25 Random Thoughts

There is a "thing" going around FACEBOOK. Someone posts 25 random thoughts, they "tag" you and then its your turn. After being "tagged" a few times I decided to do one of my own. Here goes....
1.I am totally in love with my husband, even after 20 years of marriage and 27+ years of being a couple.
2.I am still not sure how come A.J. is so tall.
3.Erin impresses me with her humility, I wish I was like her as a teenager.
4.I don’t like cats (they scratch), dogs (they bite) or birds (they claw your eyes out)
5.I wish I had more patience.
6.At restaurants I prefer to order a few appetizers as opposed to an entrée.
7.I want to write and publish a cookbook.
8.I am happy on the day I have paid all the monthly bills.
9.I am not that versed in politics and don’t really wish to be.
10.I think I am a very easy going person.
11.I enjoy scrapbooking but don’t think I am that artistic
12.Even after all these years I still don’t get all the finer points of “offsides” at a soccer game.
13.I don’t like my middle name (sorry Mom and Dad).
14.Diet Coke is best at a “fountain” with pellet ice.
15.I enjoy meeting and talking to new people BUT I don’t like speaking in front of a large group of people, even if I know them all.
16.I enjoy taking long walks alone. I do lots of thinking.
17.A glass of milk looks so good but, to me, tastes so bad.
18.I think I like camping, in the motorhome, a little more than I let on.
19.I love pizza, sushi and perfectly ripe bananas just not all at the same time.
20.I want to take a trip to Paris someday.
21.I like the fact that A.J. and I have the same laugh.
22.My job is boring but I don’t really mind because I have great working hours.
23.I wish I was better a shopping with coupons.
24.In case you didn’t know, I don’t shop at Wal-Mart if I can help it.
25.I am my own “people”—I do my own taxes.

If you are reading this and NOT on Facebook--consider yourself TAGGED.

An idea for Superbowl Sunday

I know its been way too long since I have blogged and I apologize. I am always thinking about what I want to blog but I never seem to get my thoughts to the computer. Sorry about that. Today I came across a recipe that I just have to share. It is a dream come true to my husband, I am sure. The origin and backstory of the dish was reported recently in the New York Times but I will not bore you with that. I will just give you the yummy details....

BACON EXPLOSION

Adapted from Jason Day and Aaron Chronister

Time: About 3 hours
2 pounds thick-cut sliced bacon
1 1/2 pounds Italian sausage, casings removed
3 tablespoons barbecue rub
3/4 cup barbecue sauce.
1. Using 10 slices of bacon, weave a square lattice like that on top of a pie: first, place 5 bacon slices side by side on a large sheet of aluminum foil, parallel to one another, sides touching. Place another strip of bacon on one end, perpendicular to the other strips. Fold first, third and fifth bacon strips back over this new strip, then place another strip next to it, parallel to it. Unfold first, third and fifth strips; fold back second and fourth strips. Repeat with remaining bacon until all 10 strips are tightly woven.
2. Preheat oven to 225 degrees or light a fire in an outdoor smoker. Place remaining bacon in a frying pan and cook until crisp. As it cooks, sprinkle bacon weave with 1 tablespoon barbecue rub. Evenly spread sausage on top of bacon lattice, pressing to outer edges.
3. Crumble fried bacon into bite-size pieces. Sprinkle on top of sausage. Drizzle with 1/2 cup barbecue sauce and sprinkle with another tablespoon barbecue rub.
4. Very carefully separate front edge of sausage layer from bacon weave and begin rolling sausage away from you. Bacon weave should stay where it was, flat. Press sausage roll to remove any air pockets and pinch together seams and ends.
5. Roll sausage toward you, this time with bacon weave, until it is completely wrapped. Turn it so seam faces down. Roll should be about 2 to 3 inches thick. Sprinkle with remaining barbecue rub.
6. Place roll on a baking sheet in oven or in smoker. Cook until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees on a meat thermometer, about 1 hour for each inch of thickness. When done, glaze roll with more sauce. To serve, slice into 1/4-
to- 1/2-inch rounds.
Yield: 10 or more servings.

Pictures from the BOWL and New Years...

Well Air Force didnt win but we still had fun. We stayed in Plano with my cousin Wendy and her husband Chris and their kids Shane and Courtney. We were joined in Fort Worth by the Mellady Family (Jim, Jill, Stephanie and Brendan) Here are a few pictures from the trip....