My husband and I have been hosting the annual Super Bowl bash since 2001. We love to cook and get bored by doing the same thing over and over again, so our way of tackling this issue with an annual party is changing our menu yearly. We tailor our menu to fit the teams who made it to the show and/or the location of the big game. Last Year's Pittsburgh vs. Seattle in Detroit brought our guests a unique meal that included Kielbasa and Kraut, Salmon Cakes and Pop Tart Cheesecake (Michigan is the home of the Pop Tart). New England's dominance in the past few years did an extra challenge to be unique, but with Boston Baked Beans, Clam Chowder and Samuel Adams, we were able to change things up. Everyone left very full after Philly Cheesesteaks and nothing beats a Super Bowl in New Orleans because that means gumbo, jambalaya and hurricanes.
The biggest joke during the playoffs year after year has been what we would make if the Indianapolis Colts ever made the Super Bowl. Many of us have visited Indianapolis and noted that there is really nothing unique about the city or its cuisine and laughed that we would have to have the event catered by chain restaurants. Well, our worst culinary nightmare has come true (note: we were happy it came true as we didn't want to serve any more food from Boston nor see Bill Belachick and his team anymore). With much research we have for you a menu that we believe represents the cities in the Superbowl nicely.
Chicago Dog Bar: Hot Dogs, Big Buns, Sauerkraut with Celery Salt, Tomatoes, Hot Peppers, Relish, Mustard, Ketchup (I'm from NY and don't adhere to Chicago's mustard only philosophy), and anything else people might want to throw on their hot dog that makes it impossible to eat.
Van de Camp Baked Beans: Another product of Indiana, we usually prefer Bush's or a family recipe, but to represent Indiana, we must serve Van de Camp.
Chocolate Lover's Cheesecake: Chicago is home to Eli's Cheesecake, Peyton Manning's Brother is Eli.. perfect compliment to the menu.
Frozen Daiquiris: My sister noted that the problem with seeing a game in Miami is you have to watch the dolphins, but at least they have Daiquiris and Pina Coladas to make that more bearable. Well, today our guests get to watch a game played in Miami without suffering through the Dolphins. However, it is currently -12 here in Minneapolis so I'm guessing there won't be many people partaking in the tropical beverages.
We hope everyone out there enjoys their Super Bowl parties whatever you or your hosts are serving. Since neither my beloved Bills nor our hometown team the Vikings are playing in the big game this year, we are going to be decked out in Blue and White rooting for the Colts (well, and against Chicago).
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Thursday, February 01, 2007
2007 New Year's Resolutions
February 1 is the perfect time to finalize New Year’s resolutions. You can weed out those ones from years past that never happen and truly concentrate on the things that can be accomplished… hopefully. I have been keeping track of my New Year’s Resolutions religiously since 1995.
This is an interesting exercise not so much for realizing how few resolutions are actually realized by the time we sing “Auld Lang Syne,” but more for the analysis on how life has personally changed in the past 12 years. Did I stop resolving to quit biting my nails in 2002 because I knew it was never going to happen or because I realized it didn’t really matter? Grades, which dominated my resolutions for years, were no longer relevant after graduating in 1997. And of course, there is always the losing weight resolutions which has me wondering; do naturally thin people make resolutions as much as those of us who struggle with our weight?
Chelle’s 2007 New Year’s Resolutions
1. I will control my personal spending which means no new camera equipment over $500 and no longer having to steal money from savings to pay off my credit card bill (after March… Weddings are expensive, especially when they are your sister’s)
2. I will run 1 mile a day, 5 days a week. I can do more then one mile, but I can do no less.
3. I will take the GMAT this year.
4. I will finish the Northshore Inline Marathon under 2 hours.
5. I will drink 8 glasses of water a day.
6. I will get back down to a size 14 and fill my closet up with 14s rather then with 12s and 10s I never stay in.
7. I will floss at least 4 days a week (everyday has never happened and been on the list for 10 years)
8. I will upload all my photos to the internet within 2 weeks of taking them and catch up on all the photos on my computer from 2004.
9. I will finish at least 4 large scrapbooks and 4 small scrapbooks.
10. I will apply sunscreen to my face every morning and use all the pretty scrubs and lotions to look and feel better rather then have them go bad in my cabinets.
11. I will call a different friend every week and actually talk with them rather then just email.
12. I will read 2 books a month.
13. I will brush the dogs once a week.
14. I will write on my blog at least 3 times a week.
For those who don’t know me very well, 14 is my lucky number so all my resolutions have been lists of 14. Wish me luck, and I will report on how I did in 2008.
This is an interesting exercise not so much for realizing how few resolutions are actually realized by the time we sing “Auld Lang Syne,” but more for the analysis on how life has personally changed in the past 12 years. Did I stop resolving to quit biting my nails in 2002 because I knew it was never going to happen or because I realized it didn’t really matter? Grades, which dominated my resolutions for years, were no longer relevant after graduating in 1997. And of course, there is always the losing weight resolutions which has me wondering; do naturally thin people make resolutions as much as those of us who struggle with our weight?
Chelle’s 2007 New Year’s Resolutions
1. I will control my personal spending which means no new camera equipment over $500 and no longer having to steal money from savings to pay off my credit card bill (after March… Weddings are expensive, especially when they are your sister’s)
2. I will run 1 mile a day, 5 days a week. I can do more then one mile, but I can do no less.
3. I will take the GMAT this year.
4. I will finish the Northshore Inline Marathon under 2 hours.
5. I will drink 8 glasses of water a day.
6. I will get back down to a size 14 and fill my closet up with 14s rather then with 12s and 10s I never stay in.
7. I will floss at least 4 days a week (everyday has never happened and been on the list for 10 years)
8. I will upload all my photos to the internet within 2 weeks of taking them and catch up on all the photos on my computer from 2004.
9. I will finish at least 4 large scrapbooks and 4 small scrapbooks.
10. I will apply sunscreen to my face every morning and use all the pretty scrubs and lotions to look and feel better rather then have them go bad in my cabinets.
11. I will call a different friend every week and actually talk with them rather then just email.
12. I will read 2 books a month.
13. I will brush the dogs once a week.
14. I will write on my blog at least 3 times a week.
For those who don’t know me very well, 14 is my lucky number so all my resolutions have been lists of 14. Wish me luck, and I will report on how I did in 2008.
Saturday, January 27, 2007
An Argument for Global Warming
After moving to Minneapolis, Minnesota in 2000, I have routinely heard from friends and colleagues how mild winters have become. Winters of the good old days are apparently a thing of the past and frankly, this transplant could not be happier. If locals call the snow, the wind and the bitter, bone chilling cold "Mild," then I would surly have died in the good old days.
Cold and snow are easier to tolerate in November and December. There is something to say about bundling up to cut down a Christmas tree. The novelty of a Winter Wonderland wears off right after the holidays. A countdown to the first day of spring begins every year sometime around January 2. This exercise is all but useless since year after year Jack Frost comes nipping at our noses well into April and sometimes May. I hardly call snow in late April mild.
So, I propose we continue pumping out emissions, using aerosol spray... anything we can do to continue this so called mild trend here in the Upper Mid-West. Global Warming might be wreaking havoc around the globe, but it is apparently keeping things nice and toasty here in the great north.
Cold and snow are easier to tolerate in November and December. There is something to say about bundling up to cut down a Christmas tree. The novelty of a Winter Wonderland wears off right after the holidays. A countdown to the first day of spring begins every year sometime around January 2. This exercise is all but useless since year after year Jack Frost comes nipping at our noses well into April and sometimes May. I hardly call snow in late April mild.
So, I propose we continue pumping out emissions, using aerosol spray... anything we can do to continue this so called mild trend here in the Upper Mid-West. Global Warming might be wreaking havoc around the globe, but it is apparently keeping things nice and toasty here in the great north.
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