Best Bacon

In my ongoing plan to buy/eat only food that tastes great, I've rediscovered Nueske's Applewood Smoked Bacon. Mama Mia! This one is so worth the calories. And, I grabbed an idea from David Lebowitz's appearance on Andrew Zimmern's 2008 series and sprinkled brown sugar on the four slices I prepared for CA's Valentine's breakfast.

(Just be careful and drain the excess fat on something other than paper towels, as we had a sticking problem that distracted from the presentation. :))

DESIGNING WOMAN, part 2

This is my favorite room ever. I want to live in this room. It has everything I need--books, sunlight, peace and quiet, and beauty. I even like her clothes--just wait, they WILL come back in style. I have been on this earth long enough to know for sure that life is a cycle and everything comes around.

This ad is (c) 1994, so I have been holding onto this piece of paper for a long time. The ad is for Waterford crystal, but if pressed I wouldn't have remembered that part. Like the Energizer pink bunny ads-- people that follow advertising stats early on determined that people loved the commercials but had a hard time remembering whether it was Duracell or who. They made some subtle changes to hard-wire the Energizer brand into our brains.

Anyway, I prefer Swarkowski. Because of our Austria connection. I don't own much of either brand. For years I wasn't a crystal-type girl, but that changed. Now I have a few crystal vases and bowls and candlesticks. Our house is now more traditional country rather than straight country. By country I don't mean geese with clothing on my front porch. I always went for the pine primitives and folk art--mostly reproduction.

I got lucky. A good friend who had a wonderfully pristine, primitive country collection decided to retire to Florida. I got first pick. That summer we skipped a vacation and the money was spent on her stuff. No regrets. I may have wandered a bit away from her style, but I still love the stuff in my basement!

SHARING A FAVORITE RECIPE

One of our all-time favorite salads was adapted from Macaroni Grill's menu--sauteed spinach salad. It is quick and easy--requires serving as soon as it comes out of the wok as it cools so very quickly.

SAUTEED SPINACH SALAD w/ROASTED GARLIC
1 bulb Garlic
1 - 3 T. Olive oil
8 - 12 oz Baby spinach, triple washed or wash, spin, and thoroughly dry
1 half Lemon
1 - 2 T. Parmesan, grated
To taste Salt and pepper, freshly ground

1. Cut the top off the garlic bulb to expose some of the cloves and peel away excess papery layer.
2. Place garlic in small heat-proof dish.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 - 15 minutes or until cloves are tender when you prick with point of a knife or fork. Cool.
4. Reserve garlic oil for sauteing the spinach.
5. Cover your hand with a small plastic bag and squeeze the garlic bulb from the bottom until all cloves are release; set aside.
6. Heat reserved garlic oil in a wok or medium large skillet until bubbles a bit.
7. Add half to all of the spinach and quickly toss using tongs. Repeat with additional portions, if necessary.
8. Shut off the flame when spinach appears half cooked--some leaves will still be crispy.
9. Squeeze lemon juice over spinach and toss together.
10. Salt and pepper.
11. Use tongs to remove to a shallow salad bowl or individual small plates.
12. Sprinkle with roasted garlic cloves and Parmesan.
13. Serve immediately.

Serve fresh focaccia or French bread alongside. Spread the roasted garlic on the bread.

HINT: The garlic olive oil is great rubbed onto pizza crust before assembling the rest of the ingredients. Even frozen pizza will be better if you rub some of the garlic oil on the edges before baking,