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Because bacon fixes everything...

My backyard-my husband finally perfected his rib recipe this summer and, a few weeks ago, produced the best slab I've ever tasted. The pulled pork we had a a little shack in North Carolina comes in second.

I've always fantasized about having a small neighborhood bar. The food would be simple; burgers, fries, and a daily special like cabbage rolls or meatloaf.

A burger cooked by my dad in his cast iron "hamburger pan'. The pan was bought in 1943 and was used exclusively for cooking burgers and what he called hamburger gravy-ground beef, onion, and green pepper served on toast. Dad passed away 23 years ago- I inherited the pan and it's still used just for burgers. His were better than mine ever will be.

I add it to that bagged broccoli slaw mix along with some mayo, ranch dressing, and a bit of either sour cream or yogurt. Makes a nice salad with burgers or brats.

We recently got a Big Green Egg-it's an egg shaped ceramic contraption that smokes, grills, sears, bakes, etc. etc. I did a leg of lamb for Easter that was the best thing I've ever cooked outside. I cut some garlic into slivers, poked it into the lamb with the tip of a knife and then rubbed the whole leg with rosemary, black pepper, and olive oil. I roasted it in the Egg for about an hour and it was so, so, good. I'm thinking of trying a pork butt this weekend....

I'd bought a lovely piece of marinated mahi mahi from Whole Foods. Lit up the gas gill and threw on the fish. It was just starting to smell really good when the propane ran out... I ended up finishing it in the broiler but it really bummed me out. Not as bad as the time I lifted up the lid of our new Big Green Egg grill last summer though... I only had it up to 400 and it threw out a fireball big enough to singe off my eyebrows, eyelashes and a good bit of hair around my face. I'm much more careful now!

I grew up in Ann Arbor and am currently living in Ypsilanti, Mi.

I usually shop at the same 2 stores so I'm pretty familiar with who's speedy and who's a slacker on the register. There is one cashier at our local Kroger who has been permanently assigned to U-Scan. She's so manic that she scared the crap out of everyone with the way she grabbed at the groceries coming down the conveyor. I never use U-Scan (hate it with a passion) so fortunately I don't have to deal with her. You can still hear her througout the store though-She's got a thing for telling people she'll 'be right with them, thanks for waiting' about a hundred times in a row at a pitch only dogs should be able to hear.

I've got a little tiny package of sweet potato pancake mix-it was given to us as a gift about 8 years ago. Every time I see it I tell myself I'm never going to use it but I just can't seem to take it out of the cupboard. And then there's my tuna collection....I don't think there's anything over a year old but I'm kind of afraid to look. Oh yeah-I forgot about my husband's great panic of 2000-he insisted on putting a bunch of canned chili, sweet corn, and green beans in the basement. I hope they're still there-I've not been able to get to the shelf he put them on in a very long time.

Going to a Mardi Gras themed party on the 28th. At the moment I think I'm going to make bourbon spiced pecans.

I have to limit my TJ shopping to once per month-otherwise I end up with so much stuff it's ridiculous.... I seem to always buy:
Frozen grilled corn
Edamame
Frozen grilled and marinated zucchini and eggplant
TJs frozen succotash
Raw almonds
Dried mango
Chile lime chicken burgers
Buffalo burgers
Frozen marinated ahi tuna
Parmesan cheese sandwich slices
Frozen naan
Praline granola

And at least 3 bottles of wine. They've been carrying an Argentinian Chardonnay- La Boca- that I really like so I'm stocking up while they still have it.

a deep fat fryer. I have a fear of working with that much hot oil at a time. And then what do you do with it when you're done?