Soup on Sunday. It’s a good choice. You can eat when you want. I usually make it early in the day and let it simmer away all day. Today after I put in the dumpling noodles we went to run errands. We ended up going to lunch and had very slow service at Cody’s Roadhouse due to the Church crowd and the early-bird specials. Also I didn’t get what I ordered which took even longer. We had onion rings for an appetizer and then the salad and rolls. Then we waited. Waited. Waited. When I sent my meal back we told the server to put all our food in to-go containers.

Back to the soup. Chicken thighs cooked in water with spices until done. When cooled, picked apart and plopped back in the broth along with carrots and onions, basil, poultry seasoning, a bit of garlic and pepper. I added dumplings that I bought at the store (freezer section – can’t remember the brand). DEEEEEE-LISH! Take a look….

Pizza Night. I bought the fresh dough from Publix, rolled it out (too big, of course) and topped it with homemade sauce, fresh mozzarella, pepperoni, onion, and mushroom. The bottom was a bit too crisp. I always STILL think that if something isn’t bubbling in the middle, it isn’t done. I’ve gotta get over this. Once the damn cheese is melted and gooey take the bloody thing out of the oven!!

But overall it was very tasty. Mom joined us and brought a bottle of pear (hard) cider. That was our dessert! :)

Trivia night at Cherry’s Bar and Grill. My favorite night of the week. Sad, isn’t it? But let me explain. It’s not the NTN trivia game. Our host, Gordy, is a real person on a microphone calling (more like mumbling) out questions that we have to answer. Teams have to be seated at the same table although there’s no limit to the number of people at the table. You also get a speaker at your table that helps magnify the volume of the mumbly questions. When it’s not trivia night, the premise is that you pick the tv your sporting event is on and you turn your speaker box to the channel marked on the screen your watching….getting just the sound from that particular show.

Anyway, the game is live. Winners get food coupons (40 for 1st; 20 for 2nd, and 10 for 3rd place). The questions are not easy. Well I guess the questions are easy – it’s the answers that get hard. For instance, does anyone know that the Orient Express ends in Istanbul and never actually goes to the Orient?? Or that the vanilla bean comes from an orchid?? No…I didn’t think so. We actually got those correct. What did we get wrong? The year of the first computer virus (1986, NOT, 1975) and the name of the couple involved in Whitewater scandal with the Clinton’s (the McDougals, duh!!)

Bob and Marybeth joined us this week. It was their first time. Here’s Bobbo in his Cletus costume. Bob claimed that he wouldn’t know a single question. And damned if the first question was about hockey…and of course he’s the ultimate hockey fan!

We’ve got one 2nd place win and two 3rd place wins under our belt. We hope to beat Team Zoron – three teachers from Manatee High School. They know we’re gunning for them so now they strategically bet on the last question so they’ll remain in 1st place!! Grr.

One of my favorite things to eat at Cherry’s is the Big Dipper. Roast beef with sautéed onions and swiss cheese on a hoagie roll. Comes with warm au jus and I substitute onion rings (breaded, not battered).

I didn’t leave work until 5:30 p.m. I know that doesn’t sound bad for the average office type work – but I start work no later than 6:30 a.m. Mark was home so I called him to pull something out of the freezer. “Woe-Is-Me-Because-It’s-Monday-And-I-Can’t-Find-Work-Today Mark” didn’t know what he felt like eating. Definitely not stroganoff, not leftover soup and sandwiches, not pizza, not even corndogs! We ended going to Beef O’Brady’s.

Wing places are a dime a dozen these days, I know. And I do like Wing House (but I wish they would separate the wing pieces) and I like Hooters (but I wish their wings were a bit saucier). But after the smoke clears, I always go back to Beef’s for the wings. They are crispy and nice sized. The hot-level sauce is just right with a touch of sweetness. Monday through Friday until 7:00 p.m. wings are 49 cents each. I got 15 wings for about the price of what 10 would normally be. I also got a side of coleslaw. Mark doesn’t like the coleslaw but I’ve always been a bit partial to the coleslaw with pineapple in it. Both items were wonderful. I forced myself to hold back 6 of the wings for lunch the next day but honestly I could have eaten every one of them.

Mark got the Baja Shrimp Wrap with potato salad. He said the potato salad was really good even though it was a little on the sweet side. He didn’t mention anything about the wrap, but, considering it was gone in under a minute, I think it was a hit.

Another of my favorite sandwiches is the Roast Beef Garlic Melt. My mom turned me on to this one. It’s roast beef on garlic bread with provolone and onions. Then it’s pressed and served hot. It is very yummy. I highly recommend this if – and only if – you’re not in the mood for wings!

Once again, no camera = no pictures. I do however have it in my purse which is a step closer!!

I really need to start carrying my camera with me everywhere I go. And then -- USE IT!

It’s Super Bowl Sunday and I’ve made soup. I think that sums up how I feel about this year’s match up. Spicy Lentil Bean soup that is indeed very spicy. In spite of my lack of enthusiasm for the Super Bowl this year – Go Giants!




Lentil and Sausage Soup

1 pound sweet Italian sausage
1 large onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
8 ounces package dry lentils, rinsed
1 cup finely chopped carrot
4 cups water
1 (14.5 ounce) can beef broth
1 can diced tomatoes
Garlic powder
1 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Place sausage in a large pot. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Add onion, celery and carrot and sauté until tender and translucent. Stir in lentils, water, chicken broth and tomatoes. Season with garlic powder, parsley, bay leaves, basil, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover, and simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until lentils are tender.

Demetrio’s. A Bradenton classic. I’ve been eating at Demetrio’s since High School – it being a favorite late night snack place after getting off of work at the Seafood Shack right down the road.

People think of it as an Italian restaurant – in fact they advertise as an Italian restaurant. But the original owners are from Greece. The evidence of that is in the Greek salad that’s a must when you eat here. Crisp iceberg lettuce, onion, tomato, cucumber, and UBER-AMOUNTS of feta. They bring the homemade dressing in a squeeze bottle to the table so you can put as much (me) or as little (the rest of the world) on as you want. As my taste in pizza is a bit different now, I usually go with the spaghetti and meat sauce or meatballs. I remember my dad ordering absolutely everything on the pizza's and them being so heavy you couldn't even pick up a slice. Anyway, after taking some ribbing from my mom about being in a rut by ordering spaghetti and meat sauce EVERY CHANCE I GET (and I do…), last night was no exception. And it didn’t disappoint. In fact, my mom ended up ordering the same thing! Ha! The sauce is a bit on the sweet side so I always add a sprinkling of crushed red pepper. Perfect. It took every once of control I had not to slurp up the entire plate, but, I had announced that I was going to get the full order to have leftovers for lunch. Mark had the lasagna which looked delish, my mum, uncle and aunt had the spaghetti (my uncle says it’s the best he’s ever eaten….I don’t know about that!?! After all, I want to believe that my own sauce is the best ever eaten!), my cousin had salad and chicken orzo soup and her husband had the meatball sub. Good night, good meal, lots of laughs. It’s a great family restaurant!

Now, you must excuse me while get myself some leftover spaghetti (10:30 am! Is it too early for lunch??)