Winter Bucketlist

It's been an all too short summer up here in Minnesota.  Hello again, I am sitting in my kitchen sipping my cup of coffee as I look out the window and ponder.

Being a native Minnesotan you'd think I'd embrace the change in seasons but as I get older I find that I don't like the cold weather all that much.  I am a golf nut and believe it or not, I can still continue to golf all winter long up here in the north land.  We have a few indoor golf domes and this really cool place called Inside Edge in suburban Minneapolis where you can actually play tournaments.  I've played there and it is fun (except when I accidentally hit the power switch and turned off the display.  Ooops!)   Here's what it looks like:



We also have an outdoor tournament for the St. Paul Winter Carnival, although I've never played in it.  I've gone ice fishing, tubing, sledding, and played hockey.

There is so much do to in the winter so I am thinking I really should learn to embrace it, after all , winter can last up to 6 months. So I am making up a Winter Bucket list   Here it is:

1. Sleigh Ride
2. Polar plunge
3. Winter golf tournament
4. Cross country skiiing
5. Skiing
6. Snowboarding
7. Snowmobiling trip
8. Ice Parasailing
9. Dog Sledding

Well that's it. Now I'm off to my warm comfy couch in my comfy and warm slippers.

Netflix Lull

I loooooove Netflix.  I mean, where else can you Binge View Columbo or Kojak?  But it seems that after watching a series I get into this Neflix Lull where I am lost and don't know what to watch.  I search aimlessly looking for the next great show.

 For years my cousin Christian and my friend Rick told me that I gotta watch this show as they said I would love it.  I finally caved as I found the show on Netflix.  Wow, were they right.  The show was great. Both funny, and sad, but always entertaining.  I watched all 8 season and  I always get very sad after watching the final episode, and this shows final episode was really touching.
 

Nevertheless, now I don't know what to watch.  I'm in the Lull looking for that next great show to Bing View.

Well, I've got to go.  I'll let you all know what I find next.  Now if Netflix only had the show Manimal...

The keys to cleaning a kitchen

I love cooking and I love eating but I sure as heck don't like cleaning up.  OK, I admit I have got to be the messiest cook around.  Heck, I am always spilling, splattering, or dropping stuff all over my spacious condo kitchen.

Here is an example:
 
I get so lazy after cooking and being single I sometimes have to find motivation to get off my lazy a** and clean.

 But I found an easy solution for me.  I recommend the following:

1. Make sure you have plenty of wine. I prefer a sparkling Riesling or Muscato.  Enjoy at least 30 minutes before cleanup.

2. Turn on some music.  I prefer Barry.  Manilow that is not White, although he is good to. Any music that will get the toes a tapping.  Sometimes I dance so hard my apron flies off (oops, TMI).  Lately I' ve  been learning to Salsa dance.  Wow, what a workout.

3. Now dance and drink as you go along.

Before you know it, you'll be done. With the wine that is.  After that what's done in my kitchen is done.  Well I'm off to Salsa.

Now where did my apron go.....

Where art thou? Here I am

Sorry blogger world.  I've been a bit lazy this hot summer and haven't got around to blogging much.

Here's the really sad thing, I love to grill in summer and have many recipes for it however, I live in a condo and am not allowed to grill on the deck!  Boo. 

So I haven't been keeping up with new recipes as I have in the cooler months.

What have I been up to?   Nothing.  Just kidding.  Been busy golfing, visiting long lost friends, getting ready for Fantasy Football (Go Zorros! my team nickname) and visiting the newest member of my family, Francesca.  She is a little over a month old.  Congrats to my sister Marisa and her hubby Leif.

Now on to my latest rants

1. I've been watching the Olympics.  Why in the world do they have Apollo Ono reporting! I've had enough of him at the Winter Olympics. Also, it doesn't help to announce the winners on the evening news just before you are about to watch the competition.   Nevertheless, I applaud all of the athletes of every nation.  It is an accomplishment just to make it to the Olympics even if you are trying to throw the match (i.e. the badminton teams).

2. When you are doing online dating, such as I am, perhaps you shouldn't put pictures of yourself next to your hotter and more attractive friends.  Also, doesn't help to put pictures of your food creations, your pets, or pictures of your kids without you in the image. Also, doesn't help when photos are blurry, so small I can't see them, or so dark I don't know who I am looking at.  I know it isn't easy to put  yourself out to the world but you gotta help your self as much as you can.  I know, as I've made some of these same mistakes.

3. What's with all these new "roundabouts"?   I know there supposed to save gas but man is it scary when you are driving in them.  Never sure if the yahoo that's about to enter is actually going to stop.  I guess it is about the same as a stop sign intersection.  I love it when someone misses the turn and has to keep on going. Oops, that was me.

4. I saw a shocking story on NBC's nightly news.  The beloved Red Box phone booths in England are slowly disappearing and they did an investigation to find out why.  Really?  Could it be the same reason the pay phones are declining here in the U. S.?  This is news? Wow.

5. And speaking of news, is it necessary for the anchor man to read comments off of his Ipad during the broadcast?  I saw this over the weekend.  I watch the news to be informed not to hear comments from the stations website.  It just looked goofy.

Well, my beloved Twins are out of last place (for now) and football season is about to begin.  Although it's been  hot in Minnesota the past few weeks I love it as I soon know things will be changing.

Well with that off my chest I am signing off.

Urban Dwellers

That's my fancy word for those of us who grew up in the inner cities.  I too grew up in the inner city of St. Paul Minnesota (it's a little city next to it's big brother, Minneapolis, but I digress).

I just read an article today on NBC that the for the first time in 100 years that the cities are growing much faster than the suburbs.  Here is the article if you would like to read it: Cities Growing Faster than Suburbs.

Look what is happening in Detroit: Detroit   What a rebirth some parts of that city are seeing.

Or look at

Being a former "urban dweller" (or as my friend Maria would say, a "city boy." ) I can understand this why.  Although I now live in suburb of St. Paul I do miss some things about the inner city.  I miss the people, the sounds of the traffic and trains (I know call me crazy) and the feeling of something always happening.

If you watch the daily news you may think that the inner cities are full of criminals and crime is rampant.  Yes there are parts of St. Paul which are not the best but that is true of any place, including some suburbs.

Here are some pictures of my hometown that perhaps you weren't aware of. 

This is a fountain in Irvine Park which is blocks away from Downtown St. Paul


Here's a snapshot of the Como Conservatory (open all year long).



Farmer's Market in Lowertown:


Segway Tours of the city: 
Segway St. Paul


I could go on an on. I encourage you to explore the city nearest you. Think of it as an adventure and go off the beaten path.  Who knows, you may discover things you hadn't known.  Who knows, perhaps someday I too will move back to the inner city.   Now maybe I should take my own advice and venture on over and explore that city west of St. Paul.....

Winery Visit

This past weekend Maria and I went to the Alexis Bailey Vineyard in Hastings, Minnesota.

We got to sample 12 wines for only $10 for both of us.  It was very relaxing.  Here are some photos of the winery.  I can only claim one photo is mine, that is of the band.

 

There was a great band playing too. The one thing I noticed is that everyone seems to be in a good mood as they sip their wine and chat among each other.  I was so relaxed I didn't want to leave. 

Both Maria and I seemed to prefer the white wines most.   My favorite was their Country White while I think Maria's was the Golden Gris.   I will definitely have to go back for more. 

Here is the vineyard's website if you would like to check it out for yourself:

Alexis Bailey Vineyard's web site

Big Dock from Japan

As I was watching the evening news one story  really caught my attention.  It was about a big floating dock from Japan that was torn off its moorings during the big Tsunami and has just recently washed up on the Oregon shore.  There is some concern that the dock could be radioactive and there is also some concern that it is carrying sea life that could negatively impact the ecosystem of the West Coast.

A few things came to my mind immediately. 

1. Didn't someone see this coming?! It's not like it suddenly showed up out of nowhere.  Look at it! With all our technology someone couldn't see this big chunk of steel and concrete floating in the ocean?

2. If someone saw this coming why and the heck didn't they sink it out in the middle of the ocean or tow it back to Japan?  Now they aren't sure how to get it off the beach and it's going to cost taxpayers thousands to clean and remove it. Geesh!

3. The authorities weren't sure if it was radioactive yet there are children and adults playing around and on it! Cmon kid's, let's check it out!

Here's the story if you want to read up on it.   Japanese Dock

British Comedy

In honor of the Queen's Jubilee I thought I'd offer  you some of my favorite British comedies.

• Are You Being Served? This quirky comedy dates from the 1970's. It has such great characters such as Mrs. Slocumbe, Captain Peacock, and a  young and hot Mrs. Brahms played by the late great Wendy Richards.  It takes place in the Grace Brother's Dept store. You can find may episodes on YouTube but here is a sample: 

• Another comedy took place in the small town of Dibley.  The town Vicar had passed away and he was replaced by Geraldine Grainger, the Vicar of Dibley played by actress Dawn French.  Again you may have to go to You Tube to find some episodes. Here's a sample...

• Keeping Up Appearances: This comedy revolves around the life of Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced Boo Kay) and her husband Richard.  She also has a half witted sister Daisy and her slob of a husband, Onlso.  Hyacinth tries to hard to show everyone that her and Richard are aristocratic but it usually ends up going south for her. Again, most of these videos can be found on You Tube.  Check out this video

• The IT Crowd. This comedy is about 3 goofballs in an IT dept. One is a geek called Moss, the other is Roy who very crazy, and their boss is Jen who knows nothing about IT but due to an embellishment on her resume, this is where she was sent.  See how much fun Roy and Moss have with her in this clip..

• Monty Python's Flying Circus.  What more can I say, this is a classic show.  Here's a sample: 

Most of these videos can be found on You Tube. 

Do you  have any favorite foreign comedies?  

Queen's Jubilee

Watched the Queen's Jubilee celebration tonight.  Wow was it spectacular.

The Queen looks great but I was impressed at how good Katie Couric looked too.

But I was really surprised how great Grace Jones looked. Damn! She's still got it.  

And what about the fireworks show!

Say what you want about the monarchy, those Brits know how to throw a party!

My First Record

Hello everyone.  Tonight I find myself burning some old rock n roll records to MP3 and boy does it bring me back to my youth.  I'll never forget my first vinyl record and the story behind it.

Way back in the day (1975) I went along with my dad to K-Mart. I have no idea what he was shopping for but one album cover caught my attention and I was mesmerized. I don't think I left the record department staring at this record as I just had to have it.  Then my dad calls after me yet I didn't move. Finally he comes over to where I am at and he practically drags me with him.  As we are sitting in the car just as he is about to start the engine I make up some goofy story about needing $3.25 for something ( I don't remember) and I go rushing back in the store and I make a beeline right to the record I have been staring at and grab it.  My heart is beating as I am so excited yet nervous as I am sure my dad won't be happy.  I finally get back to the car and my dad asks what I have.  I slowly pull out the record to show him and this is what he sees....









TADA!

Yes, that is when my love affair with Kiss began and continues to this day.  Back then it led to my induction in the Army,  The Kiss Army.  More on that in some future blog. Actually, my cousins Ricky and Stevie first got me hooked on Kiss after listening to the "Alive" album.  Thanks Cuzzies.

 I listened to this album so much that I wore out the grooves but I still have the original record in my vinyl collection. Yes, I did eventually buy it on CD but every time I see this album cover I remember that day long ago and it makes me laugh. My dad must have thought I was f'n nuts.  He was probably right.

What was your first record\cassette\8-Track (yes I had some of those too)\CD?

Obscure Olympic Sports

Just sitting in my living room on a cloudy Minnesota day watching the Today show when I saw a crazy segment.  It was two brothers who are both trying out for the Olympic Trampoline Team! What the .....

This is actually a sport in the Olympics?   I guess it is, check it out: 

Here are some other sports that I didn't realize were part of the summer Olympics: 

BMX Biking

Canoe\Kayak Sprinting.  If that's too fast they also have normal races. 

Tennis 

Table Tennis

Even more strange are the sports that are, according to Wikipedia, are not recognized as Olympic sports but their governing bodies are  which means these may be considered for inclusion: 

• Auto Racing: cmon, really. 
• Billiard Sports: guess all those times at the pool hall could have paid off for me. 
• Bridge- nuff said
• Floorball- essentially floor hockey.  Darn it, I should have kept my floor hockey goalie stick. Apparently it's big in Europe (the sport not my stick). 
• Korfball- no kidding.  It's like basketball with a basket at the end of a pole, see

• Basque Pelota- I guess it's essentially like handball. How exciting

• Tug of War- What the .... Tug of War?  

This is just a few among many so called sports that you may some day see on your TV screen. Wow!

Check out the list for yourself:  Olympic_sports

First Dinner Party Wrapup

Well, my first dinner party seemed to be a success.  The food, Spaghetti and Meatballs for a Crowd, turned out very delicious and the company was terrific.  I invited my older brother and his family, my sister and her husband, and my younger brother  I heard some good comments on the food. The food was served a little behind schedule as the dinner was supposed to be at 5 but it wasn't served until 5:30. No big deal.

I learned a lot though.  If I am going to get serious about hosting parties I'll have to upgrade my dinnerware as I barely had enough plates and flatware for everyone.  Also, my table is so small that I hardly had to add a folding table to the setup and it worked.  I also found that I am sorely lacking on serving platters and server ware.  But for a first dinner party I think it went well.  Besides, the most important aspect is the food and on that I think it was great.  I'll also have to look at getting ready a day or two ahead of time rather than rushing to get my place set up and all the food prepared in one day.

If you have any dinner party tips please let me know.

Hello HDTV!

For years I've resisted getting a high def TV.  Why?  Cause I liked the TV I had, it was like having a piece of history in my living room. See...

This TV was state of the art 15 years ago when my parent's bought it.  Plus it had a decent picture but.....It just couldn't compare to the latest HD tv's.  Sooooo....

Hello big boy. 62" of  HD !! I can't believe how clear and bright all my favorite shows now look.  

With my old TV I basically only watched the evening news then spent the rest of the night watching Netflix movies and shows on my laptop.  But, since the big boy arrived last weekend I am spending most of my leisure time in my living room.  I was watching a nature show about Antarctica and I felt like I was there! Wow.  I can't believe I held out for so long.  

Now if you'll excuse me, there is an episode of Colombo that's calling my name. Can't wait to see how it looks on the big screen. 

First Dinner Party

I'm hosting my first dinner party this Saturday night and I am a little nervous. I had heard that you should never test a new recipe but that's exactly what I am doing. 

I am serving up Spaghetti and Meatballs for a crowd.  This is a recipe from  America's Test Kitchen (ATK).  It may not sound like much but the recipe is a bit complex as it calls for over 22 ingredients including gelatin, buttermilk, and Panko Japanese bread crumbs. This is a picture of the recipe from the ATK website

I will let you know how it goes!!!

Kitchen Tip: Stainless Steel Cookware

My sister once had a stainless steel skillet but didn't like it much as she said the food always stuck and it was a bear to clean.  It got me to thinking of tonight's blog.

You don't have to be concerned with food sticking to the pan, burning, or having to scrub the skillet till your fingers ache if you follow some basics that have worked for me.

So why would you want to use a stainless steel skillet and not a non-stick?  Many recipes call for stainless steel because when you are cooking meat it leaves some yummy bits on the bottom of the pan.  You then will deglaze with stock or wine to create a fond (pan sauce) with those yummy bits. You can't get this fond from a non-stick skillet.  Plus the pans are durable and they don't scratch, won't corrode, or warp.

What should you look for when purchasing a skillet?  Here's what I looked for:

• At least a 12" pan maybe 14" at most. Stay away from sets as they usually include 8" and 10" skillets which are much to small. 
• Look for 18/10 pans. This means the pan is more durable.  Click on this link for more details: 18_10_stainless_steel_cookware.html

• Look for pans that have the words Clad or Tri-Ply in the description.  It's like a metal sandwich with stainless on the outside and a core of aluminum (or copper if you can afford it) sandwiched in between from side to side.  Beware of skillets that only have a disk of metal at the bottom or base.  They can heat unevenly or burn food more easily. 
• You don't have to spend an arm and a leg for skillets unless you want to.  Some All Clad skillets can go for as much as $400.  But if you recall, I mentioned in a previous post  I got my Tramontina skillet for less than $40 at Walmart. The bad news is I just looked at their website and couldn't find it.   Cuisinart skillets are reasonably priced too. 

Even if your pan isn't 18/10 or tri-ply or clad, there are some basics to remember: 

• Unless your boiling a liquid you should never place the pan on high heat. In fact, I never turn my stove top on past medium.  I learned this the hard way. 

• If you aren't going to create a pan sauce (and I don't know why you wouldn't) you can clean any sticky things by pouring warm (not ice cold) water in a fairly hot pan then scrape the bottom. Be careful not to get burned by the steam. 
• Finally, your best friend in cleaning will be a can of Bar Keepers Friend. It is so inexpensive and makes my pans so clean and shiny. 

 

I find that foods cooked in my stainless steel skillets seem much hotter and seem to taste better than when I cooked them in my old T-Fal.

But don't take my word for it.  There are many sites with information on what I covered.


Happy cooking!

Lilapsophobia

We are in a severe storm warning tonight up here in Minnesota.  The skies are getting dark and the rain is beginning to fall.  It got me to thinking of tonight's blog subject. 

It was late at night, circa August 13th, 1968, when I was tucked in bed in my jammies flat out in dreamland when suddenly I was abruptly awakened by by mom and dad whisked up in my mom's arms as we sped from my bedroom towards the basement.  "What is going on?" I thought still half asleep.  I remember glancing out the dining room window seeing the dancing shadows of trees moving across the window and the sound of a siren wailing in the distance. I remember someone saying a tornado was coming.  My parents, grandparents (who were staying with us at the time), and my brother Paul all hunkered down in the basement.  As we all sat huddled together we listened to the wind whipping outside and fortunately nothing happened to us.  Except one thing,  it turned me into a Lilapsophobic.

Lilapsophobia is a fear of..... you got it, tornadoes. Since that day I am deathly afraid of tornadoes and I still remember that night as if it happened today!

Over the years I've had many dreams of tornadoes.  In most of these dreams, some of which are over 20 years old and I still recall them vividly, there is the biggest tornado ever seen and it is chasing me or someone I care about and just as it's about to catch up to us I wake up!

Whenever I hear sirens, even when they are for tests, I stop whatever I'm doing and look out window.   I've never seen a tornado first hand and I really don't know how I would react if I did (hope to never find out).  Came close a few times.  Once in Illinois the sky was black and green and I'd never seen anything like it. Thought for sure I'd see a funnel cloud but, whew, I didn't. 

I've got many more phobias that I'll share in some future blogs but none as dramatic as this.  Now if you'll excuse me I've got to go keep an eye on the weather. 

Well there you have it, my biggest phobia.  Do you have one  you'd like to share? 

Favorite Saturday morning shows as a kid

As I woke up this morning and flipped on the TV there was some "cartoon" on made me think of my childhood and the Saturday mornings I spent watching cartoons with my brothers and sister.

I remember watching Bugs Bunny most of all.  So this morning I went onto You Tube and found some Bugs Bunny cartoons and watched them and felt like a little kid again. I remember back in the day being sad when 11:00 a.m. rolled around all the days cartoons were over. No cartoon network for us back then.

Maybe this will bring you back to your good ol' days:

 The opening theme song and visuals to this show gave me nightmares back in the day and it still gives me a chill watching it now!.  See if you remember this show  (sound is really loud, beware): 

Or what about this show?  One of my favorites:: 

And I can't forget those lovely crime fighting Vixens: 

Ah, those memories of Saturday mornings.  I'll save more favorite shows for futures posts.  Guess you're never too old to feel like a kid again. 

What are some of your favorite Saturday Morning shows? 

  

Spicy Italian Style Chicken with Peppers and Onions

Happy Tuesday to you.  Last night's new recipe = Italian Style Chicken with Peppers and Onions.  Yummy!  It was my first attempt and boy did it turn out good. See...

Here's a link to the recipe: Italian Style Chicken with Peppers and Onions courtesy of Cooks Country.

First of all I am not a fan of "spicy" so I substituted Sweet Cherry Peppers for the Hot Cherry Peppers. I also couldn't find "sweet" Italian sausage so I replaced with medium Italian.  Finally, I decided to use Sweet Yellow Onions.  As you can see, but unfortunately can't smell, It turned out great.

There are many ingredients as you can see from this shot below.  I hardly had any room left on my counter top.

Overall it took me two hours to prepare and cook and an hour to clean up but I think it was worth it.   My place smelled of garlic, and onions.  If only I could bottle that smell. 

Give the recipe a try and hopefully it will turn out well for you.

Kitchen tips; cooking for 2 and skillets

Happy Earth Day everyone.  OK, it's a day late but so what. As I write this blog tonight I am enjoying a cookie (OK, maybe two cookies) and milk.

I often hear from my single friends that they don't like cooking for just one person or that it isn't enjoyable.  I understand where they are coming from but here are some tips that I think may help.

One of the most obvious is to reduce the recipes in half.  I once made a crock pot full of beef stew and there was so much I had to invite my parents and brother over to help me eat it and there was still almost half left! Enough for many nights of leftovers.  But cutting recipes in half isn't always easy.  Try figuring out half of 1 and 2/3 cups or 1/8 a tsp.  With my parochial school math, fogetta bout it.

Another tip, look for recipes made for two.  I have a cookbook from America's Test Kitchen titled "Cooking for Two".  It's awesome as the portions are just enough for me with leftovers for the next day.  It can be found online or at Barne's and Noble.

Here's some other website's that are dedicated to cooking for two: Healthy Cooking for Two; Everyday Cooking for Two

It also helps to have the right cooking tools.  Having the right tools doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg.  Case in point, one of my favorite all purpose skillets is my Lodge Logic 12" cast iron skillet. It cost me less than $25.  I use it for everything from frying, searing, and even baking! Yeah it's heavy and needs to be seasoned but so what,  it should outlast me (OK, that may not be saying much).

Most recipes call for a 12" stainless steel skillet. You really want 18/10 quality but have you ever priced them?  All Clad, which is top of the line, can easily cost upwards of $200 for just one skillet! Too much. But here's a secret.  Walmart sells a line of 18/10 skillets from Tramontina for a fraction.  Here's my skillet and it cost me a whopping $40.  And as an amateur, I think it suits my needs.

Check it out for yourself: Tramotina.  They even sell cast iron dutch ovens at a fraction of the cost of the Le Creuset.

These are some of the things I wish I knew when I was starting out in my kitchen.

I'll have more tips in the future.  Now I'm off to have another cookie... or two.

Series Finales

It's a cold and gloomy day up here in Minnesota and I found myself with some time on my hands so I thought I'd watch the final season of the King of Queens on DVD.  Even though the show ended a few years ago I was still a bit sad after watching the series finale. Check it out.

Over the years several TV shows series finales have touched me such as "M*A*S*H, which I threw a big party for back in the day,  Monk, and Mary Tyler Moore.  But the one show that's series finale really hit me hard was Cheers.  It was one of my favorite shows and last summer I watched ever episode from beginning to end on Netflix and  you know what,  in the final scene I felt the same way I did when it first aired, very sad.  

As I was watching each episode of Cheers I started reminiscing about what I was going on in my life at the time.  The show started when I was still in school in 1982 and ended when I was married in 1993. It was like a sort of time capsule of my life.  Nevertheless, I couldn't find the final scene but below is a collage of the show along with the them song.  

Do you have any favorite shows where the series finale really touched you?  

Three Stooges Pie Fight

In honor of the new Three Stooges Movie, I've attached a clip of a pie fight.  Maybe it's a guy thing because every woman that I've asked said they don't like the Three Stooges but most guys do. What's not to like about a pie fight and who did it better than Larry, Moe, and Curly?! It's so funny.  Maybe it just brings the kid in me out.  Enjoy. 

Loopy and Apple Pie

Hello my blogger friends.  A very cold Monday in the Minnesota.  40 degrees today!  No golfing tonight.

I just finished cooking a BIG pot of spaghetti and with my tummy full I'm settling down to watch the Twins vs. the Yankees.  I expected the Twins to be blown out but at the moment they are winning!

Yes, I am a Yankees fan, have been since 1976.  Why would a kid from Minnesota fall in love with the Yanks?  Well, back in the day there was no cable so I rarely, if ever, saw the Twins on TV but the Yanks seemed to be on every week. My hero was Thurman Munson (RIP). But, over the years I've fallen in love withe the Twins and to prove my allegiance, I wore my Twins hat and Uniform to the New Yankee Stadium two years ago (see photo). Now I am planning to wear my Yankees hat and coat to Target field in September to complete the circle.  I just hope my fellow Twins fans don't jeer me too much.

Had a great weekend. Played on Saturday with a new friend, Mike, and his son Shaun.  It was great.  I shot a 90 (for you non golfers, that is a good score for a rookie).  Weather was great, 70 degrees, course was in good shape and the company was fantastic.  Can't wait to golf with them again.

Then went out with my friend Maria (hello Maria) for dinner with Mike and his wife Chris at their house.  Then Maria and I ended the night at Duff's in Vermillion with her friends Angie and Todd.  We were the only ones left in the bar, besides the staff, so the waitress decided to give us some samples of her concoctions. She let us sample many drinks.  There is this new vodka called "loopy" that taste just like fruit loops.  She made a drink with that which did taste just like fruit loops. We also sampled this vodka from UV called Cake. Smells and taste just like birthday cake.  But by far my favorite was the waitresses own special drink called Apple pie made with everclear and had cinnamon sticks in it. Dang was that delicious as it tasted just like an apple pie.  I best not get the recipe for myself.  I'll just have to head back down to Duff's.

Oh well, I should get back to the Twins game and maybe I'll switch to the hockey playoffs too. Good night.

New cooking tool

Happy Friday to you all. It's a bit gloomy up here in the north (Minnesota) with a little rain.  But that won't stop me from golfing all weekend, although my sprained finger might.  But I digress...

I finally bit the bullet and purchased the "Thermoworks superfast digital thermometer" and it just arrived!  It wasn't cheap but it's supposed to give you the temp of the food instantly so you don't have to keep your hand over a hot pan or in a hot oven for very long.  I've seen it used on America's Test Kitchen for years and they have always said it was worth the investment. I guess I'll find that out for myself.

Have a super weekend.

Golf

Summers near so I need to work on my golf swing.  I usually go to the U of Minnesota driving range and hit a basket of 150 balls.  Need to work on a few things before I go out to the links this weekend.

I got involved in the game 6 years ago and I was so obsessed at one time that I went to the driving range almost every day and in doing so I injured my knee and hurt my back.  Got surgery on my knee and saw a terrific Chiro for my back.  Not I'm literally back in the swing of things.  I took the game very seriously studying up on the various equipment, which clubs to buy, what balls to hit at certain temps,  even what size tees to use.  I'm not so obsessed today as I am taking it a bit easier on my body.  Only go to the driving range once a week. 

They (whoever "they" are") say it's good to have a vice that keeps you active and in shape.  My vice's are golfing and cooking (as you can tell).  Do you have a favorite hobby too?

Favorite Pizza places

OK,  you probably guessed by now I love pizza so I decided to post a list of some of my favorite pizza places in the Twin Cities area. These are in no particular order.

MaMa's in St. Paul. You get a cone after every meal and they place a bib on you to keep  your shirt tidy.

Angelos- located in St.Paul on White Bear or in S. St. Paul.  The atmosphere in the St. Paul restaurant hasn't changed in over 30 years nor has their food.  And that's a good thing.

Hearthside's in St. Paul - always taste yummy after a night of drinking.  They used to let you eat peanuts and throw the shells on the floor but alas no more.

Savoy's Pizza - they have locations all over the Twin Cities and in Western Wisconsin. I believe Rocco's is an offshoot of Savoy's too. . Some say, and I agree, that the original Savoy's on 7th street in St. Paul is the best.   You can even purchase frozen pizzas (at least in Eagan).

Carbones - one of my favorite places.  They are located all over the TC's.

Roadside Pizza St. Paul- perhaps overshadowed by the nearby Hearthsides, Roadside is not bad. They have a dine in or take out special for $9.95.  Plus you can get a slice for lunch.

The Little Oven in St. Paul- this used to be Ron n Ally's. Located on the east side, the parking may be tight but the food is worth it.  Besides, who else has a buy one lg pizza get one free?

Broadway Pizza- OK, I can't leave my friends on the other side of the river out.  There are several locations throughout the TC's but I like the one in Mpls, on Broadway of course.  Look for the caboose.

The Village Inn- Hudson, WI- I also can't forget my friends in Packer country.  Great atmosphere and where else can you enjoy live music and a beer while waiting for your pizza.  If you're out that way give it a try.

 The Italian Pie Shoppe- both in St. Paul on Grand or in Eagan.  I recommend the Chicago Style Deep Dish.

Sam's Club - no this is no typo. Did you know you can buy a whole pie at Sam's Club for less than most other pizza places. Or stop in for a slice.  I don't think you need to be a member.

Piccolo's in Eagan - not nearly as well known as Carbones or Savoy's but don't overlook Piccolo's. They have a great sausage pizza.  Bring your cash, no credit cards accepted.

Aurlio's Pizza- Roseville - This is the only location in Minnesota for this authentic Chicago style thin crust pizza. It's tucked away on Hamline Ave.  I sometimes make a special trip from Eagan.

America's Test Kitchen Homemade Pizza - or do as I sometimes do, and make your own.  This is my recipe for deep dish pepperoni.

Lombardi's NYC - If you're in the big apple and in Little Italy check out Lombardi's. One of the last of the coal fired oven pizzeria's in the city.

The Crocodile, Seattle - where else can you enjoy a wood fire pizza in a place where the likes of Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Mudhoney, and Yoko Ono once played! If they're still there say hello to "Babs" the waitress with the butterfly tattoos and "Eddie" the bartender from LA.

Well I could go on and on but for now I'll leave my list as is.  Let me know of your favorite pizza joints so I can check them out too.

You are what you eat

They say you are what you eat.  I think it's true.  I eat lots of pizza and I feel I am Italian (hee hee) and I am slightly round.  I'd always thought to have a tombstone shaped like a pizza with a slice missing and it would read "Here lies Nick, he enjoyed a slice of life."  Case in point, here's me and my brother Dave at Lombardi's in NYC.

But I think it's more true that you feel like what you eat. What do you think?

Since I've started cooking from scratch about a year ago I feel much healthier and I've noticed I don't eat as much "junk" food.  Yeah it's more work but I have learned so much about how to cook, and a bit about myself.   More on that in a future post.

 Nevertheless, I'll be adding some photos of some of my recipes.  I especially like America's Test Kitchen's TV show and recipes.  I highly recommend it for us novice cooks.

Hello World; my first post

Hello world, my name is Nick.  I'm new to this whole "blogging" world.  I wanted a place to type my musings and other thoughts and to share them with you.


I love cooking and as I am in my tiny kitchen I often ponder as I wait for my food to finish cooking, or if I just daydream when listening to music. 


As I get more familiar with this entire "blogosphere" I hope to keep adding pictures, and other things to my site.  I'll add some recipes, some cooking tips, perhaps a joke or some other musings.


So for now, hello world, I hope you enjoy and I hope to hear from some of you.