You Know That Rumor…

Posted on March 17, 2009 by Jen

So, I had heard a rumor earlier in the year and he was partially right. Who would have thunk? George Clooney IS filming in my building but not on my floor. Damn. AND IT’S TODAY!!! That’s right, he is here, right now, on the 10th floor. And I forgot my camera, but really, what are the chances that I come face-to-face with him? Like a bizillion to one. So, I will now spend the rest of my day, stalking the 10th floor, hoping to get a glimpse of him and maybe the 6th floor because that’s where the food is. I may take some time to do some work but not likely.

Supper Club: March 11, 2009

Posted on March 12, 2009 by Jen

Last night’s cold front reminded us that it’s still winter, no matter what the temperature was over the weekend so the meal was very warm and comforting this week.

Appetizer: Crispy Mozzarella Sticks with Marinara Sauce. As you can see, these mozzarella sticks were not breaded and fried, instead, they were wrapped in phyllo dough and baked. I was very curious on how it would taste and it’s not too shabby at all. They tasted a bit like spring rolls but full of melty, oozy cheese. Delicious. Kim used a couple of different cheese sticks: mozzarella and mozzarella and cheddar twists. Both were excellent.

Entree: White Bean and Spinach Lasagna. Don’t be put off by the beans and spinach, they were minor in the dish. This lasagna did not have the overwhelming taste of beans, instead, you may get a couple of beans with each bite. It’s that subtle. This dish didn’t use the traditional lasagna noodles, it uses wonton wrappers. So weird but you would not have really known the difference. A definite recommendation.

Side Dish: Rich and Charlie’s Salad. A great salad and so easy to create. You can keep the ingredients in the fridge and whip up one so quickly when you’re in the mood.

Dessert: Chocolate Decadence. I had to find a dessert that utilized my new ramekins and this was it! Of course, the recipe called for 2 oz. ramekins and I had 6 oz. ramekins. That only meant that everyone got a bit more dessert than stated but no one complained. It was a VERY RICH dessert, heavenly, but very rich. I think I went into a sugar coma after one bite. Don’t get me wrong, it was really good, but I was only able to eat half of it. And you have to serve it warm, so the innards are still gooey. It lived up to its name.

So This Is What Andy Richter Is Up To These Days.

Posted on March 12, 2009 by Bob

Trivia Night for Travelers and Hammerheads

Posted on March 8, 2009 by Bob

Last night, the group went to the Carpenter’s Union to take in a trivia night that supports the Rawlings Travelers and Rawlings Hammerheads baseball teams. Paul’s ex-boss’s son plays on one of the teams, and she bribes people to come with pizza, so in addition to our normal foodstuffs, we had Imo’s to fill our bellies. So good!

As far as the trivia was concerned, we didn’t do well enough to win, but we were within shouting distance when everything was said and done. By that time though, we had been doing trivia for almost four hours. The MC had a hard time keeping control of the crowd and kept wasting time by telling people things like “everyone should know this one”. Some of the questions were poorly worded. He even gave away half of an answer just by prattling on. And his Forrest Gump impersonation was terrible. I guess we are just spoiled by the great job Kevin Carbery does. In any event, it was better than the Oakville Baseball Team Trivia Night.

The night was off to a rough start, with the first category being all about American Idol. None of us at the table follow that cesspool of American “culture”, but the night quickly turned in our favor when I won a raffle prize: a Sports Authority lunch bag filled with Red Bull, popcorn, a Texas Roadhouse gift certificate, and Braveheart. Weird mix, but hey, I’m a winner.

As the night wore on, the categories didn’t get any easier. The St. Louis Sports category was tougher than usual, mainly because of a couple poorly worded questions, but we did really well on Celebrity High School Yearbook, What’s Cooking, Dead or Alive, and Forrest Gump. We also enjoyed the Name That Tune category, but we got killed on Luck of The Irish.

Overall, we had a good time, with good friends and good food. While we didn’t dominate like usual, the open bar helped soothe our bruised egos, and we left the evening in good spirits.

Gimme Back That Filet-o-Fish, Gimme That Fish…

Posted on March 8, 2009 by Jen

28. Forget that corny old joke about the newly converted Catholic trying to baptize his steak: Fried fish is tasty! And St. Louis offers endless variations on the Lenten fish fry. If you grew up Catholic, finding a seat in a musty old church gym with a paper plate full of fried fish and slaw is nostalgia at its best; if you grew up outside the fold, it’s more authentic than Filet-O-Fish—and the miracle is, there’s always more.

Lent has come around and do you know what that means? Fish Fry!!!! We gathered a huge group of friends to party and partake in a fun Catholic event: beer and fried fish. Since it was such a gorgeous night, we had them meet us at the house and we walked down to St. Richards. It was great, we walked up, paid and was served within 5 minutes, totally different than St. Ferdinand’s (you would have to wait forever there, even when it wasn’t Lent). The fish was good and it was all-you-can-eat sides and desserts. Okay, I don’t think it was all-you-can-eat desserts, but really, they weren’t monitoring. The only complaints I had was that they ran out of corn and tarter sauce by the time we got there and it was hotter than hell in the hall. But once enough people left, it was much better. And what better way to end the night after beer and fish? More beer and games at the house! I tell you what, playing Scattergories is a much different experience when the players have been drinking. It is a hilarious sight! We even brought out the Wii to play. Good times, guys!