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Times food editor Janet Keeler joins us to offer some tips on how we can bag those stale old chips and bland pretzels at our home poker games and feature tastier fare for the fish who swim in our pond. Click here to listen to the show.
Some highlights: Nothing wet or sticky (think finger sandwiches), stuff that can be eaten in a bite or two, a good variety (not just junk food), salt slows you down (not good for marathon games) and bring out the grub in stages (great for marathon games). Ante Upper David (aces88ss) offers this tip: players in his game must give $10 to the host, who's responsible for putting out a killer spread (think ribs, salmon, smoked turkey, deer, pheasant - even heart of bear!).
Two recipes from Janet's kitchen:
Smoky Bacon Wraps
1 pound sliced bacon
1 (16 ounce) package miniature smoked sausage links
1 cup packed brown sugar
Cut each bacon strip in half widthwise. Wrap one piece of bacon around each sausage.
Place in a foil-lined 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until bacon is crisp and sausage is heated through.
Source. www.allrecipes.com
Fumbo (Faux-Gumbo)2-3 tablespoons olive oil
2-3 cups cooked chicken , cut into bite-sized pieces
1-2 cup cooked white rice
1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
6 cups chicken broth
1 green pepper , diced
1 red pepper , diced
1 medium onion , diced
3 garlic cloves , minced
2 stalks celery , diced
1 potato , diced (yukon gold or red)
to taste cayenne pepper
to taste salt & pepper , to taste
1 tablespoon sugar
Saute onion, peppers and celery for 3 minutes. Add garlic and sautee 1 more minute. Pour in diced tomatoes, chicken broth and potatoes. Stir, bring to a low boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for 30 minutes.
Add chicken, rice, cayenne pepper (the amount you use depends on your family's tolerance for spicy food - I usually give about 4 dashes), salt & pepper and sugar. Let cook for another 20-30 minutes to bring flavors together.
Serves 6.
OTHER TOPICS
O.J.'s poker game delayed: The Naked Gun star was supposed to host a poker game on a January night ... until he was hauled off to Vegas by a former bailbondsman. Here's the Associated Press image from Jail, the TV show that reported it.
Best damn ... Poker Show on TV? That's what this Phill Hellmuth vs. Annie Duke reality poker show claims to be. Chris isn't buying it, Scott isn't watching it.
Big money in membership sites: PurePlay is offering a $10,000 tournament.
AIPS reminder: It's Thursday night on FullTilt. Click here for details.
Hotline: We get a call from Middle America about how much luck is involved in poker. Short term? Lots. Long term? Not so much.
Tampa Bay Poker Replay: Poker room receipts are were up 54 percent in December. The new stakes are attracting players!
HAND OF THE WEEK
Russ (Vindice) submits a hand from a recent No-Limit Hold'em CHIMPS event.
Stakes are 200/400 with a 50 ante.
UTG calls, and Russ calls with Kd-Qc. Two callers, plus the BB, so five to the flop.
The flop: Js-Jh-Ks.
It's checked around to our hero, who bets 1200. Folded around to the UTG, who calls.
The turn: 7d.
Checked around.
The river: 2c.
UTG bets 3000, our hero pushes for 4709 and loses to a boat (pocket Kings).
Our advice: The two Jacks on the flop were scary, and there wasn't a reason to push the final 1709 in on the end.
Better luck next time Russ. Send us your address for some swag.
NEXT WEEK'S SHOW
It's a good one: Fasso joins us to moderate our own version of The Moment of Truth. The show has already been taped, in anticipation of Chris' surgery. He'll be out for up to a month. Fasso will fill in, and wish our good buddy a speedy recovery.
- SCOTT