T1B

Cooking forum got probably more traffic than the Sac today.

Just to make it a cooking topic, I made a nice shrimp/mushroom/green pepper/onion paasta tonight. If I wasn't two sheets to the wind, I'd expound upon more.

What did you make tonight?

Went to Eat 'n Park, a regional chain, similar to Denny's. Had a rueben that sucked hobo ass. Side of navy bean soup.

Daughter had scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast.

Sorry, wish I had something exciting to tell ya'.

Husband cooked.

Sweet and Savory Pork (pork tenderloin medallions, 'dried plums' because no one likes to say they really eat prunes, kalamata olives, capers, white wine, brown sugar, garlic, all kinds of good stuff in this one..)
Asian Rice (foo foo Jasmine Rice yo)
Roasted Carrots and Parsnips

YUM

Didn't have time to do anything really fancy. I went to my son's track meet after work (watched him win his 200m heat), and we're baby sitting the grandkids tonight. I thought about going to the store but decided to use what I had in the house and needed to use up. Here's what it was:

Artichokes steamed with Italian seasoning, garlic and EVOO. Damn these chokes that you can get from Costco at 4 for 4.99 are better than the $3.00 chokes at the grocery store.

Then I made a stir fry with pork tenderloin ('sup Mr. PP) sweet onions and broccoli. I marinated the pork in soy and garlic and added some House of Tsang stir fry sauce at the end. It was actually pretty good, and a different but tasty combination with the chokes.

Sticky rice on the side (I didn't eat any). A bottle of Beringer Merlot.

Bourbon, and lot's of it. Wifey ordered a pizza (I said I wasn't hungry) and then I went through it in a drunken haze. I think I even ate the box (pizza, not hers).


She said she wanted to hit the Gym. I heard, "I want to hit the Jim (Beam)" and thought it to be a superlative idea!

Mikey wrote:Didn't have time to do anything really fancy. I went to my son's track meet after work (watched him win his 200m heat), and we're baby sitting the grandkids tonight. I thought about going to the store but decided to use what I had in the house and needed to use up. Here's what it was:

Artichokes steamed with Italian seasoning, garlic and EVOO. Damn these chokes that you can get from Costco at 4 for 4.99 are better than the $3.00 chokes at the grocery store.

Then I made a stir fry with pork tenderloin ('sup Mr. PP) sweet onions and broccoli. I marinated the pork in soy and garlic and added some House of Tsang stir fry sauce at the end. It was actually pretty good, and a different but tasty combination with the chokes.

Sticky rice on the side (I didn't eat any). A bottle of Beringer Merlot.

First time I heard of someone mixing eye-talian dressing in with their chokes, I thought it was blasphemy. Then I realized what a dummy I was, since that's pretty much all marinated artichoke hearts are and I've been eating those for 20 years. Had artichokes steamed this way for the first time about a month ago and it was MONEY, though I still like just regular steamed ones as well. The chick that made dinner made them with some foo-foo expensive artichoke marinade that was flat out awesome. Had them about two weeks later with just some Wishbone Italian Dressing and it was almost as good and about $5 cheaper. I'll have to make them with Good Seasons italian sometime with good vinegar, half canola and half evoo, as I love that combination on just about anything.

Ken wrote:Eat 'n Park

Godawful. Almost as bad as Kings.

soft tacos with ground beef that had been in the freezer for week or 14. not bad. nothing special. a local microbrew--Avery. my buddy used to work there, and they still give him the seconds, partial fills, unlabeled stuff....which is pretty sweet. his garage is full of beer.

King Crimson wrote:my buddy used to work there, and they still give him the seconds, partial fills, unlabeled stuff....which is pretty sweet.

Dude, I may be the textbook U&L beer snob, but I'll RACK it, even if said Avery tastes like butthole.

The all-time best beer is Free Beer Brand.


I used to have a connec at Saxer like that. Currently have one at a winery. There's much to be said for scoring free reject shit...and when you work in the QC part of the operation, it's amazing how many bottles/cases don't pass muster when you're low on booze, or planning a party.

Of course, with wine, those bad labels and whatnot could be used at events where staff is pouring anyway, or in the tasting room....but nahhhhhh. They're rejects.

Avery is OK. i'm not real hot on any of the Colorado micros to be honest. everyone has a chubby for New Belgium these days (yawn). their stuff is decent on tap, though. the Colorado stuff: NB, Left Hand...i'll buy when it's on sale. the Boulder offerings have traditionally blown mightily: Oasis, Walnut Brewery, etc. last time i bought Breckenridge it was terrible.

but, yeah, it's free. sometimes you'll get one thats a hopped to the planet Saturn skunker.....but, it's a gamble well worth taking.

i used to be the sous-chef in a pretty nice italian place and we strategically vaulted one of our own former kitchen dawgs to assistant wine manager. we had some good parties--lotta wine.

I've been to Walnut Brewery several times when I was working for a company in Boulder. It's pretty deece when you're sitting in the restaurant shoving food in your face while drinking, but tastes like water next to, say, anything from Stone. The Boulderites seem to think it's nectar of the Gods though.

Mikey wrote:I've been to Walnut Brewery several times when I was working for a company in Boulder. It's pretty deece when you're sitting in the restaurant shoving food in your face while drinking, but tastes like water next to, say, anything from Stone. The Boulderites seem to think it's nectar of the Gods though.

I like a lot of things about Boulder--but Boulderites are notoriously stupid. Surely you went to the Rio Grande, probably the most successful restaurant in Boulder for 15 years and *the worst* plastic, velveeta mexican food you've had. but they just keep cranking it out and guzzling those gawdamned margs.

WB was kind of novel when it first opened. the food was OK (quality salmon fish and chips were kinda cool), the waitresses were hot, and their stout was pretty good. but, the last 10 years or so it's just a kind of middle aged, has been sort of place for out of towners from Lafayette or one of the Denver 'burbs coming in for a Saturday on the Pearl Street Mall. it's basically the Cheesecake Factory now--menu has "one of everything"--a couple Mexican offerings, tired pre-boiled pastas, lots of chicken sandwiches with "pesto mayo" and wraps or overpriced other stuff.

King Crimson wrote:everyone has a chubby for New Belgium these days (yawn).

A truly horrid brewery.

PSUFAN wrote:

Ken wrote:Eat 'n Park

Godawful. Almost as bad as Kings.

Well, the daughter likes it there. But I'm with ya'. They suck ass. I've seen the Kings near to me go through its entire life cycle.
As a 12 year old or so, I remember the one near to me opening and riding my bmx bike there w/my best friend to get a milkshake (dude put a bullet through his head some 5 yrs. ago, btw.)

Through HS and summers home from college, it used to be the place we got our grub on after drinking.

As an adult, I now avoid it all costs. I can't remember the last time I was there and I hope to never return.