Sunday, November 27, 2011

Shopping, Skating,Traveling

Thanksgiving weekend used to be a time when families stepped away from the whirlwind of activity of work, school and the daily grind.  Retailers or dare I say Corporations seem to be immune to the importance of this time set aside for families to reaffirm the importance of connection, to remind themselves that amongst the unrelenting demands and problems that confront us, there's a few people - family or close friends - who support, encourage and rally for you.  Even if you embraced Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and look ahead to Cyber Monday . . . I hope you were also able to set aside a moment of appreciation and thanks for the blessing of family and friends.

If you're in the Napa Valley be sure to check out the new ice skating rink in downtown Napa - "Napa on Ice "- on the corner of 2nd and Coombs.  I interviewed Peter Mott - the man who set the goal five years ago to bring ice skating to the Valley . . . and the opportunity for families to enjoy an activity that spans all ages.  The rink has already attracted 80-year-old grandparents, a birthday party for an 8-year-old, and a safe and fun place for the teenagers.  My interview is posted on the KVYN/KVON facebook page at:  KVYN 99.3 The Vine/KVON 1440.

And . . . stay safe as you head home . . . life is precious!

Friday, November 18, 2011

CJ on THE VINE for Saturday, November 19, 2011
Fall is coming on full strength this weekend with cooler temperatures and some rain . . . along with a short week as we celebrate Thanksgiving!  To help simplify your planning, shopping, cooking and eating be sure to join me 10am-11am when I interview Safeway's Executive Chef Jeff Anderson!  Does he promote Safeway?  Yes . . . but he also has some great ideas . . . and he's even giving us one of his newly created recipes:  Sugar Bacon!  OK, I'll go ahead and post - but I know that if you're reading this already, you most likely heard about my blog on THE VINE this morning - so enjoy!


Brown Sugar Bacon with Open Nature 100% All Natural Applewood Bacon

This recipe can be served as a flavorful snack or used to garnish a variety of dishes, such as sautéed green beans and pearl onions; or even embellish your ice cream sundae with brown sugar bacon, and Safeway SELECT ® 100% Pure Maple Syrup to create a seasonally sensational dessert.

Ready In: About 15 minutes
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients
8-12 slices Open Nature Applewood Bacon
½ cup Safeway brown sugar
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
Non-stick cooking spray

Directions
Preheat oven to 395º F, if you have convection then turn the fan on too.

Line a baking tray with aluminum foil. Place a cooling rack onto the foil and spray the rack with non-stick cooking spray.

Place the bacon onto the rack, and top each slice with brown sugar and fresh ground black pepper.

Bake for 6-8 minutes or until the bacon is crisp and caramelized.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes before handling.

Helpful Tips: To spice up the bacon add more black pepper, or crushed red pepper flakes and a pinch of sea salt to the topping.  

BTW . . . if you're a non meat eater - just substitute the real bacon for Stripples or other "fake" bacon  products . . . they're out there!