Tasty Thursday to Fasting Friday

Halloween always begins the indulging season for me as all the left over candy is brought into the news room. The sugar rush somehow speeds up the 24 days until the next big binge of the year, Thanksgiving. Doesn't it feel like Halloween was last weekend?

Every year I hear people say they are not going to overeat at Thanksgiving. But by the time they take just a little of Aunt Carolyn's stuffing, a spoonfull of Grandma's green beans, Sara's sweet-potatoes, and Fran's fruit cocktail, then add desert and all the drinks, there is no going back. Except for seconds and thirds.

However, here is a calculator that just might make you take smaller spoon-fulls. Using it, I found I'd have to walk 19-miles to burn off the calories of my projected meal. And I was underestimating what I'd eat. Bon-walk!

What's Cookin'

You didn't think I'd go to Texas for a week and not come back with a recipe? It seems what's hot on Thanksgiving in Texas isn't fried bird anymore, it is cranberry salsa. I'll share the recipe the way I'm going to make it at the end of this blog, as well as links to different ways to spice up the sauce.

First, the area of Dallas that I would show you is uptown and downtown. This area is home of some of the best upscale steak and mexican restaurants in the country. You can also find versions of some of New York City's finest restaurants, like  Bice. Who knew Dallas could also serve good Italian? Dallas was also where I ate my first sushi. I still haven't found a better "Devil roll."

You can also drive 20 miles to Plano, and experience that area's "restaurant row" which includes more than a hundred upscale and chain places to eat at, one after another.

And then you have your fast food. I wouldn't bring this up except being back in Dallas and watching the news you see commercials. The first one that made me scream with laughter, but also think, "Hmmm, a healthy version isn't a bad idea," was the Dairy Queen Jalitos Ranch Hungr Buster. It's a hamburger. But with pepper jack cheese, jalapeno ranch dressing and fried jalapeno strips. I thought it also had sliced jalapenos, that must have been a different burger commercial.

The next is an insane version of a Frito Pie. Several people in Connecticut and New York have told me they've never heard of this delicacy. But if you've ever been to a Texas high school football game, you go wanting one like you crave a dog at a stadium in New York.

You take an individual size bag of Frito corn chips, hold it lengthwise and cut off the top. Plop a scoop of meat-chili inside and sprinkle with shredded cheese; onion if you like. Hmm, did we add jalapenos? Probably.

So one of the new fast food creations is taking this Frito Pie creation and rolling it up in a wrap. Add tater tots and, well, you better not eat the rest of the day. It just so happened that after seeing the commercial I went for a walk outside the trendy Dallas confines to see where the artists are living as well as the up and coming "it" spots. Here I show proof of the Frito Pie Wrap.

No Frito Pies at the Stars game at the American Airlines Center. It was my first time at the 420-million-dollar arena that opened in 2001. It was also a first to cheer against the Stars at one of their games. I had to root for the Islanders. Several former Bridgeport Sound Tigers were on the ice. But back to food. Choices at the arena, at least on the first two floors, include bar-b-q sandwiches, quesadillas, some kind of pulled pork dish, and, of course, foot long dogs and fries. I went for the jalapeno coleslaw. It had little slivers of cheese in it.

So having to start a diet this Thanksgiving, I'm making cranberry salsa. Just take a bag of cranberries, a jalapeno or two, maybe a clove of garlic and a few slices of onion and chop in a processor or blender. Add a little lime and orange juice and some cilantro and process a few more seconds. Some recipes say you need honey or a little sugar. We'll see.

Here is a recipe similar to mine.

This one has you boil down the berries.

Ten Years

Ten years ago I graduated from college and began my paid journalistic career. Part-time as a writer for the noon and five newscasts at the NBC affiliate in Dallas/Fort Worth paid less than Taco Bell; at least according to the "$8.50 train to start" sign I had to pass everyday on I-30. 

The position soon became full-time then I was promoted to overnight assignment manager. Basically I listened to the scanners all night, helped producers plan the morning shows and dispatched reporters and photographers to breaking news locations. I even had a few of my own news pieces air. Since I only worked overnights Monday through Fridays, I filled my Saturday and Sunday overnights as a producer and morning anchor for USA Radio Network News. During the days I freelanced as a reporter for a local cable station.

Since then I've at worked at stations across New York State and the past four here in Connecticut. I hadn't been back to Dallas often over the past ten years, but I knew to expect growth and change upon arriving for my 10-year-reunion.

When I was at school at SMU, public transportation wasn't a convenient option. However, as I was leaving Dallas in 1998, the area's answer to a subway system was under construction. Now students can access the DART Light Rail (Dallas Area Rapid Transit) from across the street from school and take it into Downtown and surrounding areas. People in the suburbs can ride it to the American Airlines Center to catch a Stars or Mavericks game.

Dallas is still an area where people value their cars. My drive from downtown Dallas everyday (where I had my renovated loft apartment) to Fort Worth (where the main station is) was the same distance from New York City to Stamford. And there was no option of anything like Metro North. Still isn't. If you drive a Lexus, you get free valet parking at the Ballpark at Arlington where the Texas Rangers Play. Oh, correction. Two years ago the name changed to "Ameriquest Field."

Expecting change, I was still amazed at how much the campus at SMU had grown. A new stadium, at least three new academic buildings, a parking garage and new museum. Back in my college days, it seemed like there was no room for expansion being in the middle of a large city near an interstate. Plus the area between SMU and downtown is full of cranes spouting boutique hotels and condos.

Me at the new Hotel Palomar's pool.

At the reunion, people looked basically the same as they did back in college. Though I couldn't remember some names and a few I had to ask, "Where did I know you from?" Oh, that fraternity, or that class.

For the most part, I found my favorite hang-outs still there unchanged. I drank my share of salsa this past week at Sol's taco lounge. And I did the most reminiscing at the Cosmic Cafe. I used to run to this place for Chai and spiritual healing whenever "news" would get to me. Okay, every other day. It was on the patio surrounded by brightly painted everything that I sat one Christmas day after working overnight at the station. Every third scanner call had been "suicide" or "attempted suicide." I also earned a psychology degree and knew the holidays could be very disappointing to many. However as I sat in the 65-degree sunshine that day sipping Chai, I wondered how anyone could be so upset on a day like that.

After ten years I sat talking with a friend from Dallas I knew back when. I was spouting how I loved the new light rail and lofts in the area just East of SMU, but I wouldn't want to live there because people were paying New York City rates to be next to Starbucks, Ann Taylor, Victoria's Secret and all the other chains that surround the much less expensive suburbs. I was explaining my same situation in New York City. I'm now walking distance to all those chains yet have to take a subway to the unique mom and pop places that got pushed north. He looked at me and said, "You are the same girl you were 10-years ago."

To the Max with Squash

Every now and then I am inspired by the chef on What's Cooking to try to create what we cook here in the studio. As long as it only takes a few steps and even fewer ingredients I am usually partially successful. But without even following the recipe - just remembering I needed a couple of acorn squash, some sort of ground meat to roll up in a ball, butter and nutmeg I began the experiment. I must say it was successful! The most difficult part was cutting these squash in half. None of my knives were sharp enough. I had to perforate around the cut lines and yank. For the holidays I recommend this stylish dish, recipe courtesy of Max Tucci, the son of Mario Tucci, the man who owned the famed Delmonico restaurant in New York City.

Turkey Meat-Loaf with Autumn Harvest Acorn Squash

Serves 6

Prep time 15 minutes  Cook time 1hr 15minutes

3 Acorn Squash

1lb ground turkey     (Instead of ground turkey I used a mix of beef, lamb and pork.)

2 eggs beaten      

half stick butter    

1 small onion chopped fine

1/4 cup milk

1 1/2 tbs salt

1 1/2 tbs peppercorn melange or black pepper or both ( I also graded some jalapeno in the meat)

2 tbs parsley

1/2 cup bread crumbs

nutmeg powder

Mix ground turkey, eggs, chopped onion, milk, salt and pepper and parsley together in a mixing bowl

Cut in half 3 acorn squash (making 6) remove all seeds, place a thin slice of butter in each squash. Place them on a cookie sheet lined with foil.

Roll meat into large meatballs, filling the squash. Add a slice of butter on top sprinkle with nutmeg and bread crumbs.

Bake for an hour and 15 minutes

Serve with rice, mashed potatoes or asparagus. Flavor with cranberry sauce.

Fantasy Football- but Fantasy Congress?

Think about how many people you know who enjoy calling the shots in professional football via a fantasy league every weekend.  At least 20.

Now, how many dream about having the power to draft and manage a team of members from the U.S. Congress? Read on.

In Fantasy Football, participants create a team of players from all the different NFL teams. To know how their fantasy team is doing, they can't just sit back and enjoy one football game at a time. They typically need to flip through the channels and check the internet for the other games that aren't televised. At least thats the way a Fantasy Football fanatic would play. I've commented in a previous blog on how frustrating it must be to keep up with a Fantasy Baseball Team since there are as many baseball games in one month as there are football games in a season.

So it made me laugh when I opened my daily e-mail tip sheet from a resource organization for journalists and learned of a new competition of the imagination, Fantasy Congress.

Fantasy Congress? Would I be able to find enough people willing to play to make up a team? It turns out, yes. You the Citizen, draft a team of real-life legislators of Congress. From there, you compete with other teams. You even get the opportunity to bench!

The idea is to generate interest in the issues. It is even being pitched as a possible learning vessel for students.

If you visit this website and happen to make a team and need another player, let me know. I might suit up.

Take the Willabeast Tour

You've probably heard the rumors that Captain Kidd still haunts Connecticut. There are stories of how he terrorizes anyone who digs on Charles Island in Milford; he doesn't want you finding the treasure he buired there! Supposedly the stingy ole pirate also visits Stratford. There are allegedly several haunted spots, and this weekend, you can take a haunted tour. Learn more by by clicking here.

In the meantime, take a tour of Haunted New York City hosted by The Willabeast. Hold your mouse down on the map to move around. You can also zoom in and out with the tool on the left of the map. Click on the red icons for information on each haunting.

1. The Dakota 1 W 72nd Street

A perfect Halloween visit. This apartment building is where Rosemary's Baby was filmed. Also, it's rumored that John Lennon is seen out by the surrounding fence. He was shot and killed in front of this building when he lived here.

2. Cafe des Artistes at the Hotel des Artistes 1 W 67th Street

Legend says the ghost here likes to touch visitors. After the Willabeast's visit, she was hit on the head with a ladder being carried down the street. Coincidence, maybe. But the ladder didn't look that close. I think the ghost liked Mena and followed!

3. Wollman Rink in Central Park

You can see the rink and people skating behind the Willabeast. If you believe the stories, sometimes you can see the figures of two young girls doing figure 8's on the ice.

4. Landmark Tavern 626 11th Ave. at 46th

You tell me if you see a ghost at this 1868 building. Open and save the picture where you can see all three floors. Zoom in to the far left window on the second floor. Doesn't that look like it could be the face of the confederate soldier shot in a bar brawl? He allegedly died in the second floor bath tub that is still there. It's also rumored the ghost of a young girl who died of typhoid fever lives on the third floor. The brunch menu looks delicious.

5. Palace Theatre 1564 Broadway

Because of construction across Broadway from the Palace, getting a picture was difficult here. You can see the horizontal sign that reads Palace. We didn't stay around long. Rumor is if you see the ghost of the acrobat who broke his neck here, you will soon die. It's also said more than 100 ghosts haunt this theatre, including Judy Garland, who might be seen near the orchestra rear door built for  her.

6. Belasco Theatre 111 W 44th Street

Check out this architecture. The Belasco looks like it should have a ghost. It's one of the city's oldest theaters. Supposedly the builder, David Belasco, sometimes gives accolades to actors, sometimes even high-fives. Too bad he didn't offer a palm to the Willabeast. She loves giving high-fives and tens. His possible companion, the Blue Lady, is also seen here.

7. The Oak Room at the Algonquin Hotel 59 W 44th Street

Members of the Round Table, a group of writers that met at the Oak Room for lunch everday after World War I, are reportedly seen by hotel guests. The writers called themselves the Vicious Circle, and included screenwriter Dorothy Parker, humorist Robert Benchley, The New Yorker editor Harold Ross, and journalist Jane Grant.

8. New Amsterdam Theatre 214 W 42nd Street

If you are seeing a show here, but witness a player dressed in a green beaded gown with beaded headpiece holding a blue bottle, then you are probably seeing the ghost of Olive Thomas, a Ziegfeld Follies chorus girl. She supposedly killed herself by overdosing on her husband's syphilis medication. He is said to have been a womanizer and an alcoholic.

9. Washington Square Park W 4th and MacDougal

There is a nice dog park here in Washington Square. I've seen dogs run and play in it, but not dig. However, if one were to engage in throwing up dirt, you could say he was digging for bones. This is a former burial ground where 15,000 bodies still lie. It was also used as a hanging ground during the American Revolution.

10. "The House of Death" 14 W 10th Street

A historical marker on this building reads "Mark Twain lived here 1900- 1901." It also says he wrote Tom Sawyer. However, it says nothing about the rumor that the writer haunts the stairwell. Supposedly it's also haunted by 22 people who died in this home.

  11. One If By Land, Two If By Sea 17 Barrow Street

This building, now a romantic restaurant, is famously known as once being Aaron Burr's carriage house. Title records, however, don't list Burr as an owner. According to a New York Time's article, Burr died in 1836, two years after tax and other records reveal 17 Barrow was built.  Whatever the case, supposedly the former vice president haunts this joint. It's also said his daughter, Theodosia, removes earrings from female patrons at the bar.

12. White Horse Tavern 567 Hudson Street

The horror story here involves 18 shots of Whiskey. It must have been the cheap kind because the binge killed poet Dylan Thomas. Allegedly he can't get enough. He returns to the bar and his favorite table like he did when he hung out here. Other literary greats, such as Anais Nin and Jack Kerouac frequented this haunt. (But as far as anyone knows, only while they were alive.)

13. Chumley's 86 Bedford Street

If you "86" any stop off this tour, make sure its not this one! I saved Chumley's for lucky last 13 because it's dog friendly and after a more than ten-mile walk, the Willabeast needed a burger and beverage. Chumley's was a working bar during prohibition and the trap doors still exists. On the walls, there are book jackets from writers who have visited over the years. Supposedly when police would call 86 Bedford street to inform of a bust, they would call and just say the address. 86 came to be known as "get rid of it or them." The bar would hide it's best customers, but leave a few for the bust. Speaking with the owner, Steve, he confirms the most recent hauntings, but says they aren't hauntings, but rather incredible occurances. He had several firefighter employees die during 9-11. He says on their birthdays or other special events, they will play their favorite song on the unplugged juke box.

Happy Haunting!

You Look Just Like...

If you are like me, then you are often told you look like someone. However, over the years, I've been surprised over some of the names I've heard. These people never look like each other, so how could I look like all of them?

There is fun new web tool that scans your face and comes up with celebrity matches by the shape of your eyes, bone structure or whatever. Here are my results. You can click on the pictures below to try it for yourself, or go directly to the genealogy website, MyHeritage.com. (Since the database only contains celebrities, there are no bad comparisons!)