Brians

brians
Originally uploaded by clumsy_juggler

Oh no...I should run for cover!
I found this on a Flickr Page, thought it was funny enough to share!

Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Company

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This past Sunday, while on our way out of Chicago, I wanted to stop at this Pizza Joint I saw on The Travel Channel last week.
It's called the Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Company. It's located in the Lincoln Park section of Chicago at 2121 North Clark St.
Here is a quote from their website

Quote:

If the building ever did possess gentility, though, it was abruptly forsaken on February 14, 1929, as the guttural yammering of submachine guns in a garage almost directly across the street brought the notorious “St. Valentine’s Day Massacre” to headlines around the world. Rumor even has it that the house at 2121 North Clark served as a lookout post for hoodlum henchmen of the Valentine gunners.

Anyway, the thing that I was after was the "Pizza Pot Pie" that I saw on the tube...
First, here are the pix on the outside...really cool looking building and neighborhood..

The building above the shop...

Across the street...I guess the garage was in the lot to the right. If you look close in one of the windows, you can see Al Capone himself.

On to the grub...
Here is the Pizza Pot Pie when it's brought to the table...

Popping the bowl off...

All the cheesy goodness inside.

Now...the pizza was not that great, I think the experience of it all was cool, but I can do better and I told Kel I want to try one myself, so keep your eyes peeled....I just might do one soon.
In addition to the Pizza Pot Pie, we ordered their Mediterranean flatbread that was really good as well as the salad that could easily feed 6. They make their own salad dressing...1 is a poppyseed, sweetish dressing and the other is a sour cream based garlicky dressing...both good by themselves, but outta this world together.
Anybody ever been there?
Thanks for looking!

Chicago in the Springtime

My Wife Kelli and I along with another couple went to Chicago this past weekend just to hang out. We went in Feburary, but it was a day trip and we didn't quite get enough in in that time. Those of you who have been there know this.
Now on to the picture tour.
This is kinda blurry, but it was our view from the 10th floor of the Courtyard on Hubbard, just North of the Chicago River.

The Lucky Lady...just below our room. Didn't go there, but I thought it was a cool pic.

Marina Towers....Some of you may remember them from the Steve McQueen movie "The Hunter"

The Bean

This thing is HUGE! Us being silly

The Trump Tower...A friend worked on the crew that installed the elevators in the Trump.

Odd sculpture at Millennium Park

Closeup of the Boar

And the Car monster

The mother of all foil balls...

The Chicago Theatre

High Atop the Sears Tower

I'll post some pix of the place we had lunch on Sunday in another thread...
Thanks for looking...

Poblano Boats

Here are a few snacks I made while the Beef Ribs were cooking.

I did 2 with a Cream Cheese with Parsley and Chive mixture, topped with left-over taco meat, Cheddar and bacon.

I did 2 with the same cream cheese mixture, with pepperoni.

I think the remainder had just cheese and bacon on them.

These things were almost like a meal by themselves. Turned out great. It seems like the possibilities are endless with the fillings.
Thanks for looking....

Got a smoking deal on these Beef Back Ribs. I guess the butcher weighed 1 of them as 1/2 lb....got it for $1.29. The other one was a little over $4.00
As this was my first time ever doing Beef Ribs, I tried a 3-2-1 variation.

Here they are rubbed down with some Plowboys Bovine Bold.

Onto the drum at about 250° over Lump and a couple chunks of Mesquite.

More on the poblanos in another thread....
I was kinda shocked at the degree of shrinkage when I foiled them with a little OJ.

Plated with home-made Onion Rings...

Closer look...

Thanks for looking....

Maple Glazed Salmon

We picked up a 1.6 lb. Salmon Fillet today because Kel had been craving the maple glazed Salmon I had done a few times in the past. Big Thanks to Dutch for the recipe. (I see he's a member here, but MIA)

Here's the shiny side...

Here's the good stuff...

This is the finished product after just about an hour on the mini UDS.. Smoked over Lump and Alder Chips

Plated with some Broccoli and cheese along with some Garlic and Olive Oil noodles.

Here's Dessert...

I reduced the glaze down a little thicker than I usually do, therefore it didn't spread as nicely as I'd hoped. Live and learn...
It was a great meal and probably the juiciest Salmon I've ever had. There is a lot to be said about keeping the skin on. Most of the fillets I get from the freezer section (not anymore) usually have the skin removed.

Here's the recipe for the Maple Glaze ~
Source: Smokingmeatforums.com
Dutch's Maple Glaze for Salmon

1 cup pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons finely grated peeled fresh gingerroot
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
Fresh ground pepper to taste

In a small heavy saucepan simmer maple syrup, gingerroot, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, soy sauce, garlic, lemon zest and pepper to taste until reduced to about 1 cup, about 30 minutes, and let cool. (Maple glaze may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. Bring maple glaze to room temperature before proceeding.)

In another small saucepan heat half of glaze over low heat until heated through to use as a sauce. Stir in remaining tablespoon lemon juice. Remove pan from heat and keep sauce warm, covered.

NOTE: If you simmer the glaze for the full 30 minutes it will be more of a basting sauce. To use as a mop, divide the glaze into two equal portions after simmering for 5 - 10 minutes (long enough for the flavors to meld together). Simmer the second portion for the remaining 20 minutes and then add the last teaspoon of lemon juice. Serve as a side sauce.

The original recipe listed "Salt to taste". Since this recipe also contains soy sauce I omitted the salt altogether and replace the soy sauce with a "Low Sodium" Soy sauce.

If you choose to "spray" your mop, strain the sauce through some cheese cloth or pour though a fine mesh strainer to remove the garlic, ginger root and lemon zest.

Enjoy!!

Jason's Garlic Burgers

A while back, our 14 year old son, Jason asked Kelli, "Why doesn't Dad take pictures of the things I cook?" Well the fact is, Jase doesn't cook much....a little Ramen noodles here, a little Mac and Cheese there.
Tonight, we decided to have him make dinner. We thawed out a couple pounds of ground beef and I instructed him on how to make a consistent patty without blowouts on the edges. I also explain to him that you need to make the inside of the burger thinner than the edges, so when it expands, you don't wind up with a meatball.Here I was showing him how to fire up the lump in the chimney, on the Char-Griller.

Burgers on the grill, Seasoned with Granulated Garlic and a couple shakes of Plowboys Bovine Bold.

"Dad, hurry up and take the pic already"

Take a look at those grill marks.....

Here is Jase's Big Boy pose.... He couldn't stop laughing....

Close up of my burger. It had the perfect combination of wood fired smokiness with the juiciness of the ground beef...all in all a fantastic burger!