Drinking and baking

OK...it's 2:30 in the morning, and I've just gotten home from work. And I've got a couple beers in me, and there's more in the fridge. Pabst Blue Ribbon, baby. And in a little less than 6 hours I need to be awake for church, and the annual church picnic, which is also the farewell to our pastor. So, of course, the thing to do is start baking.

I've always had good results drinking and baking. I love that loose feeling a few beers gives me when I'm whippin that batter. Woot. I've got a batch of brownies in, they'll be done in about 30 minutes. I used to use the recipe in the Silver Palate cookbook, but now I prefer the one-bowl recipe on the Baker's Unsweetened Chocolate box. No pecans or walnuts, like I usually make them. I want them nice and accessible for the church crowd, particularly the kids. I don't understand why people don't like nuts in their food, but I'm learning to deal with it.

When I get up I'll make some bacon. Not for breakfast, for the chopped salad we're making: lettuce, tomato, green onion, roasted pecans, bacon and blue cheese tossed with a balsamic viniagrette dressing. That's going to the picnic too. We were too careless and unfocused to actually bother signing up for the picnic, so I'm not sure what we need to bring. We'll hedge our bets with a side dish and a dessert. But I am putting nuts in the salad.

Did you know that Pabst also brews many other fine beers, such as Lone Star, Schlitz, Schafer, Blatz, Old Style and Carlings Black Label?

I spent the night as part of a "street crime suppression" task force. We roamed around and made a couple arrests, and ended our night in this big crappy apartment complex where I broke my leg 12 years ago chasing a crackhead. Some of our team checked out a car when a passenger jumped out and started walking, quickly, just as the PO-leese car pulled up. The three girls in the car, 15 and 16 years old, are from my town and go to my kid's high school. I'm sure their parents must be very proud of them. We got them before they bought the drugs they were undoubtedly there for, so they drove off disappointed.

I can't wait to see my girls in the morning and tell them I love them.