Is is just me, or does this title fit a good portion of the people that post in the Rant & Raves? Personally, I am a Heterosexual Conservative, God-fearing Christian, but to each their own. Before you get all froggy & jump, I have many friends from all walks of life & that includes homosexual liberal.....well, I don't know any atheists.

Basically, I just wanted a reason to post this pic. Ya'll can Rant & Rave about it. Have fun & I'll enjoy reading.

As a matter of fact I've always wanted to go to Chile. Let's do it!

I've always wanted to go to South America, but being the typical self-absorbed American, I had not yet differentiated in my mind among the various countries. Chile would work, though.

I've always wanted to go to South America, but being the typical self-absorbed American, I had not yet differentiated in my mind among the various countries. Chile would work, though.

From your measured responses on the various threads in R&R, I must say that I don't think that you are at all self-absorbed.

I do believe that Americans as a group have fallen into the trap of self-absoption. This is because your country is both very large with respect to land mass and population and because it is arguably the single most powerful political and cultural entity in the global arena. It would be exceedingly difficult if not impossible not to fall into this trap. And remember that this state of mind is certainly aided and abetted by your media, your political machinery - the politics of spin - and your geography. Unlike Europe, you are not up close and personal with the clamour of competing national egos.

For us Canadians it is a little easier, perhaps, to avoid some of the self-absorption which plagues you for we really are a very minor player on the global stage but make no mistake we do have the self-absorption that wealth and, again, the geographical separation from the mess of the rest of the world brings.

(Though we may often feel quite smug about our kinder, gentler, more socialized approach to education and health care, we do have an on-going problem with our aboriginal population. These citizens live in truly squalid conditions and have not profited from Canada's prosperity. This is our nasty little secret, eh.)

Personally, I think that it would be totally brilliant to launch an expedition into Chile. You know that the tail end of the country touches into those waters which abut Antartica? And that the spine of the country is a continuation of the Rockies? How cool is that!

BJean, I think I am falling deeply in love with you. I adore leftovers! and I adore a woman who makes a nice table. And you share my sense of humour and my politics. Let us and our hubbies all run away together, eh. We can go visit Carlene, Ms Dad, The Airwayman Dude, Wheets, Laurend, Lisah, TOM, and all the many others whom I have left out. Could be a bunch o fun, doncha think? :welldone:

But we should visit the new lap banders first. They are the ones with the drugz.:heh:

Be sure and bring the leftovers. I love leftovers. I make soup out of them. Never made the same soup twice. How about, oh, uh, say...leftover barbeque pork, sweet potato, half a chinese takeout something, with a tbsp. of chili garlic sauce, some chicken broth and, oh yes, frozen green peas. Wonderful, simply wonderful. That's a typical lunch for the two of us. Never had the wifie turn stuff like that down. She's a doll. 'Course, come Monday at 7:30a, eatin' that kinda shit comes to a screeching halt. It was fun while it lasted.

Be sure and bring the leftovers. I love leftovers. I make soup out of them. Never made the same soup twice. How about, oh, uh, say...leftover barbeque pork, sweet potato, half a chinese takeout something, with a tbsp. of chili garlic sauce, some chicken broth and, oh yes, frozen green peas. Wonderful, simply wonderful. That's a typical lunch for the two of us. Never had the wifie turn stuff like that down. She's a doll. 'Course, come Monday at 7:30a, eatin' that kinda shit comes to a screeching halt. It was fun while it lasted.

Oh man, I am such a fan of pork! Growing up in a house that was half-Jewish (even though my old man was an atheist and a bacon lover) meant that we were denied pork. Though my father was addicted to bacon and Chinese bar-b-que pork he still couldn't bring himself to stomach any other kind of pig flesh. I adore this forbidden flesh, most specifically pork tenderloin! I have a fantastic French recipe where the pork is stuffed with apples and plums, then roasted. :hungry: I don't actually cook this myself but do routinely get a gay friend of mine who is a fine cook to prepare this on my behalf.:welldone: (I did translate the recipe, though. )

Something which I have never tasted and would like to try before I die is southern bar-b-que. I have read about this and this is not available up here in the frozen but globally warming north.

And as fer anything prepared with chilis, count me in. Both of us are fans of muy piquante. Our fridge is loaded with various types of hot sauces thanks to the local multicultural make-up and we always have fresh hot peppers kicking around, too. Garlic is always good! And it separates your true friends from the Anglo-Saxons........

Something which I have never tasted and would like to try before I die is southern bar-b-que. I have read about this and this is not available up here in the frozen but globally warming north.

It's my absolute favorite. The very mention of it had my mouth watering like crazy and wondering if I can get out of my dinner plans tonight to head down to a rib shack here in Philly.

What you should do right away, Green, is you should hop on a plane to Memphis. Not only will you find the best Southern BBQ anywhere, but you will also enjoy a fabulous city that is the birthplace of the rock-n-roll and the civil rights movement!!!

I went in December and let me tell you, it was a fabulous vacation. Totally worth it.

Oh man, I am such a fan of pork! Growing up in a house that was half-Jewish (even though my old man was an atheist and a bacon lover) meant that we were denied pork. Though my father was addicted to bacon and Chinese bar-b-que pork he still couldn't bring himself to stomach any other kind of pig flesh. I adore this forbidden flesh, most specifically pork tenderloin! I have a fantastic French recipe where the pork is stuffed with apples and plums, then roasted. :hungry: I don't actually cook this myself but do routinely get a gay friend of mine who is a fine cook to prepare this on my behalf.:welldone: (I did translate the recipe, though. )

Something which I have never tasted and would like to try before I die is southern bar-b-que. I have read about this and this is not available up here in the frozen but globally warming north.

And as fer anything prepared with chilis, count me in. Both of us are fans of muy piquante. Our fridge is loaded with various types of hot sauces thanks to the local multicultural make-up and we always have fresh hot peppers kicking around, too. Garlic is always good! And it separates your true friends from the Anglo-Saxons........

Don't get me started on bar-b-que. All I can say is, if you like pork, you really do need to take a bar-b-que tour of the United States. Get a list of the 1500 or 2000 best bar-b-que places in the U.S. and hit the road.

No, I mean right now.

Well, you have got me to thinking and drooling and I do have a passport! The husband does have holidays in the near future and my bro lives in Virginia. This could be a bunch o fun. The great white north blonde ambition b-b-Q tour!

Green: If you start out your bar-be-que tour in Virginia you will promptly wretch, turn tail and head back to Toronto. Them crazy folks think that a nice barbeque beef or pork sandwich should come loaded with cold slaw. Yup. You heard me right. COLD SLAW. Gag, wretch.

Now if you want some decent barbeque honey, you trot yourself on down to Oklahoma or Texas and get you one fine pulled pork barbeque sandwich. In Texas the barbeque brisket will seriously make you delirious. The ribs are awesome too. Barbeque is a very serious art in Texas and even though Memphis is famous for its ribs, Texas actually has them beat as far as I'm concerned. In Memphis they smoke their meat and use a "dry rub" coating of seasonings all over it. If you want barbeque sauce on it, you add it at the table. Eeeh they're good, I'll give 'em that. But for the very best in barbeque, head west.

In Texas and Oklahoma you can get dry rub seasoned ribs and meat if you insist, but if you want really tender and larrapin' meat, you use some amount of water in your smoker and smoke it until it nearly falls off the bone and during the last hour or so you baste it with a somewhat sweet/tart smoky dark red barbeque sauce. Yee haw! The meat should have some blacked edges all around.

This all reminds me of a place where my sister used to live, El Reno, Oklahoma, where there was a stand alone red wooden shack in front of the Wal Mart (where else?) and it had a big sign on it that said Bubba's Barbeque. There was a smaller sign under that said, "Nobody beats our meat!" (I never could figure out why Bubba decided to brag about that.)

Which reminds me of a ski trip we made to Beaver Creek, Colorado. We decided we needed some alcohol to take the edge off our sore muscles, and went looking for a store. There it was all big and boastful...a sign that said... are you ready? BEAVER LIQUORS. Needless to say we had to go see for ourselves! Woo, hoo!

Devana: My sister and I were 13 mos. apart and we had an older brother and sister (8 & 9 years older than I.) My sister and I were almost joined at the hip most of our lives. We could read each others minds, finish each others sentences and confided in each other about every thing. We both always figured we'd outlive our husbands and wind up in an old folks home as roommates. When I realized that she was not going to be able to beat her cancer, I thought I was going to die too. Honestly it was physically painful for me. It took about 2 years or so for me to be able to even think about her without falling apart. That whole horrible time of her illness and dying was totally surreal to me. I don't know how I got through it. I can finally look at her pictures and talk about her and remember the good times, instead of the grief of losing her. Fortunately her two kids treat me like I'm their surrogate mom and that helps a lot. It has been 14 years since she died. Thanks for your supportive words.

Oh man, I am such a fan of pork!...I adore this forbidden flesh, most specifically pork tenderloin!

Ok, here's a great recipe for you. It's easy, Lap-Band, Lo Carb-, & Lo Fat-friendly and above all, it's quite tasty! Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Take a small pork loin and wrap it in a pound of bacon (don't get too up in arms yet). Coat the entire outside of the now pork-wrapped pork (LOL, couldn't resist) in lemon pepper seasoning, whatever brand you like. Make sure it's well-coated. Place the loin on a wire roasting rack over a pan and bake until the center reaches whatever temperature you're comfortable cooking pork to (I usually let it hit about 155, then let it rest in the oven for another 5-10 minutes). Just don't overcook it or else it will no longer be LB-friendly (too dry). The majority of the fat from the bacon will drip off during the roasting process, and pork loin is naturally low-fat already & the only carbs (negligible t best) in the recipe come from the seasoning. Back to the bacon for a moment - I have started trying to avoid processed/cured meats and have found that uncured bacon is now available in my area. It tastes almost exactly the same as regular cured bacon, only not quite as salty.

Despite my wordy post, this is hands-down one of the easiest and most delicious recipes I have ever made. :hungry:

Ok, here's a great recipe for you. It's easy, Lap-Band, Lo Carb-, & Lo Fat-friendly and above all, it's quite tasty! Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Take a small pork loin and wrap it in a pound of bacon (don't get too up in arms yet). Coat the entire outside of the now pork-wrapped pork (LOL, couldn't resist) in lemon pepper seasoning, whatever brand you like. Make sure it's well-coated. Place the loin on a wire roasting rack over a pan and bake until the center reaches whatever temperature you're comfortable cooking pork to (I usually let it hit about 155, then let it rest in the oven for another 5-10 minutes). Just don't overcook it or else it will no longer be LB-friendly (too dry). The majority of the fat from the bacon will drip off during the roasting process, and pork loin is naturally low-fat already & the only carbs (negligible t best) in the recipe come from the seasoning. Back to the bacon for a moment - I have started trying to avoid processed/cured meats and have found that uncured bacon is now available in my area. It tastes almost exactly the same as regular cured bacon, only not quite as salty.

Despite my wordy post, this is hands-down one of the easiest and most delicious recipes I have ever made. :hungry:

That sounds divine. I have to tell you that I am a bacon freak and one of the things that my mum used to do as a weekend treat is to cut bread into cubes and fry it in bacon fat as part of our weekend breakfast. She also used to wrap her Christmas and Thanksgiving turkeys in bacon. It cut down on the work of basting the bird and the bacon was a treat for those of us who were loitering in the kitchen while the bird was being cut.

Even now, post band, my husband will occasionally fry up a bunch of bacon. I like to use some of this when I make myself a small salad using avocado, onion, a tomato, and a homemade vinaigette. I also use it when I am microwaving an egg and tomato scrambled-thingy. As for my husband, he likes bacon in his potato salad - no longer an option for me, alas.:think

lethea: How frustrating to not be able to save her! As her big sis, I'm sure you have wanted to for 20 years. My heart goes out to you.

It tastes almost exactly the same as regular cured bacon, only not quite as salty.

The saltiness is what makes bacon, bacon. My aunt and uncle brought up some turkey bacon last year when they came to stay with us for a few days. Worst meat product I've ever tastes, by far. There were no redeeming qualities to it. It had a vaguely bacon-ish flavor, but was way too thick and had no saltiness to it. Waste of time, IMO.

Another of my uncles owns a Subway, and he always brings Subway stuff when he comes to stay with us. He'll bring bags and bags of their cookie dough, and he's also bring a bag or two of their bacon, which is the best bacon ever, IMO. It's precooked, so all you do is throw it in the microwave for about a minute for a plateful, and eat. No bacon stink in your kitchen, just ultra thin, crispy, salty goodness.

Have you all tried having the butcher cut you a special bone in pork rib roast? They are awesome. I used to fix them years ago but you can hardly find them anymore in a regular grocery store.

lethea: The salt isn't my favorite thing about bacon. It's the texture and fat that I love. I don't like bacon crisp, but with the band bacon is almost completely off the menu for me. I can eat turkey bacon though and Louis Rich makes a really decent one. It has to be cooked just to just the right degree or forget it. I don't really think of it as bacon, just a different breakfast egg accompaniment. Apple smoked bacon is probably my fave.

Back to the old Okie roots. My parents were pretty poor, off and on and when times were lean, mom might have 2 or 3 eggs and a little bulk sausage in the 'fridge and 6 hungry mouths to feed. She would cook up the sausage, boil the eggs, and make a roux with the leftover sausage drippings, chop the eggs, crumble the sausage and finish up the white gravy with the roux. Mix it all together and serve it on homemade bisquits and it is some good eatin'. It goes straight to your arteries, but once in a while it's worth it!