Burnt Ends

Family request for burnt ends was just what I needed as an excuse to fire up the smoker on a recent trip to CT. As many of you know I have a masonry smoker that I built last year and have been using it to fill peoples belly's with delicious smoked meats. This time brisket was the meat of choice.

Two 6lb briskets with dry rub of salt, raw sugar, paprika, pepper and a few other fun spices. I started the smoker about an hour early to get a nice even temperature throughout the masonry surface.

Breakfast Potato Bowl

Breakfast, ah beautiful nourishing breakfast. One of my three favorite meals. Crispy potatoes sweetly sauteed with onion completed with melted cheese.... Sigh, I'm getting hungry even thinking about it. If you love breakfast, get out the skillet and break an egg, here is a tasty treat of a recipe for you.

Ingredients: (Serves 2)

6 small red potatoes - cubed (skins on)
1/2 an onion - chopped
olive oil
flat parsley, or herb of choice
cheddar cheese grated or cheese of choice (I had Gorgonzola on hand so I added it as well)
2 eggs
1 avocado 
bacon optional

Smoked Chicken!

Two batches in one week! So tasty. One set of drumsticks and then a whole chicken.

Have a Sandwich

Decided to make a up some stuffed chicken breast sandwiches. With bacon, Cheddar cheese, caramelized onions and chicken on a roll its hard to go wrong.

Kripalu

   


For my birthday, Nick surprised me with a yoga retreat to the Kripalu Center, nestled in The Berkshires in Massachusetts. (!!) When I arrived I had time to squeeze in a yoga class before dinner and heading to my first cooking class (that Nick had also signed me up for) with Kripalu's infamous Executive Chef, Deb Morgan. Yes, I know, I have the most amazing boyfriend! Deb had us start by giving us all a clementine. She slowed us down to awaken our senses to the fruit before us, starting from the first smell, to the feel of the skin as we slowly dug our fingers into it, to the first time it touched our tongue. I knew then this was going to be such a memorable weekend. This, or course, was only the beginning.