The Countdown Begins...

...37 days until blowing out of the city that I called 'home' for more than half of my life. Man, I'm gonna miss this place.

But before departing, there are a few things I want to do...and to no surprise, most are food-related:

1) Catch one last ballgame at Safeco Field. Along with AT&T in San Francisco, the most picturesque & fan-friendly ballpark. I'll be rooting for my beloved Mariners from halfway across the Pacific, but it won't be the same.








2) Fish & chips at Ivar's Salmon House. Mmm...need I say more? Not necessarily the best in town, but there's something nostalgic about 'em. I'll always remember to face the tartar sauce cup away from me when opening...otherwise, it'll look like you took a spooge load on your shirt!





3) Extra-pepperoni pie from Pizzeria Pagliacci. Another one of those local comfort foods, I practically lived off of 'em in college. Absolutely adore the thin-crusted NY-style pizza paired with their excellent artichoke pesto pasta salad. Hmm...may order one this weekend and get it out of the way!









4) A Deluxe w/ fries & a vanilla shake from Dick's Drive-In. Not wholly necessary since I'll be visiting Mountain View & In-N-Out on my way to the Islands, but it'd be nice to slug down one of these double-pattied burgers for old time's sake. Super-cheap & delicious...but you gotta eat 'em just as soon as you get 'em or everything'll go soggy.






Well, there's my not-so-ambitious to-do list...c'mon, I'm not climbing Mt. Rainier or any kind of bullsh*t like that! Wish I had the time & ambition to visit Vancouver, BC, but my passport expired...c'est la vie.

Ciao4Now.

'Semi-Homemade w/ Boyhowdy' - Episode #6

Remember that ham bone from my 'Semi-Homemade Holiday Special'? Well, it's time to pull it out of the freezer and put that carcass to use!

Today, we're making a pretty simple variation on minestrone in the crock pot. Other than the ham core, here's whatcha need:
1 medium potato, cubed
1 carrot, sliced
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 15-oz. can garbanzo beans
3 cubes chicken boullion (makes 6 cups of stock)
Salt & pepper to taste

Okay, in a saucepan prepare chicken stock. When done, dump it the crock pot with everything else...simple, no?

Just let it go for as long as possible, or at least until the potatoes are completely cooked through. By this time, any meat on the bone literally falls off or is easily disengaged with a fork. If desired, you can skim some of the fat off the top.

Soup's on! Yields a hearty amount, especially for one, so you can partition in containers and freeze for later consumption.

Ciao4Now.

'Semi-Homemade w/ Boyhowdy' - Episode #5

Is it possible to take a cheap cut of meat & roast it into something wonderfully palatable? That was the task at-hand in Boyhowdy's test kitchen.

Many will tell you that all a bottom round cut's good for is pot roast. In my attempt to disprove this popular belief, I began w/ my little-over-2 lb. chunk and marinated it overnight w/ a premium herb rub (Tulocay's for Beef), sea salt, & pepper. Now, there a few important steps in the cooking process that make all the difference in the world: First, brown all sides of the roast in a hot frying pan. It'll be a bit clumsy, but the searing seals in the juices from the start.
Preheat the oven at 200 (yes, only 200!) degrees. The slow-roasting method allows the meat to cook through evenly, resulting in a consistent color & texture from the crust to the center. Yup, it'll take twice as long than the conventional method (little over 2 hours for this roast), but it's totally worth it. The key is to watch the core temperature...when it gets to about 125 degrees, crank the oven up to 500 (!), and let it go for about 15 to 20 minutes. This burst of heat will create a nice crust, & also raise the core temperature to around 140 degrees.
After removing from oven, let the roast sit for another 20 minutes...the resting period redistributes the juices within. Always carve against the grain!
And they said it couldn't be done! Great with mashed potatoes & lotsa gravy, or as a French Dip. Yeah, it's very time-consuming, but you'll swell with pride should it turn out perfectly!
Ciao4Now.