Can you believe this? It’s Friday and I actually have our Friday Recipe post up… on time!  I’m pretty sure there are pigs flying today.

So… Cinco de Mayo was last weekend and I hosted a little shindig that unexpectedly turned into a big shindig.  This resulted in multiple trips to the grocery store.  Also, I was paranoid that I would run out of limes and since they were on sale 10 for $1 I bought extras.  Muchos.  Thus, the big bowl full of limes. Clearly, I did not run out.

But I don’t think I will have any trouble using them up because Spring is just the right time of year to add limes to your menu.  I have a few limey-recipes in my stash, but rather than outlining just one recipe, I’m going to list a few for you that I find especially intriguing:

• Chili-Lime Quicos from The Kitchn
•  Cilantro Lime Quinoa from Two Peas & Their Pod
• Margarita Bars from The Baker Chick
• Key Lime Pie Protein Shake from Dashing Dish
• Cilantro Limeade from Shutterbean
• Grouper Steamed in Parchment with Sour Orange Sauce and Martini Relish from Bobby Flay
• Lime- and Honey-Glazed Salmon with Basmati and Broccolini from Epicurious

That should be enough to get me started, right?  If you have any good recipes with lime shoot them at me!

If you ‘re new here you might be wondering why I’m posting our Friday Recipe on Sunday night. The rest of you already know why: because I can’t get my act together! Just when I think I’m getting back into my routine I run across a speed-bump (a heinous cold, physical therapy, raccoons) and it throws me off course again. It’s tough being me.

One thing I did right was make these Salted Pretzel Rolls from Bake Your Day. I follow Bake Your Day’s blog and have tried a few other of her recipes with great success so I thought, “Why not!” I like rolls. I like pretzels. This is a mash-up I can get behind.

First off I want to tell you, these are deeeeeee-licious! I mean, seriously delicious. The outsides with their browned & salted tops are crispy-crunchy but the insides remain fluffy and delightful, especially straight from the oven all hot and steaming… with a pat of butter….

Second, this recipe is so much easier than you might imagine. For the “mixing” part, the electric mixer does all the work. Then there is a 2-step cooking process which sounds intimidating but trust me it’s easy and kinda fun. You feel a little bit like a scientist and afterward you will feel smarter. Rolls that are scrumptious as well as raise your IQ!

Thirdly, there is a 2nd option in this recipe to make them into pretzel bites instead of rolls. I put aside a couple handfuls of dough to try the pretzel bites. After you make the “bites”, simply toss a smashed clove of garlic and some butter into a pan, warm over medium until it is melted. Throw out the garlic clove and toss in some chopped parsley. Drizzle over the pretzel bites and eat while still warm.

I made these pretzel rolls/bites one Saturday when I was by myself at home and they were so good I threw them in a cloth napkin and drove down the road to my brother’s house to share with him and his family. As it turned out, he was having a shooting party so we passed the pretzel bites around till they were gone; it took about 47 seconds. Later my brother called to tell me how insanely delicious they were. They are that good.

So jump on over to Bake Your Day and give it a try! You will either love me because they are so tasty or hate me because you just can’t stop eating them.

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I’ve been getting back into the kitchen a little more, but I’m having a hard time taking photos at the same time. I know I prefer to read a recipe post with photos, I’m betting you do too. So if anyone would like to volunteer to follow me around day after day and take pictures of my hands, measuring spoons and cutting board I am accepting applications. The stipend pays in pretzel bites. No takers?

Nolan.  Many of you already know who he is, others of you will only recognize this button that has resided on my sidebar for 3 years.

Until today. Today I’m taking the button off my site because….

NOLAN KICKED CANCER IN THE JELLY BEANS!

This video tells the story way better than I could.

Watching that video just now was not so easy for me.  Those were hard, hard days in the beginning.  Cancer touched us all in a new way. Nolan was still a toddler when he was diagnosed with leukemia 3 years ago.  After 3 grueling years of chemotherapy, steroids, blood tests, house arrest (usually on the holidays), infusions, spinal taps and so, so much more, he is finally done with the chemotherapy treatments! He no longer has leukemia and he is free to go on and live life to the fullest.

I couldn’t be more proud of his parents who have weathered this storm with bravery and grace.  And I couldn’t be more proud of Nolan.  You are the real super-hero buddy!

I’m not sure that “sprinkle with salt & pepper; broil for 10-15 minutes” qualifies as a recipe but I really, really wanted to share this favorite food with you today.  I was shocked (shocked I tell you!) to discover how many people have never heard of this product after I put a picture of it up on my Instagram feed.

Everyone assumed it was bacon because, well, it does look an awful lot like thick cut bacon.  But it’s not bacon. Close but no cigar.

There were some other great guesses:

• duck belly (which sounds wonderful!)
• pancetta
• Serrano ham (which was also in the fridge)
• fat back
• raccoon (that is a story for another day)

We had this about once per week growing up and there was never enough because everyone loved it.  Hot, meaty, salty, a little crunchy…

… It’s called Side Pork!

Yes, it looks just like bacon but there are some distinct differences.  I will share:

First of all, Side Pork is not cured.  It is raw as raw can be which is why you need to generously salt it before cooking.  No curing means no nitrates, yippeee!

Secondly, Side Pork is from a little further up the side of the pig than bacon.  Bacon is closer to the belly where all the fat is.  Side Pork does have fat on it but certainly less than bacon, especially after it renders down.  Side Pork is much meatier than bacon which makes it a perfect, protein-packed breakfast food.  I have been known to eat it for dinner as well.

Lastly, Side Pork has a sort of…rind.  I’m not 100% sure, but I believe it’s the skin of the piggie, the part that you would normally use to make crack’lins or chicharron.  For me, this is what Side Pork is all about because after it cooks in the oven, it gets all curly and crispy and toasted.  Some parts of the rind also get sorta chewy. It will be the last part you eat and you will chew on it for a while.  I’m not gonna lie, it can be tough and rubbery. Kind of like pork-flavored chewing gum.  But I grew up gnawing on those skinny rinds so it doesn’t seem weird to me, I suppose just like Spam is normal to some people. You will either love it or hate it.  If you hate it, just don’t eat it or you can cut it off before cooking.

Side Pork can be hard to find.  Once I asked one of the youngsters at the meat counter of my local supermarket if they had any Side Pork and he pointed me to the “fat back” next to the bacon.  I didn’t know whether to correct him or pat him on the head & pinch his cheeks.  Kids today!

If you have a reliable, experienced butcher he can order Side Pork for you and may even have some in stock.  My Uncle P. (you also know him as Uncle Farmer’s Market) has a butcher that orders it for him.  A couple weeks ago he paid $2.99/lb for it.  I’m a little embarrassed to tell you that I don’t know how that price compares to bacon but I just don’t buy bacon that often so… maybe you can tell me.

If given the choice, I prefer it cut thinner rather than thicker.  Certainly no thicker than thick-cut bacon.  I like it on the thinner side because I feel that the fat renders out a little better.  But don’t get me wrong… I’ll eat it thick, thin or anywhere in between.

Once you find some Side Pork, cooking it is pretty simple.  Generously salt both sides with salt and a little pepper.  Place it on a baking sheet lined with foil or broiler pan and broil for 10-15 minutes (depending on the thickness).  It needs to get well browned so that the fat melts out and the rind curls up and gets dark in some spots.  Flip it over and let the other side get a little toasty as well, about 2 minutes.  Place the cooked Side Pork on paper towel to drain off any extra fat and serve hot.

I hope you can find some Side Pork and give it a try!

But I’m back! Ish.  Here is how it all played out:

First was the infamous knee surgery.  (if you are squeemish, you might want to scroll by this one quickly)

Back in 2008 my ACL was replaced but my knee never really recovered.  We tried physical therapy, shots, creams, meds; nothings seemed to help.  So my doctor determined that my body was rejecting the metal hardware that was installed to keep the new ACL in place.  Since the bone had grown over the graft, making it secure, the hardware was no longer needed.  While taking out the hardware (pictured above), he would look around and see if he could find any other problems.  It turns out, missing cartilage was the other problem.  I still don’t fully understand what he did to fix the cartilage but he did…something painful.

Logically, I knew it was going to be a tough recovery but for some strange reason I thought I would be up to writing right away.  Not so.  The pain killers left me barely grasping at reality for about  a week and not long after I went back to work.  I feel as though I’ve been playing catch-up ever since.  The meds also tore up my stomach and left me with no appetite.  That means, no cooking.  No real cooking for over a month.  A whole bunch of pro-biotics later, I’m finally eating real food again.

The good news is that my knee gets a little better every week.  Next week I should be cleared to begin physical therapy, which I’m both excited for and dreading at the same time.

Next came my much anticipated vacation to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.  It was my first time in South Carolina and while I didn’t find much of interest in Myrtle Beach, the day we spent in Charleston was so much fun.  I loved strolling those historical streets and looking at buildings that were part of the very birth of our nation.

We also visited the Boone plantation just outside of Charleston.  It was so fascinating and so disturbing all at once.  One of the most eye-opening spots on the plantation is a row of small wooden cabins where the “elite” slaves of the plantation lived.  In each building was a tv monitor that told a different story of slavery: how many slaves lived per building, their religious practices, their work, their eventual emancipation. It’s such an ugly part of our history but so important that we do not forget so that we never repeat it.

When I got back home to Northern California, it was time to celebrate Easter and the resurrection of Christ.  We spent a whole glorious day eating great food, lounging on the porch, spending time together as a family.  It was a beautiful, beautiful day.

Tonight was my first trek back into the kitchen, mostly prepping some veggies for the next week.  But it’s a start.

The 1/8th of Irish in me (thanks to Grandpa Patterson!) wishes you a very Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

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Food & Wine Magazine

I just got back into town and I couldn’t wait to get this week’s Friday Recipe posted.  It doesn’t matter the time of year, I’m ready to eat pasta.  This recipe from Food & Wine Magazine is chock full of spinach which is so good for you but also luscious ricotta and creamy fontina which makes it xtra yummy.  Use the rigatoni or any other favorite pasta shape.  Just follow the link to get the full recipe.

Have a happy, relaxing weekend everyone!

Like you didn’t see that one coming, right?

Obviously I was going to use my own new recipe for our Friday Recipe even though I kinda-sorta shared it with you already on Tuesday because:

1.  My knee has recovered enough that I can drive and walk reasonably well, so I’ve been running all sorts of errands this week and didn’t have time to come up with a different recipe.

2.  It’s a really good recipe.  Really.  And I don’t want my readers to miss it.

This recipe comes together in the food processor and has a short list of ingredients.

There is just a teensy bit of butter involved. Or you can omit the butter and just use olive oil.  I’m flexible like that.

I ate the leftovers for breakfast.  This recipe is good hot out of the oven or later after it’s cooled off a bit.

You can get the full list of ingredients and the directions from this post over at The Ranting Chef.

Don’t miss this recipe,  go now!

I am a member at Influence Network, a site dedicated to bringing bloggers, writers and dreamers together under the umbrella of dedicating our lives to making our online lives mean something.  We encourage each other, equip ourselves with articles and classes and share, share, share.

Today the Influence Network is hosting a linkup where we all share a bit about ourselves and get to know each other (and our sites) better.  We each must post 3 things:

1. A photo of yourself that you love. We want to put a face with a name! 

2.  Three get-to-know-me things. Deep, quirky, fun – you pick. 

3. One valuable thing you’ve gained from the Network. So without further ado, let’s get to the questions:

1. A photo of me that I love- no woman over 30 likes to either post pictures of herself or say that she likes a photo of herself,  talk about pushing us out of our comfort zone!  I’m usually the one behind the camera so I don’t have a ton of recent pictures of myself but if I had to pick my favorite from the past year it would be this one:

It’s kind of cheating because the real reason this is my favorite picture is because it’s of my nephew Jake at the Color Run.  But it’s a decent photo of me, paint and all.  And it is a great memory.

2.  Three get-to-know-me-things:  OK, where to start….

• I am a 4th degree black belt (Yon-Dan) in Shotokan Karate-do.  At one time (a very long time ago) I was 3rd in the nation in my weight division in sparring and was invited to compete at the Pan American Games in Peru for the United States Karate Team.  Yup, that’s true.

• The next thing you should know about me is… and most of my readers know this already… I think God put squirrels on this planet just to make me laugh.  Show me a squirrel and I will laugh.

• Lastly, you should know that I love to cook and share a lot of that cookery here on my site.  Every Friday (OK, most Fridays) are dedicated to sharing a recipe, either my own or someone else’s.  If you have a recipe to share, I would love to include it on a future Friday Recipe post!

3. One valuable thing I’ve gained from the Influence Network:   We all have a dream, big or small, and we (members of The Influence Network) are doing our best to frame those dreams within the idea that our online life should glorify the God that created us.  It shouldn’t be this way, but it takes a lot of guts to admit that you have a dream, and at The Influence Network we have the space and safety to talk about those dreams and even receive insight from other dreamers. We are trusting God with our dreams and encouraging each other along the way.

So that’s my input on this linkup, I can’t wait to get to see the other gals and their answers!  If you would like to see the other bloggers in this linkup or learn more about The Influence Network, hop on over to The Influence Blog!

Oh my gosh I’m so excited I can’t stand it!  I have had something in the works, a little something up my sleeve but I was keeping it a secret… well because I had to. I thought it was going to “launch” tomorrow but I came home from dinner tonight and noticed the traffic on my site was waaaay up.  Guess what?!  It happened today so now I can share it with you!!

Today I have the privilege of being a guest poster over at the amazing site The Ranting Chef!!

The Ranting Chef (Pat), has a site that is chock-full of inspiring recipes, helpful tips and fun community of food writers and people who just like to eat!  One of my favorite things about The Ranting Chef is that you can search his recipes by ingredient…brilliant!  Please, please pop on over to Pat’s site and check it out, I promise you won’t be disappointed!!

You can click here to jump to my recipe that is featured today: Lemon Dill Baked Ricotta

I’m really proud of this recipe, I put months and months of thought into the flavor combos, using Bree & LeiLani as my taste-testers.  This Lemon-Dill Baked Ricotta dip comes together in a flash, is cheap to make and is very versatile.

I just know you will love this recipe as much as I do, please jump over to The Ranting Chef and give it a shot!  Oh, and let me know how you like it!!