and pulverize them until they are a smooth paste. With your hands feel up your turkey by slipping your fingers in between the skin and the breasts (that sounded wrong : ) slather the bacon butter paste underneath all of the skin you can get in between. Any remaining bacon butter goes on the outside of the bird. Roast your turkey as would normally. It will come out extra delicious and tender.

Cream of Pumpkin Parmesan Soup

2011-10-07T14:23:00.000-07:00

Pumpkins are showing up for Halloween and it’s time for an elegant comfort food soup. Try this one, you will love it!

INGREDIENTS:

3lbs ripe raw pumpkin

1 cup diced yellow onion

1 large clove of garlic minced

1 cup of Sherry
4 oz. unsalted butter

3 Tablespoons Olive oil
3 pints hot chicken broth or stock

2 tablespoons tomato paste
4oz. fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
4 tablespoons heavy cream
Dash of salt & white pepper

COOKING MUSIC SELECTION: Crumpkin's Pumpkins' Pumpkin Song

PREPARATION:

Prepare the pumpkin by cutting it into chunks, scraping out the seeds, removing the outer skin and then slicing the flesh thinly. In a large skillet on medium high add the olive oil - get it nice and hot, and the pumpkin, onion's and garlic, season with salt and white pepper and saute them until they are caramelized nicely. De glaze the pan with the Sherry, scraping off the bottom bits. Then turn the heat down to a low setting and cover the pan with a lid. Cook gently for 15 minutes shaking the pan occasionally, the pumpkin should break up easily.

Add the hot chicken stock, along with the tomato paste and Parmesan cheese. Increase the heat and bring to the boil stirring occasionally. Allow to simmer for 15 minutes (uncovered) stirring it from time to time, purée the soup using a food blender and then pass through a fine sieve into a clean pan. Serve in warm soup bowls sprinkled with fresh Parmesan cheese on top. COMFORT FOOD BABY!!!!!

Gourmet Camping Paella

2011-09-21T12:16:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend I made my first Spanish Paella for 30 people. I didn’t have a Paella pan big enough to make for that many so I used a nice deep long stainless steel roasting pan on my Masterbuilt 7 in 1 Propane BBQ/Smoker/Grill. It was quite the yummy fun production. The Paellero' Paella Seasoning (Spanish Seasoning with Saffron) by La Tienda Ifound online here (It made this dish easy and off the hook good)

I love “Chop Talk” I call it. It’s when you sit outside at a picnic table with a chopping board, a sharp knife, some fresh cocktails and chop and slice veggies with good friends and catch up on things – together. It makes the food prep so much more easy & fun. It’s even better under a shady tree with very silly musical goofy friends. Live music is a culinary plus. You would be surprised what your hungry friends will do to help for a good camping gourmet meal. Don't be afraid to try this out doors, it's all in the prep. Great for a special occasion or holiday feast.

Here is the recipe I made:

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ cup butter

5 bacon slices, chopped

2 cups chopped onions (about 2 medium)

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups Arborio rice

½ cup fresh chopped parsley

½ cup fresh chopped basil

4 bay leaves

Paellero' Paella Seasoning (Spanish Seasoning with Saffron) by La Tienda

1 bottle of clam juice

1 ½ cups chicken stock

2 cups white wine

1 pound large uncooked shrimp, peeled, deveined

1 pound pork loin cubed

1 pound of chicken thigh meat cubed

1 dozen clams, scrubbed

1 pound of Spanish Chorizo cubed

2 cups fresh greens beans

1 cup frozen green peas, thawed

Lemon wedges

COOKING MUSIC SELECTION: With Love - Classical Spanish Guitar - John Clarke Music.com

PREPARATION:

Preheat oven to 450°F. Heat butter and olive oil in heavy large deep pan or pot over medium-high heat. Add chopped bacon and cook until fat is rendered, about 6 minutes. Add garlic a onion, stir until they start smelling really good. Add chicken pieces, pork and chorizo, and salt and pepper. Saute until browned a bit.

Now add the white wine and clam juice to deglaze the pan, make sure to scrap all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan, meca flavor goodness, add the packet of Paellero' Paella Seasoning (This stuff is great, its full of Smoked Sweet & Hot Spanish Paprika, Saffron, garlic spices and herbs, I bought mine online). Mix together well.

Now add the rice, the beans, peas, half the herbs and chicken stock. Stir well turn up the heat until it comes to a nice soft boil, now turn down the heat to low, add the shrimp and clams and cover.

Let simmer on very low until the rice is creamy and soft, about 30 mins. (This is Risotto rice I use, it needs to be stirred with consistent TLC - well worth the foreplay) Take off the heat, squeeze fresh lemon and sprinkle with the rest of the fresh herbs. Let paella stand 10 minutes. To Die For!

ENJOY!

New England Lobster in South City San Francisco

2011-09-06T12:59:00.000-07:00

I found a great seafood market in South San Francisco called New England Lobster last Friday. These Lobster tails were only $5 each…. They were REALLY NICE!

Grilling seafood with just salt & pepper and straight up Butter…. A touch of fresh lemon is all you need.

Check this place out if you don’t want to try and find parking at Fisherman’s Wharf for Seafood in San Francisco to buy and take home.

Lobster with Chipotle-Lime Butter

2011-08-21T13:33:00.000-07:00

Sexy food... served with champagne, or fine tequila over ice… big down pillows, no utensils allowed…served in nothing but an apron… as a main course...optional.
It’s what’s for ~ DINNER IN... wink.

INGREDIENTS:
Chipotle-Lime Butter1 cup of sweet butter (3 cups melted butter set aside, optional)
Juice of 2 limes
2 tablespoons fresh ground Chipotle Peppers
Kosher Salt, as needed
Fresh ground Black pepper, as needed
2 whole live Maine lobsters, about 1 1/2 pounds each
A nice shake of Old Bay Seasoning, or your favorite barbecue rub, as needed
rubber sheet, goggles (Optional)

COOKING MUSIC SELECTION: Maxwell - ...Til The Cops Come Knockin'

PREPARATION:
Prepare the grill for cooking over direct medium heat. In a small saucepan, melt the butter and blend in the lime juice, ground Chipotle peppers (I buy the kind at my local mexican food mart and then grind them in my little electric 'coffee' - spice grinder ~ you can taste the difference let me tell ya), and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Split the lobsters completely in half down the back with a chef's knife. Remove the tails and claws. Discard the rest. Crack the shells on the claws and inject or drizzle them each with 1 tablespoon of the butter. Season the tails lightly with the Old Bay or rub. Grill the tails and claws for about 5 minutes on each side. Spoon some of the Chipotle-Lime Butter into the tail shells. Cook until the lobster is just barely done, another 4 to 5 minutes. This will vary depending on your grill. Serve the remaining Chipotle-Lime Butter for dipping. Serve additional butter in creative ways.

My Favorite Local Chef Hero ~ John Mitzewich! YOU RULE DUDE!

2011-08-15T18:26:00.000-07:00

He is great with the one liners, the videos and oh yea, the man can seriously make some killer good eats!
http://foodwishes.blogspot.com/

John, you kick all of the Food Networks Asses.

I'm a huge fan.

xxx

Day 19 ~ Foodie Rehab Juice Fasting Journal & Recipes

2011-08-02T11:13:00.000-07:00

It’s day 19 of my juice fast and it’s going well. I bought a couple nice thermos’s for taking to work (I start a new contract job on Monday) so I will be making the live veggie & fruit juices and storing them in the refrigerator ala thermos. I understand as long as they are not exposed to air and stay cold, they are still nutrient rich and good to drink.

So far in the last 19 days I’ve lost 18 pounds and 8 inches all over my body total.

The Shingles have not returned, my joints feel looser and my skin looks radiant and clearer. I feel good. I feel calm, empty and more grounded. Some days I’m full of energy, some not so much. I notice it’s the Green drinks that satiate me the most. When I start jonesing for food or when someone is cooking something I love, I make a cup of Miso broth or organic vegetable or chicken broth to sip on, and that fills the emotional void… so to speak. Good food is so much more reliable then Good Sex, let's hope that will change soon.

I have been dreaming about food and have made a list of the things I want to eat after I break my fast. I can’t imagine not adding live green juice to my daily diet after this detox. It may be the best breakfast commute on the go meal I could do. It is true, once you go this many days on a juice fast, the thought of food smells good, sounds good and all, but actually eating is something else completely.

When your body starts cleaning out, the energy that used to be digesting all the food is now working on repairing and healing and balancing the whole body. It is a rare and sensitive feeling, all of my senses are enhanced and my mind is much clearer. I am cherishing this feeling and don’t want to lose it. It may be true that when the body gets the nutrition it needs, you don’t feel hungry. I am more aware of what foods I was addicted to, mostly fat, sugar and caffeine.

I’ll say that when I do eat in the future, I am going to make it worth it. I am not a fan of dieting, but eating one nice meal a day and juicing the rest of the day sounds doable at least on work days, weekends I want to cook, BBQ and party. This may require me to juice fast at least 10 days a month on a regular basis. I am just glad I have finally found some healthy way to balance out my health and eating.

I’m looking younger, sexier and feeling better everyday. Having this handled gives me sense of confidence and a hope that my personal rig is cleaner and less acidic and more of an alkaline inside which makes it less likely to develop Diabetes, Cancer or other major illnesses. It’s the least I could do for living my life the way I have for the first half of it. There is sooooo much I want to learn, see and do…. I’ve GOT to be in GOOD SHAPE for the last half!

My Favorite Green Juice Recipe:

6 leaves Kale

2 cups Spinach

1/2 Cucumber

4 stalks Celery

2 Apples

1” Ginger root

1 Key Lime

Day 11 ~ Foodie Rehab Juice Fasting Journal & Recipes

2011-07-25T21:45:00.000-07:00

It's day eleven of the juice fast and I'm feeling great! I can't quite describe this feeling really, I am more clear, clean and all of my 5 senses are enhanced. It's like I am more connected to the sea and nature, the trees and all living things around me. I feel more sensual. I feel less depressed, I have had no fatigue and the headaches have gone away. I swear I look younger, my skin is clearer and healthier looking. I've lost eleven pounds and one dress size, that's a bonus. The most surprising thing I would not have believed unless I experienced this myself is the lack of desire for food. I mean like the thought of eating just sounds bad. Whoda thunk it? I'm gonna keep on going....

Here is a great article you may dig I found that has helped me understand what to expect on an all fresh live juice fast:

The Different Juice Fasting Stages of Detoxification

A single cell within the human body is more complex than the most modern supercomputer. The process of removing a hundred thousand antigens, each with unique molecular properties, from trillions of functioning cells is indeed a complex process. Imagine three trillion cells being repaired during the function of countless biochemical processes needed for life. Even the best mechanics have to turn off the engine. Yet, the body has millions of micro mechanics that do this with ease.

One of the body’s automatic maintenance processes is the destruction of foreign microorganisms. When looking through a dark-field microscope, countless parasites are clearly visible. I observed parasites living inside blood cells. Several could be seen eating cholesterol, and I was amazed to see one swim. Watching lymphocytes moving in the blood was like a science-fiction movie. These complex, lymphocyte organisms attached themselves and engulfed toxins. As they did, their coloration's flowed into fascinating patterns leaving me with a sense of wonder and respect for the miraculous ability and infinite complexity of the human body.

Fasting Detoxification Stages

Here is an overview of the detoxification stages during a juice fast. The time periods are a general estimation.

Stage 1 (Day 1 To Day 2)
On the first day of fasting, the blood sugar level drops below 70 mg/dl. To restore the blood to the normal glucose level, liver glycogen is converted to glucose and released into the blood. This reserve is enough for half a day. The body then reduces the basal metabolic rate (BMR). The rate of internal chemical activity in resting tissue is lowered to conserve energy. The heart slows and blood pressure is reduced. Glycogen is pulled from the muscle causing some weakness. The first wave of cleansing is usually the worst.

Headaches, dizziness, nausea, bad breath, glazed eyes and a heavily coated tongue are signs of the first stage of cleansing. Hunger can be the most intense in this period unless the enema is used which quickly assists the body into the fasting state by ending digestion in the colon.

Stage 2 (Day 3 To Day 7)
Fats, composed of transformed fatty acids, are broken down to release glycerol from the gliceride molecules and are converted to glucose. The skin may become oily as rancid oils are purged from the body. People with problem-free skin may have a few days of pimples or even a boil. A pallid complexion is also a sign of waste in the blood. Ketones are formed by the incomplete oxidation of fats. It is suspected that the ketones in the blood suppress the appetite by affecting the food-satiety center in the hypothalamus. You may feel hungry for the first few days of the fast. This effect is temporary. The desire to eat will disappear. Lack of hunger may last 40 to 60 days, depending on whether you are on water or juice.

The body embraces the fast and the digestive system is able to take a much-needed rest, focusing all of its energies on cleansing and healing. White blood cell and immune system activity increases. You may feel pain in your lungs. The cleansing organs and the lungs are in the process of being repaired. Periodically, the lymphatic system expels mucoid matter through the nose or throat. The volume excreted of this yellow-colored mucus can be shocking. The sinuses go through periods of being clogged, then will totally clear. The breath is still foul and the tongue coated. Within the intestine, the colon is being repaired and impacted feces on the intestinal wall start to loosen.

Stage 3 (Day 8 to Day 15)
On the latter part of an extended fast, you can experience enhanced energy, clear-mindedness and feel better than you have felt since childhood. On the downside, old injuries may become irritated and painful. This is a result of the body’s increased ability to heal during fasting. If you had broken your arm 10 years before, there is scar tissue around the break. At the time of the break, the body’s ability to heal was directly related to lifestyle. If you lived on a junk-food diet, the body’s natural healing ability was compromised.

During fasting, the body’s healing process is at optimum efficiency. As the body scours for dead or damaged tissue, the lymphocytes enter the older, damaged tissue secreting substances to dissolve the damaged cells. These substances irritate the nerves in the surrounding region and cause a recurrence of aches from previously injured areas that may have disappeared years earlier. The pain is good as the body is completing the healing process. The muscles may become tight and sore due to toxin irritation. The legs can be the worst affected, as toxins accumulate in the legs. Cankers are common in this stage due to the excessive bacteria in the mouth. Daily gargling with salt and water will prevent or heal cankers.

Stage 4 (Day 16 to Day 30)
The body is completely adapted to the fasting process. There is more energy and clarity of mind. Cleansing periods can be short with many days of feeling good in between. There are days when the tongue is pink and the breath is fresh. The healing work of the organs is being completed. After the detoxification mechanisms have removed the causative agent or render it harmless, the body works at maximum capacity in tissue proliferation to replace damaged tissue. While a short fast will reduce the symptoms, a longer fast can completely heal. Homeostatic balance is at optimum levels. The lymphatic system is clean except for a rare discharge of mucus through the nose or throat. After day 20, the mind is affected. Heightened clarity and emotional balance are felt at this time. Memory and concentration improve.

Stage 5 (Breaking the Fast)
The sticky, toxic, mucoid coating on the intestinal wall is loose, and the first meal frees it from the intestinal wall. Toxins enter the blood through the colon. The gallbladder dumps its waste in a heavy discharge of bile. This can cause an instant bowel movement upon eating followed by intense diarrhea. If the symptoms are too uncomfortable, an enema will help.

This article was written by, Mr. Tom McGregor, author of Eating in Freedom.

Day 9 ~ Foodie Rehab Juice Fasting Journal & Recipes

2011-07-23T10:11:00.000-07:00

Its day nine of this Juice Fast and the night before last was the first rough night I’ve had so far. I made a nice apple, pear, juice and then as an experiment I added one fresh raw beet. It tasted great but when it hit my tummy and started working its cleaning scrubbing bubble magic on the inside of my girly toxic rig. I started to feel nauseated, bloated and later like I was going to need to do some thinking in the bathroom. I drank a bunch of water to mellow it out and slept okay.

I awoke the next morning with a stuffy nose, and a mouth that felt like it was coated with marine grade boat varnish. Apparently beets work better than prunes. If I had any solid food in my system, It would be a pretty color I'm sure. I had to clean my tongue with a belt sander before I brushed my chompers.

My advice is to go easy on the beets. They will DETOX the hell outta you. Go slower, why suffer. I decided to head to my favorite beach and hill to get my exercise in this morning and get the yucky stuff moving on out. I feel better today. I love the green drinks, but kind of want some variety. I read of some folks who make home made strained clear vegetable broths and sip them for a cleansing warm supper. So last night I made one dangerous version of my own.

Spicy Juice Fasting Vegetable Broth

INGREDIENTS:
6 carrots
6 stalks celery
1 bunch kale
4 cloves garlic
1 large onion (chopped roughly)
2 leeks
1 bunch green onion
1 jalapeño pepper
1 cup fresh parsley
2 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

COOKING MUSIC SELECTION: Comfortable - John Mayer

PREPARATION:
In a large pot, add all the vegetables and then add water to fill almost to the top. Bring to a soft boil, and then turn heat down to low and cover. Let simmer for 1 hour. Strain liquid into a large bowl and place in containers or a pitcher in the refrigerator for when you want it. Heat a nice cup of spicy good broth when you feel like warm comfort during your fast, it may save you from wanting to break the fast when others are eating around you.

Did you know that Cayenne Pepper has many healing and health enhancing qualities.

Cayenne Pepper- Weight loss
It is considered thermionic, meaning it can “rev up” metabolism and aid in weight loss. The reason this post was created was due to the increased weight loss experienced by fasters who were experiencing extremely slow weight loss rates during fasting. With the addition of cayenne pepper the weight loss rate increased that seems to indicate that cayenne pepper’s thermionic effect is amplified during fasting. This also validates the therapeutic value of the “Master Cleanse” which uses cayenne pepper with Maple Syrup.

Cayenne Pepper – Cardio Vascular
Cayenne pepper may help normalize blood pressure and body temperature, regulate heart rhythm, increase blood circulation. Cayenne pepper may stop bleeding when applied to wounds. Attributed Medicinal Properties for cardio vascular conditions are numerous. It reduces the likelihood of developing arteriosclerosis by reducing blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Cayenne also reduces the platelet aggregation and increases fibrinolytic activity. Cultures consuming a large amount of Cayenne pepper have a much lower rate of cardiovascular disease. Cayenne was frequently used historically to treat diseases of the circulatory system. It is still traditionally used in herbal medicine as a circulatory tonic (a substance believed to improve circulation) in many cultures.

Capsicum (cayenne pepper) is said to be unequal for its ability to boost circulation and increase heart action. Capsicum exerts a variety of desirable actions on the entire cardiovascular system. It has the extraordinary ability to enhance cardiovascular performance while actually lowering blood pressure. Capsicum has an energizing effect on the entire system. It has traditionally been used for overcoming fatigue and restoring stamina and vigor. It is a natural stimulant without the threatening side effects (palpitations, hyper-activity or rise in blood pressure) of most other stimulating agents.

Capsicum in Cayenne Pepper boosts peripheral circulation and stimulates organ secretion, expediting the therapeutic delivery and action of nutrients in the body. The remarkable ability of Capsicum to stimulate organ secretion and even heart action makes it one of the strongest natural stimulants known.

Cayenne has been known to stop heart attacks within 30 seconds. For example, when a 90-year-old man in Oregon had a severe heart attack, his daughter was able to get Cayenne extract into his mouth. He was pronounced dead by the medics, but within a few minutes, he regained consciousness. On the way to the hospital, he remained in a semi-conscious state, but the daughter kept giving him the Cayenne extract. By the time they got to the hospital, he had fully recovered and wanted to go home and mow the lawn.

Cayenne Pepper- Vasodialation- Lowers Blood Pressure
Cayenne Pepper is considered to be a vasodilator. Vasodilation refers to the widening of blood vessels resulting from relaxation of smooth muscle cells within the vessel walls, particularly in the large arteries, smaller arterioles and large veins. When vessels dilate, the flow of blood is increased due to a decrease in vascular resistance. Therefore, dilation of arterial blood vessels (mainly arterioles) leads to a decrease in blood pressure.

Cayenne Pepper – Gastrointestinal
Cayenne Pepper may heal ulcers and improve digestive system. Cayenne has been used as medicine for centuries for various conditions of the gastrointestinal tract, including stomachaches, cramping pains, and gas. Cayenne can rebuild the tissue in the stomach and the peristaltic action in the intestines. It aids elimination and assimilation, and helps the body to create hydrochloric acid, which is so necessary for good digestion and assimilation, especially of proteins.

Cayenne Pepper – Rheumatism & Arthritis
Rubbed onto the skin, Cayenne Pepper is a traditional, as well as modern, remedy for rheumatic pains and arthritis due to what is termed as a “counterirritant” effect. A counter irritant is something that causes irritation to a tissue to which it is applied, thus distracting from the original irritation (such as joint pain in the case of arthritis).

Cayenne Pepper – Cooling Effect
Many people consume lots of hot peppers in tropical climates such as India and Mexico as the heat produced by eating spiced food will induce perspiration, which actually helps a person to cool off. This cooling effect is due to Vasodilation causes by Cayenne Pepper occurs in superficial blood vessels of warm-blooded animals when their ambient environment is hot; this process diverts the flow of heated blood to the skin of the animal, where heat can be more easily released into the atmosphere.

Cayenne Pepper- Pain Reduction
Cayenne helps to relieve pain, not only due to its endorphin enhancing properties, but also when diluted and used topically it helps to block the transmission of substance P, which transports pain messages to the brain. Cayenne contains a pungent resin-like substance known as capsaicin. This chemical, the active ingredient of pepper spray or mace, relieves pain and itching by affecting sensory nerves. Capsaicin temporarily causes various neurotransmitters to release from these nerves, leading to their depletion. Without the neurotransmitters, pain signals can no longer be sent. The effect is temporary.

Cayenne Pepper- Headaches
The reducing in headaches with the usage of cayenne pepper may be attributed to vascular dilation as many headaches can be caused b y vascular constriction. This may prove helpful in reducing the headaches caused by caffeine withdrawals during fasting as caffeine withdrawals cause vascular constriction.

When you get a headache, the blood vessels in your head swell, putting pressure against your skull. That’s where the pain comes from… the pressure. Sometimes when you have a throbbing headache, that’s actually your blood pumping through the swollen vessels. Cayenne pepper is a stimulant and vascular dilator reducing pressure in the arteries causing the swelling to go down.

Cayenne Pepper- Memory
Fasting commonly increases concentration and memory which maybe additionally enhanced by the usage of Cayenne Pepper during fasting.

Cayenne Pepper - Mucus
Cayenne Pepper reduces the mucus from colds and coughs.

Cayenne Pepper - Dyspepsia
In a recent letter to the editors of the New England Journal of Medicine, three Italian doctors describe how they were able to reduce patients’ reported dyspepsia symptoms by more than half - by prescribing red pepper powder. In a study of 30 patients with functional dyspepsia, half of the participants received a placebo, while the other half took 2.5 grams of red pepper powder each day (divided into capsules taken before each of three meals). Both groups took their respective treatments for five weeks, and rated their symptoms each day on a scale of zero to three (higher scores indicated more severe symptoms). By the third week, the red pepper group showed a significant advantage over the control group. And by week five, the pepper group’s symptoms had declined 60 percent from their baseline scores – while the control group’s scores had only decreased about half as much. The symptom scores included ratings for pain, a feeling of fullness, nausea, and an overall score. The red pepper powder produced significant gains in all four areas.

Cayenne Pepper – Active Medicinal Ingredients
Cayenne’s primary chemical constituents include capsaicin, capsanthine, beta carotene, flavonoids, and vitamin C. Cayenne causes the brain to secrete more endorphins. Cayenne Pepper is a very high source of Vitamins A and C, has the complete B complexes, and is very rich in organic calcium and potassium.

So eat more hot stuff boys and girls!

Day 7 ~ Foodie Rehab Juice Fasting Journal & Recipes

2011-07-21T14:19:00.000-07:00

Day seven of the juice fast and I’m feeling great. I mean like I feel lighter, clearer, medium energy, I’m still detoxing. The headaches are going away, I’ve lost 7 pounds so far, so that is one pound a day. I took some Psyllium Husk to move things along, you know how full of crap I can be.

I am telling you friends, this is getting easier. I am not hungry, and that is blowing my mind. I am not a health food person, let me tell ya, and with the eating issues I have had over the span of my life, THIS IS THE EASIEST THING I’VE EVER DONE. I’m not doing this to lose weight, but feeling this home brew belly slowly melt away is a nice bonus. The way I am feeling, I think I am going to just keep on it. . .

Here is my set up and a video of how easy this is to do:

Today's Juicing Recipes:

Summer Juice

Pineapple (large slice)

Pear (whole)

Cantalope (large slice)

Carrot (1 large whole)

Ginger (thumbnail size)

Queen Green Juice

Kale (4 leaves)

Spinach (1 handful)

Beet Greens (4 leaves)

Celery (2 stocks)

Apple (2 whole)

Pineapple (large slice)

Carrot (2 whole)

and I tried a beet juice that I wouldn't recommend, but it was pretty.

Day 4 ~ Foodie Rehab Juice Fasting Journal & Recipes

2011-07-18T17:16:00.000-07:00

It’s day four of the juice fast and I am doing surprisingly great. I thought this would be hard, but the truth about it is, it’s easy. You just do fresh juice, clear broth or herbal tea, a no brainer, no food to think about. I am lovin da green juice, I mean when I drink it I feel good right away. I am not starving like I thought I would, and that is what I feared most, maybe that’s because I’m drinking the vitamins equivalent to 2 huge organic salads and fruit. I’m getting more nutrition now then when I was eating normally, and I would get hungry every 4 hours. On the juice fast so far I’m not very hungry – total shocker. I did avoid going to a crawfish party yesterday just to be safe.

Here’s what I’ve been doing so far:

Morning:
5 small oranges – 1 Pint of OJ
water

Lunch:
Green drink (Fun variations) – 2 pints
water

Dinner:
Fresh Chicken Broth – 2 small hot mugs
water

Dessert:
Pineapple Cantaloupe Juice – 1 pint

I thought I would be drinking way more, but this seems to be enough so far. I have been having headaches probably from the bacon laden toxic blubber masses I’m slowly discarding. I’m excited to try out some watermelon juice soon. I tried on a suit jacket I couldn’t button for and interview I have on Wednesday, and it buttoned easy. I guess I am going to have to go buy a bathroom scale, I think I’m gonna weigh in once a week.

The only other thing I noticed so far is that last night I was sleepy at like 11pm, unheard of in my world, it’s more like 2am or 3am when I start to feel the need to turn off the light. I suffer from insane insomnia and have a hard time falling asleep. I have had to take 3 Excedrin PM’s to get me to settle down at night, last night I only took two and slept fine. Maybe in time, I will be able to sleep normally again and not need them at all. We will see.

Day 2 ~ Foodie Rehab Juice Fasting Journal & Recipes

2011-07-16T18:18:00.000-07:00

I weaned myself off of morning coffee a couple weeks back, so the caffeine withdrawal is minimal. The energy blast from a big glass of fresh OJ….mmmmm… it takes 5 small oranges to make one pint of juice, worked faster then coffee as far as waking up. I went down to the local fabric store and bought a fabric tape measure to take my measurements. Honestly, weight loss is secondary in this liquid fast. I know I will lose a bunch of weight, but the detoxing is what I am after.

Had another green drink this afternoon added more carrots this time. I slept great last night, longer then usual, which is nice. I keep reminding myself to be gentle with myself - this clease is also about nurturing and patience. I made some fresh chicken stock a while back that I thawed out from the freezer and had a nice hot cup of fresh clear broth tonight. I haven’t felt really hungry yet, which is weird considering I have had nothing but liquid for two days now. Not feeling deprived. When I feel a little hungry, I go have some juice, it’s easy so far. It may be easier that I am not working or doing anything strenuous, I’m more then halfway through Whitley Striebers new book, The Key , slight headache, probably because I refuse to get the dreaded bifocals or maybe it's just this book blowing my mind.

Day 1 ~ Foodie Rehab Juice Fasting Journal & Recipes

2011-07-15T16:05:00.000-07:00

This Jazz Chef Bad Girl has eaten her share of the "B's"... BBQ, Bacon, Butter, Beer and All other things rich and delicious. The comfort cooking over time can pack on some extra pounds and clog up the system. I look like a portly squirrel.

Balance is needed to maintain a proper lifestyle of
Music, Art & Debauchery.

I brought a really nice Breville 800JEXL Juice Fountain Elite 1000-Watt Juice Extractor second hand for $50 off of Craigslist and have been trying out all kinds of great recipes. I got an informative book Juice Fasting and Detoxification, for guidelines. Its summer and the local farmers markets are open and thriving selling local reasonably priced organic fruits and vegetables. If you have ever thought about doing a juice fast yourself, follow along my experience to see how it’s going. I'm going to juice fast for 20 days and if I feel good, I'll keep on going. Jeez, if my indulgent lazy arse can do it, anybody can.

Day 1
Had my first Green drink, pretty good. Feeling empty but not hungry. For breakfast I had a fresh pineapple cantaloupe juice, really good! I baked Joan’s little coconut birthday cake Happy 79^th birthday Joan! And didn’t even think about tasting it. I’m not a big coconut fan. Last night was harder when I made her fresh battered fried shrimp, fish & chips… I didn’t even try any! I have been eating mostly fresh fruit and veggies for the past two weeks in preparation.

Truth is I am scared. If I don’t clean out my body, drop some pounds and get into a better balance physically, I may get really sick. I want more energy, stamina and strength then I have right now. I have been really stressed out (Too many very close friends dying too young of health related illnesses lately) my body reacts by giving me the painful and awful “Shingles”, not good let me tell ya. I think it’s a sign of a compromised immune system, cleaning mine out and infusing my body with fresh live organic juices is just what I need.   So far I feel motivated and surprisingly not hungry.

Today's Recipes:

Started the day out with two....

Pineapple - Cantaloupe Juice
    1/2 Fresh pineapple
    1/2 Fresh Cantaloupe melon
(The melon balances the over sweetness of the pineapple, really satisfying juice combo)

then for dinner had....

Green Alkalizing Juice Recipe
4 large stocks of kale
2 Stalks of celery
2 carrots
1/2 Cucumber
2 granny smith apples
Ginger root (thumb sized)

PREPARATION:
Place in a juicer and strain well. Juice fasting makes every other natural method work faster: massage therapy works faster for fibromyalgia, acupuncture works faster for pain, energy healing is sped up, etc. Juice fasting is a multidimensional experience in which total body transformation occurs. There are a wide range of metabolic changes and experiences. The blood and lymph are detoxified.

When juice fasting, the release of toxins from the colon, kidneys, bladder, lungs, sinuses, and skin clears out complications that have arisen from a bad diet and unhealthy lifestyle. The benefits of following a juice fast include heightened spiritual awareness and relaxation of the body, mind, and emotions. Many people feel a sense of letting go of pain from the past and developing a positive attitude towards the present. During juice fasting, the body is able to clean out its system because it is not expending energy towards the digestive organs. Raw juices contain certain natural medicines, vegetal hormones and antibiotics.

For instance, string beans are said to contain insulin-like substance. Certain hormones needed by the pancreas to produce insulin are present in cucumber and onion juices. Fresh juices of tomatoes, garlic, onions, and radish contain antibiotic properties.

Juice fasting fruits and vegetable juices may be divided into six main types.

These are: Juices from acid fruits like orange, lemon, grapefruit, strawberry and pineapple. Juices from vegetable fruits, namely, tomato and cucumber. Juices from green leafy vegetables like cabbage, celery, lettuce, spinach, parsley and watercress. Juices from root vegetables like beetroot, carrot, onion, potato and radish.

Generally speaking, fruit juices stir up toxins and acids in the body, thereby stimulating the eliminative processes. Vegetable juices, on the other hand, soothe the jaded nerves and work in a much milder manner. They carry away toxic matter in a gentle way. Owing to their differing actions fruit and vegetable juices should not be used at the same time or mixed together. It is desirable to use juices individually. In any case when juice fasting not more than three juices should be used in any one mixture.

Juices from sweet fruits such as prunes and grapes. Juices from sub-acid fruits like apple, plum, pear, peach, apricot and cherry. Juice fasting is also safer than water fasting because it supports the body nutritionally while cleansing and probably even produces a better detoxification and quicker recovery time.

While juice fasting the stomach actually shrinks to its original size (the size of your fist).

After three days of just ingesting raw organic and fresh juices, broth and tea, you will lose all cravings for solid food. Your mind might tell you otherwise, but your body is very content. When you just drink your food, your stomach gets a physiological rest, allowing the colon to shed old compacted and putrefied material that was waiting there to cause future disease.

What exactly is juice fasting?

A juice fast is a liquid, nourishing diet consisting of just juice and water. Many natural healers have combined periods of fasting with certain supplements which help to speed up the benefits of the fast.

The favorable effect of raw juices in the treatment of disease is attributed to the following facts:

The juices extracted from raw fruits & vegetables require no digestion & almost all their vital nutrients are assimilated directly in the bloodstream. Raw juices are extremely rich in alkaline elements. This is highly beneficial in normalizing acid alkaline balance in the blood & tissues as their is over acidity in most conditions of ill health.

Raw juices of fruits & vegetables are extremely rich in vitamins & minerals, trace elements, enzymes & natural sugars. They exercise beneficial effect in normalizing all the body functions. They supply needed elements for the body's own healing activity & cell regeneration thereby speeding the recovery.

Raw juices contain certain natural medicines, vegetal hormones & antibiotics. For instance, string beans are said to contain insulin like substance. Certain hormones needed by the pancreas to produce insulin are present in cucumber & onion juices. Fresh juices of garlic, onions, radish & tomatoes contain antibiotic substances.

Generous amounts of easily assimilable organic minerals in raw juices especially calcium, potassium & silicon help in restoring biochemical & mineral balance in the tissues & cells, thereby preventing premature aging of cells & disease.

At my age I felt it was time to reboot my bodies computer and this sounds like the best way to do it. Follow along my journey and if you have questions, just ask here on this blog.

Bad Girls Brewing Good Beer & Hard Summer Cider

2011-07-11T15:20:00.000-07:00

There is nothing better than brewing beer in the back yard with good friends. I am fortunate enough to have great home brewer friends to rub shoulders with and one in particular is Valerie Wilson – The Lady Gordon herself. She has been making home brew at Renaissance Faire for well over a decade. She has the whole ornate set-up and does old style brewing demonstrations for the crowds walking by. She is a kick in the pants and knows her stuff and I am glad to learn all I can from her about brewing beer.

This weekend I brewed a nice Summer Ale. It’s hot as hell this summer and I wanted something crisp, quaffable and pale, “Grizz” the owner of Brewcraft in San Francisco came up with a special one for me. Grizz is so much fun, I love that guy! The whole crew is great, but Grizz has the best stories and brewing recipes. I recommend getting your brew ingredients there, plus they are open on Sunday’s.

Ready to add hops...

Cooled and ready for the carboy....

Valerie made a Hard Plum Cider with fresh plums from her own tree.

They will be nice for the big camping party in the fall. Camping is so much nicer with copious amounts of home crafted liquid love. My buddy Paul donated some of his brew equipment which included his C02 tank. No need to bottle these batches, they are going in 5 gallon soda kegs. The Odd Grogs, (a brewing posse of amazing California State Champion Home brewers that I'm lucky enough to be a part of) usually brew at least 50 gallons of beer for the party. Jack & Debbie have 19 taps of Multi Flavored Hard Ciders they bring, the kind of cider you need a prescription to drink. I mean most of them are super high octane, you will be feeling no pain with one glass. Gotta be careful drinking them, but that's why the bar is close enough to the path to your tent. Tuck and Roll. I won't even mention Chez Newt's Slow Toxic Amphibian Bar, who makes his own Absinthe, he is a wine maker and a fine Home brewer, his high end fine cocktail bar is the reason I now like Gin Martini's, best bar ever in Black Rock City, NV. Newt has 5 gallon kegs of Margiritas, Mojitos ready... just tap over ice. Lord have Mercy.

Outstanding Beer, Great BBQ, Incredible Musicians, Fun Music, Very Silly Friends...camping together in style....and this season there will be Plum Cider and... Hey, I've got to think of a name for the beer. Any suggestions?

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Wings

2011-05-27T13:33:00.000-07:00

This is THE recipe for yummy real deal homemade cry for your mama fried chicken, it makes a great appetizer wing too. Here are mine in Loving Memory of Ted Kratter:

INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds of whole chicken wings

2 cups buttermilk

1 large onion, sliced

1/4 cup chopped mixed fresh herbs (parsley, tarragon, thyme) or a teaspoon each of the dried herbs.

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon onion salt

Salt and pepper

COOKING MUSIC SELECTION: Fried Chicken Song

PREPARATION:

2 cups peanut oil, or other high smoke-point oil such as canola oil. Soak chicken overnight in buttermilk with onions, herbs, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Drain in colander, leaving some herbs on chicken. In a large paper or plastic (sturdy) bag, mix flour with seasonings. Meanwhile, heat 2 cups oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet (cast iron, stainless steel, or anodized aluminum - something that can take the heat) on medium high heat until a pinch of flour starts to sizzle when dropped in the hot oil (but not so hot that the pan is smoking). Remember when working with hot oil, keep your clothes on.

Place chicken pieces in bag with flour and shake until thoroughly coated. Add chicken to hot pan and fry on 1 side for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown, and then use tongs to turn the pieces over and fry for another 10-12 minutes, again until golden brown.

Be careful to keep the oil hot enough to fry the chicken, but not so high as it burns the chicken. To do this on our electric stove we have to alternate the settings between high to medium high several times while we are cooking.

Use tongs to remove chicken from pan. Place on a rack over a cookie sheet or broiling pan for the excess oil to drain. Add more salt and pepper to taste.

Tré Threat Mac & Cheese

2011-05-27T13:12:00.000-07:00

I learned the secret of mac & cheese from my friend Chris Tilghman, a truly gifted Southern BBQ Pit Master and fine Home Beer Brewer. His sister shared it with him. Here it is in Loving memory of my dear friend Ted Kratter: Ted used to hurt people to get in line to be the first at this dish at parties.

INGREDIENTS:

1 (16 ounce) package elbow macaroni

2 cups milk

1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup flour

1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

1 teaspoon pepper

16 ounces process cheese (Velveeta), melted

1 package cream cheese

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided

COOKING MUSIC SELECTION:

Richard Cheese - Smells Like Cheese Spirit

PREPARATION:

Cook macaroni according to package directions and drain and set aside. Meanwhile, in a large pot make a roué with butter and flour, cook until totally melted, add milk (Like a Béchamel sauce) and half the velveta cheese to make a creamy cheesy sauce, add the cooked macaroni and coat all of it well. Add Tabasco sauce and season with salt and pepper until combined. Stir in the process cheese and 1-1/2 cups of each cheddar cheese.

This is the secret to keeping mac and cheese creamy…. It’s all about building the layers.

Pour into a greased 3-qt. baking dish one thin layer of noodles, then layer the Velveta, shredded Parmesan and cheddar cheese, then add another layer of noodles, and top with remaining cheeses. (If using a deep dish pan, you can make it even creamier if you make a little extra Béchamel cheese sauce and top it with that before you add the shredded cheeses) I didn’t make a breadcrumb topping for this one, but it’s good with it too! Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted and edges are bubbly.

Writing in bacon is not only the nicest thing you can do for someone, but REALLY EASY! Just put strips of raw bacon between paper towels, form the letters and cook for 2 minutes on high, PERFECT BACON WORDS!

Jalapeno Cheddar Bacon Sweet Cornbread Muffins

2011-05-27T12:44:00.000-07:00

Savory, sweet, spicy, cornbread muffins with bacon cheezy goodness.... These will disappear from your party in seconds, can't ever make enough of these to last.

INGREDIENTS:

8 strips of bacon cooked and chopped

2 Jalapeño peppered seeded and diced

1 ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup yellow cornmeal

2/3 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3 ½ teaspoons baking powder

1 egg

1 cup milk

1/3 cup vegetable oil

(Set aside some cheese, bacon bits and peppers for garnish)

COOKING MUSIC SELECTION: http://www.reallyweirdstuff.com/liveathogfarm2010.htm

PREPARATION:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Spray or lightly grease a 9 inch round cake pan.

In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking powder. Stir in egg, milk and vegetable oil, cheese, peppers and bacon until well combined. Pour batter into prepared muffin tins. Top each with a little bacon and pepper.

Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins until comes out clean.

Made in loving memory of Ted Kratter.

Loving Food, Longing Heart . . .

2011-05-27T12:06:00.000-07:00

Ted Kratter, a very close, insanely musically talented, highly intelligent, funnier then hell, dear brave friend of mine, just passed away from cancer.

I eat pretty healthy week days, but bring out the hot and wild forbidden dishes for special occasions. He really loved my cooking. There is nothing like playing great music with good friends and sharing in all kinds of loving crazy food and home brew together...and we did!
You can count on being hit by the Scoville scale as well as the Jazzy diminished scale when Miss Tré Taylor is in the house. Ted and I have brewed many an Ale, Stout & IPA together, side by side, and while the kettles were a bubbling, he would pull out his guitar & mandolin and we would croon us some mighty tasty tunes. Here are a couple live recordings of Ted and I last year at Wavy Gravy's Hog Farm up in Northern California.

He made some outstanding beer! There were many dishes I made over the years that he would sing my praises for. For his memorial service, I made a few:

The Ted Memorial - Tré Threat Mac & Cheese

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Wings

Dangerous Chipotle Cole Slaw

Jalapeno Cheddar Bacon Sweet Cornbread Muffins

I miss him so much. I can't believe he is gone. There are so many great stories I could tell you about him, I can't even begin to write them. Ted made me laugh. He had the greatest smile. There was a level to his perceptiveness and delivery that made his humor timing impeccable.

Ted was the real deal when it came to pro level musicianship, he didn't want to "Go to the show' though he easily could have. He lived to write music and play with his friends. Ted was a VERY SMART DUDE, he made his big bucks back in the 'Dot Com' days at National Semi Conductor, so he was able to retire early so he had the time for nothing but music. He wowed top movers and shakers in the music world, jamming with big names from the High Sierra Music Festival, Strawberry Music Festival and many others.

Ted was a great story teller, and very dear friend. There is a big hole in my heart that is missing him BIG TIME. Life just won't be the same without him. Every time I wrap a Jalapeno pepper stuffed with cream cheese and throw it on the grill, I will think of Ted standing there drooling and panting and pushing others away to be the first one in line.

I love you Ted. Rest in peace my brother. Save a cold one for me, and I'll see ya on the other side.

Cinco De Mayo - Fresh Shrimp & Crab Enchiladas

2011-05-05T19:16:00.000-07:00

It's a huge holiday here in California and here is a great recipe I highly recommend... Yummy Goodness!

INGREDIENTS:

8 Medium size corn tortillas

8 ounces Cabot Jack cheese, shredded

1 fresh lump crab meat

1 pound raw fresh medium shrimp, shelled and deveined

½ cup white corn

1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms

1 can green enchilada sauce

½ cup sour cream (or Lactose free sour cream)

1 Avocado sliced

COOKING MUSIC SELECTION: Antonio Banderas - Cancion del Mariachi

PREPARATION:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a skillet, heat some oil and lightly fry the tortillas (this softens them and makes them easy to roll) out of the pan and lay tortillas on a flat surface.

In the middle of each tortilla place equal amounts of cheese, crab, and shrimp. Set aside some cheese to sprinkle on top of the tortillas. Roll the tortillas to form enchiladas. Arrange side by side in a 9x13 inch baking pan.

Pour green enchilada sauce over all of the enchiladas; the green sauce should cover the enchiladas completely. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the enchiladas.

Cover, and bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove cover, and continue baking 15 minutes, top enchiladas with sour cream and slices of avocado to serve.

Spicy Creole Shrimp Hushpuppies

2011-05-03T21:02:00.000-07:00

How often do you deep fry? I know, not like we do this a lot, but in honor of the New Orleans Jazz Festival , wishing I could be there, I made these. I promise your friends & family are gonna LUB DEESE!

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups yellow cornmeal

¾ cup flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon Zatarain's Creole Seasoning

2 teaspoon brown sugar

1 small onion, grated

¼ cup chives, chopped

1 pound raw shrimp, cleaned and tails removed, chopped

½ cup buttermilk

2 eggs, beaten

½ cup Cabot cheddar cheese, grated

1 Jalapeño pepper diced

1 can cream style corn

Peanut oil, for frying

COOKING MUSIC SELECTION: Live Bon Jovi New Orleans Jazz Fest April 30, 2011

PREPARATION:

Preheat oil in a deep-fryer or a deep large cast iron pan to 350 degrees F. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Drop heaping tablespoon-sized amounts of the mixture into the hot oil. Fry in batches for 2 to 3 minutes each. Remove from the oil to paper towels to drain and season immediately with salt and pepper Transfer to a serving platter or bowl and serve with a creamy dip.

Dungeness Crab Stuffed Chicken Breasts

2011-04-03T21:13:00.000-07:00

It's the end of crab season here in the San Francisco bay area. : ( For a last hurrah, I made this....beautiful, rich, luscious... and EASY.

INGREDIENTS:

4 tablespoons butter, divided

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 cup chicken broth

¾ cup milk

¼ cup chopped onion

1 cup fresh lump crab meat

½ cup fresh mushrooms chopped

½ cup fresh bread crumbs

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

½ teaspoon salt

Dash pepper

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 pound)

¼ cup shredded fresh Parmesan cheese

1 large Tomato, sliced

COOKING MUSIC SELECTION: Scott McKenzie - San Francisco

PREPARATION:

In a saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons butter. Stir in flour until smooth. Gradually stir in broth and milk. Bring to a boil; boil and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; set aside.

In a skillet, saute onion in remaining butter until tender. Add the crab, mushrooms, cracker crumbs, parsley, salt, pepper and 2 tablespoons of the white sauce; heat through.

Flatten chicken to 1/4-in. thickness. Spoon about 1/2 cup of the crab mixture on each chicken breast. Roll up and secure with a toothpick.

Place in a greased 9-in. square baking dish. Top with tomato slices and remaining white sauce. Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until chicken juices run clear. Sprinkle with cheese and paprika. Bake, uncovered, 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Remove toothpicks. Serve with rice if desired.

Baileys Irish Cream Cookies

2011-03-16T20:54:00.000-07:00

Joan Doyle my Irish friend from Pennsylvania loves “Sour cream cookies”, she turned me onto these over the holidays. She and I made these tonight and we gave them a bad girl bbq spin. They are light soft and cakeier then a regular cookie…with a hint of Irish cream….MMmmmmmm! See, even the cookie dough was smiling.

Many Irish coffees were consumed in the making of these, for some reason they just come out better that way. ENJOY!

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup butter, room temperature
3 eggs, well beaten
1/2 cup sour cream

Pinch of salt
1 tsp baking soda
½ cup Baileys Irish Cream

3 ½ cups flour

Green sugar sprinkles

COOKING MUSIC SELECTION: Flogging Molly - Drunken Lullabies

PREPARATION:

Cream together sugar and butter, mix eggs and beat well until light and fluffy. Stir baking soda into the sour cream and add this, along with the eggs, to the creamed butter mixture and then last but not least add the Baileys.

Drop teaspoons of batter onto a greased cookie sheet and sprinkle with colored sugar. Bake in a 350°F preheated oven 10 to 12 minutes or until done. Serve to your drunk Irish friends… goes great with Irish coffees.

Happy St. Patrick's Day !

Fried Pork Chops with Braised Cabbage, Bacon and Apples

2011-03-01T20:40:00.000-08:00

Here is a first rate recipe for a tight budget. There is something magical about the way the salty bacon, tart apple, savory onion and cider vinegar with a hint of sugar turn braised cabbage into down home comfort food. It's Pork love Baby!

INGREDIENTS:

4 Bacon strips
2 tablespoons Sugar
1 Onion -- chopped
2 pounds Cabbage -- shredded
2 Apples -- peeled, sliced
2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 cup Dry red wine
1/2 cup Water
4 Pork loin chops

Salt & Pepper -- to taste
4 tablespoons Olive oil

COOKING MUSIC SELECTION: Screamin` Jay Hawkins - Heart Attack & Vine

PREPARATION:

Begin by cutting bacon into small pieces and frying in skillet. Add sugar, and stir for 2 minutes. Add onion and then cook for another 2 minutes. Stir in cabbage, apples, vinegar, and wine. Cover and cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Add water, and cook uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes. This dish can be served hot or cold.

Coat pork chops with flour in a zip lock bag. Salt and pepper them to taste. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Holding sideways, cook pork chops fat-side down until fat is browned. Lay chops flat, cover skillet and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Flip chops over, replace cover and cook for another 10 minutes or until meat is no longer pink and they are brown, crunchy. Serve chops with cabbage on top and or I served these with creamy mashed potatoes. Dam Great Comfort Food!

Rum Beignets

2011-02-08T20:57:00.000-08:00

Mardi Gras is right around the corner and I’m getting ready. One thing that is always fun to make are Beignets. This is a traditional recipe with my small dangerous twist to them of adding Rum to the batter, it gives them a rich depth that is so mmmmm...... Try These!!!!!

INGREDIENTS: ½ cup lukewarm water
½ cup rum (Keep the bottle near by for the coffee for later : )
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg, room temperature and beaten
2 tablespoons butter, softened
½ cup evaporated milk
4 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons instant active dry yeast
Vegetable or Peanut oil*
Powdered sugar for dusting

* Use just enough vegetable oil to completely cover beignets while frying.

COOKING MUSIC SELECTION: Dr. John - Iko Iko

PREPARATION:

Using a mixer with a dough hook, place water, sugar, salt, egg, butter, evaporated milk, flour, and yeast in the bowl. Beat until smooth.

If using a bread machine, select dough setting and press Start. When dough cycle has finished, remove dough from pan and turn out onto a lightly oiled surface. form dough into an oval, place in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until well chilled (3 to 4 hours) or overnight.

To prepare dough, remove from refrigerator and roll out on a lightly floured board to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut into approximately 3-inch squares or circles.

In a deep fryer or large pot, heat vegetable oil to 360 degrees F. Fry the beignets (2 or 3 at a time) 2 to 3 minutes or until they are puffed and golden brown on both sides, turning them in the oil with tongs once or twice to get them evenly brown; beignets will rise to the surface of the oil as soon as they begin to puff. NOTE: If the beignets don't rise to the top immediately when dropped into the oil, the oil is not hot enough. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels, then sprinkle heavily with powdered sugar. Serve hot with some strong coffee.... maybe a hint of Rum on the side. : )

Bashful Mimosas

2011-02-06T11:22:00.000-08:00

Here is a great fresh cocktail recipe that even your Grandmother will like!

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups of fresh squeezed orange juice

1 cup pineapple juice, chilled

2 tablespoons grenadine

1 bottle Champagne or sparkling wine, chilled

COCKTAIL MUSIC SELECTION: Buckwheat Zydeco - Ya Ya

PREPARATION:

Stir together first 3 ingredients. Pour equal parts orange juice mixture and Champagne into Champagne flutes. NOTE: Lemon-lime soda may be substituted.

Chocolate Ganache & Peanut Butter Love Bombs

2011-01-27T20:31:00.000-08:00

Lisa my dear friend's birthday is tomorrow and her request this year was "Peanut Butter & Chocolate Cake." We are all going out to dinner, so I decided on making her cupcakes. These are small rich, luscious and amazing. The surprise inside is a creamy peanut butter center, salty, sweet and dangerously addictive.

Here is how I made them.

INGREDIENTS:

Cupcake Cups

Cupcake Baking Tins

1 box of Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate Cake Mix

(Eggs, oil & water needed for the cake mix)

For Filling and Topping

2 cups of creamy Peanut Butter

1 cup Powdered Sugar

28 Small Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup candies

For Chocolate Ganache

1 medium bag Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips

¾ cup heavy cream

COOKING MUSIC SELECTION: You Sexy Thing (I Believe in Miracles) by Hot Chocolate

PREPARATION:
In a bowl make the box of cake mix according to the directions. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place cupcake cups into the tins. Place a spoonful into each cup. In a separate bowl add, peanut butter and powdered sugar and mix thoroughly, spoon peanut butter filling mixture into the cups, on top of the cake batter. Then spoon the remaining cake batter on top of the peanut butter filling.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Take out and let cool. In a saucepan add the bag of chocolate chips and cream over medium heat. Dip each cupcake into the Ganache, let cool and dip them again to get them covered with a nice thick coating. In a pastry bag, add the remaining peanut butter filling to swirl a small dab in the top center of each cup cake, then decorate with the Candies.

Here is what they look like on the inside..... YUMMY!

Have fun and enjoy!!!!

Serrano Martini Cocktail

2011-01-25T18:32:00.000-08:00

Here is a great martini recipe for the Fire Lovers out there!

INGREDIENTS:

½ Serrano Chili

1.5 oz Vodka

2 oz Nectarine Juice

½ oz Simple Syrup

COCKTAIL MUSIC SELECTION: Red Hot Chili Peppers - Scar Tissue

PREPARATION:

Clean the chilies and remove the seeds. Muddle the chilies with simply syrup and Vodka. Drain liquid in shaker and then add fruit juice. Shake well with ice. Serve in martini glass. Garnish with chili on rim. For a sweeter treat, sugar the rim.

Happy New Year...

2011-01-11T11:11:00.000-08:00

Whip some cream...add a little sugar at the last second...slice fresh strawberries, fill them with the whipped cream.... serve to a yummy naked person with chocolate.

Thanksgiving Turkey Cake Recipe

2010-11-20T23:49:00.000-08:00

Peanut Butter and Rice Krispy Balls of Goodness

2010-10-31T22:26:00.000-07:00

For me, Halloween involves Super Chunky Peanut Butter and Chocolate Rice Krispy Balls.... these are wicked good and super easy to make.

INGREDIENTS:
3 Bags of Marshmallows
Half Jar Super Chunky Peanut Butter
1 bag Milk Chocolate Chips
1 small box Rice Krispys
1 Tablespoon Butter

COOKING MUSIC SELECTION: Louis Jordan - BEWARE

PREPARATION:

In a big pot add the butter over medium heat, add all the marshmallows and stir until melted. Add the Peanut Butter and mix thoroughly. Turn off heat and add the Rice Krispies, stirring until well coating all the mix. Let them cool for a few minutes, put a little butter into your clean hands and make into little bite size balls. Place onto a sheet on wax paper and set aside.

In a double boiler (Or, seen here in the picture, I place a ceramic bowl over a saucepan full of boiling water) add the bag of chocolate chips and melt until smooth, dip each ball into the chocolate, place them back onto the paper to cool.

ENJOY!!!!!

BBQ Bananas Foster Love Pouches

2010-09-29T17:07:00.000-07:00

Here is the fast fun dessert I made for the Tuesday spontaneous Pacifica Thai Beef BBQ Lettuce Wrap dinner on the beach night....

INGREDIENTS:

3 ripe Bananas

½ cup of rum

½ cube of butter

1 cup brown sugar

Heavy duty foil

Pint of vanilla Häagen-Dazs ice cream

COOKING MUSIC SELECTION: Joi Lansing "Web of Love" Scopitone

PREPARATION:

Make 1 ft. x 1ft. size square sheets of foil double thick

Make them into little bowls so you can close seal them on top to place on the grill

Peel and slice bananas in half lengthwise and then cut in the middle. Line them up inside the foil pouch so they are close together. I made them as one or two Banana servings per person per pouch.

In a small saucepan add the butter, sugar and rum. Stir until bubbling over medium high heat. Pour mixture over bananas into each pouch and then seal them closed tightly on the tops, you want to make sure there are no leaks, heavy duty foil works best.

Place them each on the hot grill and let them cook for about 5 to 7 minutes. I took these hot off the grill and packed into a large paper bag. They were still like gooey and warm after dinner. Seve with vanilla ice cream right in the pouch. You will need a spoon for these. Sooooo good.

Pacifica Thai Beef BBQ Lettuce Wraps… dinner on the Beach!

2010-09-29T16:49:00.000-07:00

I live very close to the beach in Pacifica California. San Francisco is 10 minutes away, so we get the nice summer fog rolling in at sunset often. The sunsets here are the most spectacular, but on the water it’s clear. One night it was too beautiful to pass up just packing dinner and hiking down to the water and eating dinner there….so we did.

Here is a great easy to pack and handle dinner (Eat these with your hands)! The box I used to transport these to the beach became our little dinner table on the blanket…. Pack some fancy wine glasses and a couple bottles of something white and crisp like a Fume or Sauvignon Blanc. Dessert was the surprise….It was a fun spontaneous Tuesday night…

INGREDIENTS:

1 ½ pounds flank steak

Thai Steak Marinade:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1 garlic clove, minced

1 Habanero Chili pepper

3 tablespoons Worcheshire sauce

½ cup Rice wine vinegar

1 large zip lock bag

8 leaves Boston lettuce

6 scallions, 3 sliced and 3 cut into thirds

1 package Pad Thai Noodles

8 nice sized leaves of fresh Basil

1 bunch of fresh bean sprouts
2 Shredded carrots

Thai peanut sauce:

½ cup peanut butter

¼ cup Coconut milk

Juice of one lime

1 Jalapeño chili pepper

1 teaspoon sugar

Pinch of Salt & pepper

COOKING MUSIC SELECTION: Stacy Adams "Pussycat A Go Go" (Scopitone)

PREPARATION:

For the marinade, add all of the steak marinade ingredients into a blender and blend on high until they are well liquefied. Place the raw meat into the large zip lock bag and then pour the marinade into the bag and seal. Flip it around a couple times and then place in the fridge for at least an hour or more. Oil up your grill with a little Sesame oil, and fire up and get it hot. Throw the steak on and turn down to medium – Grill to your favorite meat preference….(I made mine medium rare because they still cook a little when they are wrapped up in there on juices during transport)

When they are done, set meat aside to rest for a few minutes and then slice into thin slices. Pack up meat in an air tight good sealable container.

I cheated and had a box of Pad Thai Noodles box from the grocery store. I found it in the International food isle section; I thought I’d give them a whirl. Make them according to directions. When hot, place in a plastic Tupperware-like container too.

In the blender add all of the peanut sauce ingredients and blend on high until smooth, then add them to a small sauce pan and stir mixture over medium high heat until bubbling. Reduce for 5 minutes until it thickens to a yummy sauce of love. Place in a good little jar or good sealing container.

Clean the leaves of Butter lettuce and let dry on a paper towel as to do this with the fresh Basil. I transported these into a nice big zip lock bag. Bring a spoon for the sauce and a fork for the noodles. Bring some napkins because you really won’t need utensils.

I put these all in a plastic storage box and grabbed a big blanket and headed for the beach. Once you get there, spread out your blanket empty your box, turn it over to make a small dining table (Towel tablecloth a nice touch – optional : )

Build your own: In one hand lay the Butter lettuce leaf, add the steak, a helping of Pad Thai noodles, add the fresh crunchy bean sprouts & carrots, a spoonful of peanut sauce and last but not least, the fresh basil. Roll up and eat these with your hands. OMG! These RULE! It's like a spicy savory thai beef salad in your hands! They are great cold too! Then Dessert....

Food Fashion....

2010-09-09T19:48:00.000-07:00

Domain Chandon Crack Cheese

2010-07-28T14:28:00.000-07:00

I live an hour from the Napa Valley Wine Region. One of my favorite Sunday drives is to do Sparking wine tasting; Gloria Ferrier is beautiful but my favorite little spot is at Domain Chandon in Yountville, CA. Domain Chandon serves this amazing cheese spread with crackers and breads…I got the recipe and put my bad girl touches to it.

If you need to bring an appetizer to a party and are not sure what to bring, try this one. I brought it last weekend and it was officially dubbed addictive as “D.C. Crack Cheese”…

INGREDIENTS:
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

2 ounces (1/2 cup) crumbled blue cheese, room temperature

4 tablespoon toasted glazed walnuts, coarsely chopped*

2 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Sourdough or French bread

SWANKY CRACK CHEESE MUSIC SELECTION: Bossa Nova Ville (Ultra Lounge) - One Note Samba

PREPERATION:
In a medium-sized bowl, mix together cream cheese, blue cheese, chives, and parsley.

*In a small saute pan over medium heat, toss your walnuts in 1 teaspoon of butter and 1 teaspoon of sugar, with a pinch of salt and pepper until toasted and lightly browned. Set aside to cool.

Add to the bowl and mix, don't over mix. Serve with toasted thin-sliced sourdough or French bread.

GREAT Homemade Meatballs

2010-06-23T22:57:00.000-07:00

Here is a great comfort food dish that will win you BIG POINTS every time. Also, this is one of those dishes that you can make ahead of time and freeze. Great in a Crock-pot/Slow cooker too. This is a nice juicy tasting meatball recipe. If you make them smaller, a great appetizer too. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

For the meatballs:

1/2 pound ground veal
1/2 pound ground pork
1 pound ground beef
1 cup fresh white bread crumbs (4 slices, crusts removed)
1/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 extra-large eggs, beaten
Vegetable oil
Olive oil

For the sauce:
1 tablespoon good olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 cup good red wine, (1 glass for you while your cooking)
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, or plum tomatoes in puree, chopped

1 small can of tomato paste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

COOKING MUSIC SELECTION: Gisele MacKenzie: That's Amore

PREPARATION:

Place the ground meats, both bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, salt, pepper, nutmeg, egg, and 3/4 cup warm water in a bowl. Combine very lightly with a fork. Using your hands, lightly form the mixture into 2-inch meatballs. You will have 14 to 16 big meatballs.

Pour equal amounts of vegetable oil and olive oil into a large (12-inch) skillet to a depth of 1/4-inch. Heat the oil. Very carefully, in batches, place the meatballs in the oil and brown them well on all sides over medium-low heat, turning carefully with a spatula or a fork. Make sure not to crowd the meatballs. When they are browned on all sides, remove the meatballs to a plate covered with paper towels. Discard the oil but don't clean the pan. **

For the sauce, heat the olive oil in the same pan. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the wine and cook on high heat, scraping up all the brown bits in the pan, until almost all the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper. Return the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve hot on cooked spaghetti and pass the grated Parmesan.

** At this point, you can let these cool and put them in freezer ziplock bags to have ready when needed. I did this for a big party and brought my crockpot, plugged it in, put in the sauce, and then placed the frozen meatballs in to simmer for 4 hours on low. HUGE HIT! Totally easy make ahead dish!

Sully's Outrageously Delicious Ribs

2010-05-18T17:55:00.000-07:00

Years ago I had the privilege of working in a fun entertainment type theme restaurant. I wore a costume and served surf and turf all year round.

I was the house psychic and my name was “Clara Voyant ” and sometimes “Rita Fortune”. I would walk up to tables and hold my forehead, and before they could speak I'd say, "Don't tell me, I know what you want"..and then would proceed to sell them the nights specials, tell bad jokes, sing them songs and try to guess their astrology signs. I had a lot of fun and met some great people along the way.

The guys that cooked in the back were mainly from El Salvador. One night after work, one of the chefs made this dish for himself and the kitchen crew and let me try some. The thing that makes this rib recipe so unusual is that they are cooked in a pan on the stove top. They are spicy, light and encased in savory simple goodness… These are addictive.

I wonder what ever happened to good ol' Sully?

INGREDIENTS:
1 large slab of baby back ribs
2 Jalapeno peppers minced
1 Habenero pepper minced
2 tablespoons honey
3 cloves of garlic minced
1 large onion minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
The juice of 3 large limes

COOKING MUSIC SELECTION: Ricardo Arjona - A cara o cruz

PREPARATION:
Take the raw slab of ribs and remove the membrane, and then cut each rib into individual pieces. In a large fry pan or electric skillet, add the olive oil and butter, then the garlic, onions and peppers over medium heat. Sautee lightly and then add the raw ribs. Brown the ribs slowly on each side, turning to make sure they are evenly browned on both sides. Turn down the heat and add the lime juice and cover. Let them simmer slowly for 15 mins. Uncover and turn them a couple more times to reduce the juices. Serve hot and pour the leftover sauces over the ribs…enjoy.

Here's a great song...

2010-04-26T01:17:00.000-07:00

Jamaican Jerk Burgers with Orange-Chipotle Mayonnaise

2010-04-25T10:56:00.000-07:00

Want to transform ground beef into savory spicy exotic goodness? Try this recipe! I made this Friday night...OUTSTANDING!

INGREDIENTS:
Orange-chipotle mayonnaise
1 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon minced canned chipotle chilies in adobo

Jerk Marinade
1 bunch green onions, coarsely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 small habañero chili or 2 medium jalapeño chilies, seeded, chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon ground allspice

2 pounds ground beef (15% fat)

6 hamburger buns, toasted
1 onion, thinly sliced
3 tomatoes, sliced
6 romaine lettuce leaves

COOKING MUSIC SELECTION: Bob Marley - Jamming

PREPERATION:
For orange-chipotle mayonnaise: Blend all ingredients in the blender. Scrap into a bowl and refrigerate

For jerk marinade: Put all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender, process until almost smooth. Season with salt and pepper. With your clean hands, mix into ground beef and let marinade in the fridge for an hour.

Fire up the grill to medium high. Shape burgers into patties. Sprinkle patties with salt and pepper. Grill to desired doneness.

Spread mayonnaise over cut surfaces of buns. Place burgers on bottom halves of buns. Top with onion slices, tomato slices, lettuce, and bun tops.
Enjoy!

Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Aparagus on the grill

2010-04-18T23:54:00.001-07:00

Bite into freshly grilled asparagus wrapped in savory chewy and crunchy bacon with a melty cheese filled surprise. Let’s face it, anything wrapped in bacon is just BETTER. This one is a great one!

INGREDIENTS:
24 spears of fresh asparagus
12 slices of bacon
6 slices of Jack Cheese cut long length wise
BBQ Grill set up for indirect grilling

COOKING MUSIC SELECTION: Lovin' Spoonful - Summer In The City

PREPARATION: Lay out your asparagus like this:

So the jack cheese is in the middle.

Wrap the bundles tightly with two slices of bacon so that no cheese is showing.

Fire up your grill for indirect grilling. There will be flare up on these no matter what you do due to the bacon fat melting. I suggest to not walk away from these. Grill them slowly until bacon is golden and slightly charred. Slice up and serve hot.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

2010-04-15T22:36:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Trader Joes had beautiful strawberries....
I picked up one big bar of Milk Chocolate and one of Dark Chocolate...and melted them together in a double boiler...

And we dipped them for dessert...

CHOCOLATE MELTING & DIPPING MUSIC SELECTION: Tom Waits - Chocolate Jesus
*
Great with Champagne... the crashing waves of the ocean near by and close friends.

Pass me a...

2010-04-14T15:33:00.000-07:00

...beer, draft, cold one, libation, brewskie, oat soda, cerveza, barley pop, puke fuel, boredom-be-gone, loudmouth soup, real man's Zima, Homer Juice, keg guts, beeeeeer!, pre-pee, weed's best friend, rocketsauce, mother, varsity Shirley Temple, time travel in a bottle, suds, soldier, Gutterade, barley legal, bitter batter, liquid bread, silly seltzer, brew dog, giggle water, liquid courage, pre-spiked punch, bubbly muscles, hard O'Douls, social lubricant, icanbeatithome, secret ingredient X, tummy buster, brain hammer, elbow benders, daddy's milk, redneck wine, 12 oz. curl, antidote, hello-goodbye, potent potable, chugger's delight, liquid wrecking ball, hops scotch, un-water. Did I miss any?

I spent last Sunday home brewing beer with my "Odd Grogs", homebrew motley crew. We brewed 35 gallons of beer on Sunday. There are some California State Champion Brewers in our posse, so I am taking every chance I can to brew along side them to learn as much as I can. We get together to make beer for our big bi-annual camping trip.

There ain’t nothing like drinking hand crafted Home brews in the mountains with your friends. Porters, Stouts, (Patricia brewed a Farout Milk Stout) Steams, Double Bocks, Cool Lagers…I brewed a nice English Pale Ale… it should be refreshing on a hot summer day.
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Doc Scott went down in his basement and pulled out a couple nameless bottles that he had in there… 6 year old Meads elderberry, OMFG, the best ever! The Newt King makes his own Absinthe as well as wine. It’s fun to brew beer with talented people.

Most of these folks are musicians and chefs too….good times…. Happy carboys bubbling nicely in the cool corner. Fermentation......Giggle Water in the making.

Happy Easter Bacon!

2010-04-04T11:55:00.000-07:00

Apple Smoked Prime Rib ~ Gourmet Camping Food

2010-03-23T01:11:00.000-07:00

Last year at Wavy Gravy's Hog Farm on a camping trip I made my first smoked prime rib. It’s my kind of camping; the place has flushing toilets, hot showers and a big open community kitchen all in the middle of a beautiful forest. I’ve been going up there twice a year for about 8 years now. In that time, I have cooked up a lot of dangerously bad girl goodness. When you are camping, you have the time it takes to do some great slow cooked masterpieces. This one was a huge hit!

I wore out my Brinkman Smoker after 6 years of serious use. My friends surprised me on my birthday shortly after the Brinkman death and bought me the best gift ever. The Masterbuilt 7 in 1 Smoker and Grill It’s charcoal or propane baby! For her maiden smokeage I used the propane for this recipe. It was the prime rib I have ever had.

An important thing you need to make sure you buy the finest roast you can. Go to a real meat market if you have one or call your butcher to order one in advance. I served this with Creamed Horseradish and made Grilled Yorkshire pudding with the smoky meat drippings in a cast iron muffin pan. Gourmet Camping food... this is easy and AMAZING!

INGREDIENTS:
Apple wood chunks
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons coarsely ground pepper
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 (6-pound) beef rib roast
1 1/2 cups dry red wine
1 1/2 cups red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil

COOKING MUSIC SELECTION: Dr. John - IKO IKO

PREPERATION:
Soak apple wood chunks in water 1 hour. Combine minced garlic and next 4 ingredients, and rub garlic mixture evenly over beef roast. Stir together dry red wine, red wine vinegar, and olive oil; set wine mixture aside. Prepare charcoal fire in smoker; let burn 15 to 20 minutes.

Drain apple wood chunks, and place on coals. Place water pan in smoker, and add water to just below fill line. Place a metal bowl underneath the center rack to catch the juices. Place beef roast in center rack. Gradually pour wine mixture over beef roast.

Cook beef roast, 5 hours or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion of beef roast registers 145° (medium rare), adding more water to depth of fill line, if necessary. Remove beef roast from smoker, and let stand 15 minutes before slicing. Should end up being a nice medium to medium rare.

Yorkshire Pudding on the Grill

2010-03-22T14:22:00.000-07:00

It just ain’t right to serve Prime Rib without Yorkshire pudding, even if you are camping in the woods. This is the side dish for the Apple Smoked Prime Rib recipe. I think what made this so good was the prime rib drippings were slowly being reduced in the red wine, garlic and herbs in the smoker as well as the apple wood smoke infusion. Yowza.

INGREDIENTS:
6 large eggs
2-1/4 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups all-purpose unbleached white flour
1/4 cup prime rib drippings

COOKING MUSIC SELECTION: The Funky Meters - Soul Machine

PREPERATION:
In a large bowl combine the eggs, milk, and salt. Whisk to mix. Whisk in the flour and 2 tablespoons melted prime rib drippings. Chill the mixture in the cooler for 2 hours.

Set up the grill for indirect grilling and preheat to high. You can use a cast iron pan, or a roasting pan (14’ round or wide) that can take high heat. I am a BIG fan of cast iron. I used a Cast Iron Muffin Pan for this recipe on the grill.

Get the grill hot. Pour the Smoked Prime rib drippings in each cup or cover the bottom of the pan (about 2 tablespoons per cup) Place the pan on the grill, you want the fat to fry/boil super hot.

Pour the batter into the cups of frying fat shift the pan over to more indirect heat or turn down the flame to medium high and tightly cover the grill. Cook until the pudding is puffed and nicely browned, about 15 minutes.

Porkshire Pudding

2010-03-16T15:49:00.000-07:00

Here is a fun recipe I made up for breakfast that got rave reviews. Imagine Yorkshire pudding but with BACON! The savory sweet caramelized onion, bacon and fresh tomato make these an excellent side dish with eggs or omelets. It’s all about the Pork Baby!

INGREDIENTS:
6 large eggs
12 slices of bacon
2-1/4 cups milk
I large sweet onion minced
1 medium tomato diced finely
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups all-purpose unbleached white flour

COOKING MUSIC SELECTION: Lyle Lovett - Here I Am

PREPERATION:
In a large bowl combine the eggs, milk, and salt. Whisk to mix. Chill the mixture in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a frying pan fry the bacon until crispy and set aside to drain keeping the bacon drippings in the pan. Add the sweet onions and cook until golden and caramelized. Chop/crumble the bacon into small pieces. In a muffin pan, fill each cup with bacon drippings and place tins into the oven for 10 minutes to get them frying hot.

Add the bacon and onions to the batter, remove pan from oven and quickly pour 2 1/2 tbsp. batter into each muffin pan cup. Top with fresh tomatoes. Bake 30 minutes or until golden. With narrow spatula, loosen edges of each pudding and transfer it to the breakfast table. Serve immediately. 12 servings

Bad Girl BBQ Oysters - Gourmet Compound Butters

2010-02-24T23:06:00.000-08:00

Oysters are amazing on the grill. I’m not the best at shucking them, but that’s okay, I came up with some amazing fun compound butters that have transformed even some of the most hard core Oyster dislikers!

They are inexpensive and great to bring to a BBQ party… just make sure you buy them live and you have them hosed off and in a big cooler with ice when you keep them or need to transport them.

I mean inexpensive like out here in the San Francisco Bay area I go to the Ranch 99 Asian Market and get 65 Blue Point Live Oysters for $25.00 total! AWESOME deal! I have experimented with all kinds of butters…. Try some of these out!

NOTE: These are good on many things besides Oysters!

INGREDIENTS:
65 Fresh Live Oysters any size

1 Blender

1 Roll of Wax paper or Saran Wrap
Twisty Ties

See Below for basic preparations.

Dangerously Good Compound Butters:

1) Patron Tequilla, Garlic & Lime Butter:
2 Sticks of Sweet Butter
4 Tablespoons Patron Silver Tequilla
5 Springs of Fresh Cilantro
4 Cloves of Garlic Peeled
The juice of 3 Limes
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2) Rockefeller Butter:
2 sticks of sweet butter
6 tablespoons finely minced fresh spinach leaves
3 tablespoons finely minced onion
3 tablespoons finely minced parsley
Tabasco Sauce to taste
1/2 teaspoon Pernod
The juice of 2 lemons
Top with fresh bread crumbs
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3) Roasted Garlic, Parsley & Lemon Butter:
2 sticks of sweet butter
8 cloves of roasted Garlic
6 springs of fresh Italian Parsley
The juice of 3 Lemons
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4) Red Thai Curry Butter:
2 sticks of sweet butter
1 Teaspoon of Red Thai Curry
4 tablespoons of Coconut Milk
3 springs of fresh Basil

1 fresh Thai Chili Pepper minced
1 teaspoon of sugar
The Juice of 2 Lemons
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5) Beurre Blanc Butter:
2 sticks of sweet butter
1/4 cup of white wine
4 Tablespoons of white wine vinegar
2 tbsp finely minced shallots
(Saute them together with one stick of butter, set aside to cool, then blend them together with the other stick of butter)
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6) Chive Butter Almondine:
2 sticks of sweet butter
3 Tablespoons of finely chopped Chives
2 cloves of fresh garlic minced

The juice of 2 Lemons

Top with Toasted Almonds
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7) Absolut Citron Bechamel Butter:
2 sticks of sweet butter
1/4 cup Basic Bechamel Sauce

3 Tablespoons Absolut Citron Vodka

The juice of 1 Lemon

1 Tablespoon Lemon Zest
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8) Bearnaise Butter:

1 stick of sweet butter

1 cup of Bearnaise Sauce
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9) Gorgonzola Butter:

2 sticks of sweet butter

1/2 cup crumbled Gorganzola Cheese

The juice of 1 Lemon
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10) Asiago Basil Pesto Butter:

2 sticks of sweet butter

1 cup Grated Asiago Cheese

1/2 cup on Fresh Basil Pesto

11) Roasted Red Pepper Butter:

2 sticks of sweet butter

1 large Roasted Red Bell Pepper, Peeled, Seeded And chopped

2 Cloves of Garlic

Salt & Pepper to taste

12) Cocktail Shooter Butter:

2 sticks of sweet butter
6 tablespoons tomato ketchup

2 tablespoons fresh grated horseradish

3 Tablespoons of Absolut Pepper Vodka

The juice of 2 Lemons

celery salt to taste

A dash of tabasco sauce

COOKING MUSIC SELECTION: The Rev. Al Green - Love and Happines

PREPERATION:
Soften butter at room temperature and place in a food processor or blender. Add the ingredients to butter and blend them until almost pureed. With a long Spatula or spoon, scoop out the butter and place on a sheet of wax paper or plastic wrap. Roll up into a long tight tube and seal the ends with wire twists to seal tight. Place in the freezer overnight.

When making BBQ Oysters, fire up the grill on high. Place the whole fresh Oysters (that are closed completely) on the hot grill and cover. In 3 minutes check them, they should be popped open. With some long BBQ tongs take them off and with a pot holder protecting your hand, open the Oyster by prying off the top shell, leaving the meat inside on a convenient little oyster shell plate.

Slice a nice size of Compound butter and place it on top of the raw oyster and put it back on the grill open faced. Do this to all of them and cover the grill. In 5 minutes you have BBQ Amazing Oysters ready to serve in their own shell. YUMMY GOODNESS!

Carolina Red BBQ Sauce

2010-02-23T22:29:00.000-08:00

Use this light yummy sauce especially for Pulled Pork...

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne

COOKING MUSIC SELECTION: James Taylor - Carolina In My Mind

PREPERATION:
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and stir to dissolve the sugar. Serve at room temperature. Enjoy!

Smoked Pulled-Pork Sandwiches

2010-02-23T21:24:00.000-08:00

It's pretty miraculous how the simplicity of long smoky heat can transform an ordinary piece of meat like a pork shoulder, into the succulent and tender masterpiece that is BBQ pulled pork.
There is really nothing difficult about making fantastic BBQ pulled pork, all it takes is patience, and a good steady low smoky heat. If you have a great bar and must tend it, I suggest a Wireless BBQ Thermometer with Remote Pager....

INGREDIENTS: 20 Soft fresh baked buns
10 pounds of Pork Shoulder
Use Bad Girl BBQ Basic Brine Recipe
Brine for 24 hours
Take roast out of brine and pat dry. Cover with pork rub.

Pulled Pork Rub ~
4 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons cumin
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons black pepper
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
For mop:
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon coarse salt
2 teaspoons olive oil

COOKING MUSIC SELECTION: Marshall Tucker Band - Can't You See

PREPERATION:
It's time to fire up your smoker with some nice size beer soaked wood chips or chunks, Hickory, Pear, Apple Wood...what ever you like. Following manufacturer's instructions and using lump charcoal and 1/2 cup drained wood chips for smoker or 1 cup for barbecue, start fire and bring temperature of smoker or barbecue to 225°F. to 250°F.

Place pork on rack in smoker or barbecue. Cover; cook until meat thermometer inserted into center of pork registers 165°F., turning pork and brushing with cold mop every 45 minutes, about 6 hours total. Add more charcoal as needed to maintain 225°F. to 250°F. temperature and more drained wood chips (1/2 cup for smoker or 1 cup for barbecue with each addition) to maintain smoke level.

Transfer pork to clean rimmed baking sheet. Let stand until cool enough to handle. Shred into bite-size pieces. Mound on platter. Pour any juices from sheet over pork. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Transfer pork and any juices to baking dish. Cover with foil; chill. Before continuing, rewarm pork, covered, in 350°°F. oven about 30 minutes.) Divide pork among bottoms of buns. Drizzle lightly with barbecue sauce. Use my light Carolina Red BBQ Sauce.
Top with coleslaw. Cover with tops of buns.

Atomic Bacon Wrapped Habanero & Jalapenos stuffed with Cream Cheese

2010-02-15T17:43:00.000-08:00

If you know me, I like to make HOT stuff most the time, but it's not for everyone. I love these and they are always a big hit at any party. Jalapenos are's hot enough for me so I also make this recipe with Habanero's.... both are outstanding!

INGREDIENTS:
20 whole Fresh Jalapenos,
20 whole Habanero chillies
4 cubes Cream Cheese, softened
2 pounds Bacon, Sliced Into Thirds

COOKING MUSIC SELECTION: Sly & the Family Stone - Hot Fun in the Summertime

PREPARATION:

If you have them, slip on some latex gloves for the pepper prep… Cut jalapenos and Habaneros in half, length-wise. With a spoon, remove the seeds and white membrane (blend and freeze the seeds and membranes for future marinade recipes).

Smear softened cream cheese into each pepper half. Wrap them with bacon pieces (1/3 slice). Secure by sticking toothpick through the middle. (At this point, you can freeze them, uncooked, in a Ziploc bag for later use).

Fire up the grill. Jalapeño's on one side and Habanero's on the other. Turn them until the bacon is nice and done. They are ready to serve! DANGEROUSLY GOOD!