Sunday, November 24, 2013

Turbacon

So what started off as a kind of joke amongst friends, turned into an epically delicious dinner: Turbacon.  That is basically a turkey wrapped in bacon.

Here is the original "inspiration"
popular image that has been making the rounds on the interwebz

 But then I got to thinking, why not go big?  This was the first time I've ever attempted cooking a turkey, and I figured I should go ahead and pull out all the stops.

So I bought a frozen turkey on this past Tuesday and left in the fridge to thaw for my Gospel community's big agape dinner that occurred today (Sunday).

I wanted to brine it for longer but when I pulled it out of the fridge yesterday it was still partially frozen, so at that point it got a nice cold water soak in sink for a few hours.

So while it was thawing, I got to work on weaving together some bacon for maximum bacon coverage of the bird.  My go to brand of bacon is Wright.  It's hands down my favorite bacon, and typically I'm a sucker for the Applewood, but I thought for being paired with turkey, the Hickory would be a better choice.  Basically I laid out about 18 or so strips of bacon to form a rectangle with a L:W ratio of 2:1.  Folding over every other strip and laying down more bacon, and pushing together to get a nice tight weave resulted in this:
two square feet of mouth-joy

I worked my bacon weave together on a nice big slab of freezer paper, then once done weaving it, sealed it by laying a piece of that cling wrap super seal stuff, rolled it up and put it back into the fridge.  I was now ready to put together a brine for the bird.

After much internet searching, I landed on what is probably the simplest of brine recipes for my turkey (because I like to follow the Ron Swanson school of thought when it comes to meat).  Dissolve 2/3 c salt and 2/3c sugar into 6c hot water, once dissolved add an additional 6c ice cold water.

I do not have a vessel large enough to submerge a turkey into, but I did however pick up a handy box of oven bags, so I put my turkey in one of those said oven bags, poured my brine into the cavity of the turkey, then worked with the bag until about two-thrids of the turkey was actually sitting the brine solution, breast side down.  I was running out of time, and figured the breast was what really needed the brine in the first place, so didn't bother with flipping the bag or anything like that.  I let this sit in the fridge overnight, soaking away.

Cooking day, had now arrived.  I preheated  the oven to 325 degrees.  Removed turkey from brine and gave it the lightest of pat downs with some paper towels.  Transferred turkey to new oven bag.  Stuffed it loosely with stuffing (stuffing that also featured the hickory smoked bacon).  Grabbed the roll of woven bacon from the fridge, unrolled and then pretty much just flopped it over top the turkey.  If I was a little more hardcore, I would have also spiraled some additional strips of bacon around the legs, but I'm no Martha Stewart. I figured the two square feet of half inch bacon covering 90% of the turkey would suffice.  Sealed up oven bag.  Cut slits in the bag as per the instructions on the box of the oven bags, wriggled a meat thermometer in and put it in the oven for 3.5 hours.  Maybe I should mention at some point I cooked a 13.5lb turkey, but I was looking to get the meat up to 180 degrees/the center of the stuffing to 165.

After 3.5 hours, I trimmed most of the oven bag away to let the turkey roast the last hour without as much concentrated moisture.  Here's what that looked like after I trimmed away the majority of the bag:
Photo: the middle seam broke apart a little but #Turbacon is looking good otherwise
the seam where the two squares meet are pulling apart a bit, but bacon coverage is still very good 


As mentioned, the turkey roasted for another hour give or a take a few minutes.  Really I was just waiting to get a good temperature reading in several spots to know that everything had been cooked through.

Pulled it out of the oven and tented some tin foil over it mostly because it needed to be transported, but also because all meats need a resting a period between being pulled from their heat source and carving, and I didn't want it to cool down too much.

And here is what it looked like right before it was carved up for the serving platter:
your mouth is watering, isn't it?

Overall, I'd say this was a pretty darn successful first attempt at making a turkey (I did apparently neglect to remove a bag containing the offal of the turkey from the neck cavity, but that's a common rookie mistake right?).  The meat came out very moist and had some nice smokey undertones to it.  I am also now no longer intimidated by the prospect of cooking a turkey.  Multitasking a whole Thanksgiving meal is still probably out my reach, but at least I know I can pull out this show stopper.



Friday, November 15, 2013

Stitch Fix #1

I celebrated a weight loss milestone this week by getting my very first Stitch Fix (link will take you to their FAQ where they can explain better what exactly the service is).

My happy, shiny box arrived late Thursday afternoon:

happy, shiny box!

guide with suggestions as to how to incorporate pieces into wardrobe and style them
Everything was neatly wrapped in tissue paper, so it was fun unwrapping each little parcel to discover my five things.

41 Hawthorn Turquoise Scarf; Just Black Grey Jeans; RD Style Black Cardigan
Ravel Red Sweater

Renee C Off White Dress

 To be honest, initially, I was feeling a little underwhelmed.  But I'll break it down piece by piece.

Black Diandra Chunky Knit Open Cardigan by RD Style

I already have several open style cardigans (and then several more other cardigans) so I was going to have to be wowed I thought for me to be able to consider buying it. This was a piece that I was able to get a sneak peek of thanks to the wonders of Google (this is what I found, which incidentally is the same styling card I got with the cardigan). I didn't dislike, it just was about the cardigan equivalent of Ann Veal.

I put it on.  Felt very soft, was nice and warm.  Good piece, as I feel like this was included after I added a note to my file mentioning that I'd be moving to Michigan in a few weeks and I would like some things to help me stay warm.  But I was still on the fence. Then I tried it on for Paul.  And he liked it.  So you know what happened next? I started to like it even more.

Layered over a typical Steph outfit of a solid knit cotton shirt and denim jean
I know I need some help with this whole belting open cardigan thing (I've seen it done, but I feel like every time I attempt it, it doesn't work just right... I mean, what's pictured above isn't bad, but I still feel like maybe I'm doing something wrong).

Status: KEEPER

 

Red Erika Mixed Knit Crew Neck Sweater by Ravel

The sweater had received a "not buy" status from another girl, who pointed out that the detailing around the hem just drew attention the hip region... so I wasn't expecting to like it either as a fellow hippy lady.

followed the styling guide by putting a T underneath and rolling up the sleeves
 I really like the knit pattern that the central panel is made up of, but I found the sleeves odd when not cuffed to my elbow and Paul didn't like this massive chunky seam that runs down the back of it.  And the final factor, this cotton sweater was priced more like a cashmere one, so

Status: SENT BACK

 

Turquoise Underwood Fair Isle Knit Infinity Scarf  by 41Hawthorn

I really like scarves.  But to be honest, infinity style scarves confuse me.  I just don't get them.  Infinity cowls, I get (I have one that I crocheted last winter), but the scarves just throw me for a loop and I don't know how to wear them.

left: looped around twice; right: looped around thrice as my style card said I should do
Twice looks crazy, thrice looks and feels like I'm in a neck brace.  Honestly, if this thing hadn't had it's ends serged together, it would have had a different ending.

Staus: SENT BACK

 

Grey Adora Skinny Jeans by Just Black


The jeans are a pretty basic thing, so my main concern was whether or not they would actually fit.  As you can quickly see, there is no picture of me actually in the jeans, because alas, they did not fit.

This is my big complaint that I think Stitch Fix should address: they should ask for actual inch/centimeter measurements to help determine correct fit before heartbreak like this occurs.  My pants size is all over the place depending on the cut of pants and who makes them (thanks vanity sizing for making everyone feel better, but actually leaving us more confused than ever).

I especially liked that these jeans were made in the US (maybe I should look to see if I can buy them through other channels), that they were going to be an instant staple and I could finally retire my Old Navy Rockstar grey jeans that are too big and annoying to wear, but I keep wearing them because they are gray and skinny.

Status: SENT BACK

 

Off White Enrique French Terry Fit & Flare Dress by Renee C

This is the piece I was most excited for.  And it did not disappoint.  I was taken aback a little by the stripes (I'm trying not to add any more striped things to my wardrobe as I already have many striped tops), as I was hoping it would be something that could be a bit more dressy, but it's still an incredibly versatile little dress.

so, I'm already planning on wearing this to MOPS on Monday; styled with denim blazer, orange scarf, black tights, and black boots

styled with long beaded necklace, skinny belt, green tights, and black ballet flats

It is a little shorter than what I'm normally wear, but it's not immodest by any stretch it's just a big step outside of normal comfort zone, but the fit is impeccable and it's very comfy and cozy material wise.  Also scored some major brownie points for being made in the US.

Status: KEEPER

Overall, I enjoyed the experience. I think that I set my expectations too high for this first fix (your stylist gets better the more feedback they are given, so it only makes sense that subsequent fixes will get better as you interact more by trying on pieces and sharing why you liked/disliked them), and I would definitely give a whirl again sometime down the line.  I don't think I'd be willing to sign-up for the auto every month level as this was a bit of an investment (read: more money than what I'm typically spending at Old Navy, GAP, or American Eagle), but I think maybe for birthdays, or letting it be a special treat, it's a fun way to shop and maybe branch out a little.

If you want to sign-up (sign-up is free!), try out the style profile, you can also be super awesome by using this link, which shows me as referring you to Stitch Fix and if someday down the road you decide to get a Fix, I'll get some credit (and then can get a fix too ;-) )

Saturday, September 21, 2013

When Being A Sheep Is OK

This past week at church the sermon focused on Andrew. The context of the sermon was more along the lines of how Andrew shared his faith, not with rhetoric or apologetics but simply by having so much excitement over having found Messiah, he physically took people to meet Jesus.  It's interesting to think about and if you want to check out the sermon you can do so here, but it got me thinking about Andrew in that he was one of the very first disciples. And thanks to his excitement he dragged his brother Cephas (better known as Simon-Peter) out to meet and listen to Jesus.

So when I watched this TED talk a few days later, you can see how my mind instantly thought of Andrew.



A leader is only a leader when he has a follower, and as Derek quickly points out in the video, the first follower is really a leader in their own right.

This point is truly a great jumping off point for so many other related discussions, but one area I want to expound upon more ties back to something that has been making the rounds these days on several social media sites, an article titled Why Generation Y Yuppies Are Unhappy.


I'm a part of Generation Y and my guess is that you reader are or at least know someone who is also apart of this generation.  And it's true, we were all told that we are each special and destined for greatness.  But here's the thing. That's not really possible (well, it depends on how you define greatness, but you get the gist of it).

I will admit, I am very fuzzy on it these days, but I remember watching Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead in high school and it left a big impression on me.  It left me wondering, "What's wrong with being a supporting character?"  You see, I grew up being told I was the star, the lead character.  My story was the one worth reading or watching. But what did that mean for others in my life?  That they simply are supporting characters?  Or was it that I was a simply a supporting character in their story?

Simply put, we can't all be the President.  It doesn't mean that we can't aspire to these things, but we need to keep expectations in a healthy check.

So, how does an early disciple of Christ, a basic model for starting a movement, and the disillusionment of a generation tie together?

I have the radical notion that I want to teach my son to be a follower.

Perhaps to make this less inflammatory I should add that I want him to be a discerning follower.

I hold a certain disdain and contempt for sheeple, but there's a world of difference in weighing the truth from several angles and deciding a course of action than just doing what everyone else is doing.

So the question is how do I teach that balance of knowing when to forge ahead as that first lone nut and when it is better to yield and support someone else in an endeavor turning a lone nut into a leader?

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

When I'm Only A Human in His Eyes

This is me and Tadpole on Mother's Day this past year:
Tadpole and Mommy rocking stripes and anchors.

 Isn't he cute? (and yes, I'm going to be one of those types that refers to him by a codename, because the poor kid is already losing a ton of privacy at my doing) Tadpole's awesome.  He's truly a blessing to Paul and me and we're incredibly grateful that we get to be his parents.  All sorts of new things come along with parenthood as we are learning.

This past week at church the sermon dealt with parenting. So that's been on my mind.  So has the idea of failure.  I've been thinking about failure a lot because I have a very strong fear of it, and it often hinders me from attempting new things (but that's a whole other story for a whole other day). And I was rolling around these two ideas in my head, they collided in one rather sad truth -- one day I will fail my son.

It isn't a matter of if, it's a matter of when, because a day will come when I will mess up and he'll be able to call me out on it.  As of right now, I'm able to get away with a bit because he frankly doesn't know any better, nor does he have the communication skills required to convey any understanding of how I might be letting him down... well, that's not entirely true, he sure let me know that one time when I took off a little bit of finger tip while trying to clip his nails.


(*not Tadpole, but one of the many things I chuckle at on a website I often waste time on)
And while there is a lot of joking in our home of Mommy-Fails and Daddy-Fails as we trial and error some things, those are the things that make me question my ability to parent.

We can all remember back to when we were young and our own parents went from infallible pillars to humans who mess up.  For me, it was when I was about 9 and my parents informed my brother and I of their divorce.  Looking back, that's when I began to realize that my parents weren't perfect (still aren't) and that try as they might, they are simply humans who sometimes make terrible decisions, can use poor judgement, or just be downright foolish. I'm capable of all those things as well.

So knowing that I'm not perfect, I began to wonder what will it be, that will someday show Tadpole, that I too am simply a human. 

Will there be a moment where I mismanage my emotions and yell at him in anger? 
Will I make a decision that leads down a more troublesome path than necessary?
Could there be habits or behaviors that I unintentionally foster in him that are not favorable?


I'm not sure.  Heck, it could be something as simple as me having to parallel park one day and him realizing it shouldn't take four tries only to end up 18 inches away from the curb.  I do know, however, that there is some truth behind the Boy Scout motto of "always be prepared" in that, sometimes it's good to plan for a worst-case scenario:

(umm, seriously, why did no one get me this book?)

Those three questions above reflect three of the more serious ways I fear I may someday fail as a parent. Joking aside from other worst-case parenting scenarios like what to do when there are no more clean diapers, I think it's good to think out what would I do in those moments because, having a rough outline of what might happen helps when you may actually face that situation (ask me some time about the sovereignty in play when I had my Tommy Boy incident).

I won't delve into each of those specific topics at this time, but I will say one thing that will help me deal with future parenting fails is by establishing a home that relies on and reflects grace.  My hope is that we as parents will talk and share, openly and honestly, about what is important and even more so, we will demonstrate it by how we act. And grace is by far is greatest gift we have been blessed with (yes, even more so than our handsome little fellow).  I hope that when Tadpole sees me mess up, after he calls me out on in, he will extend grace to me because he's seen and experienced grace himself.


Renaissance (once more with feeling)

Hello, internet world.  I have returned yet again to the blogosphere because, let's face it, I function better when I can thought spew on occasion.  Otherwise it all bottles up and then crazy meltdowns occur.  I'm not going to do any sort of retrospective and wax nostalgic about what's been keeping me so darn occupied these past few years as I figure over the course of regularly writing, things will eventually make sense.

So I'll keep this post brief and then write one additional post today that is some what focused (and spoiler, does fill in one big answer as to what's been occupying my time).

Anyway, it feels good to be typing something more than 140 characters.