I’m on the couch, typing this little weekend update on my laptop with Joe hanging out next to me and Earl the Pug at my feet. I’d say that’s just about a perfect Sunday night. (Oh, and there was ice cream. Always ice cream.)
The weather felt more like late fall around here last week and all weekend. We were under a freeze warning Friday night and a frost warning last night, so I grabbed a bunch of old sheets and draped my tender annuals and vegetables in the hopes that I could save them. I uncovered everything today and so far, everything is looking okay. Now the weather needs to cooperate and warm up towards normal now.
Other than that, it was a pretty low-key weekend. Joe had a friend over for a sleepover and I took care of some of my typical weekend chores – namely, laundry and grocery shopping.
We did make time for a little fun, of course. Teacher Man and I had a late Saturday afternoon “date” at Hayes Public House for some craft beer and apple ale. I love how this pub reminds me of the pubs Teacher Man and I would find on our trips to Ireland – small, quaint, and a friendly, welcoming place to hang out for a while.
After realizing that we had turkey every single day the entire week, I decided it was time to switch things up a bit so we grilled New York strip steaks on the grill on Saturday night and paired them with a fairly sinful (and highly recommended) smashed potatoes recipe from The Pioneer Woman, carrots, and cheddar biscuits.
And salted caramel cheesecake bars (also from The Pioneer Woman), which weren’t amazingly decadent and delicious at all or anything.
I will happily admit there was also a nap today in the midst of watching The Players golf championship with Teacher Man. (It felt too cold and windy to golf around here, so we watched Jason Day win his 7th tournament in 17 tries – he is playing some amazing golf!)
I’ve got a busy but fun week ahead. I’ll be heading to a a special chef-blogger turkey innovations event – sponsored by the National Turkey Federation – tomorrow night in Saint Paul, which aims to showcase new and exciting ways turkey can be utilized in meals. It’s the first of several similar events across the U.S. and I think it’s so cool I can be a part of it!
Later in the week, I make a quick trip to Chicago for a National Turkey Federation committee meeting, where we will review Monday’s event along with some other marketing plans in the works this year, as well as look ahead to 2017. This is all part of a plan to increase turkey consumption to 20 pounds per person by 2020 (it’s at about 17 pounds per person right now) and we want to encourage everyone to #TryTurkey in unexpected and innovative ways.
I’ll definitely report back here on the chef/blogger event at some point later this week, but be sure to watch my Instagram feed and Facebook page for more timely photos.
Ironically, with all this talk about getting people excited about trying turkey, my latest issue of Food Network magazine came on Saturday and it features a turkey burger on the cover!
Have a great start to your week and watch for a new turkey burger recipe coming at you on Tuesday!
Lara