At Home - This and That

 ...back home again, just hanging around, watching the wooded areas in the neighborhood disappear and playing with a couple of food items we hadn't tried before.

This was the wooded lot diagonally across the street from our home.  Other than the lot next to our home, this was the last wooded lot in our 2 block area.  A new house, directly across the street from us was being built on the lot to the left of the woods shown above.  We believe that the lot next to us is tied up for now with legal issues but that can't go on forever...

...and this is a view of that same 'wooded lot' just a couple of weeks ago.  We used to see trees as we rounded that curve toward our home... Now all we see is construction and the backs of other homes.

Unfortunately, unless specified by the home builder or the person who is having a home built, the common practice is to just strip the lots bare.  It simplifies the new construction and holds down some cost.  Even worse in this instance is that the subcontractor who was hired to clear the lot didn't even stick to the property at hand.  The homeowner in the first house past the cleared lot was very unhappy when the equipment operator took down trees on the common ground between homes as well as a couple of trees that were actually on the edge of their property.

But we especially felt sorry for the new homeowner in that white home at the left.  When Jane and Roger got title to the home, that treed lot was lovely and verdant.  When they actually moved in the trees were gone and so were 2 or 3 trees that were part of their property.  

Now for some food topics...

In my never ending effort to create a salad that my medications allow and that satisfies my urge to munch on produce, I've been playing with my options.  Iceberg lettuce isn't an issue but just how many wedge salads can one person eat...much less enjoy?  In this instance tomatoes and iceberg lettuce served as the base and then I covered it with radishes and slices of yellow squash.  I decided that this iteration was OK but now when I make similar salads, I don't use that blue cheese dressing, but instead I opt for a red wine vinaigrette.  The vinaigrette provides a fresher taste than the blue cheese dressing and its a bit healthier too.

Recently we were inspired by Big Dude at https://bigdudesramblings.blogspot.com/2024/07/creamed-chipped-beef-on-toast-and.html#more, to make our own creamed chipped beef on toast (SOS for those who served in the military).  We wanted to make extra so we could freeze a batch for a second meal sometime in the future, so we doubled the recipe from Big Dude's blog site.  To be honest, I'd never noted the dried sliced beef in a jar in the grocery store...but there it was.  So we chopped up the beef!

Next we created the slurry that serves as the base for the creamed chipped beef...butter, flour, garlic powder, onion powder and dried rosemary.  We upped the seasoning, adding a bit of pepper and red pepper flakes as we like our SOS a bit spicier.  

These photos show the result of our culinary copying efforts.  First that big pot of creamed chipped beef and then two containers from that pot...one for dinner and one for the freezer.  The whole effort was simple enough...but how did we fare with the actual resulting taste test?

This was my serving of creamed chipped beef on a slice of toast...in this case it was from that batch we didn't freeze but which was left over from our dinner 2 nights earlier.  

Yes, that is Tabasco on the SOS!  I put Tabasco on almost any creamy entree, even on Alfredo entrees in restaurants.  Now for the moment of truth... We did deviate from the recipe published by Big Dude.  We don't keep whole milk in the house as we don't use that much of it and it goes bad too quickly and I hate wasting food.  So we only buy half and half milk, the advantage being that it has a shelf life of 4 or 5 weeks.  The problem with making creamed chipped beef with half and half is that the resulting cream sauce is too rich, overwhelming the spices and producing a product that looks like the original intended product...but which just isn't as tasty.  Live and learn!  The next time we'll buy enough regular milk to make SOS the way it was intended.

As we recently wandered through a plethora of local markets, farmer's markets and boutique malls, Laurie spotted this package containing the makings of Dakota Cheese Soup.  We both like cheese soup so it was a natural impulse.

After Laurie followed the directions on the package and made the soup for dinner one recent evening, this was the result.  Laurie liked it but I thought that it was too 'thin'...and not cheesy enough.  Sometimes these 'special food items' are complete winners and sometimes they just aren't.  

A recent 'winner' was a jar of Amish "B-E-A-R" Jam.  It's made with blackberries, elderberry juice, apples and red raspberries.  It is excellent jam.  Sorry no photo.  Check out the available sources and varieties on-line by just searching for "Bear Jam".   

The perfect ending for this 'hanging at home post' is this photo of the sunset as taken from a traffic jam on the I-75 bridge over the Tennessee River/Watts Bar Lake as we returned home from a local gathering.  Laurie just snapped the photo out of the car window...

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them...

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Continuing With Our Family Visit to Omaha

Our continuing family visit started with the St. Louis Missouri area and then on up to Omaha Nebraska... We watched movies at David II and Amy's home, ate a lot of food, celebrated July 4th and generally chilled out.  Unfortunately for me, I had left my camera in St. Louis so I was hesitant to ask Laurie to take a boatload of photos for me to use with the blog site.  Maybe some of you aren't all that unhappy over my little boo boo... 

On one of the days during our visit, the plan included driving to downtown Omaha, wander through the relatively new park/activity area, and then have some dinner in a local Italian restaurant.

Amy and David II were goofing off when Laurie took this photo.  Our son and daughter-in-law do know how to have fun together!  Note: No 50 something year old adults were injured while performing on this 'dangerous' swing.

This activity area/park replaced a green strip along the edge of the center of Omaha that used to include a stream of water, lots of grass and trees.  I'm told that this concept draws more people and more families to the downtown area as there is more to do.  I preferred the old-time green park...but then again I am an old-timer.

 

The reimagined park/activity area butts up to the Old Market, a neighborhood located in downtown Omaha.  Most of the area, including its old warehouses and retail spaces along with the brick paved streets, date back to the late 1800s, up through the turn of the 20th century.  As you can see from the photo above, some buildings in the area come with old-time covered sidewalks.  The Old Market is home to all levels of shopping ranging from art, to antiques...including books, some typical tourist items and some high-end stores as well.

The Old Market area is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as an Historic District.  To learn more about this neighborhood in Omaha, just go to https://oldmarket.com/ and/or to  to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Market_(Omaha,_Nebraska).

It looks like Cinderella has been dropped off at the ball!  I'm sure that this fancy all white carriage, (actually named the "Cinderella Carriage", has transported a lot of little girls...not to mention newly married couples.  Tours cost between $45 to $160.  Children under 12 are free when accompanied by adults.  Website: https://www.mjcarriage.com/. 

Street performers are not unusual in the Old Market area but we didn't spot any during this visit.  So we wandered in and out of a few shops...and then it was time for dinner!

Amy and David II had selected Cibo Vino as our evening's dinning destination.  Appropriately enough, cibo e vino in Italian translates to Food and Wine.  Note the outdoor dining option.  It's a chance for folks walking by to check out what you are having for dinner...but it also offers an option to folks who want to bring their dog with them... 

Cibo Vino has a nice long bar with tons of alcoholic options lining that back wall.  Despite my lack of photos, I can testify that this is a very large restaurant.  The other news, which some may regard as positive, is that I didn't want to 'bug' my better half to take a bunch of food photos...so there just aren't any.

I can assure you that we ate well.  Cibo Vino offers 'small plates', 'starter pastas', 'entree pastas' and then a variety of dishes they refer to as just 'entrees'.  Items like grilled octopus, burrata caprese, spaghetti and meatballs (meatballs made with veal, lamb, beef and pumpernickel breadcrumbs), plus chicken, salmon, trout, shrimp and cioppino.  Although not as good as some of the restaurants in St. Louis's Italian Hill area, Cibo Vino was quite credible.  Learn more and check out the menu at https://www.cibovinoomaha.com/. 

I just 'had' to include this photo of our son at work prepping food for a meal.  I can't believe that we have a son that is old as he is!  That must mean that I am really old!

Despite his age, David II is always thinking about his elderly parent.  In this case, he knew just how devastated I was when I learned that Heinz no longer makes their ketchup with Tabasco variety.  So David II searched his local market and came up with a couple of alternatives.  I brought these 2 bottles home and have since stocked our pantry with this critical condiment.    

Both Amy and David II are really into books.  That works well for Laurie and I as we have hundreds of books ourselves.  Knowing about their book fetish, on this visit we delivered over 80 hard cover books ranging from a set of the classics to a complete set of Mark Twains novels.  This bookcase, and indeed the room, contains mementos and books that are family related.  I spotted some of my dad's books, one of my mother's paintings on the wall and a small basket my mother made on the third shelf down at the left of the photo.  

We're planning to bring more books and another piece of art on our next visit...

This rainbow seemed to be the perfect end piece for this post.  It framed the family's pool as well as the trees lining the field behind them and the American flag was a bonus.  Another great family visit!

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them...

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

A Burger Joint in Omaha Nebraska

 ...continuing with our two week road trip to visit family in St. Louis Missouri and in Omaha Nebraska.

Our little family group was out and about in Omaha and David II took us to a old time bar and burger joint that is highly thought of in Omaha.  It has won various accolades over the years including 'the best burger'.  Our Omaha family hadn't been there before either...

This is Dinker's Bar and Grill.  It's located in what is left of one of the old Polish working class neighborhoods in Omaha.  The building was built in 1914 as a 200-seat theater...which only operated for about 2 years.  Then it became a family grocery store followed by a succession of bars and inns.  The original Dinker's bar was located just 2 doors down from this structure.

Why is it named "Dinker's"?  No one seems to know the origin of the name.

Dinker's very much resembles the old-time bar and grills that once ruled supreme throughout the midwestern USA.  In fact, Dinker's Bar and Grill has been in operation since 1965 so obviously they've been doing something right.  We do love local joints with this vibe...

It's not all about burgers at Dinker's.  But in fact the menu does feature 14 different burgers!  Other options include 9 appetizer sharables, salads, a steak sandwich, pork fritter, grilled and fried chicken options, a fish sandwich, grilled ham and cheese sandwiches, a BLT, a fried egg sandwich and a grilled cheese sandwich.

David II ordered a basket of 'cheese sticks', fried mozzarella 'sticks' in Italian breading with marinara sauce.  Laurie...and everyone else in our group likes fried cheese but it's never been one of my favorites.  The group had done serious damage to this starter offering by the time I remembered to take a photo.

Other appetizer/starter options include Mac and Cheese Bites, Garlic Cheese Bread, Onion Rings, Fried Mushrooms, Buffalo Chicken Wings and Fried Gizzards.

Dinker's Bar and Grill's 'legendary burgers' are made with a third of a pound of unseasoned ground beef (7 oz.), that is cooked on a griddle that has been primed with bacon...giving the burgers extra flavor.

This was my burger of choice...a straight up Cheeseburger with a little mayonnaise and pickle chips.  It was a decent burger for sure...but neither Laurie or myself were terribly impressed.  For one thing, our burgers were overcooked, not medium rare which is our preference.

I'm not sure who's burger this was... It is a Haystack Burger, which is constructed with a 7 oz. beef patty topped with American cheese, a slice of honey smoked ham and a fried egg, all served on a grilled bun.  Everyone was in agreement that the burgers were OK to good...but those who tried the onion rings gave them two thumbs up!

The wildest burger on the menu is the Ultimate Triple Deck Dinker Burger.  Basically, it's 3 cheeseburgers high with lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise and bacon, plus raw and sauteed onions served on a grilled bun.

Other items on the menu include a steak sandwich, a port fritter, variation of grilled and fried chicken, a fish sandwich, grilled cheese, grilled ham and cheese, a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich and a fried egg sandwich.

Dinker's Bar and Grill is closed on Sunday but is open for lunch and dinner...until 1 AM on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday.  Note: Cash Only!  This restaurant is located at 2368 South 29th Street in Omaha Nebraska.  They are on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/dinkersbarandgrill/.

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them...

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

On to Omaha and July 4th!

Continuing with our road trip to visit family in both St. Louis Missouri and Omaha Nebraska...

When we're heading from St. Louis on up to Omaha, we always take US Hwy 61 north to Hannibal Missouri and then US Hwy 36 west across the state.  That keeps us off of the super busy, more dangerous and stress filled I-70 between St. Louis and Kansas City.  US Hwy 36 is a 4-lane highway all the way across Missouri.  The speed limit is 5 mph lower than the Interstate but US Hwy 36 features limited vehicular traffic, especially truck traffic.  However, less traffic means less opportunities for both fast food and sit down restaurants.  Thanks to GPS and the Internet, we have learned where dining opportunities exist...and it was time for lunch.

For the rest of the trip, I had one little problem.  I'd left my camera in Bill's SUV back in St. Louis...and I don't carry or want a cell phone.  Laurie wasn't too happy that I'd forgotten the camera as that meant that any photos we took were hers to do on her phone.  I didn't request very many photos for the rest of the trip...but, as you'll see...she did take some for my eventual use.

In any case, thanks to her smart phone, she found Robyn's, a local restaurant in downtown Cameron Missouri.  I borrowed the preceding photo from this restaurant's website.

Thanks to Laurie I can show readers that the interior decor at Robyn's Restaurant is decidedly southwestern.  The website states that the menu also reflects southwestern cuisine but, to me at least, it featured a nice basic diner style selection to chose from.  

FYI, Cameron was founded and prospered in the 1800s as a railway town.  Weirdly, parts of the city are located in 3 different counties.  Cameron has a population of about 8,700 residents.

For her mid-day mid-drive break, Laurie ordered the Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Sandwich, opting for cottage cheese vs French fries as her side dish. ($8.99) She said that it was one of the better BLT's she's had when dining out in quite a while.  Translation - There was plentiful bacon!

In addition to other basic sandwiches, Robyn's offers a number of appetizers such as fried pickles, fried mushrooms, cheese curds and sweet potato fries. Wraps and dinner salads are also featured.  

My luncheon entree was this Hand-Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich. ($10.99) The pork tenderloin was breaded with seasoned cracker crumbs, then fried and served on a buttered toasted bun...with lettuce, tomato and onion, all accompanied by French fries.  

From what I could determine, the Fried Catfish at Robyn's is very popular.  I also noted a truly unusual sandwich specialty.  It was the Salted Caramel burger with sea salt, caramel and bacon. ($9.99) If a customer wanted to 'jazz up' this sandwich, they will add peanut butter to the sandwich.  Hmmm...

FYI...Friday night specials include a 12 oz. Ribeye Steak with salad, vegetable, roll and potato for only $21.95 and a 13 oz. Catfish filet dinner for only $17.95.

Robyn's is located at 115 East 3rd Street in Cameron Missouri.  They are only open for lunch on Monday and lunch and dinner Tuesday through Friday.  They are closed on Saturday and Sunday.  Food was good and the prices were right.  With 528 Google reviews, Robyn's has registered 4.7 out of 5.0.  Website: https://robynsofcameron.com/.  

Our next stop was our son and daughter-in-law's home in Omaha Nebraska!  One of the first things we noticed upon arrival was this grouping of my mother's hand painted tiles in the kitchen.  The tiles are among the large selection of family related art work that we've given David II and Amy for display in their home.  Laurie and I have always loved these tiles but we just didn't have any appropriate place to show them off.  There is one tile for each month of the year, each with a scene that fits what might have been happening that month in times gone past in a northerly state.

These two tall (6'4" +) young fellows were the key reason for this particular trip to Omaha.  Emmett Lee, on the left is 21 and he has been off to the University of Nebraska in Lincoln studying computer science and business management.  This summer he had an apartment in the Kansas City area where he had a summer internship with Garman Ltd in Olathe Kansas.  David III, 23, attended New York University and he's now living and working in Evanston Illinois.  The odds of seeing the two together are slim to say the least.  David II and Amy are now adjusting to being empty nesters.

This is David III's girlfriend Ryanna.  She has graduated from college as well and is about to start her career in the field of social work.  We were fortunate enough that she was part of the July 4th family gathering and food fest.  It gave us a chance to get to know her.  Despite her being in Omaha and David III being in the Chicago area, they do travel back and forth to spend time together. 

Alas, Emmett attended the July 4th festivities without his girlfriend Carly.  They both attend the same school at the University of Nebraska Lincoln but Carly was off in London England for her own summer internship.  This photo was taken at the WWI museum in Kansas City.  School will be back in session very soon now so they won't be apart for long.

In another upcoming post, our grandson's parents will be included.  But for the moment, it was all about Laurie and I plus our very tall grandsons.  I used to be just a hair over 6' tall...probably 5'11" now...but 'the boys' just tower over both of us.

As I was without a camera and didn't want to keep bugging my better half to take photos, I don't have any photos of the big July 4th food feast that David II and Amy prepared for the family.  It was all about tacos with grilled chicken, sliced steak and more, with all the related accompaniments...including watermelon and adult beverages.

Fortunately, the family's deck sits up high and it overlooks a huge field/shallow valley used by residents for sports, games, etc.  Although the trees around the perimeter have grown significantly over the past few years, there is still good visibility for fireworks viewing.  The area was completely lit up, whichever way we looked.  Explosions rattled the scene.  Laurie did manage to capture a handful of fireworks photos... We hope that everyone else had a great July 4th!

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them...

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Shopping...and St. Louis Italian Cuisine

Continuing with our road trip visiting family in St. Louis Missouri and Omaha Nebraska....

Shopping...not my favorite thing to do.  After a career in retail, I just don't like being in retail establishments unless they're really different with the quality of the goods offered or the type and variety of items for sale.  Antique malls are OK for example.  Even a classy home decor store is OK.  However when your better half likes to shop and browse and both her sister and brother-in-law like to do the same, one must suck it up and go along for the ride.  Who knows, one might see something that is new or different... 

In this instance, a new shopping mall had opened not far from where Bonnie and Bill live in the St. Louis area.  Later I discovered that Painted Tree Boutiques is a chain of outlets that rents space to small entrepreneurs so they can sell their goods...be it clothing, decor, collectables or whatever.  I've learned that there are at least 46 Painted Tree locations in operation, with another 6 opening soon.

After checking out the first couple 'boutique' booths...both of which were nicely merchandised and presented, my concerns about our acquisition of more 'stuff' greatly increased!

However, much to my delight I quickly discovered that not only was this Painted Tree location new, but much of it was also unoccupied!  Hooray for my side!  So much less to consider buying...

Despite the dearth of boutique 'shops', there were a few that really made me sweat.  Decor items are always dangerous and linens are true heart stoppers.  Laurie loves quality linens.  My only hope was that although the product looked great, any quality issues that might come up would be hard to resolve long distance.

When we arrived at the check out area of Painted Tree, I didn't escape totally but Laurie's purchases were relatively small and not very costly.  Dodged another bullet!

Well, I almost dodged another bullet.  After researching The Painted Tree I discovered that they have a location here in Knoxville Tennessee.  I had to confess to Laurie...or pay the price when she found it on her own.  Website: https://paintedtree.com/all-locations/. 

A bit later, it was time for dinner so off we went...

When in St. Louis we do like to go Italian, not just pizza, at least once per visit.  In  this case Bonnie and Bill chose Rigazzi's on the Hill.  This restaurant has been serving customers since 1957...over 67 years!

Here's a little background.  St. Louis is a preeminent city for anyone looking for quality Italian food and "The Hill" is the center of Italian cuisine in the metropolitan area.  This 52-block area in the near south side of the City welcomed its first Italian immigrants in the 1880s.  They worked in the clay mines in the area that provided the material for fire brick used in coal powered plants as well brick for homes and businesses.  

As demand for labor increased, Italians sent for friends and relatives and the community grew exponentially.  As a result, the need for grocers, bakers, barbers, merchants and construction workers became obvious.  Initially, taverns dotted most corners of the neighborhood.  After all before TV and radio, they were a place to relax, network and exchange news.  

The dominance of restaurants began growing slowly after WWII.  The Hill became a self-contained neighborhood with many residents only leaving this self-sufficient area on rare occasions.  The neighborhood is mostly intact today although new housing is being built in sections further away from the core area.  The Hill is dominated by a plethora of quality Italian restaurants, delis and Italian grocery stores.

The interior of Rigazzi's is definitely appropriate for a neighborhood Italian restaurant on The Hill.  A large wooden bar with chandeliers, checkered tablecloths...and crowded even on a Tuesday night. 

Rigazzi's is located in an historic building that was constructed in 1901.  Rigazzi's holds the title of the oldest restaurant on The Hill.

Wait!  Who in the blazes is this character?!  It turns out that this is likeness of gangster Al Capone.  The plaque on the wall proclaims that Capone was captured in St. Louis at Rigazzi's.  It isn't true as Capone was in prison and was deceased by the time Rigazzi's opened for business.  Nevertheless, this is a popular table for dinner as patrons can have their photo taken with "Big Al", aka "Scarface".

So how about some food!

Of course we needed a couple of appetizers!  We'd had 'so little' to eat over the previous 3 days... So, we ordered Fried Calamari ($13.99) and Garlic Cheese Bread. ($7.99) The calamari was nicely breaded...not overwhelmed...and it was tender.  The garlic cheese bread actually contained garlic, something we rarely encounter in East Tennessee.

Other appetizer options included Flash Fried Spinach, Burrata e Crostini, Bruschetta, Arancini, and toast ravioli.  Toast ravioli is ubiquitous in St. Louis Italian restaurants as it was invented here.

All of the meals came with a side salad so between a salad and the appetizers, the sisters decided to split an order of Rigazzi's Signature Fettuccine Alfredo. ($18.99) The fresh fettuccine noodles were tossed in a house made roast garlic Alfredo and then topped with Parmesan cheese and cracked black pepper.  It was quite enjoyable and very rich indeed.

I think that if Laurie hadn't eaten any appetizers, she would have favored the Classic Fettuccine Carbonara. ($20.99) In this fettuccine dish, salt-cured pork belly is included in the Alfredo sauce and the dish is topped with raw egg yolk and Parmesan cheese.

As I've reported many times, if there is seafood on a menu, that's what Bill will order.  In this instance he went for the Linguine and Clams. ($23.99) This consisted of littleneck clams, chopped clams, chardonnay, shallot, garlic and herbs, tossed in linguine and finished with parmesan cheese and fresh basil.  Bill thought that it a was pretty decent entree.

The only other seafood and pasta entree on the menu was the Scampi...tiger shrimp, seared and seasoned with tomato, shallot, garlic and herbs in a white wine lemon butter sauce served over linguine. ($23.99) I would have ordered it myself except for the fact that white wine lemon butter sauce tends to seek out whatever shirt that I'm wearing.

So when it came time for me to order dinner, I went for the Chicken Parmesan. ($19.99) The chicken breast was pounded thin, then breaded and pan fried.  Then it was 'dressed' in house made marinara sauce and a blend of cheese and then served over an oil, butter and garlic capellini.  

Yes...with the oil, butter and garlic sauce as listed, there was a risk to my wardrobe.  Actually I was disappointed in that the capellini was really quite dry.  The chicken Parmesan was good but not great.  I might have been better off ordering the Chicken Spiedini...marinated chicken breast breaded, skewered and broiled...then served over an herb cheese risotto that is 'dressed' in garlic butter and parmesan cheese. ($22.99)

The menu at Rigazzi's is quite broad, including soups, salads, sandwiches and pizza in addition to the entrees and pasta offerings.  There were at least 2 sandwiches with descriptions appealed to me.  One was The Famous Parmiciano...a breaded beef patty deep-fried, layered with St. Louis style cheese and then baked in house made meat sauce and topped with parmesan cheese. ($13.99)

Rigazzi's is a better Italian restaurant than anything that we've found in East Tennessee but it doesn't measure up to other top restaurants on the hill.  Our food at Rigazzi's was competent for the most part but it wasn't outstanding.  The Linguini and Clams was OK but not great...not to mention that Bill's order was lost in the kitchen...and arrived well after we'd started eating.  My meal was just passable.   

If you're on The Hill in St. Louis and looking for the best, check out Adriana's, Charlie Gitto's, Anthonino's, Zia's on The Hill or one of our longstanding favorites, Cunetto's House of Pasta.  There are literally dozens of Italian dining venues on The Hill. 

Rigazzi's is located on The Hill at 4945 Daggett Avenue in St. Louis Missouri.  Phone: 314-772-4900.  Website: https://www.rigazzis.com/.

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them...

Thanks for shopping and dining with us!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave