"Eat my shorts" - Bart Simpson
(sorry, I know that's lame and immature)
The Well Rounded Blog: Dance Fever
The Well Rounded Blog is the weekly post dedicated to things other than food. It is my effort to avoid turning into "That Guy That Only Talks About Food."
Tonight was "Family Night" for my sister's dance team. Let me just say this: I am proud of my sister and am very much in awe of her skillz as a dancer, BUT it was pretty hilarious to watch a group of preppy white girls do a hip-hop routine in front of their stiff, loafer-wearing parents.
I thought they did a great job, but what do I know, I'm whiter than Yanni. I should have let my buddy Stephen coach 'em up. He's like a white Usher. This photo below pretty much proves that!
"Family Night" was happening to celebrate their big upcoming trip. They have a national dance competition next weekend in Orlando (to be aired on ESPN The OCHO next month). I've never attended such an event, but would imagine its a lot like that movie Bring It On, but for dance teams.
Tangent: Did anyone actually watch that movie? (note: I just laughed out loud (LOL) and thought to myself "Surely not".) Au contraire, mon frere! Apparently, enough people watched "Bring It On" the creators thought we needed a sequel (or four): "Bring It On Again" and "Bring It On: All or Nothing" and my personal favorite "Bring It On: In It to Win It" (a fifth movie is in the works, two words: male cheerleading ... Yikes!)
But seriously, they have done really well in the past and I'm sure they'll bring home the gold (or whatever they get for first place). If not, there's always the sequel.
Monday Morsels: Turkey Burgers
Monday Morsels is my weekly recipe post. It will not have exact measurements nor will it have exact cooking times. So if you are looking for that kind of recipe, go raid your grandma's recipe rolodex.
Turkey burgers with apple, cheddar, grilled onions, and boston lettuce. Grilled potatoes with paprika as a side.
The best part about this meal: all on the grill.
I'm kind on an apple and cheddar kick. Just a classic taste combination.
Like lamb and tuna fish. What? You like better spaghetti and meatball? ($1 to Big Daddy).
Bridgers of Madison (Tuscaloosa) County
Wellon Bridgers and her husband Stephen are serious food(ies) (with the salt to prove it).
Sprouts, Asparagus, and all things good
If brussel sprouts are the new bomb-dot-com, then asparagus is the cool pop-up that immediately draws your attention. Take, for example, these two fine dishes--both incorporating our buddy asparagus, but yet not in such a way that overtakes the flavors. Each of these dishes were featured in the Bridgers' weekly-themed menus (this was, of course, asparagus week)
Dish one: pasta with bay scallops. If any of you have ever witnessed Stephen Bridgers make homemade pasta, you'll know it's quite a labor of love, dedication, and frustration…it also gives Andy Hudson some good humor material for weeks to come. Yet cooking pasta for two is significantly more enjoyable than cooking for twelve. Thanks to our new buddy, Hoss, seafood extraordinaire at WholeFoods, who weekly helps us pair delicious seafood with the ingredient of the week, we had pasta with bay scallops, asparagus, peas, mint, prosciutto, and shaved Parmesan Reggiano. This uber-easy dish is a sautéed masterpiece.
Dish two: Asparagus can not only be a delicious ingredient, but an artistic base for your food. This delightful Frank Stitt take off of mix of eggs, cream and parmesan, souffle’ed to a delicious golden goodness is perfectly paired with prosciutto, wild mushrooms, and asparagus. Though like the exemplary Estess duo, we too disdain following recipes, this one was too good to pass up:
Sprouts, Asparagus, and all things good
If brussel sprouts are the new bomb-dot-com, then asparagus is the cool pop-up that immediately draws your attention. Take, for example, these two fine dishes--both incorporating our buddy asparagus, but yet not in such a way that overtakes the flavors. Each of these dishes were featured in the Bridgers' weekly-themed menus (this was, of course, asparagus week)
Dish one: pasta with bay scallops. If any of you have ever witnessed Stephen Bridgers make homemade pasta, you'll know it's quite a labor of love, dedication, and frustration…it also gives Andy Hudson some good humor material for weeks to come. Yet cooking pasta for two is significantly more enjoyable than cooking for twelve. Thanks to our new buddy, Hoss, seafood extraordinaire at WholeFoods, who weekly helps us pair delicious seafood with the ingredient of the week, we had pasta with bay scallops, asparagus, peas, mint, prosciutto, and shaved Parmesan Reggiano. This uber-easy dish is a sautéed masterpiece.Dish two: Asparagus can not only be a delicious ingredient, but an artistic base for your food. This delightful Frank Stitt take off of mix of eggs, cream and parmesan, souffle’ed to a delicious golden goodness is perfectly paired with prosciutto, wild mushrooms, and asparagus. Though like the exemplary Estess duo, we too disdain following recipes, this one was too good to pass up:Moral of the story: don’t turn your nose up at these green goodies!
-Wellon-
The Well Rounded Blog: A Historic Day
The Well Rounded Blog is the weekly post dedicated to things other than food. It is my effort to avoid turning into "That Guy That Only Talks About Food."
I must admit that I am excited about today's inauguration. In addition to being a foodie, I am also a American history buff. So it is not lost on me how historic this day truly is for our country. Our country was conceived on the truth: "that all men are created equal." The idea that anyone can achieve their dreams through hard work and determination is an uniquely American concept. Today this idea has become a tangible reality for ALL MEN.
Just to qualify, policy wise, President Obama and I definitely don't see eye to eye on everything. We'd probably disagree more than often than not. However, he is now our President and I wish him the best and hope he succeeds.
So, congratulations President Obama! Enjoy this day, you've got a lot of work ahead of you.
Monday Morsels: German Fare
Monday Morsels is my weekly recipe post. It will not have exact measurements nor will it have exact cooking times. So if you are looking for that kind of recipe, go raid your grandma's recipe rolodex.
Guten Tag! Is there anything better than football and German Food? Answer: Nein!
On the menu this weekend was brats, braised cabbage, and German potato salad.
The brats: simmered in beer and grilled.
The cabbage: braised in red wine vinegar, broth, and sugar.
The potato salad: A vinaigrette based potato salad with whole grain mustard, red wine vinegar, and green onions.
P.S. Is there anything worse than a cell phone picture of food? I'd almost rather not take a picture at all. I swear the food tasted good, even though it looks like barf.
Thursday Mornin' Musings
What's on my mind...hint: it's probably food related.
Best coffee in Birmingham... hands down is Primavera Coffee Roasters. Buy coffee there, you won't be disappointed.
Best coffee in Birmingham... hands down is Primavera Coffee Roasters. Buy coffee there, you won't be disappointed.
Hump Day Food Quote
"Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are." - Anthelme Brillat-Savarin
The Well Rounded Blog: I'm Down With OPB! (Yeah You Know Me!)
The Well Rounded Blog is the weekly post dedicated to things other than food. It is my effort to avoid turning into "That Guy That Only Talks About Food."
I'm definitely down with OPB (Other People's Blogs). I have found the "next blog" button at the top of the page and I love it. It takes you to a random blog on the blogger network. I think I spent 3 hours exploring. Here are a few of my favorites (most are foreign):
What would you happen if...
Keith Moon, John Bonham, and Jackie Chan all mated?
THUNDERBEAT is a Japanese solo drummer... with a blog.
THUNDERBEAT is hardcore!
He will rock you from here to Osaka!
He will not play your daughter's bat mitzvah!
NEXT BLOG>>
A common theme from the continent of South America:
Latino youths love Coldplay's hit song "The Scientist"
I probably saw it mentioned on 82% of the latino blogs visited (rough guess).
They also love to post the lyrics.... in English AND Spanish
Many blogs just quoted their favorite songs lyrics.
Someone needs to let them know this is extremely lame...
Give those kids some liner notes!
NEXT BLOG>>
People with tons of kids love to blog.
Like the Hawks.
They have 7 children.
Jimmy and Nettie describe themselves as lovebirds.
Somehow, with 7 kids, I think we already knew.
NEXT BLOG>>
There were a lot of blogs about Bollywood.
Bollywood is the Indian equivalent of Hollywood.
Boy oh boy, those Indians are crazy about their celebs.
I can't read this particular dialect, but I'm pretty sure this movie is a comedy.
NEXT BLOG>>
And more from Japan:
This is Olivia...
(follow the link for a better picture)
She lives in Japan.
She is a singer.
Does anyone else think this is hilarious?
P.S. Lots of anime blogs out there on the internets...
I am NOT down with anime blogs.
Monday Morsels: Brussels Sprouts
Monday Morsels is my weekly recipe post. It will not have exact measurements nor will it have exact cooking times. So if you are looking for that kind of recipe, go raid your grandma's recipe rolodex.
This was my contribution to supper club this weekend. That's right kids, Brussels Sprouts!
I have a soft spot in my heart for these under-appreciated, underutilized, and oft misunderstood Brassicaceae (cabbage). For so long, they have been mistreated by overzealous cooks; tortured until they look a lot like this:
...and smell like this:
...and taste like this:
But fear not! When handled correctly, brussels are delicious, surprisingly sweet, and really, really good for you.
First I cut my brussels in half, lengthwise, and remove the core. Now some of the outer leaves will fall off when you do this. Do not discard them. Check'em for spots and throw them back in with the whole brussels. When you roast everything, these leaves become crispy brussels chips (my favorite part).
While you prep the sprouts, crisp up some bacon in a pan. Save the drippings, you'll be tossing the brussels in it later. Once you've got all your sprouts halved and prepped, toss them in a mixing bowl (loose leaves and all) and coat them with the bacon fat and S&P. Roast them for 15-20 minutes in a 400 deg. oven. When they're done drizzle balsamic vinegar all over and crumble the bacon on top.
Yes, I realize the bacon probably takes away from the healthiness of this dish, but think about it this way: Bacon on Brussels Sprouts is a good bit healthier than bacon on a Taco Bell Gordita Crunch.
Thursday Mornin' Musings
What's on my mind...hint: it's probably food related.
I really wish I had time to eat a really big breakfast every morning.... or at least once every week. Don't we all need a little more bacon in our lives?
I really wish I had time to eat a really big breakfast every morning.... or at least once every week. Don't we all need a little more bacon in our lives?
The Well Rounded Blog: HD TV
The Well Rounded Blog is the weekly post dedicated to things other than food. It is my effort to avoid turning into "That Guy That Only Talks About Food."
Is there anything that has revolutionized television viewing more than HD TV. Ok, maybe the remote control, but HD is a close second. Everything is infinitely more watchable in HD: Sports (even bad sports, like regular season NBA), movies, HGTV. It has almost ruined regular TV for me, almost. I compiled a list of things that are awesome in HD ... AND some things that are not awesome.
Is there anything that has revolutionized television viewing more than HD TV. Ok, maybe the remote control, but HD is a close second. Everything is infinitely more watchable in HD: Sports (even bad sports, like regular season NBA), movies, HGTV. It has almost ruined regular TV for me, almost. I compiled a list of things that are awesome in HD ... AND some things that are not awesome. Awesome:
Sharks
Football
The Weather Channel
Nature Shows
Golf
Stu Scott's eye
Great Movies
Not So Great Movies
Concert Shows like Austin City Limits
Not Awesome:
Medical Shows- people with diseases and other medical problems bad enough to make a tv show are not awesome in HD.
John Madden
Local News Casts
The WNBA - sorry girls, even HD can't help you. We got next!
*Note: Food Shows are awesome in HD but I can't mention that in this post (its supposed to be well rounded).
Monday Morsels: Brick Chicken
Monday Morsels is my weekly recipe post. It will not have exact measurements nor will it have exact cooking times. So if you are looking for that kind of recipe, go raid your grandma's recipe rolodex.
This is a picture of the Brick Chicken I made for our Annual Christmas feast (pic courtesy of Al). I love it because it involves spatchcocking a chicken.
Why do I love spatchcocking so much? First, it sounds cool. Look into the nearest mirror and say "I'm gonna spatchcock this chicken!" Feels good, doesn't it? Second, you get to keep the good stuff (spines, ribs, and various other bones) for homemade chicken stock. More on stock at a later date.
Back to the Brick Chicken: After I spatchcock (yeah!), I marinate the chicken in herbs, lemon, olive oil, and S&P (make sure to get it mostly under the skin to prevent burning). Then after a few hours of marinating, pull it out to get it back a little closer to room temp. Heat the grill to HIGH and place the bricks on the grill to preheat (wrapped in foil, no one likes dirt and moss on their chicken).
After they are good and hot, place the chicken skin down on the grill and place the bricks on top to ensure even cooking. Flip them when you get a good crisp skin and turn the heat down to medium. I leave them on until they reach an internal temp in the thigh of about 160-165 deg F. Why the thigh? Because I say so (it also takes the longest to cook).
Take the chicken off and rest it for at least 10 minutes. I prefer in an insulated cooler. The chicken stays hot and the steam helps it cook through fully while keeping it extra juicy. If you do not rest the chicken, all of the juices will run out and you will be mocked by your dinner guests, FOREVER. Seriously though, it will not be as juicy on the inside and it will make that skin soggy after you spent so much time getting it deliciously crispy.
I cut a whole chicken into 8 pieces (2 drums, 2 thighs, 2 breasts cut in half).
You can also cook this same recipe in a large cast iron skillet, if you don't have smoke detectors in your house.
This is a picture of the Brick Chicken I made for our Annual Christmas feast (pic courtesy of Al). I love it because it involves spatchcocking a chicken.
Why do I love spatchcocking so much? First, it sounds cool. Look into the nearest mirror and say "I'm gonna spatchcock this chicken!" Feels good, doesn't it? Second, you get to keep the good stuff (spines, ribs, and various other bones) for homemade chicken stock. More on stock at a later date.
Back to the Brick Chicken: After I spatchcock (yeah!), I marinate the chicken in herbs, lemon, olive oil, and S&P (make sure to get it mostly under the skin to prevent burning). Then after a few hours of marinating, pull it out to get it back a little closer to room temp. Heat the grill to HIGH and place the bricks on the grill to preheat (wrapped in foil, no one likes dirt and moss on their chicken).
After they are good and hot, place the chicken skin down on the grill and place the bricks on top to ensure even cooking. Flip them when you get a good crisp skin and turn the heat down to medium. I leave them on until they reach an internal temp in the thigh of about 160-165 deg F. Why the thigh? Because I say so (it also takes the longest to cook).
Take the chicken off and rest it for at least 10 minutes. I prefer in an insulated cooler. The chicken stays hot and the steam helps it cook through fully while keeping it extra juicy. If you do not rest the chicken, all of the juices will run out and you will be mocked by your dinner guests, FOREVER. Seriously though, it will not be as juicy on the inside and it will make that skin soggy after you spent so much time getting it deliciously crispy.
I cut a whole chicken into 8 pieces (2 drums, 2 thighs, 2 breasts cut in half).
You can also cook this same recipe in a large cast iron skillet, if you don't have smoke detectors in your house.
Why Food?
So I've given in and started blogging....
My wife is a heavy contributer to the blogging world and I have never had much interest in pursuing it on my own. Probably because I didn't have much to say. Its not like I have an extremely exciting job like a Fireman or Balloon Artist. If I did I could blog about saving lives or making poodles out of inflated latex. But my good friend Alex posed the question the other day, "Why don't you start a food blog?"
So I did.... and here is why.
I like food... check that.... I love food. It consumes my days (pun intended). I think about food from the time I get up (what's for breakfast) until the time I go to sleep (what should I dream about? soups? or grilled meat?). It kills my wife because as soon as we finish a meal I begin discussing the next one.
Food is the one thing that we ALL have a daily interaction with. You could also count breathing and sleeping, but those aren't as fun (unless you are a narcoleptic or asthmatic). Food defines cultures, subcultures, barrios, and classes. Food now has several channels (in HD) devoted to it. Food has a history and a future. Food has endless possibilities and a great dish is just as good the 1st time as it is the 30th time.
My wife is a heavy contributer to the blogging world and I have never had much interest in pursuing it on my own. Probably because I didn't have much to say. Its not like I have an extremely exciting job like a Fireman or Balloon Artist. If I did I could blog about saving lives or making poodles out of inflated latex. But my good friend Alex posed the question the other day, "Why don't you start a food blog?"
So I did.... and here is why.
I like food... check that.... I love food. It consumes my days (pun intended). I think about food from the time I get up (what's for breakfast) until the time I go to sleep (what should I dream about? soups? or grilled meat?). It kills my wife because as soon as we finish a meal I begin discussing the next one.
I love to cook. It relaxes me. It is my stress relief. I cook after work to wind down. I like to cook more than I like to eat (barely). I have been blessed with family and friends who love to cook and eat. On this blog I'll let them share as well, because food is also about fellowship. There is nothing on this earth that I love more than cooking and eating with my family and my friends.
Food is the one thing that we ALL have a daily interaction with. You could also count breathing and sleeping, but those aren't as fun (unless you are a narcoleptic or asthmatic). Food defines cultures, subcultures, barrios, and classes. Food now has several channels (in HD) devoted to it. Food has a history and a future. Food has endless possibilities and a great dish is just as good the 1st time as it is the 30th time.
So why food? Because I am a foodie, thats why.
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