Eau de Top Chef No. 5 (a.k.a. Buh-Bye Zoi)

Last night's episode was a doozy. Not only did Spike wear his most bizarre hat yet, the chefs were randomly put into 4 teams, each team based on the 4 elements, and told to cook a related dish for a charity event. Team Fire won the challenge with a spicy shrimp plate, but not after Dale and Lisa bitched and moaned for the entire episode. Lisa won for her wacky Asian-inspired hoity-toity bacon. Guest Judge Ming Tsai (hello, hottie!) awarded her the win because he said he really liked her innovative approach. I just wish Lisa would be innovative in the shower and wash her hair for once.

The two losing teams lost hard. For the Water Team, Richard ("Dough Boy") and his team made some scaly salmon that was apparently mushy and unappetizing. Ugh! It looks like an autopsy (see left). For the Earth Team, Zoi and her gang (which included immune Antonia, and "Hat Boy" Spike) made some bland mushrooms and a limp-looking salad. What irked me wasn't the food, but that Bravo (one of the gayest, if not the gayest channels) only showed Jennifer giving her partner Zoi a tiny little peck on the cheek goodbye when Zoi got kicked off the show. What gives?! Oh well, Zoi needed to go home--she apparently can't season her food. Such hesitation is never good in the kitchen. Although...I would have rather seen Richard go home last night. At least his ego got cut down a notch.

The most ridiculous part of the show? Not the scaly fish, nor Lisa's constant negativity. No, that honor goes to Dale, who actually grabbed his own crotch, gangster-style, when he was yelling at Lisa after the elimination! Who does that? I mean, really! Tiny Dale thinks he's ghetto? What?! I was almost on the floor laughing. Almost. I was too busy being confused.

My Sunday Brunch at Bull & Boar

What can I say? Booklahver's review of Bull & Boar made my mouth water. She and her husband invited me to brunch 2 Sundays ago and I of course said yes! The restaurant resides in a quaint, remodeled building on Pearce Road.

We arrived around 11:30. We were greeted at the door by smiling faces and led to a table in the back by the buffet, next to three other tables of diners. The buffet stretched out over a long white tablecloth covered table, ending with an omelet and waffle station.

I chose links of locally-procured sausage and strips of bacon, a serving of Eggs Benedict (a new steaming-hot tray of which had just been added to the table), and some plump strawberries. I also got some Texas toast and covered with it with homemade mixed berry jelly. The Eggs B were a delight! The Hollandaise sauce was delicate and flavorful and the pork was perfectly chewy and salty. The sweetness of the strawberries and the jelly balanced the savory foods quite well. The coffee was lovely, too. My cup was refilled multiple times without my having to ask or wait.

After finishing my plate, I requested a waffle from the made-to-order station. A few moments later the cook signaled it was ready. I was directed toward the bar to choose from a variety of toppings including strawberries, blueberries, chocolate chips, butter, and whipped cream. If ever breakfast had dessert, this was it! I covered the waffle with the fruit and its juices and hurried back to my seat. The soft waffle with crisp edges soaked up the juices and it melted in my mouth.

Overall, I rate Bull & Boar highly. They know how to put out a spread of delicious locally-grown foods that satisfy. And for $15, it's an experience well worth the drive to Del Valle.

Bacon Placemats?

While I have a special place for bacon in my heart (and my arteries...) I don't know if I am brave enough to attempt to eat a bacon placemat on my own. Perhaps I should throw a bacon party?

Chicken-By-the-Seat-of-My-Pants Chicken

Last night I was charged with making dinner for the household plus 2 guests for a total of 5. Melinda told me she had put chicken in the fridge to thaw. I thought they were chicken breasts, so I searched for recipes matching that ingredient. I found one for Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Spinach, Bacon, and Bleu Cheese. It was easy and tasty-sounding. SOLD!

So I headed to HEB, bought a bunch of fresh spinach (ignoring the recipe's call for the frozen variety), some Amish-made bleu cheese, and some Doritos to snack on while I concocted dinner.

I had made 12 strips of bacon, set them to dry, and crumbled the cheese. I washed and chopped the spinach and mixed them all in a large bowl. Then I took the almost thawed chicken out of the fridge and realized there were no breasts, only tenders and dark meat. Oh dear, no stuffing was going to be possible.

After stress-eating a handful of Doritos, I calmly washed the chicken pieces and layered half on the bottom of a casserole dish. I then put the cheese/bacon/spinach mixture on top, and covered that with the remaining chicken pieces. I baked the dish (covered) for 45 minutes at 375. It turned out fairly well. Unfortunately I forgot to make a starch...rice or something so Melinda graciously made toast. As everyone finished their bowl o' chicken, I think the experiment turned out fairly well.