How Many Guys Does It Take To Make A Burger?

Way back in the year 1986 a husband and wife from Arlington, Virgina would create a concept to serve a better fast burger product. It is known as 5 Guys Burgers and Fries.Using 100% pure ground beef that is never frozen,  freezers aren't allowed in a franchise restaurant. They have only fresh product from the beef to the hand cut skin on french fries that are cooked in peanut oil.

Any time you serve me a thick juicy cheese burger and tasty all natural fries in a paper bag, I'm hooked. The fries are fresh and plentiful, a small order is a small cup with an extra scoop added to the bag. Imagine almost another small order of super hot perfectly cooked golden gems floating around the bottom of your brown paper sack. It's like french fry heaven. The fries are crispy on the outside but oh,so tender on the inside and just melt in your mouth leaving you only wanting more. They're so confident the fries are the best quality they tell you daily where the spuds are from. The other places don't even have 100% potato fries, it's more like a potatoish product. 5 Guys guarantees quality every time you  bite into their all potato french fried delights.

The burgers are grilled to tasty bliss. They are well done and still juicy. Two patties make up a regular burger giving you a hand full of char-cooked goodness. Every bite is a fresh new taste experience. All of the condiments are fresh and full of flavor. It doesn't matter if you add the grilled peppers or onions or the vivid green jalapeños they are all super market fresh. Each burger is hand crafted for every order, there are no heat lamps, warming stations, or precooked food.  It's all made to order. Sure it takes a couple of minutes more, but why comprise flavor and freshness just to have a quick bite. It's worth the extra minute or two to get your hands on these burgers and fries.

The over all atmosphere is one of friendly people, clean tables and floors, with a brightly lit dinning room. It's a place to go to relax with friends and family while enjoying really delicious fast food. Plus while waiting for your food you may want to sample the free shell on roasted peanuts. A perfect warm up for the main course to come. So if you want fresh fast burgers and fries and don't care to wait a minute or two longer for them, then you need to get a car load of friends or family and seek out the closest  5 Guys. These guys my not be clowns or kings, but they sure know quality and quantity.

Wilie E. Coyote, Super Christian!!!!!!

You read right. Wilie E. Coyote is a Christian. No I'm not nuts, I have proof.
Item one: Acme is God.
 God gives us the tools to get through everyday life and to smite our enemies. It's just a matter if we use them as God wants if they are successful or not. God gives us talent, it's up to us if we use them to glorify Him.
 God wants us to be pure of mind and heart and rely on his wisdom to know when and where victory will occur. It's when we as mortals try and pigeon hole God  that He punishes us with failure. He wants us to have patients and let Him take control. Harder than it sounds.
That is why so many man driven enterprises have failed. We left God out. We must give God the benefit of the doubt when it comes to his timing. We didn't build the trees, create water, or even the birds in the air. God did this. So we must let him guide us to a final solution to our problems. That is one thing Wilie E. teaches us. Man cannot do it alone!!!!

Item Two: Never Give Up....No Matter What.
God gave us talents to glorify him and we should use them in our everyday life. If we fail at an enterprise that we have clearly heard his voice in, we should pick ourselves up and try, try again. Just like Wilie E.
He never gave up. When he failed, he sent to Acme (prayed to God), and was given another chance to smite his enemy(The Road Runner). Though he let his timing override his faith in Acme(God), Acme (God) always answered with another solution. Wile E. just never learned that Acme(God) just wanted him to trust in Him and God would provide what Wilie needed (the Road Runner).


Bottom line is this: we need to let God work in our lives on his time to receive the blessings he wants to give us. If we trust in God and have faith, He will provide for us. I guess what I'm trying to say is more people should be less like Wile E. Coyote and have patience and faith that God will make every thing alright. Maybe not on our time, but on His.

Outside the Bun, I Must Run, Run, Run

It calls to me. I hear it many a day. It's like a Siren's song calling me to the rocks. I can not resist. It is my mistress, my addiction and it's name is... Taco Bell.
That's right I love Taco Bell. It's almost Tex-Mex styling and less than average cost has me going back more times than I care to recount. It has me hooked. I'm like a trout on a fly fisherman's bait. Snagged.
From the first time I stepped foot in one it's been an on going love affair. I can't put my finger on it but I do crave the off beat fast food chain's culinary treat. It's like a fast food paradise away from all the burgers and fries. It's tacos, nachos, and the burritos, oh, the burritos. A swell concoction of  beef, melted cheese stuff, and spices brought together by a dollop of sour cream and lettuce.  I can taste it's Tex-Mex goodness right now!!!
Every time I go in there the smell, the lighting and the menu make me feel at home. The brightly colored walls, the offset grey tile with red brick it all seems homey to me.
You step up to the fake green slate counter and give your order( for me it's always the same; a nacho supreme and two burrito supremes and a small soda.) You get rung up and they ask for your name. When the order is ready the person behind the counter bellows your name, announcing to those gathered inside, my Tex-Mex bliss is about to begin. I grab a black spork to get every last yummy morsel. Next it's a few napkins because good food is messy food. The drink station is where my small cup will be filled to full with Taco Bell's own flavor of Mountain Dew.
Time to find a seat. I rush to a window booth eager to unwrap my tasty treasure. I'm so happy!!!
With every bite my attitude becomes brighter and brighter as I know my hunger will be conquered by this Tex-Mex greatness. To me every day spent at Taco Bell is a great day.
It's not top quality, it's not real Tex-Mex, but like I said, I just can't get enough.
For some people it's the opera, for others it's fine dining, but for my money to escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life I seek out a "run for the boarder."  Lawsuits and controversy aside Taco Bell is my favorite place to go relax and enjoy a low priced almost Tex-Mex meal with friends and family. I maybe a good cook in my own right, I'm just not a snob. I don't need a fancy plating, or three stars to have a good meal. Just don't throw some forty minute old burger on my tray and call it fresh. I've done my home work and I can pronounce the stuff in a taco from Taco Bell, I can't say the same thing about Mickey D's and their offspring. Call me crazy, but I'm thinking "outside the bun" and enjoying every bite of it!!!!

Give Peace A Chance?

We believed we could change the world. We were fool hearty. Our music was split between those who believed in fun, and us that believed in change. We weren't hippies, we really believed in change. Hippies used the cause to get laid, we used it to wake people up to the wrongs of world. It was the best of heavy metal. Bands like Megadeth, Exodus, Testament, Metal Church, and yes Metallica...we were the voice. We wanted the same thing the hippies wanted, world peace, a voice in American government, we wanted our voices to be heard. The soft sell never took in the 60's, so we turned it up all the way to 11. We were in your face, but we understood our limits. We weren't violent, but we were loud. You ignored us, dismissed us, called us troublemakers. We were just looking for a voice. We never gave up, and we never gave in, we pushed the system as far as we could. We were rebels, and some of us still are. I'm going to be 42 years old at the end of the month, a father to three(20,15, and 8) and I still cling to the beliefs of my teenage years. You can't force change, but change can come. I will never stop fighting, I believe in peace and love, I just now use God as my weapon!!!!

I dedicate this blog to the memory of Matt Hillenbrand and to those who knew him, God Bless you my friend, I just wish I knew you better. You were an institution, and a hero to many. You helped create a safe place for all us headbangers to gather, Thank You!!!

A Man Walks Into A Bar......

I don't know about you but when I was a kid I joked around a lot. I remember laughing and having a good time. Sometimes too good of a time and then it was off to detention. I may have been a little hyperactive but no one tried to shove pills down my throat to calm me down, I was just being a kid.

Today's kids walk around like little ghetto rats or depressed Grunge zombies. Kids are so filled with rage or self pity they never smile or look you in the eye. Sad really. Childhood is suppose to be the greatest time of your life, not some drama filled stink pile. Is the world out there really that bad or have we as parents and role models failed so miserably that our offspring have forsaken their childhoods?
I blame us as parents. We teach our kids to lookout for bad people, to get good grades or they will end up failures. I believe we have forgotten to tell these kids it's alright to laugh and have a good time. It's easy to dismiss a child when our lives remain unfulfilled and so we pass that thought process on to them. Not cool. Maybe if as parents we worried less about our lives and spent more time on our kids happiness, they wouldn't be bringing guns to school or be as violent as they are. Sitting a child in front of a television and letting them watch violent programs or playing ultra- violent video games is not an alternative to outdoor activity. Let them get the fresh air and learn to interact with the other kids in the neighborhood, just keep an eye on them and they will be fine. Who knows by letting them play games you may find yourself joining in and recapturing that child-like innocents you lost when you grew up. It couldn't hurt to try. So let's all try and get our children involved in having fun.

Now I know not everyone will agree with what I say next, but have an open mind. I belong to a wonderful church and go on Sundays with my girlfriend's son. We enjoy the time together and he interacts with some wonderful people. The pastor and his wife are involved with his life as well. They treat him to breakfast and take him after church when they can. We have found a place for us where we are excepted for who we are and he responds well to that. Now I'm not saying he's perfect, he acts up now and again, but over all he is a polite well adjusted kid with a bright disposition. Maybe more people should make time in their lives to spend a few moments a week in church. I'm not saying it will work for everyone,(though I believe it should), all I know it's turned my life and my families life around for the better. 

Twigs And Berries Are Not A Meal!!!

Vegans and vegetarians are a species I don't get. Since when did vegetables become a main course, where I come from the garden dwellers are a side dish. Period. Now here we are overrun with a bunch of carrot munching people who believe veggies to be the best thing ever. Don't get me wrong, I understand the religious and philosophical applications of vegetarianism, I have no problem with that. I do, however, shake my head at the people who choose to eat like a bunny for no other reason than they think it's healthier. I got a hint for you all, you are going to die no matter how you eat. Sure it's a morbid way to see things but my point is this, life is short, you might as well go out and enjoy as much as you can in moderation.

The other reason people give for the herbivorous lifestyle is the cruel way some animals are raised. Understood. As a cook who enjoys dining on animals I can tell you this, the better the animal is treated the better it tastes. Low grade poorly raised beef tastes like horse meat, not that I go around eating horses.
 Cruelty to animals is wrong on all levels and should be dealt with harshly. I recommend doing some research before buying any meat in a grocery store. Ask where it came from, know if it is reputably solid farm. Only buy free range chicken or poultry. Know your pork, learn the difference between good swine and bad. Never be afraid to ask your local butcher where he gets his product from, if he doesn't know maybe you should change butchers.

Also if you know your Bible it is in the good book that God gave us dominion over all the creatures of the earth, sea, and sky. If God says it's okay to eat meat, that's good enough for me.

Okay, to show you I'm not some prehistoric caveman clubbing T-Rex's for the family bar-b-que, here is a recipe I have for an Indian style vegan soup. I actually like it a lot, it fills you up quick and tastes great, enjoy.

Curry Bean Soup

1 cup each of rinsed Navy beans, Great Northern beans
1 cup Green Lentils
1 whole red onion roughly chopped
1 Green pepper roughly chopped
1 Yellow pepper roughly chopped
1 Red pepper roughly chopped
3oz. Baby spinach fine chopped
6 cups cold water
24oz. veggie broth
1/4 cup Indian curry powder
1/4 cup cumin
2tbl. Cayenne pepper powder
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a medium stock pot combine beans and lentils, broth, and 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Add in spices and let simmer for about 40 minutes. Add veggies (except spinach). Bring to boil again, stirring frequently. Let simmer on low heat for about an hour, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Finish soup by adding spinach and let seep for 15 minutes. You can serve the soup with a flat bread or alone.

This Has To Be A Joke, Or A Nightmare!!!!

According to Yahoo News The Jersey Shores' Snooki was asked to give a commencement speech at the University of Rutgers. This is not a joke. Snooki was invited by a student committee to speak at graduation. Now this in itself is bad but when you add in the fact she is getting paid more than a Nobel Prize winning author, it becomes insulting. So now fame trumps education. It's better now to be famous for nothing than it is to be educated and motivated?

Has America lost it's mind?  What is wrong with this next generation, have they become so jaded about life that they would rather listen to a "party-girl" than a professional?
In all my years as an adult I have never felt so disgusted at a news item. I haven't lost all hope in the great American way of life, it's just getting hard to keep alive. We used to be pioneers, a people willing to dig in and never take "no" for an answer. Now the only things we seem to care about are slacker celebrities falling off the wagon and messing up their lives. We seem to have become sick voyeurs waiting for the famous, which we made, to fall flat on their faces. It somehow makes some people feel better about their lives. It's out of control. Why should we care about people who are nothing more than famous for being famous?

What can these self serving "me monkey's" add to anybody's life, really?
When a Nobel prize winner is treated like a second banana to an over- bronzed, drunken mess who has never accomplished a thing in her life outside of starring on a reality show, we are in serious trouble kids. It's time to stop being these shallow, empty headed selfish individuals and start contributing to society again. We are zooming toward a dangerous abyss at full speed while most of us sit back and let it happen. It's time to wake up and smell the reality. We are sinking. Sinking in a pool of stupid. The way we are headed our next president is going to be the guy from the Old Spice ads. I don't know about you but to me fame for fame's sake is like being right-handed when you only have a left arm.....useless.

Just in case you are interested her advice to the graduating class: "Study hard, but party harder." Now I'm not sure but I believe this was Richard Nixon's campaign slogan.   

Sometimes It Snows In April

It's hard for me to get excited about Baseball's opening day when there is a threat of snow in the forecast. Why are we starting baseball in such a unpredictable month?
To me baseball is about warm weather, the smell of fresh cut grass, and young kids wolfing down hot dogs. You watch the opening day games and you see a bunch of die hard fans bundled up in winter clothes. It looks more like a fall football game than the summer past time.

Some how the sparkle of a bright sunny warm day,  the crack of a wooden bat, and the smell of concession stand food says baseball. When you have grey skies, cold weather, and snow I don't get the same fuzzy feeling about my favorite childhood sport. Maybe I'm looking back on my past Little League days and transferring them upon a tarnished enterprise. The sport I use to love and cherish has become but a shadowy figure of it's once storybook past. Greedy players being paid outrageous salaries that never seem to be enough for them, owners gouging the fans for every dime they can get to pay the players. It's no longer a sport for the fans, but a financial tug of war between players and owners. Baseball should be a sport for kids and the kids at heart to enjoy, a summer's diversion for children to watch their favorite teams play a game. But alas the game has been over shadowed by greed, cheaters, and cry-babies.

I can't speak for anyone else but the once poetic endeavor that was played by men who loved the game has been replaced by a nightmare mired in controversy and greed. For me it was something I always looked forward to, opening day was like Christmas, now it's somewhere between Arbor Day and a root channel. I guess until America's Past time rediscovers it's roots, I can always think back to my days as a kid playing for the love of the sport and nothing more. That's my happy place!!