By Mike Thayer If you’re the typical weekend gardener, then this is for you. This is an article designed and catered for the not-so-serious but wants a decent garden kind of person.  This guide of sorts is not fancy, it lacks pages upon pages of beautiful garden pictures, but it does provide content, content, content. […]

By Mike Thayer In my sampling and tasting of various flavored whiskeys, I’ve become a fan of Yukon Jack Jacapple, a very nice pairing of apple, spice and a smooth bourbon. Every time I need a resupply in visiting my neighborhood liquor store, there’s this bottle of “Perma Frost” parked right next to the Jacapple….  […]

By Mike Thayer A good chip alternative? To paraphrase AC/DC and the song “Whole Lotta Rosie”…..  They ain’t exactly pretty….. They ain’t exactly delicious….. So on a whim while shopping at Costco today, I picked up a bag of Hippeas organic chickpeas puffs, white cheddar flavor. I’ve been looking for an alternative to chips, something […]

By Mike Thayer A picnic basket is a festive, space saving way to put plates and plasticware out for a grilling themed party! Thanks Diane! Throwing a party can be stressful and no, I’m not talking about the impromptu kind of party where you have some buddies over to watch the big game and all […]

By Mike Thayer Blended and flavored whiskeys are red hot right now, consumer demand for brown spirits continues to rise with American Whiskey in particular seeing some phenomenal sales growth. Regular readers know that I am a fan of flavored whiskey, I’ve always got a bottle of something in my freezer for a chilled shot […]

By Mike Thayer I did a bit of traveling through the Midwest recently and having some time for a sit-down breakfast, I ventured into an IHOP in Coralville, Iowa. It’s been awhile since I’ve eaten at an IHOP, in fact since I did a review of their Bacon Temptation Omelette, which was fantastic!  Tempted to […]

By Mike Thayer I’m one of those playing-in-the-dirt loving people. Gardening is a simple pleasure for me, from creating veggie or flower beds, to planting, to weeding, to the harvest, from start to finish it’s all good. And it doesn’t get any fresher than going out to the backyard, patio or balcony and picking fresh […]

By Mike Thayer What is the most popular thing to add to meats cooked outdoors? BBQ Sauces It’s true, the most popular thing to add to the plethora of meats cooked outdoors is BBQ sauce. If you had guessed ketchup, believe it or not, you would be wrong. The person who invented BBQ sauce is […]

By Mike Thayer What is the most popular thing to add to meats cooked outdoors? BBQ Sauces It’s true, the most popular thing to add to the plethora of meats cooked outdoors is BBQ sauce. If you had guessed ketchup, believe it or not, you would be wrong. The person who invented BBQ sauce is […]

By Mike Thayer Craving some nachos one night, I stopped at my neighborhood grocery store to pick up some chips and cheese to make one of my all time favorite snacks. By accident, I picked up a bag of “Lime” flavored tortilla chips…….   Mistake! Always looking to save a buck or two, I usually buy […]

Food Safety Alert Fast Facts Illnesses: 23Hospitalizations: 22Deaths: 1States: 10Recall: NoInvestigation status: Active Representative image for this outbreak What Everyone Should Do Consumers who have Big Olaf Creamery brand ice cream at home should throw away any remaining product. Clean any areas, containers, and serving utensils that may have touched Big Olaf ice cream products. […]

By Mike Thayer I look forward to having breakfast every morning, but I’m not talking about a simple bowl of cold cereal or sugar loaded donuts.  Bagels and cream cheese?  Nope.  I like to enjoy a hot breakfast, nothing elaborate mind you, nothing too heavy either…  A simple breakfast sandwich and a cup of coffee […]

By Mike Thayer Why is popcorn one of my favorite snack foods? 1. It tastes great, 2. It’s WAY cheaper than a bag of chips, 3. You can add just about any flavor to it by popping your own, turning it into a gourmet treat! Don’t buy those pre-packed popcorn seasonings, create your own flavor […]

By Mike Thayer So I walk into my neighborhood liquor store for the third time in the last couple weeks, looking for Crown Peach Whiskey and the store is STILL sold out with what apparently is great stuff on back order!  Other stores in my neck of the woods are sold out too, that Crown […]