Christmas Eve

I am out here, far from home, in Sugar Land, Texas. I am at the in-laws.

It's Christmas Eve and the stockings are laying on the floor by the fake fireplace where they can be mauled by the wild cats loose in the house.

The presents are wrapped and under the tree that has no color. Santa has been good this year as the booty is great.

The weather has turned cold, as it should be for Christmas.

Have a great Christmas!

SWMBO

I came across this acronym, SWMBO, when I was in a beer brewing forum. Sometimes I don't bother to pay attention to the geek acronyms, but this one I liked.

It seems that we men are tough and independant, well...as much as we dare to be.

It all comes back around to the same old thing...

does She Who Must Be Obeyed approve?

I am sure that SWMBO does NOT approve of anything. That is why the old men I know have given me valuable advice such as "It's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission."

Risotto for Everyone

What they heck is this risotto stuff?
Is it pasta or rice?
Why do so many chefs make this dang stuff?
What is the correct pronunciation?

The first time I saw risotto being cooked was on Emeril. He made a Halloween special version that was black with squid ink. I am not sure how squid ink tastes but I was curious why Emeril was making a rice dish that he seemed to think was so special.

Before I made risotto, I wasn't even sure if I had eaten it before. It turns out I have had it all my life but I didn't know the name. It's funny because I also realized that Rice-a-Roni must be a quick version of risotto.

The basic procedure for making risotto goes as follows:

1. Have a prepared stock hot and ready to add to risotto
2. Saute any meat or veggies now (to be added at end)
3. In a wide saucepan, add butter, onion, and garlic. Saute just a minute.
4. Throw in the rice, stir it up, let sit for a couple minutes.
5. Add wine, let absorb
6. Add stock solution 1/2 cup at a time, letting each addition absorb.
[Should take about 30 minutes]
7. Throw in cooked meat or veggies and freshly grated cheese, stir, serve.

When you consider making risotto, the stock is the heart of the flavor. Of course the purists, or people who have time, make beef, chicken, or vegetable stock from scratch. Well, I don't mind the stock from the store so much, but I did make fish stock recently for seafood risotto and it was great. Certainly making the stock from scratch gives control over the flavor.

Another thing to consider is the wine used. Just before adding the stock to risotto, a little wine is absorbed into the rice. This can affect the flavor just like the stock does.

Here's some pics of some recent dinners:

Throw on a crab cake, some cheese and Enjoy!

WHAT THE HELL???

I don't know what to say about this TV commercial...

Hardware Store

For over a year now, I have been having to travel out of town to get my hardware store fix.

I can walk into Home Depot and just wander around for an hour. I dream about the things I could build, the work bench I could solve the world's problems on, cat towers I can create, and things that would make life better.

Here in the little town of Nipomo, we had a dying hardware store that lacked the most basic tools or hardware. It went out of business, as you might have guessed.

After much anticipation, Miner's Ace Hardware opened it's doors. Hundreds of pickups and hundreds of deprived men ascended to see tools, wood, and screws...and we don't know why. I guess it's a cave man thing. I don't care, I just like to go and wonder through every isle and know every type of bolt, hammer, drill-bit, shelf bracket, and chain saw that is available. They even have something everyone should have, Anti-Monkey Butt powder...

One important part of the hardware store experience is old men. They are the pros of hardware shopping. They wonder the isles looking for obscure items that may not exist and just love asking the teenage boys were they can find a 45 degree flaring tool. The kid always has to get on his radio and ask a more experienced worker to assist.

One of the old guys favorite things to do is flirting with the young female cashiers. It is a subtle art form they have worked on for years, likely since about 10 years old. They do sneaky things to spend more time with the cute cashier. Things like removing price tags so she will have to figure out the actual price. Sometimes the cashier just makes up a price to get the old man away. Another tactic used by old men is to buy something everyone on earth knows how to use, then ask the pretty young cashier how this items works. He will listen and say things like "I didn't know this saw could cut wood" or "So you turn this light bulb to the right to put it in the lamp?"

Of course you could just buy your stuff and get out, but the old men want more of an experience out of the visit. It isn't uncommon they have no idea what they came in for. It is also common, after an hour wandering around, they will leave with nothing.

When they get home their wife will say, "You were gone three hours, did you get the 3-sided tape you needed?" and the man will shrug and say "No, I looked everywhere and they didn't have it."

Thanksgiving

Ahhh, Thanksgiving is finally here. All the preparation and planning is coming to head.

This year we have guest coming over for a feast. My Uncle Dan and Grandmother are dropping by to eat. The meal is being served at 1pm, so the bird had to go in early, at 9am. Well early to me. The turkey is an eleven pounder, so the anticipated cooking time is about 3 hours.

The bird...


I got a new digital dual probe thermometer just for this (and homebrewing of course). So I sterilized the probes, stuck them into the disease covered bird, and now I am ready to watch the temperature rise! I wasn't sure where to put the probes, but since I have two of them I placed one in some place near the thigh (whatever that is) and the other in the breast (I know what that is). I figure I can take the square root of the average and it should be close enough. Well, actually the wife will have gotten out of bed by then (noonish) and taken over all cooking decisions. I'll be watching football and entertaining guests.

(See the two black wires coming from the bird below?)

The favorite part for Sarah is the Pecan Pie. She made it yesterday and it is ready to eat!

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

WKRP Turkeys Can't Fly?

Canyon City, 1947

[This is the story of a prison escape as told by my Grandmother. She lived in Canon City, Colorado (pronounced "Canyon" City) for some of her life. ]

Christmas Eve in 1947, Canon City, Colorado was in the middle of a snow storm.

The snow was coming down heavy when twelve prisoners escaped from the local penitentiary.

The Warden, Roy Best, swore he would catch every last one of them, dead or alive.

Out of the snow storm, one of the escaped inmates came upon a home in the countryside. A farmer and his wife were at home doing chores. The inmate came into the house unannounced, taking the couple by surprise. He had fashioned a pistol from materials in prison and used this to hold the couple hostage.

The cold and hungry prisoner told the woman to go into the kitchen and cook him a meal. He held the man at gunpoint.

She returned with the food and served him. As he sat eating, the farmer's wife returned from the kitchen with salt and pepper and a large hammer. She knocked the escaped convict out cold with a single blow.

Word spread that she had taken down the dangerous prisoner herself, so a famous singer, Kate Smith, sent the farmer's wife a fancy watch and a note telling her how much of an inspiration she was to women everywhere.

All twelve of the prisoners were eventually captured.

------

I don't know any other version of the story, but there was a movie made in 1948 with the actual warden starring as himself. It tells a different story, but I like my grandmother's better.

Great Pumpkin Disaster

Fall is such a fun time of the year. The leaves change, the weather is unstable, and Halloween is near.

I love watching It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown and eating lot's of candy.

One thing I love is picking out a pumpkin.

This year we went to a pumpkin patch at Avila Valley Barn, near Avila Beach.

There were hundreds of families and kids running wild looking for that perfect orange squash. We took a real hayride out to the pumpkin patch and started to look around.

We saw many pumpkins that were quickly dismissed for defects, holes, or other inexplicable reasons. I was looking for a more wide than tall pumpkin. Sarah was looking for a taller, slender one. We took our time looking at all parts of each pumpkin that fit the initial size and shape requirements.

After some time, Sarah found the perfect pumpkin. It was tall yet wide enough for the shape she was planning to carve out of it. She deemed it the best in the patch. She wanted to look a little more, just in case, so she walked away planning to return to her pumpkin.

Meanwhile, I found my ideal pumpkin. It was more round than tall. Perfect.

"Arrrrrgggggg! Nooooo!" I heard a scream from across the patch. It was some deranged woman pointing at a little girl kicking a large orange pumpkin. Oh, it was my wife. She seemed to be signaling me about some problem.

"She took my pumpkin. That little girl stole the only pumpkin I wanted in the whole patch!!!"

I consoled my upset wife. I offered advice like, "Tell her it has some disease" or "Maybe she will see another one before the hayride comes back."

Nothing helped. Sarah just looked at the little girl rolling the pumpkin over to her dad. Soon the vegetable was in the protection of the girls' dad. Sarah kept one eye on it while she reluctantly searched for another, second-rate, pumpkin.

She found one that would do. The little girl never changed her mind. We all got on the hayride back to pay for our future jack-o-lanterns.

After some ice cream, we heading home with a less than perfect pumpkin knowing that some little girl was going home with the most perfect pumpkin in the whole patch!

Beef Wellington, Part 2

The last time I made this traditional English dish, I didn't get it quite right. It was good, but the meat was a bit tough and the seasoning was a little too light. So, this time I need to tweak a few things.

For starters, we got the best fillet mignon cut of beef from a local butcher. I added more spices and fresh garlic. It turned out great.

Here's what I did...

First, I seasoned and seared the meat, then set aside to rest.

Then...

Plastic wrap down.

Parma Ham

Mushroom puree spread onto ham.

Mustard covered beef fillet placed on yummy stuff.

The meat and coating is rolled up and chilled

Puff pastry is spread out.

The meat is placed into the center of the pastry dough, then egg wash is applied to edges.

The dough is folded.

The pastry is egg washed and scored, then ready to bake.

It is done...Beef Wellington!

I like this commercial

My Sweet Thang!

Tomorrow is a big day. I have been preparing for weeks. This is not something I take lightly, well, normally.

It the wife's birthday!

The Korbel champagne is chillin'. Thank you.

The Strawberry-Balsamic Vinaigrette Cupcakes are made, check.

Presents wrapped, check.

Cats ready to party, check.

Happy 26th my love!

Wanted...

I may be a married man, but I ain't dead.

I don't mind a beautiful woman who wants to "check me out" or let me know I am a prize to be had.

I know, I know, you think that it never happens, but it does!

That's right ladies are lining up to meet me...from all over the world!

Here are some recent emails I got:

Hello stranger,

Do you on former search your princess?

I have your address, but dont know works it or not? If you have received my letter and want to know more about me, please write me back. my e-mail address: lovepie8@rambler.ru

I will explain as have received your address and will tell more about me in next letter.

Hope to receive your letter soon

Alexandra

...and...

Hello! My name is Lina!

To me of 26 years. Also I live in Russia! I never had children and never was married!

I search for love, friendship or creation of family! I the good girl which dream to meet the love!

I hope you will answer me soon on wash email: {%URL %}!

I shall wait...

KISS KISS

Wow! What a great, long, and productive weekend! I had three days of fun, relaxing, and even some chores got done.

On Friday nights Sarah and I find ourselves at a weekly gathering of Cal-Poly MBA students and professors. They call these wine-socials Hobnobs*. We drink, talk, and enjoy good food and drink.

*Hobnobbing: ORIGIN (in the sense 'drink together; drink each other's health): from archaic hob or nob, hob and nob, probably meaning 'give and take'.-The Concise Oxford Dictionary

On Saturday, we went to San Luis Obispo for Brews and Bites. The local beer breweries were having a little party.

Sunday, we rotated the tires on Sarah's car and did, well, nothing else productive, although I find relaxing very productive.

Today was a holiday. I brewed a batch of beer, an American style pale ale.

For dinner, I made something I had been wanting to try, Beef Wellington.

This English dish is a common entree on Gordon Ramsey's Hells Kitchen TV show. I don't think I have ever had it. So I looked it up and I found the recipe and a 2 minute video on how to make it. Mine was not as pretty, but it was yummy and almost as easy as he makes it seem.

Beef Wellington Recipe:

http://www.channel4.com/food/recipes/chefs/gordon-ramsay/beef-wellington-07-12-21_p_1.html

The video and recipe come from a show called the F-Word broadcast in England. The recipe and video are from the British TV station, channel 4.

Some of his recipes are found at the site below:

http://www.channel4.com/food/recipes/chefs/gordon-ramsay/

I'm Melting...

I am dying here. It is 90 degrees in the house. The high temperatures had been in the 70's and then it changed. Now it's 95+ and NO air conditioning. Oh well, I may survive.

I did get out today. I got a hair cut, went grocery shopping, and saw an air show. In Santa Maria today there was a small air show, with no air. I mean that all the planes were grounded, so you just look at them. No flying and No aerobatics. It was nice to walk around and see them.

I got a burger at a Boy Scout stand and noticed this flag pole they made.

I saw a wolf under a military jet.

A nice Mustang...

Some planes/jets:

In the middle of the planes was this weird car, called Black Betty. It was very out of place. The owners are trying to win some fuel economy automobile X-Prize and wanted to show it off. I think it's ugly and there is no room for golf clubs.

When I got home, I saw a cat in a bag. She is trying to hide from the heat.

Day 10

On Sunday I made buffalo burgers while I brewed a batch of beer. I grilled the burger, added some Dubliner cheese, and yummy!

Monday I made Orange Chicken on rice...

Tuesday, I was a bad boy. I ate out. I would say it was horrible, but it was not. I ate at Frank's Famous Hot Dog's in San Luis Obispo. YUMMY! It wasn't my fault. I was limited on time. I had a class to attend. You see I am in Beer Judging school. Something called the BJCP is how you become a beer judge for homebrewing competitions. Basically I taste beer from all over the world and write what I smell, see, and taste. It's hard but I do it anyways.

Tonight, Wednesday, I got home from work and took the kitties outside.

Zoe was hunting for an easy meal. She likes moths. She spots one up high...



She brings her fresh kill in for her sister to play with. Zoe is the hunter, Berry is the finisher.

[Click on Pics for a better look]

Berry is full from the meal and has to relax a little.

It was my turn to eat. I made Shrimp with Green Curry Sauce. The sauce was from Trader Joes. It wasn't too bad, but I think I'll make my own in the future.

And here it is...

Day 4

I had an interesting week at work. I survived the six month probation period. Two other workers were fired during their probation period. One of them even went to the city council meeting after he was fired and told them someone better watch what is going on at the plant. We are supposed to be at the "end" of the construction to "upgrade" the wastewater plant, however, the engineering company has made repeated errors that are costing them. Needless to say, the plant will be done about two months late.

I still have not eaten out since the wife left four days ago. I seem to be on a streak of Mexican cooking. Last night I grilled a beef tenderloin marinated in Carne Asada seasoning. I added grilled peppers and onions, then had fajitas.

Tonight, I made enchilada casserole. Oops, that may a bit too much for one person to eat!

Tomorrow is Friday. I will be dog sitting for the neighbors, golfing, and making a batch of beer. Dinner will be either green curry with shrimp or buffalo burgers.

2 days

It's been two whole days and I have not eaten out. I'm ok, thanks. I wanted to stop today and get two tacos at Jack in the Box, but I kept on driving. One day at a time...

I am making orange chicken over rice tonight. The chicken and sauce are frozen, but I still have to steam rice and bake the chicken! Am I supposed to eat vegetables when my wife is out of town? Hmmm, I'll see if I can find anything. Is beer a veggie?

I feel like I may not make it for the whole two weeks. The cravings for fast food and sushi have become stronger.

I hear voices! Oh , never mind it's just the cats wanting dinner...got to go.

The pizza

Sausage and olive pizza!

Cooking the sausage...

Fun with the dough...

2 Weeks, No Wife...

Ok, so I just dropped her off at the airport. The wife will be gone for 14 days. Sometimes I like to bachelor it up, drink beer, and eat crappy food. Since I do that while she is here, I think I will change it up a little bit.

I recently saw the movie Julie & Julia. It inspired me to cook all the recipes in the Julia Childs cookbook. I rushed to Border's Books to pick up a copy, but they were out of copies. So, I formed a back-up plan.

My plan is to NOT eat out for two whole weeks. I must make all my food. I know it's crazy! I know I shouldn't do it. It won't be easy.

I made a trip to Trader Joe's and the non-hippy grocery store. I have what I need for about a week or more of meals. The cats have decided to not allow me to cook for them, so they are having their normal food.

Tonight I am making pizza from scratch.

Golden ticket

Do you have your golden ticket?