I took my wife here on our firs date- food is superb

This place is special for us as it was the first place I took my wife after the Nelson Arts Gallery some 15 years ago. The food is consistently good and the atmosphere is busy but quiet enough to listen to each other. I love the lamb inside flaky phyllo crust but ever time we have come the food has been superb.

Evergreen Chinese okay chinese food

 I've been here several times with other teachers after inservices. The food is good but not spectacular. I prefer some of the chinese buffet places nearby.

2008 Ethnic Enrichment festival Kansas City loads of food and fun

The 29th annual 2008 Ethnic Enrichment festival tool place 8/15-17 at Swope Park in Kansas City, MO under beautiful non-humid and low 80 degree weather. Thousands visited and attended the dancing and other events. There were 41 booths with all sorts of foods to eat and other items to buy. We helped with the Israeli booth. I helped dish out the freshly squeezed lemonade, hummus, falafel, pita and more. It was lots of fun and there was supposedly 10,000 people Saturday (and that did not include the children and the many volunteers. What was great is that I and many others got to sample foods not normally eaten.

The Hawaiian shaved ice with pineapple, guava and orange was cool and refreshing a brain freeze moment. The Brazil churrasquinho (Brazil BBQ) on a stick was meaty but there was no chimichurri condiment to go with it. Loas did not have the BBQ chicken wings that I wanted.

Serbia had an interesting dish called Pljeskavica ( pork and beef).I passed it on it because of the pork (one below I found has beef and lamb) in it as well in the Brazil Feijoada (Pork & Black bean stew - I want to try to make a beef one- see recipe below). I thought about trying the Turkish coffee but a little cup was $4 so I passed. The Pancit Noodles from Phillipines were very good and had chunks of chicken, I have 7 pancit recipes in my Phillipine cookbook so i will try some you bet.

The Swedish booth had the Swedish Meatballs with the sweet, sour, savory Lingonberry sauce. These berries and the jam I was told could be found in local groceries so I have to have a look to find it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaccinium_vitis-idaea
Very similar to the taste of cranberry but not as tart with the meatballs they were delicious.


Meat and Black Bean Stew Recipe - Feijoada Recipe

From Soul and Spice by Heidi Haughy Cusick (Chronicle Books), for About.com

This hearty Feijoada stew is the national dish of Brazil. Black beans, pork, bacon, sausage, ham, and beef. Plan ahead to soak the beans overnight. This recipe takes some time to cook, but the result is well worth it.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours,
Ingredients:

* 2 cups (1 pound) black beans, rinsed and picked over
* 3/4 pound pork butt or shoulder, trimmed of fat
* 6 ounces slab bacon
* 1/2 pound smoked pork sausages
* 1/2 pound hot Portuguese sausage such as linguica
* 1 or 2 pounds ham hock or shank, cut into 1-inch rounds
* 1 large yellow onion, chopped
* 2 to 4 ounces dried beef carne seca, minced (optional; see Note)
* .
* For the Seasonings:
* 3 garlic cloves, minced and sauteed in 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
* 6 green onions, including tops, chopped
* 1 yellow onion, chopped
* Large handful of chopped fresh parsley (about 1/2 cup)
* 2 bay leaves, crumbled
* 1-1/2 tablespoons dried oregano, crushed
* Salt and ground black pepper
* Chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

Preparation:
Soak the black beans overnight in water to cover by several inches. Drain.

Place the drained black beans in a saucepan and add water to cover by 3 inches. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the beans are tender, 2 to 2-1/2 hours. Add additional water as needed to keep the beans covered.

While the black beans are cooking, prepare the meats. Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F. Dice the pork butt or shoulder and the bacon into 1/2-inch cubes. Place the pork, whole sausages, and bacon in a large baking pan. Roast until well done. The sausages will be ready after 35 to 40 minutes and the other meats after 45 to 60 minutes.

Cook the ham hock at the same time as the meats are roasting. In a saucepan, combine the ham hock rounds and onion with water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook until tender, about 1 hour. Remove the ham hock rounds from the water and remove the meat from the bones, if desired; set aside. Or leave the rounds intact for serving alongside the black beans. Strain the cooking liquid into a bowl. Add the strained onions from the liquid to the beans. Add the cooking liquid to the beans if needed to keep them immersed.

Once the black beans are almost cooked, check to make sure there is plenty of cooking liquid in the pot. It should be rather soupy at this point. Stir in the beef carne seca. Cut the sausages into rounds and add them and all the other cooked meats to the pot. Then add all of the seasonings to the pot, including salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for another 30 minutes, or until the beans are very tender.

Taste and adjust the seasonings. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro or parsley just before serving.

NOTE: Using dried beef adds complexity to the richness of this dish, but its inclusion is optional. If dried beef isn't available at your butcher, Armour makes a ground compressed dried beef sold in 2-1/2-ounce jars. Soak it in warm water to cover for 15 minutes to rinse off some of the salt.

Yield: 8 servings

Per serving: Calories: 665, Fat: 34g, Carbohydrates: 45g, Cholesterol: 107mg, Sodium: 801mg, Protein: 45g, Fiber: 12g, % Cal. from Fat: 46%, % Cal. from Carbs: 27%

Source: Soul and Spice by Heidi Haughy Cusick (Chronicle Books)
Reprinted with permission.

**

Burger Balkaneros (pljeskavica)
5 out of 5 stars
6 Servings
100% would make this recipe for Burger Balkaneros (pljeskavica) again.
Burger Serbian Way
12 : 00
0 : 30

Be the first to submit a photo for this recipe. Win $100.00 by posting the best original food photo this month!

3 chefs marked this Burger Balkaneros (pljeskavica) recipe as Favorite
Recipe look good to you?
Burger Balkaneros (pljeskavica) Ingredients
2 pound Beef ground 1 tablespoon Kosher Salt
1 pound Lamb or Pork ground 1 tablespoon Black pepper ground
1 tablespoon Olive oil pure 1 tablespoon Paprika sweet ,hot or smoked
1 tablespoon Hot pepper sauce optional 1 each Onion chopped
1 each Garlic choped or 1 tbsp powder
Instructions for Burger Balkaneros (pljeskavica)
Add all items to ground meat but skip onion.
Mix good and leave in refrigerator 6 to 12 hours.
Before make pattys add nicely chopped onion and mix good.
Make patty 5 " x 1/2 " and cook on grill 2 minutes per side.
Don't forget BEER.

Book review: Thai - the essence of Asian cooking

I love Thai. So many people think they can't eat Thai food as it is too spicy. That is not true. There are many less spicy dishes and you can always tone down the heat, spices, chiles etc. Plus a lot are sweet and spicy. You have not tried Asian food until you get away from the same old Chinese recipes you always cook or the restaurants you frequent. If you are looking for a Thai book this one is not bad to try. The recipes are not difficult and you can get most of the ingredients from Asian stores but sometimes in your local food stores. The photos (preparation, food , results, techniques) are spectacular. There is a nice forward section with photos of the history , thai cuisine in general and differences from the regions. Traditional meals, holiday meals and information are also covered so you also getting a geographic and history as well as a food tour. What I like is there a little paragraph which tell about the background for the recipe. I have not tried many recipes from this book yet but the steamed fish (with Lemongrass and chilies) was pretty good (9.6/10). There are quite a few to try like appetizers, vegetable, fish , beef , , soups , side dishes and food shopping. There are a lot of Thai books but this one gives you a tour on the side and more. Take a look and see what you think and try Thai!

Awesome Blog/website in food/recipe techniques with photos

Examples I found interesting immediately "how to skin a hazelnut" and "what is "al dente" (I have never seen a photo of this method only people talking about it ).
Much more. Check it out. You won't be sorry

http://www.rouxbe.com/drilldowns

365 Great Barbecue & grilling recipes book review

Superb book; great interesting recipes; great variety, July 4, 2008 By  Eric Flescher "Dr. Eric Flescher" (Olathe, KS (near Kansas City)) - See all my reviews I must have bought this book in the 1990's and have used it ever since. Great interesting recipes including engtrees , salass , chutneys, marinades, pesto, vegetable stuff , appetizers and much more beside standard BBQ- chicken , beef etc/ Hot and sweet section for interesting BBQ stuff. Desserts and sauce the hot and sweet section is really interesting . The index is well done and lots to help sort and find what you want\

Rancho Huevo at Milton's in Lawrence, KS

I ordered the Rancho Huevo at Milton's in Lawrence, KS (home of KU and the Jayhawks) mainly because I heard about this dish but never had it. The restaurant (ranked #1 breakfast and #2 coffee in Best of Lawrence open (B, L, D)) really has some great coffee and best brunche offerings.

http://www.lawrence.com/best/2006/

Variety of good food at reasonable prices and always packed. Huge french toasts, different piza, hunge calzones,
I had made recipes like this. What really was good about this recipe in the wrapped tortilla was it added guacamole and sour cream to the eggs with hot sauce which gave it a different consistency. The fried potatoes with it were meager but okay. I got Black Mountain coffee blend which is smooth (the name coincidentally is the name for the little town I landed in North Carolina in 1973 to continue my tennis career). My son got the lox and egss which he likes. We shared the hummus which was chunkies then usual and also nicely came with thinly sliced yellow and red bell peppers, marinted artichokes and black olives.

I will have to try the Ranchero sauce on my own. I found from my book Coyote Cafe by Mark Miller. We did not go to his place
Coyote Cafe when we were in New Mexico (another story in my blog about the meals I ate there in the future) but I like his book and am using it more and more. I really like the extra little stories and insights he tells about each recipe.

Ranchero Sauce From Coyote Cafe Ingredients
5 lb Roma tomatoes 2 tb Peanut oil, (or lard)
6 Serrano chiles 6 Poblano chiles, roasted,
2 c White onion, finely chopped 1 bn Cilantro, tied
2 tb Garlic, finely chopped 2 ts Salt
Instructions for Ranchero Sauce From Coyote Cafe
Lightly blacken tomatoes and serranos in a skillet or under a broiler (about 4 to 5 minutes). Chop together and set aside. Saute onion and garlic in the oil over low heat until soft but not brown (about 10 to 15 minutes). Combine all ingredients in a saucepan (reserving a few strips of poblano chiles for garnish). Cook partially covered over low heat for 20 to 30 minutes, adding water if necessary. Remove cilantro. Garnish with the reserved julienned poblanos. One of Millers favorite sauces, similar to one served at Capri in San Cristobal de las Casas, in southern Mexico It is a rustic-style sauce that traditionally is cooked in the morning and is used throughout the day. Ranchero Sauce goes with eggs, chicken, pork, tamales, and seafood. Mark Miller, Coyote Caf? Typos by Brenda Adams NOTES : Yield: 8 cups Recipe by: Mark Miller; Coyote Cafe Posted to EAT-L Digest 19 Mar 97 by lunchuck on Mar 19, 1997
.

Iron Chef America Flay vs Crawford

Peanut battle in Iron Chef America Flay vs Crawford 12/9/2007

Crawford works in Toronto, Canada and went up against Flay in peanut battle.

Very entertaining battle and nice recipes. Crawford had a pad thai and Indian peanut soup with fried onions etc.
Flay had a Peanut- scallion condiment for his BBQ pork. He also had a Peanut French toast recipe which was stuffed with something. I have to find the recipe. (see below)

I new it would be close. I try to predict who will win and by home many points.
I picked Flay by 4.
He won by 3 so I was right there! I am usually in the ballpark 85% of the time .
Flay Crawford
-------------------------------------------
taste 26 22
------------------------------------------
plating 11 13
------------------------------------------
originality 14 13
---------------------------------------
51 48

I have tried several Stuffed french toast recipes. I did not find Flay's recipe though. But here are some similar ones with Peanut and etc. .
PS Challah ( at local stores or bakeries ) is great to use

Peanut Butter, Banana, and Bacon Stuffed French Toast Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2004
Show: Emeril Live
Episode: Let's Play with Food
Strawberry jelly
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch salt
1 cup half-and-half
1 1/2 cups puffed rice cereal, or lightly crushed cornflakes
8 slices stale white sandwich bread (2 to 3 days old)
8 teaspoons smooth peanut butter
4 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced into thin circles, plus extra for garnish
1/2 pound apple smoked bacon, cooked until crisp
1 stick unsalted butter
Confectioners' sugar for serving
Chopped peanuts, for garnish
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the jelly in a plastic squirt bottle. Heat a small pan of water on the stove. Water should be hot, but not boiling. Place the squirt bottle in the water.
In a large bowl, combine the eggs, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and salt and whisk to dissolve the sugar. Add the half-and-half and whisk to combine. Place the cereal on a large plate or in a shallow baking dish.
Place 4 slices of bread on a work surface and spread each with 2 teaspoons of the peanut butter, and a layer of banana slices. Top with the bacon and the remaining bread to form a sandwich and press to tightly close. Place 1 sandwich in the bowl with the batter and let sit until well moistened, about 2 minutes, turning to coat both sides. Place in the dish with the cereal, turning to coat on both sides and pressing to adhere.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot, 4 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter. Dredge each stuffed and soaked sandwich in rice cereal and add to the pan. Cook undisturbed until golden brown and crusted on the bottom, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook until the second side is golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Place on a baking sheet and bake until cooked through, about 6 to 8 minutes.
To serve, place 1 stuffed French toast on each of 4 plates. Sprinkle lightly with confectioners' sugar and top each serving with chopped peanuts and banana slices. Squirt the strawberry jelly over the French toast. Serve immediately.
**
French Toast Peanut Butter Crunch
yahoo

1. 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2. 16 (1/2 inch) slices brioche
3. 4 large eggs, beaten
4. 1/4 cup heavy cream
5. 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
6. 4 cups cornflakes, finely crushed
7. 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
8. Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
9. 4 cups mixed berries
10. Maple syrup, for serving

Nutrition Info

Per Serving

* Calories: 589 kcal
* Carbohydrates: 78 g
* Dietary Fiber: 5 g
* Fat: 24 g
* Protein: 16 g
* Sugars: 17 g

About: Nutrition Info [This link will take you outside Yahoo! Food]

Powered by: ESHA Nutrient Database [This link will take you outside Yahoo! Food]
2. Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with wax paper. Spread 1 tablespoon of the peanut butter on each of 8 slices of brioche and cover with the remaining 8 slices, making sandwiches.
2. In a pie plate, beat the eggs with the cream and vanilla. In another pie plate, spread the crushed cornflakes. Lightly soak the sandwiches in the egg mixture, then dredge in the cornflakes, pressing to help them adhere. Transfer the sandwiches to the baking sheet.
3. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a very large skillet. Add 4 of the sandwiches and cook over moderate heat until golden and crisp on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the half-cooked sandwiches to the baking sheet. Add another tablespoon of the butter to the skillet, flip the sandwiches back into the skillet and cook until golden and crisp on the bottom, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer to the baking sheet and keep warm in the oven. Wipe out the skillet and cook the remaining sandwiches. Transfer the French toast to plates and dust with confectioners' sugar. Top with the berries and drizzle with maple syrup.

**
French Toast Peach Bake
Copyright, 2005, Ellie Krieger, All rights reserved
Show: Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger
Episode: It's the Weekend
Peach French Toast Bake Cooking spray
1 large whole-wheat baguette (about 8 ounces)
4 whole eggs
4 egg whites
1 cup low fat milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 cups sliced peaches, fresh or frozen
1/2 lemon, juiced about 1 1/2 tablespoons
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Spray a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Slice the baguette into 1/2-inch slices and arrange the slices in a single layer in the baking pan. Whisk together the eggs, egg whites, milk and vanilla. Pour the egg mixture over the bread in the pan. In a medium bowl, toss peaches with the lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of the brown sugar. Scatter the peach slices evenly on top of the bread. Combine the remaining brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the top. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Uncover and bake for 40 minutes.

Serving suggestion: Top with a dollop of vanilla yogurt, a drizzle of maple syrup and a side of Canadian bacon.

**

Baked Blueberry-Pecan French Toast

Adapted from: Epicurious

18-20 1-inch-thick slices of a baguette (about 10.25 ounces)
6 large eggs
2 cups whole milk
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup pecans (about 3 ounces)
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups blueberries (about 12 ounces)

Butter a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Cut 18 1-inch slices from baguette and arrange in one layer in baking dish. In a large bowl whisk together eggs, milk, nutmeg, vanilla, and 3/4 cup brown sugar and pour evenly over bread. Chill mixture, covered, until all liquid is absorbed by bread, at least 4 hours, and up to 1 day.

In a shallow baking pan spread pecans evenly and toast in middle of oven until fragrant, about 8 minutes. Toss pecans in pan with 1 teaspoon butter and salt.

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Sprinkle pecans and blueberries evenly over bread mixture. Cut 1/2 stick butter into pieces and in a small saucepan heat with remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar, stirring, until butter is melted. Drizzle butter mixture over bread and bake mixture 20 minutes, or until any liquid from blueberries is bubbling.

**

Strawberry Stuffed French Toast With Warm Strawberry Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

16 slices firm white sandwich bread
8 ounces whipped cream cheese
1 cup strawberry preserves
3 eggs
1 cup half and half
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/8 cup vegetable oil
18 ounce jar strawberry preserves
5-1/2 ounce can strawberry nectar

Directions

Preheat oven to 450.
Spread cream cheese on 8 slices of bread and preserves on 8 slices of bread making 8 sandwiches.
Combine eggs, half and half, nutmeg, vanilla and oil.
Dip each sandwich in the egg mixture and place on lightly greased cookie sheet.
Bake approximately 5 minutes or until lightly browned then flip and repeat for other side.
Cut each sandwich in quarters and layer on plate.
Garnish with sliced strawberries topped with warm strawberry sauce.
To make sauce heat preserves with nectar until well blended.

What is fusion cooking anyway?

Ming Tsai is a a great chef who lives in Massachusetts and has a restaurant called Blue Ginger. What is interesting is a he has a engineering degree from Yale U.. Then he went to culinary school and then got business degree. Wow! He has been on food channel and now his own shows. He does a lot of fusion cooking.
"Fusion cuisine combines elements of various culinary traditions whilst not fitting specifically into any. The term generally refers to the innovations in many contemporary restaurant cuisines since the 1970s.
Success of this type of restaurants depends on diversity of cultures in their clientele. For that reason, they are welcome in places like California."

But its also over in Massachusetts here in Kansas and other places too.
Try it

http://chinesefood.about.com/od/fusionrecipes/Fusion_Recipes_with_a_Chinese_Influence.htm

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/hungrymind/fusion.html

http://www.starportfoods.com/asian_recipesvegetarianrecipes.htm

if you have not tried Sweet Potato pancakes you are really missing a treat

Whether you are Jewish or not try potato pancakes or better yet sweet potato pancakes asw well. Hannukah is coming up on Dec. 4. I love the Hanukkah recipes. Potato Latke (pancakes ) are great as is, as a side.

With sour cream (my favorite) or applesauce or cinnamon sugar makes it even better.
But if you have not tried Sweet Potato pancakes you are really missing another treat.
Recipes below.

• Potato Latkes
• Sweet Potato Latkes
• Applesauce
• Scallion Sour Cream
• Get more latkes and applesauce recipes

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/et_hd_hanukkah/0,1972,FOOD_9837,00.html
The Traveling Gourmet blog
<http://cpmputergourmet.blogspot.com/>

My best meals ever

I have been compiling the best meals I have ever eaten. This is tough.

Name the ones you liked in the past, lately or whenever or even what you want to try but have not (watch Bizarre Foods on Travel Channel - what a hoot). Name 1-10 , just one , a few or couple of your favorites.
Include date, where , meal with specifics and anything else.

My best last one in Tucson, AZ after photographing and videotaping hummingbirds and also stormchasing in July 2007, was at the J bar.
We had a fantastic ground lamb appetizer. I had plantain enrusted chicken which was great. But the chocolate jalapeno sunday was unbelievable amd amazing.

Other memorable meals not necessarily in order :
(1) medieval buffet in Austrian castle - the blood sausage was nasty but the rest of the stuff was great (1999) ;
(2) chicken munfungo Puerto Rico (1998) ;
(3) superb South African Buffet with exotic curries, meats, etc Cape Town, SA (2001) ;
(4) Beef and salad in Senegal, Africa (1973); many meals aboard Celebrity cruiseship Galaxy (1998) ;
(5) several Thai restaurants in Seattle and Vancouver (2003);
(6) Norwegian Buffet at Epcot Center - Disneyland , FL (many years ago);
(7) Italian meals when I was young and growing up in Providence, RI (1960s) -my current favorite one now without a doubt is Cinzetti's -in Overland Park , KS - an all you can eat buffet with the best fried calamari, desserts, frittatas and much more with excellent quality;
(8) BBQ at Foreillas Jack State BBQ , Hayward's in Kansas City area as well as the BBQ at the judging cookoffs that I do around Kansas & MO during the summer (today and last few years since I came to Kansas );
(9) Malay Cafe near Kansas City airport last few years (not as good now :
(10) Indian food buffet at Korma Sutra in Overland Park and India Palace in Lawerence and OP, KS ;
(11) Marakeesh mediterranean food buffet- best flavoraful med food superb in OP, KS

I look forward to hearing your responses

Hall of Fame eating

There many hall of fames. Here is an article about hall of fame about eating. Check it out. Some you may heard of - many not.

eats hall of fame
http://cityguides.msn.com/citylife/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5698755&GT1=10564
Computer Gourmet blog

World Record expensive dessert

I like some deserts like rice pudding, ice cream, sherberts, cherry pie and french silk pie. This desert is in a world of its own

Sanchez goes down

Well a mad dash to the finish line . I am constantly making a mad dash in my mind to figure sometimes what the judges are saying, meaning, being picky about and why and making sense of what is going on , on this show.

The judges listen, the lady makes all sort of funny grimaces (she looks like she is constantly in the middle of shaving food in her mouth that has not been swallowed but not getting down and pickiness is the rule.


The two judges said Besh's consomme was too murkey and that is all one really said while other defended him but he harped on that miniscule thing.

Constantino keeps giving "bombs" to the judges in the form of shallots, chives and cauliflower stuff which instead they called crudites (spelling? )

Santchez they did not like the scallops the sirloin was good but the red snapper was not.

While Constantino's mistakes were many seasoning related Sanchez lost because of the meals .


I have thought all along Besh is the odds on favorite.
But them again they can use another ethnic chef like Symon and he is great and has done great the last two rounds. They liked the fact he seasoned things very well. So he is now giving Besh a run for the gold . It will be between Besh and Symon.

Favorite beef dish?

I guess I can't complain with the vote. But I thought burgers would have been higher. I chose steak. But if this poll is true why all of a sudden some restaurants are trying to entice burger lovers like Ruby Tuesday. Bad yeard burger does well here but I think Red Robin is way too high for the price.
Favorite beef dish?
Steak 20006 59%
Roast 5042 15%
Burger 4071 12%
Meatloaf 2718 8%
Stew 1623 5%
Steak Tartare 707 2%

Total Votes: 34,167
Note on Poll Results

Cafe on the Route a dive in Kansas:NOT!

I hate boring food.
When I go out to eat I want to "remember the experience and not that I just ate something I do all the time."
While watching the Food Networks Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, I noticed that this cafe was in Kansas. Historical Landmark and more.
The chef likes to try new things and keeps his customers happy with food the locals like. Sounds like they have quite a following, had great prices and a great menu. Not just the "same old stuff either ." It is nice to see some "MOM and POP" places doing some innovative food that makes the regular stuff more special. I hope to visit and eat there in the future.
I need to try this place when I am close by while I am stormchasing and near the KS/OK border. The place Baxter Springs is on the STAR.
If you try it let me know.

Cafe on the Route
1101 Military Ave.
Baxter Springs`, KS 66713
Tel: (620) 856-5646
from me Olathe, KS
Total Est. Time: 2 hours, 34 minutes Total Est. Distance: 139.31 miles
Website: www.cafeontheroute.com
A WIDE VARIETY OF CUISINE, INCLUDING THE 14OZ COWBOY STEAK SERVED WITH TOBACCO ONIONS, AZTEC CHICKEN, FLAPJACK RIBEYE, TURKEY MARCEL, AND THE WALNUT AND ALMOND BREADED CATFISH, ARE A FEW OF OUR PATRONS FAVORITES
http://cafeontheroute.com/_wsn/page2.html

First they eat Ben and Jerry then....

On one of the earlier episodes of Bizzare Foods on Travel channel, they were munching on grilled Madagascar Hissing cockroaches. I have two of them in a little tank I have . They love Apple and Carrots. When he munched on them, all I could say "oh no they are eating en and Jerry which are names of my two .
Wild show. More to come.

all you can eat places Am I getting old or what?

I was here in Kansas have or shall I say Fire Mountain. I felt like going out for a leisurally breakfast meal and read too. Well FM now is Ryans at least here . I wanted to see if this steak all your eat and more was worthwhile.
I felt it was a "cut above" Ponderosa, Golden Corral others. It has been taken over by Ryans. I decided to take in the breakfast and see what lunch was about as I sat reading and chilling out for over 1.5 hours.
The breakfast stuff was definitely not what was billed as the breakfast buffet. Eggs overdone but the sunny side up were okay and the French (freedom) toast was okay with syrup.
Maybe Sat or Sunday with the Omelette bar would have been better. I won't know - i ain't going back.

The salad bar was good. The cooked okra hard as a rock. The steak and prime rib (too over done for my liking) were edible. But the best was the key lime pie was a winner (at first I thought it was cheescake).

Lately I have been cooking food channel, my books and other recipes to try new things instead of the same old stuff.

Hungarian sour cherry chilled soup coming up.

Deceptive supermarket practices

I learned about this technigue a few years ago and have tried not to get hooked into it

3. Shelf Shuffles

Suddenly can't find your favorite jar of peanut butter? Supermarkets regularly move items throughout the store so shoppers walk around longer and buy more stuff, according to Lempert. The tactic also encourages consumers to try new products, which are typically put in the place of top-selling items.

What you can do: Before trying that new brand, check the price to see if you're spending more than you would for your old favorite. If you are, take the time to track down what you were originally looking for.

read more about this article and how to save some money and find the stuff you want

This is the third years of Top Chef on Bravo

So where have I been with this show? I did not really find out about it until my son told me about. I just started to watch it this summer and I am trying to catch up.

It's a combination team format, Iron chef, and more combined.

What I like about Top Chef is the most
(1) the battles that they have to defeat in the gastronic challenges
(2) the insightful talk by the judges why they did or did not like meals, exploits , what happened with meals, challenges etc
(3) you can look at and try the best meals that are posted (see this website)

You can tell the chefs are very good.
How they take on the battles either gets them to the next challenge or gets them bounced.

One of the battles was to to do a BBQ dish etc with what they had and were given.
One tthem did a lobster poached in liquid.She could have grilled it or BBQued it to put it into somewhat of resemblance for this battle but she did not. Guess who lost this round . She did although there were other ones who were nearly as bad.

The bottom line is you don't follow the rules, usually no matter what- you get the short straw. Read the rules for all competitions is the main key.