Fat and Poor vs. Rich and Fit

Read an interesting article comparing weight management with money management. I like the way the author present two top 10 lists that are very similar. I thought about how it could be applied to time management, project management, management management, and possibly career management.

Breakfast M@ Style

This is my idea of a good breakfast.

1. Cook the bacon
2. Start the the toast
3. Cook 2 eggs over medium (only let them sit for like 5 seconds after flipping) in the pan with a bunch bacon grease still in it.

Not terribly healthy, but I only eat it once every couple weeks and it’s awesome. The toast in this picture was particularly good. I started with a loaf of french bread from the store and toasted it twice.  Take one bite and it’s now perfect for breaking the yolks.

Bacon, Arugula, and Shrimp Salad

• 5 Slices Bacon
• 1.5 pnds peeled/devined shrimp
• 5 cups arugula leaves (about 2.5oz)
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons plain low-fat yogurt
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 0.25 teaspoons black pepper

1. Cook Bacon, then crumble into bacon bits – keep 1 teaspoon of drippings in pan.
2. Cook shrimps in bacon drippings. Saute 5min or until done
3. Spoon shrimp in HUGE bowl with slotted spoon (get rid of liquid)
4. Add arugula and tomatoes to shrimp – toss.
5. Combine yogurt, vinegar, oil and pepper in small bowl, stir well with whisk.
6. Drizzle vinegar mix over shrimp mix – toss again
7. Split onto 4 plates, garnish with bacon crumbs.

Credit to Cooking Light August 2007

Chop Rolls

• 5 slices cooked bacon (thick cut)
• 3 Hard Boiled eggs
• 1 oz mozzarella cheese
• 1 oz Edible pod peas
• 1 package crescent rolls

Chop up everything but the crescent rolls, and then roll it up in the crescent roll and cook it for 15min at 450deg.

I’ve seen a lot of crescent roll recipes – and this is yet another – some good stuff wrapped in the awesome crescent roll dough. MMMmmm…

Took a picture – will try to append this post.

Pancakes

• 1 or 2 slightly beaten eggs
• 3 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 to 1.25 cups milk
• 1.5 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1.75 teaspoons baking powder

Mix liquids together and the mix quickly into drys.  I reordered things to show the egg first, so you have a chance to drop it into the “liquid” bowl and beat it before the other ingredients.

Serve with Maple Syrup, to children in the morning BEFORE they get dressed in clothes you don’t want sticky.

Chili

Joy of Cooking’s chili con carne – verbatim

• 2 to 3 tablespoons bacon drippings or butter
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 to 2 pounds ground beef or lamb
• 1 1/4 cups canned tomatoes
• 3 to 4 cups canned kidney beans
• 3/4 teaspoon or more salt
• 1/2 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 cup dry red wine (optional)
• 2 teaspoons to 2 tablespoons chili powder (according to taste and strength of chili powder)

1. Melt the drippings or butter and, once heated, saute the onion and garlic before adding the ground meat. Stir and saute the meat until well done.
   
2. Add the tomatoes, kidney beans, salt, bay leaf, sugar, wine and chili powder. Cover and simmer about 1 hour or longer.
   

The longer it cooks, the thicker it becomes and the better it tastes. Or make it a day ahead and reheat. Serve with tortillas or crackers or serve over cooked spaghetti garnished with chopped onions or shredded cheese. Serves eight to 12.

What the World Eats

A very kewl story I’ve seen referenced a couple places: What the World Eats.  Notice how much beer & wine the German Family has, as opposed to almost no alcohol present in any of the other pictures.

I’m kinda using this post as a first entry into my “Food” category.  I wanna start getting recipes we make into the blogs so I have a good place to go look for them all when I dunno what to have for dinner.

Banana Peels

On the drive home today a car in front of me threw a banana peel out the window. Are banana peels garbage? Of course they are. Is it “ok” to throw them out your car window? I don’t think so. It’s illegal I’m sure.

Got me thinking about how long it takes a banana peel to biodegrade. Turns out the internet has the answer, I did a Google search for “banana peel decomposition” and got the typical millions of links – but when I switched my search to Wikipedia, I found the answer in the article about biodegradation. Turns out the banana peel is top of the list. 10 days it says – so maybe throwing it our the car window isn’t so bad. Diapers take 500yrs – meaning my great-great-great-great grandchildren could still recognize the diapers I threw away this weekend.

No more McDonalds Hamburgers

Read the book Fast Food Nation about a year ago, and since then haven’t touched McDonald’s ground beef. Until Sunday that is – we we’re working on the house all morning and I could feel my blood sugar dropping and knew if I didn’t eat soon I’d start getting very edgy.

At the drive through I asked for a sausage McMuffin and was told “We’re on Lunch Now” and the McDonald’s marketing machine forced me to choose the Quarter Pounder with Cheese. One bite and I realized the center was pink and cold. I should mention that the grease was extreme, dripping all over my hand – and they failed to provide the usual napkin.

I turned the car around and took it back. The manager told one of the lackey’s to “Get the Grill fixed” and he went back and reported that “It’s been fixed.” I got my money back, and asked for (and received) a couple crappy Happy Meal toys for the kids in addition. I felt disgusting the rest of the morning, and could smell the McGrease on my fingers.

So in all fairness – I gave McD’s another chance and the blew it – McRoyally.

Frozen Wings

Just had a batch of the best frozen pre-cooked chicken wings I’ve ever had. Willow Brook Buffalo Style Hot Wings – 2 greasy thumbs up from this connoisseur of wings.