Today we have an entrant for the second course of the Diced! competition. Contestants were instructed to create or find a recipe for a main dish containing the following ingredients: Ground Turkey, Gingersnap Cookies, Greek Yogurt and Fresh Jalapeños. They were instructed to make their dish and create a blog post about it, including pictures. You can help determine who advances to the next round. On Friday, after the last post, I will post a poll where you can vote for up to two of the contestants to move on. Vote for the post you like the best. You can vote because of the inventiveness, the yummyness, the use of ingredients, the quality of the writing and pictures or for any other reason. The poll will be active for one week only. Check back and vote. In the event of a tie, the Ranting Chef will choose who advances. More information about Diced! can be found here.
We started with five contestants and have three remaining (in alphabetical order): Ajax, Jenna and Maggie. Ellie had the fewest amount of votes after the first round and Mikaela had to drop out of the competition.
Today’s contestant, AJAX is a former F-16 pilot and blogger over at Like A Fighter Pilot. His posts, as demonstrated below, contain entries for mind, boy and spirit. Check out his blog and his Diced! entry below…
Round Two
Photo by stormyweather.dk
Mind – Competitors know about the pre-game jitters. The excitement of the moment, the adrenaline, the fear of the unknown, all contribute to the butterflies dancing in your stomach. There have been many studies on how stress can actually improve performance up to a certain point. Stress and anticipation heightens senses and can focus energy. It can also be crippling. I am in constant awe when I read about what the greatest generation did during WW II. I had the opportunity of meeting a B-17 turret gunner who flew 117 missions and made it back alive. Statistically this was next to impossible from 1942-43 when Sergeant Roth started flying; the time before the allies still had not established air superiority. Tour length was established at 25 missions, but many didn’t make it that far. The thing that is amazing is the bravery it took to go on mission number 2, 3, 4 and so on. The first mission was fueled by bravado and curiosity, after that it was pure guts when reality set in and their friends didn’t return. I asked Sergeant Roth what kept him going, he said it was his sense duty and commitment to his brothers. Imagine what we could all accomplish with that kind of dedication.
Photo by worldwartwozone.com
Cheers
AJAX a.k.a. “The Raging Scotsman”
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photo by crossfitpride.com
Body – Strength, Leg Day
Wingman
5 minutes of jump ropes
5 minutes of 12-24” box jumps
4 rounds of
25 Air Squats
25 Walking Lunges
25 Standing Calf Raises
25 Burpees
Flight Leads
5 minutes of jump ropes
5 minutes of 12-24” box jumps
3 Sets Each of
25x 25 lbs. kettle bell swings
10x 95 lbs. squats
10x 45 lbs. lunges
10x Good Mornings
10x 45 lbs. straight leg deadlifts
10x 45 lbs. calf raises with shrug
Instructors
300 double unders
5 minutes AMRAP 24” box jumps
3 Sets Each of
25x 50 lbs. kettle bell swings
10x 225 lbs. squats
10x 95 lbs. lunges
10x 45lb good mornings
10x 135 lbs. straight leg deadlifts
10x 225 lbs. calf raises with shrug
Weapons Instructor Course
500 double unders
5 minutes AMRAP 36” box jumps
3 Sets Each of
25x 50 lbs. kettle bell swings
10x 315 lbs. squats
10x 135 lbs. lunges
10x 45lb good mornings
10x 225 lbs. straight leg deadlifts
10x 225 lbs. calf raises with shrug
Finish with 1000m all out row
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Recipe of the Day
Turkey Chili with Bacon and Ginger Snaps
Rachel Ray’s chili heavily modified by AJAX
Photo by AJAX
Serves – 8
Prep time – 36 (HARRRUMP) minutes active, 50 minutes total
Nutrition – 500 calories, 44 grams protein, 27 grams fat, 18 grams carbs
Ingredients
1.5 pounds ground turkey
6 slices super thick bacon, ½ inch strips
1 pound top sirloin steak, DICED!
1 large sweet yellow onion DICED!
1 fresh jalapeno, DICED!
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 15 ounce can of tomato sauce
4 Tablespoons of Pete’s hot sauce
2 Tablespoons of Worcestershire
1 teaspoon Tobasco
½ cup of brown sugar
8 ground ginger snaps, about ¾ cup
½ cup of chili powder
2 teaspoons of salt
1 Tablespoon of ground black pepper
¾ cup of beef stock
½ cup of sour cream
1 cup of plain Greek yogurt
Directions
Gather all the ingredients. Cut the sirloin into quarter to half-inch cubes. Slice the bacon into half-inch strips. Dice the onion, jalapeno, and crush the garlic. Chop the ginger snaps in a food processor until fine crumbs. Combine in a medium bowl the tomato sauce, Worcestershire, hot sauce, Tobasco, brown sugar, and crumbled ginger snaps. Combine in a separate bowl the yogurt and sour cream.
Cook the bacon in a large pot until the fat is rendered and starting to crisp, about 6 minutes. Add the turkey and the sirloin and cook on high heat until browned, about 10 more minutes. Add to the turkey, sirloin, salt, pepper, and chili powder, cooking for 1 more minute. Add the onion, jalapeno and garlic cooking until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the tomato, Worcestershire, hot sauce, gingersnap mixture, bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer. Add ½ cup of beef stock and simmer to desired consistency, about 10-15 minutes.
Serve with yogurt sour cream mixture and garnish with cilantro and saltine crackers.
MackNBee taste rating 3 out of 4
AJAX ease of prep rating 4 out of 4
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Spirit – Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Remember – check back after the last post to vote on who advances in the Diced! competition.
Rantings of an Amateur Chef 
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