How to Caffienate your Bacon, The Caffiene Cowboy

Caffeine Cowboy Writes Again  by J.B.Blocker

  
  There is a good reason that I chose the moniker Caffeine Cowboy and not the Coffee Cowboy. 

  To some extent, the oriental half of me also enjoys, appreciates, and respects Teas of all kinds. 
  I did not want to be eliminated from that culture.

  And then of course, there’s Chocolate!

Coffee: The Mediterranean half of me demands at least two cups of very strong coffee before I can talk or even see straight. Throughout the day, if I am in writer’s mode, I am constantly brewing another cup.

Like my hero Beethoven, I prefer to make my coffee one cup at a time. No pots of coffee for me. I turn to my home made cold water filtered syrup, my one cup pour over steep and strain brewer, or my French Press.

I think nothing of squeezing out an espresso at anytime day or night. In fact, it is hard for me to pass an espresso machine without grabbing a grupo and creating coffee essence art for the soul.

Last night was a normal night for me. I was planning out my upcoming day and found myself brewing a cuppa. I might have added a dash of whiskey.

Chocolate: The stars were aligned the day I made friends with Clark about 20 years ago. That’s Clark Guittard of the Guittard Chocolate family! From then on, I have been introduced to the wonderful world of chocolate beyond Hershey’s. He took me on a tour of chocolates from different countries, how they were prepared differently, and how many wonderful products they make with chocolate.

When I crave dessert, chocolate comes to mind. When I grocery shop. I consider whether I have chocolate mint ice cream, cookies, and a few other odd chocolate nibbles at home.

Chocolate and Coffee are my friends.

Bacon:? It is my belief that bacon is good with pretty much anything. BLT is my go to comfort food with tomato/basil soup. If I-Hop and Denny’s didn’t have bacon, I probably would not eat there. More bacon is way better than not enough.

I am a connoisseur of bacon! It is a wrap for quail and dove, it is the skin around a perfect meatloaf, and the perfect topping for any hamburger or salad. If it could be in a dessert, I’d give it the benefit of the doubt.

Is there a way to combine the three! I give you Chocolate sprinkled Bacon and a hot Cup for breakfast, a brunch snack, or a lure for other bacon fiends.

Here’s how: Chocolate Chip Bacon

Start out with at least a dozen crispy strips of bacon.

Chop up your chocolate of choice ( I prefer semi-sweet, but 

frozen 3 Musketeers, Snickers, and chopped Butterfingers also work )

Sprinkle the chips of chocolate over the bacon and nuke for 20 seconds.

Grab a cup of coffee, and your gun to guard your Bacon Chips from preditors!

You’re welcome! The Caffeine Cowboy

- J.B. Blocker is a media consultant based in Collin County in North Texas. Advertise with J.B. by calling 469-334-9962. Email: jbnorthtexas@gmail.com

ITALIAN GARDEN in McKINNEY

BENNY'S ITALIAN GARDEN

Another restaurant profile by J.B.Blocker, the Lone Star Reporter

Family is very important to the Polisi family. So when one of their cousins was to be married, Zati and his wife Flora brought their two teenage sons to attend the wedding in Allen, Texas. They left their family farm in Albania and packed for an extended visit. They liked Texas, respected America, and decided to stay.

For generations the family has lived close to where the Adriatic and Ionian Seas meet just southeast of the heel of the Italian peninsula. They were strongly influenced by fresh seafood as well as locally produced fare. Even though the family is Italian, the region also has a strong Greek influence. Their homeland is rich in history and the melding of ancient cultures.

    Back Row: Little Benny, Flora, Zati, Chef Benny, Alisa, Shippy, and Sabi                          Front Row: Mayor Brian Loughmiller, Richard Pedretti-Allen, and County Judge Keith Self

The oldest son took to being called Benny and worked his way from a dish washer and bus boy up through the ranks of the well established and operated restaurant of a relative. By the time the Polisi family was ready to open their own restaurant, Benny’s skill, experience, and love for cooking had prepared him to take control of his own kitchen.

It's good to have a talented and dedicated chef, but you need more to insure a successful restaurant. You need a really good manager who takes quality, management, and hospitality seriously. Fortunately, Chef Benny had the best of allies. His younger brother who was also being called Benny by his friends has the mind of a responsible businessman. Little Benny was 14 when the family came for the wedding and chose to become a part of the American Dream.

Benny's Italian Garden is a family affair. 

SUMMER HORSE CAMP at STORYBOOK RANCH

2013 Summer Horse Camp is Here!

Camp Weeks Available June 10-August 24

•  Daily Riding Lessons & Trail Rides
•  Horse Safety and Equine Education
•  Water Activities and Adventures
•  Friday Rodeo for Campers
•  Indoor Camp Room
•  $350/week,Monday-Friday, 9a-4p
•  $80/day for drop-in's available
•  Early drop-off and late pick-up options
  

REGISTER NOW at 972-369-0874 or email us at info@storybookranch.org

My First Week at Summer Horse Camp

Libby Cooper

    My name is Libby Cooper, and I am twelve years old. I have lived in Plano my whole life. I go to Frankford Middle School and am going into 7th grade next year at the same school. 

ALLEN PATRIOTS: An IRS target?

 

Johnson: IRS has been used as a political weapon

North Texas Conservative Group Likely Targeted

Washington, DC - U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson (R-TX) issued the following statement for today’s Ways and Means Committee hearing on the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) targeting of conservative groups.

Statement:

Mr. Chairman,

  Thank you for holding this hearing.  The American people deserve to know the truth so that those in the IRS who are responsible will be held fully accountable. 

  I would also like to thank the Inspector General for its important work.

The bottom-line is that the IRS has been used as a political weapon.