You're servicing all of the ladies in the book club and Joann brought you candies on their behalf? So Marin!

The Ladies provided the Chocolates/Candies. Joanne bought them back. A Gentleman Never Tells.

Tried a couple of new dishes tonight.  Didn't turn out perfect but were still pretty good. 

 

Pork Chops with Apple Cider Glaze

 

and 

 

Lemony Braised Lacinato Kale

several hours old dehydrated sandwiches leftover from catering -- because free

Okay Mr Chimichanga --- Let's Get it on!

 

Lots of food on vacation.  

 

Best duck confit ever!

 

Foie gras au torchon,

 

Escargot

 

Steak tartar

 

All the animals.

 

More: http://imgur.com/a/exRHj

Edited August 31, 201312 yr by cetoole

Looks like your sunglasses enjoyed some good food, Colin.

grilled tritip red curry over saffron rice

Pulled pork with a Bourbon-Mango-chipotle sauce.

Took Debbie out for a belated birthday dinner. Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba in Chicago for tapas and paella. Started with a Pintxos platter - chorizo wrapped date & cheese, bacon wrapped shrimp, goat cheese croqueta with lemon gastrique, short rib stuffed paquillo pepper, deviled egg with mustard and bacon and a roasted beet crostini with herbed goat cheese and hazelnuts.

 

Then on to the regular small plates. Rioja-braised short rib, manchego mashed potatoes and squash. That was followed by seared octopus with padron peppers. Next was shrimp with garlic, olive oil and red pepper flakes. Last was spicy potatoes with a tomato alioli.

 

Then came a seafood paella - shrimp, bay scallops, monkfish and green beans.

 

Helping to wash this down was both a peach and raspberry sangria.

 

All of the small plates were delicious, but the paella was bland with mushy rice. Debbie and I agreed that the last paella we made at home was better. So there some good and some blah. Regardless, we had a good time.

Didn't get any good shots before eating but this is the last of the ground sirloin/ground pork/bacon burgers.

They were tasty.

Happy belated birthday, Debby!

Ba Ba Reeba is nice, but not as good as Cafe Iberico, IMHO.

Didn't get any good shots before eating but this is the last of the ground sirloin/ground pork/bacon burgers. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1378000967.267756.jpgThey were tasty.

Awesome. I'm planning to make some for Labor Day.

I liked it a lot. I have done beef/pork/lamb before but I liked this better.

I liked it a lot. I have done beef/pork/lamb before but I liked this better.

Well, duh!

Or you could try this: http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2009/10/the-burger-lab-bacon-attack-pork-butt-bacon-burger.html

^Rendered bacon fat mayonnaise. intriguing. Can we expect you to try this (SV'd or not), for science, Colin?

Al, did you grind the meat yourself? I'm thinking of grinding sirloin, chuck and bacon together but I don't have a meat grinder. So I was thinking of trying it in the food processor. Has anyone else tried this? I guess the key is to pulse and have the meat partially frozen beforehand. I wonder if I should partially cook the bacon before grinding.

Edited September 1, 201312 yr by shellylh

I can't even imagine grinding beef in a food processor.  I have a Kitchenmaid stand blender with grinder attachment.  Works perfectly.

Seems to be pretty common - not quite as easy as a traditional meat grinder though.  

 

I have no real use for a KitchenAid mixer (besides grinding meat) and don't really have the room for it in my house.  I am thinking of getting a Weston or LEM electric mixer which seem to be cheaper (if one doesn't get the professional versions) and *smaller* than a mixer + grinder attachment.   Perhaps I should wait and ask for it for Christmas since I can never think of anything I want then.  

Edited September 1, 201312 yr by shellylh

Freeze and pulse is how I have heard it for grinding meat in a food processor, but I have never tried it.  

I bought ground meat cut up uncooked bacon and combined them by hand. A kitchen aid would have been handy.

As in minion, or ^TM ? . Bacon wrapped eggs here. Gone.

You could always go this route Shelly - think of it as exercise. We have my mom's old hand cranked meat grinder.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002L84GJU/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1378066268&sr=8-2&pi=SL75

You could always go this route Shelly - think of it as exercise. We have my mom's old hand cranked meat grinder.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002L84GJU/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1378066268&sr=8-2&pi=SL75

 

I thought about this but don't know if it is such a great idea with my shoulder troubles.  

 

I'll try the food processor for now.  Actually, I may end up wimping out and getting ground chuck and sirloin from the store this time and mixing in some bacon since we'll be feeding 12 people.