My original smokehouse plan was to make something big enough to cold smoke two pigs worth of hams and bacon at a time. I only butcher pigs once or twice a year for curing,....but I cook several pigs a year on my cinderblock pit.

Really want to build a smokehouse for the fall. i need to smoke my own meat. (nohomo)

--timball

Cowgirl's Country Life: Building a cold smoker (smokehouse)

The pH Pages
pH Measurement and Control for the Planted Aquarium
Build a simple and inexpensive pH meter. Additional circuitry enables you to control CO2 injection in a planted aquarium to stimulate plant growth.
pH Measurement and Control for the Planted Aquarium
The Simplest Possible pH Meter
You can build a super-simple pH meter with just a pH probe, an op amp, two batteries, and a voltmeter.
The Simplest Possible pH Meter
Buying a pH Meter
How to select and buy a pH meter

this may become useful in the future.

--timball

The pH Pages   •   66pacific.com

Sous vide is French for "under vacuum" and describes a method of cooking in vacuum sealed plastic pouches at low temperatures for long times. With the proper equipment and some basic knowledge, anyone can prepare consistently delicious and safe food. With more advanced knowledge, a chef can safely create (or modify) recipes to realize their unique vision.

This guide attempts to distill the science of sous vide cooking to provide anyone with the tools needed to safely realize their creative visions. Part I discusses the techniques and safety concerns of sous vide cooking. Some prototypical recipes are explored in Part II. The mathematics of sous vide cooking are detailed in Appendix A. Finally, Appendix B discusses the specialized equipment necessary for sous vide cooking.

so the trick is find the right immersion circulator + bagging system for cheap!
will post again when i figure out something.

--timball

A Practical Guide to Sous Vide Cooking

Pies should be light too. I don't like big pies, with one flavor. I want to change everyday. I have internet, my iphone, and many choices. I've simply turned into a big ball of vacillation- going back and forth between a circle of different flavors/opportunities.

OMFG GENIUS PIE-ON-STICK TECHNOLOGY!

--timball

LOLI-PIES

The other day the guys from BaconToday.com contacted me in search for some barbecue bacon recipes. Of course I have plenty of great uses for bacon in a barbecue pit, but the longer I thought about it, the more I wanted to step it up a notch and clog a few arteries for those guys. Behold, BACON EXPLOSION!!! Here’s what you’ll need…

2 pounds thick cut bacon
2 pounds Italian sausage
1 jar of your favorite barbeque sauce
1 jar of your favorite barbeque rub

--timball

Bacon Explosion: The BBQ Sausage Recipe of all Recipes

Fans of Rutt’s know the magnificent hot dogs served here as rippers because their skin tears and crinkles when they are deep fried. The oil bath turns the pork-and-beef links rugged, dark, and chewy on the outside, while the interior remains soft and juicy. Weenie wimps can ask for an “in and outer,” which gets plucked from the fat more quickly and remains thoroughly pink and plump; while those who crave maximum succulence can get one well-done, which is so porcine that it reminds us of fried pig skin.

The one reason to goto clifton NJ is Rutt's. We stopped by Rutt's Hut yesterday while driving back from the memorial day nonsense. Hugely worth the visit.

--timball

Rutt's Hut - Clifton, NJ

VideoJug is every aspect of life explained and illustrated through an ever-growing number of common sense, informative, helpful and entertaining videos. It’s like having an army of top-class experts at your fingertips 24/7 to “show you how” and to help you out. And you can contribute your own knowledge, experience, wisdom and tips too, as we’re aiming to create a place that people come to share — as well as find — knowledge.

Covering relationships, health, lifestyle, work, finance, fun and much more, VideoJug is the complete visual guide to all human life. Whatever you want to know, VideoJug will have the answer. Initially, we’re offering thousands of ‘How to’ videos, but we’re also developing guides offering deeper insights into more detailed subjects such as planning a wedding or learning a new business skill.

And we want your wisdom — after all, everyone has at least one subject that they really understand. Don't keep it to yourself. If you or anyone you know has a world-class skill, whether it's juggling, cooking fantastic soup or getting a crying baby to sleep — tell us about it now!

I've spent this very hung-over sunday watching most of the videojug videos on cooking. This site just plain rules. They have videos that explain other aspects of life, but I haven't watched them. I probably won't.

--timball

VideoJug

Intellectual Property Lawyers try to shut down SUCU's McDonald's Recipes! It seems there might be some legitimacy to these recipes.

I made some of these burgers... Yes it tastes just like McD's. I'm pretty sure that there's some magic involved w/ the Q-ing process that makes them taste *WAY* better. Something about wax paper and quantum flavor fluctuations.

MM mm... good.

Supposedly the recipies from Mac D's

Averaging from 4 to 8 pounds, the cylinder shaped spaghetti squash is generally available year-round with a peak season from early fall through winter. While a true spaghetti squash is pale ivory to pale yellow in color, in the early 1990's, an orange spaghetti squash, known as "Orangetti" was developed and this is what is frequently found in today's supermarkets. Higher in beta carotene, the orange variety is also bit sweeter than its paler counterpart, although both have a mild flavor that is easily enhanced by the food served with or on it. A dieter's dream, a four-ounce serving of spaghetti squash has only 37 calories.

Okay so my new favorite way to eat spaghetti squash is w/ microwave melted butter, grated ginger, and a drop of honey. Toss the strands w/ some salt and pepper and green onions.

--timball

All About Spaghetti Squash, How to Buy It, Cook It and Lots of Recipes

Ghetto Office Creamed Corn Casserole

I got a little big ambitious w/ today's recipe. So ambitious that I blew my budget. Not that I was planning to, but DC weather sucks. The plan for today involves making a casserole. I planned on waking up this morning and digging up some potatoes that my dad's grown in the little garden and using it in my dish, but since god hates me he made it rain. It rained so hard that I completely lost my motivation to wake up early, grab a pitchfork and till the earth in the search for some good potatoes.

So I had to -BUY- my potatoes and it blew the budget. Two russet potatoes cost $1.16. But if you ignore the potatoes (like I originally planned on) this entire meal cost me $0.90. And what a meal! I'm eating it as I type and I don't think I can finish it. It's frickin GI-NORMOUS.

Ingredients:
* 1 can of Creamed Corn (I bought generic and it was 0.35 after the super safeway discount card)
* 1 russet potato
* 1 oz of cubed smoked ham (from the office cafeteria salad bar)
* 1/3 oz of shredded yellow cheese (from same salad bar)
* 1 piece of cafeteria corn bread (this plus the two ingredients above cost a staggering $0.55, the checkout lady gave me the corn bread for free cause she didn't know how much it cost)
* 1 jalepeno pepper (picked from co-worker john's garden, thanks john!)
* enough salt and pepper pkts to taste (for me that was one pkt of salt and two pkts of pepper)

This recipe actually takes a little prep time... about 20m to be exact.

1) Microwave the potatos.
- stab potato w/ fork
- nuke for 5-10m or until desired doneness is achieved. I like my potatoes on the firm side (5m), you may not (13m).

2) Slice cooked potato in to little potato medallions.
- I used a plastic knife taken from the cafeteria
- I used a paper towel to cut on, but I suppose using a co-worker's set of binders could work out just as well

3) Open can of creamed corn.

4) This is the tricky part. You're gonna want use a microwave safe bowl (or co-worker's coffee cup). We're gonna want to build this casserole layer by layer. I managed to have FIVE layers in mine from just the ingredients listed above.
- Line the bottom of the vessel w/ the potato medallions.
- Pour some creamed corn on top of potato
- apply a layer of ham and a bit of cheese
- line w/ more potato
- pour on more creamed corn
- cut up the jalepeno (with office shears) and lay it on top of the creamed corn
- crumble the corn bread on top of the creamed corn
- apply remaining bits of cheese & ham.

5) Nuke it.
- give it like 3-5m. Let it rest for a minute, then nuke it again for 3-5m. Let the whole thing rest and take it out and eat.

Like any casserole this one lends itself to variations:

If you have access to a toaster oven maybe cut the raw potato into little circles and roast them first before you line the pan, but be sure to use some butter from the office cafeteria before you do that.

Know someone that smokes or at least know an office worker that likes have butane torches (there's always one)? Well pour on a little sugar (from the pkt) and give the top of your casserole the creme brule treatment.

Don't have the corn bread at the cafeteria? USE CRACKERS! (And by crackers I mean white people.)

Next week I may try to do a creamy casserole w/ the ubiquitous cream of mushroom soup.

UPDATE! I have a PICTURE.

UPATE: Please someone send a couch, I'm about to go into food coma

Lunch for about $1 a day: Creamed Corn