pasta carbonara

Mathematically turning the page

Unequivocally showing my age

I’m practically center stage

Undeniably earning your wage

Well maybe I’ll put my love on ice

And teach myself, maybe that’ll be nice, yeah

“Black Math” by The White Stripes

Bacon, bacon, bacon, I love bacon! Use a broad noodle that can really soak up all of that great sauce.

Ingredients:

3/4 pound fettucini pasta
2 eggs, kept at room temperature
4 oz. fresh parmesan, grated with microplane
8 oz bacon, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup white wine
4 oz. mushrooms, cut into 1/8 inch slices
Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine eggs and cheese, mix with a fork
2. In a medium pan, add oil, cook over medium heat
3. Add bacon and cook until dark brown and crispy
4. Add garlic, cook for 30 seconds
5. Add mushrooms and wine, cook until liquid is reduced by half
6. Meanwhile, cook pasta in lightly salted water, drain and add to egg/cheese mixture, stir
7. Mix in mushroom/bacon mixture into egg/cheese mixture
8. Season with salt and pepper

pork rinds

Yeah when you call my name

I salivate like a Pavlov dog

Yeah when you lay me out

My heart is bumpin’ louder than a big bass drum, alright

“Bitch” by The Rolling Stones

When getting a whole pork belly from a butcher, usually the skin is still on.  In order to make bacon the skin must be trimmed off.  In the past, I have just tossed the skin but this time I decided to make some pork rinds. No need for seasoning after, the brine was salty enough.

Ingredients:

Pork skin, cut into 2 inch rectangles
1 gallon water plus more
¼ cup salt
½ red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons black pepper corns
3 bay leaves

Directions:

1. In a large pot, bring all of the ingredients to a boil, reduce to simmer, cook for two hours, replenish the water about half way through back to its original level
2. Place pork skin on a wire rack and place in the refrigerator over night
3. Heat deep fryer to 375 F
4. Fry pork skin until dark golden brown about 8-10 minutes
5. Let cool on paper towel and eat

i made bacon…again

The love you are blessed with

This worlds waiting for

So let out your heart, please, please

From behind that locked door

“Behind That Locked Door” by George Harrison

I made four pounds of bacon using this recipe, now what should I do with all of it?

BLT? Sure but that’s kind of a no-brainer…I’ll be sharing a few new bacon recipes this week.

Ingredients:

Bacon
Lettuce
Tomato
Toast
Mayo

Directions:

1. Combine

spiced almonds

Sometimes I think I’m gonna lose my mine

But it don’t look like I ever do

I’ve loved so many people everywhere I went

Some too much, and others not enough

“Another Man’s Done Gone” by Billy Bragg and Wilco

Some spiced nuts to watch the end of the Masters. While it does kinda suck to scrape the caramelized sugar off the baking sheet, it is worth it.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon water
1 egg white
1 pound unsalted almonds
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 F
2. Combine water and egg white in a large bowl whisk until foamy
3. Add almonds to egg foam and stir to make sure all almonds are evenly coated, place in colander and rest for 5 minutes
4. Combine the sugar and all of the spices in a large bowl add almonds and toss until evenly coated
5. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray, spread almonds in one layer over sheet
6. Bake for 15 minutes, stir the almonds and reduce the heat to 275 F
7. Bake for 40 more minutes, stirring every 10 minutes
8. Remove from oven and break apart any clusters