Category Archives: cheeseheads

>NFL Season: what do you cook?

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>Game Day meals can be so much more than pizza or bratwurst. What’s a bratwurst? If you’re not from the Midwest, you probably don’t want to know. It’s kind of like really knowing the ingredients in sausage – a little too much information.

Last week Chuck made his version of Philly Cheese steak on French bread. Our Green Bay Packers proceeded to beat the Philadelphia Eagles on their home turf for the first time in nigh on 50 seasons.
This could become a tradition or even a superstition, if we’re not careful. The second weekend of the NFL regular season, Gang Green and Gold lined up to play the Buffalo Bills. What to make? Buffalo burgers? No, Chuck isn’t fond of bison meat. Buffalo chicken wings or nuggets? I’m not fond of nuggets, and Chuck didn’t know what to do about the sauce. Well, that’s never stopped us before, has it? Time to search the cookbooks and the Internet!
Chuck bought our Buffalo wings this time, but I did a little research so we could make them next time.
We found a Taste of Home recipe for chicken nuggets from scratch. I could handle these.
Then I looked into one of my go-to cookbooks, 70 Meals, One Trip to the Store for a buffalo chicken recipe. She had a buffalo chicken sandwich, and it looked easy enough for a game day lunch!
Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches
Ingredients;
4 chicken breasts
1/2 cup hot sauce
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup butter
4 rolls (or hamburger buns)
4 slices lettuce
4 slices onion
Combine flour, garlic salt and pepper. Coat chicken well in the flour mixture. Heat butter and hot sauce in a small pan on stove just until butter melts; turn heat to low, cover and keep warm on stove top. Heat oil in large skillet, and cook chicken breasts for approximately 15 minutes, turning once or twice until browned and cooked through. Drain chicken briefly, then immediately toss in buffalo sauce mixture and remove. Serve on rolls with lettuce and onion.
In my house? On game day? Serve with tomatoes and cheese, of course!
As for the hot sauce, I like to play it safe. I’m not a huge fan of spicy food, so I’d use a regular barbecue sauce. Chuck is still looking for something better. Let him know if you find something perfect for Buffalo Chicken.
This is not a sponsored post. Kelly Donlea sent me the cookbook for a review last summer, and I continue to use it. You can find her web site and blog and even order her books here. And if you’re wondering, The Packers beat the Bills, 34 – 7.

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>Survivor: NFL

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>Actual conversation with Chuck and Amigo:

Commercial comes on TV for the fall edition of Survivor and its gimmick of old vs. young, featuring Jimmy Johnson as one of the Oldsters.

Me: See? I wasn’t kidding. Jimmy Johnson is on the next Survivor.
Chuck (jaw dropping): I see.
Amigo: Brett Favre should do Survivor. He’s 40; he could be on the “old” team.
Chuck: No way. They’d vote him out and he’d bounce right back again saying, “I’ve changed my mind!”

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>Yet Another Favre Post

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>And on it goes, the never-ending saga of Brett Favre’s retirement – or not.

Let’s see. He debated and thought it over and, for a few years, made his fans happy with One More Year. In the off season, we called it the biggest non-story.
Then he took a deep breath, shed a few tears, and called it quits. Packers fans waved goodbye, paid tribute to the quarterback and the man, and started looking ahead to the future with Aaron Rodgers.
Then Brett panicked. Without football, who was he?
Let’s jump ahead, past a season with the New York Jets and one with the (hated) Minnesota Vikings. Let’s look at the big picture.
Brett Favre has always played football. He doesn’t remember a life without it. Even his childhood revolved around the game.
Brett Favre, bless his heart (my Southern friends know what that means), never really had a chance to grow up without that pigskin in his hands and in his heart. Dare I say it? Yes, I do: Brett is still a kid. He still hasn’t grown up. Think about it.
He’s 40 years old and he works out with the local high school football team.
When he doesn’t get his way, he blames others (Ted Thompson, Green Bay general manager, can vouch for this).
After it’s clear that he won’t get in, he badmouths those who supported him in the past.
He has trouble making decisions. This has made him a laughing stock, even as it’s gained endorsements (Sears television commercials, anyone?).
He publicizes his decisions or pseudo-decisions by text message. Text messages, people! In any field, sports or business, text messaging is not a serious form of communication. I don’t even want to know if he abbreviates his spelling teen-text style.
For years, we fans have praised the gun-slinger, the play maker, the childlike athlete. It’s time for that youngster to grow up. What will he do now? Here are a few suggestions:
  • Open a bakery and specialize in turnovers!
  • Join the BP management. They could use a good ole boy from Mississippi to handle PR.
  • Cell phone company spokesperson: for plans with unlimited texting, of course.
  • Waffle maker.
  • Shoe manufacturer, specializing in flip-flops
Other ideas, people? Suggest in the comments, please!

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>The Bar Crowd; does it include your kids?

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>I read a featured blog titled “Babies in Bars” on Work It Mom. The blogger talked about bringing her baby to bars to hear her husband’s country band perform. She talked about putting ear protection on the baby to muffle the din, nursing a young baby in a discreet corner, bringing an older baby’s own tippy cup for juice or other beverages, and in general, taking care to make the trip safe and appropriate for baby and for other customers.

It’s Lent, season of the Wisconsin Friday Night Fish Fry. Fish fry events can be in supper clubs, family restaurants, church halls, and yes, taverns or bars. I’m sure there are little ones following their parents into the pubs and the taverns or waiting in the bar areas for the fish fry to be ready.

Is there a deep meaning to all this babble? Maybe, maybe not. If I go to a downtown bar for lunch with Amigo (now age 18), we’re not drinking. He’s too young, and I’m probably driving, so alcohol with our fish fry or cheese curds doesn’t make sense. Would we mind seeing a baby at the table next to ours? Not a bit.

It’s all about responsibility, really. If the parent at the next table is exercising moderation and good judgement, is taking good care of the child, and both parent and child are behaving well, it’s not a problem – at least in my neighborhood.

And isn’t the main responsibility of anyone present in a drinking establishment just that: responsibility?

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>Playoffs? Are you kiddin’ me? They matter in our home.

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>Playoff standings matter not just because we’re Packers fans, but because Chuck’s workload and work schedule and potential travel schedule all depend on the playoff picture. He and his boss have become regular visitors to NFL.com to see the playoff pictures develop. Now that the postseason is finally here, we’ve bought our chips and pizzas and we’re ready to watch the game. I mean, now that postseason is finally here, the folks in Television Land are working out the possibilities and charging up the camera batteries.

With a win, the big, bold men in Green and Gold will stay in the running to play a second game. This game could be in Minnesota or possibly at home against Dallas. Sorry, Philadelphia fans; I feel your pain. I do.
The location of the next game matters because Chuck’s station would send him to the Metrodome with the satellite truck to cover pre- and post-game shows. If the game happens in Dallas, they’ll get their video from a Dallas station. If it’s played in Lambeau Field, he’ll have to work, but he call stay at home instead of hitting the road.

But then….then what? I’m glad you asked. If Aaron Rodgers calmly leads his team to Miami for the Main Event, my dear husband (bless his heart) will have to drive the station’s satellite truck to Florida to cover not only the Super Bowl and the build-up, but the Pro Bowl as well. He could be away as long as three weeks, perhaps more.

On the positive side, I plan on sending a Flat Stanley with him. My class will love it.

On the negative side, it’ll be lonely around here with just me and Amigo. La Petite will be back at school, very likely hosting her own Super Bowl party, faithful cheesehead that she is.

If the Packers (gulp) don’t win, Chuck may have to change an appointment on Tuesday in order to help record the coach’s show. It would be a minor inconvenience.

But we won’t talk about the L word. Go Pack Go!!

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>We can never be too wealthy or too tolerant.

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>Apparently wealth and tolerance are the main traits to be considered happy – well, for your state to make the Happy List.

Wisconsin ranks near the end. Say what?!! I beg to differ. In defense of the Badger State, here are ten reasons to love living in Wisconsin.

10. We rarely miss our chance for a white Christmas.
9. Tiger Woods doesn’t live or drive here.
8. We can ride bikes without worrying about hills.
7. Women in Wisconsin know football as well as men in the other 49 states.
6. We support Brewers – in baseball and in beer!
5. Bratwurst (preferably grilled) is one of the basic food groups.
4. Our state university’s band is as important as the football team.
3. The best cheese is made here; the kind we eat, and the kind we wear on our heads.
2. We can wear Packer gear to work and still be considered professional.
1. The Green Bay Packers, win or lose, are always entertaining. Go! Pack! Go!

All right, my lovely readers. What makes your state a happy place?

Thanks to Kristin at Going Country for the link to the article.

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>Think locally: economic impact of the NFL

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>Family and friends know that I back the Green Bay Packers, win or lose. I dress in their colors from head to toe. Chuck earns a portion of his income at Lambeau Field each year. We’re not season ticket holders; the legendary waiting list is too long to consider. We take our enjoyment of the game in our living rooms, texting or g-chatting our reactions to La Petite on her college campus.

La Petite spent her first nine years living in the shadow of Lambeau Field, on the corner of Oneida Street and the aptly-named Stadium Drive. She learned to ride a bike in the Packers’ parking lot, and learned about entrepreneurship with her lemonade stand during training camp. She’s in her twenties now and training to be a photojournalist, and she spent a day job-shadowing at a pre-season game. That’s one awesome “Take Your Kid to Work Day!”


Now one of my favorite green sites has recognized the economic value of a local football team. Most NFL teams belong to a single wealthy investor. The Green Bay Packers belong to individual stockholders, among them many Wisconsin residents. The stock has emotional value only; no dividends. Stockholders attend an annual meeting (at Lambeau Field, of course), but have no say in team decisions.

Mother Nature Network posts green news and views every day. This weekend, they included a guest post about local economies and, you guessed it, the Green Bay Packers. Win or lose on the field, the team has a great impact on the people of Green Bay and Wisconsin.

When you add into the equation the idea that Chuck does most of his Christmas shopping at the Packer Pro Shop, it’s easy to see the impact. I think I’ll go get our cheesehead hat and get ready to watch them play the Cowboys! Cringe. Wisconsin native Tony Romo might just tear my green and gold team to pieces.

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>The Governors make a Locavore-style bet

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>

Wisconsin Badgers played Minnesota’s Golden Gophers Saturday.
The Green Bay Packers play the Minnesota Vikings Monday night.

What’s a governor to do? Make a wager, of course.

Our very own Jim Doyle of Wisconsin wagered a selection of Milwaukee’s famous Usinger’s sausages and specialty cheeses made by Carr Valley Cheese Co. Not to be outdone, Minnesota’s Tim Pawlenty offered Hormel pork tenderloin and Minnesota wild rice. Both packages sounded delicious.

While the teams battled for the long-term rivalry’s legendary Paul Bunyan’s Ax (118 match-ups, people, 118!), the governors watched and hoped for a win for their teams — and their pantries. Are you still in suspense? Wisconsin won. Go Badgers!! Play on, band!

Meanwhile, the ghost of Favre looms over Green Bay and the ghost of Ted Thompson haunts Brett Favre. Governor Doyle, who invoked Brett’s name on announcing his own retirement (“I won’t pull a Favre and change my mind”), is offering a wager of good Wisconsin beers. He didn’t say which beers he’d include if the unthinkable happens. New Glarus, maybe? Point? Minnesota Governor Pawlenty, for his credit, is offering Minnesota beers on his side of the bet.

Monday night, I’ll be ready for some football. Governor Doyle, if you don’t want the beers, I’m sure my beer- connoiseur husband Chuck would be willing to try them. Heck, I might even let him post a review right here at Compost Happens!

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>Geez, Brett. Purple? The hated Vikings?

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>Let’s look at this issue on both hands.

On one hand, Brett Favre is geriatric by quarterback standards.
On the other hand, a geriatric Favre plays better than some QBs do (or did) in their prime.

On one hand, we’re tired of hearing about him.
On the other hand, his indecisiveness makes for some interesting comic material. Even the governor of Wisconsin promised he wouldn’t “pull a Favre” and change his mind about retirement.

On one hand, he’s still the kid who loves to play a game he’s played most of his life.
On the other hand, he’s Peter Pan: the boy who never grew up. That’s not very attractive for a man pushing 40.

On one hand, his dynamic play inspired people across the country to wear cheesehead hats.
On the other hand, he could buy out the company that makes the Viking hats any time he wishes.

On one hand, he’s a classic. Today’s college freshmen don’t remember an NFL without Favre.
On the other hand, they also grew up with Barney.

So tell me, dear readers, will today’s college freshmen think there are two purple dinosaurs on TV — one in a big costume, the other in a #4 jersey?

And if you haven’t had enough of my Favre-ness, here’s more.

Purple? Say it Ain’t So! (May, 2009)
An Open Letter to a Great Quarterback (August, 2008)
It’s Official (or it was) (March, 2008)

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