September 9th
This past week has been a real blast. For the first time in many years, the family got together to celebrate my father-in-law's b-day. It was a hoot. We played some golf, we cooked some meat, we had some pool time, and we chatted. It was a mini family reunion, and I just want to say to all of you we most definitely need to do that again, life is too short.
Anyway, I mention meat, and since this is a cooking blog (of sorts), I thought I'd give you are rundown of the weekends menu. The first night, we were graced with a gigantic pork leg cooked on the grill nice and slow. Porky simmered for about 4-5 hours until the meat was ready to jump off the bone. For an added treat, the fat was skinned off for a little pork rind action. While we waited for the meat to rest, mom's world famous (in my opinion) black beans with ham hock simmered on the stove. We had a little salad as well to add some green to the meat buffet and when everything was ready, we chowed down. To accompany the pork was a bevy of sauces, each a little different than the next. Mom made a homemade barbecue sauce and ahi, while I made chimichurri (recipe to follow). There was another sauce that under the mother-in-law copyright act, I am not able to divulge, yet it is easily one of my favorite. Fresh rolls for sandwich making and we were in hog heaven. This was on Dad's b-day, and the family chipped in and bought him a smoker complete with mesquite chips and charcoal, opening the door for more meat.
Day two saw pork ribs and beef brisket slow smoked for about 6 hours. If you have never had smoked ribs, you don't know what you are missing. I also think that making it in the comfort of your own home makes it all the more satisfying. The meat just falls off the bone, and with some barbecue sauce, you were in hog heaven. The brisket was also excellent and well-seasoned. The meat was moist to the cut and we slivered it thin, and piled it on some fresh rolls, doused with some of those excellent sauces. At this point, we were all developing the meat sweats, but that didn't stop us from round three. Oh, and there was corn on the cob.
This was leftover day where we took all the meat from the previous two days and made a protein buffet. A little beans here, some fried green tomatoes there, and more meat, made it three for three in the gluttony category. Once again, there were more meat sweats followed by strange dreams.
I am just now recovering from the meat tremors, but feel I am ready to go. In fact, for my wife's b-day we went out to a local establishment and I took on some prime rib. So the meat tremors is something that really only lasts for about 24 hours, or until someone gives you more meat. Now, before I delve into my AFC prognostications I thought I'd share a recipe that goes really good with meat (go figure), chimichurri. This sauce is really easy to make and goes great with pork, beef and sometimes chicken. I first had it in an Argentine restaurant in Miami, and from the first taste I was hooked. I can barely eat beef without it.
It would be beneficial to use a food processor for this recipe, but you could probably get away with a blender, just be careful which setting you choose, you don't want a puree. Take 2 large garlic cloves and 3 tbs of capers and put in the processor, pulse until finely chopped. Add 2 cups of arugula leaves, 1 cup of flat-leaf parsley, 3 tbs of red wine vinegar, 2 tsp of anchovy paste (it comes in a toothpaste looking tube in the produce section) and .25 cup of extra virgin olive oil. Pulse until it forms a nice coarse sauce, you don't want it too liquidy. I do find that chimi tastes better the next day, so refrigerate it to let it thicken a tad. Take it out about 45 minutes before you are ready to eat, and it will start to loosen up at room temp.
Here are my meager, yet exceptionally accurate, view of the AFC.
I thought I posted this correctly before the season started but it never went through, call me computer savvy.
AFC EAST
1.
New England Patriots - Yes, all eyes are on the Jets, but I would take Tom Brady over Mark Sanchez any day. The Jets do have more talent, and who knows what the Patiots really have this year, but I will take the experience over the bravado.
Statement made before whipping Batman and Robin silly.
2.
New York Jets -
Rex Ryan has his team ready to play, but the big difference will be the sophomore slump of Mark Sanchez. The defense will be good, but will themselves having to deal with poor field position from the over-rated USC QB. Can you tell I'm not a big Jets fan. Get out of my damn brand new stadium and get your own, I hear there is a dome in St. Petersburg that will take you.
3.
Miami Dolphins - Will win some big games this year, but fall short towards the end of the season. Did you really think Chad Henne would take this team to the playoffs?
Had a lot of trouble with Buffalo, see below.
4.
Buffalo Bills - The best thing this team did in the off-season was get rid of Terrell Owens. They still don't have a QB and their defense is still suspect. It's been a 10 year rebuilding program in Buffalo.
AFC NORTH
1.
Baltimore Ravens - Aging, but good defense. What really sets this team apart is the talent on offense, something you haven't been able to say in many years. Keep an eye on Joe Flacco this year, he has alot more weapons to throw to.
2.
Pittsburgh Steelers - Despite Big Ben sitting out the first four games, Dennis Dixon will get a couple of wins. The defense is still all over the pitch, and once Ben hits the field, the Steelers will be just fine.
3.
Cincinnati Bengals - Many think that the dynamic duo of Terrel and Ochocinco will provide enough fire power to propel this team to a Super Bowl. I'm under the impression that anything Owens touches turns to shit.
4.
Cleveland Browns - - Brady Quinn and Derrick Anderson are gone. Who else is on this team?
AFC SOUTH
1.
Indianapolis Colts - Still the class of this division. Peyton Manning will do what he does, and the Colts bend don't break defense will stand strong once again. I apparently didn't know that the Texans were now the class of this division according to the experts. Experts be damned, we will see who's here at the end of the season.
2.
Tennessee Titans - They have a great running game, a decent QB and plenty of weapons on the edges. The only question is whether they can win some big road games and get some big plays on defense (or play the Raiders every week).
3.Houston Texans - I thought I was being nice by putting the Texans at third, but since they whipped the Colts, I have a bad feeling about this. This division may have just turned competitive, and the Texans may have finally put together a good team . . . or they might turn into the Texans.
4.
Jacksonville Jaguars - OK, so they beat Denver. That's because Tebow wasn't in there in the fourth quarter. I am such a homer.
AFC WEST
1.
San Diego Chargers - The question is not whether they will go to the playoffs, its how far they can go. It's either another disappointing loss in the first round or another one in the second. They have the personnel, but do they really have the coach?
2.
Denver Broncos - Despite their loss in week one, I think the Broncos are heading into the right direction. They like to pound the ball on the ground and Orton is actually a better QB than most people think.
3.
Kansas City Chiefs - - Better - much better than last year, but not enough to sniff the playoff picture. I've always like Matt Cassel though, I think he a gritty player. Unfortunately for the Chiefs, there is not enough of them on the offensive line.
4.
Oakland Raiders - So, they got Jason Campbell who sucked in Washington, yet they think he may turn this team around. When Al Davis retires or gets hit by a bus, I will move this team out of the cellar, it's their only hope.
PLAYOFFS (playoffs!?! playoffs!!??)
Your wild cards will be the New York Jets and the Tennessee Titans. The Chargers will beat the Colts to go to Dallas. So it will be the Chargers against the Green Bay Packers with Green Bay winning the Super Bowl.
Boy, after reading this and sucking in the first week of the football pool, I might have to join Jimmy the Greek in the ranks of retired prognosticators.
Cooking posts to follow, just have to get out of a little work rut.
September 9th
This past week has been a real blast. For the first time in many years, the family got together to celebrate my father-in-law's b-day. It was a hoot. We played some golf, we cooked some meat, we had some pool time, and we chatted. It was a mini family reunion, and I just want to say to all of you we most definitely need to do that again, life is too short.
Anyway, I mention meat, and since this is a cooking blog (of sorts), I thought I'd give you are rundown of the weekends menu. The first night, we were graced with a gigantic pork leg cooked on the grill nice and slow. Porky simmered for about 4-5 hours until the meat was ready to jump off the bone. For an added treat, the fat was skinned off for a little pork rind action. While we waited for the meat to rest, mom's world famous (in my opinion) black beans with ham hock simmered on the stove. We had a little salad as well to add some green to the meat buffet and when everything was ready, we chowed down. To accompany the pork was a bevy of sauces, each a little different than the next. Mom made a homemade barbecue sauce and ahi, while I made chimichurri (recipe to follow). There was another sauce that under the mother-in-law copyright act, I am not able to divulge, yet it is easily one of my favorite. Fresh rolls for sandwich making and we were in hog heaven. This was on Dad's b-day, and the family chipped in and bought him a smoker complete with mesquite chips and charcoal, opening the door for more meat.
Day two saw pork ribs and beef brisket slow smoked for about 6 hours. If you have never had smoked ribs, you don't know what you are missing. I also think that making it in the comfort of your own home makes it all the more satisfying. The meat just falls off the bone, and with some barbecue sauce, you were in hog heaven. The brisket was also excellent and well-seasoned. The meat was moist to the cut and we slivered it thin, and piled it on some fresh rolls, doused with some of those excellent sauces. At this point, we were all developing the meat sweats, but that didn't stop us from round three. Oh, and there was corn on the cob.
This was leftover day where we took all the meat from the previous two days and made a protein buffet. A little beans here, some fried green tomatoes there, and more meat, made it three for three in the gluttony category. Once again, there were more meat sweats followed by strange dreams.
I am just now recovering from the meat tremors, but feel I am ready to go. In fact, for my wife's b-day we went out to a local establishment and I took on some prime rib. So the meat tremors is something that really only lasts for about 24 hours, or until someone gives you more meat. Now, before I delve into my AFC prognostications I thought I'd share a recipe that goes really good with meat (go figure), chimichurri. This sauce is really easy to make and goes great with pork, beef and sometimes chicken. I first had it in an Argentine restaurant in Miami, and from the first taste I was hooked. I can barely eat beef without it.
It would be beneficial to use a food processor for this recipe, but you could probably get away with a blender, just be careful which setting you choose, you don't want a puree. Take 2 large garlic cloves and 3 tbs of capers and put in the processor, pulse until finely chopped. Add 2 cups of arugula leaves, 1 cup of flat-leaf parsley, 3 tbs of red wine vinegar, 2 tsp of anchovy paste (it comes in a toothpaste looking tube in the produce section) and .25 cup of extra virgin olive oil. Pulse until it forms a nice coarse sauce, you don't want it too liquidy. I do find that chimi tastes better the next day, so refrigerate it to let it thicken a tad. Take it out about 45 minutes before you are ready to eat, and it will start to loosen up at room temp.
Here are my meager, yet exceptionally accurate, view of the AFC.
I thought I posted this correctly before the season started but it never went through, call me computer savvy.
AFC EAST
1. New England Patriots - Yes, all eyes are on the Jets, but I would take Tom Brady over Mark Sanchez any day. The Jets do have more talent, and who knows what the Patiots really have this year, but I will take the experience over the bravado. Statement made before whipping Batman and Robin silly.
2. New York Jets -
Rex Ryan has his team ready to play, but the big difference will be the sophomore slump of Mark Sanchez. The defense will be good, but will themselves having to deal with poor field position from the over-rated USC QB. Can you tell I'm not a big Jets fan. Get out of my damn brand new stadium and get your own, I hear there is a dome in St. Petersburg that will take you.
3. Miami Dolphins - Will win some big games this year, but fall short towards the end of the season. Did you really think Chad Henne would take this team to the playoffs? Had a lot of trouble with Buffalo, see below.
4. Buffalo Bills - The best thing this team did in the off-season was get rid of Terrell Owens. They still don't have a QB and their defense is still suspect. It's been a 10 year rebuilding program in Buffalo.
AFC NORTH
1. Baltimore Ravens - Aging, but good defense. What really sets this team apart is the talent on offense, something you haven't been able to say in many years. Keep an eye on Joe Flacco this year, he has alot more weapons to throw to.
2. Pittsburgh Steelers - Despite Big Ben sitting out the first four games, Dennis Dixon will get a couple of wins. The defense is still all over the pitch, and once Ben hits the field, the Steelers will be just fine.
3. Cincinnati Bengals - Many think that the dynamic duo of Terrel and Ochocinco will provide enough fire power to propel this team to a Super Bowl. I'm under the impression that anything Owens touches turns to shit.
4. Cleveland Browns - - Brady Quinn and Derrick Anderson are gone. Who else is on this team?
AFC SOUTH
1. Indianapolis Colts - Still the class of this division. Peyton Manning will do what he does, and the Colts bend don't break defense will stand strong once again. I apparently didn't know that the Texans were now the class of this division according to the experts. Experts be damned, we will see who's here at the end of the season.
2. Tennessee Titans - They have a great running game, a decent QB and plenty of weapons on the edges. The only question is whether they can win some big road games and get some big plays on defense (or play the Raiders every week).
3.Houston Texans - I thought I was being nice by putting the Texans at third, but since they whipped the Colts, I have a bad feeling about this. This division may have just turned competitive, and the Texans may have finally put together a good team . . . or they might turn into the Texans.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars - OK, so they beat Denver. That's because Tebow wasn't in there in the fourth quarter. I am such a homer.
AFC WEST
1. San Diego Chargers - The question is not whether they will go to the playoffs, its how far they can go. It's either another disappointing loss in the first round or another one in the second. They have the personnel, but do they really have the coach?
2. Denver Broncos - Despite their loss in week one, I think the Broncos are heading into the right direction. They like to pound the ball on the ground and Orton is actually a better QB than most people think.
3. Kansas City Chiefs - - Better - much better than last year, but not enough to sniff the playoff picture. I've always like Matt Cassel though, I think he a gritty player. Unfortunately for the Chiefs, there is not enough of them on the offensive line.
4. Oakland Raiders - So, they got Jason Campbell who sucked in Washington, yet they think he may turn this team around. When Al Davis retires or gets hit by a bus, I will move this team out of the cellar, it's their only hope.
PLAYOFFS (playoffs!?! playoffs!!??)
Your wild cards will be the New York Jets and the Tennessee Titans. The Chargers will beat the Colts to go to Dallas. So it will be the Chargers against the Green Bay Packers with Green Bay winning the Super Bowl.
Boy, after reading this and sucking in the first week of the football pool, I might have to join Jimmy the Greek in the ranks of retired prognosticators.
Cooking posts to follow, just have to get out of a little work rut.
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