text:
Blog Archives
Caturday's Astrophenia: 2014.11.22
Well, it's back. With this entry, the far-too-long long hiatus of this installment is over.
I've mentioned before that I won't be online as much as I used to, and so won't be posting live on any of my sites save for emergencies. I will, however, schedule entries when I can get the free time to do so, and set them to post as needed and whenever material is at hand. That may mean that they pop up online more or less frequently than currently, preferably more frequently once I'm up to my old pace again.
I took so long between the last edition of this series and this one as I needed to bring myself up to speed on blogging after my WordPress break from late August to early October of this year, and this entry depends partly on use of time-sensitive, datable material difficult to set up for posting on a busy daily schedule without getting reaccustomed to it. The same applies to the Weekly Gnuz & Lynx Roundup, which will be alternating with this entry once I finalize how I'll organize it, on Saturdays. One, or the other, possibly, but rarely both for the same day.
My language lessons are coming along nicely, though not as quickly as I'd like. But then, I'm alternating time between three languages, and reason dictates that that's to be expected. I'm surprised it isn't taking longer given my dislike of multitasking when I don't have to. At current estimate, I should have a basic understanding of grammar, vocabulary, and effective use of script for all three languages sometime around the early part of 2015.
I now plan on this entry being specific to this site, as with the Weekly Roundup, and will follow a similar guideline for other more blog-specific entries on my other sites. I want each blog to have its own feel, and that, I think, is the best way to make that happen. Let me know in the comments for this entry if there is anything that you would like to see changed about this series or added, but please keep things civilized and constructive. My cats and I will appreciate it :-)
Thank you.
Leonids Above Torre de la Guaita
The Double Dust Disks of HD 95086
Star Formation in the Tadpole Nebula
Bright Spiral Galaxy M81
LDN 988: Dark Nebula in Cygnus
M1: The Crab Nebula
Solar Flare from a Sharper Sun
Images of the Week:
Weekly Astrognuz:
Distant Horizons: Mosaic of worlds humanity has set upon
Warm, Flowing Water on Mars was Episodic, Study Suggests
Philae Spotted: Lander actually seen in comet photo
No "Rubber Duckie!" Rosetta's Comet Looks Weird in Decade-Old Hubble Model
Casual Sexism: When a shirt is more than a shirt
Philae Lander Early Science Results: Ice, Organic Molecules, and Half a Foot of Dust
SDO and sunspot 2192: Amazing hi-def video
Elektro-L: Video of the Earth from Space
Subaru Telescope Spots Galaxies From The Early Universe
NASA's Swift: Ten Years in Space
The Cosmos in Video:
Ze Cats for Ze Caturday:
Mandelbulb 3D Tutorial: Generating Tiled Images Using Big Render
I've recently been experimenting with a freeware app called Mandelbulb 3d, the version I'm using for the Mac is 1.8.9. Over the last week, I've discovered the use of the app's Big Render option, which is just what it sounds — it allows the generation of really huge images, by rendering them piece by piece in m3i files, as tiles, and they may then be assembled into one large whole by one's software of choice. I'll describe how I rendered them below, after some video tutorials for the program's basic operation. These videos are by Don Whitaker, and the software may be found here:
First, the base image was rendered at 800×600 pixels:
Following are some screenshots of the settings I used to create it. Figure 1 is the main rendering window, the Lighting window is shown twice in Figures 2 & 3 for each the color settings used, the Formulas window is shown twice, Figures 4 & 5, for each of the two fractal types used and the means of combining them (They make up a hybrid fractal type, and those are always fun!). Figure 6 shows the Julia set coordinates used for this image (I used the "Julia on" option for this parameter set, because Julia sets are cool.).
But where to find the button that opens the Big Render window? Note Figure 1, at the top of the window. Under the "Utilities" tab, Big Render is the second button from the left. Click on that after rendering the base image once all its parameters are assigned and calculated. You are then ready to begin. Figure 1 was snapped during the rendering of the tile from column and row X=3 Y=1.
Note figure 7. Once you open it, note the button at the top right, "Import actual paras" clicking this will load the parameters of the base image. Here you see the Original parameter size given at 800 x 600 pixels. I did this to keep rendering time relatively reasonable, rather than using some giant monster base image that takes more than 30 minutes to render each individual tile.
Size factor as entered as x3, which would enlarge the fully assembled image to 2400 x 1800 pixels. Just above that, you see a "Big size" shown at 1200 x 900, assuming anti-aliasing at a factor of 2, which I did not use for this experiment, so that counts not. This winds up as the full scale indicated by the Size factor.
"Tiling" shows 4 horizontal x 4 vertical tiles, or 16 total. Note that each may be raised or lowered by clicking the upper or lower buttons to their immediate right, increasing the number of tiles and so rows and columns in the matrix of tiles to the right of Figure 7.
The Tilesize (including anti-aliasing, again if I were using that, which I'm not) is given as 300 x 225. All this means that the actual tile size during rendering is 600 x 450 pixels each.
Just below that, at "Saving:" the "Tile downscale, anti-aliasing" setting, shows here a value of 2. This too may be raised or lowered, as may the "sharp" setting, which I'm leaving at zero. No anti-aliasing needed here, though I recommend it for clearer images with cleanly defined edges and surfaces.
"Output image type" has three buttons, one for PNG files, one for JPEG, and one for BMP files. Here, I chose JPEG, though I've left JPEG quality at 95%. Meh!
Under "Output image type" I've clicked on Save m3i files. Do that, as it saves the parameters for each tile when it's completely rendered and shaded in a file.
I've also clicked on "Render all tiles included in the lines:" and left the numbers here alone, from 1 to 999. Don't worry about how high that last set of digits is as the app will stop rendering automatically upon completing the last tile on the last row and column.
Once you save the project in an appropriate folder, using the "Save project" button, second from the left at the top of the window, you are ready to begin.
Now click "Render next tile," and the process will begin, generating m3i parameter files for each tile in the project folder you've saved. These files are just like the normal parameter files for MB3D, and like them may be opened and exported as image files using the main app.
One last thing: Look again to the right in Figure 7, the set of 16 tile boxes. When rendering and shading is complete, each tile box turns from grey to white to indicate when it's done, until all are complete. You can see that here, 11 tiles are fully rendered. Make sure you re-save the project once all files are rendered so you don't lose them.
You may halt the rendering process at any point and save the project again, given at least one or more fully complete tiles, and then reopen the project later to pick up where you left off on unfinished ones.
This allows you to space rendering extremely large images with many tiles over a long period. Try to keep the base image size and number of tiles to be rendered reasonable, or the project well may take several days or longer to finish!
Just so you know:
This evening, at 18:00 EST, I'll be taking down this blog's About page to fix a major issue in viewing the text that was recently pointed out to me by a canny reader. I'll be working on all of the page's embedded images to revise the compatibility of text font with image backgrounds to enhance readability. That counts for more than any passing visual appeal. The page will be online again when revision is complete.
Thank you.
Caturday's Astrophenia: 2014/08/23
G'day, and happy Caturday to you all. I've been working on increasing the already disgustingly large number of blogs I own, with the hub page for all public sites here, recently updating its theme to something a bit better. This Friday, I finally got around to creating the first of my private venues, here. It's for material and tone that not only won't fit well with other blogs, but also may be a bit…controversial…in a public forum.
I won't be shy of expressing myself on this site, and neither should its readers. I do require that any discussion adhere to some level of decorum, and that all debate when it occurs be bloodless, honest, and relatively civil. I'll follow that dictum as well. It is a blog, after all, not a warzone, nor the halls of the U.S. Congress or state legislatures.
Readership is open, and if you've any interest, feel free to hit me up by email or a comment on this post for an invite. That goes for any further private sites as well, as needed. WordPress might be a bit of a bastitch, and might not notify me of any requests made to the server.
I've got things planned for the week ahead, including some of the learning tools I'm using to learn Tamil, which I've been having a lot of fun with. I'm currently mastering the vowels in the language's script, and the pronuciation of its syllables.
My evil cats have been doing quite well, and both of my boys are featured below, in this post. Stay cool, stay brilliant, or in a dialect of Kai'Siri spoken only on the edge of the Sagittarius spiral arm of the galaxy:
Talotaa frang.
Jupiter and Venus from Earth
Star Trails Over Indonesia
Contrasting Terrains on Comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko
In the Center of the Lagoon Nebula
Venus and Jupiter at Dawn
Comet Jacques, Heart and Soul
The Spectre of Veszprem
Images of the Week:
Source: Hubblesite.org
Source: Hubblesite.org
Weekly Astrognuz:
Earth's Ozone Under Attack Despite Banning Destructive Compound: Study
Rational Impact: Tattoo of a Skeptical Phrase
Surf Saturn's Rings In Amazing Raw Cassini Images from This Week
IC 4499: Getting the age of a globular cluster
A Piece of Vesta Has Been Stolen!
Mars Curiosity: Celebrating 2 years on the Red Planet
Is A Sitcom Astronaut Hadfield's Next Frontier? ABC Commedy in the Works, Report Says
Atmospheric CO2: Humans put 40 billion tons in the air annually
How Watching 13 Billion Years of Cosmic Growth Links to Storytelling
Titan weather: Clouds seen forming over a methane lake
Watch A 'Swan' Fly Free From Its Trap In A Space Robotic Arm
Fireball: Astronauts photograph Cygnus resupply ship burning up (Photo)
Remembering the "World War I Eclipse"
Helium: how do you wiegh a balloon?
Curiosity Brushes "Bonanza King" Target Anticipathing Fourth Red Planet Rock Drilling
Asteroid 1950 DA: Impact in 2880 very unlikely
What is Nothing?
Ze Cats for Ze Caturday:
Thanks to Sharmishtha Basu for this idea!
Caturday's Astrophenia: 2014/08/02
G'day, and good morning! This week was good, with much of the blogging being done within the last couple of day's or so. I'm spending some quality time with the cats, and doing well in study, as I've completed the political theory course I was taking, having debunked a few of my own misconceptions, and that's always good!
I'm to bed soon, both to attempt to normalize my sleep cycles, and to get up early enough to see a movie later this afternoon. On the Algorithm, I've taken a look at the older installments of my ongoing book review series and will need to rewrite them. Yes, it's that bad, even if I hate my own stuff anyway, these bear correction and additions not in the original drafts, so they are all pending for reposting when they are finished. That includes the yet-to-be published review of the 7th chapter of "Indra's Pearls."
I'm now studying from two more DVD format lectures, one to brush up specifically on my algebra skills, and another for recreational, introductory, and practical general math skills for college level. I plan on finishing the two courses simultaneously by the end of this month, but we'll see. *tentacles crossed*
I've been visiting peeps' blogs this week, and have plans for more of that this weekend and next week.
Talotaa frang.
Rho Ophiuchi Wide Field
The Horsehead Nebula from Blue to Infrared
A Sky Portal in New Zealand
M31: The Andromeda Galaxy
Veins of Heaven
Tetons and Snake River, Planet Earth
NGC 7023: The Iris Nebula
Images of the Week:
Source: Hubblesite.org
Source: Hubblesite.org
Weekly Astrognuz:
Explore Mars Group Wants To Build Instrument Seeking Subsurface Red Planet Life
Solar Storm: A massive 2012 CME just missed the Earth
Companion Planets Could Keep Alien Earths Warm in Old Age
Ranger 7: Anniversary of the first close pictures of the Moon from space
Rosetta's Comet is Too Hot for Complete Ice Surface, Probe Reveals
Double-ringed craters: Oblique view of a weird lunar impact
Hubble Spots Furthest Lensing Galaxy Yet
Global warming: Inhofe still denying reality
Surprise! Classical Novae Produce Gamma-Rays
Geysers on Enceladus: Powered by gravity, heating the surface
NASA Announces Science Instruments for Mars 2020 Rover Expedition
Nocticulent Clouds: Photo Taken by an Astronaut
Numerous Jets Spied With New Sky Survey
Vitamin K: Parents refusing injections put babies at risk
This Model of Earth'S Giant Impacts Makes Us Wonder How Life Arose
Phobos transit: Martian moon travels across the Sun
New Image of Rosetta's Comet Reveals so Much More
The Great Oxygenation Event: Earth's first mass extinction
If You Mine an Asteroid, Who Does the Property Belong To?
Earth from space: Guadalupe island and a glory
NASA Space Sounds
Ze Cats of Ze Caturday


text:
NCAA Football
Colorado State Rams vs. Boise State Broncos Betting Odds: Analysis, Prediction
The Colorado State Rams are one of the hottest teams in the country and will try to avoid cooling off against the Boise State Broncos in one of the nation's toughest places to play.
The Rams are coming off a 31-17 victory against rival Colorado last week in their season opener to win their fifth in six games both straight-up and against the spread.
But Boise State has caused them problems recently in winning the last three meetings over the past three years.
Point spread: Broncos opened as eight-point favorites, which had been bet up to -10.5; the total was 57.5 at Bronco Stadium, according to sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark. (Line updates and matchup report)
Odds Shark computer prediction: 35.2-31.9 Rams
Why the Colorado State Rams can cover the spread
Despite losing three straight times to Boise, the Rams have at least narrowed the gap each of the last three years, falling by 50 points in 2011, 28 in 2012 and 12 last season. Two of those meetings came at home, but Colorado State has performed very well on the road, covering eight of their last nine in that situation.
The team's most recent game away from home took place last week in Denver against the Buffaloes, and the Rams used a strong running game to prevail as senior Dee Hart and junior Treyous Jarrells combined for 260 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Another performance like that could keep Colorado State within single digits.
Why the Boise State Broncos can cover the spread
The "Smurf Turf" in Boise remains one of the top home-field advantages in the country, and you can bet the Broncos are excited to be back there playing in front of their fans after losing 35-13 to Ole Miss in Atlanta last week.
Boise did not even score a TD against the Rebels until there were less than five minutes remaining in the game, and the team should have a lot more confidence in a building where opponents have gone 4-21 straight-up in the last 25 games there.
Smart Pick
Did the mystique of Boise State leave with former head coach Chris Petersen, who is now in Washington? That question will continue to be answered throughout the season, and the Rams may very well be the next team to upset the Broncos there—or at least give them a scare.
Colorado State is 8-1 ATS in its last nine road games while Boise is just 1-4 versus the line in its past five at home. Keep in mind, the Rams just need to stay within a couple of scores to give their backers a chance to cash on them. And they have also won five of their last six on the road.
- Colorado State is 7-18 SU in its last 25 games on the road
- Boise State is 18-7 SU in its last 25 games
- Colorado State is 8-1 ATS in its last nine road games
Note: All point spread and lines data courtesy of Odds Shark. All quotes gathered firsthand unless otherwise noted. Check out Twitter for injury updates and line move updates and get the free odds tracker app.
Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com
Creating the Ultimate College Football Fantasy Team for Week 2
The first week of the 2014-15 college football season featured its fair share of outstanding individual performances, great kicking efforts and dominant defensive accomplishments. Most were by the usual suspects, but plenty of surprises were out there as well.
Here's the thing, though: One week doesn't make a trend. Just because someone had a good first game doesn't mean they're in line for a big year, and vice versa for expected stars who struggled in the opener. Using fantasy stats from the first week to dictate who to play in Week 2, while seemingly a good approach, doesn't ensure success.
That means picking the ultimate college football fantasy team for this weekend is as much of a crapshoot as it was for the opening set of games. It's a guessing game for at least a few more weeks, until patterns emerge.
But that won't stop us from trying to put together the best lineup, taking into account how players and teams performed last week but also considering the circumstances of those first games as well as the opponent and venue for this weekend. Take a look at our choices, then give us your feedback in the comments section.
Stanford Football: A Timeline of a Football Powerhouse
The final dark days of Stanford football began and ended with former coach Walt Harris.
In his first home game with the Cardinal in 2005, Harris allowed his team to blow a 17-point lead to UC Davis and give up a go-ahead score with eight seconds left. Stanford lost 20-17, and the Aggies became the first non-Division I Football Bowl Subdivision team ever to beat Stanford. The Cardinal would win just five more games with Harris in control before he was subsequently, and rightfully, fired in December of 2006.
Fast forward eight years, and it's a completely different story. Stanford opened its home schedule with UC Davis but handled the game with absolute ease, winning 45-0. The fact that there was no news was good news. That's what one should expect from a program that has won back-to-back Pac-12 championships.
The quest for a third straight conference title is approaching in earnest. A Saturday game against No. 14 USC in Los Angeles has early season playoff implications...as does an October road trip to Notre Dame...and an Oct. 18 visit to Arizona State...and a Nov. 1 road game at Oregon...and a season-ending game at UCLA.
This is what Stanford is now: a program whose weekly goal is to win in order to satisfy a realistic goal to be one of the four teams playing for a national championship.
Here's how it happened.
Jim Harbaugh
A bad hire can set a program back just as much as a good hire can launch it forward. Stanford made a bad hire with Harris, who went 6-17 in two years.
Then Jim Harbaugh happened, and he put Stanford on the national map because he of it.
Harbaugh came to Stanford from the University of San Diego two weeks after Harris was let go. The hire was applauded, with Michelle Smith of the San Francisco Chronicle writing that Harbaugh was "young, energetic and charismatic. He has impressive college and NFL resumes as a player, name recognition and success at running a college football program."
It wasn't just lip service, either. It took just five games before Harbaugh recorded his first signature win: a 24-23 stunner over No. 2 USC, to which Stanford was a 41-point underdog, in the Coliseum.
2007 was a year unlike any other in recent college football history. It was a time when the sport apparently turned 21 in human years and partied too hard. While nothing may top Appalachian State-Michigan on the surreal upset meter, Stanford-USC was up there among the wildest endings that season.
If nothing else, it brought about the end of a 35-game home win streak while simultaneously ushering in a new era at Stanford. As it turned out, beating USC by one point was only the beginning. Stanford toppled the Trojans again in 2009, 55-21, one week after beating Oregon, 51-42, for the first time since 2001.
For those keeping track, that means Harbaugh recorded wins over Pete Carroll, who is coming off a Super Bowl win with the Seattle Seahawks, and Chip Kelly, an innovator in every aspect of the game. By the time Harbaugh left for the San Francisco 49ers in 2011, the Cardinal had won the Orange Bowl with a 12-1 record.
Harbaugh took a program that hadn't had a winning season since 2001 and started beating the nonsense out of opponents. That requires a massive attitude adjustment, but just as importantly, a recruiting boost. In a time when offenses want to spread the field, Stanford opted to run over defenses.
Defensively, the Cardinal built itself to handle spread offenses like Oregon's.
Tight end Coby Fleener, wide receiver Doug Baldwin and fullback/linebacker Owen Marecic, all of whom are playing, or have played, in the NFL, were the highlights of Stanford's 2007 class.
The 2008 class is the group that really got things rolling. Quarterback Andrew Luck was the prize recruit, but offensive linemen David DeCastro and Jonathan Martin were part of that class, as was receiver Chris Owusu. 2009 brought in linebacker Shayne Skov and defensive ends Trent Murphy and Ben Gardner.
Stanford recruited players who wanted to fight in a phone booth.
It began up front. Stanford has had four offensive linemen and three defensive linemen drafted since Harbaugh took over the program, according to NFL.com. Tackle Andrus Peat could be one of the first offensive linemen taken in next year's draft if he declared early.
According to head coach David Ashaw, Peat is a a rare talent, via Bryan Fischer of NFL.com:
I don't know if there's been anybody else in our conference, in the last eight years, that is as good as Andrus Peat has been and can be. In my entire career, nine years in the NFL, the only offensive lineman that was a step above of where Andrus can be is Jonathan Ogden -- one of the best tackles to ever play.
Everything the Cardinal have wanted to do offensively and defensively, including leading the Pac-12 in points allowed in 2013, has started up front.
David Shaw
All the toughness that Harbaugh embodied at Stanford has been kept alive by David Shaw, who has a 35-7 record as the current head coach. According to the Wall Street Journal, Shaw has a 14-4 record against Top 25 teams in his three years at Stanford.
As Ted Miller of ESPN.com tweets, it's not just that Shaw has a 14-4 record—it's that he's won 14 games against top-25 teams in a short amount of time.
Shaw's biggest win to date easily came on a cold November night in 2012 when Stanford upended Oregon 17-14 in overtime. The Ducks averaged nearly 50 points per game that season, but they could barely get in the end zone against Shaw's defense.
At the very least, it marked a changing of the guard in the Pac-12 North.
While other Pac-12 programs were trying to find an answer to Oregon's uptempo spread offense, Stanford already had it figured out. With the best defensive front seven in recent memory, the Cardinal were able to disrupt Oregon's offense up front while providing the speed on the back end that they needed.
Stanford had Oregon's number again in 2013 with a 26-20 win, cementing itself as the class of the Pac-12. But with the departures of Skov, Murphy and Gardner, not to mention defensive coordinator Derek Mason, the longevity of Stanford's defensive prowess remains to be seen.
Built For The Future
Think that Stanford is on the decline? Don't be so sure.
The Cardinal pulled in the No. 13 recruiting class nationally in February, according to 247Sports.com, highlighted by 5-star defensive end Solomon Thomas and 4-star quarterback Keller Chryst.
As Thomas showed in his live commitment on signing day on ESPN, there's a certain "cool" factor in committing to Stanford. What started as an impressive turnaround has morphed into a program with staying power. No matter the result between Stanford and USC on Saturday, the Cardinal have a national brand that appeals to elite high school prospects.
It's a far different program than the one that lost to UC Davis.
Ben Kercheval is a lead writer for college football. All stats courtesy of cfbstats.com.
Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com
Stanford Football: A Timeline of a Football Powerhouse
Connor Cook vs. Oregon: MSU'S Passing Attack Will Be Able to Keep Up with Ducks
After a 45-7 victory over Jacksonville State this past weekend, Michigan State and quarterback Connor Cook are ready to build off their strong showing and prove their passing attack can keep up with Oregon's high-powered offense this Saturday when the two square off in Eugene, Oregon.
Despite taking a low hit on his left knee early in the first quarter, Cook finished last week's game going 12-of-13 through the air for 285 yards and three touchdowns.
He did not miss any significant time because of the hit but did tell Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports he thought it was a cheap shot:
With the Jacksonville State game in the rear-view mirror, Cook and the Michigan State offense now have their sights set on keeping pace with Oregon.
While much of the focus will be placed on whether or not the Michigan State defense can slow down Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota and an offense that averaged nearly 46 points per game last season, Cook and the Michigan State offense showed in the opener that they have the ability to put points on the board.
Despite attempting fewer than 15 passes against Jacksonville State, Cook finished the game with the highest QBR in the past 10 seasons:
Cook had some early struggles last season before finishing the final seven games—including the team's Rose Bowl victory over Stanford—with 13 touchdowns and just four interceptions.
He appears to be more comfortable in the offense, and his defense knows how important the high-powered offense is to the team's success.
"When you have an explosive offense like that clicking, it's dangerous for any team to be playing against," Michigan State safety Kurtis Drummond told The Associated Press. "Seeing them come out there clicking early like that is getting us more confidence and allowing us to play more at ease."
While Jacksonville State has nowhere near the same talent level as Oregon, Cook showed great awareness, accuracy and decision-making on the field last Saturday.
Michigan State scored on five of its first six drives against Jacksonville State, with the majority of them going for more than 50 yards.
With a dependable target like wide receiver Tony Lippett and an emerging deep threat in junior AJ Troup, Cook has all of the tools in place to keep up with Oregon's high-powered offense.
Oregon's offense is known for its uptempo style and ability to put points on the board quickly. In its opener against South Dakota last Saturday, the offense scored 62 points. However, after averaging 55.6 points per game in their first eight games last season, the Ducks averaged just 29.2 in their final five contests when matched up against tougher competition.
Cook and Michigan State proved against Jacksonville State last Saturday just how efficient they can be on offense, but they will likely need to score at least 40 points to beat Oregon on Saturday night.
As long as Cook's knee injury from last week does not resurface, do not dismiss the Spartans' chances of keeping with Mariota and the Oregon offense.
All stats courtesy of Sports-Reference.com.
Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com
Is Sophomore QB Tyrone Swoopes Ready to Lead the Texas Longhorns?
Tyrone Swoopes will get the start for the Texas Longhorns in Week 2 vs. BYU. Bleacher Report's College Football Analysts Michael Felder and Barrett Sallee break down how he will do in his first start of his collegiate career. How well do you think Swoopes will do?
Watch the video and let us know.
Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com
Clemson Football: Report Card Grades for Every New Starter
The Clemson Tigers weren't able to come away victorious against the Georgia Bulldogs last Saturday, but how did the new starters perform in that contest? For a team that had question marks going into the season, the contributions of these new starters are very important.
*Tavaris Barnes and Reid Webster, who started for suspended players Corey Crawford and David Beasley, weren't included because those two guys should claim their starting roles again moving forward.
Inside Evander Holyfield's Son's Monster 7-TD Game
Elijah Holyfield is a four star running back in the 2016 class, according to 247Sports Composite. Holyfield is also the son of former heavyweight world champion Evander Holyfield. Elijah took time to talk with Bleacher Report about his stellar performance in the first game of his junior season at Woodward Academy in College Park, GA.
How well do you think he can do at the next level?
Watch the video and let us know.
Rankings courtesy of 247Sports Composite
Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com
Marcus Mariota vs. Michigan State: Why Balanced Attack Is Key for Oregon Victory
The Oregon Ducks have one of the most prolific offenses in college football. This week against Michigan State, it will need to be firing on all cylinders in order for the team to come out victorious.
The key for Oregon's offense and Heisman-hopeful quarterback Marcus Mariota is balance.
Mariota's Ducks finished second in the nation in yards last season behind only the Baylor Bears. The biggest reason they were so successful and consistent was the balance they showed on the offensive side of the ball.
Unlike some schools that strictly rely on the passing game, the Ducks and head coach Mark Helfrich like to attack in a variety of ways. In 2013, the team averaged 565 yards per game, with 291.5 coming through the air and 273.5 on the ground.
By moving the ball on teams through both the pass and run, defenses have a very difficult time stopping the Ducks. There isn't one facet teams can focus on to shut down because almost everything Oregon does offensively works.
They also often run an uptempo offense to take defenses out of their comfort zone.
A balanced offense would be huge for Oregon against Michigan State because the Spartans are typically very hard to move the ball against.
They love to crowd the line of scrimmage and blitz players throughout the game. If Oregon becomes too one-dimensional, the Spartans and coach Mark Dantonio will try to capitalize by bringing even more pressure.
Even though many teams try to emulate what the Ducks offense can do, they simply can't because they don't have a superstar like Mariota.
In order to beat the stingy Michigan State defense, Mariota will have to play one his better all-around games.
Last season, the Ducks quarterback ranked second in the nation in adjusted QBR with a score of 88.0. The only player to do better was Heisman winner Jameis Winston.
Mariota is almost impossible to scheme for defensively because he's so talented in different ways. We all know he can beat people with his legs, but he's surprisingly accurate with his arm as well. He threw for more than 3,600 yards in 2013 with a completion percentage of 63.5. He also added 31 touchdowns and just four interceptions.
In the season opener against South Dakota, Mariota recorded 267 yards and three touchdowns on 14-of-20 passing. He also rushed six times for an additional 43 yards and another score.
These statistics would be impressive for any quarterback in a game. Mariota accomplished this in just the first half.
Now don't get me wrong, Michigan State's defense will pose much more of a threat to Oregon than South Dakota's unit. However, Mariota is a special player who will surely look to duplicate his performance.
A major factor in the game will be Mariota's ability to make good decisions and throw the ball consistently.
Michigan State likes to press its cornerbacks right in the faces of receivers to disrupt timing. If he can beat the corners over the top on a few occasions, the secondary will be forced to back up and respect his arm. This will open up the running lanes.
According to Mike Griffith of MLive.com, ESPN's Rece Davis recently had a fair deal of praise for Mariota. "He's got blinding speed, we've seen that, but I think he has a really smooth, nice delivery, and the demeanor he has is that he can pull Oregon along with him," he said.
When Mariota is playing well, I don't think there's a defense in the country that can slow him down.
The main reason things went south for the Ducks last season was because their leader wasn't healthy. If he can play every game at full strength, Oregon shouldn't have any problems scoring points.
Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com
Marcus Mariota vs. Michigan State: Why Balanced Attack Is Key for Oregon Victory
Utah Kicker Comes Up with Perfect Way to Introduce the World to Newborn Son
Like father, like son.
Maximus Phillips is only a day old but is already looking like he will be a Utah Ute some day. Utes sophomore kicker Andy Phillips introduced the world to his newborn son on Wednesday in a very appropriate way.
Even Utah welcomed the newborn to the family.
The kicker started his season by making all eight of his extra-point attempts in a win over Idaho State last week, but that strong opener takes a back seat to the birth of his son.
[Andy Phillips, h/t ESPN]
Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com
USC vs. Stanford: Cody Kessler Must Be Highly Proficient to Upset Cardinal
It hasn't taken the Pac-12 schedule long to give the college football world a marquee matchup, with No. 14 Southern California and No. 13 Stanford facing off Saturday in Palo Alto.
And for the Trojans to pull off an upset, it will take a top-notch performance from a slightly hobbled Cody Kessler.
USC's starting signal-caller underwent a small procedure earlier this week to fix what is believed to be a toe injury, per a report from ESPN.com. Not much has been said publicly about the injury, but Kessler is expected to be ready for Saturday afternoon's game:
There were early reports that Kessler was treated for a staph infection, but that has since been reported as false, according to the Orange County Register's Michael Lev:
The Trojans were able to knock off Stanford last year at home, but it took an early touchdown and a field goal in the final minute against the Top Five team to do so. Kessler attempted a season-high 37 passes and completed 25 of them for 288 yards and a touchdown, and it will certainly take a similar performance on the road this week for USC to take an early advantage in the Pac-12 standings.
While Kessler isn't known as a top-rated passer or Heisman Trophy candidate, he manages the game well and is not prone to turnovers, which is always key in matchups against a formidable opponent. He tossed seven interceptions last season (none against Stanford) and only had one two-pick game in 2013—at Arizona State in a 62-41 loss.
Kessler's success is also a high priority for the Trojans because of Stanford's historical success against the run. The Cardinal only allowed 23 yards on the ground last year against USC and return seven starters on defense. They have three seniors on their defensive line and two at linebacker.
The Trojans offensive line lost three starters, including center Marcus Martin to the NFL, which isn't very conducive for a high-functioning rushing game against an experienced defense.
But USC is talented enough at wide receiver with Nelson Agholor, who was an All-Conference player in 2013, to make things happen with the passing game if Kessler can find time to throw and do so accurately.
Freshman JuJu Smith and sophomore Darreus Rogers are also threats through the air. Rogers caught 22 balls last season and had five against Fresno State to begin the 2014 season. Smith led the Trojans last week with 123 yards on four catches.
USC had 10 different players record a catch against Fresno State in the 52-13 win, and Kessler completed 25 passes for nearly 400 yards. One can't expect those numbers to be that high against Stanford, but the same proficiency from the junior quarterback and vast distribution is a must again this week.
One has to expect Stanford to keep a close eye on Agholor, which means Kessler will need to keep his eye out for whoever is open and not depend on his top receiver to be available in crunch-time situations.
Kessler's confidence should be high after a strong performance to begin the season, and that confidence will need to translate into a lot of yards and completions this week for USC to win.
Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com
USC vs. Stanford: Cody Kessler Must Be Highly Proficient to Upset Cardinal
College Football Picks: Week 2 Predictions for Every Game
Not a bad opening week, huh?
The 2014 college football season gave us six days' worth of exciting games, beginning with Georgia State's first FBS victory and ending with Louisville's successful debut in the ACC. In between there were shootouts, defensive struggles, laughers, upsets and even a game at The Swamp canceled because the field resembled...a swamp.
Can Week 2 match or surpass what we've just gone through?
This week's slate features 72 games, including 29 pitting FBS teams against FCS competition. That's down from 47 from the opening week, when North Dakota State (at Iowa State) and Bethune-Cookman (over Florida International for the second straight year) continued the tradition of the little guys knocking off the big boys.
Scroll through to see our selections for Week 2, then give us your thoughts in the comment section.
Week 1 record: 70-14
Miami Football: 5 Corrections Hurricanes Must Make Against Florida A&M
The Miami Hurricanes have plenty to correct after the 2014 season opener, despite the sample size being admittedly small. Florida A&M enters Sun Life Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 6, so "The U" doesn't have much time to prepare.
Superior teams can sometimes win on talent alone, which is certainly the case for this coming Saturday. Miami is expected to rout the Rattlers, but the final box score may not be indicative of the way Al Golden's team truly performs.
While first-game nerves contributed to mistakes in Kentucky, Miami needs to correct its early problems before future ACC play.
Fortunately, the meeting with Florida A&M provides the 'Canes an excellent opportunity to recover from a disappointing performance at Louisville.
Trey DePriest's Return Is the Spark Alabama's Defense Needs
Alabama's defense didn't exactly look like itself on Saturday afternoon in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game against West Virginia when the Crimson Tide gave up 365 yards through the air in a 33-23 win over the Mountaineers.
The absence of senior linebacker Trey DePriest was a big reason why.
DePriest sat out the opener with what head coach Nick Saban termed a "minor NCAA infraction," and the absence of the quarterback of the defense caused confusion in the back end of the unit.
"We made a lot of errors," Saban said after the game. "When you have leadership out there, you know, a guy who calls the defenses and everybody's really confident in the call that they're making and directing the whole thing just like a quarterback. We didn't have that in this game. We didn't have anybody who's every played before."
Saban announced on Wednesday that the quarterback of his defense is back.
"He's back on the team," Saban said on the SEC coaches teleconference. "He wasn't suspended by me, so he made a mistake, he paid for it, and he's available to play. And we're looking forward to him having the opportunity to play and hopefully affect our team in a positive way as well as him performing like he's capable of."
That's big news for the Crimson Tide because while inconsistency in the secondary was the most glaring issue for the defense on Saturday, Saban consistently brought up the absence of a leader on defense in the postgame press conference when discussing what the problem was.
DePriest finished third on the team last season with 65 tackles and was being counted on to fill the leadership role vacated by superstar C.J. Mosley, who exhausted his eligibility after last season.
Assuming DePriest is healthy—he has been dealing with a minor knee injury during fall camp—the confusion that reigned supreme on Saturday won't be there this weekend when the Crimson Tide host Florida Atlantic in the home opener in Tuscaloosa.
Will the execution be there, though?
DePreist's return is coupled with the possibility of cornerback Eddie Jackson moving into the starting lineup in favor of Bradley Sylve, who was picked on by the Mountaineers. Jackson practiced with the first team opposite Cyrus Jones on Tuesday, according to AL.com, but that doesn't necessarily mean he'll start this week.
"He has practiced, he has done well, and I feel like we'll play him some in this game in some kind of way trying to ease him back into what he has to do to become a player at his position, which he's totally capable of," Saban said on Wednesday. "A very good player who we're anxious to get back in the lineup, but certainly not at the expense of putting him at any risk."
Whether the secondary issues are fixed or not, getting DePriest back is a huge boost for the Tide. Saban specifically referenced the importance of having a veteran linebacker making the calls against today's exotic offenses, which are prevalent on the schedule.
Alabama's next four opponents run some variation of the spread. Florida Atlantic is veering more toward a run-based spread, Southern Miss head coach Todd Monken's offense thrives with tempo, Florida offensive coordinator Kurt Roper was brought in specifically to pick up the pace, and Ole Miss has been playing "fastball" since Hugh Freeze was hired prior to the 2012 season.
The quarterback of the defense is back, and if all goes according to plan, DePriest will bring some stability to the Crimson Tide prior to the start of the SEC schedule.
Barrett Sallee is the lead SEC college football writer and video analyst for Bleacher Report and co-host of the CFB Hangover on Bleacher Report Radio (Sundays 9-11 a.m. ET) on Sirius 93, XM 208. Quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. All stats are courtesy of CFBStats.com, and all recruiting information is courtesy of 247Sports.
Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com
Grading the Top 5 College Football Offenses Heading into Week 2
Typically, Week 1 is a cupcake-fest for the best teams in college football, allowing the top offenses to post numbers that (even by their standards) seem a little over-the-top.
This year, however, four of the five best projected offenses in the country (per the F/+ projections at Football Outsiders) matched up with an FBS opponent, three matched up with a power-conference opponent and one even matched up with a ranked opponent.
This allowed a better early look than usual at the state of the nation's top offenses, an assessment of how quickly they've come together. And the one that was toughest to gauge because it didn't play an FBS opponent (Oregon) will provide us the best glance of all when it hosts Michigan State this Saturday.
The season is still in its infant stages, and every unit has places where it can (and probably will) improve, but based on a fairly telling slate of Week 1 games, here is how the top projected offenses grade out.
A Note About the Five Offenses Included (and the Countless Offenses Not)
One quick reminder before we proceed.
The offenses graded below were projected as the top five offenses in the country before the season, per the F/+ projections at Football Outsiders. We are grading how they performed relative to preseason expectations. We are NOT grading the five most impressive offenses from the first week of the year.
The reason for doing it this way is simple: The five most impressive offenses from the first week of the year would inherently grade out well. This whole list would be A's and (more likely) A-pluses. It would be like grading the five highest-grossing movies of 2013 based on how high-grossing they were. It wouldn't make any sense.
Please bear this in mind before you take to the comments section and complain about your team's exclusion. It's not because we don't like your team or think its offense is overrated. It just didn't fall within the framework of this article.
5. Alabama Crimson Tide
Points per Game: 33.0 (60th)
Yards per Game: 538.0 (30th)
Yards per Play: 6.56 (46th)
Blake Sims got the start and threw 8.2 solid innings against West Virginia, giving way to Jake Coker for the final out. His final stat line (24-of-33 passing, 250 yards, no touchdowns, one interception; six carries for 42 rushing yards) paints a fair depiction of his performance: solid but unspectacular.
Alabama doesn't need anything more than "solid but unspectacular," however, which is ostensibly why Sims got the start. You'd like to see him eliminate plunging ducks such as this first-quarter pass to DeAndrew White, but for the most part, his job is just not to screw up.
To call an Alabama quarterback a "game manager" is reductive, but it's not altogether untrue. Especially with champion-of-the-bubble-screen Lane Kiffin at offensive coordinator, a big part of Sims' job on Saturday was getting the ball into his playmakers' hands early and watching them go.
Here, for example, is the first offensive snap of the season: a 24-yard gain on a quick pass to Amari Cooper:
One of Sims' other major jobs was even simpler than throwing bubble screens: handing the ball off to T.J. Yeldon and Derrick Henry.
I ranked Alabama's running backs the top position group in the country before the season, and its two bell-cows did nothing to confute that in Week 1. Each back rushed for more than 110 yards, averaged more than five yards per carry and found the end zone at least once.
Alabama was certainly one of the biggest disappointments of Week 1, but more of that had to do with the secondary than the offense. Sims was underwhelming compared to late-period AJ McCarron, but he was no worse than early-period McCarron or all-periods Greg McElroy. The offense still posted 538 yards and averaged more than 6.5 yards per play against a defense that was underrated when healthy in 2013.
According to Marc Torrence of Bleacher Report, head coach Nick Saban said he still doesn't "hesitate to say that there's a quarterback competition," which is fine given some of the reviews we've heard on Coker. There's a chance he can bring this offense to a new level; he certainly has the rocket arm to stretch the field.
If Sims remains the starter, though, it shouldn't be cause for panic in Tuscaloosa, at least based on what he showed in Week 1. This was a solid B-plus debut for him and Kiffin's Alabama offense.
Final Grade: B+
4. Florida State Seminoles
Points per Game: 37.0 (51st)
Yards per Game: 479.0 (49th)
Yards per Play: 6.70 (38th)
Jameis Winston was the Heisman Trophy winner, Kelvin Benjamin was the first-round NFL draft pick and Devonta Freeman is the Year 1 NFL fantasy sleeper, but the true heart and soul of Florida State's offense last year was the lineman, not the skill players.
The group was supposed to be even better in 2014, despite the loss of perhaps its best player, center Bryan Stork. The other four starters returned—as seniors—and a game-worn senior in Austin Barron was replacing Stork up the middle. Tackle Cameron Erving and guard Tre' Jackson were supposed to be All-America candidates.
All of which made what happened against Oklahoma State disconcerting. We'll have to see how the Cowboys' front seven looks against other opponents, but for one night, it made the Seminoles' big uglies look bad. Especially in the running game, where Florida State averaged just 3.42 yards per carry, they were outmuscled.
"On run blocking, I don't think we were as physical as we needed to be," admitted head coach Jimbo Fisher, per Brendan Sonnonoe of the Orlando Sentinel, "And I think they will say the same thing. We played well enough to create space and make plays, but not up to our potential."
In the passing game, Winston looked alright for the most part but made a few uncharacteristic mistakes. His QB rating of 138.45 was the second-lowest of his career, leading only his second-most-recent game, the BCS National Championship against Auburn.
The pair of interceptions Winston threw were particularly jarring, both coming as the result of a poor decision. In 2013, he didn't throw his second interception until his 91st attempt of the season.
This year, he threw it on attempt No. 22:
The biggest bright spot for the Seminoles was wide receiver Rashad Greene, who is a safe bet to the lead the team in receiving for a fourth consecutive season. His 11 catches for 203 yards bailed FSU out of a tight spot, especially during the fourth quarter, when he took a tightly threaded pass 50 yards for a game-clinching touchdown.
Without Benjamin and Kenny Shaw on the roster, Winston looked Greene's way even more often than usual, which is cause for concern going forward. Along with dominant offensive line play, last year's offense was so good because of balance, because opponents didn't know who to defend. It could beat you in so many different ways.
This year's offense looks a little more predictable, or at least it does after one game. Tight end Nick O'Leary needs to become a bigger part of the passing game plan, and freshman receivers Travis Rudolph and Ermon Lane need to expedite their game-readiness.
Otherwise, the 'Noles might be in trouble.
Grade: C+
3. Baylor Bears
Points per Game: 45.0 (26th)
Yards per Game: 574.0 (17th)
Yards per Play: 5.92 (62nd)
It's difficult to give Baylor a complete offensive grade after quarterback Bryce Petty, the second-most efficient passer in the country last season, was forced to leave the game with a back injury.
According to Shehan Jeyarajah of The Dallas Morning News, Petty plans to play against Northwestern State in Week 2, and even if he doesn't, the injury (two cracked transverse processes in his lower back) is not one that should jeopardize his season, so there's no cause for serious panic in Waco. Nonetheless, watching their star player leave the game in the first half was not how Baylor fans had hoped to open McLane Stadium.
Before Petty was forced to the locker room, he was 13-of-23 passing for 161 yards and two touchdowns. The Bears didn't get out to the same indomitable start as they did in last year's nonconference games, but once they got rolling, they looked sharp.
Petty's 46-yard touchdown pass to 5-star freshman KD Cannon, in particular, was something to feel good about:
Seth Russell looked decent—not great, not awful—in relief of Petty, and the running game flashed its depth by giving 16 carries to Shock Linwood and 12 to Johnny Jefferson. Neither back topped the 90-yard mark, but once Petty returns to the lineup to keep defenses more honest against the pass, they should find more room to run.
Baylor was by no means the juggernaut we saw against Louisiana-Monroe and Buffalo last season, which is reflected in its sub-six yards per play, but that it still put up 574 yards of offense on a night where it didn't fire on all cylinders is good enough to salvage a B.
With room to improve going forward—not to mention a defense that earned an A-plus-plus on opening night—the Bears still have to feel great about their prospects in 2014.
Grade: B
2. Oregon Ducks
Points per Game: 62.0 (3rd)
Yards per Game: 673.0 (7th)
Yards per Play: 9.61 (3rd)
Tom Fornelli of CBSSports.com put it best on the Eye on College Football podcast this weekend, referring to what Oregon does to inferior teams in the first few weeks of a season as "empty calories."
Delicious as it looks to rank in the top eight of points per game, yards per game and yards per play, the Ducks get no substance from beating up on the likes of South Dakota. It comes sizzling out of the kitchen, but there's not enough nutrition in those numbers for an offensive reputation to subsist upon.
Sensible judgement on Oregon's offense will be withheld until after Week 2, when it hosts a formidable, Pat Narduzzi-coached Michigan State defense, but for now, based on what we have to work with, this unit looks just as good as one would expect. Marcus Mariota coasted to 310 offensive yards on 20 passes and six carries, looking healthy and confident on the left knee that ailed him last year.
The most important takeaway from Saturday's win was the utilization of Byron Marshall, last year's leading rusher, in the role of a "taser" hybrid. After Bralon Addison tore his ACL during spring camp, the Ducks were left dangerously thin at receiver, but with Thomas Tyner (a sophomore) and Royce Freeman (a freshman) appearing to be the future in the backfield, they had running back depth to spare.
And this was their decision on what to do with it:
The role Marshall occupied in Week 1 was similar to the one De'Anthony Thomas occupied the past few seasons, and although their skill sets are not completely congruent, it should be interesting to see how he fares in that role against Michigan State on Saturday.
Chris Brown of Grantland published a thorough breakdown of the Spartans defense Tuesday, highlighting their adherence to one basic set, the 4-3 Over, a man-zone hybrid that relies on linebackers to cover the middle of the field against inside receivers and running backs.
If Marshall looks as good flexed out wide against the Spartans as he did in the tuneup (which he finished with eight catches for 138 yards and two touchdowns) and the offensive line can overcome not having left tackle Tyler Johnstone (torn ACL), Oregon might be able to give Michigan State a rare bout of trouble.
Based on what we saw in Week 1, there is no reason to think that it can't…but what we saw in Week 1 was admittedly not much.
Grade: A (but incomplete)
1. Texas A&M Aggies
Points per Game: 52.0 (15th)
Yards per Game: 680 (6th)
Yards per Play: 6.87 (32nd)
Texas A&M was bar-none the biggest story of opening weekend, obliterating South Carolina for 680 yards of total offense and 52 points in Williams-Brice Stadium, and doing it on national TV.
For adherents of the F/+ ratings, however, that did not come as a total surprise. Despite the losses of quarterback Johnny Manziel, receiver Mike Evans and left tackle Jake Matthews (all first-round picks in the 2014 NFL draft), the system at Football Outsiders projected the Aggies as the top offense in college football.
But not even F/+ could have predicted the magnitude of A&M's success. Quarterback Kenny Hill completed 44 of 60 passes, a wide array of throws at every level of the field, and finished with more passing yards (511) than Manziel had in any single game of his career.
Hill was (and is) just as light as Manziel on his feet, but unlike his forerunner, he doesn't look to tuck and run as soon as he leaves the pocket. He extends the play rather than transmuting it, keeping his eyes downfield for open receivers on broken/adjusted routes:
In this regard, Hill might be the perfect quarterback for a Texas A&M team with myriad pass-catching options.
Senior Malcome Kennedy is a savvy route-runner with an advanced understanding of Kevin Sumlin's offense, Speedy Noil was a top-10 recruit in 2014 and projects as the ideal shifty slot weapon and Ricky Seals-Jones (6'6"), Edward Pope (6'4"), Josh Reynolds (6'4") and Cameron Clear (6'6") are football players in basketball players' bodies who are always technically open (sort of) thanks to their physical gifts.
Combine all this with the rest of A&M's offensive weapons, and you have a unit that deserves to be called the best in the country. Especially in the trenches, this did not look like a one-game fluke.
Cedric Ogbuehi looked just as good as Luke Joeckel and Matthews at left tackle, and Germain Ifedi looked just as good as Matthews and Ogbuehi on the right. Matthews' younger brother, Mike, is no slouch starting at center, the position their father, Bruce, enjoyed a Hall of Fame career playing in the NFL.
Save the inexperience, there is nothing not to like about this offense. And if inexperience were ever going to be a problem, one would think a prime-time road game in Week 1 against a Top 10 team would be the framework that exposes it, right?
Suffice it to say that wasn't the case.
Grade: A+
Note: Recruiting info refers to the 247Sports composite rankings
Follow Brian Leigh on Twitter: @BLeighDAT
Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com
Cody Kessler Injury: Updates on USC QB's Toe and Recovery
USC starting quarterback Cody Kessler will not let a foot injury prevent him from playing in one of the biggest games of the season.
According to Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times, the junior missed practice on Tuesday as he was "treated for an infection." Head coach Steve Sarkisian explained the issue to reporters:
He had a deal with his toe that had been bothering him throughout the ballgame. We felt like we wanted to take care of it sooner rather than later.
This morning was the first chance we could to have a procedure done to get it, in our opinion, cleaned up.... It obviously didn't affect his play Saturday.
Ryan Abraham of USCFootball.com notes the quarterback was ready to compete on Wednesday.
Kessler is coming off one of the best games of his career in Week 1, totaling 394 passing yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions. He also added 28 rushing yards and another touchdown on the ground in the 52-13 win over Fresno State.
Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports points out this game had a big effect on his Heisman potential:
However, things will be much tougher against No. 13 Stanford and the defense that shut out UC Davis 45-0 in the Cardinal's first game. While it is obviously still early in the year, this is an important battle that could easily be a preview of the Pac-12 Championship Game.
The Trojans will certainly hope Kessler is 100 percent for the first conference game of the season. Otherwise, freshman Max Browne will be asked to take over the role after going 3-of-4 for 30 yards in his first appearance on Saturday.
Follow Rob Goldberg on Twitter for the latest breaking news and analysis.
Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com
Virginia Tech Hokies vs. Ohio State Buckeyes Betting Odds: Analysis, Prediction
It wasn't exactly pretty, but Ohio State got by Navy in its season opener and even got lucky with a cover as 14-point favorites.
This week, the Buckeyes are favored by almost two touchdowns again, this time for an ACC/Big Ten showdown with Virginia Tech on Saturday night at the Horseshoe in Columbus.
Point spread: Buckeyes opened as 12-point favorites; the total was 47 in midweek wagering at Ohio Stadium, according to sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark (line updates and matchup report).
Odds Shark computer prediction: 32.9-27.5 Buckeyes
Why the Virginia Tech Hokies can cover the spread
The Hokies opened their season last Saturday with a 34-9 victory over William & Mary. Tech led 17-6 at the half and 27-9 after three quarters, outgained the Tribe 488-193, held the ball for almost 33 minutes and covered the spread as 23-point favorites.
Junior quarterback Michael Brewer, making his first college start, completed 23 of 30 throws for 251 yards, complimenting a Hokies ground attack that accounted for 222 yards. Virginia Tech returned 14 starters this year, nine on offense, including four along the offensive line.
Finally, the Hokies were dogged on the road twice last year; they won both those games outright.
Why the Ohio State Buckeyes can cover the spread
The Buckeyes outlasted the Midshipmen last Saturday in Baltimore 34-17, scoring two late touchdowns to cover as two-touchdown chalk.
Redshirt freshman quarterback J.T. Barrett, playing in place of the injured Braxton Miller, hit on 12 of 15 throws for 226 yards and led the team in rushing with 50 yards. Ohio State has won 24 of its last 26 games outright, including 15 in a row at home.
The Buckeyes only returned four starters on offense this season but seven on defense, including the entire front four.
Ohio State is constantly battling big point spreads, and it's still managed to go 6-4 against the spread the last 10 times it's been favored by two touchdowns or more.
Smart Pick
Barrett played well in his debut, but losing Miller is still huge. If he were playing in this game, Ohio State would probably be favored by 20 points.
But he's not, so this becomes a matchup of two quarterbacks with a combined two collegiate starts going against what should be two pretty good defenses. Points may be hard to come by, so the pick for this one is with the points and the underdog.
- Virginia Tech is 2-10 ATS in its last 12 games on the road.
- Ohio State is 23-2 straight up in its last 25 games.
Note: All point spread and lines data courtesy of Odds Shark. All quotes gathered firsthand unless otherwise noted. Check out Twitter for injury updates and line move updates and get the free odds-tracker app.
Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com
Can Eddie Jackson's Return Be Shot in Arm Alabama's Secondary Needs?
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — It looks like Alabama will be getting a remedy for the secondary blues that crept up in the Crimson Tide's opener against West Virginia.
Cornerback Eddie Jackson, who sustained a torn ACL in the spring, has made a faster recovery than most expected and will get his first bit of playing time since injuring his knee in a spring scrimmage.
"He has practiced and he has done well," Alabama coach Nick Saban said on the SEC teleconference Wednesday. "I feel like we'll play him some in this game, some kind of way, trying to ease him back into what he has to do to become a player at his position, which I think he's totally capable of and a very good player that we're anxious to get back in the lineup, but certainly not at the expense of putting him in any risk.
"From a medical standpoint, he's been cleared. So now we're sort of working him into it, and he's looked pretty good."
His practice reps would seem to indicate that, too.
During Tuesday's media viewing period, Jackson worked with the first-team at cornerback in nickel drills, taking Bradley Sylve's spot opposite Cyrus Jones.
"I think Eddie has done a great job getting the rehab and working hard to get better," Jones said on Monday. "I don't really know too much about where he is physically, but if he says he's ready, I guess he is."
Jackson's return to the Alabama defense is a shot in the arm for a Crimson Tide secondary that got beat up against the Mountaineers and got even more bad news this week.
Sylve was the main culprit on the back end for Alabama. He was frequently in coverage against West Virginia's Kevin White, who caught nine balls for 143 yards and a touchdown.
Sylve actually had good positioning on White most of the time, but his errors were in technique, like not playing the ball on the fade route for a touchdown or missing open-field tackles.
"He's coached to play the ball, he's capable of playing the ball, he didn't play the ball," Alabama coach Nick Saban said. "That's poise and confidence. He's supposed to look for the ball and play the ball."
If Jackson does take Sylve's place at corner, like his practice reps indicated, it will be a welcome upgrade in several departments.
Jackson wasn't perfect by any stretch as a freshman in 2013. His high point came against Ole Miss, when he read a wide receiver pass and picked off Laquon Treadwell. But he struggled with consistency, and his playing time was limited.
In the spring, Saban praised Jackson, calling him "probably our best corner, most consistent" before his injury.
He also gives Alabama a big-bodied presence. At 6'0", 188 pounds, he's more equipped to handle big SEC receivers than the smaller Sylve. And he can pack a punch, as he also showed in that Ole Miss game.
Jackson's return will also help, somewhat, to mask an injury that hurts Alabama's secondary.
Safety Jarrick Williams, a glue guy and veteran for Alabama on the back end who plays in nickel and dime situations, will miss at least four weeks with a foot fracture, according to Saban. Geno Smith likely steps into his role at Star, with a number of younger options at Money when Alabama goes with six defensive backs.
Throwing more inexperience into the mix was the last thing Alabama needed in the secondary. But getting Eddie Jackson back will help to mask some of that and is another step toward getting the defense back on track.
Marc Torrence is the Alabama lead writer for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. All stats come from CFBStats. All recruiting information comes from 247Sports.
Follow on Twitter @marctorrence.
Read more College Football news on BleacherReport.com

subset: commoncrawl


text:
- Calvin Klein Women's Exquisite Watch for $75 (low by $53)
- Calvin Klein Men's Basic Watch for $88 (pictured, low by $80)
- ESQ by Movado Men's Capital Watch for $89 (low by $53)
- Ebel Women's Beluga Manchette Diamond Watch for $798 (low by $1,018)
Men's and Women's Watches at Ashford
from $75 free shippingSHOP NOW
Posted 29 min ago
Ashford discounts a selection of watches, as listed below. Plus, all net free shipping. Sale ends November 29. The deals:


text:
This deal is expired!
The deal below has expired, but no worries. You can still check out available coupons and "follow" the store to receive alerts for future offers.
Pair of Betsey Johnson Sunglasses (Up to 68% off, 30 Options Availablef)
|Click here to see an image of each option
Click here to see more details about the sunglasses (30 options)
+ More!
Flag this deal
What's the matter?


text:
This motel should only be considered if you simply want a place to sleep for a few nights, where you'll spend most of the day out and about. It sits back from the main promenade of Ocean City, approximately half way. It takes less than 2 minutes to walk to the board walk from the motel, and there is a... More
- Reservation Options:
- TripAdvisor is proud to partner with Travelocity, Booking.com, Odigeo, Despegar.com and Tingo so you can book your Cabana Motel reservations with confidence. We help millions of travelers each month to find the perfect hotel for both vacation and business trips, always with the best discounts and special offers.
- Also Known As:
- Cabana Hotel Ocean City


text:
Monday, November 24, 2014
Wage Suppression Suit Requests Apple Case Judge
The legal action against DreamWorks Animation, Disney, Pixar, Sony Pictures Animation, Sony Pictures Imageworks and Lucasfilm alleging the studios had a deal in place to prevent talent ... Continue Reading →
'Black Dynamite' Returns October 18
Adult Swim will be getting a significant percentage of its groove back as Black Dynamite returns for a second season on Saturday, October 18 at 10:30 p.m. 1970s Renaissance man Black ... Continue Reading →
RED Interactive Launches 'Boxtrolls' Mobile Game
LAIKA animation studio, Focus Features and RED Games — a division of RED Interactive Agency — has launched The Boxtrolls: Slide 'n' Sneak, a side-scrolling action ... Continue Reading →
Athena Georgaklis Named Director of Content for TELETOON
Corus Entertainment has appointed Athena Georgaklis as Director of Content for its TELETOON network. Effective immediately, she will oversee all content development, acquisitions and ... Continue Reading →
PGS Takes on OuiDO's 'Monchhichi'
France's OuiDO Productions (ALVINNN!!! and The Chipmunks, Sonic Boom) is gearing up to go into development on a new animated series based on the classic Japanese toy brand Monchhichi, ... Continue Reading →
FX Sends 'Archer' on NYCC Mission
FX has planned a trio of panels for its highly lauded shows during New York Comic-Con next month, including a jam-packed session on everyone's favorite animated — and often ... Continue Reading →
Adult Swim To Chew Up the Big Apple During NYCC
Adult Swim will be taking NYC by storm with fun events scheduled for New York Comic-Con, taking place October 9-12 at the Javits Center. Debauchery will reign supreme through panels ... Continue Reading →
Latvia Backs 'Rocks in My Pockets' for Oscars Bid
Signe Baumane's animated feature Rocks in My Pockets has been selected to represent her home country of Latvia in the race for the Best Foreign Language Oscar, Variety reports. ... Continue Reading →
Fox TV Names Grant Gish VP Animation
20th Century Fox Television executive Grant Gish has been promoted to Vice President of Animation at the studio. The title is awarded after years of dedication to Fox's animation ... Continue Reading →
Tom Hiddleston to Star in 'Skull Island'
Legendary Pictures has tapped Tom Hiddleston — beloved by fans for his portrayals of Loki in the Thor and Avengers flicks — to star in its King Kong prequel Skull Island, ... Continue Reading →
Shapeways Seeks Characters for 3D Printing Contest
Wouldn't you love to have a custom figurine of that one-of-a-kind animated character you've come up with? 3-D printing company Shapeways has partnered with the 3D Modeling ... Continue Reading →
'Ghostbusters' Celebrates 30th on Disc and Doughnuts
As if you needed another reason to indulge your sweet tooth, Krispy Kreme and Sony Pictures Consumer Products have teams up to mark the 30th Anniversary of the Ghostbusters film franchise. ... Continue Reading →
'South Park,' 'Godzilla' Giants Among Video Releases
Two giants of animation and visual-effects stomp their way home today with major releases for Godzilla and the kids of South Park. South Park: The Complete Seventeenth Season (Paramount, ... Continue Reading →
Jetpack to Rep 'Justin Time' in CEEMEA
Jetpack Distribution, the sales outfit formed by Samka Productions, Nerdcorps Entertainment and Gardiner Entertainment, has come on board as the TV and Licensing rights representative ... Continue Reading →
9 Story Adds Broadcasters for 'Nerds and Monsters'
9 Story Entertainment has signed up multiple broadcasters for Slap Happy Cartoons' animated comedy series Nerds and Monsters (40 x 11). Licensees include TVE (Spain), Canal+ Family ... Continue Reading →
Zodiak Signs Package Deal with Al Jazeera
Zodiak Kids has sealed a 75-plus horror programming package deal with Al Jazeera for its Arabic children's channels JeemTV and Baraem TV across the Middle East and North Africa. ... Continue Reading →
MIP News Bytes: 'Luchien,' 'P. King Duckling,' 'Zafari,' 'G.U.N.K. Aliens'
+ Monster Entertainment continues to roll out the dialog-free kids fare for MIP Junior with two more series on its sales slate. Luchien (26 x 1) from Belgium's Truffe Productions ... Continue Reading →
Friends in Low Places
LAIKA sculpts two contrasting worlds to explore notions ... Continue Reading →
Growth Spurt
Canada's deep talent pool, excellent infrastructure and generous tax incentives are fueling a new boom in animation and visual-effects work. Michael Hefferon Few countries as ... Continue Reading →
Rising Stars of Animation
Our yearly look toward the bright future of original animation talent with up-and-coming first time series creators. Dave Cooper & Johnny Ryan Pig Goat Banana Cricket! Nickelodeon, ... Continue Reading →


text:
simple chicken livers recipe (not pate) - pan frying
- t
- timpani_mimi Jul 26, 2012 08:47 AM
can everyone share their favourite pan-fried chicken livers recipe? i'm looking for something simple. any style (chinese, etc), but preferably not too complicated.
I like them just coated in flour, salt & pepper. Watch out frying them, they pop and splash grease something terrible. Have a grease screen at the ready. Love fried chicken livers. Enjoy.
Rinse well & pat dry. Dust lightly with seasoned (s&p) flour & sauté over medium to high heat in butter or goose fat (or even chicken fat, if you have some) or a mixture of both. Make sure not to overcook them, which happens faster than you think.
A little before I take them out, I like to grind a bit more pepper over them and add a splash of balsamic, cognac, port or red wine and let it reduce to coat them.
Then I eat them pretty much immediately -- they're all mine MINE, because my man is not a fan :-)
Jacques Pepin has a couple of quick recipes for chicken livers. One of my favorites is the result of his roast chicken method. Not pan-fried, as you roast it in the pan with the chicken for a couple of minutes, but still easy and delicious:
"Roast Chicken:
Preheat a convection oven to 400°F or a regular oven to 425°F. Reserve the chicken liver, and sprinkle the chicken all over with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and place it on its side in the roasting pan. (I start it on its side, because the legs take the longest to cook.) Cook for 20 minutes on one side, and then turn it and cook it for 20 minutes on the other side. Finally, finish it up on its back, basting occasionally until done. It takes about 1 hour in a convection oven to produce a chicken with a beautiful, crusty, brown exterior and juicy meat.
Near the end of the cooking time, sprinkle the liver with a dash of salt and pepper, and add it to the pan next to the chicken to cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Cut it in half, place each half on a toast–half for me and half for my wife–and enjoy with a glass of wine as a special bonus for the cook."
I fry a few strips of bacon and then the flour-dredged livers in the bacon fat and then make a little gravy and serve it all on toast. My cholesterol is off the charts but my heart and plumbing is good, to the lament of my heirs.
re: greygarious
I do something similar except I saute onions & livers in butter. I also add julienne bellpeppers, and sometimes shrooms and a splash of balsamic vinegar along with the soy / teriyaki. Over a bed of rice & Yummers!
Here's a recipe from Copeland Marks' "Sephardic Cooking," this one from the Calcutta community.
1 lb. chicken liver, divided into lobes
½ tsp. minced fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, chopped fine
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. garam masala
3 tbsp. corn or peanut oil
Mix together, except for oil, and let stand for 15 min.
Fry in oil for 4 minutes or so until livers are cooked through, but not overly so. They can also be grilled on skewers.
re: VitalForce
One of my local asian restaurants does a similar dish, marinating the livers in ginger, garlic,coriander and other spices (probably garam masala)
Rinse the chicken livers well; drain and pat dry. Dredge in cornstarch and shake off excess. Dip in mixture of beaten egg with a little milk added. Dredge in mixture of AP flour, garlic powder and seasonings. Shake off excess and drop into 375 degree oil (careful of the splash/spatter; you can use a wok for frying if you have one) for 4 - 5 minutes turning periodically (sometimes less; check a few to see how they cook) drain on paper towels and serve. I like to use very little seasonings so as not to overwhelm the flavors of the livers themselves.
Oh goodness - one of my favorite comfort foods that I make the same way my grandmother made them.
I just melt an obscene amount of butter in a large skillet, then add in my chicken livers (rinsed, dried & trimmed of any connective tissue); sometimes dusted with flour, sometimes not), & saute until done to my liking (I like them cooked through, not pink). I then add the juice from one lemon, & a scattering of caraway seeds. That's it.
Grandma used to serve these as appetizers - she'd stick one of those cellophane frilly toothpicks into each one. I just like scarfing them down sans toothpicks by themselves as a meal.
re: Bacardi1
(Oops - just realized I forgot to add "salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste".)
re: Bacardi1
I boil the chicken livers. I don't know how to do them any other way. I am diabetic and it works to boil them. I bring it to a boil and then let simmer for 15 minutes. I too love them as a comfort food and for just a plain diiner
re: TavaLewis
You could grill them, without adding any fat. I am NOT your doctor or dietitian, but brushing with a small amount of oil should not be harmful. Ask them.
re: lagatta
fats do not cause blood sugar to rise. tava would be perfectly fine pan-frying chicken livers.
re: hotoynoodle
I think simmering the livers for 15 minutes will take care of any nutritional value or non-value those livers have ever had....
re: linguafood
well, the good news is over-cooked meats don't spike blood sugar either, lol.
re: TavaLewis
You can cook them in a frying pan without adding any oil at all. Just toss them in a hot, dry pan, cook to your desired doneness (I like them seared on the outside, pink inside), and eat!
re: culinarienne
Yes. Some onions are nice too.
Just curious about the pate thing? Maybe you already make paté and want other idears? Or just don't want to make it?
One of the most unusual chicken liver dishes I have eaten is the Rigatoni With Chicken Liver, Onion And Sage Sauce at Marc Vetri's restaurant in Philadelphia. This was such a great dish that I immediately bought a copy of his cookbook. See the recipe here:
re: Unkle Al
Oh yeah, that is one delish dish. On the heavier side, tho.
re: linguafood
Saute some yellow onion until just browned slightly in some Evoo or vegetable oil, add the livers and cook for about 3 minutes, s&p....then whisk two large eggs and pour into pan for an omlet that is out of this world!,,,(as taught to me by my great-grandmother, circa 1960!)
re: PHREDDY
DANG that sounds good! This thread is killin' me. My husband is not into the livers, either, but there's a new butcher shop in town and I saw tubs of chicken livers in there recently...I might have to have myself a little private feast!
re: dingey
My husband won't touch them either, so I either make them for myself when he's not going to be home for dinner, or I just make him something else. The livers take so little time to prep & cook, that making him something else equally as quick isn't a hassle.
re: Unkle Al
Oh boy, you may have just posted a new favorite dish of mine! Can't wait to try this.
I can't say no to a deliciously fried chicken liver, but this recipe I came across is also VERY good and so simple.
I actually add the garlic when I add the lemon juice and olive oil to cook it up a bit.
Saute some sweet onions in butter, S & P. Add the livers, S & P, (optional: Fresh thyme) and cook until done. Finish with a splash of brandy or dry sherry. Eat on French bread slices.
So, I have been curious about the goings on inside of my chickens and I finally drew up enough courage to figure it out. I looked up a diagram to figure out what was inside my chicken and saw that this huge deep reddish thing was a liver. I figured, that sounds yummy. I read through this thread and decided to quickly saute it in butter with salt, pepper, and garlic. I then took my first bite, it was almost steak like! I shared some with my curious canine and he shared my enthusiasm. I tossed the gizzards because i wasn't cooking my chicken until later and I didn't really know what to do with it. I saved the neck with the back I cut out (spatchcock) in a freezer bag to use for stock later.
I am pretty excited to try more ways of using everything and wasting little to none.
re: Sarrastia
You can pretty easily cook the hearts right alongside the livers.
Gizzards take a little more cooking to get them tender.
re: sunshine842
Although the hearts are more rubbery and chewier than the livers.
re: Veggo
true, but not in that noisy "what the hell are you eating" way that gizzards can be if they're not simmered long enough!
Now...gesiers confits? Gizzards slow-cooked in goose or duck fat -- just as decadent as they sound. (one of the specialties in the southwest of France is a big salad, with sliced, smoked duck breast, chopped gesiers confit, chopped toasted walnuts, and drizzled with walnut oil.
re: Sarrastia
Gizzards work fine with necks and backbones for stock. The dark-meat fibers and the cartilagenous connective tissue both add to the richness of the stock. Besides, once they're simmered, the cat or dog should be thrilled.
Place chicken livers in buttermilk and a few squirts of hot sauce and let stand 10 or so minutes.
then lightly dust chicken livers in flour
sautee in a little fat...bacon, duck,etc
Drain on paper towel
Tamasin Day-Lewis's Spiced Chicken Livers
1 heaped tsp cumin seeds
1 scant tsp coriander seeds
pinch each of sea salt and black peppercorns
1 – 1 1/2 tbsp plain flour
3 heads chicory
cayenne pepper
450 g chicken livers
good sized knob of butter
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp molasses sugar
squeeze of lemon juice
black pepper
1. Dry-fry the cumin and coriander seeds in a small heavy-based frying pan for about 3 minutes until they smell aromatic.
2. Tip the seeds into a mortar, and crush with the sea salt and peppercorns. Add the cayenne and flour, and mix together well. Set aside until ready to start cooking.
3. Cut the bases off the chicory, and separate out all the leaves.
4. Trim any fat and sinew away from the chicken livers, leaving the livers whole.
5. Pat them dry with paper towels and toss them in the spice mixture so that they are evenly covered.
6. Heat the butter in a frying pan until it's bubbling, and then add the chicken livers. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Turn the chicken livers over and cook for a further 2-3 minutes, or until cooked all the way through.
7. Meanwhile, put the olive oil and molasses sugar in a saucepan over a low heat. Put the chicory leaves in the warm oil and stir them gently. They will begin to wilt pretty quickly. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Remove the chicory from the heat and squeeze a little lemon juice over it.
9. To serve, place a few leaves on each plate and spoon the livers on top.
(I've never bothered with the chicory--just hoovered them quickly.)
Anyone have a recipe for livers stir fried? An Asian restaurant used to grill them by the table and serve as apps. There was soy sauce but I have idea what else. Thanks!
I still do the basics: butter, then minced onions, then livers, salt and pepper and some good quality paprika at the end. Eat on buttered rye toast. Hard to go wrong!
Not sure where I read it, buy it said to soak livers (and gizzards and hearts) in milk overnight. IIRC it had something to do with neutralizing toxins or something paranoid like that. Anyways, I do that before coating with masa and frying. As Nanzi mentioned, a splatter screen is recommended.
When I do gizzards I cut them into smaller pieces for faster frying and easier eating.
I eat them on buttered toast or in a soft flour tortilla with horseradish mayo .
I was thinking of this thread as I bought a container of fresh livers the other day. Along the lines of others, with slight variation;
caramalize onions and shallots in butter and olive oil (long, slow, deep browning and softness)
push to side of pan and add livers, brown aggresively, turn occasionally.
Stir together onion mix and livers, crank to high, add about 1-2 cups water, deglaze, bring to boil and simmer a few minutes.
Add a cornstarch slurry and thicken to your liking.
Remove from stove, put in container in fridge overnight, letting flavors comingle.
Warm in morning, season with salt, enjoy.
Greek-style chicken liver:
saute in EVOO over med. heat till browned,
add a bit of dried oregano,
deglaze pan with fresh lemon juice,
add tad butter off heat.
Replying (very) late. Re somervilleoldtimer and others who posted like ideas....yes, there is something about frying in butter. Chicken livers like dairy, I think.
I may have missed it, but I don't think anyone has mentioned Rumake yet;
1 can irish potatoes sliced
1/2 a yellow onion sliced thin
1 pound chicken livers, trimmed and rinsed to your liking.
8oz package of mushrooms sliced
Salt& pepper
seasonings of choice (I use one of those mccormick spice grinder mixes, the italian one)
butter or cooking fat of your choice (olive oil suitable for cooking works well)
A couple splashes of worcestershire sauce.
Drain canned potatoes and rinse, letting them drain again very well. Add them to a hot pan with a bit of butter or oil, season with salt and pepper to taste, and cook over med high heat till browned on both sides.
In a second, large frying pan heat butter or oil and add oinions and mushrooms sautee them until they are soft and starting to brown. Season them up a bit and transfer them the potatoes or another bowl.
Add a little more butter to the onion pan, when melted add the chicken livers seasoning them with salt and pepper and the seasoning of your choice and worcestershire sauce. Cook the livers until desired doneness. cook them till well done and lightly browned. Add the onions and mushrooms, as well as the canned potatoes back to the pan and toss together adjusting seasoning if needed. Then serve and dig in.
I make this and I usually get a hearty dinner (I like it with a side salad) and lunch the next day.
Rinse the livers and drain on paper towels. Melt some butter, add a good amount of chopped onions, let them sizzle for a few minutes. Add chicken livers, salt, pepper and paprika. Saute until livers lose the pink look inside, and serve on buttered rye toast. Can't beat it.
My son loves them and I make them pretyy simply. I rinse and then soak in milk for about an hour or so. Dry well, season with S&P, dredge in egg and then panko and pan fry.
This takes less than 30 minutes.
Great with rice – start cooking the rice before you start cooking the liver, and both should be done at about the same time. Broccoli is a nice additional side-dish with this.
Chicken Livers in wine sauce
1 lb. chicken livers
1 medium onion
6 medium fresh mushrooms (don't substitute canned)
I usually use an 8 oz. package, since we like mushrooms
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley (don't substitute dried)
4 Tablespoons butter
salt/pepper to taste
3 Tablespoons dry white wine (recipe says you can sub chicken broth for the wine - we never do)
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
(we put in a bowl and add at table to each serving)
Wash, pat dry and cut the chicken livers in half.
Peel & chop the onions
Wash, pat dry, trim & slice the mushrooms
Chop the parsley.
Melt the butter in a large skillet.
Saute the livers, onion, mushroom about 4 – 6 minutes, until the onion is limp and the livers are pink in the middle. Season to taste.
Add the wine, reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes.
Remove the skillet from heat and cover to keep warm.
To serve, sprinkle with parsley and Parmesan cheese. Serve with rice.
From Dinner A Day cookbook
My husband does a Japanese dish with chicken livers, chopped garlic chives, and a sauce with soy and sake and various other things. Pretty simple, and very very good.
I like chicken livers (or goat liver) sautéed with jalapenos and onions. Just trim off any connective tissue, pat dry, salt and pepper, and fry up in some olive oil. Serve them with some nice French bread.
Nothing could be easier than tossing undredged livers into the pan with butter or bacon drippings and sautéing them with onions. S and P to taste. Optional ingredients: mushrooms, jalapeno/Serrano chili, bacon or chorizo.
Serving methods: Add a few scrambled eggs or mix livers into a container of Country Crock garlic mashed potato.
3 Replies
re: rjbh20
re: rjbh20
re: rjbh20
YES! One of the best ways to cook chicken livers.
You can guild the lily by serving a chipotle dipping sauce on the side
I wash the liver in lemon juice and water then pan fry them with oil onion lots lots garlic cumin ground coriander lemon and salt
Rinse and drain them. Season with goya adobo, garlic powder, black pepper, and oregano. Dredge in half and half mixture of all purpose flour and yellow cornmeal. Deep fry until crispy. They are delicious. Some white rice and a salad goes great with this. We fight over these.
re: scubadoo97
maybe all of us liver-lovers who have families who won't touch them should have a Chowmeet just to have chicken livers!
(although when one of my pups came up borderline anemic, the sauteed chicken livers I served at the recommendation of the dr got "I don't love them, but I can eat them")
re: sunshine842
And duck livers! Mmmm. (No, they needn't be "foie gras". Duck livers are plenty "gras" without being force-fed).
re: lagatta
Yup, they're delicious too. A real treat
re: lagatta
we probably shouldn't leave out a nice piece of calf's liver, either, since we're talking about it.
One of my best friends in Paris served me a gorgeous thick slab of liver, seared on the outside, but done til just warm in the middle. It was delicious.
Hi! One of my favorite recipes of liver frying comes from Ukrainian cuisine. It's very simple and tasty. Generally it's Ok for any type of liver, but there is a small difference. If it's veal liver you need to clean it and live in a boul of water for a 30 minutes. Than cut it into pieces. If it's pork or chicken liver you just need to clean it and cut to a propper size.
For this recip you will need:
300 grams of liver
head red onion
1 tb. sp. of olive oil
100 - 125 ml of red wine vinegar (half of the cup)
1 tea sp. of Сoriandr seeds
0.5 tea sp. of turmeric (only for chicken liver)
100 - 125 grams of all purpose flour
Put liver into a boul. Mix it with the chopped onion, coriander and turmeric. Season it to a taste. Pour all vinaigre on a liver. Mix it carefully and leave for 10 minutes. Then drained all liquid and separate liver and onion. Dust liver from all sides and deep fry it for 3 - 6 minutes. Than deep fry the onion for simple and nice confit. Add some green and serve with your favorite sour souse.
chicken livers in mushroom and cognac cream sauce
chicken liver - cut to size and soak in milk and some salt for an hour, pat dry before use
garlic - minced
mushrooms - sliced, any type would do, regular button mushrooms would do fine
shallots - finely chopped
parsley - chopped
butter - shit loads
lemon wedge
salt and pepper to taste
cooking instructions
- hot pan, butter in, sautee mushrooms
- add shallots and garlic when mushrooms are coloured and lower heat
- continue to cook till mushroom tender, reserve mushroom and any liquour
- in the same pan, crank heat up, butter in, livers in, turning occasionally
- cook till about 60% cooked depending on liver sizes about 2 minutes
- cognac in, flambe
- reserved mushrooms in
- cream in, bring to boil and slightly thickened
- season with salt and pepper, chopped parsley and stir in a lump of butter
- serve hot with crusty bread and lemon wedge on the side
- total cooking time should be less than 15 minutes.
For at least 30 years, I've made them as my mother taught me: dredged in seasoned flour, pan fried, and served with sautéed mushrooms, onions, and bell peppers over yellow rice. But last night, I was inspired to improvise. In addition to the usual salt, pepper, onion and garlic powders, I also added some Chinese five spice to the flour dredge. Stir fried the veggies first, then the livers, then added everything back into the pan with some black bean sauce with garlic and a little chicken stock, and then reduced it. It made the most delicious sauce! And the warmth of the five spice really came through in a lovely way.
For the yellow rice, I cooked basmati in a combination of regular chicken stock and Swanson's Thai Ginger chicken broth, plus a packet of yellow rice seasoning I had. Loved the flavor added by the ginger-infused broth. I wish my mom was still alive, as I think she would have really loved this new variation on our old favorite. Next time though, I think I'll add carrots for color and water chestnuts for crunch.


text:
Are you searching for a certain Arthur Boothe in Danville? You are at the best place possible! Check out the lists of people named Arthur Boothe who have lived in Danville. Make sure you also take a look at individual profiles which will offer you vital data such as contact number, public records, and names of possible relatives.
USA People Search compiles the search results under four main headings- name/aliases, age, location, and possible relatives, making it your job of finding Arthur Boothe in Danville convenient and easy. To learn more about a person, click on the Details link to unearth further information and reliable data about Arthur or anyone you want to find.
If you want to accelerate the process of locating Arthur Boothe, make sure to key in all the data you possess into the search boxes. Any details, from middle names to past residences, can assist you with identifying the right Arthur immediately. Once you have discovered the precise Arthur Boothe, register at USA-People-Search.com to get access to complete profiles.
Home |
About Us |
All Products |
People Directory |
Articles |
Help |
Privacy |
Terms & Conditions |
Contact Us |
Link To Us |
Bookmark Us


text:
Look closely and you'll find this cool art.
Man Asks 23 Artists On Reddit To Re-Create Portrait Of Wife And Son (Photos)
Happy birthday, Agnes!
NYC Subway Car Gets Turned Into A Fully-Furnished Cardboard Apartment
In today's market, this is a hell of a steal.
Genius Builds An Entire Wall Of Legos In His House, And It's Awesome (Photos)
That's a lot of Legos!
Adding Cats To Famous Rap Album Covers Makes Them Infinitely Better (Photos)
A soundtrack that speaks to all the crazy cat ladies.
This 900-Pound Pumpkin Carving Of A Baby Elephant Is Amazing (Photos)
Not your average Jack-O-lantern.
Stunning Underwater Bridal Portraits Are Far From The Average Shoot
Not your average wedding photo shoot.


text:
On a stormy Sunday night last August 18, 2013, a popular showbiz personality conquered the national pageant stage and defeated all comers who stood in her way of becoming Miss World Philippines 2013.
Megan Lynne Young is that girl.
And from the moment she stepped on the responsibility of representing the country in Miss World 2013, there was no looking back. She took on the role more seriously than how she would prepare for a role in a primetime teleserye. She adapted to the changes with an open mind and a learning heart. She dutifully transformed herself with the unconditional help and guidance from Aces & Queens. And she went to Bali, Indonesia armed with wide-eyed enthusiasm and full-on readiness to face the challenge of becoming the Philippines' first Miss World crown.Megan followed her gameplan to a T. She never wavered. Not one bit. And despite a smear campaign that threatened to topple her momentum, she stayed focused. The Julia Morley halo on her head gained more strength. And everything fell in place during finals night. She got the blue crown and immediately committed to become the best Miss World ever.
So at this point when she is more than ready to crown her national successor tonight at the SM MOA Arena, I would like to give Miss World Philippines 2013 my deepest thanks. Not only for a job well done, but also a reign so gloriously completed.
May you impart your beautiful wisdom and words of encouragement to the next Miss World representative of the Philippines. It will be a tougher battle, what with the back-to-back mission constantly hanging over her head. But with Miss World 2013 providing the most precious of tips and advises, she will definitely gain that extra spark of confidence and the right disposition to make it happen.
We love you to bits, Queen Megan! :-D
P.S. I know you'll be reading this, Queen Megan. My Sunday morning got even better when you engaged me in a brief Facebook chat earlier. I hope to see you again tonight! ;-)