Food

Lunches with Dad – Q39

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This week’s choice has been on the radar for awhile now.  We noticed it on the way to another lunch spot earlier this summer and then a few days later a friend was raving about it.  Finally we made it there, and we aren’t sad about it either!

When we walked in we noticed it was already a hoppin’ place.  We always try to get to places “early” to beat the lunch rush so usually we get there around 11:15 and watch the place fill up.  This was not the case at Q39.  There were already about half of the tables filled with customers!  Our waitress immediately brought us a bottle of water for the table and 2 glasses and offered other drink choices.  She also explained the menu and some of her favorites for us first timers.  After taking our orders I pulled out my phone to check us in on Facebook, as I usually do, and check a couple of things.  Not more than 5 minutes after taking our order, the food arrived!

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Mine – Apple Brined Pulled Pork Sandwich with potato salad


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Dads –  Certified Black Angus Beef Brisket and Apple Cole Slaw

Both meals were DELICIOUS.  The beef was tender and not too fatty and the pulled pork was flavorful and moist.  They have 3 sauce choices: classic, zesty or chipotle-cilantro.  I am a classic kind of girl but the waitress recommended the zesty with the pulled pork and she was not mistaken!  It was the right amount of vinegary flavor to go with the pork.

Dad and I were both pleased with the entire experience.  We were in and out of there in just over 30 minutes and were glad we went early as there was a wait by the time we left, before noon even hit!

Scores:  Dad: 4.5, Me: 4

Next time I need to try the onion straws.

Pickle Dip!

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I had some of this magic at a bachelorette party earlier this year and have been craving it ever since.  In my perusals of the internet, I found several versions of it, all slightly different.  I decided I would just take from several of them what I thought would be good and go for it.  Turns out I was right!

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup of sour cream
  • 2 – 8oz packages cream cheese
  • 1 – 2.5 oz pkg Sliced Dried Beef
  • 1 – 16 oz jar of dill pickles
  • 1 Tbsp pickle juice
  • 1 tsp garlic salt
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder

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Instructions:

  1. soften cream cheese in a mixing bowl
  2. add sour cream
  3. dice up dried beef and pickles
  4. add spices and pickle juice
  5. mix well and let sit in refrigerator, giving it a couple hours before serving, if possible, so the flavors have a chance to meld
  6. serve with chips or crackers and ENJOY!
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Dicing of the dried beef

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My slap and chop is great for getting the pickles the right size!

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Voila!  Pickle Dip!

 

 

Lunches with Dad – Hospital Style

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So lunch this week took an unexpected turn.  Technically it was my week to choose but Dad’s body had different ideas.  Thus we ended up eating at the hospital this week.

I got to peruse the cafeteria for my lunch.  I chose chicken strips, mashed potatoes with gravy and corn.  It wasn’t bad for hospital food, actually.

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Hospital chicken strips, mashed potatoes, gravy and corn.

Dad had considerbly less choice in the matter of what he ate.  He had just gotten back up on the floor from recovery and he got a clear liquids tray.

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Mmmmm…clear liquids lunch!

I don’t know that he remembers his lunch to give it a rating, but I give mine a solid 3.  However, I try to avoid eating here whenever possible…

Lunches with Dad – El Patron

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We are BACK!  Posting has been sporadic lately.  Things get hectic in summer in fall with Dad traveling to flying events often.  For the first time in a long time, there is nothing that should keep us from our regular Thursday lunches for awhile.

Today we were feeling like Mexican food was the order of the day.  I chose El Patron Cocina & Bar.  It’s “down on the Boulevard” with a whole host of other Mexican (and other) restaurants.

The chips and salsa were decent.  I liked the salsa quite a bit.  It was blended fine but had just enough tang and flavor that it didn’t taste like plain tomato sauce or tomato soup.  They brought a mild and hot to the table.  We both preferred the mild but would occasionally dip in the hot before the mild to mix it up.

El Patron chips and salsa

El Patron chips and salsa

We both ordered meals of their lunch menu.  I got a #7 (I believe) which had a beef burrito, a chicken taco (I chose the meats on both) and beans and rice.  The burrito was nice and I really enjoyed the taco.  Instead of the usual corn tortilla shell on the taco, it was a hard flour tortilla shell.  Very yummy.  The refried beans were nice and smooth and the rice was good too.

#7 Burrito Spread

#7 Burrito Spread

Dad ordered the 2 Flautas lunch special.  It came with 2 Flautas (duh) and rice and beans – but he decided double rice, no beans.  He had never had Flautas before and said he enjoyed them.

2 Flautas lunch

2 Flautas lunch

Best thing?  No cilantro!  I am firmly in the “hates cilantro” camp.  It tastes like soapy dirt to me!  YUCK!

Scores?  ME: 4, DAD: 3

We both agree that we would go back, me probably sooner than him, I would guess 🙂

Lunches with Dad – a catch up

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It’s been a crazy couple of weeks and my lunch recaps/reviews have fallen by the wayside!

Let’s see.  Three weeks ago Dad and I set out for an RC Flying event in Green Bay, Wisconson.  We decided to do some pre-road trip fueling at The Big Biscuit in Liberty.  It’s not our first time there, but we wanted something reliable and fast to get us on the road.  It was yummy, as usual, and I think it was my best trip to BB ever.  Maybe I was just hungry?  It was good.

Once in WI, we checked into our hotel and tried a local spot we could walk to called Mackinaws.  It was a decent meal, albeit a little on the pricier side for what it was.  We both were full and the food was good, what more could you ask for?

On our way back to MO, our path took us by the Amana Colonies in Iowa.  We figured that we just couldn’t let an opportunity to go there just pass us by, so we stopped.  A family favorite dish of ours is Sauerbraten.  There is a restaurant, called The Ox Yoke Inn, to procure said dish.  We stopped and enjoyed a meal of Sauerbraten, potato dumplings, mashed potatoes, coleslaw and the BEST strawberry jam, made fresh in the restaurant.  YUM.  After we got our fill there we stopped at a winery and picked up some plum wine.  Now Dad has no excuse not to whip us up our own batch of Sauerbraten at home!

Two weeks ago, Mom joined us for lunch too!  Our entertainment area, the Power and Light District was hosting a restaurant week.  Several restuarnts were participating and Dad chose McFaddens.  We got to choose an appetizer, and entree for $10 and also got a $5 gift card for a later visit.  We all tried something different and had TONS of food.  It was pretty tasty and I will definitely try it again, especially since I have $15 in gift cards to use.

Last week was my choice again and I took Dad to First Watch.  I had been there the week before with my BFF and thought Dad needed to try it too.  When Carrie and I went, I had a much better meal then when Dad and I went, I am sad to say.  We tried the biscuits and gravy, which is how dad judges a lot of restaurants, and was not impressed.  It’s more of a turkey gravy instead of the traditional creamy sausage gravy. It is not what we were expecting!  It’s still good food at a good price and I will go there again.  Scores?  Dad: 3, Me:4

My fruit bowl from my first trip to First Watch

My fruit bowl from my first trip to First Watch

This week there will be no lunch for us.  Dad is out of town :(.  I think it will be back to regularly scheduled lunching next week.

Lunches with Dad – The Brick

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Another week, another lunch!  This week we switched it up and went Tuesday instead of Thursday since that worked better for the both of us.  This was a dad pick week and he chose a place that I have been wanting to go but he has already been, The Brick.   I first heard about the restaurant on an episode of Diners, Drive In’s and Dives and have wanted to visit ever since.

The Brick is in the Crossroads Art District and is as colorful as the neighborhood name suggests.  They have artwork from local artists on the walls which rotates every month and a stage where they frequently have live music.  Maybe i’ll hit it up sometime to listen to some live music.

We started out with some fried ravioli as an appetizer.  It was a yummy cheese filled ravioli served with a very good marinara sauce.

I got one of the dishes I saw when Guy was here, the meatloaf sandwich.  I had them leave off the chiptole ketchup and it came with a side of fries.  The meatloaf was flavorful and the bread was perfectly toasted.  It was a pretty yummy meal for me.

Dad had the fish and chips, with tater tots.  The fish was flaky and the tater tots were perfectly cooked, according to dad.

Over all it was a good meal, we both would go back.

Scores?

ME: 3.5

DAD: 3.5

Dads Fish and Chips (Tots) from The Brick

Dads Fish and Chips (Tots) from The Brick

My Meatloaf Sandwich and Fries from The Brick

My Meatloaf Sandwich and Fries from The Brick

Ten on Tuesday – Favorite Ice Cream Flavors Edition

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So this is a tough one for me.  Not because I don’t like ice cream.  Trust me.  I do.  A LOT.  But…10 of my favorite flavors?  I don’t know that there is that many.  Here it goes anyway.  Starting with my MOST favorite.

  1. Peanut Butter Ice Cream with Peanut Butter topping.  There is only one place in the world to get this and that is in a little town called Brookville, Pennsylvania at a place called Buffs.  My dad has been going there since he was a kid and we tend to go everyday if we are in town.  Seriously.  They have lots of flavors but that is the only one i’ve tried in a LONG time (since I was a kid long time).
  2. Talenti Gelato in Belgian Milk Chocolate.  Best ice cream in the store.  Expensive but smooth and delicious.  I haven’t been able to find my Milk Chocolate in awhile and it makes me sad.
  3. Vanilla frozen custard from Sheridans.  The chocolate is too rich IMO.  I get stuff mixed in but the vanilla custard is my favorite.
  4. Cookies and Cream.  But not always.
  5. Mint and Oreo.  But not always.

I think that’s the end.  I couldn’t get to 10.  I could list a bunch of flavors, but I like it pretty simple.

Peanut Butter Ice Cream with Peanut Butter Topping from Buffs in Brookville, PA

Peanut Butter Ice Cream with Peanut Butter Topping from Buffs in Brookville, PA

Recipe – Sowell Family Famous Dill Dip

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Growing up, we used to go camping more weekends than not, when the weather allowed it.  We usually started in spring and went right thru the fall (if I am remembering correctly).  Truman State Park was one of our more frequently visited campgrounds.  On our way thru Clinton we would sometimes stop for groceries.  The store (now gone) we stopped out had the best house made dill dip we could find.  We tried others but that one was always the best.  Until now.

I can’t take credit for this recipe but its too good to keep quiet about.  It came from a good friend from her grandmothers cookbook.  It is super easy and fast to put together and is DELICIOUS!!  When I make it I tend to at least double it so it’s in my fridge and ready to go at all times.  Its great as a dip for chips and vegetables, a topping for baked potatoes or whatever else you can think of.  I have even been known to use it as a sandwich spread.  MMmmmmmmmm!!!

Sowell Family Famous Dill Dip

  • 2/3 c. Mayonnaise
  • 1/2 c. Sour Cream
  • 1/2 t. Accent
  • 1 T.  Minced Onion
  • 1 T.  Parsley Flakes
  • 1 t.  Seasoned Salt
  • 1 t.  Dill
  • 1/2 t.  Worcestershire Sauce
The Dill Dip Lineup

The Dill Dip Lineup

  1. Put all ingredients in a bowl and stir together
  2. Refrigerate for 12 hours
  3. ENJOY!!!!
Ready to mix!

Ready to mix!

Ready to eat!

Ready to eat!