Tennis fans....meet Julie Coin.  This former Clemson Tiger just took out Ana Ivanovic.  She next plays Amelie Mauresmo, who we all know just ain't what she used to be.  This really opens up the part of the draw that contains my pick, Dinara Safina, so I'm Julie Coin's newest, biggest fan!!

  

Mr. Sweater Vest

That bad boy arrived in the mail today (just the huggie....not the beer....I added that all on my own) just in time for kickoff in about an hour!!  I've been waiting (and talking) about this for a lllloooooonnnngggg time!  Let's get this party started.

Barefoot Bloggers

Even though that picture doesn't look that appetizing (or that butterflied), the Butterflied Chicken was delicious!  I took the liberty of using whole breasts and whole legs instead of the whole chicken.  I didn't have time to wait around for my butcher to take care of the dirty work and I wasn't doing it myself, so.....

I don't, actually, think it made any difference in the dish.....I did everything else by the book and, as I said, it came out perfectly.  My dinner guests proclaimed it "moist and juicy and it tasted great"!!  Can't beat that review.  Thanks, Donna!

By the way, I served it with the Panzanella!  I liked it so much the first time that I wanted to make it again.  So all in all, I'd say this was an extremely successful month for my Barefoot Blogging initiation!  Thanks to Melissa and Stefany for choosing so well.  Can't wait for my next assignment.

Here's the recipe:

Butterflied Chicken

Ina Garten - Barefoot Contessa

1/4 cup chopped fresh rosemary leaves, plus 2 sprigs

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

Good olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 roasting chickens (2 1/2 to 3 pounds each) deboned and butterflied (I used pieces)

1/2 lemon, thinly sliced

Mix the chopped rosemary, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper together in a small bowl to make a paste.

Place the chickens on a sheet pan, skin side up, and loosen the skin from the meat with your fingers.  Place 1/2 of the paste under the skin of each chicken.  Rub any remaining paste on the outside and underside of the chickens.  Turn the chicken skin side down and scatter the lemon slices and sprigs of rosemary over each chicken.  Season with salt and pepper.  Roll each chicken up, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.  

Grill unrolled chickens for 12 minutes on each side or until cooked through.

The Official Picks

I was going to wait until tomorrow morning to post these, but Vegas called and needs to set the final line (is that how you say it?), so here they are:

In the games that matter.....

Michigan vs. Utah......I'm taking Utah in the minor upset (you didn't seriously think I'd pick Michigan in ANYTHING, did you?)

Alabama vs. Clemson......Clemson 

Michigan State vs. Cal........I'm taking Sparty in this one

Missouri vs. Illinois.........sticking with the Big 10 (I seriously want people to shut up about the Big 10 and MSU and Illinois winning these two games would help)

and the most important....

Ohio State vs. Youngstown State.....shouldn't be a contest.....just hoping to get a glimpse of Mr. Pryor

Just a few observations from the night matches.  Venus looked solid, but Samantha Stosur was really just mailing it in.  I thought she showed no fire what-so-ever.  I don't think she could have looked more non-interested.  

It's very early in the Federer match (on serve at 3-2 Fed) but seriously...that outfit...is he auditioning for Star Trek or what?????  Other than that minor detail, his tennis looks sharp...time will tell.  I'm just hoping he doesn't have a case of the "Beijing Jet Lag" they keep talking about.

PS...this Gonzalez dude is not bad to look at

***UPDATE:  Even though he's dressed like Captain Kirk, he's up 6-3, 6-0 and looking GOOD.  Go R-Fed!!  I'm going to bed!

 I didn't really enjoy the opening ceremonies last night, but I will have to say I got a few goose bumps when the past champions walked in.......

......Arthur Ashe's wife and daughter are beautiful

......I had a little moment when Gabriela Sabatini walked in.  She's the reason I started playing tennis and I loved to watch her when I was younger.....and is she absolutely STUNNING, or what.

......I did not recognize Ivan Lendl....he's put on a few l. b's.

......Where was Andre?

......Venus was the first one to walk out and not acknowledge any of the other past champions.....typical

......And most important.....fashion......does anyone know who makes the leather jacket Maria Sharapova wore?  Hot......and I want it.

Opening Day thoughts

Day one is in the books with no major upsets.....but an almost!  What did I tell you about James Blake....huh??  I watched the first set and thought that he look completely in control so off to bed I went.  And what did I wake up to find????  That he almost blew it.  Not surprised.

I thought Lindsay look good....didn't really see any signs of injuries....a little rust, perhaps, but physically I thought she looked fine.

Elena Dimentieva had a close match, but in her defense, she had to play a dude.  Girlfriend (whatever your name was.....way to many letters for me to remember), you're in the US Open, for heaven's sake, do a little something with yourself......I don't know, like wear something designed for a FEMALE!!!!!

Rafa survived a tough one.  I was never nervous that he wasn't going to win, but Phau made it very entertaining.  Some fabulous points.

Enjoyed Coco Vandeweghe's debut (she is Kiki's niece!).  Her mom was precious watching her and it looked like everyone was enjoying the moment.  Nice to see parents cheering and smiling at their little prodigies in a positive manner.

LOVED the new Oreo commercial with Venus and Serena talking smack with Peyton and Eli.

Poor Raffie

Rafter's got a urinary tract infection.  And, I'm afraid that's not all.  The poor guy has kind of been down in the dumps for about the past week.  Plus, he's been shedding profusely....and Giant Schnauzers don't shed.  So off we went to donate a couple of hundred dollars to Riverview Animal Clinic in hopes of finding out the problem.  The first tests came back with protein in the urine....which explained the copious amounts of water he's been drinking, but doesn't really explain the shedding issue, so I asked that they do a complete series of blood work including testing his thyroid.  Giants sometimes have a history of thyroid issues.  Those test aren't back for a day or two, so I'm still worried about that.  The vet seems to think that the shedding could be from a change of shampoo.  I couldn't answer that, since I'm not the one that bathes him, but I kind of doubt it.  Anyway, Dr. Allison sent us home with a prescription to attack the UTI and some fatty acid pills to help with the shedding.  I'll keep you posted.

Monday's Musings!!

Well,  it was quite the rainy weekend around here, thanks to Fay.  It has been MONTHS (maybe years!) since we've had this many consecutive days of rain and I loved it.  The only thing that would have made it any better would have been to have had FOOTBALL on while I was stuck in the house all weekend.  The rain was about a week too early!  Which brings up what I'm most excited about.....college football starts on Thursday!!!   Time for the Buckeyes to start recruiting more "haters"!

GO BUCKS!!

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We went out to dinner with friends on Friday and Saturday and on both occasions went to restaurants we hadn't been to in quite a while.  Friday night we were headed to our regular spot, Standard Bistro, only to find out they were closed for a private party.  (Who closes the doors on a Friday night???  Whatever)  So, since we hate to navigate 280 traffic on Fridays, we settled for Prairie Fire Grill.  Now, most of the people I know rave about PFG, but I just have never been a fan.  First of all, I think their portion sizes are way too big and it seems that every dish they serve is drowning in a big, heavy sauce.  I'm of the philosophy that if you're working with great ingredients, let them speak for themselves.....plus, I just don't like how I feel after I eat something that heavy.  Also, their menu hasn't changed in the five years they've been in business.  All of that being said, dinner was pretty good.  I was pretty safe in my ordering....fried goat cheese salad with artichokes (delicious) and tortilla soup (nice and spicy), but Donna ordered the Chateaubriand and asked for the sauce to be served on the side.  Smart girl, that Donna.  I'm sure it didn't make the chef very happy to serve it that way, but it eliminates the problem.  The filet was perfectly cooked and the grits were awesome.  The guys both ordered the Sea Bass special which was swimming in sauce, but hey, they're guys....they love that heavy stuff!  So, while PFG still is not my first choice, at least I know they can come through in a pinch.  Oh, and the night also included a quasi celebrity sighting.....Reuben Studdard sat at the table next to us (and he DEFINITELY doesn't need to be eating those heavy sauces......I'm just sayin!)

Saturday night we headed to Cahaba Heights to Satterfields.  I've always had a great meal there, but it's just not the first place that pops into my head when I'm making reservations.  It should.  It was fabulous.  I had a bass dish of which I ate every bite.  It was served with red-eyed peas(?) in a light broth and was yummy.  I'm moving Satterfields up on my favorites list!

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As soon as I finish writing this, I'm heading downstairs to the treadmill and turning on the US Open.  I really have no gut instinct for how this years tournament is going to unfold.  Usually there are clear-cut favorites heading in, but it all seems to be wide open to me.  

The matches I'm looking forward to watching today are Lindsay Davenport vs. Aleksandra Wozniak (from Canada).  Wozniak won a US Open series event a couple of weeks ago and has continued to play pretty well.  Lindsay has had some injuries, so this could be a minor upset.

The two night matches could also be interesting.  I'm not saying there's going to be any upsets, but we could be seeing some new American's emerge.  Jelena Jankovic plays Coco Vandeweghe (could this be Kiki Vandeweghe's daughter?) a 16 year-old up and comer, whom I don't think can beat Jankovic, but I am interested in seeing her game.

The other night match is James Blake vs. Donald Young, another American.  James is coming off of a good Olympic showing (a win over Federer) and usually plays well at the Open, but he's also been known to choke, so......

In the "cocktail" section of Sept.'s issue of Wine Enthusiast there was a mention of "Cutting-edge cocktail techniques" that both interested me and also grossed me out a little! Have y'all heard of these techniques??

"Fat-Washing" is when a spirit is imparted with an oily/fatty character without making it greasy.  To accomplish this, one might take a fatty cut of meat or fried chicken and soak in it the spirit for several hours.  After allowing it to sit in a freezer to let the fat coagulate (I hate that word) , the liquid is strained through filter paper.  The oils add intriguing flavors and textures to cocktails.   Ummmm.  YUCK.  Does salmonella come to mind???  OK....maybe tequila kills bacteria, but still.

"Spherification" is the creation of tiny gelatinous (another creepy word) globes that have liquid inside them.  The globes or "pearls" as they are sometimes called, can add flavor but are employed more for visual intrigue to cocktails or Champagne.  This is for more advanced bartending situations where presentation is important........  Like WHERE would this be important??  It doesn't even make sense....and if a cocktail is too complicated to make sense....well, that says a lot.

I am obviously not a sophisticated cocktail drinker.  Donna's "half and half" vodka and cranberry is more my style.

Random

As I was perusing my normal internet sites this morning, I stopped off at barnesandnoble.com and checked into what new books will be coming out this Fall and became quite excited! Some of my favorite authors have been busy!! I am most excited about the new Nelson DeMille, "The Gate House" which is a sequal of sorts to one of my all time favorite books "The Gold Coast"....which contains some of the most interesting characters ever.....and I do mean "characters"!! Since this doesn't come out until October 28th, I may have to hunt up my copy of "The Gold Coast" and re-read it.....it's been awhile!!

Some of the other ones that excited me were:

"Fade Away", by Harlan Coban......he's bringing back Myron Bolitar for this one!! Love him.
"Hot Mohogany", by Stuart Woods.....another Stone Barrington mystery.....guilty pleasure
"The Other Queen", by Philipa Gregory (The Other Boleyn Girl) about Mary, Queen of Scots....I always love taking a trip back in
time with Philipa
"Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites", by Giada De Laurentis.....love her Food Network show

Looks like it's going to be a great Fall to curl up with a good read!!

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The USOpen starts Monday and there are so many interesting story lines going into this year......will R-Fed rebound.....is Nadal worn out........who is this Juan Martin del Potro that has won the last four tournaments (granted, most of the top players were at the Olympics, but..)......who's going to step up for the women (I'm predicting Dinara Safina).....are the American's ever going to have another champion?????

Those are just some of the things I'm wondering about, but I am excited about the last major of the year.  Plus, I get to go the second week and I'm really looking forward to that.....a week in New York with friends and family....even Ed!!

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ESPN Sportsnation Poll Question today is "Which team is in better shape right now to win the September 13th showdown?"  Ohio State or USC.....and as of right now, 62% of America says the Buckeyes.  Maybe we aren't as hated as we thought.....or everyone has heard about the rampant case of jock itch that has afflicted the Trojans?????  Hopefully, we'll catch them scratching!!!

This could have been what caused the epidemic!!

Anyway....one week and one day until next Thursday night's college football kickoff.  Will the Gameday crew be making an appearance?  I don't think I can wait until next Saturday for my Kirk Herbstreit fix!!!

And as much as this pains me to say......look out for Auburn this year.  No one is really talking about them and other than going on the road to West Virginia (at night) and to Tuscaloosa, their schedule looks good....LSU, Georgia, Tennessee and Arkansas in Jordan Hare.  They have a very good shot at winning the West.  Man it hurt to type that.

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Lamb Shanks

Well, I finally made them......lamb shanks.  They are probably my favorite thing to order when dining out.  I.  Love.  Them.  But, I'd never made them.  And don't you hate it, when you're really afraid of doing something, and you put it off for a really long time, then you finally bite the bullet and you wonder why you were such a weenie for so long.  This was about the easiest thing, evah!!  Why was I so intimidated.  I guess I always thought that something that yummy had to be really hard.  But, no!

So, I followed the recipe to the letter and it turned out great, but the next time, I'll just do this in my fabulous new All-Clad slow cooker.  Will make cleaning up much easier.  I have to admit that I didn't do the roasted tomato part....I'm just not a fan.  I did, however, do the toasted orzo, but I wouldn't probably do it again.  It just wasn't mind blowing for the effort involved.  Besides, there's nothing better with lamp shanks than good ole mashed potatoes.  I'd just roast another head of garlic and add to the potatoes.  

I can totally see me putting this all together in the slow cooker on a Saturday morning (say, September 13th) this Fall to enjoy for a Saturday night Buckeye whoopin of Southern Cal.  Holla!!

Here's the recipe:

Oven Roasted Lamb Shanks with Roasted Tomatoes and Toasted Orzo

Change is good.....right?

OK....so I am, once again, having to change the blog.....which I am not happy about.  I just cannot get the .mac account to work correctly on a consistent basis.  Plus there are a lot of limitations associated with posting on .mac.  But, I really like how the site looks the old way.....so I'm giving up some aesthetic fluff (so to speak) to gain some reliability.  I guess it's a fair trade.  We'll see.  Let me know what you think.