Here's one for your diet

When I look into the mirror, I am often surprised at the face looking back at me. I think that in our mind’s eye, we all have a self perception of what we look like, and sometimes that person is not who the rest of the world sees.
My mother is a nursing instructor. Part of her job entails taking her students into clinical settings and getting hands on training, under her watchful eye. Early one morning, she was starting “rounds” with the students in an Alzheimer’s facility. The student nurses were following my mom down the hall when an elderly woman walked up to my mother and proclaimed “DAMN! You sure are old”. The students did their best not to burst into giggles, as clearly this woman had at least 20 (or more) years on dear old mom. I wondered at what age did the elderly lady picture herself?
My youngest sister, Heidi recently moved into our parent’s home, where I also am currently residing. As she unpacked her boxes and settled into her bedroom, I noticed that she had a lot of framed photographs. What caught my attention was how many of the pictures included her, or were just of her. I need to emphasize that Heidi is not a vain person. Wanting to regress to our youth, my first instinct was to tease her unmercifully, but I controlled myself and restrained. Later, I found myself thinking about the pictures and what exactly the deal was. Many of us, myself included, take pictures. We post them on Facebook, make them into greeting cards, hang them on our refrigerators, and even frame them to decorate our homes. Why? I didn’t want to believe that everyone I knew, myself included, were a bunch of self-absorbed narcissists busy ogling pictures of our own faces!
I thought about these interesting questions while I brushed my teeth, looking at (YEP-you guessed it!) myself in the bathroom mirror and the answer struck me. Yes, the old lady did have Alzheimer’s, but don’t we all shave a few years when picturing our own faces? I usually shave off more than a “few” in regards to my self-image, not to mention a “few” pounds less as well!!! Perhaps it is far saner to visualize ourselves at our prime, than we care to admit. Heidi has framed pictures of important and fun events, because she wants to surround herself with reminders of all the wonderful times and friends she has in her life. Additionally – who doesn’t want to see a picture of themselves where they look good? A genuine smile usually translates into looking beautiful. I have some really great looking people in my life and they keep me smiling…for that I am grateful!
Summer Succotash topped with…Oh, HELL NO!
2 peeled and deseeded cucumbers
I pint of grape tomatoes sliced in half
1 Vidalia onion
1 yellow bell pepper
2 heads of fresh roasted corn shucked from the cob
¼ lb of fresh green beans snapped in half
Blush wine vinaigrette salad dressing (I cheat and use Briannas from the store)

Begin this recipe by making a sweet version of cornbread-individually scooped into cupcake portions (any recipe will do-let me know if you want mine…)

Start a saucepan boiling with water and a few pinches of kosher salt
Dice the cucumbers, onion, and bell pepper into small cubes.
Add the snapped green beans to the boiling water, and blanch for 15 seconds, remove the beans and immediately submerge in an ice bath for another 15 seconds, remove the beans and place them on a paper towel to absorb the water (you want to make sure they are dry before adding them to the rest of the ingredients)

In a large, chilled metal bowl-add all the veggies, and put enough dressing on to just cover them-they should be borderline dry!!! Place bowl in fridge

This part is borderline ridiculous…but it had to be done!

2 cups peanut oil
1 box of store-bought tempura mix
1 package thick cut bacon

Preheat your oven to 250 degrees
Prepare the tempura mix as indicated on the box (I use sparkling water in place of the directions recommended flat water)
Place your peanut oil in a saucepan big enough to fit a slice of bacon without it folding over on itself
When the oil is hot enough…
Take individual slices of bacon and lightly coat them with the batter (you should not be able to see ANY meat, but you should also make sure not to have huge amounts of batter dripping off either)
Gently ease the bacon into the hot oil, after about 90 seconds (using chopsticks) CAREFULLY turn the bacon to the other side. Let the bacon cook for another 2 minutes – when it’s done it will be a nice golden color, and will also start to float to the top. When you remove the bacon from the oil put it on coffee filters – the world’s best thing to absorb excess grease from fried foods! Then place it on a cookie sheet with a metal wrack, and place in the oven. Continue cooking the bacon in the same fashion until finished (I usually make 1 – 2 slices per person)

If you give someone more than 2 slices – be prepared to call for a crash cart, because I am fairly sure the human heart is not really prepared for …oh, Hell NO –
DEEP FRIED, TEMPURA BATERED BACON!

To serve: slice the cornbread muffin in half horizontally, scoop out enough succotash to cover the cornbread plus a bit more to get some height on the plate
Add a splash of the dressing (to your taste)
Place the bacon in an “X” on top of the veggies

In the event that you find the bacon far too ridiculous – you can sub in tofu – BUT TRY BACON AT LEAST ONCE!

Always remember to look in the mirror, smile and remind yourself that YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!