Tagged!

Annie at Well, that would be telling tagged me. Actually, she tagged me a while ago, but I'm just now responding to my tag. Sorry, Annie. ;)

Here are the rules:

So, I have to tell you 7 secrets or weird facts about myself. Let's see what I can come up with.

1. I am an only child, and I never had any desire for any siblings. Seriously. I can't recall a single time where I ever thought to myself that I wanted a brother or sister.

2. I was an All-State Band clarinetist in high school. Then, in college, I dropped the clarinet and majored in vocal performance. I later resurrected the clarinet my junior year and joined the orchestra.

3. I have a slightly unhealthy obsession with my cats. I did not really like cats when I met my husband, and the cats sort of came with him. Now I can't imagine my life without them. In fact, I'm laughing at them as I write this.

4. Mountain Dew Cake and Brunch Burger indiscretions aside, I love Paula Deen. I think she's adorable, and I wish I was related to her so I could go to her house and have her cook for me. I completely understand the objections to her, but I prefer to think that those with the objections have never actually tried one of her recipes. They're delicious. I think it's all the butter. ;)

5. I do not like fish of any kind.

6. My not-so-secret dream is to operate a cat sanctuary. Yes, I'm aware that probably does make me a crazy cat lady.

7. I love bavarian cream doughnuts. I know they're really bad for me, but they're just so tasty that I don't care.

Now, I have to tag some people. Some of you may not know me... so, for those of you who are wondering who tagged you - hello. I love your blog. I'm sure I have several of your recipes bookmarked right now.

1. Charlie at Comrus
2. Carrie at Carrie's Sweet Life
3. Joelen at Joelen's Culinary Adventures
4. Danielle at Run With Spatulas
5. Amy at Sing for your Supper
6. Michele at My Italian Grandmother
7. Monica at Fickle Foodie

Important Life Experiences (list)

This is yet another list that is floating around in the blog world. Here are some things I’ve done and a lot that I need to do.

If it’s bold, I have…

1. Touched an iceberg
2. Slept under the stars (ugh)
3. Been a part of a hockey fight (well, kind of. It's a rather long, somewhat amusing story)
4. Changed a baby’s diaper
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Swam with wild dolphins
8. Climbed a mountain (I have gone hiking through the Alps, and taken a gondola to the top,, but I don't think that counts)
9. Held a tarantula
10. Said “I love you” and meant it
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Bet on a winning horse
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Taken an ice cold bath
28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Ridden a roller coaster
31. hit a home run
32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
33. Adopted an accent for fun
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors (It's on my list)
35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment
36. Loved your job 90% of the time
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Watched wild whales
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach (hope to do this soon)
41. Gone sky diving
42. Visited Ireland
43. Ever bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited India
45. Bench-pressed your own weight
46. Milked a cow
47. Alphabetized your personal files
48. Ever worn a superhero costume
49. Sung karaoke
50. Lounged around in bed all day
51. Gone scuba diving
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Done something you should regret, but don’t
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Been in a movie
60. Gone without food for 3 days
61. Made cookies from scratch
62. Won first prize in a costume contest
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Been in a combat zone
65. Spoken more than one language fluently
66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone
67. Bounced a check (only because of the wonderful-ness that is overdraft protection)
68. Read - and understood - your credit report
69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy (I've recently considered this)
70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did (I've searched - they're all not that interesting)
71. Called or written your Congress person
72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
73. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
74. Helped an animal give birth
75. Been fired or laid off from a job
76. Won money
77. Broken a bone
78. Ridden a motorcycle
79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph
80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
81. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
83. Eaten sushi
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read The Bible cover to cover
86. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about (yes, I actually did once convince someone why abortion shouldn't be a state issue)
87. Gotten someone fired for their actions
88. Gone back to school
89. Changed your name
90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands
91. Eaten fried green tomatoes
92. Read The Iliad (I tried...)
93. Taught yourself an art from scratch
94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
97. Been elected to public office
98. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
99. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
101. Had a booth at a street fair
102. Dyed your hair
103 Been a DJ
104. Rocked a baby to sleep
105. Ever dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all fours
106. Raked your carpet
107. Brought out the best in people
108. Brought out the worst in people
109. Worn a mood ring (These were the coolest in 4th grade)
110. Ridden a horse111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap
112. Prepared a dish where four people asked for the recipe
113. Buried a child
114. Gone to a Broadway play
115. Been inside the pyramids
116. Shot a basketball into a basket
117. Danced at a disco
118. Played in a band (FFHS Wind Ensemble!! WOO!!!)
119. Shot a bird
120. Gone to an arboretum
121. Tutored someone
122. Ridden a train
123. Brought an old fad back into style
124. Eaten caviar
125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn’t need
126. Ridden a giraffe or elephant (I blame my parents. It was the circus. I was 5)
127. Published a book
128. Pieced a quilt
129. Lived in an historic place (I'm pretty sure my college dorm was actually a historic building in St. Paul)
130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage
131. Asked for a raise (plan on it soon)
132. Made a hole-in-one (mini golf)
133. Gone deep sea fishing
134. Gone roller skating
135. Run a marathon
136. Learned to surf
137. Invented something (3rd grade - science fair!)
138. Flown first class
139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite
140. Flown in a helicopter
141. Visited Africa
142. Sang a solo
143. Gone spelunking
144. Learned how to take a compliment (???)
145. Written a love-story
146. Seen Michelangelo’s David
147. Had your portrait painted
148. Written a fan letter (NKOTB - 3rd grade, baby)
149. Spent the night in something haunted
150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane
151. Ran away
152. Learned to juggle
153. Been a boss
154. Sat on a jury (really want to)
155. Lied about your weight
156. Gone on a diet
157. Found an arrowhead or a gold nugget
158. Written a poem
159. Carried your lunch in a lunchbox
160. Gotten food poisoning
161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission
162. Hiked the Grand Canyon
163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks
164. Gone to the opera
165. Gotten a letter from someone famous
166. Worn knickers
167. Ridden in a limousine
168. Attended the Olympics
169. Can hula or waltz and polka.
170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books
171. Been stuck in an elevator
172. Had a revelatory dream
173. Thought you might crash in an airplane
174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert
175. Saved someone’s life
176. Eaten raw whale
177. Know how to tat, smock or do needlepoint
178. Laughed till your side hurt
179. Straddled the equator
180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing (not to toot my own horn or anything...)
181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival
182. Sent a message in a bottle
183. Spent the night in a hostel
184. Been a cashier
185. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
186. Joined a union
187. Donated blood or plasma
188. Built a campfire
189. Kept a blog
190. Had hives
191. Worn custom made shoes or boots
192. Made a PowerPoint presentation
193. Taken a Hunter’s Safety Course
194. Served at a soup kitchen
195. Conquered the Rubik’s cube
196. Know CPR
197. Ridden in or owned a convertible
198. Found a long lost friend
199. Helped solve a crime
200. Responded to a NJP newsletter

The Vegetarian's 100

Not too long ago, I posted the Omnivore's 100. Barbara from Tigers & Strawberries, came up with the Vegetarian Hundred. I'm not a vegetarian, but I think I'm doing better at this list than the other one.

The Vegetarian Hundred

1. Real macaroni and cheese, made from scratch and baked
2. Tabouleh
3. Freshly baked bread, straight from the oven (preferably with homemade strawberry jam)
4. Fresh figs
5. Fresh pomegranate
6. Indian dal of any sort
7. Imam bayildi
8. Pressed spiced Chinese tofu
9. Freshly made hummus (this is on my list to try soon.)
10. Tahini
11. Kimchi (for what it's worth, I hated it)
12. Miso
13. Falafel
14. Potato and pea filled samosas
15. Homemade yogurt
16. Muhammara
17. Brie en croute
18. Spanikopita
19. Fresh, vine-ripened heirloom tomatoes
20. Insalata caprese
21. Stir-fried greens (gai lan, bok choi, pea shoots, kale, chard or collards)
22. Freshly made salsa
23. Freshly made guacamole (I'm counting Chipotle because they make it fresh in-store)
24. Creme brulee
25. Fava beans
26. Chinese cold sesame peanut noodles
27. Fattoush
28. New potatoes (yum!)
29. Coleslaw
30. Ratatouille (on my list, once I get up the nerve to try making it).
31. Baba ganoush
32. Winter squash
33. Roasted beets
34. Baked sweet potatoes
35. Plantains
36. Chocolate truffles
37. Garlic mashed potatoes
38. Fresh water chestnuts
39. Steel cut oats
40. Quinoa (though I don't care for it)
41. Grilled portabello mushrooms
42. Chipotle en adobo
43. Stone ground whole grain cornmeal
44. Freshly made corn or wheat tortillas
45. Frittata
46. Basil pesto
47. Roasted garlic
48. Raita of any type
49. Mango lassi
50. Jasmine rice (white or brown)
51. Thai vegetarian coconut milk curry
52. Pumpkin in any form other than pie
53. Fresh apple pear or plum gallette
54. Quince in any form
55. Escarole, endive or arugula
56. Sprouts other than mung bean
57. Naturally brewed soy sauce
58. Dried shiitake mushrooms
59. Unusually colored vegetables (purple cauliflower, blue potatoes, chocolate bell peppers…)
60. Fresh peach ice cream
61. Chevre
62. Medjool dates
63. Kheer
64. Flourless chocolate cake
65. Grilled corn on the cob (see blog - ask me if you'd like the story of when we decided to DIY)
66. Black bean (or any other bean) vegetarian chili
67. Tempeh
68. Seitan or wheat gluten
69. Gorgonzola or any other blue veined cheese
70. Sweet potato fries
71. Homemade au gratin potatoes
72. Cream of asparagus soup
73. Artichoke-Parmesan dip (well, I've had Spinach-Artichoke-Parmesan dip)
74. Mushroom risotto (I've had regular, but not mushroom. Mushrooms are yucky).
75. Fermented black beans
76. Garlic scapes (have been dying to try them since I learned what they are)
77. Fresh new baby peas
78. Kalamata olives
79. Preserved lemons
80. Fried green tomatoes
81. Chinese scallion pancakes
82. Cheese souffle
83. Fried apples
84. Homemade frijoles refritos
85. Pasta fagiole
86. Macadamia nuts in any form
87. Paw paw in any form
88. Grilled cheese sandwich of any kind
89. Paneer cheese
90. Ma Po Tofu (vegetarian style–no pork!)
91. Fresh pasta in any form
92. Grilled leeks, scallions or ramps
93. Green papaya salad
94. Baked grain and vegetable stuffed tomatoes (I'm kinda cheating here because I've done this with peppers... I'm not the biggest baked tomato fan).
95. Pickled ginger
96. Methi greens
97. Aloo paratha
98. Kedgeree (the original Indian version without the smoked fish, not the British version with fish)
99. Okra
100. Roasted brussels sprouts

47/100. I think that's pretty good.

Minnesota State Fair!

For those of you in the state, you're supposed to read that title as per the theme song that's been playing on the commercials for the past month or so. Anyway, I haven't forgotten about my blog. I haven't been purposely neglecting it, either. We moved, so I haven't been doing much any cooking lately. So... enough with the excuses and onto the good stuff.

Every year, like virtually every other Minnesotan I know, we wade through the crowd to go to the great... no, food fest... no... celebration of deep fried wonderment on a stick that is the Minnesota State Fair. If you add the attendance numbers together from each day of the fair (ignoring that many people go more than once), I think more people attend than actually live in the state.
People don't go to the fair for much other than the food. Sure, there are the animal barns where the outstate folk can show off their prize-winning pigs/cows/chickens/gigantic turkeys, and the city folk can actually see what a pig/cow/chicken/gigantic turkey looks like... but that's really just something you do in between the various food items.

Everyone has their favorites that they repeat over and over (unfortunately for me, mine are so far favorites that I crave them year-round, so once it's fair time, I am so hungry for them that I don't feel like I can cut anything out to try the newest hot dish on a stick or macaroni and cheese on a stick or whatever they manage to fry and put on a stick that particular year). My favorite is, by far, the Pronto Pup.

Cue the angel choir music...

To be completely clear: a pronto pup is not the same thing as a corn dog. I cannot stress this enough. Sure, it's a deep fried, breaded hot dog on a stick, but it's so much better than a corn dog. See, the difference is that the batter on a pronto pup is made from wheat, not cornmeal. In my experience, the coating is quite a bit thinner than a corn dog breading, and much more crispy on the outside. In short, they're the best. Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of the actual pup because by the time we made it through the line and got ours, we were far too hungry to bother with pictures.

Later, I did take a picture of one of the booths to show you how incredibly popular they are. The line was actually about twice this long, but you get the picture.

Unfortunately (but somewhat amusing-ly), the closest open place to the pronto pup stand to actually sit down and eat said pronto pup faced us directly looking toward this:

In case you can't see, the guy in the middle with the gray hair is Norm himself.

We thought about heckling, but decided against it.

The next major food item on the list is Luigi Fries. My husband loves these. Basically, they're breadsticks topped with melted cheese, dipped in marinara. They're good, but I think you probably get the picture just by description.

Next, the grilled corn on the cob. I know what you're thinking: what's so special about corn on the cob? In truth, nothing. It's just really, really good. It has the perfect charcoal grill flavor, and they give it to you just after being dipped in a huge vat of melted butter. The whole area smells like roasted corn.... it's an event, really.

See, don't we look like we're enjoying ourselves?

Next, there are mini doughnuts. There are two different brands of mini donuts at the fair, and people argue over whether Tom Thumb or Tiny Tim (or whatever that other brand actually is called) is the better mini donut. My in-laws swear that Tom Thumb is better, so for some reason we just sort of gravitate toward one of those stands. They're really yummy, but unfortunately, you can only eat about 5 of them before you start to feel like a mini donut yourself.

In the meantime, you walk around and check out the baby animals, like this super cute baby goat and two-day-old baby pigs, and make coo-ey sounds over them.

Now say it with me - awwwwww....

Next is a Minnesota original (or so I'm told): the deep fried cheese curd.



Again, there probably isn't anything particularly extraordinary about these things. They're just really good. And really, how could they not be? They're just little bits of lightly battered, deep fried cheese. The end result is a glob of cheese, batter, and grease. The first bite is heaven. The second bite is good. Third bite... still pretty good. The fourth bite.... well, let's just say you feel like you're going to die.

But, you can't die. There's still cookies to eat!

Sweet Martha's Cookie Jar has been around for 30 years or so, and everyone goes crazy for these cookies. They're always served hot, right out of the oven delicious.

In case you're worried for our health, we're still working on polishing off the bucket.

And then, you get back on the shuttle bus to your designated park & ride area and collapse.

The 100 foods you apparently should eat

This popped up in someone's blog on my google reader from Very Good Taste; a list of things he thinks every omnivore should eat. After looking about a good 1/3 of them up, I think I'm doing pretty well. :)

What he wants you to do:

1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results.


The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes

22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

Fresh Raspberries

This past weekend, we went up to the lake where I basically grew up.

You're jealous, aren't you?

When I was growing up, summers were the time to go out and pick fresh berries. Apparently that isn't common when you grow up in the city, as my husband had never picked berries before.


So, my mom, husband, and I drove even further into the country to a berry farm and picked some gorgeous fresh raspberries.

Aren't they purdy?

And the Winner is... Me!

I recently found out that I'm the winner of Homegrown Gourmet 9. The theme was pasta, and I submitted my Swedish Meatball recipe. I'm totally, completely honored. Thanks, Meghan!

Now, this means that I get to host the next round. Check back soon - I'll be posting the details of the next roundup within the next 10 days

Tagged!

It's been a while since I've been tagged. Joelen at Joelen's Culinary Adventures tagged me. So, now, I have to share a little big about me. Here are the Tagging Rules:

Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.

What was I doing ten years ago?
I was just getting ready to start my senior year of high school, working very part time at a local video store.

What are five (non-work) things on my to-do list for today?
1. Grocery shop (just did that)
2. (Rental) house hunt
3. Play with cats
4. Cook dinner
5. Watch TV

Five snacks I enjoy:
1. Nachos
2. Cherries

3. Chips
4. Chocolate chip cookies
5. Cheese & crackers

Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
1. Quit working
2. Move to Ireland
3. Travel
4. Travel
5. Travel

Places I’ve lived:
1. Fergus Falls, MN
2. St. Paul, MN
3. Minneapolis, MN
4. London, England
5. Bloomington, MN

Jobs I’ve had:
1. Cashier/clerk @ small-town video store
2. Music librarian
3. Salesperson @ Eddie Bauer
4. Public Defender law clerk
5. Attorney

I will be tagging:
1. Annie at Well, that would be telling
2. Annie at Annie's Eats
3. Samantha at Sweet Sam
4. Sarah at The Good Wife
5. Carrie at Carrie's Sweet Life

Strawberries!

Strawberry season has arrived. My taste buds are jumping for joy. I made my first trip to my local Farmers' Market this season and picked up these beautiful strawberries.



Just had to brag. My next goal is to get my wonderful husband out picking strawberries with me. Trust me, hon - it'll be fun!

Iowa City, Part II

I said a couple days ago that I'd soon be writing about all the wonderful food we ate in Iowa City over Memorial weekend. It's time.

We went to Iowa City for the express purpose of eating all the food that my husband loved in college. I'd been to a couple of them, but most were new to me. It was a fun weekend.

We started out with cheeseburgers at a tiny dive bar called George's. My husband says he knew vegetarians that made exceptions for George's cheeseburgers. Apparently at one time this place was called George's Buffet, but it's about the farthest from a buffet you can get. I think the food options were hamburger, cheeseburger, and chili. That's it. I was impressed. While too heavy on the mustard, it was an excellent cheeseburger. Definitely go if you're in the Iowa City area.

Next was a beer & some little beer battered cheese at Brother's. It's a pretty typical college bar in every way, but the outdoor patio was nice and the cheese was good.

Dinner was a calzone at Sam's Pizza. This place was the inspiration of the entire trip. I'd been there before. My husband raved about the calzones all the time, and when I had my first, I thought it was good, but nothing special. But the next day, I wanted another one. Three days later, I still wanted another one. A week later, still wanted another. In fact, I'd like one right now. See for yourself - doesn't it look delicious?

Yep, I know you want one...

Before going back to the hotel, we stopped for a drink at The Sanctuary. I wish Minneapolis had a place like this.

The next day, we hit up The Vine for their famous Maple Hot wings. Yum. I don't have pictures, but you should go there. If you want a more traditional restaurant atmosphere, go to the Coralville location, but if you want a more tavern-like atmosphere, go to the original one in Iowa City.

In the meantime, we made several trips to The Dublin Underground. It's a tiny little Irish pub that serves a beer called Dempsey's. It's actually brewed in Wisconsin, but it was tasty nonetheless. If you ever find it in a liquor store or on tap, try it. Again, why doesn't Minneapolis have a place like this?

We finished off the trip with lunch Monday at Micky's Irish Pub. It's nothing special, just a small bar & grill with good sandwiches.

Oh, and the funniest part of the trip:


You saw that right - that's a grilled cheese cart.

Iowa City, Part I

Over Memorial Day weekend, we went to Iowa City, IA - basically for the sole purpose of eating at a few of the places my husband loved from college. So, I could go on and on about how wonderful those places were (and I will), but before I do that, I'm going to write about something completely non-food-related: a pet store. Odd choice, I know, but you'd understand if you had any inkling how much I love my cats.

We were walking around the area near the university and came across a store that had some cats playing in the window. They were cute, so I had to go in. On the way in, I noticed a "stop puppy mills" sign. I was intrigued, but admittedly a little confused why a pet store would be anti-puppy mill. Turns out, this was definitely not your traditional pet store.

This place rescues animals from kill shelters and other bad situations, and people can bring in abandoned animals or those found in parking lots, dumpsters, etc. It takes care of them, nurses them back to health (if necesssary) and puts them up for adoption. It appeared that they focus on cats, dogs, and rabbits, though I wouldn't be surprised if that's just what they had recently rescued. I mostly went around and played with the cats. They all had spacious living areas, toys, and a companion or two.

They had pictures of every animal they've adopted out, with its new owner, lining the walls - I think the number was over 1200, and the store has only been open a couple years. I wish I could've taken a couple home with me to make room for them to take in more animals. I encourage all of you to support places like this in your area and consider adopting pets - they improve your life in more ways than you can imagine.

RIP Grandma's Restaurant

Image from GrandmasRestaurants.com

Today, May 22, 2008, Grandma's Restaurant on the West Bank of the University of Minnesota will close it's doors for good. The restaurant has operated from its West Bank location since 1981.

Your cheeseburgers and mozzarella sticks will be deeply missed. You will never be truly replaced.




Please don't close.

The Good Old Fashioned Wii Party

Tonight we're having a Wii party/birthday party for my mother-in-law and sister-in-law. We'll be serving the following:

Fried Chicken
Creamed Corn
Buttermilk biscuits
Mascarpone Cupcakes

Wish me luck!

Blogging with a Purpose

BakingBlonde at Blonde Ambition in the Kitchen has given me a "Blogging with Purpose" award. Wow. I'm honored. Her desserts make my mouth water. If you haven't yet, you really should start reading her blog. Like BakingBlonde, I'm also honored (and frankly, a bit surprised) that other people actually read my blog, let alone enjoy it. :)

I mean, I'm just a girl who likes to cook. I rarely make anything fancy and almost never make up my own recipes. I just make good tasting food to help me relieve stress after a busy day.


Now, it's time to share the love. As such, I nominate the following bloggers:

1. Annie at Well, That Would be Telling. Annie shares my love of Fontina cheese. Even though she doesn't exclusively food blog, her recipes are great and her stories always amuse me.
2. Monica at Fickle Foodie. Monica's recipes are so creative, and her photos are beautiful. Keep it up, Monica.
3. Meg at Joy Through Cooking. Her food always looks fantastic and inspires me to expand my palate. She also has two of the cutest little puppies I've ever seen.
4. Carrie at Carrie's Cooking Adventures. She's got a recipe for cheese and proscuitto stuffed shells that practically makes me drool. She's one of the first blogs I turn to if I really want some good comfort food.
5. Gillian at Gillian's Goodies. She inspires me to eat healthier and convinces me that I don't always have to sacrifice taste to eat better. Thanks, Gillian.

Now, here's what you five have to do:
- Nominate 5 blogs that haven't had this award before
- Each of the blogs must have a purpose
- The nominated blogs must have a link back to this blog
- The logo from this award must be displayed in your blog

Happy blogging, everyone, and keep it up!

Me, the Linebacker?

Remember that toe sprain I mentioned in my last post? Well, it's not gotten much better. I have preliminarily diagnosed myself with a condition called "turf toe." I understand it's very common in linebackers. Basically, it means I sprained the ball of my foot under my big toe. Apparently the treatment for it is to not use it. I don't think my boss will go for that.

It's terribly painful. I don't recommend it.

Expect my posts to be sparse until I heal, as I can't stand for very long at a time. In the meantime, when I'm not posting, check out my husband's blogs. I've linked them at the right for your convenience.

Meet Kitty

Meet one of my cats. Apparently she occasionally enjoys a nice glass of Chardonnay.

Tagged

I've been tagged again. Rachel from Good Thymes & Good Food got me. So, here goes.

Rules:

1. Link to your tagger and post these rules.
2. Share 5 facts about yourself.
3. Tag 5 people at the end of your post and list their names (linking to them).
4. Let them know they've been tagged by leaving a comment at their blogs.

5 Facts about Me:

1. I desperately want to move to Ireland.
2. I have two cats, both are named after Supreme Court justices.
3. I have a somewhat unnatural love for Orange Chicken from Panda Express. Unfortunately, the only ones near me are at malls. Sometimes I go to the mall just for the chicken.
4. I recently discovered mascarpone cheese. I can't get enough.
5. My office is right behind a strip club.

5 Tagged People:
1. Anne at Well That Would Be Telling.
2. Carrie at Carrie's Cooking Creations.
3. Samantha at Sweet Sam.
4. Christine at Foods for the Kid and Us.
5. Jennyfer at Jennyfer's Culinary Creations.

A little spoonful of heaven

I love Nutella.

That's all I wanted to say.

I've been tagged!

Brooke from ... and a cookie for dessert (http://brooke-cookiejar.blogspot.com/) tagged me. So, now I have to list 8 facts about myself and then tag 8 people.

1. Before I met my husband, I didn't like cats. Kittens were a different story, but I didn't care for full-grown cats. Well, he had 2 cats when we started dating and I think they're the greatest. I really don't know what I did without them. My husband says I would be a lot more productive, and he's probably right. I think I spend way too much time just watching them and laughing at them.


2. I don't like Gorgonzola cheese but I love Gorgonzola sauces. No idea why.

3. I recently discovered Filet Mignon. I thought I hated all beef (except ground beef) until last night when we were at the Melting Pot and one of our meats was a Filet. Man, that was tasty. It's like a whole new food world opened up for me.

4. Sometimes I miss college and have considered taking a class here and there just for fun. Then I remember that would involve homework and think better of it.

5. I was a music major in college (vocal performance) and haven't seriously sung in the 4 years since graduation. I miss it like crazy but can't figure out how to make the time to join a community choir.

6. I love orange chicken from Panda Express and honestly believe I could eat it at least 3 times a week. Unfortunately, my husband doesn't like Chinese food, so I don't get to eat it as much as I would like to.

7. I'm a lawyer. I've been a lawyer for about 10 months now and it still sounds funny to me. Even when I'm in court, it seems weird to me that I'm actually a lawyer. I'm hoping that feeling ends soon.

8. I really want to buy a house. We're still under lease in our apartment for about another year, so one would think the urge would subside for about 5-6 months until it's realistic for us to buy, but it's just getting stronger. If anyone has any suggestions to cure this (other than actually buying a house), I'd be really appreciative.

There, so now the following people are tagged:
Carrie's Cooking Adventures (http://adamswife.blogspot.com/)
Gillian's Goodies (http://gscookingblog.blogspot.com/)
Creative Country Cookin' (http://creativecountrycookin.blogspot.com/)
One Tiny Pink Kitchen (http://onetinypinkkitchen.blogspot.com/)
Blonde Ambition in the Kitchen (http://bakingblonde.blogspot.com/)
Annie's Eats (http://annieseats.blogspot.com/)
Delish (http://delishfood.wordpress.com/)

I've been tagged!

Ok, because I'm blind or something, I was actually tagged about 2 weeks ago. BUT, I didn't see it till today. Gillian (gscooking.blogspot.com) got me.

Here are the rules since I'm tagging you now! :)

Each player starts with seven random facts or habits about himself or herself. A tagged player then writes a blog entry with the seven things, as well as these rules. Then the player tags seven others and lists their names on his or her blog. Remember to leave a comment for your newly tagged players, letting them know they have been tagged and to read your blog!

Seven random facts/habits about me:

1. Three different times in my life, I have seriously considered moving abroad. Of those times, I actually did it once. If I could become qualified as a solicitor with relative ease, I'd be living in Ireland right now.

2. I still love hot dogs, especially when they're grilled. I'm picky, though. No yucky Oscar Meyer for me.

3. I majored in Music (vocal performance) in college. I was a complete music snob too - I was good, and I knew it. Once, I had dreams of becoming a famous opera singer at the Met. Unfortunately, I'm a soprano, and sopranos are basically a dime a dozen, so I came back to the real world and went to law school. I still think my profile on my firm's website looks a little weird where it says my college major was Opera Performance.

4. I love pickles. Really, really love them. I've recently become obsessed with pickle spears. They're just so convenient.

5. I didn't have any pets until I was 24 years old. Now, I have two cats. Technically, they were my husband's before we got married, but now I call them mine, and sometimes I think they like me better, but thats probably just because I'm home more than my husband is, and I let them do things he doesn't.

6. One of my favorite bands is The Police. In fact, I just went to their reunion concert this past Tuesday. However, most of my favorite songs of theirs were written before I was born, and they broke up when I was three years old.

7. I grew up in a very small town and had a very thick Minnesota accent growing up. In college, moved to the city and made a conscious effort to lose my accent. Now, it only comes out once in a while, usually when I'm sick or being whiny.

OK, tag! I am now tagging you, however I'm cheating and am only going to tag one person - Monica, you're it! :) Have fun!!