I know it’s been a while since I posted but don’t get offended. I really don’t have much today except that I read this great article on being unoffendable that has really spoken to my heart.
You can read it here: http://www.holytrinitynewrochelle.org/yourti15509.html
I will try to post more soon as I’ve had some interesting (humerous life things) happen lately.
Last Listened To: Barbing of the Wind by Vesper
Later On, Further Out,
Chris Cummings
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Notes from a novice griller...
OK, I’m going to admit something here I don’t talk about a lot. My name is Chris and I am an (almost) 35 year old gas grill novice….for now. I used to work in a hardware store and occasionally put together grills. I would say that I’ve probably assembled more grills than I’ve cooked on.
Growing up we didn’t really grill that often, maybe once or twice a year, that I remember…so I really never developed a taste for grilling. No one ever really showed me the ropes, and I guess, to be fair, I never showed much interest in it either.
After Melissa and I got married we never had a really good grill. Someone was gracious enough to give us a grill but try though I might I never could get good food from it. The 1 or 2 times I grilled on it I grilled hot dogs. And I would usually burn those. I’ve made hamburgers maybe twice…and I’ve never made a steak (although it’s coming soon.)
A few weeks ago we decided it was time for a good grill so we bought a pretty decent grill. Not top of the line but a darn good grill for even a modest griller. At that point I decided that if I was going to own a good grill, I was going to learn how to grill...LIKE A MAN!
About this time I stopped by my friend Dennis’ house, whom I consider a grill master…the grill sensei if you will. In his grill dojo he is the ruler of all things grilled and this sensei practices his craft all the time. The man just knows his stuff. Me, I'm a white belt, at best! He gave me a hot wing that day, fresh off the fire and although I’m usually a BBQ wing guy and not a hot wing guy, it was an amazing wing. I decided right then that very soon I would make some awesome wings.
Well…I’m proud to say that day is here. My wings are not BBQ wings, or even hot wings. I’ve made some good chicken wings that are a flavorful, a tiny bit sweet and tangy and leave you with just the smallest hint of the heat…more like a warm bath if you will.
I can’t take all the credit here. I took Dennis’ recipe, which he took right off the side of the Franks Hot Sauce bottle. I did do some research and guestimating and pulled in some extra ingredients.
I will say this. My wife does not like BBQ or hot wings…I know, it’s a travesty. But I pretty much forced her to try a bite of mine…she ended up having 2 or 3 and said they were awesome. So that makes me happy.
So without further ado….
Chris’ Funky Chicken Wings
NOTE:
These are really not hot wings or BBQ wings. These are more like zesty chicken (think of a dry rub almost)...they are a little sweet, a little tangy and have the smallest hint of kick at the end.
INGREDIANTS:
1/3 cup - franks hot sauce
2/3 cup - butter
3/4 tsp - lemon juice
1/4 cup - ketchup
1/4 cup - parmesan cheese (grated)
2 tsp - brown sugar (heaping spoonfuls)
1 small pack (about 12) of Tyson chicken wingets.
DIRECTIONS:
Mix above together thoroughly (except chicken) and pour a small amount into a separate bowl (for brushing during cooking). If you taste this mixture don’t worry, it doesn't taste very good right now.
With the remainder of the mix, coat all of the wings thoroughly. I dumped the wings into the mixing bowl and coated them with this orangey sauce.
Grill 20-25 minutes, medium heat, turn every 4-5 minutes, watch for flare up and move wings if needed. During grilling I brushed each side twice, but did not brush again in the last 10 minutes. I also did not brush after they came off the grill. They came out crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.
This may just be my inexperience but my wings came out black, but the black wasn't burnt tasting. My guess is the parmesan or brown sugar did this.
So there you go...next up, a good steak (I'm open to suggestions!)
Last listened to - Nine Inch Nails, Ghosts 1-9 (don't knock it until you listen. instrumental and very ambient and sparse.)
Later on, further out,
Chris
Growing up we didn’t really grill that often, maybe once or twice a year, that I remember…so I really never developed a taste for grilling. No one ever really showed me the ropes, and I guess, to be fair, I never showed much interest in it either.
After Melissa and I got married we never had a really good grill. Someone was gracious enough to give us a grill but try though I might I never could get good food from it. The 1 or 2 times I grilled on it I grilled hot dogs. And I would usually burn those. I’ve made hamburgers maybe twice…and I’ve never made a steak (although it’s coming soon.)
A few weeks ago we decided it was time for a good grill so we bought a pretty decent grill. Not top of the line but a darn good grill for even a modest griller. At that point I decided that if I was going to own a good grill, I was going to learn how to grill...LIKE A MAN!
About this time I stopped by my friend Dennis’ house, whom I consider a grill master…the grill sensei if you will. In his grill dojo he is the ruler of all things grilled and this sensei practices his craft all the time. The man just knows his stuff. Me, I'm a white belt, at best! He gave me a hot wing that day, fresh off the fire and although I’m usually a BBQ wing guy and not a hot wing guy, it was an amazing wing. I decided right then that very soon I would make some awesome wings.
Well…I’m proud to say that day is here. My wings are not BBQ wings, or even hot wings. I’ve made some good chicken wings that are a flavorful, a tiny bit sweet and tangy and leave you with just the smallest hint of the heat…more like a warm bath if you will.
I can’t take all the credit here. I took Dennis’ recipe, which he took right off the side of the Franks Hot Sauce bottle. I did do some research and guestimating and pulled in some extra ingredients.
I will say this. My wife does not like BBQ or hot wings…I know, it’s a travesty. But I pretty much forced her to try a bite of mine…she ended up having 2 or 3 and said they were awesome. So that makes me happy.
So without further ado….
Chris’ Funky Chicken Wings
NOTE:
These are really not hot wings or BBQ wings. These are more like zesty chicken (think of a dry rub almost)...they are a little sweet, a little tangy and have the smallest hint of kick at the end.
INGREDIANTS:
1/3 cup - franks hot sauce
2/3 cup - butter
3/4 tsp - lemon juice
1/4 cup - ketchup
1/4 cup - parmesan cheese (grated)
2 tsp - brown sugar (heaping spoonfuls)
1 small pack (about 12) of Tyson chicken wingets.
DIRECTIONS:
Mix above together thoroughly (except chicken) and pour a small amount into a separate bowl (for brushing during cooking). If you taste this mixture don’t worry, it doesn't taste very good right now.
With the remainder of the mix, coat all of the wings thoroughly. I dumped the wings into the mixing bowl and coated them with this orangey sauce.
Grill 20-25 minutes, medium heat, turn every 4-5 minutes, watch for flare up and move wings if needed. During grilling I brushed each side twice, but did not brush again in the last 10 minutes. I also did not brush after they came off the grill. They came out crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.
This may just be my inexperience but my wings came out black, but the black wasn't burnt tasting. My guess is the parmesan or brown sugar did this.
So there you go...next up, a good steak (I'm open to suggestions!)
Last listened to - Nine Inch Nails, Ghosts 1-9 (don't knock it until you listen. instrumental and very ambient and sparse.)
Later on, further out,
Chris
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Attention Ebay Snipers: You Give Love A Bad Name
This one is going to be short and sweet. I don't like eBay snipers. To me, it takes all the fun out of the auction. Now, eBay promotes it via their "Don't just shop, WIN" advertising.
I've been trying to "win" a camera tripod for weeks. This company is constantly putting their products out there...they sit at 99 cents forever then in the last 20 seconds they shoot up to $30 or more.
I just wish people would put their price in on eBay and leave it at that. If someone wants to pay more, then fine...if not then DON'T BID. EVERY ONE PLACE NICE!
That's it. (but I'm not bitter)
Currently Listening to: Boys Vs. Girls, Kicking the Lights
Later On, Further Out,
Chris
I've been trying to "win" a camera tripod for weeks. This company is constantly putting their products out there...they sit at 99 cents forever then in the last 20 seconds they shoot up to $30 or more.
I just wish people would put their price in on eBay and leave it at that. If someone wants to pay more, then fine...if not then DON'T BID. EVERY ONE PLACE NICE!
That's it. (but I'm not bitter)
Currently Listening to: Boys Vs. Girls, Kicking the Lights
Later On, Further Out,
Chris
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
...and my diamond shoes are too tight!
There was this episode of Friends once where one of the guys had 2 girls that liked him and he was fretting over this bad situation. Then Chandler, the guy who jokes about everything sarcastically said something like "Oh no! Two women like me! They are both beautiful! My wallet is too small for all my fifties and my diamond shoes are too tight!" I always get a kick out of that line.
The last couple of weeks my wife and I have had an interesting "problem"....which isn't a problem at all its just unusual for us.
My family sold some land and we were blessed with a tidy sum of money. Not huge by any stretch but tidy nonetheless. We aren't able to retire to the Bahamas or even go out and buy a nice used car....but it's been a blessing we have enjoyed!
With this money we have been able to attack our debt and also get some much needed items...most were needs (such as new vacuum cleaner, new stove, long overdue car repairs and new clothes) and some were wants (such as a new video camera, some DVDs, some camera equipment).
Sure we could have attacked more debt and spent less on fun things but I'm of the mindset that while attacking debt is the most important thing we can do in our family, if all you ever do is work, work, work and don't have a little fun, you will lose site of why you are working. However, after paying our tithe, we paid off debt before we spent a dime on anything else. Either way, that's not the point of this.
In addition to this money, we also will have our income tax money coming back soon. It will be, again, a tidy sum. Less than the first sum but still very nice by our standards. We have a specific debt in mind for that one...and possibly a mini-vacation.
We are in a curious situation with this because usually we have an extremely tight budget. Right now we "have more money than we know what to do with" so to speak. Which, finally, brings me to my point in all of this.
I used to think that hard times are the easiest times to rely on your self and to put God on a shelf. In this time I've seen that when things are good, its also easy to forget where everything good comes from. Money is just a tool. It's nice to have, and you do need a certain amount to live in an economy based world...but I've found how important it is to remember that all I have-money, cameras, cars, washers, houses, health, breath...all I have belongs to God.
Currently Listening To: Punch and Judy by Elliot Smith
(Rest In Peace, Larry Norman)
Later On, Further Out,
Chris Cummings
The last couple of weeks my wife and I have had an interesting "problem"....which isn't a problem at all its just unusual for us.
My family sold some land and we were blessed with a tidy sum of money. Not huge by any stretch but tidy nonetheless. We aren't able to retire to the Bahamas or even go out and buy a nice used car....but it's been a blessing we have enjoyed!
With this money we have been able to attack our debt and also get some much needed items...most were needs (such as new vacuum cleaner, new stove, long overdue car repairs and new clothes) and some were wants (such as a new video camera, some DVDs, some camera equipment).
Sure we could have attacked more debt and spent less on fun things but I'm of the mindset that while attacking debt is the most important thing we can do in our family, if all you ever do is work, work, work and don't have a little fun, you will lose site of why you are working. However, after paying our tithe, we paid off debt before we spent a dime on anything else. Either way, that's not the point of this.
In addition to this money, we also will have our income tax money coming back soon. It will be, again, a tidy sum. Less than the first sum but still very nice by our standards. We have a specific debt in mind for that one...and possibly a mini-vacation.
We are in a curious situation with this because usually we have an extremely tight budget. Right now we "have more money than we know what to do with" so to speak. Which, finally, brings me to my point in all of this.
I used to think that hard times are the easiest times to rely on your self and to put God on a shelf. In this time I've seen that when things are good, its also easy to forget where everything good comes from. Money is just a tool. It's nice to have, and you do need a certain amount to live in an economy based world...but I've found how important it is to remember that all I have-money, cameras, cars, washers, houses, health, breath...all I have belongs to God.
Currently Listening To: Punch and Judy by Elliot Smith
(Rest In Peace, Larry Norman)
Later On, Further Out,
Chris Cummings
Friday, February 15, 2008
Turns out J. Geils was wrong...
Love doesn't stink.
Yesterday was Valentine's day and I can honestly say my wife and I had a great day!
I cut out from work a little early (thanks to my great boss!) and went home to put on the "monkey suit" to get ready for the night's festivities. The first part of our evening was really rushed and hectic as we had to be out the door and out to my old stomping grounds in Polk County for a big surprise. We arrived at the Ocoee Gondolier resturaunt a few minutes before 6pm to be part of a big event in a lot of peoples lives.
At a few minutes after 6pm my mom and her boyfriend arrived at the resturant. He had this all planned out but she was totally surprised. With everyone looking on he popped the question and she said yes!
What an interesting situation. I'm sure I will write on that more at a later time. There's nothing bad about it, it's just a curious place I find myself in to be 35 and watch my mom be in love again after losing my dad to a heart attack in 2002.
After the proposal I wisked my family away, we dropped the kids off at a friends house and went out for a night of dinner and dancing...me in my tux, her in a nice dress. We had a great time and I felt like it was a time to really connect with my wife.
Love isn't always easy...and I wouldn't say it smells like roses...but I don't think it stinks. I think it's kinda nice.
Currently Listening To: Not To Me by Big Ditch Road.
Later On, Further Out,
Chris
Yesterday was Valentine's day and I can honestly say my wife and I had a great day!
I cut out from work a little early (thanks to my great boss!) and went home to put on the "monkey suit" to get ready for the night's festivities. The first part of our evening was really rushed and hectic as we had to be out the door and out to my old stomping grounds in Polk County for a big surprise. We arrived at the Ocoee Gondolier resturaunt a few minutes before 6pm to be part of a big event in a lot of peoples lives.
At a few minutes after 6pm my mom and her boyfriend arrived at the resturant. He had this all planned out but she was totally surprised. With everyone looking on he popped the question and she said yes!
What an interesting situation. I'm sure I will write on that more at a later time. There's nothing bad about it, it's just a curious place I find myself in to be 35 and watch my mom be in love again after losing my dad to a heart attack in 2002.
After the proposal I wisked my family away, we dropped the kids off at a friends house and went out for a night of dinner and dancing...me in my tux, her in a nice dress. We had a great time and I felt like it was a time to really connect with my wife.
Love isn't always easy...and I wouldn't say it smells like roses...but I don't think it stinks. I think it's kinda nice.
Currently Listening To: Not To Me by Big Ditch Road.
Later On, Further Out,
Chris
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Shamelss self promotion and the day the music died.
I just launched the beta test of BordersYouNeed.com and I'm waiting for someone to buy something so I can test to see if it works. This is a website that sells photoshop files that allow you to add cool, hip and fresh borders to your images. I hope it does well. I have a unique opportunity (thanks to my day job at CPQ Professinal Imaging) to promote this site to a lot of professional photographers, once I've made sure all the bugs are worked out. If you use Photoshop you should at least check it out. Right now everything is 1/2 price.
Man I used to buy a lot of music...a lot. About the time I got married ('99) my music buying seemed to dry up to nothing! I miss music. I would say in the last 5 years I've bought less than 15 CD's new or used...and that includes free downloads from online.
Nothing particular to say about it other than I just miss having new music. But alas, kids, wife (singular), jobs, bills and adulthood comes in and changes the landscape of your life. For the most part thats a good thing...I know I wouldn't trade it...I just wish I could have the music too. :-)
Currently Listening To: Neighborhood 2: Laika by the Arcade Fire (this was a free download from Emusic).
Later On, Further Out,
Chris Cummings
Man I used to buy a lot of music...a lot. About the time I got married ('99) my music buying seemed to dry up to nothing! I miss music. I would say in the last 5 years I've bought less than 15 CD's new or used...and that includes free downloads from online.
Nothing particular to say about it other than I just miss having new music. But alas, kids, wife (singular), jobs, bills and adulthood comes in and changes the landscape of your life. For the most part thats a good thing...I know I wouldn't trade it...I just wish I could have the music too. :-)
Currently Listening To: Neighborhood 2: Laika by the Arcade Fire (this was a free download from Emusic).
Later On, Further Out,
Chris Cummings
Friday, January 18, 2008
Sorry, I cannot hear you over the sound of how awesome I am.
Sorry, it's been a while since I posted. I still don't think people are really reading this so I haven't been compelled to really post a lot.
What has happened since I last posted? Well lets see...Christmas and New Year's have come and gone and we all survived. I have swayed my wife over to the dark side with a fake Christmas tree.
Election buzz is in full swing and although I want Mike Huckabee to win I don't konw if he will...yeah, I said it.
I haven't really heard any new music or seen any new movies (although I did watch Batman Begins for the 3rd time the other night...such a good movie!) I bought some harmonicas and fiddle around with them from time to time.
So what's going on? What am I doing? Well its Friday night and I'm partying like a rock star. Actually, I'm trying to be quiet because my kids are asleep. I've been living la vida loca all evening by doing website work and washing some bed linens. I AM A WILD MAN. I cannot even hear you over the sound of how awesome I am. But you already knew that.
Believe or not though, I'm not bitter about this stuff. My wife is at work at Steak'n'Shake right now...and that, I am a bit bitter about. Not at her, just that she has to work to help support our family. How is it that my full time job plus all of the "on-the-side" web work I do, doesn't support my family? Ah, well. Welcome to the American Dream...hope you brought your credit cards!
Anyway...I guess that's it. I will go back to trying to crack the nut that is ColdFusion (a web language) for one of my client's projects. Hold me back people...it's about to get crazy up in this hizzy.
Last Listened to: Poor Old Lu, Where Were all of you (from 'Sin'...going back old school)
Later on, further out,
Chris
What has happened since I last posted? Well lets see...Christmas and New Year's have come and gone and we all survived. I have swayed my wife over to the dark side with a fake Christmas tree.
Election buzz is in full swing and although I want Mike Huckabee to win I don't konw if he will...yeah, I said it.
I haven't really heard any new music or seen any new movies (although I did watch Batman Begins for the 3rd time the other night...such a good movie!) I bought some harmonicas and fiddle around with them from time to time.
So what's going on? What am I doing? Well its Friday night and I'm partying like a rock star. Actually, I'm trying to be quiet because my kids are asleep. I've been living la vida loca all evening by doing website work and washing some bed linens. I AM A WILD MAN. I cannot even hear you over the sound of how awesome I am. But you already knew that.
Believe or not though, I'm not bitter about this stuff. My wife is at work at Steak'n'Shake right now...and that, I am a bit bitter about. Not at her, just that she has to work to help support our family. How is it that my full time job plus all of the "on-the-side" web work I do, doesn't support my family? Ah, well. Welcome to the American Dream...hope you brought your credit cards!
Anyway...I guess that's it. I will go back to trying to crack the nut that is ColdFusion (a web language) for one of my client's projects. Hold me back people...it's about to get crazy up in this hizzy.
Last Listened to: Poor Old Lu, Where Were all of you (from 'Sin'...going back old school)
Later on, further out,
Chris
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