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Cookbook review: 'Bacon Lover's Cookbook' shares recipes for a tasty guilty pleasure
Steak Bites 15
Steak Bites from "The Bacon Lover's Cookbook." - photo by David Rappleye
"THE BACON LOVER'S COOKBOOK," by Christina Dymock, Front Table Books, $16.99, 112 pages

With 50 recipes that all include bacon as an ingredient, "The Bacon Lovers Cookbook" is great for anyone who likes bacon.

In the introduction, author Christina Dymock includes a history of bacon and some tips and methods on how to cook it, giving the first-time home chef instructions on creating the perfect bite.

The tips, along with the "Bacon Bits" scattered throughout the cookbook, are very informative about bacon and are useful for both beginner and more experienced chefs.

Dymock includes recipes for bacon dishes that can be served at breakfast, lunch or dinner, as a side or as a dessert. The table of contents is clean and makes it easy to find a recipe. Throughout the book, just about every recipe includes a colorful photo of the finished dish. The layout of the recipe pages is easy to navigate, and information such as serving sizes is clearly noted.

"The Bacon Lovers Cookbook" has a variety of recipes, and many are not necessarily unhealthy. One of these recipes is for Bacon Taco Salad. The recipe is very easy to make and has a lot of flavor. Many of the ingredients are fresh items, like lettuce and avocado, and the recipe combines these flavors to complement the bacon well. Another recipe in the cookbook is Twice Baked Potatoes, which are also easy to prepare and make a great side dish.

"The Bacon Lovers Cookbook" is great for those who want a dish that's a bit of a tasty guilty pleasure.

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STEAK BITES

It doesnt get any easier to eat steak than when it is already cut to size. And steak doesnt get any more tempting than when its wrapped in bacon.

Serves: 6

1 pound sirloin steak

2 tablespoons lime juice

teaspoon Italian oregano

teaspoon cumin

1 clove garlic, minced

teaspoon salt

teaspoon pepper

1 (12-ounce) package thin-sliced hickory-smoked bacon

Cut the steak into 1-inch cubes and place in a large plastic bag. Add the lime juice, oregano, cumin, garlic, salt and pepper. Seal the bag and shake it well, coating the meat. Place in the fridge for 2 hours to marinate.

Soak 30-40 toothpicks in water while the meat is marinating.

Prepare a cookie sheet by covering it with aluminum foil. Set aside.

Once the meat is ready, cut the bacon slices into thirds. Wrap one piece of bacon around a piece of steak and secure with a toothpick. Lay the wrapped steak on its side on the prepared cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining steak and bacon pieces.

Move your oven rack to the top position and turn the oven on to low broil. Slide in the cookie sheet. Cook steak bites for 5-7 minutes and then turn them over. Broil for another 5-7 minutes or until the steak is cooked to your preferred doneness.

"The Bacon Lovers Cookbook," by Christina Dymock
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Have You Seen This? Street musician slays with clarinet
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Better than almost every face-melting guitar or drum solo. - photo by Facebook video screenshot

THE BIG EASY — Yeah, yeah, we all know that New Orleans is stuffed to the gills will incredible musicians.

But knowing that fact and then hearing that fact are two different things. You can step into any number of jazz clubs on any given night on Bourbon Street, and you’ll probably be impressed with virtually every act. Or you can sit at home on your comfy couch and watch this featured video.

In the video, you’ll see a woman who is in the groove. She is swinging hard, and wailing on her clarinet with a practiced expertise that makes it sounds so easy.

From note one you’ll be drawn in; your appreciation will grow with every second, and then your face will melt off when you realize how incredible she really is.

If you’ve never played a woodwind or a brass, you may not know everything that comes with a performance like this. Lung capacity and breath control are huge factors in keeping your notes clear and loud, and hitting those high notes is especially difficult.

So when this woman hits that high note and holds it for several seconds, you know you’re dealing with an exceptional musician. It means she has worked hard for years to develop skill on top of her natural talent, and we get to benefit.

It kinda makes you wonder how we let people get away with mumble rap and autotune when talent like this exists in the world.

I wish this video were longer, and I wish I had more information about this woman, but as it is, we’ll just have to appreciate the little flavor of New Orleans jazz posted by the Facebook group Clarinet Life.

Martha Ostergar is a writer who delights in the ridiculous that internet serves up, which means she's more than grateful that she gets to cruise the web for amazing videos to highlight for your viewing pleasure.
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