RIP Ed McMahon

YOU are correct, sir!

Anyone going to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs show at the Eagles Ballroom May 31st? Anyone even care about these guys anymore? Bueller? Bueller?

balls

I have an extra ticket to the Killers show at The Eagles Club/The Rave this coming Thursday night at 8:00pm. I paid $55 for it with all the taxes and fees and crap. Willing to take any reasonable offer...prefer hard cash and someone that can come pick it up on the Near East Side. Leave me a comment here or hit me up at rhino777 @ gmail.com........thanks!

Poll #1384661 Whino
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All

So for fruit wines I've already done Cherry, Elderberry and Plum. What should I do next?

EDIT: For reference: Tent Caterpillar Wine

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Kegged up the Bronze Ale early this week and took a couple of beta test glasses last night. Not too shabby...should be even better by time it finishes carbonating next week. Bottled up the New Holland Dragon's Milk clone and will try a beta test tonight before the show. Dunkel is still bubbling away but almost done. If I can scrounge up enough bomber bottles I'll hopefully get the time to bottle the Cinnamon-Vanilla Mead and give it a trial taste test...mmmm. If it turns out halfway as good as the one that inspired it I'll be happy. Oh and if I can squeeze it in Saturday afternoon I'm going to kick off a Traditional Irish Red Ale...even had to have the homebrew shop special order me some red malt to do it!

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Started my power walking routine this week doing laps around Demetral Park for at least 30 minutes per night. Probably start doing some light weight reps in a couple weeks. Hopefully shave off most of the gut by mid summer. BOOM!

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Doug Stanhope tonight!!! I saw him two tours ago at the High Noon Saloon and he was great. Missed the last tour for some reason. Totally pumped for tonight!

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Probably rock the L&L tomorrow night...should be a good weekend. Remind me to dance more...even more exercise!

Four hours left of work and no real big tasks lined up for the afternoon...how much can I screw off on the internets and still look like I'm working? hehehe

OUT!

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There's nothing like a good piece of squash!

wow - Saturday night's show was fabulous! I caught the entire sets of the Gothsicles, Prometheus Burning & Caustic ~ and now have each of their new CDs to boot~! :) (: The Causticles never ever disappoint and I was completely won over by the cuteness of the Prometheus Burning singer. I heart nights like that at l'Inferno~! fun fun~

Well I caught most of Saul Williams set, all of Devotchka's set and of course all of Les Claypool's set Friday night at the Rave. All very good. Drink prices there suck though...good thing I wasn't drinking much anyways. Although I was disappointed to find out that after I sucked down a couple MGDs that they had Sierra Nevada Pale Ale just around the corner at a different bar.....poop! Claypool did a good mix of his solo stuff and a couple Primus teasers. Then toward the end he came back on stage just by himself and did the majority of American Life with an electric banjo...hot!

Saturday night was extremely fun. Hit the Miramar theater for the From Darkness to Light benefit show for romankaze. Good stuff all around. I went for the bands as usual but there was such a fun vibe in the air I actually missed big chunks of most of the sets because I was having such a good time just milling around talking and joking with people. Good peeps, good times! Was fun getting to know liothei a bit better....she told me she likes to rock 'n' roll all night and party everyday! Caught the whole Stromkern set though and they brought it strong as usual. Popped over to Club WTF? for the afterbar and after listening to someone say that And One's Panzemensch gets played too much earlier in the day, guess what the fourth song was? I couldn't help but singalong but with the Misheard lyrics version. Gay colored house!

Ordered a calzone from Pizza Shuttle and got delivered a large cheese pizza. The guy came back with my calzone a few minutes later but told me to just keep the pizza. Free lunch and dinner Sunday! BONK!

OUT!

Where to get good wine glasses in town? I finally snapped the last of my Lenox's.... :/

RIP J.T. Whitney's

First Angelic and now these guys. Although if the served infected beer like the article indicates them eff them in the butt! I'm glad I have Ale Asylum right around the corner from me....

xxxx

I'm going to stop off at Sundance tonight to catch the last 3d showing of Coraline at 6:45pm if anyone is interested. I'll stop in about 5:30pm for dinner and a drink beforehand also....

Roasted Bananas with Jamaican Allspice

1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1 stick butter, melted
4 banana, peeled and sliced
1 quart vanilla ice cream, softened

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray.

2. Combine brown sugar, sugar, and allspice on large plate. Place butter in
shallow bowl.

3. Halve large bananas lengthwise, then cut halves in half, or halve baby
bananas lengthwise. Coat banana pieces in melted butter, then in sugar
mixture, then set cut-side down on prepared baking sheet. Roast 10 minutes,
or until sugar melts and turns to bubbly caramel sauce. Cool 5 minutes.
Transfer bananas to plate, and scrape sauce into measuring cup with rubber
spatula.

4. Scoop ice cream into bowls. Top each serving with 2 banana pieces, and
drizzle with caramel sauce.

Creamless Creamy Tomato Soup

I replaced most of the last step by buzzing it up right in the pot with my immersion blender...saved dirtying up another bowl and my blender.

Ingredients
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil , plus more for drizzling
1 medium onion , chopped medium (about 1 cup)
3 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
Pinch hot red pepper flakes (optional)
1 bay leaf
2 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes packed in juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 large slices good-quality sandwich bread , crusts removed, torn into 1-inch pieces
2 cups low-sodium veggie broth
2 tablespoons brandy (optional)
Table salt and ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

Instructions

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion, garlic, red pepper flakes (if using), and bay leaf. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and their juice. Using potato masher, mash until no pieces bigger than 2 inches remain. Stir in sugar and bread; bring soup to boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until bread is completely saturated and starts to break down, about 5 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf.

2. Transfer half of soup to blender. Add 1 tablespoon oil and process until soup is smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to large bowl and repeat with remaining soup and oil. Rinse out Dutch oven and return soup to pot. Stir in veggie broth and brandy (if using). Return soup to boil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve soup in individual bowls. Sprinkle each portion with pepper and chives and drizzle with olive oil.

Poll #1355500 homina homina homina
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All

Who the hottie?

Happy Death Anniversary, Laura!

Enchiladas Verdes

4 tsp vegetable oil
1 package seitan
1 medium onion, chopped
3 tablespoons garlic clove, minced
½ tsp ground cumin
1.5 cups vegetable broth
1.5 lbs tomatillos, husks and stems removed, rinsed
3 medium poblano chiles, halved, stemmed and seeded
2 tsp sugar
½ cup chopped cilantro
8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated
12 corn tortillas
2 medium scallions, sliced
sour cream



1 Adjust oven racks to middle and highest positions and heat broiler. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering; add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons garlic and cumin; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Decrease heat to low and stir in broth. Add seitan, cover, and simmer 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to large bowl; place in refrigerator to cool, about 20 minutes. Remove 1/4 cup liquid from saucepan and set aside; discard remaining liquid.

2 Meanwhile, toss tomatillos and poblanos with remaining 2 teaspoons oil; arrange on rimmed baking sheet lined with foil, with poblanos skin-side up. Broil until vegetables blacken and start to soften, 5 to 10 minutes, rotating pan halfway through cooking. Cool 10 minutes, then remove skin from poblanos (leave tomatillo skins intact). Transfer tomatillos and chiles to food processor. Decrease oven temperature to 350 degrees. Discard foil from baking sheet and set baking sheet aside for warming tortillas.

3 Add 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, remaining teaspoon garlic, and reserved cooking liquid to food processor; process until sauce is somewhat chunky, about eight 1-second pulses. Taste sauce; season with salt and pepper and adjust tartness by stirring in remaining sugar, 1/2 teaspoon at a time. Set sauce aside (you should have about 3 cups).

4 When seitan is cool, pull into shreds using hands or 2 forks, then chop into small bite-sized pieces. Combine seitan with cilantro and 1 1/2 cups cheese; season with salt.

5 Smear bottom of 13- by 9-inch baking dish with 3/4 cup tomatillo sauce. Place tortillas on 2 baking sheets. Spray both sides of tortillas lightly with cooking spray. Bake until tortillas are soft and pliable, 2 to 4 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. Place warm tortillas on countertop and spread 1/3 cup filling down center of each tortilla. Roll each tortilla tightly and place in baking dish, seam-side down. Pour remaining tomatillo sauce over top of enchiladas. Use back of spoon to spread sauce so that it coats top of each tortilla. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese and cover baking dish with foil.

6 Bake enchiladas on middle rack until heated through and cheese is melted, 15 to 20 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with scallions, and serve immediately, passing radishes and sour cream separately.

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This past weekend with the family in TN was fun! My brother got hitched (and even got on the news since they did it on Friday the 13th), had a couple of nice dinners, cooked dinner for my parents and sister one night (my spicy beer chili!) and check out the reception for a couple hours Sunday afternoon before I flew home. Good times...

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Popped over to Pegasus Games over lunch today to order my set of Gloom cards...w00t! Should be in by the end of the week...who wants to play?

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Right next door to Pegasus is La Mestiza which serves higher-end Mexican food (I did not know this actually existed). Got the Quesedillas de Raja y Queso...NOM NOM NOM! Can't wait to go back and try the Enchiladas Vegetarianas....simmered in pumpkin seed sauce...sounds delightful! I see a full blown dinner stop in my future.

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Going to put the smack down on a whisky tasting tamari night...BOOM!

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Then I'm off to see Thievery Corporation Friday night in Chicago...w00t! It'll be nice to sleep in Saturday morning...

cya!

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