Ingredients

• 2 red bell peppers
• 4 tomatoes
• red wine vinegar
• 1 red onion
• olive oil
• 4 italian sausages —I like these.
• 1 lb fusilli pasta
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 cup fresh basil
• 2 tbsp crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)
• 1/2 cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated or shreaded
• salt
• 6 chopped mushrooms
• 1 14-oz can of tomato sauce

Instructions

Preheat your broiler and then stick both bell peppers into the broiler. Thoroughly blacken all sides.

Put a gallon of water on to boil in one pot.

Put a quart of water on to boil in another pot.

Core tomatoes and slice crosses only through the skin on two sides. Prepare a bowl of ice water large enough to fit the tomatoes. When the smaller pot of water boils, drop the tomatoes in for thirty seconds. Remove them with tongs and drop them into the ice water and set aside.

In a large skillet, brown the red onion, some salt and the sausage (remove sausage casings).

Peel the tomatoes. The skin should come right off, easily. If these directions aren’t clear, check out this site on peeling tomatoes.

Next cut each tomato into eight wedges. Place in a large flat pan (like a pie pan). Drizzle with red wine vinegar and sprinkle with salt. Roast in a 500°F for ten minutes.

When all sides of the bell peppers are black, remove from heat. Using tongs and a fork, remove the skin. It should come right up. Chop off the stem and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. This should be very easy. If the skin isn’t coming off, you didn’t roast the peppers long enough.

When the large pot of water is boiling, add your fusilli. Cook until al dente.

Add sausage mixture, basil, garlic, cheese, about 1/4 cup of olive oil and tomatoes to your food processor. Pulse a few times to make a thick mixture which is slightly coarser than a paste.

In the same skillet, sauté the chopped mushrooms for a few minutes. Add the mixture from the food processor, the red pepper flakes and the tomato sauce. Simmer for fifteen minutes.

In pasta bowls, add the pasta and spoon generous amounts of sauce over the top. Add a few more shreds of cheese to the top and sliced mushroom for garnish. I suggest serving with garlic bread.

Serves: 6-8
Cook + Prep time: 45 min – 1 hour

Chili

I’ve won two chili cook-offs with this recipe. Although they were small contests, I don’t think there’s anyone who is going to deny that this is some damned amazing chili. By publishing the recipe, in some way, I feel like I’m giving away the family jewels. However, I believe in sharing the source and so, I will….

Diva’s Chili

• 1 splash olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 large onion (white, yellow or red are all fine)
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 jalapeño
• 1 habañero
• 1 handful crimini mushrooms
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 16 oz kidney beans
• 24 oz tomato sauce
• 3 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tbsp freshly chopped oregano
• 1 large tomato
• salt
• pepper

Method

Chop an onion and heat up a very large skillet. Add olive oil to skillet. Add onion and a pinch of salt. Stir and sweat until onion is translucent.

Chop bell peppers and toss into skillet. Chop garlic, jalapeño and habañero very finely and add to pan. Stir. Then add chopped mushrooms.

Stir in ground beef and add salt, pepper, garlic and 1 tbsp of chili powder. Brown mixture.

Drain kidney beans and add beans, tomato sauce, red wine and other ingredients except for tomato. Taste and add more spices if needed. Simmer for ten minutes and add chopped tomato. Simmer another fifteen minutes or so.

Cool and serve with a few strands of grated cheddar and maybe a dollop of sour cream. Buttered french bread is great with this too!

Cook + Prep Time: 45-60 min
Feeds: 6-8
Notes: This is really spicy. For those of you that like things milder, cut out the jalapeño, habañero and cut the chili powder down to about 2 tbsp. For those of you that like it hot, try adding in chipotles.

Luisa Garcia, my "Grandma Abuela"

Despite the fact that both of her young daughters looked like pin-ups, even in Luisa’s wedding picture, she was a stern looking woman.

She moved to the United States from Spain during Spain’s war in Haiti in 1920. My great grandfather was avoiding the draft and moved to the U.S. in 1918. Once he had saved up enough money, he sent for her.

By the time I came around, in the early 70’s, Luisa was an old woman living on a farm in Fontana, California. For years, she and José had raised conejos at the “Rabbitree”. I think they retired and closed the farm in the late sixties. But when I was a child, they still raised enough poultry for themselves. She used to take me out to the chicken coup to see the gallinas.

I never remember her calling me by my first name. It was always niña. In fact, I also never remember her speaking a word of English.

Luisa and José's Wedding Picture

My first memories of Christmas Day were at Grandpa Abuelo and Grandma Abuela’s house. The old house was full of funny Spanish odds and ends –I remember a figurine of a bull with picadores sticking out and lots of dolls of Spanish beauties dancing the Flamenco.

Among the piles of food would be turron candy in round metal tins. But the most exciting thing would be the arroz con pollo. Abuela would make a recipe that had by then been in the family for generations.

When she passed on in the early eighties, my grandmother continued the tradition for the next fifteen years or so. And when Grandma passed on, my mom made Arroz every Christmas. Now I, too, make Arroz each year. I can’t imagine Christmas without it.

The 40 lb Turkey

In my life, four generations have made this meal—all were slightly different reflections the women who made it and their environments.

Getting the recipe for this on paper wasn’t easy. The old lady measured things by handfuls and timed things by when it looks about right. My mother stood over my grandmother measuring out the eyeballed amounts and trying to get it right. (Mom is not from the Spanish side of the family, so she didn’t grow up making this recipe, but she still makes a damned good rendition!)

Very important to note is that z in arroz is pronounced like the th in thought.

Ingredients

• 10 cloves of garlic
• Olive oil
• 1 lb chicken thighs or drumettes
• 1 lb pork roast cut into 1 inch cubes
• 2 green bell peppers
• 2 white onions
• Spanish red paprika
• Spanish cooking chorizo
• Bomba rice
• Saffron
• Bay Leaves

Instructions

In a large pan (I tend to use a turkey roaster pan over two burners), toast ten cloves of garlic in olive oil. Take the cloves out of the oil and set them aside. Remove the garlic and place in bowl for future use.

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Brown chicken until golden color in same oil. Place chicken on paper towel covered dish.

Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Cube pork and brown in same oil.

Return chicken to pan with pork. Cover chicken and pork and let simmer until tender. Approximately 45 minutes.

Chop bell peppers and onion. Add to chicken/pork.

In a bowl, mix garlic, salt, pepper, and red paprika with two cups of water.

Pour the paprika mixture over the chicken/pork and let simmer for at least 30 minutes to allow the meat to soak up the flavors.

Boil chorizo for half hour. Take out and drain on paper towel. Cut chorizo lengthwise. Place under broiler until slightly crispy. Cut into small pieces and add to chicken/pork mixture.

Pour six cups of rice into the meat/oil/spices mixture. Swish the rice around so that it can soak up the flavorful oil mixture. Add twelve cups of water.

Add a few strings of saffron. Stir everything all around.

Cover and cook over low flame until rice is soft and tender. Besides the spices and tender meat, the most important thing in making good arroz is making sure the rice is cooked all the way through. Crunchy rice is not a good thing.

Time in the kitchen: about half a day
Feeds: about 10 —This makes amazing leftovers!

My grandpa was a funny old cuss. As a child, he crossed the country from Kansas to L.A. in an actual covered wagon. At least that’s what he told me, but I was never sure what stories were actually true. He also told me about one night when he hitched a truck to an outhouse and towed that shitter through town while his friend was locked inside.

He owned an auto shop his whole life. Not surprising that my mom also married a mechanic.

Grandpa used to withhold pay from his employees in the early 70’s until they got haircuts. He wasn’t payin’ no longhairs.

When you asked him how he was doing, he would either curtly reply, “sick”, or happily exclaim,”finer than frog hair.” If you did something worth praise, he’d emphatically let you know that “you won the fur-lined vinegar bottle.” I have no idea what anyone would want with a fur-lined vinegar bottle, but I heard it so often that sometimes, it still comes out of my mouth.

I miss my grandpa. He died not long after I went off to school.

I still have that air popper. In fact, I have used it several nights a week for almost all of my adult life. Popcorn a staple around here. My husband calls it “Diva Corn”. I can’t stand microwaved popcorn. It’s not the same thing.

Over the past two weeks, the Popcorn Pumper has been starting to go. It’s burning the corn and not blowing it out. I’ve tried cleaning it out but the problem is just getting worse. A new air popper is only about $20. The investment in a new popper is mostly emotional.

So I guess I’m saying goodbye to a kitchen appliance that has lasted through seven cities, about a dozen homes, plenty of jobs, more than one marriage and every other “phase” imaginable. It’s been with me my entire adult life. Plus, it came from my grandpa.

I’m not quite ready to replace it yet; it may take me a while. Here’s one of my many popcorn recipes. I love the stuff!

Diva Corn

• 1/2 cup popcorn kernals—hint! try experimenting with other varieties of kernals
• 1 tbsp melted butter
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• salt
• chili powder

Pop the popcorn in an air popper. Melt the butter in the microwave. Pour the butter and squeeze the lemon over your popcorn. Mix thoroughly with two spoons. Sprinkle with chili powder and salt to taste.

Try it! http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2007/01/susans-lite-goddess-dressing.html

Ingredients

• 2 cleaned and butterflied trout
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1 stalk celery
• 4 medium crimini or white mushrooms
• 2 strips thick-cut bacon
• 2 tbsp corn meal
• 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp fresh oregano
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary
• salt
• pepper

Preparation

Pre-heat the oven to 400℉.

In a skillet, sweat the onion and celery with a little salt and olive oil. Add-in bacon, chopped mushrooms, and finely chopped rosemary and oregano. Sauteé the mixture. Remove from skillet by spooning into a bowl. Salt and pepper to taste.

Sprinkle corn meal on a plate and dredge the trout, skin-side, through the corn meal.

Add whatever corn meal is left into the sauteéd mixture and stir it up.

Open the trout and lay it in your skillet (heat off). Squeeze the lemon evenly over both sides of the meat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Scoop the veggie/bacon mixture onto one side of the trout. Fold the other side over it to close it up.

Stick the skillet into the oven and bake at 400℉ for about 15 minutes.

Prep time: 15-20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Serves: 2

• Recover from a hangover
• Catch up on chores
• Hitting refresh on your twitter page
• None of the above
• Go to Bacon Camp!

If you answered anything but E, I’m seriously disappointed with you!

BaconCamp SF09

Who? You! and me and everyone else we know
What? The Bacon Event of the Decade
When? Sat Mar 21, 1-4pm
Where? 500 3rd St, Ste 510, San Francisco

What Else?
In the spirit of barcamp, we are organizing the first bay area BaconCamp.  Born from the desire to share in all things bacon, we bring you this community-driven baco-celebraion, and encourage your participation!

Over 25 baco-tastic dishes are scheduled to be presented. Check out what’s planned: http://baconcamp.pbwiki.com/Bringing-a-Dish.

Do you have a bacony bit of culinary accomplishment which you think the public must taste?  BaconCamp is still accepting entries and the prize is one of these coveted trophies which, if won, ensure you undisputed baco-bragging rights.  Just go to the wiki and enter your dish!

BaconCamp is free, but participants are encouraged to purchase tickets http://baconcampsf.eventbrite.com/ to raise funds for the American Heart Association.

Don’t cook, but love bacon? Techniques, poems, interpretive dance and any other baco-inspired expression is welcome! There will be Bacon Slam Poetry featuring your best baco-tweets, “One Hour in Bacon” and even Bacon Math Art.

Participate! Volunteers are needed to help run the event from 11am – 5pm. Sign up at http://baconcamp.org/SFBayArea_notes_03_21 with your name, email and available timeframe.

This is the event that even vegetarians can’t afford to miss!

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that I’m a judge!

With Love and Pork Fat!

Diva (Amy)
Bacon Fetishist and Mother of Bacon Man

P.S.
Feel free to re-post, cross-post and circulate as you will!

We’re SO excited about Bacon Camp, San Francisco, on Mar 21. I get to be a judge. If you haven’t heard about this event, you’re in for an excitingly culinary treat. It’s produced by my dear friend Karen. Tickets are available here. So come out for the bacon and meet me and a host of other baco-celebs.

I’m also a little tickled that Steve’s and my creation, Bacon Man has a cameo in the Bacon Meme Video, a trailer for Bacon Camp!

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Ingredients

• 3-4 strips of bacon
• 1/2 yellow or red onion
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 2 med white rose potatoes
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• 1 cup apple juice
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika, preferably smoked paprika
• salt
• pepper

Special Tools

• med-large cast iron skillet
• mandolin or food processor

Prep

Using a mandolin, cut potatoes into small strips. If you don’t have a mandolin, a food processor will work too.

Finely chop your onion and cut the bell pepper into 1/4″ pieces.

Slice the strips of bacon into 1″ pieces.

Cooking

Heat your skillet and then drop in the bacon pieces. Let them cook for a couple of minutes and then add in the onions, garlic and bell peppers. Sauteé for a minute or two and then add in the potatoes. Add at least a tablespoon of salt. Saute&eacute for another minute or two, stirring frequently.

Add fresh ground pepper, basil and paprika. Then pour in the apple juice and cover.

Simmer over medium heat until the liquid is absorbed.

Uncover and saute&acute, stirring frequently, until the edges of the potatoes are slightly crispy.

Serve with a dollop of fresh salsa.

Servings: 3-4
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Level: easy

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Ingredients

For the Chicken

• 1 lb chicken thighs (remove skin)
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• ground ginger powder
• garlic powder
• salt
• pepper

For the Sauce

• 4 tbsp red miso paste
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 tbsp dark molasses
• 2/3 cup soy sauce
• 1 bunch finely chopped scallions
• 2 tbsp grated chopped fresh ginger
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp Sriracha sauce (or to taste)
• 1 cup bourbon

Preparation

Heat oven to 350°F. Remove skin from chicken and cover each side with a generous sprinkling of salt, pepper, garlic powder and ground ginger. Heat the oil in a skillet, preferably cast iron. Brown the chicken on both sides. Place entire skillet into oven for about 45 minutes or until done in the middle (about 170°).

While chicken is baking, add all of the sauce ingredients except the bourbon to a bowl and whisk together until miso is completely dissolved.

When chicken is done, take the skillet out of the oven and move the chicken pieces to a plate. I placed them in the broiler with the heat off just to keep them warm. Deglaze the pan by placing it over high heat and then adding the whiskey. Lower it to medium and stir until all that lovely chicken juice begins to dissolve into the whiskey. Now stir in the rest of the sauce and simmer over medium for about ten minutes or until the scallions soften.

Plate the chicken and pour sauce over each piece. Garnish with a sprinkling of freshly grated ginger.

Cook time: about an hour

Prep time: about half an hour

Servings: four