take my word for it wednesday..

if you know me which you should because you’re here.. *wink* then you know I don’t like food cooked in the crock pot, except a few a very rare few items (bbq pork, chili and umm well umm that might be it..).. I don’t’ know what my aversion is to this contraption that most cooks love but I have had it since i was a kid and well so has my brother.. now one might think we both had a traumatic experience growing up involving a crock pot.. but i seriously don’t think so..we just don’t like meat cooked that way.. i can’t stand, won’t eat and cringe at stringy meat.. i know your thinking i am nuts.. it’s not just a texture thing it’s a taste thing too.. if i am going to come clean about food i don’t like i might as well let all the skeletons out of the closet, i don’t like pot roast.. *whew* ok there i said it, most people upon hearing this say well then you’ve never tried mine.. believe me, and no offense to anyone,  but i won’t like yours either.. ha sorry but its true.. pot roast is up there with brussel sprouts.. bleck.. yuck.. not gonna happen *shaking head vigorously* i won’t eat them.. growing up i only ate about 6 things.. hamburgers, tacos, meatloaf, cheese or mushroom pizza, goulash or breaded fried shrimp.. yep that’s it that’s all.. ask my mom, i didn’t like steak (to much work to eat it i was lazy and thought it involved to much chewing ha) didn’t like baked potatoes.. couldn’t stand any type of chicken and well that didn’t change until recently actually.. and pork NOT going to happen wouldn’t eat it for anything..(when my grandma passed and we found a list of what the grandkids weighed at what age.. it probably won't surpise you at 9 1/2 i weighed 58 lbs..  good golly of course i did i never ate.. sheesh.. luckily or unluckily that is no longer the case ha) and this is going to shock you too.. i didn't like bacon.. can you believe it.. i could not stand bacon.. umm now i love it.. crave it.. would marry it if that was allowed.. would eat it everyday if that was allowed too..love love bacon.. do you hear me.. LOVE it. ha... when i first got married ohh 26 years ago. (egads i am getting old)  we got invited to a friend’s house for a bbq, i was skeptical and had told pete he would have to get me mcdonalds on our way home.. well I didn’t get mickey d’s I ate my entire plate pete made me (i didn’t want to appear rude so I tried it and well it was heaven on a plate) i even had seconds it was the most amazing meal ever.. I can still remember to this day what he made.. ribs, baked beans, mac n cheese, corn on the cob, rolls and crab salad..holy moly was it good.. so after that meal i started trying more and more things.. some i liked instantly, some i still disliked and to this day don’t like (but i still do my brownie bite and try it when offered it) and some have grown on me and i now enjoy..i was a pain in the arse growing up because i declared I “hated” everything on the menu whenever we went anywhere.. luckily my kids were not like that, oh nooo shell was not like that at all she tried everything.. and ended up with a sophisticated palate at 4.. insisting at a local pizza parlor that she would like oysters rockefeller please.. or when sick one time and sniffling and tearing up declaring “know what would make me feel better”.. me: “what honey?”  her: “a lobster tail with butter would”.. oh lord *eyeroll*.. had to get that kid a lobster tail stat.. and realizing I might have created a monster.. she turned her nose up at hot dogs and still does.. declaring they are “gross” .. over the years her palate has changed too and she doesn’t crave the most expensive thing on the menu anymore… thank gawd.. but now she isn’t as open as before to trying to new things either..

take my word for it taste’s change as we get older and bacon is amazing!!

below are a few recipes i love now but would have hated!! in my younger years..

again no pictures your going to have to take my word for it.. its wonderful.. i will be making the below recipes again, i am sure..  so i will take pictures then.. cross my heart and promise.. even stick a needle in my eye if i don't.. ackckk what an awful saying.. anyway on to the food!!

so the other day i was cruising the Pioneer Women site and found this recipe here.. Peach Whiskey Barbecue Chicken...(check out her site she gives step by step photographic instructions on how to make it.. she's awesome..  unfortunately you won't get those from me.. why you ask?? because i am to lazy.. it's hard enough to get the picture of the finished product much less more.. sorry :( heck i was to lazy as a kid to eat steak you really think i could take pictures of each step.. never going to happen.. deal with it.. haha j/k..) well upon reading the recipe i thought i really need to try this chicken.. then i realized.. no whiskey and no peach jam.. soo what do us cooks do in times like that.. improvise!!.. i had pineapple and beer.. perfect switch, right??.. haha (well i thought so...)

boozy pineapple bbq chicken

prep time:  5 minutes

cooking time: 1 1/2 hours
servings: approx. 6

ingredients:

12 whole chicken thighs ( i buy boneless skinless.. make me feel better like i am doing something healthy haha)

3 slices of bacon, diced

1 yellow onion, diced

2 tsp. smokey paprika

1 can of beer (i used bud light.. because well i couldn't figure out what it was doing in my fridge and figured cooking is about all it's good for.. you see we are coors light people.. ^high five to those of us out there)

1 bottle of sweet baby ray's bbq sauce (there is no other kind in my opinion they are the best but if you prefer use your favorite brand)

1 can pineapple tid bits with juice

2 tbls. worcestershire sauce

salt and pepper

preheat oven to 350 degrees (f).  cook bacon in a heavy cast iron skillet until done but not crispy.. remove with a slotted spoon and put on a paper towel to drain. (we will be using them in the side dish i made don't get rid of them..) in the bacon grease cook chicken thighs, depending on size of your pot you might have to do it in batches.. (you might need to you can add a little olive oil if there isn't enough bacon grease).. brown both sides of the chicken thighs and remove to a plate.. repeat until all chicken is browned and set plate of chicken to the side.. add onions and paprika to the pot and stir, cooking for about 2 minutes... then add your beer to the pot.. stir and scrape the bottom of the pan, allowing the beer to reduce for about 2 minutes.. then pour in bbq sauce, pineapple with juice and worcestershire sauce.. salt and pepper to taste.. stir until all combined then return chicken plus any juice from the plate to the pot.. cover and put pot in oven for about an hour then remove from oven and serve.. i served it with bacon cheddar corn..

bacon cheddar corn

prep time:  5 minutes

cooking time: 15-20 minutes
servings: approx. 4

ingredients:

pre-cooked bacon bits (from recipe above)
1 can of white shoepeg corn, drained
1 slice of american sharp cheddar cheese
salt  and pepper

put all ingredients in a medium size pot, cook over medium high until heated through and cheese is melted.. add some salt and pepper and serve.. takes about 15-20 minutes..