Hatch Chicken

Settle down grammar Nazis! It's not supposed to read 'Hatched Chicken'--it's Hatch Chicken, like, the pepper, and stuff. Omg, seriously?!?!

I bought into the 'Hatch Hype'--a near panicked compulsion to buy, prepare and eat them as they are in season, and disappear before you know it! Thanks, Central Market, this one's on you!

So, I: washed them, grilled them, blistered them, peeled the now-black skin off of them, and seeded them while the chicken was cooking on the grill.

My plan was to place one half on each chicken breast, then top with Monterey Jack, melt, & enjoy. I had fashioned an aluminum bowl with black beans, and another foil packet with a little rice, garlic, green onions, and tons of cilantro, ready to warm and eat.

It looked wonderful! Grill marks, perfect. It smelled fantastic! Peppery, goodness. It tasted...HOT AS HELL! Oh! Oh! HOT! HOT! HOT! And then, my cheek...burning...forehead...burning...nose...burning...like a super severe sunburn, and oh shit! My fingers are ON FIRE!!! Ow! Ow! Ow!

I had to ditch the pepper and just be content with my chicken, beans, and rice. And sweat. I couldn't stop, it was gushing from my pores. I was afraid to wipe it from my face, afraid blisters would emerge from what used to be my face but is now a human hotplate. Napkins are suspect as I have no idea if it may have accidentally been contaminated from the lit taper candles that used to be my fingers!

The Big Guy had the hiccups, happens every time he eats food that's too spicy. And me? Looks like I'll be sleeping in my contacts tonight! Dios mio.

Cucumber Vodka! Try it before summer ends...seriously!

If you have it this fall, meh. Winter? Nah. Spring? Mebbe. But that's a long time from now.  This is a summer drink. And even though your little brats are in school, it's technically still summer. So drink it. This summer. This weekend. Just try it. If you don't like it, you're an absolute weirdo and should seek some professional help. You need to know things like this about yourself, so, the sooner the better!

Cucumber vodka + Lemon Fizz = THE SHIZZ!!! I share it with everyone! And the people that love it, share it also! Delicious and ZERO CARBS! A girl--woman, actually, that shall remain unnamed-- that I introduced it to shared it with all the peeps she was on vacation with and by the end of their trip, they were carrying her everywhere she went...like Cleopatra, the pharaoh,  not like Cleo, the local drunk/psycho...Singing her praises, probably stuffing hundred dollar bills in her swimsuit! I don't know this, I just assume, as this is the typical display of enthusiasm after consuming this gift from the Vodka gods!!!

Grapefruit Jalepeno Vodka

The bin near the cash register...that's where we met. I was slightly repulsed, but more curious than anything...so later, back at my place...THIS HAPPENED!

Grapefruit Jalapeño Vodka?!?!  It sounds like an odd pairing, but it's really pretty good! I couldn't really taste the grapefruit, and there was no heat to the jalapeño, just the flavor. I wasn't brave enough to taste it straight, not even after having a Bloody Mary in one hand, and a bud light in the other. No.

No-Crust Quiche

This beauty...no idea what's in it...eggs and onions & cheese is all I can make out for sure. I can't remember--I made it this spring while at my Mom's and although there's nothing new about having one without a crust--no crust and no bisquick is new.

I loved it! I'm not sure why I don't make a few hundred of them at a time and freeze them, as they sure come in handy when you've got a hangover or have some company drop in...looks fancy, but really easy-peasy!

Brunch? Anyone...?

Chicken Tacos

Here's some chicken tacos...

 

 

I'm sure it's grilled, I'm positive it's on Joseph's low-carb pita breads, and other than the visible and obvious ingredients, I have no idea. I do know they were good, and the thought of withholding the other information willfully makes me giggle a little. That's not the case, I swear, but if it was, I find it humorous :) Like when Mama Nadja offers Harlin and Marlon a partially eaten peanut butter and jelly sandwich before they go finish off her son-in-law, Joey in one of my favorite movies, I Love You to Death.



Pecan-Crusted Salmon

This is what I submitted for the savory portion of the contest. And now that I'm typing this, I think I forgot to include the pecan pesto in my submission. I made it. I took pictures of it. Did I submit it? I'm feeling no. BAH! I made a basil pesto with my own plants and replaced the pine nuts with pecans. I dunno...I was crunched for time, and I had never made the pecan pesto before, so it was a new addition to the recipe that was fairly new itself...Ppppfffttttt! Oh well...

No recipe divulged for this either. Not yet, anyway. Five hundred bucks at stake for this one. You can figure it out with little effort: salmon, pork rinds, pecans, pesto...it's fantastic!

Bottom: seasoned filet

Top: topped with pesto and pecan crust

Missing: finished product

 

 

I guess I was in such a hurry to try it, I forgot to take a picture. Or, I took it and it's accidentally in another file...HELLIFIKNOW!

Pecan Pie

Our electric co-op and the Texas Pecan Board holds a holiday contest every year. There are 3 categories: pecan pie, sweet, and savory--I submitted for 2 of the 3.

The Pecan Pie I submitted is my own recipe I developed in an effort to cut some of the sugar, and eliminate the pastry crust. Even in true-blue legit pecan pies, I prefer the pecans over the gooey center, and since I've been making low-carb crusts out of pecans for jello and sugar-free pudding pies, I gave a pecan-crusted pecan pie a try and penned it 'Pecan-a-Palooza' as it's very, very pecan-y.

I'd share my recipe, but I can't remember if it's legal or not, and I don't want to disqualify myself, it's a $2,500 prize!!! I will show you the pictures though...

Top: fresh out of the oven

Bottom: cooled and ready for consumption