What a Birthday!

On Sunday, I celebrated my 46th birthday.  On Saturday, Kevin gave me the best birthday gift I have ever received.  It was a complete surprise.  For the past several weeks the only information I was given regarding that day was noted on the calendar "Steve must be dressed and ready to go by 7:30 A.M."  Very Mission Impossible.  Maybe that is why we watched Mission Impossible I and II on Friday evening.

On Saturday morning my clothes were layed out for me and my destination was entered into the GPS.  I was given three cards and instructions about when I should open each.  The time approached 7:30 and I was out the door.  The GPS was programmed to the American Club resort in Kohler, Wisconsin.  

Once in the parking garage I was instructed to open card number one.  The card contained a newspaper clipping about the 13th Annual Food & Wine Expo.  Now, I knew the event existed but I completely forgot about it this year.  When inside the hotel, I went to the concierge desk and was given all the necessary information regarding the weekends activities.  At that point, I opened envelope number two.  This card contained a ticket for a cooking demonstration with none other than Lidia Bastianich, my favorite Italian chef on PBS.  Making sure I got there rather early, I was able to get a front row seat! How could he have possibly topped this but there was one more envelope to open.  

The demonstration was conducted and Lidia offered her tips and thoughtful bits of Italian wisdom which she often shares on the television show.  She cooked a wonderful roasted beet, wilted beet greens, granny smith apple, and goat cheese salad with a balsamic and olive oil dressing.  The combination of the sweet beets, tart balsamic and granny smith apple, and creamy goat cheese worked extremely well with each other.  The ingredients mixed to combine a crisp and refreshing salad as a main course or side dish.

After the demonstration, I opened envelope number two which contained a ticket for lunch with Lidia.  What a shock that was!  I was to join Lidia and 70 of her closest friends for an intimate luncheon.  My lunch companions were two of the nicest people. I met them while waiting in line for the events.   Ron and RuthEllyn have homes in Wisconsin, Chicago, and Italy.  Ron was Italian and we bonded instantly.  He was a foodie as well.  We had a wonderful time chatting while dining on a three-course meal.  

The first course was a Squash Risotto with crumbled Humboldt Fog cheese with Balsamic Vinegar.  The Humboldt Fog cheese with like a deep creamy combination of blue and goat cheeses.  It was paired with a crisp Pinot Grigio.  The second course was a skillet Gratinata of Mushroom and Chicken.  The tomato sauce was light without being heavy or acidic.  The breast was cooked to juicy perfection and one of the best I have had in a long time.  The second course was paired with a full-flavored Chainti Classico Riserva from Banfi.  The final course was dessert and consisted of soft and chewy pignoli (pine nut) cookies and a Ricotta Cheesecake with roasted pears and grapes.  This was served with a sparkling Banfi Rosa Regale. 

At the end of the meal, Ron called Lidia over so she could take a picture with me for my birthday.  She came over but said she needed to make a quick announcement and then would be back for the picture.  The special announcement she had to make was to announce my birthday to the whole room.  Kevin had requested she mention it and she actually did.  Below you will see me with Lidia Bastianich.  The day was surreal.  

As lunch was winding down, Ron and RuthEllyn asked what my plans were for the rest of the day.  It turned out they had an extra ticket to Christopher Kimball and the chefs from America's Test Kitchen.  They offered it to me and asked if I would join them.  After the demonstration, we parted company and exchanged email addresses.  I promised I would forward a copy of this blog with pictures to them.  

It is here that I would like to take the opportunity to thank Ron and RuthEllyn for their generosity to me on my special day!

Thanks to Kevin for making an opportunity of a lifetime come true!  I can not thank you enough!

The first of many restaurants in Arizona - Matt's Big Breakfast

Earlier this week we came back from a vacation in Arizona.  As many of you know, my love of all things food has a close tie to the "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives" television show on the Food network.  In our travels, we have tried to visit restaurants from the show whenever we can.  During the past two weeks we did visit several restaurants.

Matt's Big Breakfast diner was one of the restaurants featured in a March 2008 episode of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.  The diner was as quaint as it appeared on the show and the staff was extremely friendly.  

Although, I did not get to see Matt, the owner. Once inside the tiny place, we saw a few stools surrounding a corner counter and window bar with several tables in an adjoining dining room.  

On the episode, one of the specialties of the house were a basil pesto marinated pork chop for breakfast.  I had the pork chops with eggs and hash browns for breakfast.  Kevin enjoyed a fresh chorizo scramble with pepper jack cheese and jalapenos.

The other item that stood out in my memory was the home-made berry preserves with fresh-baked bread.  I had sourdough bread with preserves with my meal.

The food was wonderful.  The pork chops were some of the best I have eaten.  The hashbrowns were crispy and golden on the outside while creamy on the inside.  The fresh berry preserves were a wonderful blend of sweet and tart, hitting both the front and back of your palate.  If I could give this restaurant a rating of 5 stars, it would definitely get a 4!  I suggest visiting whenever you are in downtown Phoenix!

Thanksgiving 2010

We were able to go up to our cabin in northern Wisconsin over the Thanksgiving holiday.  My mom drove up from Illinois.  Luckily, we had 3 inches of fresh, white snow.  It was very beautiful.

We had a great Thanksgiving meal and it is amazing the things you can do in a limited kitchen.  Although, as you may guess, we have more up there than most people who have north woods cabins do.

The menu consisted of a brined roast turkey prepared using a method I heard about from Martha Stewart.  The turkey is covered in cheesecloth soaked in butter and white wine, then basted with the mixture every 30 minutes.  This method makes the juiciest turkey you will ever have.  We also had red peppers stuffed with mashed cheddar potatoes and then baked.  There was roasted yellow squash along with a Brussells Sprouts gratin.  I found a recipe for stuffing made with, of all things, White Castle hamburgers.  Those who are familar with White Castle's will understand.  Very interesting!

I have attached photos of the Thanksgiving meal. So, stay tuned this week for all the great recipes from this holiday!  I hope you all had a great holiday as well.

Never Thought It Would Be So Good!

During the past week, I noticed this blog has hit the 3,000 mark.  I thought it would be a good time to express my thanks to all those who follow this blog.  When I began it last December, I simply thought it would just be a way to convey some of my favorite recipes, tricks, and stories to my family and friends. It was to be an outlet for a passion I have had for many years.  


Who would have ever guessed this small little blog would go WORLDWIDE.  The internet is a great thing.  Allowing us to share information with people that would normally never see it because of logistics.  Periodically, I  review the statistics for the visits.  Services that track website usage are there to allow the owners of sites to monitor where visitors are from, the day and time they visit, and how long they stay on the site. 


I thought since the site has gone worldwide, I would share some of the places that visitors have clicked in from.  Who would have every thought a guy who moved from Chicago to a small town in Wisconsin would have so many international visitors.  The list below is just a portion of the countries.


        Philippines          Canada           
        Spain                  Chile             
        United Emirates   Italy
        Russia                 Sweden          
        Netherlands         Finland          
        Canada                Ukraine
        France                 Mexico                
        Australia              India
        Turkey                Malaysia
        United Emirates


At this point, I would like to thank all of those people who have been regular visitors and those that have referred my blog to their friends and family.  You all have made writing this blog worthwhile.  I have a renewed energy and will be going back to regular daily postings.  If I can help one person share my passion for food, I have done my job!   


My only request to you all, loyal viewers, is to pass along your comments and feedback.  It is with this feedback that I can make this site better.  If there is anything you would like to see or read about, feel free to drop me a line and I will be happy to do my best to help.  I have heard from people that leaving comments can be a bit cumbersome if you do not have a gmail account.  Without a gmail account, simply post the comment as Anonymous, you will not need to enter an email address.  Then just end the comment with your first name.  


Thanks, again, to each and every one of you!  I plan to continue bring you great recipes.  And remember, I will never pass along a recipe that has not been tested and will include a picture for each and every dish.

A Great Weekend in Chicago!

Two weeks ago I was able to spend some great quality time with my family in Chicago.  Our day starting early on a gorgeous, sunny Saturday morning.  We had plans to visit a great farmers market in Wheaton, Il. and then some shopping in the quaint town of Naperville.

My aunt, Mariann, who is known to most on this blog as Mee-nor picked us up and our day began.  Naturally, Starbuck's was the first stop on our journey.  Once we got into Wheaton and to the market, I was pretty impressed.  In my opinion the market was better than the one in downtown Chicago that I previously blogged about.

There were many vendors specializing mainly in food items.  The market specialized in foods, including produce, fruits, canned goods and artisan created goods.  One of the highlights of the market were the different vendors offering baked goods.  I have never seen so many different breads, cakes, and rolls in one area.  One gentleman was selling canned vegetables.  If you ever have the chance and you are canning pickles or beets, add some horseradish to them.  Just enough to make you think..hmmmm!

Below are my mom (in green), Aunt Mariann/Mee-nor (in beige), sister Michelle (in pink)

What a wonderful way to spend a Saturday afternoon.  Sampling goods and enjoying the simplest of treasures!  If you have the chance, you should try to visit one soon.  You will be surprised at how much you will enjoy yourself!

The Blue Door Pub

This past weekend, Kevin and I made a trip to Minnesota for some shopping at the Mall or America along with a few outlet stores.  As many of you have read, we are trying to visit as many restaurants featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives as possible. This trip was no exception.

The The Blue Door Pub is located in St. Paul on Selby Avenue.  Most of the patrons seemed to be college students so a school must be in the area.  The pub itself is quite small and at 7:00 p.m. on a Sunday evening, the place was hopping.

We started out the meal with two recommended appetizers.  The first was a beer battered, deep fried green beans with a ranch dressing.  The next appetizer was the "bomb."  We had deep fried Spam bites.  Basically, these were made by mixing cream cheese and Spam along with some spices.  Once mixed the cheese mixture was refrigerated.  From what we could see, they rolled the cream cheese mixture into 2-inch balls, dipped them in crushed cornflakes and deep fried them.  They were served with a slightly spicy sweet-sour sauce.  For something so simple, the taste was really very good.

They are also known for their Juicey Blucy burger which is what I ordered.  The 1/2 pound Angus burger is stuffed with blue cheese and chopped garlic. The burger was cooked to medium and quite good.  I definitely would order it again.  THE to-die-for burger in our opinion was the Frenchy.  Kevin ordered this 1/2 pound Angus burger which is stuffed with grilled onions and swiss cheese.  You think that sounds great on its own, just wait.  The burger also has more swiss cheese on top with a side of French onion au jus for dipping.  This could be a new favorite.  Will definitely try to recreate this burger at home.

Score another hit from the Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives show!  If you are every in St. Paul, we would definitely recommend visiting.  We know we will go back!

The Depot Bakery & Restaurant

As you may have guessed, we were on vacation for a while.  My mom came up for a visit this past week.  We took her up to the cabin for long weekend.  Funny, but she has not been up there during the summer in all the time we have owned it.

Last Friday, the weather was naturally rainy so our plans to spend the day at the beach were scrapped.  Kevin and I decided to take my mom for some antique shopping in Crystal Falls and some shopping in Iron River, Michigan.  After doing the antique shopping, we decided to stop for a late lunch.  Rather than the usual spots, we opted for a new place based on a billboard we saw.

The Depot Restaurant is located on north 4th Street in Iron River.  As you can see by the photos, the restaurant is a converted rail car.  Not knowing what to expect, we walked in a bit apprehensive.  At 2:00 p.m., the restaurant was empty.  However, after we did enter, we were quite surprised.  Dark mahogany walls and stained glass lighting adorned the place.

The menu at The Depot is a bit limited for lunch offering only appetizers, sandwiches, and hamburgers.  We ordered a sampler platter of appetizers.  The plate came with stuffed potato skins, deep-fried mini-tacos, and some of best chicken wings I have ever eaten.  These wings were not swimming in sauce but the vinegar/hot sauce was infused into the light breading mix prior deep frying.  The tender, juicy wings were served with a blue cheese dip.

Once the appetizers were done, out came our burgers.  My burger was THE best burger I have ever eaten!  The burger had grilled onions, sauteed mushrooms with a slice of muenster cheese on a hard roll.  The burger was so juicy that it dripped down your hand.  But, it wasn't a greasy drip down your arm.  I know my description can not do any justice to this burger.  All I can say is that we WILL be going back to this restaurant even if it is an hour away! 


If you ever get to Iron River, Michigan, I would HIGHLY recommend a visit!

An Unusual Graduation Party...One of the BEST!

On Saturday of this past weekend, both Kevin and I enjoyed the gorgeous weather by spending it at my cousin Joe's (pictured below) graduation party.  Joe just graduated from St. Xavier University on Chicago's south side.  He made us all proud graduating with a bachelor's degree in education.

That being said, this wouldn't be a food blog if I weren't going to talk about the most important part - the food!  Joe's mom, my aunt Marian (Menoor, to those that regularly read the blog), gave him the choice of any food he wanted.  First of all, with my family, most people would think Italian - pasta, sausage, or meatballs, but no.  The second most obvious choice would be a barbeque - hot dogs, hamburgers, or potato salad, but no.  Let's go with the third most obvious choice, Chinese - how unique!  Not to mention, one of our favorite foods.

They catered in Chinese food from one of their local favorites.  There was Monogolian Pork with just enough heat and sweet. Fried rice, white rice, Beef Subgum (beef, vegetables and brown sauce), a great chicken dish, and egg rolls, to mention a few. The parents of Joe's girlfriend, Kara, brought in a great veggie pizza as well.  The food was great.  I went back up for seconds, but who wouldn't have guessed it!

And now on to dessert!  One of my aunt's specialties are chocolate-dipped strawberries.  She will make them by the dozens.  Typically they are made with white or milk chocolate and she always finds the juiciest berries. She also made chocolate covered bananas.  My personal favorite.  In addition to those, there were chocolate-dipped fortune cookies, a great chocolate cake, and Coldstone Creamery ice cream cupcakes in a chocolate shell.

It was also great to see all of my family in one place. With all of us scattered over two states, it rarely happens. Joe, we are so proud of you!  We know that with your talent and dedication, you will do great things!  Congrats!  And, thanks again for the great food!

The Best Italian Meal That Wasn't!!!

What happens when you mix 95 degree weather, 100% humidity, and a day of cocktails at the pool?  I can tell you first hand, you will miss a meal from your favorite restaurant!

Key West, Florida, to date, has been one of our favorite destination spots.  I believe we visited 5 years in a row.  Each year, we made two food pilgrimages.  The first was Magnolia's Cafe on Duval Street.  Magnolia's is a small dive with the most incredible hamburgers.  The grease just drips down your arm!  The second, was New York Pizza Cafe, possibly one of the best Italian restaurants I have dined in. We dined there each year we visited Key West.

Key West and New York Pizza Cafe is where my story begins!  Those that know me, know that I personally feel responsible for the entertainment and well-being of all of our traveling companions while on vacation.  Kevin continually tells me I do not need to worry about everyone else's welfare and after this trip, I can honestly tell you I don't anymore!

This trip, in my role as Julie McCoy - Cruise Director, was exceptionally trying.  I just was not having a good time while trying to please everyone else.  Please note:  DO NOT PLAY CRUISE DIRECTOR ON VACATION (Unless you are getting paid for it!)

The one bright spot this vacation was going to be the meal at New York Pizza Cafe. Sitting outside under the stars and palm trees.  The gentle ocean breezes, the wine, and the hustle of people walking along Duval Street make for a great dining experience.  Oh, how I looked forward to that each year! 

The guesthouse we stayed at each year would host a cocktail hour each evening poolside.  Beer and wine for two hours.  After the cocktail hour we walked down Duval Street the few blocks to the restaurant.  

When we got to the restaurant we were seated at our tables and our waiter arrived to take our drink orders.  I had been drinking wine earlier so I thought I would continue with wine.  Our waiter brought our drinks and took our dinner orders.  Since the restaurant was very busy, we ended up having another round of drinks.  By that time the damage was done.  

As we sat waiting for our food, it hit me!  The sweat, the slur, and the blur.  I went from 0 to loaded in 12.6 seconds.  Kevin took one look at me and knew I needed to walk.  By the time we hit Duval Street to take a sobering stroll, it hit me.  I had an emotional breakdown!  There in the middle of the street and hundreds of people I began to cry.  I am not talking a few sniffles but the full blown sobbing!  Julie McCoy could not take anymore!  I had hit the breaking point.  This episode would go down in history as one of my best drunken crying jags.  I cried non-stop (seriously) until 1 in the morning until I cried myself to sleep.

Needless to say, the one thing I looked so forward to did not happen.  Eventually, our friends did bring our dinners back to the room when they were done eating but I was not having any.  I couldn't, I was passed out.  To this day, I can not tell you what I ordered. Kevin, thank you for patiently sitting there listening to me babble.  I am sorry you missed the rest of the planned events that evening.  That was our last trip to Key West and not the way I wanted to remember that trip.  Not by a long shot!  

Remember, while on vacation make sure you don't worry about whether or not the others in your group are having a good time.  Because you will miss...the BEST Italian meal....that wasn't!  After all, it is all about the food, right?

Stack'd Burger Bar

This past weekend Kevin and I were down in Milwaukee to do some shopping and had heard from one of his coworkers about a bar and grill located in the historic 5th Ward.  Stack'd is located at 170 South First Street amidst blocks of unique shops and boutiques.

Stack'd specializes in build your own burgers served on pretzel rolls.  Now, granted the delicious beef was grass-fed but the WOW factor in these burgers came from those buns.  The shiny, dark brown crust on the bun had pure pretzel flavor from your first bite.  The bun was not salted and was very tender.  I ordered my burger with thick slices of raw red onion, lettuce and some of the tangiest bleu cheese I have had in a long time.  Kevin had his burger with grilled onions, lettuce, and tomato.

Your burger comes with a side of your choice.  In our case we both are mac-and-cheese lovers so that is what we ordered.  They serve Twisted Mac and Cheese, a great combination of white cheddar, smoked Gouda, and a small addition of bleu cheese.  This blend of cheeses was perfectly balanced.   If you are a mac and cheese lover, definitely order this one.

We also orderd a side of onion rings which were perfectly cooked.  The trick to a great onion ring is when you bite into it, the remainder of the onion stays inside the breading and not come out in one long string.  Stack'd had some great onion rings. They were served with a superb BBQ aioli.  Now, this was the third star of this restaurant in my opinion.  They make their own BBQ sauce which is a Carolina vinegar based sauce and mix it with a mayonnaise and serve it as a side dipping sauce for the onion rings, salmon cakes, and their pulled-pork sandwich.

Our meal consisted of two build-a-burgers, order of onion rings as an appetizer, and the 3 can of Blatz beer  for $5.00 special.  Our tab was just under $30.00.  Now, we don't eat like this all the time but once in a while, you have to splurge.  The pretzel buns for the burgers alone were worth the price!  If your in the downtown area of Milwaukee anytime soon, please stop at Stack'd and have a pretzel roll burger!

Del Rhea's Chicken Basket - Another Diners, Drive-In's, and Dives Restaurant Under My Belt!

I am currently in Chicago for my 30th class reunion.  Mom was going to cook dinner last night and I thought, lets find a restaurant that was on my favorite show Diner's, Drive-In's, and Dives.  I remembered seeing an episode about a diner that made some great fried chicken.  Del Rhea's Chicken Basket was the place and it turns out it was only 15 minutes from her house.

Del Rhea's Chicken Basket opened in 1946 out in the middle of nowhere.  It is located on the historic Route 66 in rural Hinsdale.  When the restaurant was constructed it was centrally located in the same area as a Greyhound bus hub and the old Hinsdale airport.  The restaurant has extra large windows on both side that allowed the patrons to watch the private planes take off and land.  With the construction of Interstate 55, the Chicken Basket's business suffered because no one could figure out how to get there.  Well, the patron's did finally find their way back and after 53 years they are still thriving.  Having Guy Fieri and the Diner's, Drive-In's and Dives show stop by for a visit certainly helped!

Their specialty is fried chicken.  This is no ordinary fried chicken though.  They sprinkle a heavy layer of salt over the chicken and let it rest .  Brining it so to speak.  After salting, the chicken is dipped in milk, then flour, and finally breadcrumbs.  The breadcrumbs are made especially for Del Rhea's since the 60's.  The breadcrumbs are extra fine so they do not make an overly breaded fried chicken.  Their other trick is that they deep-fry the chicken at 260 degrees for 20 minutes.  One would think that would make an extremely greasy final product but surprisingly, it is not.

The dinner also came with a soup and salad bar.  The house soup is chicken and dumpling and this could not taste more homemade.  It was delicious.  There were several salads on the bar that were in typical 50's/60's buffets.  They had a delicious creamy kidney bean salad and pickled beets that were very tasty as well.

So, if your in the Willowbrook/Hinsdale area, I would highly suggest a stop at Del Rhea's.  I have several Facebook friends from the area who have attested to the great food and service at Del Rhea's.  Thanks to Del Rhea's for some of the best fried chicken I have ever had!

Comet Cafe, Milwaukee ... Revisited

Many of you may remember a while back when I posted an entry about our trip down to Milwaukee to the Comet Cafe.  This is an eclectic diner/dive full of tattooed waitrers,waitresse, and bartenders.  The restaurant was featured on Diners, Drive-In's, and Dives.  We ordered the Meatloaf Sandwich.  I posted some pics of that on the entry.

Well, since it is Good Friday, Kevin was off and I only worked a half day, we took a drive to see our friend Carl at his bookstore.  After our visit there we decided to hit the Comet for an early dinner.  Happy Hour just began and Old Style was on special.  Old Style?  Who even knew the beer was still made and at a buck a bottle!  BONUS!

For dinner we decided to split the "AJ's Compact Turkey Dinner" and the Homemade Chili Macaroni and Cheese.  The Compact Turkey dinner consists of three tennis ball-sized, deep-fried beer-battered balls of roasted turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes all swimming in a pool of homemade gravy.  They were delicous.  Kevin even said they were better than the meatloaf sandwich that we had the first visit.  I am still opting for the bacon and gravy covered meatloaf sandwich. 

The Baked Chili Macaroni and Cheese was also VERY good.  The serving came out in a soup bowl the size of a dinner plate.  Ground beef chili with beans mixed in with macaroni and REAL Wisconsin cheddar cheese.  What could be better!

Now, I know my family is saying all the grease, fat and gravy isn't good for you but at least this time we decided to split everything.  We even brought half of the order of Mac and Cheese home because we were stuffed.

If you are ever in the Milwaukee area, we highly recommend a trip to the Comet.  Where the atmosphere is eclectic and hip and the food is unbelievable.

I just wanted to apologize for my lack of posts.  Kevin and I have been up at the cabin since he was on spring break.  Unfortunately, we have no internet access in the middle of the woods. But, we are back now and posts will continue on a regular basis.

The Weather is Changing!

Now that the first day of spring has arrived and we are in the midst of weather that is in the 50s during the day, I am getting the urge to start grilling.  Time to pull the grill out of storage, clean it, and replace any of the parts that may not have weathered winter well. 

It really doesn't matter whether you are a fan of charcoal or gas, as long as you are outside enjoying the weather and grilling.  There is nothing better than the charred edges of a burger or juicy steak.  I think the thing I am looking forward the most is to making pizzas on the grill.  The crust on the grill gets those great marks and remains so crusty.

We have one of each type of grill.  At the cabin, we have an old-fashioned charcoal grill.  When we are up there, we have plenty of time to let the coals heat through.  Nothing better than sitting out in the woods on the porch with a cool beverage while a steak or burger is done to perfection over those hot coals.  This past summer I discovered hardwood charcoal and LOVE it.  No more charcoal briquettes for me.

At home, we have a gas grill.  When we come home from work and are hungry, we really don't have the patience to wait for coals to heat through.  The one thing that I do like about the gas grill is that it is so much easier to control the temperature while cooking.  But, my preference is charcoal. 

So, whether charcoal or gas, the main thing to remember is to get out there during the nice weather and do some grilling.  Before you know it the grill will need to get put away for the winter!

A Surprise for Me!

Last week I had to work late almost every night.  We were planning on the fast food route for dinner but when I walked in the door that night I was greeted with the warmest, comforting smell!  Kevin had decided to make Beef Stroganoff for dinner.

For those that know Kevin, there are a few things he makes from scratch.  He makes THE BEST meatloaf, a version of stuffed cabbage that would give my grandmother's a run for the money, and a great lemon chicken.  Now, he has a new dish to add to the list.  Beef Stroganoff. He found the recipe on the web (recipezaar.com) and surprised me with a great dinner. 

After a long, hard week at work (for both of us), he took the time to make dinner from scratch!  Reason #1,689,839 for why I love him!

I have attached the picture below but I don't have the recipe because he didn't leave it up on the computer.  So, just remember to thank the ones that surprise you because they care!  Thank you!

Cravings...

Anyone who knows me well enough will say that I will pretty much eat anything.  I will leave no food untouched.  I have no rhyme or reason to my tastes.  I have no method to the madness.  It is just me and food.  I will get cravings, as I am sure everyone gets, for anything at any time. 

This morning was one of those mornings.  I woke up craving something my dad's mom would make my sister and I if we would visit early in the morning.  It was simply a banana sandwich.  But it was something special.  She would use Roman Meal bread (I can still picture the orange bag), a banana sliced length-wise, miracle whip, and some cinnamon-sugar.  The bread was always toasted just until golden.  This snack is purely simple and just oozed comfort.

With no bananas in the house, I moved on to craving number two.  Last week I was at Costco and they had pineapples the size of the Ford Escort I used to drive.  They were $2.97 and naturally I bought one.  I opened the refrigerator and pulled out the pineapple.  Now, mind you, I have been up for about 10 minutes so far.  The eyes aren't even fully opened and I am on to food craving number two.  Well, after a few pieces of the pineapple, I realized that was not the answer.

Ok, on to number three.  Hopefully, this will be the one.  As I was putting the pineapple back into the refrigerator, I saw eggs.  Hmmmm, I know.  I will make a fried egg sandwich.  Another of my quick morning comfort foods.  Toasted bread - check, Miracle Whip - check, no bananas, but instead a fried egg, slice of American cheese, and a few slices of shaved ham.  Ah, perfection.  Just what I needed.

Well, that craving was satisfied with not my first choice, not my second choice, but the third.  It is always the charm.  However, I will say one thing about my cravings.  They can be for nothing in particular and can come at any time.  No matter if you have dinner for breakfast, breakfast for dinner, or cake/cookies after a nap.  A craving is a craving and must be satisfied by a food that gives you comfort!

Hmmmm...I think my first stop on the way to work this morning is to pick up bananas.  I won't be able to get the banana sandwiches out of my mind until I have one.  I highly suggest this one!

The Big 1000 !!!

Well friends, it finally happened. The blog hit 1000 visits during the course of the day. I would like to thank you all for your support and interest in my latest "hobby". I had been thinking about creating a blog and then a friend of mine said the same thing. I was very hesitant about creating this site and unsure about how much work would be involved and whether or not I would follow through.



I am happy to say that I have had a blast testing recipes and researching tips for everyone. This testing also has helped Kevin and I to eat at home more, which in most cases is a good thing! I find myself paying more attention to details of the recipes and focusing on having the end result turn out well. I made a vow to test each recipe prior to posting to ensure success for those who make the dishes in their homes. I promise that I will continue to test and post recipes and will also do my best to research more topics for the "Did you know..." feature. Hopefully, I will be able to remember more great stories from my past which will naturally be related to food.


I would personally like to take this opportunity to thank, first and foremost, Kevin. He has been so patient with my spending nights in front of the TV while I type away. He has been very patient with my "staging" the food for pictues before we can eat. Anyone who knows me, can personally vouch for my countless "hobbies" and he has been so supportive with my many endeavors.


Secondly, I would like to thank you all for being loyal "followers" of this project. You have been inspiration for me on those days where I really don't feel like cooking. Knowing that I need to post for you all has been just what I need to keep me in check.


That being said, please continue reading and if you know anyone who would be interested in the content of the blog, feel free to have them send me an email and I will add them to the list. I also like to challenge you all to post more comments, ask more questions, and if you have topics you would like me to address, send me an email and I will be happy to include it.

Thanks again, my friends and remember let's live to eat, not eat to live!

Killer Potato Pancakes

Those that know Kevin and I, know that we go up to the cabin every other weekend.  We have had the cabin for almost three years now.  Normally, I cook whenever we are up there.  However, there are several small "hole in the wall" bars that supposedly have good food.  We have yet to try any of them.


This past weekend we were up with our great friends, Linda and Dave.  If you have been keeping up with my blog, you will know them from our outing to the Comet Cafe back in January.  Last Friday, we all took a half day and got up to the cabin by dinner time.  Rather than cook, we decided we would go out for dinner.

Now, there are three places that we have wanted to try since we bought the place.  We went to the closest of the three and, well, lets just say the clientele pretty much scared us.  So, the second was going to be the choice of the evening.  The Backroad Bar and Restaurant is located on the corner of Hwy 8 and Hwy 139 about 10 miles west of Armstrong Creek, Wisconsin.  This restaurant/bar opened about a year and a half ago.  We drive by it everytime we head to the casino.  And, again, anyone who knows us, knows how often we gamble!  Way too much but that is a different story entirely (Let's talk about the frybread!).

Linda, Dave and I all ordered the Friday Fish Fry.  Three pieces of pollack that were batter dipped and deep-fried.  This fish was one of the better that I have eaten.  No grease and very juicy.  This was all you can eat.  WOO HOO!  So, boy did we eat!  They were also served with potato pancakes.

The potato pancakes were the BEST I have ever had.  Sorry Mom!  They were done with a blender or food processor and not grated, therefore, a more pancake like result.  What was the most intriguing was the flavor profile.  I am still trying to put my finger on the flavoring.  I can tell some sugar, some chives, and some nutmeg but the rest was a secret of the chef.  Dave and I asked for seconds and were happy to finish those off.  We probably could have gone for thirds but that would have seemed a bit piggish.

A great meal was had by all AND I won $20.00 on a penny machine.  We will definitely be going back again but it can only be on a Friday night for potato pancakes.

The Joy of Cooking....One On The List!

This past Sunday, Kevin and I were at a used book store and I found a 1966 copy of "The Joy of Cooking" by Irma Rombauer...for $3.00. My hunt paid off!  How lucky was I?

The jacket is worn a bit but that adds to the character and charm of the book.  It also was personalized by someone who gave it to her friend for their 25th anniversary. 

Gives you a great feeling to page through it and know that someone else was making items from it!

A Dog Above All Others...

So, I have lived in Wisconsin for 20+ years.  Since the day I moved to the state, I have searched for a place that makes good Chicago style hot dogs and beef sandwiches.  Kevin will definitely attest to my wanting one of three things when I go down to visit family.  One are White Castles hamburgers, the second are hot dogs, and the third is a good Italian beef sandwich drenched in au jus.

Up until this week, the only type of hot dog I have been able to find in this area is the infamous "roller" dog.  You know the type, spinning on those stainles tubes for hours and hours and hours.  You think they are a hot dog in natural casing because they have that crisp skin, but they are not.  That crisp skin is because they have been rolling for indefinite periods of time.

Now, I am by no means a snob when it comes to food but hot dogs are the exception.  If I am going out to a restaurant for a hot dog, I want an all-beef Vienna hot dog.  The kind that snaps when you bite into it.  And, it has to have a steamed bun with poppy seeds on it.  Everyone has their own topping choices and mine include catsup, relish, onions, tomato, dill pickle, celery salt and sport peppers (little green fireballs).  This is a true Chicago-style hot dog.

After all these years, my dream came true.  On Wednesday night, we took a ride into Manitowoc (Wisconsin) to the home improvement store.  Normally, we would choose the Chinese buffet or Burger King.  But lately, we have wanted to visit a restaurant called Dr. Dawg .  When we walked in I noticed immediately several key names on the sign.  Brands such as Gonnella bread, Vienna Beef Hot Dogs, Maxwell Polish, and Scala's beef.  My eyes must have gotten to be the size of small saucers because Kevin looked at me like I was about to jump out of my skin!  This place had definite promise!

We placed our orders and waited for the food to be brought to our table.  WOW, fast turnaround!  Also, some of the friendliest people.  I got really excited when we opened up our "sack" of fries to reveal they were the thin fries with the skin still left on them!  Just like my dad made at the family stand he ran.  Was definitely liking this more and more.  And then, the food itself.  VERY GOOD!  They even had Green River soda.

As we were leaving, I asked the gentleman behind the if by chance the owner was from Chicago.  Sure enough, he was!  I just knew it.  

I can honestly say, we will be going back many, many more times.  Afterall, they have a whole menu we have to go through.