As you can see by all the people working on stage furiously at lap tops, accounting ledgers and the pyramid of used coffee cups  it’s once again Lethal’s busy time of year for his other job. He’s removed his yellow tinted glasses and is rubbing his tired eyes as he spots you arriving. As he heads for the podium he swaps them for his usual ones.

“Top o’ the Morn’ ta ya all! Actually that something you never hear us say in Ireland but hey what to you guys know about it?

SO…moving right along- I’ve noticed something interesting that is going to require further experimentation on my part. Last week you might remember my remarking on the prophetic timeliness of my winter scene banner. I put up a winter banner and Impish gets a significant winter event as his weather guessers called it which is weather speak for a little bit of everything.

Well yesterday after I had already made this banner with the lightly dusted pine no sooner had I set it in place in the issue then Impish mentions to me he’s expecting 4 inches of snow for Wednesday!

So this got me wondering.  Could I some how be influencing his weather? Were my opening banner accurately forecasting his Wednesday weather? If so, what should I do about it? What should I do with this interesting development? Can I turn a buck from it?

As soon as I get a grip on todays crop of panicked clients I’m going to sneak off for a wee research on the subject (read that find a picture for next week from Snowmageddon or Snowpocalypse to use for an opening banner)

Mean time…

Things we have to have..we don’t care if they make sense

Adult Sippy Cup –
Do you spend your hangover days in bed sipping on Pedialyte, OJ, or coffee? You should think about investing in this adult sippy cup from Hundred Million. It’s a two-handled, spill proof sippy cup that holds a liter of liquid. If you’re feeling fragile, and typically a mess when hungover, then this is perfect for you.

I know Molly has put an order in for one of those wine glasses!

Oh somebody is gonna get it for sure now!

May da farce be witchu Yogurt!!

Impish recently mentioned to me how much of a help the dragonette has been as he does DIY projects about his new house. After seeing this, I now understand what he meant.

Common mistakes to avoid when making bacon, the world’s most perfect food

Bacon is amazing. You know that. We know that. But just because it’s already the world’s most perfect food doesn’t mean it’s invincible. There are some people out there committing truly heinous crimes against bacon. Don’t be one of them. Avoid these common mistakes.

1. Using the Wrong Pan
“Save the nonstick pan for your scrambled eggs,” says Brad Leone,BA’s test kitchen manager. The high fat quantity of bacon makes whatever pan you use essentially nonstick. Aluminum pans are very thin and get ripping hot very quickly, making burnt bacon way too often. The test kitchen staff likes well-seasoned cast-iron for cooking bacon. Not only does it conduct heat evenly (meaning no burnt spots), the bacon grease helps season the pan for future use. It’s a win-win. That said! If you don’t have cast-iron, just be sure to set the flame to low-medium low, and move the pan around periodically to account for “hot spots.”
2. Starting with a Hot Pan
Add bacon to a hot pan, says senior associate food editor Claire Saffitz, and it will immediately seize up, sealing in all of that congealed, unrendered fat. Instead, lay the bacon flat in a cold pan and place it over a burner set to medium or medium-low. As the bacon heats up along with the pan, the fat will slowly liquefy, making for bacon that’s perfectly crisp.

3. Undercooking It
Okay, we’ll admit: In the battle of the bacon, we tend to err on the side of “verging on overdone.” But we’d choose crispy, deeply-browned bacon over floppy, soggy strips any day. The most common culprit of undercooking? Starting the pan too hot and fast (see: tip no. 2). It makes for a burnt exterior before the fat and rest of the meat has time to cook thoroughly.
4. Not Straining the Grease
We don’t have to tell you to save your rendered fat. (Wait—do we?) But you might be skipping an important step: Leone strains the liquid fat through a fine mesh sieve before jarring it and storing it in the fridge (it will congeal, but re-melts when heated). The strainer catches any burnt or crispy bits that can add a bitter flavor to roasted vegetables or cookies (yes, we said cookies). Discard those bits.

5. Not Accounting for the Saltiness
If you’re cooking with bacon, say, in a meatloaf or baked beans, remember this important fact: Bacon is inherently salty! Although that doesn’t mean you should skip the kosher salt and Maldon completely, keep in mind that you’re starting with an aggressively seasoned element. Taste as you go, and adjust accordingly—you may wind up using a lot less than you’d think.
6. Microwaving It
Just…no. Please don’t. If you don’t have enough room on the stove top, listen to Leone: Cook the bacon in a moderately hot oven (around 400˚). Just drape it on a rack set over a sheet pan to catch the grease. It may take a little longer, but you won’t get that weird, rubbery texture that only a microwave can impart.

Shredded Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches with Blue Cheese Aioli

Total Time: 6 hr 15 min
Prep: 15 min
Inactive Prep: 0
Cook: 6 hr
Level: Easy
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup hot sauce (or your favorite wing sauce or a 50/50 mix)
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• One 14-ounce can tomato sauce

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 6 hamburger buns, split and toasted
• Celery leaves, for serving
• Blue Cheese Aioli, for serving, recipe follows

Directions

Add the hot sauce, Worcestershire, molasses, garlic, onions and tomato sauce to a slow cooker and stir to mix the ingredients together.

Sprinkle the chicken breasts liberally with salt and pepper and add to the slow cooker, coating evenly with the sauce. Cover and cook on low until the chicken is tender, 4 to 6 hours.

Transfer the cooked chicken to a large bowl and shred using 2 forks. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and toss to coat with the sauce.

Place 4 to 6 celery leaves on each bottom bun and pile 1/2 cup of the shredded chicken on top. Smear the top bun with Blue Cheese Aioli and place on top of the chicken

BLUE CHEESE AIOLI:

• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise

• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 clove garlic, minced

Directions

Combine the blue cheese, mayonnaise, thyme and garlic together in a small bowl and stir well.

Tips:

1.) Despite what the recipe calls for I use 50/50 boneless skinless chicken breasts and boneless skinless chicken thighs. Dark meat is cheaper, moister and much more flavorful. You get a much better taste out of the dish for having done so and a little extra in your pocket besides. Also this allows you the choice to make a double batch without breaking the bank.

2.) Toast the buns lightly it gives that crispness the dish will miss by the wings not being fried, plus it helps soak up any stray liquids. Don’t cheap out on the rolls, they are a large part of this dish. I like potato rolls for this because they are dense toast well and will soak up a lot of juice. Also consider going non traditional and using hot dog buns if you’re using this for a party. You  can easily double the number served. If they are going to sit on a buffet table I line my hotdog buns with a leaf of Romaine lettuce before filling so the buns don’t get soggy

3.) If you can make the Blue Cheese Aioli as soon as you stick the chicken in the slow cooker and put it in the fridge so that all the flavors will have a chance to meld.

4.) If you don’t have a bunch of celery with enough leaves for this do what I do, just thinly slice a stalk on the bias and use it in place of the celery leaves on the sandwich. Thin cucumber slices while not traditional also work well in place of the celery.

5.) The chicken mixture also goes well along side or over Mac & Cheese if you have leftovers.

Hey- How much worse could it possibly be?

Diary of a ‘muggle IT’ guy working at Hogwarts

Billy Joel & Guests – Piano Man (Gershwin Prize – November 19, 2014)

Billy Joel performs “Piano Man” with Kevin Spacey, Boyz II Men, Natalie Maines, Josh Groban, Gavin DeGraw, Tony Bennett, LeAnn Rimes and Michael Feinstein during the ceremony where he was honored with the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song on November 19, 2014 at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C.