Zagreb is the capital of Croatia, which is located across the Adriatic Sea from Italy. Janko is the guy that started the restaurant at 223 West 6th Street in Bloomington.

I had the 20 ounce ribeye 🥩 steak cooked medium well, baked 🥔 potato and mushrooms 🍄.

This was for sure the most expensive steak I’ve ever had at $38. 💰 💴 I had been wanting to dine there for a few years so I was prepared the price 🏷 tag. The steak was excellent and the potato was on point. (Really hard to mess up a potato)

As an appetizer we had Janko’s spicy meatballs and they were tasty.

The dining room, of course, had an Indiana University theme.

I had LASIK surgery a week ago in Louisville and had been talking to my optometrist about the Louisville food scene. He had successfully suggested Mussel & Burger Bar and I followed his lead to Momma’s. Located at 103 Bauer Avenue in Louisville.

They are known for their wings and they were very good!

We tried the cheesy corn and can’t really recommend it. However, the slab of sweet cornbread was pretty darn good. I asked for some honey 🍯 and it was straight from a hive of 🐝 bees. Very thick and sweet.

Check out the ramekin ( new word to my vocabulary) of house made mustard and bread and butter pickles. There are also some fried pickles on Heidi’s 🥪 sandwich.

The most significant features of the place were the autographed wall by Guy Fieri of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.

Or maybe the authentic 🖼 painting by Bob Ross.

While in Louisville for a Lasik eye surgery consultation, I asked my optometrist where I should eat lunch. (I always ask the locals when I travel.) Even to Louisville.

He sent me to the Taylorsville Road location if Mussel and Burger Bar. It is a swanky spot with a great 🍔 burger!

I went for the well-done 🥓 bacon, cheddar, grilled onion and mushroom 🍄 🍔 burger on a fresh pretzel 🥨 bun and pomme frites. (Pomme frites= German for 🥔 potato 🍟 fries)

The fries were great and the burger was outstanding! I had them bring me some house made bbq sauce on the side and it was tangy and added to the experience.

Next visit, I’ll see what they do with the mussels.

Twice, Heidi Wintin has purchased Bertie Darlage’s Red Velvet cake at the Lutheran Central School Auction.

Bertie has been serving the students of Lutheran Central meals for about the last 47 years. On the side, she makes this wonderful 🎂 cake and some crazy good 🍏 apple dumplings as well.

The cake is moist and baked to perfection while the butter cream frosting is smooth and delicious.

This cake was actually Heidi’s last Christmas 🎄 🎁 present. I had asked Bertie to make one when she had time and she was so kind to oblige. Thank you!!! (I’ll bring you some bbq)

I don’t mind telling you all that this may have been my best Christmas gift giving ever for Heidi. I had jewelry from Tiemeier’s which is always a winner and was clever enough to have some gifts delivered to a friends house so Heidi wouldn’t see them. Not to mention this awesome cake delivered on. We Year’s Eve.

Happy New Year, Bertie and I’ll see you next week!!!

Welcome to Jonesville, Indiana! RaeAnn and I had some errands in Columbus and decided to hit The Brick.

It’s just a brick colored block building that specializes in 🍔 burgers. They don’t have draft beer, just cans and bottles. You can get a burger and a bowl of soup or some chips. They do a couple of things and they do them right.

I get my 🍔 burger with cheese and grilled 🧅 onions. Not even a plate. It comes on waxed paper. If you do it right, that’s all you need.

Red velvet cookies with Hershey Kisses and Hugs are dabomb.com!!!! Heidi has been at it again.

As well, how about these chocolate fudge cake mix cookies with Ghirardelli Peppermint chips?

They are all incredible! And she is still working.

Before the Sara Evans concert, we took the family to Christmas 🎄 dinner at The Seasons. I had been there back in the 70s and I remember two things:

1. The fried biscuits with apple butter are phenomenal.

2. As everyone else ordered prime rib, I ordered chopped sirloin. Dad asked a couple of times, “Are you sure?” Everyone laughed out loud and for several years when I later whined, “Why didn’t someone tell me that chopped sirloin was hamburger 🍔.” I thought they were just going to chop my sirloin steak 🥩 up in bite sized pieces.

The fried biscuits were steaming hot 🥵 and the house made apple butter were both still phenomenal!!! The outside edges were crispy and wonderful!!!

My entree was the baked garlic butter catfish and baked potato. The catfish was outstanding!!!

For the last two years I have purchased Kelly Klosterman’s Apple 🍎 Dumplings at the Emanuel Lutheran Church bake sale. I ask, “Can you give me the recipe.” She says, ” There really isn’t one.” Can you imagine the talent? She just throws it together!

Now that I’m teaching at Lutheran Central where Kelly’s daughters go to school, you could imagine my excitement when Rachel Llosterman brings in the tray of sweet treats from The Klostermans.

The peanut butter cookies baked in a muffin tin can stand alone, but then she puts a Mini Reese’s cup in the middle. (Don’t tell the other teacher that I ate two of those.) Then, the peanut butter balls have Rice Krispies in with the peanut butter. Incredible!!!

Snickerdoodles!!! White chocolate Chex mix!!!

Now check this out. I knew something was up with the cookies on the top left and had to ask her. They are corn flake 🍪 cookies and they are delicious!!!

Congratulations to Matt Klosterman on getting Kelly to marry you!

And from the LC staff, thank you , Kelly!!!

Restaurant Quality!!! With the Winter Solstice approaching on December 21, running the griddle inside is an adequate replacement for the grill.

1. Slice an onion and place on the griddle 🍺

2. Put ground beef patties on top of the onion

3. Sprinkle some garlic salt and Dominant One on the beef

4. 🍺 🍻

5. Flip burgers 🍺

6. Toast pretzel buns in oven 🥨

7. Melt 🧀 cheese on 🍔 burgers

8. Cook 🥓 bacon in microwave

9. Enjoy an outstanding Restaurant Quality burger in your own kitchen!!!

10. If you are really good and stay focused, you may be able to eat this burger in less than 10 steps 🍔 🍺

No. Not that kind of PB & J.

Our new routine is, when we go to a concert at the Brown County Music Center, we eat at Hard Truth Hills. (Vince Gill, Clint Black, George Thorogood) Tonight it is the Oak Ridge Boys Christmas show!!! Can I get an Oom Poppa Mow Mow?

For cooking dinner most every Sunday night and the fact that I don’t own a lawn mower, we took Richard and Nina. Also trying to score son-in-law points.

Last visit we sampled brews and spirits at Hard Truth and I had a Busted Knuckle/Strawberry Blonde. I named it the Busted Blonde. Tonight it was the Peanut Butter Busted Knuckle/Strawberry Blonde. The PB & J. What a treat!!!

I can highly recommend it!!!