Travels in the South

Yes you are right.  It is hot outside for any likes of chili.  However, we had a couple of rainy days/nights last week. So mom/dad was craving something warm for their bellies.  So off they went to one of their local restaurants that has the best chili – so they say – snorts with piggy laughter.

Let me introduce you to some Texas style chili.  I give you that it doesn’t look tantalizing.  But mom/dad says that it is the best chili that they have had in some time.  It has tender beef throughout the chili mixed with secret spices that no one will tell.  It all has jalapenos in it so expect some kick to it that stays with you for a bit.  Mom/dad both got theirs served with aged cheddar and crackers.  You gotta have crackers… or good loaf bread which they also got smothered with butter to combat the heat.

 

Travels in the South

 Welcome my friends to another week of Travels in the South. This past weekend, daddy was craving his favorite – pizza.  It doesn’t matter what kind or where, daddy loves all kinds and doesn’t discriminate – snorts.  Mom/dad went shopping this past weekend a couple of towns over from the Hotel Thompson.  After a long day of spending money and daddy lugging all the bags (like a perfect southern gentleman), both were ravished.

So mom saw this darling little pizza shop and thought she would bless daddy cause you know his hard work of (A) pulling out the credit card often this date and (B) lugging said packages everywhere.  Let me start by saying that this is *not* a meal that mom/dad would splurge in often because of their new way of eating; however, today was a special date night of sorts.

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Mom/dad started with buttered garlic knots.  Now there were more buttered garlic knots in the bowl but someone conveniently forgot to take a picture before diving head first into that wonderful dish.  Not that I’m pointing hooves mom but it’s so hard to train humans.  Those two humans of mine acted like they had never eaten before and the next thing you knew – the dish was empty except for buttery/garlic goodness on the bottom of the bowl.

And of course, mom wouldn’t give that bowl up for all of the money in the world.  She told dad they would keep it.  Why?  So they could swipe their pizza crust up all in that concoction.  Yep, it was that good.

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Now for the main star.  The pizza.  Not just any pizza.  Dad said it was probably the best pizza he has ever had – and that is saying a lot!  Look at all of that cheesy goodness.

This is called the white pizza (one of mom’s favorite pizzas to order anywhere).  It has a blend of ricotta, mozzarella, provolone, parmesan cheese and minced garlic.  Then they sprinkle MORE fresh parmesan cheese on top before bringing it to the table.

Can you see the cheese dripping everywhere?  Okay, maybe this picture of dad eating slice shows you how cheesy and wonderful this pizza was.

 

 

 

Shopping Around the World

 This month we are highlighting items that you are known for.   This is easy.  Mom is *known* for her cornbread.  Here in the south, cornbread is an important side to any meal.  And some of you friends have asked how mom does her cornbread.  So without further ado, here it goes 🙂 – take it away mom!

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The ingredients to my cornbread are very simple.  In the south, you will find several different versions of cornbread – some with sugar, some with corn, some with jalapenos – the list goes on.  You can make it anything you want in a cornbread.  We often serve cornbread with chili, soups or good old Sunday dinner.  This is a recipe that I tweaked from my family that is so simple.  Here is what you will need:

Two large eggs ($0.26); three strips of bacon ($1.00); a cup of milk ($0.40); a cup of cornmeal ($0.40); and melted butter ($0.20) = total $2.26

AND if you have one (being in the south we have several in different sizes), you need a small iron skillet.

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Turn on your over to 350 degrees to preheat.  Take the 3 strips of bacon and cut them in small pieces (sometimes we use more – depends on who you are making it for).  Put your iron skillet on the stove on medium and fry the bacon.  Once the bacon is done, remove the bacon to the side and put in your butter.  Let all of this melt together – the butter and the bacon grease.  Trust me, you will love the taste of this when the cornbread is finished.

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Now, take your milk and eggs and mix them together.  Slowly merge together the flour with salt/pepper and add the cooked crumbled up bacon.  The batter is going to be in a thick consistency – that is what you are looking for.  Now, take your batter and pour it into your HOT skillet.  You should hear a sizzle.  That is the sound you want to hear.  Once the batter is in your HOT skillet, place your skillet in the oven and set the timer for 30 minutes.

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At 30 minutes, take your skillet out and your cornbread should pop right out of your skillet into a plate.  Serve slathered in butter or crumble up in your soups/chili.  The inside will be moist and hot.  And while you are eating, you will enjoy the buttery bacon taste.  Please try one and let me know what you think.

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Here in the south, we even take a cold glass of buttermilk and crumble our cornbread in it for a meal.

 

Popcorn Lover’s Day

Journalist Rocky the Squirrel here –

“Keeping my paws on the nuts of the world!”

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Happy Popcorn Lover’s Day!  Today is a great day – many of us love popcorn.  Today is the day to pop yourself some – maybe even share it with a friend.  When eaten just plain (like Bacon likes it), it can be good for you.  It’s all the extras that the humans like to add to it like buttery, salt, maybe some pepper flakes, cheddar cheese, or barbeque flakes.  Do you add anything to your corn?

.How do your humans make popcorn?  In the microwave, over the oven the old fashioned way or do they have a ‘popcorn maker’?  However they make it, tell them to make extra to share with you.  I know Bacon will have his share today.

And do you know the origin of Popcorn Lover’s Day?  This day was created on January 6, 2012 by Bob Matthews of Rochester, New York.  It was he and his wife’s favorite snack and they have it on most Thursdays.  Thus, Popcorn Lover’s Day is celebrated always on the second Thursday of March.

 

Shopping Around the World

Thanks to everyone for participating in this month’s edition of Shopping Around the World.  It’s so awesome to see the various prices around the world – and the pictures with recipes!

Me and my pal Fozzie are hosting this month highlighting items of Thanksgiving.  Appetizers, main courses, side dishes or desserts.

Most people will look at moms side dish and go no way in heck am I eating those. Dad was like that too. BUT I have to say don’t knock it until you try it. Now this is one of the side dishes that we all look forward to on Thanksgiving – or any time during the year for that matter. 

So let me present moms creation of fabulous Brussel sprouts. That’s right – yummy, buttery Brussel sprouts topped with fried pancetta. I got your attention now?  First up – excuse all piggies from the room which means it’s now time for mom to finish this posting. Take it away mom. 

Okay friends. This is a no place for my boy Bacon to be with this recipe. You will need the following for this recipe:

• Basket of delicious Brussel sprouts 
• Butter and/or olive oil
• Salt/pepper to taste
• Pancetta

Pancetta is an Italian style bacon that is salt cured and seasoned. You can usually get it from your butcher. I always keep some in our freezer here at the Hotel Thompson. Cube up about a 1/3 of a pound and put in a skillet on the stove medium heat. You are looking for a crispy consistency. 

While that is working, clean and cut your Brussel sprouts in half. Once pancetta is done, remove from skillet and put on a napkin to drain the grease. Leave the bacon grease in the skillet and add either a spoonful of butter or drizzle of olive oil. Add your Brussel sprouts, stir into your bacon drippings and season with salt and pepper. Note: go light on the salt because the pancetta is already salty. 

Once they have become softened, remove to a bowl and top with your crispy pancetta. Enjoy and then tell me if you like Brussel sprouts or not. 

 

 

Shopping Around the World

My friend Fozzie and I have scheduled a group posting today of Shopping Around the World.   We thought it would be interesting to see the differences between different countries all over.Here are our prices for the following from our area – Georgia USA.

 Items to price this month:

• Milk.  Mom usually buys 1/2 gallon store brand which lately has been on sale for $1.00
• Tomatoes.  Mom loves Roma tomatoes.  They are small but meaty.  She bought some for the dinner at $1.29 a pound – that was about 4 tomatoes.
• Canned Product.  Black beans.  How could you possibly go wrong with black beans – especially when you can buy store brand for a $1.00 a can.  Mom bought two cans for the meal.
• Homemade Dish.  Jalapeno Cornbread with Black Beans 🙂 yum – see below
• Random Item of your choice.  Jalapeno.  Mom bought one very large one and it only cost $0.69 the day she was at the market.

 Okay my friends.  Mommy went easy – really easy on this month’s Shopping Around the World – go mom!  She was able to combine all of her prices and items into the Homemade Dish – which is one of our favorites here at the Hotel Thompson.

Jalapeno Cornbread made with with a diced up Jalapeno (according to taste how much you throw in), cup of milk, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons of melted butter, 1 cup of cornmeal and shredded cheddar cheese.  We have a small iron skillet that will serve four slices of cornbread.  Mix ingredients, except for shredded cheddar cheese, and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  When done turn over skillet onto a plate and top with shredded cheddar cheese.

Black Beans with tomatoes, diced Jalapeno’s and diced red onions. So easy here – snorts.  Open store bought black beans and heat over the stove on medium heat.  Add a little chicken broth (or whatever broth you have on hand), diced Jalapenos (to taste for heat) and diced tomatoes.  When bubbles, turn down to low and stir.

When bread is ready, spoon black beans into bowl and top with more diced tomatoes.  Mom even added some cilantro into the mix this date.  A meal made for a king and queen.  Filling and hot for a cold rainy night that we seem to be having a LOT of lately.  Happy eats my friends.

Oh… and this entire meal when you break it down ends up to be around less than $6.00 for two people.

I hope you had fun my friends with this month’s edition of Shopping Around the World.  Hope to see you shopping soon!

 

Spring Harvest – Oh Dear Piggy Heavens!

Friends – friends – friends.  I’m shaking my piggy head.  It was quite the weekend here at the Hotel Thompson.  OMPH (oh my piggy heavens)!  My mom – sometimes there is just no help for her.  Really.  I’m not exaggerating.  Really I’m not.  You see she is feeling so much better.  Her cough is almost completely gone as well as the bruises she got in the emergency room from her IV’s a couple of weeks ago.  She has energy and strength.  I’m telling you all of this to set you up for what happened.  Wait for it – you won’t regret it I assure you.

You see mom also signs up for this business that send her different products to try out.  It’s all free of charge.  She tries the products out, writes up some reviews on if she liked/didn’t like it, etc.  Well she got one in the mail a couple of weeks ago for a waxing product.  Now guys and fellow anipals, waxing products are to remove hair.  Spring is coming up and mom says it was time for the Spring Harvest.  You see where I’m going with this now?  Snorts and rolls with piggy laughter.

On Saturday’s mom and dad go out for their hot date – oohhh.  So mom decided that Saturday morning she was going into the bathroom with her product, the instructions and a glass of wine.  Something about doing her legs.  I’m looking down at my legs and I think personally they look wonderful with hair.  Don’t you agree as well?  These humans are weird.  Okay I admit these hairy legs aren’t my mom but hers are not that bad.  Probably about the same.  She says it’s something about being winter and wearing long pants that no one sees.  Shakes head – I don’t understand that.

So we all hung out in the living room watching television.  Then we heard some bumps.  Then we heard some grunts.  Then we heard, “You got to be kidding”.  Then we heard the door open and she called for daddy.  Then daddy went to the bathroom, went to the kitchen and returned with more wine.  Then we heard four lettered cuss words.  Then we heard a loud bang.  You see I’m telling you all of this from OUR point of view.  After a while, mom came out stomping and cussing – bottle of wine in hand (I’m not sure what happened to the glass) and disappeared into her room to do her ‘write-up’ she called it.  I snuck in her bedroom later when her and dad went out and copied this off of her computer.  Oh dear piggy heavens – I’ll take my hairy legs any day!

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Dear XYZ Company,

In a word, NO.  NO I don’t recommend your product.  NO I would never, absolutely never use it again. I can not recommend it.  I will not recommend it. Why do you ask?  Because I know you want details, so here you go.

I’ve been sick lately and I’ll give you that the instructions said to make sure the hair was grown out enough to see.  Check I have that down pact.  People get waxing professionally done all of the time – I’m a big girl.  I can do this!    I took a glass of wine into the bathroom, got as comfortable as humanly possible on the porcelain throne and read further.  It stated to take the stick swish it through the gel in the bottle and to slowly spread in an even pattern small enough where you could then apply the wipe.  Seemed safe enough.

Sip of wine for encouragement.  Stirred the product with the stick.  Then proceeded to spread the product on my leg in a place in the front lower portion.  Something I could ‘try’ out at first.  It spread smoothly – like butter.  I thought so far so good, I’ll go ahead and do a small part on the other leg.  Then I took a ‘wipe’ smoothed in on top of first leg and slowly stroked back and forth until even.  Once done, I did the other leg in the same way.

I felt pretty proud of myself.  I took another sip of the wine.  I then read further in the instructions.  “Hold down one corner and in a quick fashion, pull towards you.”  Uumm… WTF?  Basically your telling me to rip off the bandaid.  This may be a problem.  I didn’t think about the pain level.

I took another sip of the wine and finished the glass.  So there I was stuck on the throne with two evil ‘wipes’ on both legs tossing around the possibilities of what to do.  You know those white wipes really wouldn’t be noticed if I left them there.  I almost look as white as them.  Then I thought about fungus growing up under them with the ‘product’.  I decided to call in for back up.

Once the hub unit brought me the entire bottle of wine, I forwent the glass and just chugged out of the bottle.  It’s now or never I thought.  I picked up the corner of leg A, held down the bottom part of my leg and just ripped.  That’s right I said ripped.  Ripped because that’s what if felt like I was doing – ripping my entire leg’s first layer of epidermis away.  Holy hell!  Are you guys kidding me?  Hobbling on one leg, bouncing around and praying to the Gods above to just come and take me right there.  I took another swig of wine and that’s when I lost my balance falling into the bathtub hitting my head.

I didn’t even care!  Mr. Grim Reaper could come for me now because I was so close to death.  In fact, then again he might not want to mess with me because I’m in so much pain.  I looked down at my other leg.  Oh dear God, what have I done?  I actually cried at the pain which was worse than pulling fingernails off of my hand.

There was only one choice to make.  Rip the other one off, get over the pain, get MORE wine and never, absolutely NEVER EVER use waxing products again.  Do you understand what I’m saying?  If you EVER send me another waxing product, you will know first hand what it’s like because I will do your leg whether you are man or woman.  Capice?

 

Canned Bread Anyone?

A while back Nana gave mommy a can of this B&M Brown Bread with raisins.  It’s something that Nana’s mom used to fix when she prepared beanie weenies.  Mom and dad had never had it.  It sat in the pantry cabinet whispering to mom to try it every night when she prepared dinner.  It was like a stalker, “Try me tonight.”  “I’m good”.  “Really I am”.

Finally this past weekend, mom got the nerve.  She had dinner in the oven (of course beanie weenies) and it needed a bread of some sort to go with it.  She opened the pantry cabinet and this can of bread literally jumped out into mom’s arms in a final fleet of escape.  Mom thought what the heck.

She put her iron skillet on the stove and started melting some butter.  Then she looked at the can, kind of scared at first on how to go about opening it.  She opened one end of the can and knocked it several times on the cutting board hoping the bread would fall through.  It didn’t.  Okay.  You wanna fight can?  She then opened the other end of the can and pushed the bread through.  Can – zero and mom – one.

The bread.  Well let’s just say that it looked unappealing.  With a thud it dropped out onto the counter looking miserable.

That’s when the butter that was melting came into play in the iron skillet.  Mom cut the lump of bread into slices, coated them with the butter in the skillet and warmed them up.  She had doubts.  Trust me – we ALL had doubts about this so called bread in a can.  While it was warming, mom finished up her beanie weenies.  She then plated the bread and sat it on the table.

Mom and dad sat down and stared at their plates for a while.  Mom was like, “You try it first.”  And dad was like, “No, you try it first.”  Humans – they are so weird.  Then they both looked at me and said, “Let’s get Bacon to try it.  He likes everything.”  Why does that sound faintly familiar?  Snorts

I tried it.  I liked it.  But was I really the one to test this out?  I think not.  So dad got brave.  He picked up a piece and bit it.  Mom waited for a few minutes to see if he got sick or repulsed.  And guess what.  He didn’t.  He liked it.  He really liked it.  So mom tried some.  And guess what?  She liked it too.  It really wasn’t bad.  It’s a little dense but it went great with the beanie weenies.  Would they try it again.  Yep… and so would I.

Have you ever tried this kind of bread in a can?  I highly recommend you at least trying it once. You know broaden your food horizons like my mom and dad.  They were scared at first but welcomed the challenge.  You?

 

Shopping Around the World

My friend Fozzie and I have scheduled a group posting today of Shopping Around the World.   We thought it would be interesting to see the differences between different countries all over.Here are our prices for the following from our area – Georgia USA:

 

• Price of cable services for one month – what do you get for that price?  Right now we pay right around $40.00 a month for cable services.  This includes channels such as local, SyFy, Food Network, multiple Cartoon channels – yay me! – Investigative Discovery, Encore movie channels.  In all, I think there is 250 channels.  And we have On Demand where we can go back and watch shows.  I ❤ this!  
• A 12 ounce box (360 grams) of Cornflakes.  $3.29 – why are cereal prices so high? 
• A 15 ounce package (432 grams) of Oreos or other cream filled cookies.  $3.99 but sometimes we can get them on sale for 2 packages for $5.00
• A 7 ounce bag (225 grams) of Lay’s potato chips.  Lay’s are expensive 😦  And trust me, I do ❤ me some Lays. 7 ounce bags run around $2.00 or more a bag.  
• 1 pound of real butter.  $4.00 :0  
• A 6 ounce can of peanuts.  Mom buys the Kroger brand for $2.19 a can

Thanks so much to my friends Reilly and Denny for suggesting these items this month.

If you have some items that you want to get on the list, email me at baconthompson@gmail.com

Hope you had fun!!

 

 

Shopping Around the World – Don’t Forget :)

Me and my pal Fozzie started Shopping Around the World in April.  We asked for all of you to post prices on certain items in your part of town. We are going to do it again this month tomorrow on Wednesday, June 25, 2014.

Do a posting on your blog linked back to mine.  That way we can keep track of all of the different prices.

It should be interesting to see the differences between different countries all over.  Mark your calendar so you can do a posting with us.

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These are the suggestions of our friends Reilly and Denny. – thanks guys! Show your prices for the following:

• Price of cable services for one month – what do you get for that price?
• A 12 ounce box (360 grams) of Cornflakes
• A 15 ounce package (432 grams) of Oreos or other cream filled cookies.
• A 7 ounce bag (225 grams) of Lay’s potato chips.
• 1 pound of real butter.
• A 6 ounce can of peanuts.

Come join the fun of Shopping Around the World – mark your calendars for tomorrow –

Wednesday, June 25, 2014!

If you have suggestions for the July issue, please send them to me at baconthompson@gmail.com