Perfect Bacon Everytime

I love bacon! I like to buy My bacon from the meat section by the pound, it's usually a lot cheaper than commercial brands. I got 1lb of bacon ends at my local grocery, for 1.43

Growing up most of us ate bacon that was pan fried. If you want diner perfect bacon cooking it in the oven is the way to go. I like to cook a whole package, save the liquid gold & put into plastic bags. This makes for quick breakfast & lunches

Preheat the oven to 375

Cover your cookie sheet in foil & lay you bacon strips out flat.
Cook for 20-25 minutes. The bacon will seem soft, but as it cools it will crisp up nicely
After cooking bacon in the oven, trust me You will never go back to frying. It's easier,tastes better & looks better.
Perfect bacon everytime!

* remember to save the drippings (liquid gold) put in small Tupperware & store in fridge. Use it to fry potatoes, sautée green beans or for refried beans


Enjoy!

Easy spicy Meatballs

1lb ground beef
1cup Italian bread crumbs separated in half
1 egg
Crushed chili flakes ( to taste )
1/4c grated parm
Garlic salt ( to taste )
1tbs each dry basil,oregano,rosemary & majoram

Preheat oven to 400

Mix all ingredients together with you hands, using half of bread crumbs. Use a Tablespoon to portion out meat mixture. Roll into balls and roll into reserved bread crumbs. Place into muffin tins & back for 15-20 minute until golden brown


** rolling in breadcrumbs adds a nice crust & helps to soak up sauce.

Heinz Tomato Ketchup Balsamic Vinegar

The Perfect storm..Who would have thought that vine ripened tomatoes & vinegar would make America's # 1 top selling condement.
So where can Heinz go from there? But try & Pefect, perfection, they've added balsamic vinegar to the mix & upgraded basic ketchup. This gives the tomato sauce a deeper more sophisticated color, texture & flavor profile that is very versatile.

Have u tasted this masterpiece?
Pefect for fish..meats, veggies & sauces....

Taco Bell Doritos Taco Loco

Taco Bell is trying some new things this year & has been putting Doritos Taco Loco in the test market.
They are bringing snackers aka smokers lol...two favorite foods together Doritos tortilla chips & Taco Bell tacos.
Switching out their plain corn shell with Your choice of Doritos Nacho Cheese or Cool Ranch flavored Taco Shell

Hmmmm...are they reaching too far, or is this a match made in paradise?

What are Your thoughts?

Pizza Hut Dinner Box

Pizza Hut is rolling out the deals since the recession & has decided to market a meal called the Dinner Box, this includes:

2 medium rectangle 1 topping pan pizzas that are cut into squares

8 wings of your choice

5 pieces of garlic parm breadsticks

With mariners & ranch or Blue cheese

For 19.99 this is a great deal & can feed up to 4 people!

Heinz Ketchup Dip & Squeeze

Ketchup packs but better ;) I love ketchup, it's Americas #1 condiment.
Heinz Dip & Squeeze merges restaurant packets and the dip cups into one.
It holds 3X the amount of sauce. You can tear off the top & squeeze out the ketchup or pull back the label and dip into it.

Love em..great for lunches

Smirnoff gets Whipped & Fluffed

Smirnoff has released two new flavors to the world of flavor vodkas: Fluffed Marshmallow & Whipped Cream.
The face of smirnoffs Two new drinks is Miss Amber rose

Happy hangovers...

La Jefa Tequila

Somaya Boss Reece of VH1 Love & basketball is releasing her own Brand of Silver tequila appropriately named "La Jefa" Translation: The Boss! Look for release & distribution late 2011, early 2012
You Go Girl. I'll drink to that

*Pictures courtesy of Somaya Reece

National CupCake Day!!

Today is National CupCake Day. So in Honor of the sweet treat someone decided to go Big....

Baked over the course of 12 hours, the gigantic cup cake was made from 200 lbs of flour, 200 lbs of sugar, 200 lbs of butter and 800 eggs.
When covered with frosting and custard, the one-of-a-kind dessert boasted 2,000,000 calories.

EggNog

Holidays are official once You break out the eggnog. A holiday beverage made from raw eggs,milk,sugar & spice. Many companies make it, I personally grew up drinking Bordens eggnog....but it's just as easy to make at home. Add brandy,whiskey,rum or cognac for a grown up version.

Ingredients
2 eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons sugar
2 1/3 cups low-fat milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 dash ground nutmeg

Blend ingredients in a blender. Serve well chilled. Alcohol optional

Carls Jr. Goes OREO

Towards the end of November Carls Jr. united with Americas #1 cookie to create a delectable dessert. Sometimes the best things in life are simple. They took two 3inch Oreo wafers & sandwiched them between scooped vanilla ice cream! I love that this is hand scooped & packaged in store. This sandwich will set You back 1.49 & 250 calories. Enjoy!

My favorite holiday cookie

This is the perfect time of year to dust off the old rolling pin & mixing bowl. I have fond memories around Christmas. My mother baking me cookies that would melt in My mouth with each bite. "Pan de polvo" Also know as Mexican wedding cookies, A shortbread cookie coated in cinnamon & sugar. This special cookie has been passed down many generations.
Eva Longoria who is also from my mothers hometown of Corpus Christi Texas loves "Pan De Polvo". Here is her delicious rendition of this Hispanic tradition :


Ingredients:
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2/3 cups butter-flavored shortening
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup, plus 2 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp ground cinnamon

Directions:
1 Preheat oven to 325°F. 2 In a saucepan bring to a boil cinnamon sticks and 1½ cups water. Let cool. Discard cinnamon sticks. Refrigerate liquid until chilled. 3 In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. 4 In a large mixing bowl, beat shortening, vanilla, ½ cup sugar and ¼ cup cinnamon "tea" until light and fluffy. Stir in flour mixture. 5 Roll dough into 1" balls. Place 2" apart on baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes or until slightly browned around edges. 6 In bowl combine 2 tbsp sugar and ground cinnamon. Dip cookies while still warm in sugar-cinnamon mixture. Makes 3 dozen.

Whats Your family's holiday tradition?

*photo courtesy of inStyle magazine