If you cant "stuff it", SMOTHER IT.

So just like almost every night over the last little while since the weather has been sooo amazing, I find myself stepping outside to preheat the grill when it comes to getting ready for dinner. Well just after i start the flames burning, I turn around to see my two youngest standing there, and they have one thing to say to me  "We want HOT DOGS" 


Well as you know, I have a killer recipe for stuffed hot dogs, but after making them a few times already this summer, one of those being for my fathers birthday where I made about 30 0f them, I wanted to mix it up a bit. So I quickly turned to my Son and asked " so what can we do different?"


Here's what he came up with.....

He started off by going to the fridge, and pulling out the bacon, and some calabrese that I had left over from the pizza we had made earlier in the week. I then quickly fried them both on the stove top and then put them off to the side so they could crisp up. While I was frying, my son shredded a bowl full of some sharp old cheddar cheese. We took a standard Hot Dog that I grilled up on the barbecue, and my son took his bun and prepped it with his usual favorites. Spicy Ketchup, Dijon Mustard, and Mayonnaise. Then I watched as he crumbled the bacon and the calabrese into the bowl of shredded cheese, mixed it all together,  then grabbed a large handful and filled the hot dog bun with it. He then brought it over to me and asked if i could melt it in the oven.


After a minute under the broiler, I slid it onto a plate and handed it back to him. He was sooo excited to try it, he barely waited long enough for it to cool down before biting into it.


He then turned the plate to me and asked me to try it. Wow!! what a DOG!! There was a pleasant spicy kick from the mustard and ketchup, a rich taste from the cheese, and a great texture profile from the ooey gooey cheese to the crisp bacon and calabrese. 


Realizing that we hit the nail on the head, we quickly put 4 more together and let the rest of the family enjoy in his creative concoction.


Hope you enjoyed this little non-restaurant break from my travels, so now, if there is a recipe, or a restaurant that you are passionate, or curious about, please just comment on my blog, or tweet me @awat56, and I will test it out and blog on it for you.

Summer time in The Peg

I've heard it said a 100 times before. The one reason us Winnipegers stay here, and survive our winters, is because it makes you appreciate those great summer days soooo much more, and I believe every word of that to be true, but it doesn't just make the summer better, it also makes the food better!!

There is just something about walking up to a window or a counter on a warm summers day and ordering your favourite burger, or dog, along with a side of chilli fries, and a shake, or a can of pop that comes with those thin white straws, then taking that red plastic tray, or that brown paper bag,which you know has already changed a darker shade of brown on the bottom cuz of all the yummy goodness inside (ya, ya , its the grease, but my way sounds better.lol) over to the picnic table beside the building, or back to your car with the windows down and the sun roof open and digging in and enjoying that perfect meal. Try as you might, sitting in your car in -30 weather with your parka, scarf, mitts and toque on does NOT have the same effect.

So here are a couple of quick suggestions of places that you can go to get that great summer time experience.

VJ's Drive INN on Main st.

Sals on the Provencher bridge

The Dairy Whip on Marion 

Red Boot Drive Inn on Ness ave.

Mrs Mike's on Tache Ave

And of course don't forget about DESSERT!!!!

Banana Boat on Osborne st.

BDI Ice Cream on Jubilee

I know there are many, many more great places in Winnipeg, and if I have left your favourite out, please comment on the bottom of the page or hit me up on Twitter @awat56, and I will definitely make it out there so that we can share your favourite with everyone else.

Enjoy!!

Happy Anniversary: Smokes celebrates 1 year in The Peg

This one is short but sweet!!
Just a quick shout out to my favourite place that takes a side dish and turns it into a full blown meal!!

Smoke's Poutinerie! 1 year in The Peg!

  http://smokespoutinerie.com

After a quick review of the menu, there was only one way to celebrate this momentous occasion

The Triple Pork!!!!!! Large size of course. A mound of french fries with their Signature rich gravy and Quebec cheese curds , covered in rows of chipotle pulled pork, double-smoked bacon and Italian Sausage. A meal fit for any celebration!!

Here's to Smoke's on their 1 year anniversary, and hoping that there are many more to come!!!
Enjoy!

If you have a place that you  are passionate about that you would like to see me blog on, or if you are just curious about a restaurant, and would like me to try it out for you first, please comment on this blog or reach out to me on Twitter at @awat56.

Mitzi's makes the safe choice the best choice

So as I travel through this great city on my Culinary adventure, there is one menu item that is consistent no matter where I stop . One meal, that has been the staple of many a child's restaurant life, one item that has been the safe go-to for many on that first or second date, and that old faithful, that fall back on item that has saved many in  those " I have no idea what to order" moments when the waiter or waitress is hovering above you waiting after every one else at the table has ordered.

That's right!!!!! Chicken Fingers (strips if your eating somewhere fancy lol) and fries, or salad, or soup, it really doesn't matter what the side is, you know that no matter what,  you'll be safe with these.

Well lets just stop for a moment, because there is one place in this city that takes that "safe" meal, and says FORGET THAT!!! It's not the safe meal, it is the BEST meal, and we are going to do it better then anyone else. So I packed up my family, because of course who better to be the judge of the best chicken fingers in the city then 3 starving kids, and headed down town, into the maze of one way streets, until I came upon a little house snuggled in safely between the high rise buildings, that for years has been offering up the most tender chicken fingers.

Mitzi's 250 St.Mary Avenue Winnipeg, Manitoba

As you walk into the front door of this unassuming building, you realize that you have also entered a place that truly ties everyone in Winnipeg together. At one table sits a young Family, Dad is wearing his Milt Stegall Blue Bomber Jersey with the team autographs signed all over it. Behind him are a group of business people dressed in finely pressed suits talking about the meeting that they just had, and another table with a group of Guys talking about their favourite concerts as they grab a quick bite before they head to the MTS centre for the Rammstein concert. Class or social status has no place here, the only thing that matters is the food. And the food that they are all eating is this.......

Well maybe not exactly this, because today I was feeling extra hungry, and like I said, I had the kids, so a few extra pieces of chicken on my plate might not be a bad idea since my boy at 8 years old can eat his weight in food some days.  This is the 11 piece chicken fingers and fries, the biggest individual plate you can order. 8, and 5 piece meals also available for those a little less hungry (for those of you throwing a party, don't worry, you can order the 25, 38, or 48 piece take out package). As I said fries were my choice, but the meal is also available with tossed, or Caesar salad, or Mixed greens, and all meals comes with a side of  coleslaw and honey dill sauce for dipping, and every meal starts with a bowl of consommé soup.

Well it didn't take long before the verdict was in, as I looked around the table at my kids empty plate, and their eyes fixed longingly on the one piece I had left on mine, I knew that the meal was a hit, so I quickly divided that last piece into 3 and like feeding the wolves , quickly threw a piece on each of their plates removing my hand just in time before it became part of the meal.  I know that one day soon we will be back. Enjoy


If you have a place that you  are passionate about that you would like to see me blog on, or if you are just curious about a restaurant, and would like me to try it out for you first, please comment on this blog or reach out to me on Twitter at @awat56

Think you can beat this???

OK Winnipeg, I need to throw out a challenge!!!!!!! Time to have a little fun!!!

I want to find THE BEST WINGS IN WINNIPEG.

So to start the battle, I'm going to return to one of my original blog spots, and put this one up as the wings to be beat. So 3 things required to get this battle started

wings

Sauce

and a whole lot of paper towels!!

So I know I know, come on Awat, sauce and wings??? That's every wing in the city. Why are these the best??  Well these are the best for one reason and one reason only

SMOKE

That's right boys and girls. These beauties don't spend one second in the fryer they get that deep outdoorsy grill taste that only pit smoke can provide, and that delicious smoke flavour carries through in every last bite!! And where do you find these champion wings?..  of course at my favourite place for smoked southern barbecue..... That's right....

Lovey's

So there it is, my first entry into the battle for Winnipegs "Wing of Fame", and to help make sure that this contest is fair and evenly judged, I am bringing along fellow blogger and hockey lover Mr Winnipeg Jets Online www.winnipegjetsonline.com 

So bring on all challengers, reach out to me by commenting on my blog, or hitting me up at @awat56 on twitter and tell me where I have to go to get the best wings in Winnipeg!!!!

Southern Cooking for Dummies

So when it comes to Southern Food, I do have a favourite.  Pulled Pork, or Pulled Chicken sandwiches. Now like I said before, I'm no Bobby Flay, and no matter how many times I look into my back yard, or wish upon a star, an applewood burning smoker will just not appear lol. So until the barbeque gods grant my wish, I needed to find some way to be able to make this at home. Well as luck would have it, I did, and as the title suggests, this recipe couldn't get any easier.

This is everything that you require

chicken breast or pork shoulder

a slow cooker

ketchup, brown sugar, cider vinegar & slow cooker spice

So here we go, this is how simple it is. Once you have your chicken or pork, in your slow cooker,  1) In a medium bowl, combine 1\2 a cup of ketchup, 1/2 a cup of firmly packed brow sugar, 1/3 of a cup of cider vinegar, and a package of slow cooker spice mix. Mix these together well to form your sauce. 2) pour the sauce over the meat, add 1/2 a cup of water, and give everything a stir.( If you are doing pork shoulder, omit the water) 3) Put the lid on the cooker turn it to low and let it cook for 5 hours or if your short on time 2 1/2 hours on high (8 hours low, and 4 hours on high for pork), And now matter how amazing your kitchen starts to smell, and it will, LEAVE THE LID ON THE COOKER!!! you don't want any of that moisture to escape.

2

1

3

Once the kitchen is filled with those wonderful aroma, and the timer has gone off, grab yourself 2 forks, and start to shred the meat. The meat should pull apart effortlessly, if you find that it is not separating, let the meat cook a little longer

And Voilà!!! Really folks that's it!!! It is that simple!! Grab yourself some fresh buns (bread people lol) and load up your sandwich. Pair this with a traditional southern side like coleslaw, which also adds an extra zip if placed on top of the meat in the sandwich, and as a second side, I have done a maple mashed sweet potatoe, which if anyone would like, I'll gladly share the recipe for that too.

Well everyone, Happy eating!!  If there is a recipe, or a restaurant that you are passionate, or curious about, please just comment on my blog, or tweet me @awat56, and I will test it out and blog on it for you.

Awat eats..... Manitoba!!!

I know it's Awat eats Winnipeg, but I had to take a quick hop, skip and a jump (yes that was an Easter Bunny reference lol) outside the city today. Why?? You ask, because its Sunday and not just any Sunday, but Easter Sunday, and like many Winnipeg families, one of my traditions is making the Sunday cruise out to Lockport.

Now I know there is a little rivalry in Winnipeg about where to eat out in Lockport, but for me there is really only one choice.

I need 3 things when I go to Lockport

An Old fashion jukebox

The Jets Wall

and the classic hot dog with home-made fries

That's right it can only be one place

and not the one by the water-slides, it has to be the original by the docks.

So just a quick shout out to my Favourite Sunday spot on this Easter Sunday, Here's to great days, good Friends and Family and to Full Bellies!! All the best

Stuff it yourself!!

I love this time of year!!  Barbecue season, and nothing is better then walking down the protein aisle of your favourite grocery store and seeing the hundreads of different types of hot dogs/ smokies that are available for the grill.  Now i'm no Bobby Flay when it comes to the grill, but I like to think that I can hold my own, so I decided why not give making stuffed hot dogs a try. So digging into the memory banks, I remember a show once on the food network that did a bacon wrapped hot dog, so here's what I did.

First find a good sized dog, usually the type that come in the 6 or 8 pack, a little longer and a little thicker then your standard 12 pack dog.  Once you have that, split the dog right down the middle like so

2nd, pick your favourite cheese. Anything will work. be as creative as you want. For this one I just went with a standard marble cheese. Slice it just thick enough to fill the space in the hot dog

Now I know these look pretty good already, and you might have the urge to just throw them on the grill as is, but what makes everything better...... that's right BACON

Now these are perfect!!!! The bacon not only being a tasty addition to this dog, also serves a dual purpose, the bacon will also help to keep the cheese in place as it starts to melt.
So there are several options for cooking these masterpieces, but for both I find there is one necessary step. Get them on a baking tray.  If you decided to grill them, preheat your barbecue, then turn one side to low and keep the other on high, place the tray on the low heat side, and use indirect heat to cook these through. remember if you try to flip these, you will lose most of the cheese. Your other option, and yes this makes them a year round treat, is to set the oven to broil, and throw them in the oven for a couple of minutes.

Either way, once the cheese has started to melt, and the bacon has started to crisp, these are ready to go. Usually your standard hot dog bun will be too small for these beauties, so try to look for a sub or sausage bun, again the fresher the better, match with your favourite side and ENJOY!!

Hope you enjoyed this little non-restaurant break from my travels, so now, if there is a recipe, or a restaurant that you are passionate, or curious about, please just comment on my blog, or tweet me @awat56, and I will test it out and blog on it for you.

The secret to the best sandwich is.....

Well food lovers, the wait is over, or for you sandwich perfectionists, I am about to let the secret out of the bag.  Now since I can remember, all the way back to my school days, I was a brown bag lunch kid, and the # 1 staple in that brown bag was of course... The sandwich, and in those 20+ years I have had every combination imaginable between those 2 slices of bread, from your classic Ham and cheese, or PB&J, all the way to the fancy with meats like capicola, or prosciutto, with cheeses like havarti or smoked gouda, but Tuesday I had one of the best sandwiches ever!!!!!!! (sorry mum).

Now the filling was simple, a spicy chicken mixture. Large chunks of chicken in a nice curry sauce, done almost like a chicken salad sandwich, with a slice of lettuce and tomato. Now you maybe thinking, Geez Awat, that's not that special, and you promised us the secret to the best sandwich, well folks here it is.... The secret to the best sandwich ever is not the filling!!!! It's the bread!!! and it's got to be fresh. My sandwich was made from a fresh pita, and instead of being a mere vessel to carry the chicken to my mouth, the airy freshness of the pita elevated the whole sandwich to another level. And where is the best place to get fresh bread, Well a bakery of course, and why not a German bakery, and just my luck there just happens to be one just down the street from my work. perfect for my lunch break.

The Crusty Bun, www.crustybun.com is located at 1026 St. Mary's road, just a few blocks north of Dakota St. This European bakery makes everything fresh on-site, but along with all the fresh fare, there is a 30 seat cafe for you to enjoy one of their amazing lunch specialities, like soup and a sandwich, or a Schnitzelburger, of course all made with that fresh bread that I spoke of, with either a fresh made coffee or an espresso and for dessert pick up one of their amazing pastries, like the choco-croissant. Once you sink your teeth into any of their amazing bread products, I guarantee that going forward the bread will now be the star of your sandwich.

If you have a place that you  are passionate about that you would like to see me blog on, or if you are just curious about a restaurant, and would like me to try it out for you first, please comment on this blog or reach out to me on Twitter at @awat56

A Taste of the South way up North

Years ago I had one of the most memorable trips of my life. 4 guys loaded into a dodge Magnum, and made the 23 1/2 hour drive (straight through) to our friends place in Austin, Tx.  Now why would we do this you ask, and how can it be memorable? Well it was the start of a world wind football weekend that started with  the Cowboys vs The Packers on the Thursday, and then the now 5 of us loading into that same Magnum on Saturday morning and making the 8 hour drive to Kansas City to watch the Chiefs play the Chargers. Now I could talk for hours on all the amazing stories that happened on that trip, but the one take away that I will share with you today, was the love that I came away with for the fine taste of Southern BBQ. So for years now I have been trying to replicate that amazing experience on my own grill, and now after all of that experimenting, I don't have to any more...someone else has perfected it for me. LOL!!

Lovey's Ribs & BBQ.  http://www.loveysbbq.ca/ Located at 208 Marion. Lovey's offers all of the tastes of the deep south, in the South end of Winnipeg.  So what should I have??? Well after all of these years of wanting and waiting for good BBQ, and a menu board that gives you every possible option that you can want,

There is only one possible answer.... All of it!!!!!!

  

This beautiful portrait of Southern goodness is the Lovey's Mixer, perfect for two (and yes there were 2 of us eating it!!)
It includes:  1/2 a slab of St. Louis style Ribs, 1/2 a BBQ chicken, and your choice of Beef Brisket, or Pulled Pork for the proteins, then for the sides, baked beans, coleslaw, cornbread, and your choice of potato salad or fries.

Well let me tell you, after diving head first into this wonderful mass of food, as their slogan says "We feed your soul", My soul was now at rest knowing that the long journey of trying to recreate my experience from that football trip years ago was now complete, and also in knowing that I can relive those great memories, and create new ones, any day that I want.

So please head down to Loveys, I promise that you will have a great experience in a great atmosphere with of course great BBQ!!!

If you have a place that you  are passionate about that you would like to see me blog on, or if you are just curious about a restaurant, and would like me to try it out for you first, please comment on this blog or reach out to me on Twitter at @awat56

Not for the faint of heart

Now if I were to say that I had a vice, (and for those that know me they would say "come on Awat, only one??"), but when we are talking about food, I do have just one. When I just don't know what I want, or I have this "craving for something", there is usually only one thing that can fill that void.

*****PIZZA*****

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not so emphatic with it that I'm one of these guys that runs around calling it "zaaaaa", however if I was the 19 year old, living in the frat house drinking beer straight from the keg like it was water (and some days I wish I was. lol)  I have found the pizza that could fill that appetite.........

Everyone has had at some point in there life had either thin crust or regular New York style pizza, but for those of you who are looking for a pizza that is truly like a pie, we need to turn our attention to the city of Chicago!! And that's where this beauty comes in!!!!

This is the  regular sized, six topping, Chicago Stuffed Deep Dish Pizza from Chicago Phils, located at 70 Donald Street. just south of broadway on the west side, if you start going over the bridge you've gone to far.

This mammoth of a pizza this fine day is covered with pepperoni, Italian sausage, bacon,  feta cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and banana peppers, and of course all the gooey mozzarella and sauce one person could want (of course you can create your own masterpiece with any of your favourite toppings), and for those of you suffering from the bottomless pit syndrome, there is also a pizza affectionately called "THE BEAST" which is the 10 topping version of this beauty. You can of course pick up a pizza in the traditional or thin crust version, but if its that craving that you are truly trying to satisfy, then this is the one you have to get.

Next stop on my Winnipeg foodie adventure is Lovey's BBQ & Smokehouse!! Thanks to my follower "In my own words" for suggesting it!!! and again, If you have a place that you  are passionate about that you would like to see me blog on, or if you are just curious about a restaurant, and would like me to try it out for you first, please comment on this blog or reach out to me on Twitter at @awateats

Victory Meal

Play-off Football all day long on the T.V. and after watching my New York Football GIANTS devour the Green Bay Packers, I to am looking to devour something and celebrate their win!!! So where and what can I eat that would be worthy enough to call a "Victory Meal"????

So the where quickly becomes an easy choice....We're heading east, and stopping just before we get to the Trancona border of Lagimodiere and Regent, we arrive at our destination.....

http://burgerfactorythe.foodpages.ca/

And once inside, you only need to look up at the menu board for a second before it becomes quite obvious which item is worthy of a "Victory Meal"

For those of you that don't recognise this beautiful monstrosity, This is the FACTORY SPECIAL. It consists of 2 that's right 2 quarter pound patties (which you get to watch be cooked to perfection on there charcoal grill right behind the counter) bacon, and of course in tribute to the loss of Green Bay Packers covered in cheese as well. But it doesn't end there, the fun begins when your burger is brought off the grill to the counter, and they shout out your order, because sitting in front of you is your own buffet of fresh toppings waiting to be added.  You have your choice of (in order) bbq sauce, mustard, relish, fried onions, fresh onions (yes you can get both, but fellas make that choice on a non date night for the ladies please), tomatoes, and pickles, but wait... there's more...  as your standing behind the glass looking at your amazing creation, you notice a second work station, and for those crafty veterans of The Burger Factory, we know that by just simply asking, we can also add lettuce, mayo, and ketchup to make this the perfect "VICTORY BURGER". Add fries and a 16 oz drink to this meal for under $10 and let the the celebration begin.

If you have a place that you  are passionate about that you would like to see me blog on, or if you are just curious about a restaurant, and would like me to try it out for you first, please comment on this blog or reach out to me on Twitter at @awat56

More then just restaurants

Have you ever had one of those days where you know its just going to be Go, Go, Go from sun up to sunrise. Well today was one of those days. But thanks to a little planning, a few of my favourite stores, and a good slow cooker I can take one crazy thing off my plate and turn it into a thing of beauty. 

Chili. I mean who doesn't love Chili, and I've made this dish a 100 times and to be honest, never the same way twice,  but I have always seemed to get rave reviews. So why the rave reviews??? Because I always shop for fresh and I always shop local. That brings me to how this connects to me "eating" Winnipeg. Winnipeg is not only the restaurant capital of Canada but with our vast cultural diversity there are many great little stores that offer you wonderful local and exotic product. Take this chili for instance. The ground beef from Cantor's Deli (long time North End landmark)www.cantorsmeats.com. The Chili powder from India spice house. (The redder the powder the hotter the fire) www.indiaspice.ca and fresh garlic, ginger, poblano and habenero peppers from Lucky Supermarket www.luckysupermarket.ca.

I truly love this city for it s food diversity, whether its eating in, taking out, or shopping for an evening meal at home. So next time your on the drive home and your wondering what to make for dinner, keep your eyes open and when you see that little corner market that you've passed a 100 times and never been in, pull the car over and go in!!! I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by the inspiration that you'll find within.

a tough choice where to start ( but not really)

Born and Raised in the North End, so why is it that I always find myself employed in the South end?? LOL. Well there is a positive to driving 1/2 an hour to work everyday. It means that I can't run home for lunch!!! One restaurant that has answered the "Where should I go for lunch??" question for years has been......

George's Burgers ans Submarines affectionately known just as"George's" 

And what is it that you go to Georges for??

THAT'S RIGHT!!! THE FATBOY AND FRIES SPECIAL!! (tweeked a bit with some gravy on the fries of course)
For you poor unfortunate souls that have not sunk your teeth into a FATBOY, it is a delicious burger topped with Chili, onions, mustard, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, mayo and cheese (you can order your FATBOY minus any of these toppings, but why mess with perfection) 


So if your looking for a "real" burger, forget the reheated piece of cardboard you get at the fastfood chains, and head to George's and sink your teeth into this beauty.

for more info and a list of other menu items visit http://georgesburgerssubs-st.foodpages.ca/