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| Guess who's back? |
Head-Master Guy Blog note: If a blog was a measure of a person, I would be declared dead. If a blog was a book, this book would have a ton of dust and possibly a spider taking care of spider-babies. If this blog was a car, it would be a 1988 Pontiac Grand Am with the 8-track player that doesn't work. If this blog was a fashion, it would be a Cosby Sweater.
Well, the good news is that I can wear Cosby Sweaters whenever I want (and I do), I used to own a 1988 Pontiac Grand Am, I can kill that spider and wipe off the dust, and most importantly this blog needs to live again.
Sorry I've been away for so long. Part of my New Years Resolutions was to follow through on things. This is something that I want to follow through on. The last version of this blog was all over the place, this blog will focus on the things I love the most (outside of Significant Other): sandwiches, sports, and experiences that need to be written about. This is of course a blog, so take what you will and make sure to spread the word.
Here's how it will go, each week there will be three postings. The sandwiches will be on a Monday, because I make Sandwiches on a Monday and there is nothing better to get over a case of the Mondays than eating a delicious made-from-scratch Sandwich.
Sports will be on a Fridays to compete with Bill Simmons. I can only hope that my sports blurbs will rival his.
And somewhere in the middle or after either of these posts will be a post about life. Something that everyone should know: a story, an experience, or a humerous interaction that needs to be explained.
Because I'm so nice (and interestingly enough, quite motivated), I'm setting up a sneak preview of what's to come. I've got a double sandwich section because it's Monday and you know I be eatin' them sandwiches like whoa up in this.
Enjoy!
Sandwiches: In two parts
I consider myself to be a lover of sandwiches. Significant Other and I went on a vacation to Vegas awhile back and there was a restaurant called "Earl of Sandwich." Upon my insistence, we went every day. In an effort to spruce up my future sandwich truck that I'll own (dare to dream), I needed to start collecting my best recipes. I bounced the ideas off of Significant Other and knew that these were secrets that I could not keep from all of you.
Sandwiches can solve world peace. The problem is we haven't found this sandwich yet. My role here is to find that sandwich, make it, eat it, then share it with all of you.
Here are my latest creations:
The Frisco
Ingredients:
2 slices of wheat bread (Think the thick stuff, not that weak sauce you find in your local grocery store)
Roast Beef (I like meat so I had a lot of it. To each their own)
1/4 cup of mushrooms and onions
1 slice of lacy swiss cheese (this exists, go to your grocery story and find it; I recommend Boar's Head).
For the Sauce:
1/4 cup of fat free sour cream
1 Tbs of horseradish
1 tsp of white wine vinegar
2 tsp of dijon mustard (NOT GRAY POUPON. No one likes Gray Poupon http://goo.gl/ixcLh)
Directions:
In a saucepan, saute onions and mushrooms (add crushed garlic if you want but not a ton). While sauteing vegetables, use an iron skillet to toast the bread lightly on both sides. Remove bread from iron skillet. Put Roast Beef on iron skillet to warm. Lay the meat flat as to give the sauteed veggies a bed. Put sauteed veggies on top of meat and let it warm for a few minutes. Finally add lacy swiss cheese (should be able to cover both the meat and veggies). While the cheese is melting, spread homemade horseradish on both sides. Put the meat, veggies, and cheese on the sandwich and serve. Cut in half and as an option, use BBQ sauce (something mild) as a dipping sauce.
The Monte (with chicken)
Ingredients:
1 Onion Roll
Oven roast Chicken Breast (you can use your own chicken breast, however, the best sandwiches are made with deli meat, just sayin')
1 Slice of Smoked Gouda
1 Apple (preferably something juicy yet neutral. Don't go Granny Smith because that will ruin it. Something like a Jazz or Honeycrisp apple would be perfect).
1 Egg
1 Tbs Milk
Some butter (3 tsp)
Some sugar (bout the same)
One shot of Jack Daniels (other shot optional for taking after making this awesome sandwich as celebration)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Set in cookie sheet (or pizza stone if possible) and let that sit and warm up. Turn on an iron skillet and let that warm up as well. In a sauce pan, melt butter and add sugar to reduce. After about a minute you should have a nice base. Add a slice (generous) of apple and cook in saucepan. While cooking in saucepan, flambe with Jack (just pour that Jack like it's Saturday Night). Optional here to have a shot as well. Flip over to the other side and repeat with a little more Jack. Let that slice sit.
In a bowl, beat the egg and add milk. Add salt and pepper if you'd like as well. Dip the onion roll (cut in half) in egg/milk and put on skillet. Flip onion roll to the other side and add oven roast chicken on the skillet. About a minute should pass and chicken should be warm. Put the chicken, flambe apple and smoked gouda on the sandwich and close it up. Take the completed sandwich and stick it in the oven for 3 minutes. The smoked gouda should be melted and you're ready to eat. Have some deli mustard as an option. I thought it needed a little spice and the Significant Other thought otherwise. To each their own.
Pictures to come for each Monday's sandwich edition.
A New Type of Optimism
I make mistakes. Early in my life, these mistakes were life changing. Now, these mistakes are just erroneous predictions of sports teams I love. I can't hide it, I love the Timberwolves. In a grander scale, I love the NBA but really, I love the Timberwolves. Some of my best memories of sporting events were early 2000's when I got tossed tickets (thank you Krish) to go see KG play. His intensity covered the fact that he would have been the best #2 guy on the team. He wasn't a #1 guy and needed help and we never gave him the extra help he needed. It took a season of Spree and the Alien to say, "Yes, KG needs help, and he can't do this alone." The next season, Spree needed to feed his kids and so started the decline of the Timberwolves.
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| PAY THIS MAN HIS MONEY |
So, when Kevin Love, B-Easy, and Darko started playing some inspired ball early last season, I blogged about how much this would be the start of a new era. Well, it kinda started a new era; but in reality, I gushed about Michael Beasley and Darko for about an hour and I can't have that hour back. This was my mistake. This time I am not making a mistake and the Timberwolves are officially a team to take more seriously than a doormat.
Kevin Love is a top 8 player in the league right now. The facts are the Timberwolves need to sign him to an extended max deal. After this priority is set, there needs to be a series of moves to take the Timberwolves to contending for a playoff spot to advancing in the playoffs. To me, the Timberwolves have four movable pieces that can combine with expiring contracts to make a switch for players. B-Easy (expiring 2012-2013), Martell (expiring contact plus veteran?), Tolliver (expiring contract), and Wes Johnson. Basically, the Timberwolves should find a scorer who can handle the ball and be less selfish than one certain player on this team WHO ONLY GOES LEFT. I'll let you take a guess who that is. And since the Timberwolves can't trade Darko to save their lives (worst contract on the team), then the Timberwolves should make a play for Andre Iguodala. His contract is huge, but with so much coming off the books in a couple of years, the Wolves could afford him. And besides, the most important note is that the team would trade a crappy SF who is selfish and uncoachable for a leader in Andre who scores a ton of points AND plays good defense.
This is my solution. It all starts with locking up Kevin Love first. That gives the Timberwolves a range of flexibility to start moving pieces that will add up to one very good player. My eye is set on Iguodala.
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| The South End |
I'm not going to start off by saying I'm either getting old or don't get out that much. No; saying that would mean it's true. What I will say is we don't get out that much. So when Significant Other and I decided we wanted to paint the town multi-color, we did it because it was time to show ourselves that we were still young and adventurous.
The South End, for those who do not live in Boston, is a quaint area of town. Nestled in the middle of downtown Boston, it boasts a wide variety of restaurants, bars, and clubs. Significant Other and I decided that it would be fun to do something I recommend all of you do. We desired to know our city better, and what better way than to ask the locals.
The plan was this: research our best option for dinner, then let our neighborhood be our guide.
We walked into a local spot called Coda off of Columbus Ave. We wanted to share meals because we're basically a power couple and power couples share meals. I would assume when Jay Z and B go out to eat, they share a variety of meals. We were basically Rap Superstars this particular Saturday night.
We ordered Steak Frites and Grilled Sea Scallops with Couscous. The meal was the second best thing going (the company was clearly the first). We also started on a couple of drinks, a Makers Mark Old Fashion for me and a Grapefruit Summer Press for the Significant Other. It was 50 degrees in January which made the drink quite appropriate for the situation.
At the end of our meal, we had no clue what to do. So we started our adventure by asking the bar manager where to go.
"We're new around this part of town. Can you give us a recommendation on where to go next?" I asked with the most Minnesotan accent possible.
"You guys should try the BeeHive. They have live music and great drinks and food," he replied.
So on we went. We went to the BeeHive and asked where to go after that. We stopped at B&G Oyster and asked where to go after that. We stopped at Coppa, which smelled like garbage and we didn't ask anyone there. But if there was a way to bottle that smell and sell it as the worst smell on Earth, I would.
Finally, we hit Union Bar and Grille. A fantastic bartender served us up more drinks and we proceeded to the next bar of his recommendation. So on and so on.
All and all, a fantastic night. Significant Other was dressed to impress (and she absolutely impressed) and it was great way to explore a part of town where we had no idea where to go next.
I recommend each of you to explore your own town. Go to an area that you're not familiar with and ask around at each establishment. I promise you won't be disappointed and you'll find some truly unique spots that you never knew existed. Don't go into the hood. There aren't many good establishments there.
Let me know if you guys end up doing this! Love to hear the results, especially from Minneapolis.
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