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Years ago, I wrote a lengthy blog post about how I make my red sauce. It was a relatively complicated recipe from a time when I simply had more time. Over the years, I’ve simplified the recipe into a reliably good sauce that takes very little effort. I don’t knowRead more
I’ve always thought that cooking whole chickens and turkeys is one of the most economical ways to procure and prepare meat. These days, you can buy a whole chicken for less than the price of a standard pack of three breasts. So not only do you get more meat forRead more
I love buffalo wings, but I hate deep frying at home. It’s a huge pain in the ass to maintain the temperature of the oil, drain the fried food, and then strain and re-bottle the excess oil. It takes up a ton of counter space and generally results in a lotRead more
This might sound kind of strange, but I keep restaurant supply bottles in my refrigerator at home. I have a spray bottle filled with a 2:1 ratio of apple juice to apple cider vinegar that I use to mist BBQ as it smokes. I also keep a spray bottle filledRead more
In the south, fried catfish is a about the best bang you can get for your seafood buck. I don’t hate fried catfish—breading it in cornmeal actually goes a long way to making the mud-dwelling fish taste less dirty—but I prefer blackened fish. So I’ve taken a page from theRead more
Most people are surprised to learn that I don’t like sweets at all. I never have. Growing up, my mother was creative in finding non-cake ways to celebrate my birthday. She tried cookie cakes and ice cream cakes, but I lost my taste for both eventually. I managed to enjoyRead more
Most people seem to equate pizza with Chinese food in the sense that it’s one of those things that’s cheaper and easier to buy from someone else than make at home. That’s not true at all. I can make four 14″ pizzas at home for about $12—that includes all ingredientsRead more
There’s a Bavarian restaurant in town that makes great obatzda and pretzels. Obatzda is a creamy cheese spread that features onion undertones and goes great with pretzels and beer. The wife absolutely loves soft pretzels with obatzda. I use Alton Brown’s soft pretzel recipe. A video of the episode canRead more
I grew up in the southeast where all BBQ is presumed to be pork, so beef BBQ is largely alien to me. I’ll go so far as to admit that I think smoked brisket is the most overrated BBQ in the USA. And don’t even get me started on thatRead more
As part of my experiments with curing meats, I thought I’d make some Canadian bacon. The wife and I have been cooking a lot of pizza lately, so it seemed like a no-brainer to cure some toppings. Canadian bacon immediately came to mind. American bacon is a fatty cut ofRead more
My job involves staying up to date with social media trends. As part of that effort, I keep a Hobby Blog. It’s mostly a public scrapbook for my friends and family. I also keep a travelogue of my outdoor adventures at C.C. Hikes.
