The Cottage Bar 26th Chili Cook-off- The Big Kahuna!

Every year, for 26 years, the Cottage Bar(oldest continuous bar with liquor license in Kent Co.) holds a fund raiser for Gildas' Club. It is simply the largest chili cook-off in West Michigan (45 teams max!) and is the one you want to win! So far this year, my pardner and I (Chili Dan and Buffalo Dick) The Buffalo Brothers have been in 3 contests, taking 3 first places and one 2nd place! This is our year to make a run a the big prize- The Cottage Bar Chili Cook-off! We are ready! In the past, we have only cracked the top 5 once- and it pisses us off! We have bags of trophies, but this contest has eluded us too long. The owner of the bar and I have discussed on numerous occasions why some of the best chili in this part of the State has not done better at his contest. His judges tend to be locally famous instead of good. I've asked him to get some new blood for judges, as the old ones wouldn't know good chili unless it had a sign in it! We are ready! It really is a fun day, with a local radio station, live music, mucho beer , and weird (eclectic) people swarming all over the place! 4 gallons of our chili(32lbs.) will be gone in 3oz. sample cups in about 10 minutes! Even if the judges don't know us, the public does! The logo on my blog is on over 400 tee-shirts- a scared Buffalo covering his groin, with the shirt saying "Buffalo Dick Makes Good Chili"! Victory WILL be ours!!!!

Claredale The Airedale, Our Dog Clara...

For those of you unfamilar with this breed, it is an Airedale Terrier. They were bred in England to help keep the chalk trout streams clear of otters. They had the size of a hound, and the heart of a terrier. They were brought to this country and trained as bear dogs, as they had no fear(or brains!)This one is Clara, our third Airedale in a row. They are great guard dogs, friendly to the people you are friends with, don't shed alot, loyal and generally thought of as very willful dogs. This one is a big female, about 80lbs. , and a bit taller than show quality. She is also much darker than most of her breed, generally as adults their faces are tan. We got her through Airedale Rescue, a non profit nationwide group dedicated to getting these abandoned or turned in dogs a good home. Alot of people get Airedales thinking they look cool, then find out what a load these screwballs can be! Our dog was in at least 5 homes before she was 2-1/2yrs old. All she needed was someone familiar with the breed(advertised as a pushy female Airedale). We had 2 before her and knew she just needed to know who was boss. It was love at first sight, and she went home with us-forever. At first we had a few issues(guarding food, aggressive towards other dogs, not a fan of our cats, etc.) It all got better once she figured out she was finally home for good. Now she's a big cookie, belly rubs, licks, and bitey mouth are all things she enjoys. She's 7 now, which is a good age for an Airedale. Unfortunately, they live shorter lives than the smaller dogs, usually around 12yrs is about it. Many breeds have rescue chapters, if you ever look for a dog, be sure to look with them first. Enjoy your week-ends, everyone!

A Pretty Quiet Labor Day...

Yesterday on impulse, we took an alternate route back up to the same casino we visited earlier last week. We saw quite a few Turkeys with chicks(saw that at the casino too! Different species!) and everything is green, green, green. Another month, and the colors will hit the leaves, and a month past that- no leaves!
We got to the casino quite early, but it filled up quick-being a holiday week end. Stopped for a quick burger on the way home- both of us remarking we were spoiled by cooking our own at home so much!
Today, the steaks are marinating, the dark chocolate brownies w/ white choco chips on top are cooling, the carrot muffins and fresh corn has arrived from the store via my wife, and I think that should suffice for todays dinner! I may add a picture later if I feel I can "plate it" properly before lunch! Like everyone, I dread going back to work Tuesday-it's getting harder all the time....

Meatmarket Dumpster Cat-Willow.....

Some of you have heard the story of how this cat became OUR cat(or we became her people!), but for the ones who haven't, here we go. It was around 1 week before Christmas, and I was at a West side meat market picking up kielbasa sausage for the shop party. My youngest son was with me, as I had promised him a "Justin Burger"(a friend of mine owns an old west side bar that serves a 1/2 lb. loaded burger!) after shopping. A small, crowded old butcher shop where everybody knows who's next, we waited our turn. There was a cardboard sign taped up that said" Kittens- Free To Good Home". I had not gotten a present for my wife yet, so the price seemed right! Where did you get the cats? The counter girl answered the dumpster in back where they pitched the meat when it was no longer sellable. I asked "Do you have any calicos? The girl said yes, and added it was the nicest cat in the bunch. Being impulsive, I asked if she had the kittens there. She answered they were in the car- ready for the Humane Society after work. That was all I had to hear- those cats would be dead in 48hrs! We took a look at them, and the calico was friendly and beautiful! The girl requested that we didn't change her name-Willow. We got a box, and headed for the Vets' office. I told them to give her the works, and be done before Christmas! Dewormed, defleaed, front declaw, and neutered my free cat now cost $270.00! Of our three calico cats, Willow is the nicest cat we've ever had....

Day Off Tuesday, Later In Evening Birthday Dinner For Son!

Late Monday, I decided to take Tuesday off and try and de-stress. As my wife isn't working right now, she was all for it! Breakfast at home, left house at 8am for a day trip to a casino by Manistee, Mi. We didn't lose too much, and enjoyed the 2hrs up and 2hrs back to talk about stuff. It was my sons birthday, and as our tradition dictates, he got to pick out any restaurant we would dine at. He wanted to go to Grand Rapids Brewing Co., as usual! They are a micro brewery with a pretty good restaurant that stays busy. The reason he likes the place is that they are the only one in town that serves a hanger steak. It is a long skinny steak, almost as tender as a tenderloin, but with a much better taste(like sirloin). Hot cheese pretzels, hot bread, both served with speads that are great! A bowl of porter beef onion soup, and he was all set! My wife got the beer battered perch, which is fantastic, while sons girlfriend went after the penne in vodka sauce. I ordered southwest egg rolls off the appetizer menu-wasn't that hungry! Our waitress should give lessons on how to do that job- she was the best! Long day, good time.....
Oh yeah, no pictures as I had forgotten my camera! I have to start taking it with me!

First Food Picture, I Hope!

I know this isn't the best photography, but I decided to try a food picture about 3 minutes before lunch. We went with stir-fry today, a combo of marinated(garlic, ginger, soy sauce, white pepper, sesame and peanut oil) chicken, shrimp, bell peppers, onions, baby corn, broccoli, and celery over white long grain rice. Chicken stock mixed with a thickener and the marinate worked pretty well! I am still struggling with the photos, so I'll get another lesson from my son!

You Saw The "After", These Are Some Of The "Before"!

I'm still learning about posting pictures, some work some don't-but I'll keep trying! Our house was a contruction zone for almost 9 months! In one year we redid our 2 Bathrooms and our kitchen/dining room area, along with a hallway/entrance. We couldn't really change the room size in the kitchen area, so we opted to make it as effcient as possible. We paid for it as we went, so there was no humongous bill at the end of the job! We took a year off from the rest of the remodeling of the house- we needed a breather!
Hard to figure what to cook tomorrow( I have an upset tummy, work was very unpleasant this week) Maybe some kinda seafood, like shrimp and pasta in a light white cheese sauce....

First test of picture post.

As most of you know by now, I have never posted pictures. This is my first effort-shots of my new kitchen, in our old been here forever home! Hope to get back into photography the way I used to! By the way, that's my Airedale, Clara- great dog!

Time- A Constant That Never Acts Like One!

Our rational mind tells us time moves forward at the same speed-always. Yet, as we all have experienced, sometimes it seems to stand still- or go forward at a pace we cannot believe! I am in a dilemma. I need more time to do what I want to do, and not spend as much time on things I have to do. Some occupations allow for layoffs or like teachers the summer off from the regular job. Some folks work part time by choice, or they don't go to a job at all. I am passing no judgement here, just simply stating it may be time for a change in my life. I have worked before it was legal for me to work. I had a job in high school, held 2 or 3 jobs at once while in college, and have worked for the last 34+ years in the same industry. The changes have been huge. They seem to affect you more as you get older, even though you are keeping up with technology. In America, you are viewed with some suspicion if you don't go to a regular job, have health insurance, and in general don't act like you're supposed to. Health insurance or not, I'm pretty sure I'm going to die anyway! When you only have X amount of air left to breathe, you may want to ask yourself; "Am I doing what I really want to do?" Food for thought- at least for me...

Roast Turkey In August?

I looked into my chest freezer today and decided I'd better roast up a turkey that had been in there awhile! We finally are getting a few days of relief from the heat, and it would be a good time for turkey. It' a big basta*d (18-1/2lbs.) and will feed us or a small village for a week! I always use a traditional sage sausage stuffing, with bread cubes, onion, celery, and other spices. I'm pretty sure we'll be the only one on the block doing a turkey Sunday. I have all the equipment to deep fry a turkey, but this bird is really too big, and deep frying turkey is rewarding, but a huge pain in the butt! I also have a Nesco Roaster, but found birds done in one are super moist but tastless. I simply brine the bird in salt water the night before, stuff it and roast it-this one close to 5 hrs.! I kind of have had some foot troubles lately, so staying home and fiddling around here sounds pretty good! Have a nice week-end everyone!

One Long Ass Day At Work Today.....

Got up at 5am to get ready to leave house at 6am for Annual Sales Meeting. Our company doesn't have overnight stays at posh hotels, fine dining, or great prizes at these affairs. It is held about 1-1/2hrs from home at our central distribution warehouse. From 8am to 1030am were lectures on our 4 latest products, which we have been lectured at least 4 times before. Then we tour our giant facility looking at what we've seen numerous times. We work thru lunch, which is a decent buffet eaten in the meeting room while new work processes are presented. Then from 1-330pm 15 of us got to make a 10 minute presentation on a customer we have brought to the fold by using our many resources and teamwork. With ending comments from facilitators, we are let go at 4pm. I remember 20yrs ago, (with another company) I was at one of these in Chicago at a refurbished Hilton, where breakfast, lunch, and dinner(booze before,during, and after!) was top drawer! Awards banquet- me in 2nd nationally getting $1000 in cash, and an award to hang on the wall. After hours orders were: go have fun, but be at the meeting tomorrow! I think most businesses today forgot a little fun can go a long way.......

My Sister- Calamity Mary Beth.....

I can't believe I've never done a post featuring my older sister. Her claim to fame is that she has made it to her mid 50s without accidentaly killing herself. As a child, she was a bit clumsy-the type that takes 10 or 20 feet to completly fall down(tripping,waving arms,hopping on one foot, then finally hits Earth). When she married her first husband, she lost the title as clumsiest in family to him. He could trip over NOTHING! Car wrecks not his fault, golf balls hitting him, not letting go of bowling balls in a timely fashion,etc. Then, they had their only child. Yes fans, they had bred true and created the clumsiest person in at least America. He was so uncoordinated, he took R.O.T.C. to avoid gym class. Once during gun twirling drill he hit himself so hard in the head with the rifle, he had to go to the hospital with a minor concussion. A rare month that one of them didn't see the inside of a Med Center!
Fast forward to Wednesday. We get a call from my sisters 2nd husband(this one is OK!) telling us my sister is in the hospital. They had gotten a riding lawn mower 2 months ago, and she enjoys mowing the grass on it! While putting it away in a storage shed, she thought she had put in park, while what she really did was put it in 6th gear! Did a "wheelie" into the shed wall, tipping the beast over on herself. At hospital for observation-just bruises and a sore stomach, kept overnight for tests. She's home now, and we all wait for her next accident.......

Saturday, Sunday, Monday......

On Saturday, we had to go to a picnic type supper(Largest corn on cob I've seen!, chicken and beef skewers, veggie medley, potatoes, cheese with crackers and the rest of my chocolate caramel cheesecake) From there we all packed up and went to another house to play Texas Hold'em until midnight. I cleaned up!
Sunday as you all know by now, is my cooking day for a good noon meal. We usually decide Saturday what we haven't had for awhile, and make sure we have what we need to make it. Our choice was spaghetti with meatballs, all home made. A meat ball with beef and pork, bread crumbs and egg, seasonings, with tomato sauce as a liquid. We keep about half of them out of the spaghetti sauce to be used in other dishes. Good bread, and it really was all we wanted...
Monday- Back to work, early meeting. Crap hit fan with a big late order, which took up a large portion of my day fixing until right. On a hot humid Monday-that's what I really wanted to do! Those meatballs came in handy for our meatball subs we built for supper-kind of hit the spot!

Happy Diva Birthday! My Youngest Son's Girlfriend...

Tonight, we are putting on a dinner in celebration of my youngest sons girlfriends birthday! A cheese board made up of 5 yr old Canadian Cheddar, Danish Havarti, A Dutch Swiss, with assorted crackers. Beef tenderloin, marinated-cooked on charcoal to a seared medium rare. Yukon gold potatoes, mashed with a touch of garlic. Midwest peak of season-corn on cob! Fresh bread w/garlic butter, and the dessert I made last night- Chocolate-caramel swirl cheesecake! Cheesecake came out killer-nice and dense, with a beautiful pattern! We will have to do this effort after work, so enjoy your weekends!

Happiness In Life Is In Anticipation...

Alot of the fun and excitment you may feel in your life is looking forward to something you either think or know is fun! A round of golf, a trip, a visit with friends, etc. I'm going to list 5 simple things I look forward to, and I'd like you all to do the same!
1. Cooking a meal for good friends or relatives.
2. Day trips dreamed up on short notice.
3. A phone call from either of my sons.
4. Hearing good news about anyone I care about.
5. Learning something interesting I didn't know alot about before.
A little excercise like this makes us all realize alot of happiness can be easily obtained!

An Outdoor Wedding,BBQ Sauce, and Pot Roast Sunday!

Today we must attend good friends daughters' wedding. It is to be held outside at a small park, with reception at same park afterwards. I was asked to make some of my signature Memphis-style bourbon bbq sauce. It's sweet, herby, some heat, with a smoky flavor courtesy of Jack Daniels (and a little Liquid Smoke!). It's about 90F, humid, and could rain-Yee-Hah!!! I'm already looking forward to Sunday when I'm making (in the air conditioned comfort of my own kitchen!) Beef Pot Roast. The recipe as follows:
Seasonings- onion powder, garlic powder, coarse ground black pepper, Lawrys seasoned salt.
Meat- 2 pcs of beef chuck about 2-1/2lbs. each. Roll,flop,turn meat in seasonings 'til coated.
Put seasoned meat on heavy duty aluminum foil(enough to wrap and seal meat completely).
Pour 1 can of cream o celery soup(unduluted) over meat, then a pkg of dry brown gravy mix over soup.
Wrap and seal tightly, roast for 3-1/2 hrs at 325F in oven.
Pour off juices into pan, thicken w/flour mixed with cold water, heat until gravy.
Meat is flavorful and dead tender, with gravy for potatoes, noodles, or on the meat.
Enjoy your week-ends!!!
Oh- A quick footnote! Thanks go out to Akelamalu (Awesome Dude Blogger Award!) Mike M (Fun Bag Friday Award) and Doggie B (Rockin' Blogger Award) you are very kind!

Tagged For The First Time-By Kate!

I have never been "tagged" so I thought I should go along with this. Facts about me you probably don't know-
1. Until 7 years ago, when I switched jobs- I had never used a computer.
2. The last movie theater I was in was probably 8 yrs ago- I rent them and watch them at home.
3. I still have my motorcycle permit renewed every drivers license renewal- even though I haven't been on one in 25 yrs!
4. The only country I've ever been in other than USA is Canada.
5. I am the most left- handed person you will ever know. Bat, golf, bowl, eat, write, etc. All large and small motor skills are with left side. I had to learn to kick right-footed when I had an ingrown toenail removed from left foot in 4th grade...
6. Had cataract surgery(genetic curse of family!) in my 40's'. Have permanent corrective lenses in both eyes.
7. Lost appendix at 35. Unusual age to lose appendix-until I found out my father(other side of genetic curse!) tols me that was the exact age he had his removed...
8. Cannot play a musical instrument, or sing very well-but love music!

The Sorry State of Restaurants In West Michigan..

Last night, the owners of 3 Famous Dave's Restaurants announced they had closed one, and the other two weren't doing very well. In the past year, two landmark restaurants(Duba's and The Schnizelbank) closed and knocked down. Pietros, another long time player-closed 1 of 2 they had. Nobody is busy, all in area are able to seat you w/out reservations. The barely controlled liquor licences available are flooding the downtown area with little pubs, with quaint names that go in and out of business like mad. This is the downside of "trickle down" economics in Michigan. The loss of Manufacturing jobs, has caused bars, restaurants, barbershops, convenience stores, etc. to fold at an alarming rate. Houses are selling (if at all!) for 10-15% below prices 2 yrs ago! The closed fast food joints around are mute testimony that cheap can't make it either! Turning this states' economy around will take longer than I will live, and it's too bad- because it's a beautiful state!

When a Dentist says "If we hurry"......

Friday, I was scheduled to have my teeth cleaned. The dental office I go to are all old friends who expect a joke or two when I come in. I had forewarned them I had broken a crown, but wasn't causing any pain. When I got there, my bud Charlene was missing because her son was having problems and was at the hospital all night. The Doc looked at my little problem and proclaimed not only broken crown, but the one in back of it needed replacing too! He just happened to have a cancellation, that left him 2hrs of free time. "Let's do them both right now!" I said OK before I realized the ramifications of that commmitment... I was in that damn chair for over 2-1/2 hrs.! Because he was rushing a bit, it wasn't the "gentle dentistry" I'm used to. 4 shots of Novacane will numb you to your groin! Damage this morning(Sat.) burned inner lip from cleansing agents, a jaw that will open about 65%, and a few drill marks on my tongue! Temporary crowns, a bill that should get my attentioon, and I didn't even get my teeth cleaned yet..... I'm loyal to my friends, but Jeezo-Petes"!!!
Oh yeah, the joke: Guy goes into a bar, good looking bartentress only person in the place. Big sign behind her reads "Hamburgers $1.50, Cheeseburgers $2.00, Handjobs $5.00!
The guy asks the bartentress "Are you the one who does the hand jobs?" She answers with a wink "I sure am!" The guy then says "Could you please go wash your hands- I'd like a Cheeseburger, please".

A Present In The Mail......

It was in the mailbox Tuesday night. A couple months back Dutch Bitch ran a contest to name and describe a toy that some women use in the bedroom-use your imagination! My entry won, and last night the contest prize(s) showed up from the Netherlands! I now have a Dutch cookbook, a pack of Dutch choclate bars, and some Dutch rolled up black licorice whips! Leave it to Dutchie to get in the black whip theme! As soon as I can, I plan to make some the the recipes and describe them(and how they turned out). The name of the toy? Check out her blog!

The Buffalo Bros. At The State BBQ Contest....

Well, we've done better. Potatoes 4th, Beans 6th, Dessert 6th, all other catagories ranged from 10th to 34th! 42 teams, 40 KCBS Certified judges! We're looking at scores that showed presentation was rated far higher than ever before, and certain judges who were so harsh, they won't be asked back to judge again. The two top teams must have gotten a dozen ribbons between them, and for only the 2nd time in our lives-we got skunked! All our catagories were good-no screwups. My one team member was drinking all night, and missed the first 2 meat catagories(me and other guy did them). We beat some teams overall that are quite good, so I'm sure comments will be made to KCBS. Oh yeah, in was a downpour from 6-10am, after a very chilly night of cooking! When I'm wearing my leather winter jacket at 11am in July in Michigan-well, you get the picture! Already planning our strategies for next year.....

State BBQ Contest This Week-End! Our Entrees...

Potatoes- Our team is a 2 time blue ribbon in this catagory. Chili Dan(one of the Buffalo Bros.) is the lead singer of this tune! A hollowed out redskin potato, stuffed with Procuitto, sharp cheese, onion, and buttered spices-baked to perfection!
Veggie- 1 time blue ribbon! This year three trimmed pieces of asparagus sauteed in bacon grease til crisp/done. Then strip of pepper jack laid in, mopped with a pasta sauce, all wrapped in a Polish ham slice to make a bundle. heated 'til cheese slightly melted, then into the judges!
Dessert- Apple/White Chocolate(infused w/Buttershots Schapps)/butterscotch caramel Crisp! Granny Smith apples. of course. Got a third and a fifth place with this before!
Baked Beans- Best we've ever done is 5th, but hope springs eternal!
Meat catagories- Well, I'll explain them later-those are the big money, so I'll tell you what I did later if we place!
Tommorow is shopping, Friday and Sat. the cooking days. Wish us luck, as there are 45+ cooking teams from all over the country-and they mean business too!

No Cooking Today-Going To The Ballpark!

Our local Class "A" team, the West Michigan Whitecaps are in town today, suiting up to take on the Great Lakes Loons. Don't you just love the minor leagues' names and mascots? Baseball at this level is half baseball, half circus-with events happening between almost every inning! Little League kids get introduced, large groups that came out are aknowledged, mascots race each other, they slingshot tee-shirts into the crowd, etc. Probably a slice of Midwestern life that hasn't changed as much as some! Our ballpark is a really excellent facility, and believe it or not-the food is really good! It's going to be a hot, humid day here so we will see how long we last.
Yesterday was Make-The-Dry Rubs-BBQ Sauces-Marinades-Day in preparation for the State of Michigan BBQ Cook-off. When you come back from Gordon Foods with $56.00 in spices and sauce bases, you know we mean business! Enjoy your Sunday!

The Update On The 4th- In Bullet Points!

1. Ribs came out tender, a little bland, sauce helped alot(which I hate to reley on!).
2. Seafood Boil was lame- shrimp only seafood, with corn, potatoes, and sausage-all boiled not steamed!
3. Rest of food was non descript, not as big a selection as years past.
4. Glorious weather! No rain, light breeze, no bugs, light humidity!
5. Mood was relaxed, with no unhappy kids or adults!
6. One downer that day- best friends expected to show didn't, womans' Mom died night before...
7. Fireworks were great! Lake Association didn't do any, so everyone on lake brought some- going up from every point on the lake!
8. Stuff we brought was excellent, all mortar balls-6 huge ones, 36 smaller which we loaded into a tri tube launcher for geater effect(worked great!).
9. Home by Midnight.
10. Middle of the week 4th with only one day off sucks!

It's The 4th of July- Time To Make Those Ribs!

It's supposed to rain pretty much off and on all day, with possible thundershowers. The festivities go on regardless! After this post, I will begin the pork baby back ribs (15lbs of them!).
My method today because of weather will change from the norm in only one way-they will be done in the oven rather than in the smoker. First, I strip the membrane off the backside of each rack of ribs(6). Next they will be slathered in a mustard sauce(they won't taste mustardy at all, it actually tenderizes them) then sprinkled with the dry rub mixture. Dry rub? A blend of sugar, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, thyme, rosemary, and chili powder. This will be allowed to rest for about 3 hrs, then into a 250F oven for 3-1/2 hrs, basting with wet sop(dry rub mixed with water, vinegar and olive oil) every 40 minutes. They will then be cut into invidual rib portions and placed in a Nesco roaster, covered in finishing sauce(bbq sauce) and covered with aluminum foil. When we get to the party, we plug them back in for 1- 1-1/2 hrs on 200F, until quite tender! Now you know all my pork rib secrets, enjoy your 4th!

Of Mulberry Trees, Birds, And Life...

When we first moved to the house we live in(28 yrs ago!), there was work to be done. The previous family had 4 boys under 10yrs old, and they had beaten the crap out of about everything they could. The yard was nothing special, with some shrubs getting yanked, and others to plant. The edge of the property had a mix of trash trees(Chinese Elm, Willow, and Mulberry bushes). Nice shade from the willow-until one day, windy but clear, it blew over. We had it removed, along with the chinese elm-full shade to full sun in one week! For some reason, we just kept cutting the mulberry back, until we just let it grow. We now have a large tree in our back yard that once a year bears a bumper crop of mulberries! Too soft and small to pick sucessfully, and stains like nothing else on Earth- we pretty much let the wildlife have at them. Mainly birds of all varieties, they do have one thing in common- they crap purple on everything I own! From my computer room I can see thousands of berries, all red(not ripe yet!) knowing the crap attack is coming soon....
I used to get really mad at little things like this, but now I figure the creatures get a little treat and sustinence, and crap washes off

Darn Close To 4th Of July!

I have always enjoyed outside parties, and REALLY enjoyed fireworks ever since I was young. Every year for many years, we have spent the day at our friends' house (on a little lake) eating, drinking, talking, and later shooting off fireworks, while the Lake Association does the same. If I don't bring bbq pork back ribs, a designer cheesecake, and fireworks to dazzle the crowd- they would think I had lost it! Traditions. Sometimes you inherit them, sometimes you create them as you go. I feel sorry for people who don't have traditions- one reason is because they look so lost when they are around people who do have them. People like to have a sense of belonging, and every year this party attracts people who know they can join in and be welcome. We long timers include the new people in some of the work, talking with them and getting to know them. We get some of the young bucks help with the fireworks, teaching them safety and the thrill of the big boom!
Independence Day is also a time to reflect on who we were and what we've become. It's time for this nation to re-read the Bill of Rights, and The Constitution-and start living it....

A Cut Of Meat I've Never Dealt With....

Boneless beef ribs. When I last ventured to the meat market, I picked up about 4 lbs. of this stuff. I really didn't know exactly what it was but it wasn't expensive, and looked interesting. Today, I opened the package to find what looked like narrow boneless rib-eye steaks. I'm pretty sure this is the meat between the bones of a prime rib, cut a little more generously. Looks and feels tender, so I'm going to marinate in a Korean mix(water, rice wine vinegar, honey, soy sauce, sesame seed oil, salt, red pepper flakes, garlic, onion powder, and ginger. Jusy plan to charcoal on high temp grill and see what happens.... Got to get the home-made bread going, too!

Planning For State BBQ Cook Off Begins...

Since its' inception, The Buffalo Bros. cooking team has entered this contest, always signing up for every event. Cooks from all over the country come to compete, with about 45 teams total. Some are sponsored by national chains like Famous Daves' or regional restaurants or caterers. Some are marketing their own sauces or dry rubs, but there is probably 1/3 of us there who just like to cook, and ain't too bad at it. Our equipment isn't in the same league with the big dogs, but every year we manage to win a ribbon or two- which drives them nuts! I really tried to buy a large trailer smoker/cooker, but delivery was out too far to get it in time (Damn Food Channel!).
Catagories Friday nite will be the side dishes; Potatoes, vegetable, beans, and dessert. The following day it's the main catagorie that count for money and points; Chicken, pulled pork, pork ribs, and beef brisket. It is sponsored by the Kansas City Barbeque Society and has certified judges that know the criteria to be a good judge. It's not until mid- July, but planning starts Saturday!

Fathers' Day At My House....

What a great day! I fixed a meatloaf (herb based!) with a portobello mushroom sauce, hash-brown potato casserole, homemade bread and store-bought-but-excellent raisin oatmeal cookies! My son (in town one!) came over and ate the heck out of it! I then had a long, and good conversation with my son in K.C. about his excellent photography on his blog( bouncybouncy.blogspot.com) . He is a top flight writer who has to get back to his strong writing/communicating skills! Please check out his photos, and encourage him to start writing along with those photos! You will not regret it!

Happy Fathers' Day To All!

My own father passed away about 4 years ago, at the ripe old age of 85. He had a typical life growing up and living it out for those times- Young man in The Depression, married just before WWll, went to war for the duration, came home to start a career, and get to know his family again. He was a bus driver, worked at an industrial knitting works, assembled conveyors, sold life insurance, and for the last 40 yrs of his career proudly sold new Buicks. By the time I was born, my eldest brother was 13yrs old( I was called a surprise). By the time I was 6 the hard times were over, and we moved up into the middle class. Because of his job, Dad was not home at 5 like most Dads back then. It bugged me as a little kid my Dad was never at Little League, or any other event because of work. When I was older, and started working full time myself, I understood alot more. He was providing for a family to have a better life, and he did it. He had a good life for 84 yrs-The last year kind of sucked, but I was there for him, as well as the rest of my family. Call your Dad today if he's still around- he'll appreciate it!

Yestedays' Wanderings- Private Clubs(Not Golf!)

Friends of ours invited us to go to a private club(technically a "Benevolent Society") known in this area as Polish Halls, for their Burger Nite. A 1/2lb burger with anything you could imagine on it, with a side of Kapusta(kind of a sweet, shredded cabbage, cooked) for three bucks. Girls less than 12 yrs old as waitresses taking your order. Bar drinks so cheap, it's silly! I got there before anyone else in our party, and got something to drink. When I heard the bartenters' voice , I knew I had met her before. It was Sue, a woman my age who 20yrs ago was one of the premier bartenders in Grand Rapids! A delightful person I had not seen in at least 10yrs. We did a little catching up and it was a pleasure to run into her after all those years! These places are working folk/retiree hangouts, where everyone behaves and can relax. Good to know there are still friendly places to go and enjoy without pretentious people and high prices!

Sunday Leftovers = Tuesdays Dinner...

Sunday, I marinated and barbequed over charcoal the last pack of Lamb loin chops I had vacuum-packed. As there was 16 good sized chops, leftovers were anticipated! Today, I took them, trimmed of bone and fat, threw them in with baby carrots, celery( chopped), baby Yukon Gold potatoes quartered, large chopped Vidalia onion, all in a chicken stock/brown gravy base. Seasoned, it all went into a crock pot for 6-8 hrs. Voila! Lamb stew ala Buffalo Dick. We have to be the only idiots having stew on an 88 degree day in June! And don't laugh at the stew base, it totally nailed the lamb stew flavor! Monday and Tuesday generally are the days we mop up the left overs, and our one rule is "Nobody should have to eat anything more than twice"!

A Road Trip, Prep And Cook Day Today

We just got back from our tri-annual trip north to Birds' Market. As usual, packed with rural and cottage dwellers stocking up on the meat deals. Saturday morning is the worst time of the week to go here, but we knew that when we headed out. Half the fun of the place is people watching, while you wait your turn at the meat counter(avg 25 min.). Outlying areas always have had a mixed bag of super poor,poor, farmers, and well off people living on some lake in the area. Large women, missing teeth, with cheap tattoos, tanned, good looking women in designer beach wear, little kids who already need a bath and it's 10am, and working men hauled along to help lug stuff home on their day off. Darn near every one of them is friendly-at least when we talk to them. I bought the usual mix of beef and pork, scoring a whole beef tenderloin for $10.95 a lb. Came home, trimmed and cut it into steaks, then vaccuum packed it.
Next on the agenda is to get the white chocolate cheesecake I made out of the spring form pan, and vaccuum pack that before freezing it. I need the pan for the Creme de Menthe cheesecake I have to make that will go to the same party as the white chocolate one. Always something, isn't it?

Another Feed The Troops, (Customers) Day...

The weenie wagon rolls again! Last night planning and shopping for 40, today cooking on grill for same! Must chop onions, slice tomatoes, and tear lettuce this morning, as set up is 1030am-with lunch at 12. I hoped to have my own commercial smoker/cooker by now, but since the damn Food Channel came on BBQ smokers are sellling like mad, and I couldn't get a timely delivery. Usual picnic food-burgers,cheeseburgers,brats,potato and macaroni salads, munchies and cookies. Supposed to be hot today, so I anticipate a long ordeal! My company is getting more cranky if you complain about doing this, but it takes 3 people and about most of the day to get this done. We could send in pizzas and accomplish the same mission! Oh well, time to get busy!

Anniversary Dinner- Old Friends' Are Better Than Old Food...

My wife had to attend a baby shower that afternoon (The daughter of the friends we were going out with), and my buddy had to work, so he picked me up on the way to dinner. Their daughter-in-law was throwing the party, and lives even closer to the restaurant-so we picked up spouses there. Since the day we met, their daughter in law and I have been buddies, and it was good to see her! This is an extended family I've known most of my life that has probably seen more grief than anyone I know, yet maintain a good attitude towards life! Another old friends' wife had to attend the shower, so we invited them to join us for dinner.
The restaurant is the Clifford Lake Inn, on the shores of (all together now!) Clifford Lake. Old, comfortable place with a nice deck you can dine on-except a thunderstorm was going on! The menu was so predictable, I probably didn't have to open it. A good selection, but food service food out of a freezer or a bag. My grouper was overbattered and tasteless, wife had walleye that was OK, buddy Dan(always orders prime rib) had a good one. Other three had some kind of fish, again batttered and out of a freezer bag. I'd go back for the view, but not the food!
The friends, and the old memories we talked about were the gems of the evening- as well they should be....
Today, I'm looking forward to roasting a capon, stuffed with mushrooms and rice, draped with bacon. The drippings will go well on the fresh (not the free stuff!) asparagus!

Anniversary Weekend- Again.......

June 2nd, 1973 I became a married man. I was 20yrs old, she was 19. At those ages you would assume we "had " to get married. Wrong. We met when I was 17 and she was 16 on the first(and only!) blind date I ever went on. It wasn't love at first sight, we were a needed component for a double date (my buddys' girl was not allowed to single date) and as I loved to bowl, and as I had hormones in overdrive I went along with it. Blind date- by the time I had regained my eyesight, it was too late-we were going steady! 2 yrs at the local Junior College each, and then engagement, with marriage a year later.
After this many years, getting a present is something we openly discuss, because we both have stuff we literally have never used! We plan to go out with friends who married a month after us, to an out of town country inn for dinner Sat. night. I've been told the place isn't that great, but I guess that's not the reason we're going-is it? 34 years..... The guy in Shawshank got less time than I did...

The Comfort Zone List

Everyone seems to be into lists on the blog lately. I know nothing about "tags", but I ask you to list 5 comfort zones as an answer to this post.
1. My Home-I own it, have lived it for 25+ yrs. I say what I want , do what I want, because it's mine.
2. My career- I have worked in Specialty Metals for over 30 yrs. I meet very few people who know more about this subject than me, and more than a few who have heard I know my stuff!
3. The Northeast , Grand Rapids, MI- My kids represented the 4th generation to live in this part of town, and I know the merchants, clubs, find things without a map, and know alot of people here. Rare day I don't run into someone I went to school with, bowled with, etc.
4. Western Michigan- After 30+years on the road, I know where the best meat markets, bars, restaurants, etc. all located. Fun when you want a day trip!.
5. Earth- What a neat place to live! I have always felt a bond with people from wherever, if we just get a chance to communicate.
I know this is a little heavier than usual, but think- and post your answers, please!

Asparagus- Beware Of The "Free" Variety.....

A friend gave me what looked to be a huge bag of asparagus. He asked me to do something with it other than clean, boil, and bag it, as in- what else can be done? I told him, no problem (as we all know by now, I KNOW EVERYTHING!). Yeah, right! When opened, the bag revealed a mix of undersize/avg, young/old, pretty much wild asparagus. Great. Now that I've shot my big mouth off, what to do with a bag of glorified weeds? First separated the decent sized, from the small. Next, separated the rubbery/too dark green/from the reasonably OK stuff. I then took the good sized, trimmed it,steamed it shortly, laid a strip of Pepper Jack cheese along it, and wrapped it in a good quality ham sliced thinly. Reheated in a Micro until cheese melts, will make a nice appetizer. Next I took the small stuff, steamed until dead, blended(on Puree) with chix broth,cream O chix soup, nutmeg,Mrs Dash, garlic(while I was sauteing chopped onions,and celery) . Took the whole works up to simmer, then added cream cheese, milk, and a decent German sausage(pieces). When melded together-it wasn't bad!
I'm so proud I can take free asparagus, add 15 bucks and 4 hrs labor to it , give it back to a friend -just to preserve the legend of Buffalo Dick!

The Gasoline Rant-It's Been Coming...

Last night driving home, the posted gas price for unleaded reg was $3.68 a gal. This is somewhere in the range of $1.40 a gal. higher than about 5 months ago, or 50%+ increase. America runs on gas. When it's cheap we go places and spend that money on other things-strengthening our economy. When it's high, we don't-sending retail,restaurants,tourism,etc. into the crapper. In my career I have lost a job because of climbing oil prices (1st oil shortage 1973) Our co. built roof top air conditioners for Winnebago, and when gas doubled no one was buying RVs! I remember gas rationing-10 gal. every other day, based on your license plate number(about 1978). Since then it has ebbed and flowed like the tide, always ending higher.
Throughout this trend we have talked about electric cars, smaller cars, alternative energy sources, mass transit improvements, etc. The second gas goes down, it's back to the SUVs, trucks, and vans(which represent more than half the vehicles produced by domestic car companies!).
We need a firm direction. We need to stabilize fuel pricing(higher or lower!) to avoid swings in major markets. The profits the oil companies are taking is obscene. Their lobby groups have no limits. If we ever get any oil from the Iraq fiasco, it will not be passed along to the American taxpayer/consumer. It will go to oil companies and or Iraq. I call Bullsh*t on the politicans, oil companies, and anyone else that isn't doing something about the disappearing middle class in America!

Personal Day Monday...

I decided when I saw a flat tire on my company car last night, that I would take today off. With the wife gone this past week end, less got done than normal. Saturday was a long day at a chili cook off(I took 4th, but my usual pardner took 1st!) . Our friends that have been winning so much took 2nd so we had to all go back to the home bar and brag/explain/reason out the day! That got late, so Sunday was layback. Today I've got to fix a tire, grocery shop, haircut, do the paperwork I'm always talking about, and 10:30pm or so pick up my wife at the train station. For reference- You can drive from Grand Rapids MI to Kansas City MO faster than a train! However, with gas prices climbing it is slightly cheaper by train! Air fare and driving are almost a wash now(for that trip)! Somebody gave me a big ass bag of aspargus to turn into something different-but I don't know what! That is one veggie served best lightly steamed, with a little salt,pepper and butter(I think!). Well, I'd best get to it!

Unusual Weekend For Me!

MY WIFE IS LEAVING ME! Well, for the weekend, at least. She's traveling by train(her choice!) to Kansas City to visit our eldest son and his new cat. Buf Dick Jr. was concerned about his mom (her job loss deal) and couldn't make it back to MI for Moms' Day(didn't want to leave the damn cat!) so they came up with this idea to ship her out to there. Good therapy I think-she misses him, loves cats, and cares for our sons more than me (completely Normal Mom). I have a minor Chili Cook-off to go to, and a ton of paperwork to do-so she's pretty sure I can manage to keep my ass out of trouble for a few days. 10 bucks says she will have our youngest still living in town checking to make sure the old man ain't in jail or worse! Remember Glen Frys' song "Party Town"? Hells Bells! I do!!!!

Mothers' Day Is Really A Whole Week End!

As mentioned before, my wife is not working(let go 1 week ago) right now. Everything is fine, but I guess I'm trying to be a little more attentive on the mood thing. So, Friday night was with friends at the club, Saturday we went north to a casino(she wasn't lucky like I hoped, but my winnings offset the losses!). Sunday(Moms' Day) I fixed an unusual but really good treat-about 4lbs of King crab legs ! Alot of people in the Midwest will eat crab at the drop of a hat, but seldom have it except in a restaurant. Most of them don't even know the frozen ones from Alaska or Russia are already cooked when they hit the store! Because of this ignorance, most boil them until the meat is tasteless and the shells are so soft you could probably eat them. You can literally Microwave them until warm and they would be better. Anyway, I thawed them and because of the size of these bad boys about all they would fit in was my Nesco roaster! Steamed briefly on a rack over about 1/2" of water, they came out perfect. I know how to "draw" butter,but choose not to-I think you lose butter flavor. The only way to eat a messy meal like this is to have it with close friends or immediate family! My youngest came over with roses for Mom and we all ate like savages! The side dish was a rice casserole which I wouldn't make again(just a simple rice pilaf next time!) and dessert was a simple,but rich chocolate brownie. Today, she will continue Mothers' Day Weekend with a road trip to Birch Run-a shopping day with a girlfriend. Me- The Monday grind at work....

Sometimes I Have A Weird Way Of Making A Living

When I first started in sales, I would get in my car with a customer list and go make sales calls. As the years progressed, technology gave us many more tools to use- cell phones, computers, and pagers. On the front end of my career, customer entertainment was, lunches, dinners , technical dinners with speakers, etc. and golf. Now,the business groups have lost so many members, people don't go to the dinner meetings, putting together a 4some for golf is almost impossible(someone will cancel 'cause of business) and because there is more"team" building in industry along with people being so busy they won't go out to lunch-we bring lunch to them as a group. Earlier this week I had to meet a group from one of my customers and buy drinks and appetizers after work. During work, they don't even get a long enough lunch break to bring in food! Then yesterday, I lugged pop, munchies, and cookies, had a pizza place deliver 14 pizzas to another good customer. I don't mind being nice to good customers, but life sure used to be alot simpler!

Annual Eat Free At The Club Night....

Last night, we had our once a year induction of new members. We also award "gold cards" to members that have hit 25yrs with the club on this night, so it's our biggest turnout of the year(approx 120) for a business meeting. A buddy of mine and I started a tradition about 8yrs ago, where we would put out free food for after the meeting. "Free" is not a word to be used lightly around retirees and guys who worked all day, as they will eat like it's their last meal on Earth. When we started this, the board approved up to $120.00 for expenditures. I boasted I could feed every guy that was there for $1.00 a piece. And we did, for a least 5 years! Now prices are up, expectations are higher, so we now spend about $1.30each! It really is amazing how many people you can feed for very little(if you have to!). Most who read this blog have figured out I spend a hell of alot more than that in my own life! We served meatballs in a Merlot based herb brown gravy, ham & cheese on Kaiser rolls(with lettuce,tomatoes,onions,mustard,catsup,mayo, and pickles for condiments) potato salad, deviled eggs, olives,dill pickle spears, and potato chips. Plain, but good food on a budget! And brother, did it all get gone! Couple of stray olives rollin' around on the floor, but that was about it.....

My 100th Post- Hard To Believe!

When I created a blog about a year ago, it was done primarily to be able to occasionally communicate with my son who lives in Kansas City, MO. In order to post on his blog, I had to have one too. So with limited computer skills, and definitely rusty writing skills I set one up and found something new and interesting-blogging with all you out there! I have not learned to post pictures yet- but I will! I certainly enjoy the postings that have visuals to go along with some pretty good writing.
Last night I took my wife(was her last day at her now ex- employer!) down to a private social club I have mentioned we are fairly active in. It was good therapy for her, as she had a few rum & cokes and talked to numerous friends about her change in status. It is good to have friends always, but in times of bad luck or change they can be a real asset. We stayed 2hrs past our usual departure time(place is only 7 minutes from our house) and slept in a little bit later than normal. Tuesday a friend and myself will buy, schepp, and cook for about 120 guys down at the club. It's an annual thing he and I do, so gotta come up with a menu today! Always Deviled eggs, meatballs- but what else......

The Economy In Michigan Continues Its' Downward Spiral..

Do you know the difference between a Recession and a Depression? A recession is where your neighbor loses their job. A depression is when you lose yours....
My wife came home yesterday, and informed me her company was letting 10-20 people go-and she was one of them. It was not a performance issue, they simply had to cut staff. She will recieve a severance package, her vacation pay, and unemployment(Uncontested). We are fine with this, as we are not head over heels in debt, but it illustrates the state of the economy in Mich. I am tired of watching good people who really do need a job in West Michigan lose their jobs to inexpensive labor driven industries overseas- primarily China.
My wife is one of those individuals that works more for her self- worth than the money, and I know in the next few weeks a depression will hit her that we all will feel. With her work experience I know she will find another job about as fast as she will want to, but it is still a sucky feeling to be out of work and not have it been by your choice.

Twas A Day To Remember In Chili History...

My last post was just before we left to try our luck at yet another chili cook-off. The weather was beautiful, their layout for the cookoff was great, and because we had paid for two entries we got two full tables-the most room for cooking we ever had! 16 teams were entered, most were rookies but were friendly and in good(drank like fish!) spirits. They had some things to learn about what was fair for all in judging, but they changed what they could immediately, and will do a few things different next year. Alot of different ways to win a trophy( best booth, best vegetarian, best white, best overall, 2nd best overall, hottest and worst) . Normally, you would see 1st, 2nd,3rd, best white, best booth. Our batch was pretty good, so I liked our chances in both red and white. And the winner is..... for best White Chili-us! Then came the surprise-Best overall chili- Buffalo Dicks' Wicked White Chili! I haven't seen a white chili win top prize in the 13yrs I have competed! In fact, they hadn't provided a trophy for the best Red Chili, because it was assumed a red would win overall. That made some people a little unhappy-mainly the guy I cook with because after reviewing the results our red chili would have won that category too!
The only down side is (I can't believe I'm going to bitch about this...) the 2 trophies we won were the dinkiest we have ever gotten....
Over $1700 was raised for the charity (C-Snips- a local non-profit pet neutering service), so it was a good day indeed!

A Double Cook-Off Try Today

We signed up for a 1st time chili cook off to be held today at a rural bar and restaurant. It is to raise money for C-Snips, a low cost neutering service for mainly dogs. We found out later they would be having a White Chili and Red Chili catagory, so we got into both! It doubles the work, but doubles the odds we can place too. We know the Health inspector will be there, so we have to make sure to bring extra gloves, thermometers, and ice. I may have described my Wicked White Chili before, but for the ones who don't know what the hell I'm talking about-here goes!
I will use 4lbs of boneless,skinless chicken breasts,cubed and sauted, 2lbs of Italian mild sausage that has fresh basil and grated romano cheese right in it, tore up into pieces and browned. Base liquid is chicken broth, seasoned with cumin,Mexican oregano, chopped Jalapeno peppers, garlic, white pepper and celery seed. Chopped onions, bell peppers, canned corn, with white beans all go in it too. Our final, not-so-secret-anymore ingredient is a jar or two of Alfredo sauce. Doesn't take long to cook-just simmer for about an hour, adding the alfredo about 10 minutes before done. Can be topped with grated Parmesean&Romano and sliced black olives. Wish us luck, as we'll need it being the out of towners again!

Here I Am Under Michigan Skies(Gray) And I'm Thinking About Rainbows..

Just look under web search" Somewhere Over The Rainbow Israel" (Should take you to U-Tube) on Search and listen to this deceased Hawaiian, then look under "The Rainbow Connection" (Again, U-Tube!) and listen to the everlasting frog, Kermit. Then tell me your day didn't just really improve? Just thinking about my kids today when they were younger and in wonderment of the world....

Customer Appreciation Season Has Begun!

Today, along with 3(to 9-I'll explain later) other fellow workers we cooked for about 100 people-all employees of a good customer of mine! We do these cook-outs as a "thanks for the business", but believe me, they are alot of work. First you must decide on the menu (We had pop,water, 1/2lb hamburgers/cheeseburgers, brats, potato salad, munchies, cookies-along with all the condiments and toppings you could imagine!). Then you gotta physically go get it(I HATE SCHLEPPING!!!) , store it until needed, then lug it all to the customers and set it up and cook it. Don't forget clean-up! I bought all the stuff & lugged it. One other guy I have taken to calling The Wedding Planner(loves to be in charge and works his ass off, but could be alot more organized!) , drives the truck and trailer and does the grill setup and cooking. The other two are pretty much there to do what they're told. The other six from our company show up to eat and schmooze, with the truck driver, and shop guys later helping with the cleanup. It was windier than all get out today and we were fortunate to be able to cook in one of their truck bays. I set up the table like you would a buffet-first plates, napkins,etc., progressively working down towards the cookies for dessert. Made both sides of table accessable to speed things up. The best laid plans of mice and men... they all come in from the opposite direction, in a single line. By now I really don't give a sh*t, and most of them spent alot of their lunch period in a damn line.
When there are things like this in your life, don't you wait 'til the line gets shorter and THEN get in the line? Nothing sadder than people walking like they're in a chain gang for 20 minutes, instead of sitting for 15 and then getting into line for 5....

Old Tradition-Friday Nite Pizza Nite!

Many, many moons ago when my wife and I were newlyweds, we didn't have squat. She was fresh out of Junior College (age19) with an Associates' degree (I had gotten mine a year previous and was now age 20) starting new jobs and were in our first apartment. Had a rent payment, car payment, one utility bill a month, and thought we had the world by the ba*ls! We were young and were learning that it cost more money than we thought to get though life! Early on in our marriage, we got into the habit of Pizza Friday. Every other week I would get a paycheck, and we would go grocery shopping. We would buy one of those nasty Chef Boy-Ar-Dee boxed pizza mixes,go home, doll it up with pepperoni, a can of mushrooms, and Mozzarella cheese-along with a six pack of Strohs' beer! That was our extravagance night until we had saved enough money to buy our own house! We still kept friday night as Pizza Nite all through our lives-changing to homemade crusts, designer toppings or just ordering one from our local Pizza Guy! We have a hell of alot more money and stuff than we did when we were just starting out, but I don't know if we were ever happier than when we looked forward to Pizza Friday back then...
Oh by the way, tonight we're having a sausage, pepperoni and mushroom pizza(homemade!). Enjoy your weekend!

A Great Way To Start The Chili Cook-off Season...

Yesterday, The Buffalo Bros. Team Chili participated in what we consider the first cook-off of the 2007 chili contest season in West Michigan. It is held at the Snug Harbor Bar & Restaurant, that is located right on the channel in Grand Haven, MI (on the shores of beautiful Lake Michigan!). It's a fun event, part of a blues festival that goes on Friday and Saturday, featuring live music from name brand bands from Chicago and other large cities.
We were concerned about how cold it would be- the wind off the lake this time of year can be brutal. Fortunately, the air was pretty still and the patio we cook on was blocked from the elements. We ended up next to our good friends, Dragon Spit Chili. Our chili is called Buffalo Dick Chili, and we were responsible for getting them into these cook-offs about 5yrs ago. They have kicked our ass alot since then, with us placing and them winning. Yesterday was no different, but a great day none the less. Our batch took 2nd place, missing 1st by 1 point. Guess who won for the third year in a row? Bastards... We will get them at the next event!
P.S.- The trophies this year were the coolest ever(granite base, heavy glass body, topped with an iron frying pan with a ceramic painted chili pepper in the pan).

Craving For a Polish Specialty-Kielbasa

Ever since Easter, I have had a craving for a traditional Easter/Christmas treat (at least around where I live!) Polish Kielbasa or commonly called Polish sausage. It comes in a variety of ways-fresh, smoked, and double-smoked. On top of that, there are as many recipes for the make up of this sausage as there would be for German Bratwurst. We have at least 8 meat markets or stores that have meat counters all making a different version of this stuff, with the worst one being still pretty good sausage! Some are spicier(marjoram being a main flavor, along with black pepper, salt, onion and garlic for sure!), some simmer better, some roast better, some grind the meat coarser, some use thicker casings, etc.(you get the idea!). I decided to get Levandoskis' this time. It is a larger diameter than most, with a strong dose of spices in the mix. I will roast this in a 325F oven for about an hour, in about 2" of water(or beer!). My good friend is a die hard Polish Catholic who as a tradition, always makes for Easter a fresh horseradish sauce from scratch. This stuff when freshly made (ground root, salt,sugar, and white vinegar) is as pungent as anything you may have ever eaten! It is usually made in the garage, or in the open air because the fumes can make a house uninhabitable until they dissipate. Just opening the jar and breathing it can make you cough! In an oversize good quality hot dog or brat bun(I'll use catsup,polish mustard and horseradish!) this is one tasty way to eat Kielbasa....

Easter Dessert- I Bet You Haven't Ever Had This...

As I mentioned earlier, I wanted something citrusy to foil some of the rich food on the menu. My family does not like pie- prefers cake (weirdos anyway...), so I decided to make a Key Lime Pound Cake! Instead of the whole cake topped with a flavored icing, I plan to serve it sliced, spread with some Key lime curd I've been hoarding and then topping it off with whipped cream. It's in the oven right now, and looks like I used a little more baking powder than necessary-we shall see...

Easter Dinner- The Planning Begins!

I look forward to preparing something special on Holidays, even though with my folks gone and my children grown and living on their own, they aren't the feasts we used to have. I asked my youngest son what he'd like on Easter; Prime rib, roast turkey, or leg of lamb. He wanted lamb! While I was at the store looking the lamb over, I noticed they had thick lamb chops(the ones that look like mini T-bone steaks!)Loin chops I believe they're called. These cuts, in my Simon & Garfunkel marinate( Parsley,sage,rosemary & thyme, garlic, salt, pepper,fresh lemon juice and olive oil!) then grilled quickly over glowing charcoal, are delectable. For those of you that have never had lamb, or had it once and didn't like it-please try this cut of meat and cooking method. Fresh asparagus, garlic mashed Yukon Gold potatoes, fresh homemade bread, and a lemony dessert yet to be determined should fill the bill. Blog back your Easter plans-I'd like to hear them!

A Lash At Candymaking-For The Adult Palate...

I have only dabbled in simple candy making, but it is my intent to become proficient at it someday. A good friend of mine has made candy making his main hobby, and I'm sure I'll be doing some as his apprentice(for awhile) someday! Today, I took some milk chocolate chunks (2lbs) and melted 3/4 of them in a double boiler, while I microwaved the remaining 1/4. Why you ask? To see which method worked best! The microwave won out because of speed, less mess, and a more controllable liquid consistency. I then mixed chopped dried sweetened cranberries and chopped walnuts into the chocolate and spread it out over wax paper sitting on a cookie sheet. It is firming up in the refridgerator as I write this. I did sneak a sample and the cranberry/walnut thing with the milk chocolate is definitely going to work! Remember the "Chunky" candy bar? Milk chocolate, raisins, and nuts in a thick piece. Sorta reminds me of them, only cranberries rule over raisins!

Dining Experiences In Las Vegas

We didn't make hitting a fantastic restaurant every meal a priority, but did manage a few memorable dining experiences! High end dining is available all over Vegas, but we ended up incorporating convenience with good eats.
Top Of The World- 900ft in the sky, the view is unequaled! The restaurant rotates, so you have a 360 degree view of Las Vegas. I mentioned in another post about what I had(Kobe beef carpaccio, chunks of Parmesean, capers, designer leaves of some lettuce, with olive oil/spice dressing drizzled on it.) I also had an award winning lobster bisque which was great!
My wife ordered the pork chop, which had an apple/apricot chutney and had the best pork aroma you could imagine. The couple we were with both ordered prime rib which was tender, and done to their liking(Typical prime rib....). The service and "feel" of the place was excellent. The place was not overly busy, as most would go here for dinner-not lunch.
The Villiage Seafood Buffet at the Rio- Rated 3rd best buffet in Vegas, don't go unless you are hungry! The seafood is fresh and as well prepared as a buffet could provide. Crab legs, cold water lobster, shrimp any way imaginable, clams, mussels, scallops, etc. If you didn't like seafood and went here, you'd be an idiot(at $35 ea.) but there is duck, prime rib and other non swimming eats too. Salads, bread, soups, desserts, no one could go away hungry! I am not a buffet person. I really can't hold enough food eaten in one sitting to make it pay. I also tend to eat more than is comfortable(as it all looks soooo good!).
Fellini's- We had a couple of hours before heading to the airport, so we caught a meal that was convenient. A smaller place than some out there, with a great wait staff. We started with appetizers; good bread slathered in a cheesy, garlicky spread and a stuffed portobella mushroom. The mushroom was covered with a crabmeat sauce, then covered with melted fresh mozzarella and carmelized onions. Damn good! Entrees were-Chicken Marsala(me!) I love this dish, but the sauce varies wherever you go. Not too sweet,but a little thin for me. My buddy had Chicken Parmigiana, and loved it. Ladies both ordered Shrimp Alfredo. Sauce looked a little thin to me, but they had no complaints. Now that we all have serious garlic breath-Let's get on the plane!
Wait! We have to have a nightcap at the bar atop the Stratosphere! This is an experience at night. One tier above the restaurant, you can see every light turned on in Las Vegas! Took some pictures that did not turn out, oh well... By the way, if you do this don't try to get loaded up there-drinks are about $10 a piece and you still better leave a tip!

The Vegas Show We Attended-Mystere Cirque Du Soleil..

It started back home on line trying to score good tickets at a good price. Block of 4, best available. I had some in a pretty good location mid theater, but couldn't get an answer from the other couple soon enough-they were gone. Later, I went back on line to try and get what was left, when 4 seats in the third row,middle popped up! Somebody had cancelled, so I grabbed 'em! The show was a stunning display of acrobatic ability, color, and sound. Humor, beauty, and action went on for 1-1/2 hrs non-stop. The seats we had put us w/in 15 feet of the stage, and closer was better! No cameras allowed, but a great memory anyway!

The Vegas Chronicles- Story 1...

I mentioned I planned to get into a Texas Hold'em tournament-and I did! Most casinos out there have them with a format like this: $60 buys you $4000 chips. They raise the blinds every 20 minutes so most contests are over in 2-1/2hrs. There were 25 people in ours, couple of women, some older guys, some younger guys. Some drunk, some too sober. Anyway, we started with my buddy taking an early lead, only to get bounced on an "all in" by a person with a larger full house than his! My play started slow, waiting for playable cards. I won a decent pot with a good hand, then won a bigger one on a bluff against a bluff! My pair of deuces beat the other liars' king high! One by one, players were elliminated- mainly by a table bully with alot of chips, and his friend who was getting the best cards at the tables. But the bully started making costly mistakes, and his buddy had lost his lucky draws. I was winning money off both of them, until I looked at the stacks and realized I had the most chips! I looked at the board to see what the places would pay- and first was $716 ! Within 2 hrs I had entered my first poker tournament and won! I treated my friend and our wives to a lunch at a restaurant atop the Stratosphere, which ran about 150 bucks. My buddy thanked me-and I told him "You paid 60 bucks to get into the game, and won nothing. I think all you just did is pay for your own lunch!

Back From Vegas, Off To Chicago (15hr Layover At Home!)

Can't report on vacation until I get back from a 2 day work related trip to Chicago! Hope you're all well!

No Fear Of Flying-Just A Little Claustrophobic...

Tuesday really early, we leave for Las Vegas. Grand Rapids MI to Twin Cities, a layover, then straight out. Last time on a plane, it was stupid crowded. We did not sit together as a family, and I was stuck in the middle seat between 2 large people(And I wasn't small!) Looong flight, and air was getting stale. By the time I got off that plane, I was seriously pissed. I am concerned about a repeat, as I usually drive wherever I go. I have worked in outside sales for 30 years. I am not used to being in an office or one place for more than a couple of hours at the most. You would be surprised how that can change you! Once we get there, things should be fine-provided they aren't hauling me off to Security when we land....

Winters' Last Blast And St Paddys' Day!

Looks like the Midwest & East will get one(I hope!) last dose of winter. Until Jan. it was the mildest, after that-the wildest!
Everybody ready for St Pats' Day? I'm not Irish, and don't own alot of green clothes, but I do enjoy corned beef & cabbage, or a Reuben alot. Good Irish stew where they actually use lamb is a treat also. Guiness if you cut it with an Irish lager( to make a Black and Tan or a 'alf and 'alf!) makes it alot more palatable-at least to me! The music is enjoyable, provided you don't have to listen to it for more than an hour- then it all starts sounding the same! Tell me how you plan to enjoy the day when we all are Irish for a bit...

Viva Las Vegas! One More Week To Go....

Last night, the friends we will be meeting in Las Vegas stopped by to go over the loose agenda we have set up for the vacation. Got killer seats (3rd row!) to Mystique at Treasure Island, plan to play in at least one Texas Hold 'Em tournament, going out to the dam(Hoover) and a couple of dinners to be determined. I am calling this "Retro Vegas Trip" because we are near downtown, and expect to be there most of the time-by choice! It's been over 10 years since we've been there, and everyone assures me much has changed. Just looking forward to a week off, and a landscape with NO SNOW!!!

A Full, But Odd Day Coming At Me...

Tomorrow, I must leave the house by 8am and head for a KCBS(Kansas City BB-Q Society) judging seminar. I don't plan on being a judge, I'm going for the knowledge of what a judge is looking for when I am trying to place more often and higher in the competitions! It will be held locally, and I expect to see alot of my competitors there for the same reason I am attending. A friend of mine organized it, so he appreciated the support from me and others, as he is trying to move up in the KCBS. I am pretty sure there will be food to judge!
Later, I must attend the old musical "Oklahoma" w/wife & relatives. Yeee F**kin Haaa! I'm sure it will be more entertaining than what I can imagine... The Movie version struck me as pretty gay even before I knew about such things...
Well, brown rice is a-cookin, and time to put the steaks in the broiler-Have a good one this weekend!

Leftovers-We All Got 'Em, What'll We Do With 'Em?

As I have explained earlier, the weather here has made mundane(or fun!) tasks difficult to the point of "screw it". Sundays, I usually grocery shop. My wife was gone for the week-end, and I didn't feel that ambitious so I checked my supplies for ingredients to make a dinner. I decided chicken,mushroom noodle casserrole on a cold, snowy day would be good. Simmered chicken, got out stuff for sauce-then I realized I had no egg noodles, just Italian type pastas. Had to abort plan, but what to do with 2-1/2lbs of cooked chicken breasts? Made a quick switch to chicken spaghetti-chunks of tender white meat in a sauce of chix broth,tomato base pasta sauce and mushrooms, served over the pasta. Good stuff, but a ton left over! Last night, took remaining sauce and made a chicken, mushroom,pepperoni pizza! Lots of Provolone, Parmasan,Mozzarella & Romano grated or shredded to tie it together.
Anytime we can do "Leftover Control" we always feel like forward progress was accomplished!

Procrastination-The Downward Spiral

I hate paperwork,reports,computer work and Accountability in general! There was a time in my life when results were the only measurement stick. Now, thanks to technology we can be found anywhere, anytime. Sales was a dream job at one time(Before cell phones,pagers,etc.). You called in a couple of times a day and got your messages, and took care of business. Now I have to check voice mail, text messages,E-mails and pager quotes! I figured out I was now working an extra week every month! I only get mad when I get behind-like now......

Wife Out For Couple Of Days With The Girls

And here I am with my thoughts and my two other girls; Willow the cat, and Clara the Airdale. More bad weather came in, making my wifes' road trip with the gals a little less fun. Probably try a new dessert(something citrusy) and unusual(no wife!) main meal for Sunday. Loads of paperwork to do for work too. My sons' girlfriend is out of town too, so last night he came by for food. His request was for sloppy joes! Your basic ground chuck,chopped onion,chopped celery, catsup, mustard, vinegar,brown sugar,salt,pepper and Worstchesire sauce sloppy joe. Taste 'O Home for him, I think. I ate one,wife managed two, he ate four!His new car is working out great, so peace reigned for at least one evening! Currently outside we have more snow than ever. March??!! Enough!!!!

In Your Life, Have Something To Look Forward To...

It doesn't have to be Earth shaking or life-changing(even though it could be!), it just has to be something to look forward to. Anticipation can be as exhilarating as the event. Remember when you were a kid? The circus? The beach? Almost anything out of the ordinary routine? When was the last time you felt that excited? We all get so worn down with the mechanics of living,we forget life can be fun-at least once in awhile!
We are taking a vacation in late March, and going to Las Vegas. It's been about 10 years since we went, and haven't flown, or got away like this since our kids went into & got out of college! I'm trying not to see the hassle of it all, just the fun I imagine it could be......

Snow Day Means Cook Neat Meal Day!

Sunday main meal was kind of good! Bone in split chix breasts, and the dark meat guy(ME!) got thighs. Marinated in olive oil, red wine vinegar,water,garlic,onion, salt,redpepper,basil&oregano. Baked for 1-1/2hrs at 300F, uncovered-for crispy skin.
The side today was cauliflower-steamed for 5 minutes then cold shocked with water. I make a lighter Alfredo sauce to go on it before baking like this; butter melted in sauce pan, add flour black pepper and salt. Milk next, bring to simmer stirring often. When it thickens I add grated Parmesean and Romano (Both the real deal!) and a touch of garic. Pour on cauliflower and bake along w/chicken for 30 min. uncovered. Rasberry muffins w/butter (I bought 'em!).
Dessert was simply a box fudge brownie mix that I added cherry extract, cherry juice and chopped marchino cherries to. Simple and tasty!
The rest of the day was spent pis*ing and moaning about the weather!

Loose Ends Tied, Made It To Weekend

After more time than it seemed worth, my son is now back in a car! Searched newspapers, magazines, and the Internet. Looked at car lots(alot of them!). Finally, he hit a search engine that showed some rides we hadn't seen before. Private party, test drive, some hard questions, and then the haggling. In one fell swoop two cars came off my insurance, along with one driver! He got a preety sharp car! It's a black Dodge Intrepid ES ,3.3L( the good motor!) leather, 2-way auto transmission, premium sound system, short answer- loaded. Now we can get back to what passes for normal around here!
Last night made it down to the club-first Friday in a long time! Two friends of ours were celebrating their birthdays, and this is where it gets a little humorous... Kevin and Mike are exactly 10yrs apart in age, both happily married(to women!). Mikes' wife works office in a bakery, so she had a cake made up w/both their names on it. Both guys will drink about any kind of drink, and were doing just that when I came up to the table. This is what I see; a cake with 2 guys names on it, the 2 guys drinking purple hooters. I'm not homophobic but it looked kinda gay to me! I mentioned this, which wives thought was way funnier than the guys did. It kicked off an entertaining conversation with stories about things not being as they appeared!
Another weather report telling us more snow on the way-great! Looks like quite a bit of the country is gonna get something unusual, so be careful out there!

There Is A Rant In Here Somewhere.....

Let's start with used cars. We have begun in earnest to look for a replacement auto for my son,who totaled a car (we were selling him) a couple weeks back. Found a nice car, good price, being sold by someone I actually know and trust. Well, I trust him but he really doesn't know jacksh*t about cars. Upon further investigation the car in question has a 2.7L v-6 motor that showed up as a problem child on the Internet like a rash. It happens to be a Chrysler, and the motor is prone to disaster if you don't change the oil like a religious ritual. This guy has maintained the car to these standards, but my son is not the most trusting of individuals, and what was a done deal yesterday is now a "Hold the Phone!". Naturally, all this makes me look even stupider than usual, and I grew up on a car lot(Dad sold cars for 40yrs.!) and know more about these things than anyone so far mentioned during this rant! I am tons more patient these days than I was when I was younger(Imagine Donald Duck freakin' out like he did in his cartoons!), however when I forgive debt, give extra money towards project, and take time off work to help look for vehicle and nothing gets resolved- I am getting close to losing it!

Tonight, We Attend A Retirement Party!???!1

Tonight, a friend of ours is the reason for the party. Dave has worked for almost 40yrs in a skilled trades job, and decided enough was enough! He is in his late 50s and has had his last parent die w/in the last year, in addition to the fact that he and his wife never had children. These circumstances have led to the decision to not work like the rats the rest of us all still are! I'm happy for him. Until a few years ago, I never thought of retiring-now it crosses my mind more and more frequently. Not to stop working, but possibly doing something more community- minded, and on my own timetable! Not going to happen for the next 5-10 yrs, but your goals and values change on you in quiet, subtle ways. Got to get his Prune juice,Senior Citizens punch card, and funny card for the party. Someday this will be YOU.......

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO PINKNEST & TANYA KRISTINE!!!!!

Try to send them your best wishes today!

Update on Totaled Car, And Other Sundry Musings...

Last Friday, the insurance company finally got back to us with the information that the car(son hit drunk that ran red light car) had been offically "totaled". On the phone, I waited for the settlement amount, ready to do battle for more money if it was a dime less than $3000. She starts "Because of the high mileage(104,000) this is the total of the check we are prepared to cut-$5,451.00". The only thing I could utter at that moment was"Okay, that seems fair". That was like replacement value, not trade- in worth, and that was great! We are now looking for a car to replace the destroyed one, and it's not easy right now to choose a good one because of all the snow, and crappy driving conditions. We are giving my son $4000 and are wiping his debt clean($1200) because having to hit someone going 40mph and having 2 airbags go off in your face should be worth "combat pay"!
Speaking of accidents, today I had to drive south to N. Indiana, which was in the middle of a blinger of a storm. Snow, drifting,wind gusts were sending cars and trucks off the road on the Turnpike. Some of them were rollovers, and it was getting worse as the day progressed. South of that was even worse-according to the radio. Stay warm and safe, everyone!

Sunday Dinner Made Ahead (Thank God!)

This morning, I had a spare 2 hrs, so I figured it would be a good time to make a traditional lasagne ahead for Sunday dinner. Ground sirloin,Italian sausage-all seasoned and browned with diced onions and garlic. In another pot, the tomato base sauce was mixed & simmered(tomato sauce,red wine vinegar,garlic,salt,pepper,red pepper flakes,brown sugar,basil,oregano, onion diced,fennel seeds,marjoram and olive oil. Drained the meat mixture, combined w/sauce to simmer another 40minutes. Mixed Ricotta cheese with 2 eggs and grated Parmesean cheese. Had my Mozzerella,Provolone,Romano/Parmasean(shredded)mixture ready for layering. Noodles boiled 8 min. and cold shocked with water. Assembled Meat sauce base layer, noodles, Ricotta mixture, shredded cheese,meat sauce, other cheeses. Repeated for total of three layers of noodles. Tomorrow, all I'll have to do is take out of fridge 1 hr before cooking, cook 1 hr(1st half of time covered, last half,uncovered) at about 330F . Let sit for 10min. or so before cutting. Ta Da! Italian bread heated in oven for a come-along, and a white chocolate cheesecake for dessert. I hope the weather breaks soon, or I'm gonna weigh 400lbs.! Can anyone out there make a lasagne that weighs less than 8 lbs? Me either!

A Quick Supper From My Youth...

Last night, we weren't that hungry, so it was "stand in front of the fridge with the door open" and ponder the stash available. Suddenly, after seeing my supply choices, I asked my wife "What about Frank-Cheesies?" Yeah! We haven't had one in a year, so I began production. Oh, what's a Frank-Cheesie you ask? I have heard them called a least 3 different names, but what they are is a hot dog, with a V-shaped cut down the length of it, filled with a strip of cheese, then wrapped with bacon and broiled. served in a hot dog bun with whatever you think would taste good with it(we just use catsup and/or mustard!). The method I used last night was, thick bacon fried, then hot dogs V cut and fried, then cheese put on hot dog in bun with bacon running along side it in bun, micro'd to melt cheese(25 seconds). Healthy? Hell, no! Good? Oh, yeah!

The Blizzard of '07 Keeps Blizzing Along...

It was -6F this morning, with a wind chill of -18F ! There's about 10"-12" of snow on the ground where they haven't pushed it around yet. Where they have pushed it around, the mounds are 6' high(residental) and 15' high in some parking lots! This isn't just cold, this is stupid cold! At these temps, salt really doesn't melt anything. I checked with the insurance co. on my car that was in an accident last Monday. I said "You must have alot of claims in the past few days". Her reply was "You wouldn't believe me if I told you." I reminded her that we had beaten the rush, and expected an answer soon.
I cooked alot while holed up in the warm house. Sunday, I tried a Korean beef short rib recipe. Nailed the sauce, but the ribs were a little tougher than I expected. Went well with the brown rice,though. Today, it's vegetable beef soup, with home made bread. We are going to have to shop tonight, which will be fun I'm sure! To the warm weather bloggers-count your blessings, to the cold weather group-stay warm, and be careful outside!

A Good Night To Stay Home Alone

It's Friday night, my wife and one her girlfriends went off to see the Gilbert & Sullivan operetta "Pirates of Penzance" starring my sons' girlfriend! In other words, I wormed out of it.After working all week in serious winter weather my idea of a good Friday night is holing up where it's warm and relaxing. I made dinner for my wife before she left to ease my guilt. When she gets home, she will find I made a serious-from-scratch lemon pound cake, which came out really well! I have to start following recipes more closely when I bake-it works! Everything else in cooking seems alot more forgiving. The insurance people haven't even inspected my totaled car yet, as the weather around here apparently caused alot of insurance claims. Borderline annoying...
Super Bowl must come soon! The hype is getting more irritating with every hour that passes. I mean, when they have air time hyping the damn commercials-enough!
Hope it's warmer where you are, our West Michigan forecast for Sat. is "Blizzard-like conditions". Wouldn't that make it like a-what do they call it? Blizzard?

Formula For A Sleepless Monday Night

First, you get all comfy in your nice warm robe. Then you settle down to watch a little TV with a pillow and a blanket. You doze off(as you always do!) with the TV blaring. Suddenly you are awakened by a ringing phone. You look at the time(to know if someone is calling late enough to be pissed about it!)and its' midnight. Your wife is talking to someone on the upstairs phone, so you know it wasn't a wrong number. "Who is it?" you holler up the stairs. It's Craig(our youngest-26)and he knows better than to call us after 10pm-unless something is wrong. How wrong you wonder? Wife comes down stairs. He was in an accident coming home from 2nd shift job. A drunk ran the red and my son T-boned him, deploying both airbags. He is fine, not injured. The guy he hit says in a slurred voice,"I'm in ALOT of trouble". Definition of Trouble: Not his car, no drivers' license, drunker than a fiddlers' bitch, with priors. My kid got his insurance info,cop shows up and the guy has fled on foot! No problem. After talking with witnesses & my son, the cop thinks he knows who it is(he did,caught him, got a confession and gave him a free nights' stay at the Gray Bar Hotel!). Here's where I come in. It's one of my cars my son was driving, on my insurance. The cop said car is probably totaled, so now it's argue with the insurance company for a fair price time! Instant insomnia!

A Saturday On The Road And Shopping

It looked like stockup time for the pantry and the freezer,so we got rollin'. First stop, oil change for new van, then down to a specialty grocery store in our old neighborhood. Great selection of quality cheeses, coffees, and cooking/baking supplies. Hit the bank for more ammunition, then over to Walgreens. This stop was actually for my youngest son. His workplace is going "smoke-free" so he is going to try and quit(again)! His mom volunteered to pay for the chemical aid for his program to the tune of $60. I'm OK with that, as long as he quits!
We then decided to head for Birds'-a country store 40 miles north of us, famed for their meat counter and deals. On Sat. this place is always packed, mostly rural types stocking up big time. You take a number for the meat counter and hope it goes fast. There was probably 20 people in front of us(remember now this place is in the middle of nowhere!)with no one buying less the $60 worth of meats! Everyone waiting is pretty amiable about it, and you end up having a conversation or two Mayberry RFD style. I got a whole boneless rib (16lb),boneless pork ribs,boston butt, and thick cut bacon. When I got home,I cut and trimmed the beef into steaks, and 1 boneless prime rib roast. I then vacuum packed it all for freezing. Alot of work, but worth it(I think!). You folks in the big cities must have a different way of dealing with supply procurement. I'd be interested to hear about it!

Chili Dogs- Natures' Perfect Food...

If left to my own devices, I would have a chili dog at least once a week, for the rest of my life! Finding a good chili dog is a hellofalot harder than eating one,though. A few random tidbits- Detroit has more chil dog stands than anywhere else in the USA, why I don't know. On the other side of the state where I live(thank God!) finding a good chili dog is hard. Muskegon has a chain called G & L (home of the Greek chili dog) and I couldn't wait to try one! One, the only Greek thing about it is the family that owns it. The dog was a hot dog with every thing, with dry ground beef sprinkled on top. It was as bad as it sounds. In Grand Rapids, Yesterdog is popular. It is in an eclectic neighborhood, you stand in line and order cafeteria style and then go sit in a hard booth and open your surprise. Surprise! A pretty ordinary hot dog that you paid too much for and waited too long for. In Rockford we have the Corner Bar. This is the place where if you eat a dozen or more you get your name on the wall. These are 8 to a lb. food service hot dogs with runny, tasteless chili sauce in a steamed bun. All reputation, no quality. There are more, but you get my drift. When you are Buffalo Dick, you get righteously pissed and invent your own chili dog sauce! This is what I think a chili dog sauce should taste like:
1lb ground beef (chuck or round)
1 12oz can of tomato sauce
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 " " garlic powder
2 " " chili powder
2 " " salt (or to taste)
1 " " brown sugar
1 teaspoon black pepper ground
1 " " ground cumin
1 oz. prepared yellow mustard
1 oz. catsup
1 oz. white vinegar
1 finely minced hot dog (your favorite brand)

Put all ingredients into pot (do NOT brown the meat first!)excluding the cumin.
Bring to boil, then simmer for 20+ minutes until thickened
Add cumin, turn off heat.
Chill overnite. Can be frozen for future use also.
My perfect chili dog would have 1/4lb beef hot dog, Buffalo Dicks' chili dog sauce,dill pickle sliced,melted cheese, and a light stripe of mustard. Everybody- Tell me what you like on YOUR chili dog?

How Long Do You Leave Your Christmas Tree Up?

We seem to have gotten into a "tradition" over the last few years, we leave our (fake) Christmas tree up far past the holidays! We are basically too dam lazy to take it down and put it away promptly. Add to the fact that I got the bright idea to have all the lights red, and top the tree with a red angel(with red lights)-well it looks pretty much like we worship Satan! We have always named our Christmas angel something. Our first one was "The Eat-At-Joes" Angel, as it blinked on and off in a diner-like sequence. The second one was named "Our Lady Of Landing Lights" as she held a bright,non blinking light in each of her hands. Now we have "The Devils'Mistress" glowing eerily in red. We are going to have to invite company over soon,(besides the coven) as the old record was Good Friday!

Sort of Healthy Eating Today...

Mahi-Mahi was on sale today-and so was aspargus! I am amazed that in the good old USA we can have these exotic and/or out of season offerings presented almost year 'round! The fish gets a light soy/ginger/honey/lemon/garlic/pepper marinade, then broiled. Aspargus will be simply steamed-butter,salt,pepper,lemon added to your taste! a good fresh bread with butter, and a homemade peanut butter/choco chip/dried cranberry cookie(or two!) to round off the meal. Nap time! See ya!

A Short Rant On A Changing America

Yesterday, I made joint sales calls with a decent guy from one of our Indiana facilities. About my age, and well educated, we did alot of observing & discussing. The main topic was a Good Job. 30yrs ago, Manufacturing was king. A good job meant you worked in the office of an established manufacturer, or were part of the strong union in the shop. As materials and products(cheap!) started coming in from other countries, the cushy days in Mfg. were ending. Yesterday, we drove past shuttered plants that employed thousands, then we went past the building project that is creating the largest medical campus in West Michigan. They are now the largest employer in kent county at about 8500 people. There are, and will be good jobs in the future, but they won't be the same ones they used to be!

Sunday Dinner-The Experimental Eat Well Day!

For many years now, Sunday dinner (and in the Midwest, dinner on Sunday means the midday meal, not at night-which we would call supper!) is the meal where I might try something new or special. Today, I will bake some rather large chicken breasts (size of Rodan!), that have been marinating for 12 hrs(red wine vinegar,olive oil,garlic,onion,salt,red pepper, oregano, basil, marjoram, and a bit of orange juice). A little bacon draped over these monsters should baste them well as they cook. Gnocchi! The potato-grain little dumpling thing from Italy will be the side. I am inventing a chicken gravy/ alfredo cheese sauce that should work nicely with the chix and the side! Fresh Italian round loaf bread, and a choc/walnut brownie from scratch should take care of any missing hunger points.
One day a week, do not eat out(Fast food or otherwise!) Fix something from "scratch" for the people you care about-and spend some time talking(not arguing!)about life over the meal. America has lost something to convenience- let's take it back!

Mildest Winter I've Ever Seen! Knock On Wood!

As a lifelong resident of Michigan, I have watched winters get milder. I don't know if it's Global Warming or what, but I LIKE IT! People who make a living with snow (plows,ski resorts,winter related retail products, etc.) probably don't! It has helped some folks with their heating bill, and most retailers see more activity when the roads are clear. Salt trucks aren't wearing out the roads(or using taxpayer salt!)and the homeless aren't dying in cold-related incedents. I don't think alot of people realize when something goes well for you, somebody else may suffer the concequences! In Mich. I'm surrounded by more fresh water than anybody else on Planet Earth-do we take it for granted? Probably. There are many of you that live in states where it never snows-do you take it for granted? Probably! Think about the "other guy" today- for a perspective.