Category Archives: Packers

>Everyday Packers Decor

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Decor? Heck, this is just part of the household. Nothing is fancy. Readers, were you wondering why I hadn’t posted any Packers pictures? I mean, you know I hang green and gold ornaments on my Christmas tree. You know I sip coffee from a Lombardi mug that sits on a cheese coaster. With the Super Bowl and my Green Bay Packers in mind, let’s take a brief tour.
This title towel keeps my new bread machine dust free in between uses.

Nap time means Packer blanket throws and green & gold Happy Feet slippers!

Let’s head upstairs.
In the bathroom, I can wash up with a classic and well-used Green Bay washcloth.

In Amigo’s room, tiny rabbit Krumpet hangs out in a Green Bay Packers bean bag chair.
And last but never least, Amigo sleeps in classic Green Bay Packers sheets.

These are just a few examples of the way the Packers infiltrate our lives every day – or simple evidence that yes, we are true fans in this household. Any questions? There will be a quiz on Sunday night.

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>Super Burgers for the Super Bowl

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>We’ll be “eating the opponent” as always on Saturday night. Tentative plans are pierogies & kielbasa sausage with Pittsburgh-made Klondike Bars for dessert. On Sunday night, we’ll have Super Burgers!

Daisy and Chuck’s Super Burgers
1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1 egg
1/8 cup bread crumbs
assorted spices or herbs (varies with seasonal availability)
splash of Worcestershire sauce or steak sauce
Combine egg, bread crumbs, sauce, and spices in medium bowl.
Add ground beef. Mix thoroughly.
Form into burger patties.
Grill – if you have access to a real charcoal grill, do them up in true tailgate style! If not, a George Foreman grill or a skillet on the stove will do.
Serve on a hamburger bun with your favorite Super Toppings. Here are a few of ours:
ketchup, mustard
cheeses (use good cheese, please, not that fake “cheese food” stuff)
pickles or pickle relish
swiss cheese & mushrooms
lettuce & tomatoes
Enjoy! And of course, Go! Pack! Go!
If you’re looking for another easy Super Bowl dinner idea, check out Organizing Dinner Blog’s Super Bowl Chilis. She offers a Pittsburgh style chili and a Green Bay style.

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>Winter decor

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I was watching one of the morning news shows and they blew me away with their decorating feature. They were talking about SPRING and FLOWERS and putting away the winter decor!
Sorry, people. Martha Stewart doesn’t live here. We still have a few holiday items up. The “Dream” tree is a gift from an artist friend; it’s staying up for a while.

The snowmen are out now. We save them until after Christmas each year. Behind the S’mores snowman is one of La Petite’s vases. The results of her ceramics class are scattered around the house; they’re not seasonal. They’re year-round special.

Just in case you were wondering, yes, we have a few (ahem, cough, cough) Green Bay Packer items gracing the house along with the snowmen.
“My” Packers may be playing in Chicago, but they’ll bring their Frozen Tundra experience and cold weather attitude with them on the field.
We’re decked out in our Green and Gold, planning our “eating the opponent” menus, and getting ready for the Big Game. This one may be bigger than the Super Bowl.
Go! Pack! Go!

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>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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>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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>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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>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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>Blanching and Freezing Beans: Yes, I Can!

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>According to my Twitter friend City Slipper, blanching is easy. I just need a colander and a big
stockpot for boiling water. But wait – my colanders are too big, or my stockpots are too small!


Okay, the steamer basket fits. I can do this.

Step one: bring water to a boil. Lower beans into water. Bring water back to a boil, and boil for three minutes. I can do that. Yes, if you’re wondering, those are indeed Daisy’ Famous Green Bay Packer beans.

After the three minutes, put the beans in ice water for three minutes to cool.

Remove from ice water, and then dry. I had all three steps going at once in my tiny kitchen. Packer beans boiling, green beans cooling, and yellow wax beans drying.


Since the drying step takes the longest, I eventually had all the beans spread out on the counter at once. I froze them in quart-size Ziploc vaccuum bags. Some time in December or January, we’ll have really good beans, better than anything on the grocery store shelves.

The best part of cooking these will be knowing they were grown locally. About a third of this batch grew in my garden; the rest came from the farmers’ market. It took a little research and a little time, but this action was worth it.

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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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>Take me out to the ball game!

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>One great reason to take my daughter to the ball park: Her pictures are far superior to mine! These are from the Donald Driver Charity Softball Game. We had a good time watching – me, watching over my box of popcorn; La Petite watching through her camera viewfinder. These incredible athletes, these huge – GIANT – men, playing softball instead of football. I even had trouble recognizing some of these gridiron stars without their helmets and jerseys!

AJ Hawk up to bat – look at that hair!

Donald Driver batting: pretty good form, for a football player!

Above: Nick Barnett up to bat for the defense early in the game

Below: Barnett lets his hair down and bats for the defense again.

The game was called after six innings due to rain. These guys can bat, but don’t field quite as well. The final score was an outrageous tie – 38-38, I believe. We were running to our minivan for cover as the game ended; I didn’t pay attention to details!

All photos above by La Petite.

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