I Can Cooking! #12: Bakin' Bacon Mac & Cheese!

YEAH!!!

 Ahem.  (sorry, but all things bacon-y get me excited)

 Anyways, comfort foods!  Bacon!  YEAH!  Mac & Cheese has always been one of those classic comfort dishes; no matter the day or mood, a nice bowl of that creamy noodly goodness never fails to fill the stomach and soul.  And baked mac & cheese?  All the better.  And then adding bacon on top of that?!  Ohhh man.

 Fellow I Can Cooks, you're in for a treat.

It's totally okay to indulge once in a while.

So... yeah...

Alas, I've not fallen off the face of the Earth!

That said, I feel the need to explain / apologize for my absence of late.  Yeah, I've been working on projects and also had other things going on in my personal life that have gotten in the way somewhat, but that excuse doesn't really cut it as far as covering 2 months of not posting after a period of regular activity.

So ultimately, what it all boils down to is the question of why I blog.  For a while, I was starting to get solicitations both online and in mail form from Google, wanting me to pay them to upgrade my ads on here.  The thing is though, in years of running this thing, I've yet to see a single cent from the ads I do have.  It felt almost insulting that they wanted me to pay them for something that would really only benefit them, and above that, the solicitations made it sound like the only reason to run a blog is to profit from it.  That was probably one of the most demotivating ideas that's crossed my mind since I first started blogging, and made me take a moment to seriously look at why I even doing this to begin with.  I mean, sure the blog takes a lot of work to write and update regularly, but at what point does it stop becoming fun and turns into... work?  And potentially for nothing?  Who am I even doing this for, anyway?

And after a while of soul-searching and consideration, I remembered:  it's for my readers.  It's for you all, who might share some of the same hobbies and interests as me, or may simply enjoy reading what I write.  I guess I lost sight of that with the whole adverts thing, and also a decline of feedback on here... I just thought maybe my efforts were being ignored or worse, that these postings were an annoyance or waste of others' time.

But something changed.  Some friends of mine started asking about why I haven't updated in a while.  Said they missed the articles, and even better, were able to make use of some of my recipes!  I was floored.  I had no idea that this thing was actually appreciated by... someone, anyone.

So to those who've stuck around, and those who've given me feedback, thank you.  For letting me know there is some value in doing this, and convincing me to throw my hat back into the ring.

So for the reboot 2.0, I'm thinking maybe I should implement some sort of "release schedule" for the blog... like have certain features come out on certain days of the week or something.  I mean, it'd be great to make it so people would know when to check by, but... I kind of like not having a set schedule, since there's honestly not always something to write about.  Suggestions?

I Can Cooking! #11: Steak n' Taters

 Steak and potatoes.  A simple, yet delicious classic.  Granted, potatoes are a relatively recent crop to be put into such widespread culinary use, but the idea of pairing root vegetables of some sort with a big honking slab of meatbeast has been a thing ever since humanity first discovered cooking.

 Now first, a disclaimer:  Yes, I know that grilling can yield tastier results.  But of course, not everyone has a grill (or like me, live in an apartment with no yard to even put one in!).  The idea behind I Can Cooking! is to help fellow amateur chefs to really wow themselves and significant others by being able to create a great meal with stuff most kitchens should have on-hand, and far cheaper than a restaurant.  Besides, grill or no, you can't deny that this looks darn tasty:

Admit it, this makes your mouth water.

Portraity things, part 2!

Hello again!

 Sorry for the delays in posting; just been super-busy lately... and I hate to waste a post just to provide a smidgeon of content.  Go big or not at all!  So anyhow, here's another batch of sketch portraits for your viewing pleasure!

Not bad looking for nearly a million years old.

Portraity things!

 I was bored the other day and decided to color in the sketchbook page with the portrait of Adrian I posted a few days ago; since I didn't bother to put down clean lines on a fresh piece of Bristol board, I decided to do the coloring in a similarly sketchy style.

 Weelllll... the result ended up being quite a bit cooler than I expected.  I then decided that I was going to start making this a thing, and did some more of other characters!

Prince of Hell and of glam-rock.

 More characters after the jump!

I Can Cooking! #10: Tzatziki, Vinaigrette, and the Meal to Make With Them

 Sauce edition!

 Sauces are an important part of many a meal.  They add moisture, flavor, and deliciousness to the foods they go with; and even if, like my cooking, yours needs no sauces for this purpose (not to brag or anything, ha!), a complimentary flavor can take something good and make it truly phenomenal. 

 Of course, thought the sauces are the theme of this edition, I'll still show how to make the meal that goes around them.

Super-fancy dinner?  Actually a lot simpler than you might think!

What's on my desk: 9/24/13

Hello!  It's about time I did another one of these, so here's a look at the sketches that're on my desk at this moment.

Totally convincing as a priest there, Adrian.

I Can Cooking! #9: Lo Mein

Chinese food is delicious, there's no doubt about that.  It's delicious, usually pretty cheap for the amount you get... but darn it, sometimes the restaurants just work odd hours and you need your lo mein fix ASAP.  Well, I'm here to help!  This staple dish and co-chief Chinese food carbohydrate (lest we forget fried rice... but that'll be an I Can Cooking! for another time) is a lot easier to make than you might think... and quite possibly faster than delivery too.

Lo mein, the ultimate Chinese comfort food.

Drinklage #7: Like the Soda-Jerks of Olde!

 Who said Drinklage had to only be about booze?  :D

 Lemon-lime soda.  It's one of the classic flavors to be sure, but like many things, it could always be better.  So many of the store-bought brands tend to be full of weird ingredients and have tons of calories; wouldn't it be nice to be able to make a lemon-lime soda that's not only decently healthy, but also has a flavor that'll knock any of the name-brand ones out of the water?  Well, it's far easier than you'd think!

Totally worth the extra effort.

I Can Cooking! #8: Swordfish and Steamed Vegetables, also Bechamel-based Homemade Cheese Sauce

 For today's edition of I Can Cooking, we eat healthy!  But don't worry, for those who don't care for the vegetables and fish and whatnot, I'm also going to show you how to make a dynamite cheese sauce that you can use for pretty much ANYTHING!

Because cheese makes everything delicious.

 Let's get started!

Drinklage #6: Caipirinha

 Caipirinha.  This drink is the official cocktail of Brazil, a place with a reputation for its year-round balmy, tropical heat.  Coming from a place like that, you know this has got to be naturally ideal for these hot summer evenings (well, for the few weeks remaining of summer, at least).  Sort of a boozy limeade, it's an exceptional drink which is quite simple to make!  Just 4 ingredients, and you've got the ultimate thirst-quencher.

The Caipirinha... almost as fun to say as it is to drink!

What's on my desk: 9/4/13

Hello!

 It's time I share some of the stuff I've been working on lately!  Though I haven't had much time to do completed illustrations, a good buddy of mine, Craig Scott, has been doing this "one sketch a day" thing and well, darn if it's not an awesome idea.  So, I figure I'd do the same.

 Content after the jump!

I Can Cooking! #7: Chicken and Veggie Skillet

 So, I was originally going to make this an Aliens in the Supermarket due to the use of Chayote, which is a somewhat unusual ingredient; however, since I used it in a somewhat more complex recipe instead, I figured an I Can Cooking! was more appropriate.

 This is a really easy dish to make, and is amazingly good as well (not to brag or anything).  Since I just kind of made up the recipe as I went along, there really isn't a name for it... so let's allow the picture to speak for it instead:

I call it... Chicken a-la McCurdy.

 Recipe after the jump!

Still kicking!

Hey everyone!

 First off, let me apologize for the lack of recent updates; the reason for that being I've been really sick for the past week or so, and most of the time I've had off-work has been spent sleeping and otherwise recovering.  BUT!  I'm feeling mostly better now, so I can get back into the swing of things.

 For those who've been sticking around, and those readers yet to come, a huge thank you for sticking with me!  I'll be sure to make it worth your while.

 In the meantime, here's a preview for a drawing of the Echo Deity I've been working on:

Drinklage #5: Rusty Nail

Scotch.  Cocktail.  (dodges incoming thrown objects)

 For so many Scotch aficionados, these two words evoke a feeling of utter revulsion; that it's an act of blasphemy to defile such a finely-crafted liquor by mixing it with anything.  As a Scotch man myself, I'm inclined to agree, for the most part.  HOWEVER... there is one mixing ingredient which we should consider to be okay to mix with Scotch, as it is made of Scotch itself.  That ingredient:  Drambuie.  The cocktail:  Rusty Nail; an age-old classic which every fan of Scotch (or, you know, of drinking in general) owes it to him/herself to have an open mind about and try at least once, not only because it reveals a new potential for our favored brown nectar, but also for the simple fact that it is DAMN GOOD.

Ladies and Gents, the Rusty Nail.  Beautiful, ain't it?

Aliens in the Supermarket #4: Kohlrabi

 Kohlrabi.  This odd-looking vegetable, with its purple skin and odd swirly bits (which are actually just where the sideways-growing roots have been removed) is a bit of a mystery to many of us in the Western world.  There really aren't many recipes at all outside of Indian cuisine which call for this cabbage relative, so it tends to be overlooked, as... well, what really is there to do with it?  The answer is:  just about anything.  This vegetable has a flavor similar to cabbage hearts or broccoli stems, yet a texture pretty close to that of an apple, with a fairly hearty skin.  It can be eaten raw, steamed, stir-fried, or my personal favorite method:  roasted.  Today, I'm going to show you how!

It's strangely pretty.

What's on my desk, MOE EDITION: 8/16/13

Hello all!

 Sorry for the slow updates; just been pretty busy in real-life stuff the past few days.  Anyways, here are some updates on stuff I've been working on!

I Can Cooking! #6: Potato Pancake Breakfast Sandwich!

 So, let's say you've made up an excessively huge batch of mashed potatoes, and as much as you love them, there's just no way you could possibly get through them quickly enough.  Also, it just happens to be a Saturday morning, and you feel like having a hearty breakfast. Pancakes sound good, but darn it, you're out of syrup!  If only there was a way to make savory pancakes, using stuff you have an abundance of already...  Oh wait, THERE IS!

GET IN MAH BELLEH!

Of course, just savory pancakes by themselves can be a bit boring.  Let's make a full breakfast of this!

Drinklage #4: Irish Coffee, the right way!

 Irish coffee.  Such a delicious and wonderful way to bring oneself to consciousness on a nice relaxing weekend morning.  Yet for so many, this classic day mood-setter / hangover cure has been confused for the overly sweet, tongue-coating ick that is simply Bailey's and coffee.  That is not a real Irish coffee.  Over the next few minutes, I'll show you how easy it is to make the best Irish coffee you've ever had, and even some suggestions for other flavor additions!

The mug's really not all that small; I've just got huge hands.

I Can Cooking! #5: Country Fried Stuff!

 Country-fried chicken.  Chicken-fried steak.  Chicken-fried chicken even, despite how redundant it sounds.  Even... country-fried liver and onions?!  The latter is the one I'm covering in this edition of I Can Cooking, but even for those non-lovers of liver out there, don't fret!  This exact recipe can be used to make any meat that can possibly be fried into this classic of Southern cuisine.  I'll also show you how to make the best mashed potatoes you've ever had!

Be envious of my dinner, but perhaps not my arteries.  Ah well, YOLO!

 Let's begin!

Wings of the Phoenix

 Sorry for the lack of updates over the past week or so, but I have a very good excuse.  First part of the excuse being the AMAZING new Dynasty Warriors 8; such a good game but damn it for being so good it takes up much of my free time.  Other excuse being that I've been working on finishing this illustration:

Not the character you'd expect to have such a tattoo, but it just makes her all the more interesting as a protagonist.

  Productive use of time?  I'd say so!  :D

 Explanation of the symbols and then a walkthrough of the WIP after the jump:

Aliens in the Supermarket #3: Artichokes

 Artichokes are delicious, that's no big secret.  They're not entirely uncommon in many Italian and French dishes either.  Yet, how often have you run across this vegetable in the store, with its somewhat pinecone-esque appearance, and thought to yourself, "Wait, how do I actually eat this?"  Well, my friends, today, I'm going to show you how!

HOW DO I ARTICHOKE

I Can Cooking! #4: Homemade Marinara/Pizza/Spaghetti Sauce!

 Have you ever been in a situation where you're planning a pasta/pizza/whatever dinner, and find yourself spending long minutes in the jarred sauces aisle of the local grocer's, looking through all the different flavors and varieties, trying to remember that one brand that was really good that one time, or possibly just which one hits all the flavor notes you're looking for, while not being too expensive?  And then, what of additives and expiration dates?  Wouldn't it be so much simpler if you could, I don't know, just make a delicious sauce, from scratch, yourself?  To put what YOU want into it, and know that the whole thing is high quality?

 Today, I'm going to show you just how easy it is to do exactly that.  Also check out the latest Aliens in the Supermarket feature for the artichoke that I made as the side-dish to this!

See this?  This deliciousness could easily be yours!

 Full instructions after the jump!

What's on my desk: 7/23/13

Hey everyone!

 I'd just like to show you a couple of my recent art projects, and some sketches that are a little bit older, but still haven't been shown yet.  Let's start with this preview of a project I'm finally getting back to again:

The most elaborate tattoo I've designed yet, but for a fictional character of my design.  There's an underlying sense of vanity to that, isn't there...?

 More after the jump!

Drinklage #3: How to make a real Margarita!

 The Margarita.  A classic cocktail with a once-proud reputation, more recently made infamous by overly-sweet readymake "just add Tequila!" mixes or even worse, *gag* those premade, underproof (5% ABV?  Really?!) versions that come in those freezable pouches and are barely more than your typical slushy.  Made properly though, this cocktail is greatly refreshing, balancing perfectly those sweet, sour and salty notes, and with a potency somewhere more in the neighborhood of wine.  And as an added plus, it's just ONE MORE INGREDIENT than the mix version, and takes only about a minute more to make.  Intrigued?  Let's begin!

You may notice the lack of artificial color.  This is not a bad thing.

I Can Cooking! #3: Borscht! (a.k.a. борщ)

 Hello again!

 Let me preface this by saying this is a custom recipe, made from suggestions and what I found suited me best from a multitude of traditional recipes.  It may not be the borscht that you're used to, but that may be a good thing because this one is DAMNED TASTY.  Also, I have no idea where the "t" that ends the English version of the word came from.  ONWARD!

This is what perfection looks like.

Song of Last Week (oops!) 7/7-7/13/13: Mrs McGrath (SuidAkrA cover)

(this is what happens when I forget to press "publish")

 When I recently picked up SuidAkrA's latest album, Eternal Defiance, I was absolutely blown away by its bonus track, a cover of the old Irish folk song "Mrs McGrath."

Aliens in the Supermarket #2: Jicama!

 While these things may be pretty much second-nature to those who live in tropical regions, they're quite unfamiliar to those of us from further up north.  I've seen them at the grocer's quite a few times, and never thought to give them a shot.  But due to my sense of culinary adventurism, I figured I'd go ahead and take the plunge.  Was pleasantly surprised!  Preparation tips and description after the jump.

Huge jicama is huuuuuuge

Shout-out for a fellow artist: Craig Scott!

A fellow artist and old buddy of mine from way back just got his site up and running!  On it he's put up several galleries showcasing several of the different styles of art he's done in recent years.  Check him out!

Craig Michael Scott Art & Design

The Drunken Philosopher #8: Just think what we could do!

 A bit ago I saw this image posted by the All Science, All the Time FaceBook page, and it sparked a bit of a fire in me.  This picture spells out, in only a few words, a frustration I've had with human nature, and our seemingly inherent unwillingness to accept change and progress:

Srsly guys, stahp.

  Since this is something I actually do feel strongly about, expect a bit more seriousness than what you may be accustomed to from the Drunken Philosopher series of postings.

What's on my desk: 7/9/13

 In between layers of drying watercolor on the recently-posted Richter Mitchell and Phobos illustration, I've been starting on the sketchwork for the next piece, one of his younger brother and later main character, Justin Mitchell, with his Deity, Deimos.

Drinklage #2: Corpse Reviver #2

 So, after a long Saturday night of living it up, that Sunday feeling has come on over you and you feel like having one of those good-old "hair of the dog" cocktails to edge yourself off back into normality.  But that old mainstay of the Bloody Mary just loses its charm, and besides you want something a bit more refreshing, seeing as how we're in the middle of summer and all.  But don't fret!  I've got just the suggestion:  the aptly-named Corpse Reviver #2!

I Can Cooking! #2: Blackened Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

 Fettuccine Alfredo.  It's one of those original comfort dishes, with its rich, creamy, peppery sauce atop those wide, tender noodles.  And then add some blackened chicken and sauteed vegetables, and well, you've got yourself a dish fit for a king!  In this edition, I'll be giving instructions for how to make this deliciously satisfying dish.

Song of the Week: 'MURRICA

It was the obvious choice to use the Star-Spangled Banner for the week that July 4th falls on, but here's an incredible version performed by Iced Earth which many out there may not have heard before (but should!).  They've managed to add that extra little bit of "HELL YEAH" factor into the song, while still staying true to the original composition (which so many renditions sadly fail to do).  The harmonizing of the guitars and the way the drumrolls are done toward the end are particularly awesome.  So anyway, without further ado:

The Drunken Philosopher #7: Ri-diddly-doo, just passin' on through...

Walking.  Through.  Walls.

Did I get your attention?  From olden tales and lore of phantoms to the current sci-fi and comics, the rate of occurrences of this phenomenon/ability without any real thought to the specifics of how exactly it would work is almost as amazing as the ability itself.  We know that about 99% of all matter, even of the solid sort, is just empty space, and it's the fields generated by the repulsion forces of those countless subatomic particles that make things seem "solid"... so if there was a way to turn those fields off or without collapsing our own atoms into neutron star matter, or simply align our subatomic particles just right either through magic, SCIENCE!, or some sort of Men Who Stare at Goats -level meditation technique, then that would be awesome... but then, how would we make sure that we'd only be intangible to the walls?

Drinklage #1: Let's talk about booze!

Today, I'll discuss another hobby of mine:  drinking.  Okay, that sounds bad.  More specifically, the mixology, discovery of new flavors, and the "wow" factor when you make something truly delicious.

(I've got a bit of a collection going, you see)

Unholy Paladin Studios Tutorials: How to build a picture with a light table

Huge drawing is huuuuuuge.

 So, you want to build up a very complex illustration, and you want to make sure that everything, both foreground and background, is absolutely perfect before committing them to the same piece of paper?  Or you're just not wanting to mess up one element of the picture while working on another?  Or perhaps, the final project is simply going to be on a larger piece of paper than what you're sketching on?

 Today, I'll be covering a technique using one of the most useful tools in a traditional artist's arsenal, the light table, in order to accomplish all the above.

Shout-Out: Creativerse!

Today I would like to give a shout-out for "Creativerse," a blog run by Daniel Wagner, a cousin of mine!

He's had it up and running since this February; though there's no one particular theme to the postings, but it's all really interesting stuff, ranging from video game nostalgia to social issues, to his opinions on various other things.  All of it is quite well-written and thought-provoking stuff.  Though there's not much up yet, just keep in mind that it's just the beginning of what promises to be a great blog!

Song of the Week! Origami, "Потерянный Рай," 23-29 Jun 2013

Bringing back this old feature!  So it's already Thursday night, but I've listened to it several times throughout the week so it still counts, yeah?

So anyways, here we have an acoustic version of a ballad from a metal band from Russia, who have a Japanese name. And you know what? It's a damn good song, even if you don't understand the words. And if you do? The feels, man.  And that breakdown that begins at around the 2:43 mark to 3:35?  Beautifully executed.


And of course, just to be completely fair to the song, here's the (even more amazing) studio version for compare:

I Can Cooking! Volume 1: The Deliciousness that is Calamari

Hello all!

This will kick off the first of one of the new features I discussed in my "blog revival" post; in which I discuss one of my other favorite pastimes:  cooking!

Now, This may of course prompt me to change the title of my blog (especially since, you know, it's going to be more of general stuff from my life than art from now on), but I'll worry about that once I figure out if I even can change the title, lol.  So anyway, let's begin, shall we?

SO!  Calamari time.

 Calamari is one of those dishes that can make or break a cook; it's simple enough that anyone could make it, but it's also quite easy to do wrong.  There are two precise points at which it reaches a perfect doneness, either very early into the cooking cycle, or fairly late into it when the meat begins to break down and soften again.  Ever been out to eat at a restaurant and been served a plate full of chewy, rubbery or leathery pieces of calamari that lacked any real flavor outside of the breading, and was more of a chore to get through than it was worth?  Yeah, me too.  I suspect that the majority of people who purport to hate calamari have only had the unfortunate experience of gnawing through a very poorly-cooked plate of the stuff.  It's supposed to be soft, buttery, with a slight chew; just slightly firmer than imitation crab.  And though the flavor is mild, it's definitely there:  rich, slightly savory, and just the slightest hint of sea but none of the funk we often associate with seafood.  So how do we accomplish THAT?

Ah, so this site still exists!

This is what happens when the e-mail account originally used to set up the blog no longer exists, and you don't bother fixing it for... 2 years?

Switched it over to this whole brand new G+ thing, will spend the next week or so doing "renovation work" (or would it more appropriately be "REMOVE-ation?"  ...Nobody?  Ah well.) to get it to a more usable shape, and will start using it for the stuff that's too lengthy to post on my FB, and too unrelated for my DA.  Of course there'll be my usual drawing stuff and pseudo-intellectual bullshit, but will also be joined with some cool stuff like food and drinks I make, and maybe some tourism stuff since I've finally got a decent camera.

Also going to figure out what to do with my Playlist doodad at the bottom.  It was cool 7 years ago when I set this thing up, but now even though I like it, I feel that having music autoplay any time someone comes by may only serve to drive off any prospective readers.  "What is this, MySpace?!" and all that.  Maybe after playing around with the sidebars (which have remained unchanged since I set this thing up), I'll just link it there, like "Hey, open this in a new tab for your listening enjoyment if you so choose; I shan't shove the music I like down all of your throats!"

Kind of looking forward to seeing what sort of layout and format capabilities have been added since the old days.  I barely touched the CSS for the page when I first set this thing up, was scared of ruining it all... hell, I think this is largely still one of the "format" layouts, just with a couple of minor tweaks here and there.  Going to have to dive into the new web design tools suite and see if I can't come up with something that's a bit more... ME.

ONWARD!