Mr. Bijoy Writes

Candied bacon. I don't think I really need to elaborate anymore than necessary here. Make it, eat it, be happy. What ya need: 1 pound of somewhat lean bacon, sliced 3/4 cup of packed light brown sugar 2 tablespoons of finely ground black pepper Nonstick cooking spray Ok, so: Preheat your oven to 325ºF. In a large bowl, incorporate all of the pepper into the brown sugar with a whisk. A whisk will break apart the clumps in the sugar and allow for the most even mix with the least effort. So use a whisk. Now, grab a large baking sheet and line it with aluminum foil. Then set an oven-safe cooling/wire rack, that you've liberally coated in nonstick spray, on top of that. Slice-by-slice, dredge the bacon in the sugar mixture and set it out on the wire rack in one layer. You may need two baking sheets and you may need to do more than one batch, that's ok. Bake this for 20 minutes, take it out of the oven and promptly remove from the wire rack. Set aside to cool on a larg...

So here's the thing - Sometimes it's difficult getting gifts for a guy who has a tendency to just buy the things that he wants. Therefore, I thought I'd compile this "Ultimate Gear" edition of the gift guide for those who have this dilemma. Also, this stuff is pretty damn cool. Sound good? Ok. Everyone knows that person who loves being the guy with a bottle-opener on hand at all times. The problem at hand is that a key-chain bottle-opener or a large bartender tool isn't all that much fun. To add, I don't want my keys being passed around to open up everyone's beer. So, for a soltion, check this out- Titanium Sunglasses . Classic style, awesome functionality. Just don't let them wear these inside at night. That's stupid. Ok, carrying around a camera everywhere is a pain in the ass. To add, it seems like phone-based cameras are taking off, both in functionality and convenience. However, sometimes, the quality is just appalling. So, some folks o...

It's winter, and I think winter is the season for soups. So here's a delicious, warm bisque for all of you vegan/gluten-free folks to enjoy when it's cold outside! What ya need: 3 cups of vegetable stock 4 cups of butternut squash, peeled and cubed 3/4 cups of carrots, diced 1/2 cup of coconut milk 1/2 cup of onion, diced 1 tablespoon of canola oil 1 tablespoon of vegan butter, unsalted 1/2 teaspoon of kosher sea salt 1/2 teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg Ok, so- In a large pot, melt the vegan butter in the oil over medium heat. Stir in the diced onions until tender and translucent. At that point, add the carrots, squash, vegetable stock, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and increase the heat to bring it all to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and let it all simmer until the carrots are fork tender. Now, transfer this mixture, a little at a time, to a blender and puree until smooth. Once it's all pureed, return the mixture...

It's almost Thanksgiving and some people are asking for creative, new ideas for Thanksgiving side dishes. I posted this earlier this year, but decided to re-post it now, for ease. Enjoy!!! --- So sweet potatoes are good. Whiskey is good. So, logically, why not mix them together and see what happens? I tried. It's good. What ya need: 2-1/2 cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes 4 Tablespoons butter, softened 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar Pinch of salt 1/3 cup Jack Daniel's Whiskey Ok, so: Preheat the oven to 350ºF. In a big bowl, mix together the sweet potatoes, butter, brown sugar, salt, and whiskey. Spoon this mixture into a greased casserole dish or pie pan. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes. Oh hey, you're done.

Cobbler. It's delicious. Blackberries. Also delicious. An easy, delicious cobbler. Duh. What ya need: 2 pounds of frozen blackberries 1 cup of sugar 1 cup of pancake or waffle mix. 3 tablespoons of quick-cooking rtapioca 2 tablespoons of honey 3/4 cup of quality cream soda 2 ounces of spiced rum Some non-stick cooking spray Ok, so: Coat a medium slow-cooker with cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix the blackberries, honey, sugar, and tapioca together. Put this mixture in the slow-cooker and sprinkle the waffle mix over the top. Then, slowly pour the cream soda and spiced rum over the top of the whole situation. . Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours. Serve this warm with some whipped cream. It's just a nice plate of delicious. Enjoy!!

This is a personal favorite condiment of mine. I rarely ever make it, only because I consume it almost immediately after making it. So, give it a shot and let me know what you think! What ya need: 1 stick of unsalted butter, at room temp 5 teaspoons of honey 1 teaspoon of chili powder (cayenne works) salt, to taste Ok, so - Whip all of the ingredients together until it forms a smooth mixture. Chill this in the fridge for a minimum of one hour. Spread this on toast, fry an egg in it, put it on a sandwich, eat it by the spoonful, whatever. Love it!

Watermelon salad is under-appreciated, and just tasty. Give this a shot as a fun side for a nice weekend meal or as a great side to any cookout. Enjoy! What ya need: 1 small seedless watermelon, cubed 1 small cucumber, finely diced 6 ounces of crumbled goat cheese 1/4 cup of fresh mint leaves, chopped 1 tablespoon of quality balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon of honey Ok, so: In a big bowl, combine the watermelon, cheese, cucumber, and mint. Lightly stir this all together. Drizzle the vinegar and honey over the top of the mixture and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Sweet brisket? Yeah, that's a tasty proposition. Try this out for a happy thought! What ya need- 1 - 4lb beef brisket 1 tablespoons of tablespoon of cider vinegar 1 tablespoon of sugar 1 tablespoon of smoked paprika 1 tablespoon of ground black pepper 1 tablespoon of onion powder 1 teaspoon of ground red pepper (cayenne works fine) 1.5 quarts of  hickory wood smoking chips 1 cup Honey Barbecue Sauce 1/4 cup apple cider 2 tablespoons of Dijon Mustard   Ok, so:  Mix the sugar and the seasonings together. Rub this mix onto the meat and cover it all with plastic wrap. Refrigerate this for at least one hour. As the spices and meat are developing this tasty friendship, soak the hickory chips in water. Sprinkle a handful of the wet chips on the hot coals of your grill....

Bosc pears are good. They are even better when you cook them down to make them awesome. Here's a really simple jarred pear recipe that works as a great dessert or accompaniment to a meal. What ya need: 2 cup decent Burgundy wine 1 cup sugar A few whole cloves 1 cinnamon stick 6 peeled Bosc pears Ok, so: Combine the wine and the sugar with a few cloves and the cinnamon stick. Bring this to a simmer and add the pears. Simmer this until the pears are tender. This should take about 15 minutes. Remove the pears from the pan and continue to cook the liquid for about 15 more minutes. Now put your pears in a glass jar. Take the liquid from the pan and pour it over the pears in the jar. Yeah, it looks pretty cool. Now you can store this and use it as needed. Keep refrigerated.