Happy Mother’s Day 2023

Saturday afternoon Heidi let me know that I was in charge of the menu and cooking the Mother’s Day evening meal. I told her I had been thinking about it 🤔 to which she wasn’t convinced. Finally, I stated “How about grilled chicken 🐔 and baked potatoes 🥔?”

Ironically, this morning this picture came up on Facebook memories five years ago.

Billie, Walt, Heidi and Nina.

The caption below it said I was fortunate to have these mothers in my life and that I was in charge of “the grilled chicken and baked potatoes.”

So, I guess we have a tradition going here. For more irony, I just happened to wear the same Columbia shirt as we worked around the house today.

Grilled chicken marinated in 🧄 garlic salt 🧂, pepper and Olive Garden Italian dressing, asparagus from Nina’s garden, grilled peppers, and an awesome baked potato 🥔.

The flavor today was outstanding! I nailed the 🐓 chicken, the potato with shredded cheese, bacon 🥓 and sour cream was the best and Heidi mentioned that grilling the orange and yellow peppers was a “great idea!”

Vanilla Bean 🫘 cheesecake drizzled with caramel and a lemon cake cookie from Nina.

For dessert 🍨 we had a Vanilla Bean cheesecake from Aldi’s which was delicious and Nina made lemon cookies from a cake mix. The 💣 Bomb!!!

Liam, Heidi, Sophie, Andrew.

Happy Mother’s Day to Billie Mae, Heidi, Nina and Kiley!!! I love you all.

🥓 Bacon, 🥑 Avocado, Cheese Turkey 🦃 Burger 🍔

Ground 🦃 Turkey burger 🍔 with 🥓 bacon, cheddar, avocado 🥑 on a toasted whole grain English muffin. Heidi added some 🧄 garlic powder, Frank’s Red 🥵 Hot and mozzarella 🧀 cheese to the ground turkey when she pattied them up. The toasted English muffin really topped it off.

Bacon, Avocado whole grain toast.

The flavor on both of these was tremendous! This healthy eating has me really branching out! That Heidi…What a woman! The healthy eating was all her idea!

Healthy Eating: Day 6

On the Mayo Clinic Diet I have cut out beer, soda(caffeine), minimum dairy, limited sugar and whole grain bread only, so limited gluten. The six day results are all positive.

Today’s breakfast was and 🥚 egg white, 🫑 peppers, spinach, Morning Star veggie sausage, and cheese 🧀 omelette.

The fresh ingredients along with a Morning Star veggie sausage.
It looks like the Smokey Mountains in the background.
I added some Frank’s Red 🥵 Hot sauce to liven things up!
🥑 avocado spread flavored with Everything Bagel on whole grain toast on the side with refreshing 🍋 lemon water.

With this start, I am ready for the Crossroads Musicfest 🎼 in Seymour tonight. The talent is outstanding!!!

Baked Fajitas

Baked Fajitas

After some family members have had some ❤️ heart and health issues, As well as a wedding to look good for in October, Heidi has put us on the Mayo Clinic Heart Healthy Diet.

Tonight’s feature of Baked Fajitas was fantastic! It consisted of: Chicken 🐓, 🫑 peppers, 🧅 onion, 🥑 avocado, a dollop or two of sour cream(supposed to be limited dairy) on a whole grain tortilla.

We grilled last night and I am sorry to add that I didn’t photograph the grilled 🍍 pineapple, which was delicious! Maybe next time?

Bacon 🥓 Egg 🍳 and Cheese 🧀 Burger 🍔

We were sitting around Sunday after ⛪️ church and Liam mentioned that he saw a bacon and egg cheeseburger somewhere and that it sounded good. Of course, Heidi, with my assist, made it happen!

I mixed some dry Hidden Valley Ranch mix in with the ground beef, pattied them up and put them on the griddle along with some pre-cooked bacon. I then fried up an egg 🍳 in the skillet and topped it off with white American cheese.

However, instead of a bun, I put this masterpiece on a toasted Everything 🥯 Bagel, which put it over the 🔝!!!

So much for the 🥗 salad I had planned to eat.

Julie, Your Cruise Director…

If you remember “The Love Boat” tv show from the 70s, Lauren Tewes played Julie, your cruise director. I have appointed myself as your dining director and I only offer the best places!

We have been fans of the Clermont Oyster Bar for the last six years. Ever since I googled “Dive Bar” that long ago, we have been supporting this place.

Walt, Heidi, Sophie, Rae, Mendy and Bruce. They had music 🎼 tonight and we really enjoy the vibe!

After a day of ⛳️ golf, Bingo, and pool, this was a cool closer to the day. The food is always wonderful!

Sophie enjoyed the crab 🦀 legs.
Walt, Bruce, Coper and Chandler on the Crane’s Bend signature hole at Orange 🍊 Lake. Par three over the water. I went “Splash!”
Bruce got jiggy with some 🦪 oysters on the half shell. He combined the cocktail and horseradish sauce and got his sinuses cleared.
The Fish Dip and crackers has been a hit!!!
I had the 🍤 shrimp 🌮 tacos with Boom Boom sauce and the clam chowder. Fantastic!!!

Let me add a couple of other dining opportunities if you are in the Kissimmee area.

Fried 🍤 shrimp, coconut 🥥 shrimp and sweet potato 🍠 bites from Nantucket Shrimp Shack on 192. They also had a Bang Bang shrimp that was phenomenal .

We also had a great experience at the Crazy Crab 🦀 on 192 and as always, Miller’s Ale House.

All I know is, Boom Boom, Bang Bang, or Yum Yum sauce, I am for it!!!

Rock and Brews

This Rock and Roll 🎸 themed restaurant in Kissimmee, Florida is a cool spot. 😎 It is loaded with Rock and Roll pictures and items, as well multiple beers on tap. We experienced an awesome outdoor seating area with a fire 🔥 pit.

Orange 🍊 Blossom 🍯 Honey Pilsner on tap with a fresh Florida orange slice. 🔥
Stahls, Wintins and Wischmeiers.

Landon Ray Wischmeier and I had Big Fun sitting around the 🔥 flame and talking basketball 🏀.

Loyal Purdue fan, Landon is still wearing a Boilermaker jersey.
I had the fish 🐟 🌮 tacos with 🥑 avocado and they were delicious!

1816 Modern Kitchen and Drinks: Corydon

Corydon became Indiana’s first state capital in 1816, per the name of the restaurant located on the square (100 East Chestnut Street) and near the old state capital building. It is cater-corner from the Kintner House and Hayswood Theater.

Larry’S Chicken. Two stories tall.

In 2005 I became a teacher Consultant with the Indiana University Southeast ✍️ Writing Project, led by Dr. Kevin Sue Bailey. It was a wonderful learning experience for me and I grew tremendously as an educator and as a person. This evening at 1816 was just a casual reunion of professionals that participated in the writing project.

IUSWP alumni. Tiffany, Rachel, Kevin, Ashley, Debbie, Jenny, Sarah, Walt and Tammy.
I tried the 🍤 Shrimp and Grits.
General Tso’s Chicken.

These tasty creations are eye-popping and delicious. 1816 is an eclectic location and worth a visit!

As a bonus, here is Wednesday’s 🌄 sunrise!

Darlage’s 🫑 Peppered 🥩 Steak

It started as any other Thursday. However, then, Heidi said “I can go to Darlage’s and get something for the grill.”

All day, I thought about what I would put on the grill. And much to my surprise, she said “ I got a peppered steak kit.” It was vacuum packed slivers of ribeye with 🧅 onion and 🫑 pepper.

So, out comes the Blackstone Griddle! On the side, Heidi was preparing Parmesan Brussels sprouts and shells and cheese. But wait, the pepper steak will be put on hoagie buns with Provolone cheese and Au jous!

Dig the steam coming off this combination.

Fantastic!!! just begins to describe this meal.

It was totally Heidi’s idea to put the buns in the oven to melt the 🧀 cheese! And then Sophie said “How about some Au jous?” And they made it happen right then and there.
💥 Boom!!! 💥

I feel the season changing as I sit in the garage creating this masterpiece under the direction of a higher power, ( That would be Heidi!)

The Garage: Columbus

Heidi started with this Green Machine cocktail 🍸 . Idk what it is even called, but it had a Sexy name and she liked it!

Green Machine ( the name I gave it)
We had 🥨 pretzel sticks with a queso dip and 🌶 pepper Jack 🫑 cheese sticks as appetizers!
Heidi enjoyed the salmon 🍣 and 🥕 🥦 veggies.
The 🐟 fish and chips had three huge pieces of whitefish and you can’t even see the 🍟!

The Garage had live music, great food and several beers on tap. I had a Blood 🍊 Orange from Cedar Creek and was quite satisfied!