Home Chef Hubby

OMG! J has been cooking up a storm and I am getting spoiled! Today he unpacked the crockpot and put it to use. This the first time we've actually since we got it, for a wedding gift! I am not quite sure what exactly he concocted, but it was t-a-s-t-y...tasty! Pork loin, red potatoes, onions and all sorts of spices, including white truffle oil, which he was SO excited to find today that he had to call me at work to tell me about it! Too funny. So my budding chef is working it out in the kitchen. It's so nice to finally be eating good, tasty, healthy meals at home, after nearly six weeks of eating sandwiches, salads, cereal and milk and restaurant food.

Speaking of food...this weekend we're checking out The Art of BBQ. Um yeah! It's one of those BBQ competion/festivals you see on the Food Network. And it is being held... right.across.the.street.

How can we not go!?

There will be live music, wine tasting and of course, the BBQ contest.

Check out the categories:

Steak, Chicken, Pork Ribs, Pork Butt, Beef Brisket

And the rules are awesome! Here are some of my favs:

• Fires shall be of wood, wood pellets or charcoal. Gas and electric heat sources shall not be permitted for cooking or holding. Propane or electric is permitted as fire starters, provided that the competition meat is not in/on the cooking device. Electrical accessories such as spits, augers, or forced draft are permitted. No open pits or holes are permitted, except at the election of the contest organizer. Fires shall not be built on the ground.


• Parboiling and/or deep-frying competition meat is not allowed.


• Garnish is optional. If used, it is limited to chopped, sliced, shredded or whole leaves of fresh green lettuce, curly parsley, flat leaf parsley and/or cilantro. Kale, endive, red tipped
  lettuce, lettuce cores and other vegetation are prohibited. (Improper garnish shall receive a score of one (1) on Appearance)


• Sauce is optional. If used, it shall be applied directly to the meat and not be pooled or puddled in the container. No side sauce containers will be permitted in the turn-in
  container. Chunky sauce will be allowed. Chunks are to be no larger than a fine dice, (approximately 1/8 inch cubed). (Sauce violations shall receive a score of one (1) on
  Appearance).


• Each contestant must submit at least six (6) separated and identifiable (visible) portions of meat in a container. Chicken, pork and brisket may be submitted chopped, pulled, sliced, or diced as the cook sees fit, as long as there is enough for six (6) judges. Ribs shall be turned in bone-in. Judges may not cut, slice, or shake apart to separate pieces. (If there is not
  enough meat for each judge to sample, the shorted judge(s) will score a one (1) on all criteria, and the judges having samples will change the Appearance score to one (1).)


• Meat shall not be sculptured, branded or presented in a way to make it identifiable. Rosettes of meat slices are not allowed. (Violations of this rule will be scored a one (1) on all
  criteria by all six judges.)

So awesome! I cannot wait... don't you just wonder of someone is going to lose points over purple cabbage garnish and meat rolled into a rosette? The anticipation!