Culinary no-no #588

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THERE ARE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF FOOD BLOGS, BUT ONLY ONE CULINARY NO-NO!

Baby it’s cold outside.

Image:Richard Burst clears snow from his driveway in St. Louis on Nov. 15. Hundreds of schools in the central U.S. closed Thursday morning, with as much as 8 inches blanketing the St. Louis area by the early afternoon. Photo: Robert Cohen / St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP

Technically the first day of winter isn’t until Friday, December 21. You’d never know it with all that global warming we’ve been experiencing.

These chilly days are perfect for tasty soup to help you stay warm, cozy, and comforted. Here are just a few yummy  possibilities.

Creamy Parsnip Soup with Pear and Walnuts

Creamy parsnip with pears and walnuts

Smoky Butternut Squash Soup

Smoky butternut squash

Pumpkin Soup with Creole Lobster

Pumpkin and creole lobster

Creamy Broccoli Soup with Croutons

Creamy broccoli with croutons

Butternut Squash Soup with Crisp Pancetta

Butternut squash with crispy pancetta

Creamy Leek and Potato Soup

Crispy leek and potato

They sound and look good to me. What’s interesting about all of them is that they were included on a food website as suggestions for your Thanksgiving meal.

This week we’ve reached the no-no in near record time.

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The Food Network says the best soup restaurant in Wisconsin is the Horse and Plow, a casual eatery located inside the Historic American Club Resort. On the menu…

I could eat a gallon of that beer cheese concoction right now. But even a cup would put this guy away, fill me up, bloat the living daylights out of me.

As much as I would normally dive head first into some pumpkin and creole lobster without hesitation, at Thanksgiving I’d have to pass. Knowing there would be three dozen other items yet to feast on, I’d physically be unable to load up and come close to finishing my dinner plate if soup was a Thanksgiving prelude.

And consider this from epicurious.com:

I have one word for anyone who’s planning to serve a first course on Thanksgiving: forgettaboutit! First courses are for restaurants, not home cooks trying to get the biggest meal of the year on the table.

Read the entire column here.

And there are more Thanksgiving no-no thoughts here.

Hope your holiday is trouble-free.

on rockwell november evening rockwell post museum life saturday home cover on page day to look

Photos of the Week (11/18/18)

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A pictoral week in review posted every Sunday.

1) A Fresno county sheriff’s officer tends to a body recovered at a house destroyed by fire in the town of Paradise. Firefighters continue to battle the state’s raging wildfires, which have killed at least 51 people.  Photograph: Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images

2) A burnt car and a gas station remain visible after the Camp fire tore through the region near Pulga, east of Paradise, California. Photograph: Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images

3) A boat remains untouched in the yard of a home destroyed during the Camp fire. Photograph: Paul Kitagaki Jr/Zuma Wire/Rex/Shutterstock

4) Captain Steve Millosovich carries a group of cats while battling the Camp Fire in Big Bend, California, on November 9, 2018. Millosovich said the cage fell from the bed of a pickup truck as an evacuee drove to safety. Photo: Noah Berger / AP

5) Karen Atkinson, of Marin, searches for human remains with her cadaver dog, Echo, in a van destroyed by the Camp Fire in Paradise, California. Photo: REUTERS/Terray Sylvester

6) In this aerial photo, a burned neighborhood is seen in Paradise, California, on November 15, 2018. The death toll in the deadliest wildfires in recent California history climbed to 66 as of November 16, and more than 630 people remain unaccounted for. Photo: Josh Edelson / AFP / Getty

7) Two Central American immigrants walk along the top of the border structure separating Mexico and the United States on November 14, 2018, in Tijuana, Mexico. Immigrants in a caravan of Central Americans scrambled to reach the U.S. border, catching rides on buses and trucks for hundreds of miles on the last leg of their journey on Wednesday, as the first sizable groups began arriving at the border city of Tijuana. Photo: Gregory Bull / AP

8) Immigrants, part of a caravan of thousands traveling from Central America to the United States, try to catch a ride on a truck in Irapuato, Mexico, on November 12, 2018. Photo: Go Nakamura / Reuters

9) Border Patrol Agent Jacob Stukenberg looks at Guatemalan migrant Misael Paiz, 25, who died in the Sonoran Desert after traveling over 2,000 miles to cross the U.S.-Mexico border, on the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge in Pima County, Arizona. Border Patrol Agents searched for Paiz after his uncle called 911 but were unable to find him before he died. Picture taken September 2018. Photo: REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson

10) Saleh Hassan al-Faqeh holds the hand of his four-month-old daughter Hajar, who died at the malnutrition ward of al-Sabeen hospital in Sanaa, Yemen, on Nov. 15. Hajar, who reached the al-Sabeen hospital last week from Saada province, was one of thousands of Yemeni children suffering from malnutrition in a country that has been pushed to the brink of famine by more than three years of war. Fouad al-Reme, a nurse in al-Sabeen hospital, said Hajar was conscious when she came to the hospital but she suffered low oxygen levels. “She was like skin on bones, her body was emaciated,” he said. Photo: Mohamed al-Sayaghi / Reuters

11) (From left) Melania Trump, the first lady; President Donald Trump; German Chancellor Angela Merkel; French President Emmanuel Macron; and Brigitte Macron, the French president’s wife, react as Russian President Vladimir Putin (front center) arrives at a ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris on November 11, 2018, part of commemorations marking the 100th anniversary of the armistice ending World War I.  Photo: Benoit Tessier / AFP / Getty

12) Helen McCrum holds a flag for the 100th anniversary of World War I as volunteers draw depictions of those killed in the war, part of Danny Boyle’s “Pages of the Sea” celebrations on Murlough Beach in Newcastle, Northern Ireland, on November 11, 2018. Photo: Clodagh Kilcoyne / Reuters

13) Workers transport the Statue of Liberty original torch along with a replica of the statue’s face to its permanent home in the new Statue of Liberty Museum. Photograph: Don Emmert/AFP/Getty Images

14) In Seattle twin red panda cubs Zeya (front) and her sister Ila (center) with their mother, Hazel, at Woodland Park zoo. The five-month-old red pandas are the first to be successfully bred at the zoo in 29 years. Photograph: Elaine Thompson/AP

15) A wild Koala bear sleeps in a eucalyptus tree on Magnetic Island, Queensland, Australia. Photograph: Olga Mendenhall/Alamy

16) A young girl brushes snow off the “Fearless Girl” statue in Lower Manhattan on November 15, 2018, in New York City. Photo: Wong Maye-E / AP

17) A woman walks her dog in a snowstorm in Manhattan. Photo: REUTERS/Mike Segar

18) A worker inspects some of the thousands of poinsettia plants being grown at a nursery in Spalding, Lincolnshire, UK. The plant will be shipped to various supermarkets around the country in time for Christmas.  Photograph: Paul Marriott/REX/Shutterstock

19) A sommelier pours Beaujolais red wine into a spa at the Hakone Yunessun spa resort facilities in Hakone town. The event is part of annual celebrations marking the release of new bottles of Beaujolais. Photograph: Pierre Emmanuel Deletree/SIPA/Rex/Shutterstock

20) A man dressed as Captain America lays flowers on Stan Lee’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The co-creator of Marvel has died aged 95. His comic-book characters, including Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four and the Incredible Hulk, have grown to become multibillion-dollar film franchises. Photograph: Eugene García/EPA

21) Green Bay Packer running back takes off for 67 yards against the Miami Dolphins last Sunday at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. The Packers won, 31-12. Photo: Dan Powers, USA TODAY Network

22) Green Bay Packer tight end Robert Tonyan catches a second quarter pass for a touchdown in front of Seattle Seahawks strong safety Bradley McDougald.  Photo: Mike Siegel / The Seattle Times

23) Seahawks strong safety Bradley McDougald hangs his head after Packers tight end Robert Tonyan brought in a 54-yard touchdown against him on Thursday night. Photo: Bettina Hansen / The Seattle Times

24) A Packer fan holds a sign that says “There better not be a fail Mary!” Photo: Bettina Hansen / The Seattle Times

25) Wisconsin Badger wide receiver Danny Davis III (6) stretches to pull in a one-handed touchdown catch Saturday against Purdue Boilermakers cornerback Antonio Blackmon.  The Badgers won at West Lafayette, Indiana in triple overtime, 47-44. Photo: Rick Wood, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

26) Badger running back Jonathan Taylor crosses the goal line for the winning score during Wisconsin’s 47-44 overtime football victory against Purdue. Taylor ran for 321 yards. Photo: Rick Wood, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Week-ends (11/17/18)

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A look back at the people and events that made news the past week. Week-ends is a regular weekly feature of This Just In…

HEROES OF THE WEEK

Jessie Rix

Eli Crane

Lerynne West

VILLAINS OF THE WEEK

Baraboo students

Florida

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

“In no way did I see it as a rejection, but rather just a larger electorate than we’ve ever seen in the past. The state of Wisconsin isn’t going to go backwards. We’ve been such reformers, I may have reformed myself out of a job.”
WI Governor Scott Walker

“Everybody is at risk with poor air quality in the unhealthy range. In California, where we’re being unfortunately constantly exposed to wildfires, this is becoming something that we have to be more aware of, and get the message out there to try to limit the exposure. It’s actually quite a tragedy.”
Sharon Chinthrajah, a pulmonologist and allergist with Stanford Health Care

“We have asked this court for an immediate restraining order requiring the pass be returned to Jim, and will seek permanent relief as part of this process.”
From a statement by CNN that filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday against the Trump administration after the White House suspended White House correspondent Jim Acosta’s ‘hard pass’ press credential. Acosta clashed with President Donald Trump and a press office intern during a November 7 press conference.

“We have been advised that CNN has filed a complaint challenging the suspension of Jim Acosta’s hard pass. This is just more grandstanding from CNN, and we will vigorously defend against this lawsuit.

“CNN, who has nearly 50 additional hard pass holders, and Mr. Acosta is no more or less special than any other media outlet or reporter with respect to the First Amendment. After Mr. Acosta asked the President two questions—each of which the President answered—he physically refused to surrender a White House microphone to an intern, so that other reporters might ask their questions. This was not the first time this reporter has inappropriately refused to yield to other reporters.

“The White House cannot run an orderly and fair press conference when a reporter acts this way, which is neither appropriate nor professional. The First Amendment is not served when a single reporter, of more than 150 present, attempts to monopolize the floor. If there is no check on this type of behavior it impedes the ability of the President, the White House staff, and members of the media to conduct business.”
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders. A judge ruled Acosta should get his press pass returned.

“It’s [the White House] the most majestic political place in America – the White House. The only place second to that, in my experience, where I spent almost 15 years, is in Congress. It can be rough and tumble there [in Congress]. It can be rough at tumble there at times at the White House but it is a place of institutional passage and commands institutional respect.”
CBS White House Correspondent Major Garrett

“We should ban possession of military-style semiautomatic assault weapons, we should buy back such weapons from all who choose to abide by the law, and we should criminally prosecute any who choose to defy it by keeping their weapons. The ban would not apply to law enforcement agencies or shooting clubs.”
California Democrat Congressman Eric Swalwell is proposing that the government should offer up to $1,000 for every weapon covered by a new ban, estimating that it would take $15 billion to buy back roughly 15 million weapons.

“So basically wants a war. Because that’s what you would get. You’re outta your ****ing mind if you think I’ll give up my rights and give the gov all the power.”
Joe Biggs in a Twitter response to Swalwell

“And it would be a short war my friend. The government has nukes. Too many of them. But they’re legit.”
Swalwell’s reply to Biggs who then responded…

“So our government would nuke its own country in order to take guns? Wow.”
Joe Biggs

“I went to dinner that night. None of these people said to me, ‘Hey, you’ve got to go to the bathroom, you’ve got stuff all over your dress.’”
Monica Lewinsky in “The Clinton Affair,” a new A&E series, referring to her stained blue dress. Lewinsky says when she wore it after her widely chronicled hookup with President Bill Clinton, no one noticed. In 1998 grand jury testimony, she said she initially thought the marks on her dress “could be spinach dip or something.”

“In order to save time, Florida election officials have announced that the 2020 recount will begin immediately.”
Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak

“Today I thought to myself, ‘Hmm, I’m ready for Christmas decorations.’ Then I thought, ‘Oh, so THIS is what aging is.'”
Ashley Nicole Black, comedian, actress and writer for Full Frontal With Samantha Bee

OUTRAGE OF THE WEEK

Soon we may not be able to pay interest on debt

After Election Day

MOST UNDER-REPORTED STORY OF THE WEEK

GOP opportunity with young Blacks

MOST OVER-HYPED STORY OF THE WEEK

Michelle Obama wrote a book

MOST UNUSUAL STORY OF THE WEEK

The perfect gift?

Dutch man, 69, who ‘identifies as 20 years younger’ launches legal battle to change age

Big bang: You could feel this Texan’s divorce being finalized from ’15 miles away,’ video shows

Thank God for men; hunters, CNN and Acosta, political wittiness, smartphones, and Elvis

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Here are this week’s highly interesting reads:

Today’s highly interesting read (11/16/18): Elvis Wasn’t Racist. Neither Is Giving Him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Today’s highly interesting read (11/15/18): 6 Reasons the CNN-Acosta Lawsuit Is Lame

Today’s highly interesting read (11/14/18): God bless you, hunters!

17TH UPDATE: Today’s highly interesting read (08/08/17): Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?

Today’s highly interesting read (11/13/18): Effective wit a dying art in politics

Today’s highly interesting read (11/12/18): Thank God for men

The Barking Lot – America’s Finest Dog Blog (11/17/18)

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The Barking Lot is a regular weekly feature of This Just In…Written by my lovely wife, Jennifer and me.  It opens with the weekend dog walking forecast followed by the main blog from dog lover, Jennifer. Then it’s DOGS IN THE NEWS and our close. Enjoy!

THE WEEKEND DOG-WALKING FORECAST: We grade the weather outlook for taking your pet outdoors.

TODAY:  Mostly cloudy with a 50% chance of snow showers in the morning. High of 33. “F”

SUNDAY:  Sunny. High of 32. “D”

Now, here’s my lovely wife, Jennifer, with this week’s main blog.

This week we get serious. And I’m thinking about my hubby.

When he worked at WTMJ Radio he filled in often for Charlie Sykes.

For nearly eight years he filled in for Mark Belling and other WISN talk show hosts.

And while he never did an entire talk show segment on this issue (but did mention it when warranted), he tells me it would be a great topic because it’s filled with emotion.

On the air Kevin would give examples about court proceedings about animal abuse where courtrooms were packed with people wanting swift and strong punishment against the offenders.  Nothing wrong with that.

But in similar cases involving small children those same courtroom seats would be empty.

As much as I adore dogs, and most animals, I believe humans take precedence.

A recent column by the Washington Post reports the passionate love most have for pet dogs doesn’t extend to adult humans.

No one is suggesting we love pets less.  It’s clear given what we spend on them that our love is incapable of being measured. But how can we generally empathize for troubled pets and not empathize at that same level for humans?

Read the Washington Post column here.
—Jennifer Fischer

Thanks, Jennifer.

Time now for DOGS IN THE NEWS, canines that made headlines the past week.

Man survives deadly California wildfire by hiding in creek with his dog.

These pets survived the Camp Fire — but now rescuers need help finding their owners.

Thousands of Florida greyhounds will need new homes after dog racing ban.

OPINION PIECE: Repay dogs for their military service. Stop the deadly VA canine experiments.

The Chinese did what?

Comfort dog helps students in Beloit read aloud.

REALLY? Reality Check: Your Dog Is Terrible For The Environment.

Can’t Take Your Fancy Dog Hiking in the Country? Hire a Pro.

Dog who begs for Little Caesars pizza is outfitted with ‘don’t feed me pizza’ tag.

COLUMN: Dog lover has to spend Thanksgiving…with a cat?

And speaking of Thanksgiving…

THAT’S IT FOR DOGS IN THE NEWS.

HERE’S OUR DOG PHOTO(s) OF THE WEEK.

The unbridled joy of dogs catching treats.

We close as we always do with our closing video.

First, Martha McSally (R-AZ) made a video conceding to Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) in the Arizona Senate race, but viewers were more enthralled by her dog.

 

And finally, the game is called “Dog Cheese.”

That’s it for this week.

Thanks for stopping by.

Please consider passing this along to other dog lovers you know.

See ya, BARK, next Saturday morning!

Goodnight everyone, and have an honorable weekend!

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Every Friday night we smooth our way into the weekend with music, the universal language. These selections demonstrate that despite what is being passed off as art today, there is plenty of really good music available. Come along and enjoy.

The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the Nation’s highest civilian honor, presented to individuals who have made especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors. The medal was established by President Truman in 1945 to recognize notable service in the war. In 1963, President John F. Kennedy reintroduced it as an honor for distinguished civilian service in peacetime.

Earlier today President Trump awarded medals to doctor and philanthropist Miriam Adelson; Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah; Pro Football Hall of Famer, philanthropist and Minnesota Supreme Court Judge Alan Page; Baseball Hall of Fame legend Babe Ruth; Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia; Dallas Cowboys Hall-of-Fame quarterback Roger Staubach; and rock and roll legend Elvis Presley.

President Donald Trump speaks during a Medal of Freedom ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Friday, Nov. 16, 2018. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
President Donald Trump speaks during a Medal of Freedom ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Friday, Nov. 16, 2018. AP Photo: Andrew Harnik

Now that you’ve heard the news, let’s get started with this week’s feature.

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From the White House website:

Elvis Presley defined American culture to billions of adoring fans around the world. Elvis fused gospel, country, and rhythm and blues to create a sound all his own, selling more than a billion records. Elvis also served nearly 2 years in the United States Army, humbly accepting the call to serve despite his fame. He later starred in 31 films, drew record-breaking audiences to his shows, sent television ratings soaring, and earned 14 GRAMMY Award nominations. He ultimately won 3 GRAMMY Awards for his gospel music. Elvis Presley remains an enduring American icon 4 decades after his death.

Elvis also served nearly 2 years in the United States Army, humbly accepting the call to serve despite his fame.

Elvis’ fifth film was his first after serving two years of active duty in the U.S. Army. In “G.I. Blues” Elvis stars as Tulsa MacLean, an Army sergeant stationed in West Germany. Tulsa and his buddies hope to make enough money to open a small nightclub upon their return to civilian life.

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Elvis was a great American hero. Here’s a perfect example.

In the late 1950’s Congress gave its approval to the construction of a memorial in Pearl Harbor to honor the crewmembers entombed when the USS Arizona was sunk during an attack by the Japanese that sent the United States into World War II. It was the job of The Pacific War Memorial Commission to raise $500,000 to build the USS Arizona Memorial.

By the end of 1958 more than $95,000 was raised. However fundraising began to lag and at the start of 1960, only $155,000 had been collected.

Elvis’ manager, Colonel Tom Parker, read about the slow progress in the Los Angeles Examiner. Elvis was already in Hawaii to film his next picture and agreed to do a benefit concert for the memorial.

On March 25, 1961, the 26-year-old Presley went onstage before a packed, screaming crowd of 4,000 fans at the Bloch Arena who paid anywhere from $3 to $100 a ticket.

Admirals and generals who hit Parker up for complimentary tickets were rejected. Parker insisted everyone pay, including the performers. Elvis bought a $100 ticket for himself and then bought dozens more to give to staff and patients at a military hospital.

elvis-pearl-flyer

The concert raised $60,000, well short of the goal. But the show created a new excitement about the construction project and donations started to pour in.  The $500,000 goal was reached by September, 1961, just 5 months after the concert. Construction on the memorial was completed by the end of the year. Elvis saved the USS Arizona Memorial.

Enjoy two songs from the concert. After some pictures the audio will kick in.

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“He served his country for two years, I saw him in the field, I ran across him in the woods while he was doing what every other GI does and he was thought of well enough by his commanders that he was promoted from private to sergeant before he left.

“He was drafted like any other young man about his age. He stepped forward when his number came up and was willing to give up a career without any objection. Frankly it was in his best interests to do that because it showed he was a patriot and willing to serve as a soldier and he went back after serving in the army to a career that became even bigger.

“At that time in the late Fifties when there a was a cold war, when there was an iron curtain and there was a Soviet army stacked up on the other side, those were serious times. Back in those days we had people who stepped forward as volunteers and we also had conscription and when his name came up, this country boy took off his blue suede shoes and whatever else he was wearing and put on army green.”
Former US Secretary of State General Colin Powell in a BBC radio interview

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That’s it for this week.

Goodnight.

Sleep well.

Have a great weekend.

We close with a performance in Greensboro on April 14th 1972. Elvis wore the Owl Fireworks suit. The clip is from “Elvis on Tour,” a Golden Globe Award-winning American musical documentary film released by MGM in 1972.

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Friday Night Forgotten Oldie: WHITE

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How can an oldie be forgotten when it’s not forgotten?

I can’t recall if I’ve ever specifically defined what I consider to be “forgotten.” No need to over-analyze. The best description is an old tune that you just don’t hear all that often.

An exception is a milestone anniversary.

From thebeatles.com:

In November 1968, millions of double LPs were shipped to record stores worldwide ahead of that tumultuous year’s most anticipated music event: the November 22nd release of The BEATLES (soon to be better known as ‘The White Album’). With their ninth studio album, The Beatles took the world on a whole new trip, side one blasting off with the exhilarating rush of a screaming jet escorting Paul McCartney’s punchy, exuberant vocals on “Back In The U.S.S.R.” For 50 years, ‘The White Album’ has invited its listeners to venture forth and explore the breadth and ambition of its music, delighting and inspiring each new generation in turn.

On November 9, The Beatles will release a suite of lavishly presented ‘White Album’ packages (Apple Corps Ltd./Capitol/UMe). The album’s 30 tracks are newly mixed by producer Giles Martin and mix engineer Sam Okell in stereo and 5.1 surround audio, joined by 27 early acoustic demos and 50 session takes, most of which are previously unreleased in any form.

From the anniversary compilation…

One more. Christopher John Stephens writes on popmatters.com:

The album version of “Good Night” featured a string section that all but overwhelmed Ringo Starr’s nasal vocals. That’s why the various stripped-down versions of the song on several of these discs are a revelation. It’s a quiet, sweet song now that evokes eternal comfort more than just the knock-out sleeping pill we’d always known it to be.

The Beatles, photo by John Pratt/Keystone/Getty Images

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The original White Album track listing

RELATED READING: Untold stories about this album.