The South Called, They Want You Back

On the way home today I saw some friends that I was hoping would have snow-birded their buns back down South by the time I got back.  

The neighborhood geese that poop all over everyone's yard and pull up their lawn with their stupid little sharp little beaks.

My guess is that Minnesota is so liberal and welfare-centric that the geese felt there would probably be better benefits if they just stayed since we can't legally kick them out until April. 

Well hello friends.

In all seriousness I know that there is probably global warming and they are getting lazy just like the rest of our society but this whole staying until Christmas thing needs to end...especially after reading this blog today called "Canada not Canadian Geese" about what these birds are doing while I'm at work all day.

"...where they might eat four pounds of grass and leave two pounds of droppings every day". 

Are you freaking kidding me?  Two pounds of dog sized poop PER CANADA GOOSE per day!?  Plus they are mowing down four pounds (per goose) of our new sod!  Might be time for my friend's husband to come practice goose hunting in my front yard. 

What's in this picture?  52 pounds of grass and 26 pounds of poop per day.  Not in my yard people.

Shrimp and Seafood Louie Salad aka Cajun Shrimp and Seafood Overnight Salad

I have been on a quest for literally months to copycat the "Shrimp and Seafood Louie Salad" that they serve at Byerly's deli counter.  It's just special.  But time after time I tried to recreate the dish with absolutely no success.  I was beginning to give up.

Here's what I'm attaining to be...

Here was my first attempt with my sister Diane as photographer, #epicfail on the recipe portion 

All that whipping of fresh cream for NOTHING.  At least the shirt from my Kansas Princess Brittany looks nice!

Not even close to what theirs tastes like...not even in the same ballpark

So after multiple attempts, the only thing that I knew was that I loved those little chunks of cheap crab meat, succulent shrimp and some other stuff swimming in a orange sauce.


Then this week I broke down and did a naughty thing.  I told the woman behind the counter that I have a food allergy and that I was wondering if I could see the ingredients list.  While I'm sure that it's standard, the fact of the matter is that I don't have a food allergy which makes it slightly crappy of me.  BUT I did find out what in the world the secret ingredient is.  Of all things it is Chef Paul Prudhomme's Seafood Magic Cajun Seasoning!  Which is crazy because Chef Paul and I go back many moons and many miles!  Well, that's an exaggeration I guess.  Okay, a really bad exaggeration.

About two months ago I had to go down to New Orleans for work and ended up going to his restaurant called "Louisiana Kitchen" one of the nights that I was there which is dubbed by the locals as "K-Paul's".  While I've only had Cajun food once before this I have to assume that this is the higher end of what they would consider "the real deal".  The attention to flavor profiles and details was amazing.  If you ever get the chance to go be sure to have one of the jalapeno rolls and the green onion dressing...heck, any of their dressings or sauces for that matter!


Now back to the Shrimp and Seafood Louie Salad.  While the ingredients list that I got had literally hundreds of things on it (you know...sulfated sjidksoeke and other things like that) but here is what I could get out of the ingredients list not considering I'm not a chemical foods science graduate.


Since there were some things that I hadn't been expecting, I actually took the liberty of renaming the salad to something that I found much more fitting.  

Cajun Shrimp and Seafood Overnight Salad
Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound cooked shrimp
• 1 package flake style snow crab meat
• 1 TBSP green onion, diced very small
• 1/4 cup celery, diced very small
• 2 TBSP mayo
• 2 tsp 1000 island dressing
• 1/4 tsp Chef Paul Prudhomme's Seafood Magic Cajun Seasoning
• Splash of lemon juice
• Salt to taste
• White pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Remove the shrimp shells and discard.  Flake crab meat. 
2. Combine the mayo, 1000 island dressing, lemon juice, Cajun seafood magic and stir.
3. Combine sauce mixture with crab, shrimp, green onions and celery; mix.
4. Store overnight in a closed container to allow the flavors to fully meld.  
5. Salt and pepper to taste before serving; serve over chopped lettuce or a bed of whole leaf lettuce.

Finally!  The case has been cracked!

Football Treats: Terren's "Go Pack Go" Fruit Pizza & Potato and Corn Soup

Had a few friends over for the game on Sunday and Terren brought over the a fruit pizza.  But not just any fruit pizza, a Packers fruit pizza...

Bomb-diggity

Terren's "Go Pack Go" Fruit Pizza
Ingredients:

• 1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated sugar cookies
• 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 small container blueberries
• 1 can of chunk pineapple
• 1 Kiwi
• 1 small container strawberries

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease or spray 12-inch pizza pan or 13x9 baking pan with cooking spray. In pan, break up cookie dough; press dough evenly in bottom of pan to form crust.
2. Bake 16 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
3. In small bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Spread mixture over cooled crust. Arrange fruit over cream cheese into a "G" as pictured above.

In addition, I also cooked up a potato soup and Amber brought over some great oven bake bread.  Here's the details on the potato soup.

Yeah, I decorated for X-mas already...get over it.

Potato and Corn Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 TBSP butter or olive oil
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 4 slices bacon, chopped
• 2 TBSP dry sherry or white wine
• 2 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dices
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 tsp table salt
• pepper
• 1 cup milk
• 1 can of corn (12 oz), leave a few for garnish

Directions

1. Heat butter or oil in large saucepan over medium high heat.  Add onions and bacon and saute about 5 minutes.  Make sure bacon looks a little crispy versus rubbery.  Add potatoes and sherry; cook until sherry evaporates, about 30 seconds.
2. Add stock, salt and pepper to taste.  Bring to boil.  Reduce heat to simmer; cover and cook until potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes.  
3. Add corn and milk; cook until warm and if the consistency isn't where you would like it, you can always add a little bit of instant mashed potato powder to thicken it up or milk to thin it out.
4. Garnish with a few kernels of corn...or green onions or parsley would look great as well.  Serve with a good artisan bread.

Puma Shoe Laces, NOT My Cup of Tea

I really like the way that Puma shoes look.  For some reason I'm always drawn to them but then when I get them I regret it every time.  Every single stinking time.

The shoelaces are ridiculous.  They come undone within an hour every single time that I tie them. 

Here's my shoelace struggling at Wal-Mart

The photos on here depict my noneffective efforts to double knot my shoelaces while running errands before the onset of winter this weekend.  How is a woman supposed to winterize her home and fight off the crazies at Wal-Mart when she can't even tie her shoelaces??  Honestly Puma!?

Here's the same stupid shoelace struggling at Home Depot

It's finally at the point where I thought to myself yesterday, "well maybe it's me".  So I googled "Puma shoelace always undone".  While I didn't find anyone else that is as passionate about Puma shoelaces specifically, it turns out that there is a shoelace community out there that I didn't even know about!  

My personal favorite was Ian's Shoelace Site: Bringing you the fun, fashion & science of shoelaces. On this page Ian goes over the difference between the balanced shoelace knot and the ever infamous and feared"granny knot" which has people tripping all over themselves.  And it turns out that the "bunny ears" method is a real trouble maker too....

"Of the three methods, the Two Loop Shoelace Knot (or "Bunny Ears" method) is probably the biggest cause of "Granny Knots" because most people naturally tie the starting knot and finishing bow exactly the same way. This has given it a bad reputation as an inferior knot, whereas it's actually quite secure if tied correctly."

Wondering how to make sure that you're not a victim of the "Granny Knot"?  Then you'll have to go visit his website and read about "Fixing an Unbalanced "Granny Knot"" at the bottom of the link.  Don't worry, there are full instructions and visuals to walk you through becoming a more efficient shoelace upper in case you were scared you wouldn't get enough detail.

And just in case you are afraid of being alone on a lonely street wondering how to tie your shoelace correctly, he DOES have a iPhone app that is the ultimate shoelace reference.

As far as my original issue with my shoelace...I'm ripping them out and replacing them with normal shoelaces since an effective and standard shoelace knot was still ineffective on the world's thinnest and most useless Puma shoelaces.

Shamrocks: St. Paul, MN

Shamrocks
995 w 7th street
St. Paul, MN 55102


Website: http://shamrocks.rfsportal.com/
Menu: http://www.shamrocks.rfsportal.com/index.cfm?optionid=14779


How Did I Find This Place? 
Found this little gem through my fabulous coworker Stephanie who is a St. Paul expert.  If you're looking to go to the Nook but just can't wait out the line since it has limited seating, skip on over to Shamrock's and have the same burgers by the same owners!

Shamrock's exterior

What Makes This Place Unique?  
Ted and Mike purchased a little hole in the wall dive bar called "The Nook" in 1997.  With some guidance, hard work and many supportive patrons the bar is now thriving.  So much so that they were even recognized on Food Network's show hosted by Guy Fieri, "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives".  In 2006 they decided to expand and open an additional restaurant with MUCH more room, Shamrocks.  

Shamrocks burger of the month board

Lobster tank claw machine where you can win your own...why not, right?

What's On The Menu?

The "Juicy Lucy" is a type of burger that was invented in the Twin Cities...by who is up to debate.  What they do is that take two beef patties and put a large chunk or multiple slices of cheese between them and cook to perfection.  Well, Shamrocks coined their own version of these burgers coined "Nookie Burgers" which takes on many different personalities and ethnic interpretations.

Shamrocks main dining room

Our Meal  
Our group had a little bit of everything over the course of our two trips:

Two Guys From St. Paul (Monthly Special): Burger stuffed with swiss and then topped with  thin sliced pastrami, swiss and cheddar.  Served with both fries and onions

Olive Burger: Served with a dollop of cream cheese and a olive tapinade on top

Asparagus Burger (Monthly Special): Havarti cheese, burger, asparagus, hollandaise sauce

Side salad, nice portion!

My Thoughts

I've had the opportunity to eat at the most well known places in the Twin Cities for Juicy Lucy's, Matt's Bar and the 5-8 Club, and for multiple reasons I prefer Shamrocks over all of them.  Here's why:

• Seating and Wait Time - Of any of the locations that I've been for a Juicy Lucy, the seating situation is the best, especially for large groups
• Variety - while the 5-8 has a larger selection than Matt's, Shamrocks takes the cake in their originality and variety of burgers and overall selection
• Fries- they are so fresh that I found myself eating those before I even got my burger both times!
• Atmosphere - while Matt's is priceless and everyone should go if you haven't been there, you have to be prepared to smell like Matt's the rest of the day since they cook the burgers and fries in the main dining room, REAL bar style

And why would l leave you with anything else but the following warning that came with the molten cheese filled burgers?

Starbucks Cup versus the Dishwasher

I only have one day left at my job and for the last two years I have had a trusty side kick with me every day....my large Starbucks water cup that my fiance said I paid too much for.

While we have glasses readily available, this straw and cup team saved me from spilling on my computer, my phone and other people too many times to even count.

Since I am leaving, I thought that the right thing to do would be properly clean the cup and put it for it's first trip in the dishwasher since I had been hand washing it each morning for two years.  Bad idea.

Really bad idea.

Goodbye old friend and I'm sorry for mildly disfiguring your the your top half.  You'll be dearly missed.

Kitchen Window Cooking Class: Meet the Chef, Oceanaire

This summer me and some of my cooking buddies (Steph, Emily and Jen) were able to take a super yummy class that was taught by the Master Chef at Ocenaire, a fresh seafood restaurant downtown.

Here's the full description for the class:

"The Oceanaire Seafood Room boasts the finest seafood flown in fresh every day. With an emphasis on simplicity, seasonal preparation and regionally inspired dishes, Oceanaire offers one of the best dining experiences in the Twin Cities. Tonight, it's all about fish and fresh summer flavors as Executive Chef Rick Kimmes brings an exquisitely colorful menu to the cooking school. The ravishing feast begins with a classic CHILLED MINNESOTA ASPARAGUS SOUP and ALASKAN RED KING CRAB SALAD. For a light and fruity second course we will enjoy LOCAL STRAWBERRY & SPINACH SALAD and a MAPLE  SUGAR CURED & CEDAR PLANKED ALASKAN SOCKEYE SALMON. For our main courses: HERB MARINATED, PAN ROASTED ALASKAN HALIBUT served with a MARKET SALSA with  CILANTRO PESTO and GRILLED ALASKAN RED KING SALMON with Nuoc Cham, fresh  mint and chili's served with a MARINATED MELON SALAD. To bring this  beautiful menu to an end, TRIPLE BERRY NAPOLEON with macerated berries and  whipped cream."

Let's just say that no one walked away hungry.

HERB MARINATED, PAN ROASTED ALASKAN HALIBUT served with a MARKET SALSA with  CILANTRO PESTO

LOCAL STRAWBERRY & SPINACH SALAD and a MAPLE  SUGAR CURED & CEDAR PLANKED ALASKAN SOCKEYE SALMON

 GRILLED ALASKAN RED KING SALMON with Nuoc Cham, fresh  mint and chili's served with a MARINATED MELON SALAD

TRIPLE BERRY NAPOLEON with macerated berries and  whipped cream

Some of the tips that we picked up are as follows:

• Get to know your fish guy and feel comfortable asking what is the freshest...and trusting their judgement
• Don't salt fish before you put it in the pan, it dries it out.  If you add it do it post-cooking
• Keep it simple with fresh fish!  No need to over flavor good fish!
• Before putting your fish in the pan, pat it dry with a paper towel, will ensure it sears
• Don't use butter to pan fry fish, use a higher heating oil like olive oil or grape seed oil that won't smoke
• To get a thick piece of fish cooked sear the outside and then put it in a 300 degree oven for a few minutes
• The best way to tell if fish is done is an instant read thermometer, otherwise, the flake test isn't a horrible second option

Quick Clam and Corn Chowder

It was one of those nights where I used what I had in the fridge and cupboard and it turned out really good!  Since a young and busy professional like me can ever have enough 30 minute meals I thought I would share it.

Quick Clam and Corn Chowder

Ingredients 

• 1/2 onion, diced
• 4 strips of bacon, diced
• clam juice, 8 oz container
• 3 TBSP flour
• corn, 12 oz can (leave a little aside to garnish)
• canned clams, 12 oz can (in water or salt water...not oil)
• 1 cup skim milk
• 1/2 cup of instant powdered potatoes
• 2 cups fat free half and half
• salt and pepper to taste
• top with parsley and a sprinkle of corn

Directions

1. Fry the bacon on medium high in a large soup pot.  As it starts sizzling add the onions to the pan until they are clear and fragrant, not burning the bacon.
2. Turn stove top down to medium low.  Add the clam juice and milk.  Gradually whisk in the flour when the mixture is warm.
3. Add canned clams and juice from the can as well as corn and juice from the corn.
4. Gradually add and stir in instant powdered potatoes.
5. Turn stove top to simmer or low.  Add half and half, stir, then season with salt and pepper.
6. Garnish with fresh parsley and corn bits.  Serve with clam chowder crackers or a hearty/artisan bread.  Would also be phenomenal in a bread bowl (can be purchased from Panera I believe).

Thoughts:  At the last minute grab I grabbed the instant potatoes and it seemed to really add a lot to the texture and flavor.  The fact of the matter is that I didn't have potatoes on hand (naughty) and didn't have time to simmer them so it ended up working out for the better.

Last Harvest and a Time for Garden Reflection

While Squeeker might be out of a home, I got the rest of my crops harvested this weekend and cleaned out the dead plants

My Last Harvest. Pretty much enough to feed my family for Thanksgiving, if they were the size of Barbies.

I even got ambitious enough to attempt transplanting a few of the good looking herbs that I had left in the garden.

Parsley, Rosemary and Sage

Having my first garden was a learning experience to say the least and for next year, I've already thought of  a few things that I need to remember for next year:

• Plant the beets and carrots deeper and not near the corners
• Plant the pea fences and plants on the farthest West side so the sun isn't obstructed during the most sun-filled parts of the day
• Set up a mini cucumber patch outside of the raised garden box for pickling
• Fertilize...and not when it's too late
• Don't plant oregano, things just get weird
• Herbs - need to figure out weather to have these in the garden or to have them closer to the house so that they are more accessible
• Tomatoes...I'm not supposed eat them and Adam doesn't like them so what was I thinking?
• More green beans should be planted, we really liked those

Does Our House Scream "Animal Refugees Welcome"?

Our house is a home to not only us, but, also to a few little furry friends.  Two of which we were only introduced to this weekend.

But let’s start with the “old friend”.  Thomas the woodpecker is not so much a friend as a royal pain in our a*s.

Thomas, he's a real jerk

He stopped by our house last year and decided to mark his territory by boring holes in our siding and not just in one place…in multiple locations.  And he’s such a great friend that he decided to come back this year!  We were so excited to see him again!

And turns out the guy is a real genius.  He actually pecks at the siding surrounding the chimney so you can hear him going to town on a Saturday morning when his beak hits the metal sheeting lining the chimney.  Thank you Thomas for ruining our plans to sleep in on the weekends!

While we were hoping that he would be the only friend that we have to worry about getting rid of, turns out we were wrong.

This weekend we met a new friend, Marvin, when parking our car in the garage last night.  Good thing that I’m not afraid of bats or the fact that there has only been one documented survivor of rabies without a vaccine (enter sarcasm here).

This is Marvin. I really hate bats so this is the only picture I could put up without nearly vomiting

Here’s to hoping that Marvin has found a safe place for the winter or found a way out of our garage, the latter of two being preferable.

Our last and newest edition to our deranged family is someone who I accidentally evicted this afternoon, Squeeker.  While redneck rota-tilling my raised  box garden with a shovel to loosen up the dirt for next Spring, I must have dug under Squeeker’s home in a corner and then pitched him and some dirt a few feet.  I don’t think I’ve ever screamed so loud.

Squeeker, now looking for food stamps and a warm place to stay

Just imagine seeing a mouse fly a few feet in the air, land near your feet and then run for his life.  It was freakin scary.

In all seriousness I can handle the mouse living in the garden but the bat and the woodpecker need to find a new home because they are no longer welcome here!  This is not a homeless shelter for rodents!