NE OH spot of the week: Playmakers Sports Grille

Ohhhh what a weekend. A wedding and tailgating! As you know my husband DJs the home games at the PIT. I did not make it at 7:30 in the morning but non the less I got there at 11:00am. I am sooooo glad I did not miss my boys play! Our first W for the season. More to come...I can feel it! Around half time we headed back home but decided to stop at Playmakers Sports Grille. 

I give this place a 3.5 star rating. 

The food was good and moderate price, the fog horn under the bar after every touchdown was great! They got really excited at one point and horn was going off for every 1st down. 

The service was good but I was surprised you needed to print the yelp deal. Side note-They don't offer the special for Sunday games. At least this was my impression.

HD TVs everywhere and more seating in the back. On Monday night they offer FREE beer until the first team scores. We will be back on Monday night football!

It is worth checking out, located in Garfield Heights right off Transportation Blvd.

http://www.playmakersportsbar.com/

CLE spot of the week: West Side Market

West Side Market

The best part of this blog is it is about living life to the fullest. Believe it or not there are people out there that live in Northeast Ohio and no nothing about it. 

The city of Cleveland is usually one that gets a bad reputation. The city has a lot to offer-great restaurants, local markets, art walks, local runs, sporting events (I know I know even if our team is not that great it is still fun), museums, historical venues and much more. 

I hope to showcase that for you every week with a new place to check out in CLE and places throughout Ohio.  

First up the West Side Market. I usually shop here every week. Here are some tips for shopping at the market and a few of my favorite vendors. 

Tips and Timing:
The market gets packed by 10am on Saturdays no matter what the weather is like. It will not slow down until after 2pm. If you want good deals go around 4pm. The vendors are trying to get rid of their products by the end of the day. Otherwise I recommend going in the morning prior to the rush. Total there are three lots you can park in. If you go at noon you are going to park on the street. 

Top Vendors:
When walking in from the main parking lot the top two vendors for produce are located right when you walk in. The first one is located on the left aisle. They will be your first vendor on the right. Everything is local and organic. Their herbs are $1 each and fresh, you can not beat that! 

If you go straight (a little to the right) the first vendor on your left has excellent pricing and local produce. Make sure no matter what stand you go to check what you are buying first. Once they get to know you they will hook you up with great deals. 

Gyro Stand

Get there before noon. I would try for 11am. I recommend trying these Gyros at least once! It is worth the early lunch. I have not been here since I moved out of Tremont but the line is always long. I assume they are just as good!

Smoothie Stand

A little on the expensive side but it is a tasty treat! All fresh and local fruits. Note:It has the ability to rejuvenate any fun you had the night before :) 

Popcorn Stand 

Over 20 flavors to choose from. Free popcorn samples (to see which one you like of course). 

There are more vendors to choose from and you will get to know your way around after a couple of visits. If you are familiar with the market share who your favorite vendor is! 

Pulled Pork Recipe

Hi friends! 

I told you I would share my pulled pork recipe, here it is!! It is a favorite and affordable. I usually spend $15.00 to feed 10-15 people with 3-4 lbs of pork shoulder.

Easy Crock-Pot Pulled Pork

Ingredients

1/2 Cup Ketchup
1/3 Cup Worcestershire
1/3 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Ground Mustard (optional)
1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Paprika
1/2 Cup Sugar/Cinnamon Mix
1/2 Teaspoon Liquid Smoke
Red Chili Pepper Flakes (add to your liking)
Little season with Salt and Pepper
1 Medium Sweet Onion, Chopped
3-4 Pounds Pork Shoulder, Trimmed of Fat.

1. Combine all ingredients except for onion and pork into crock pot. Whisk all ingredients until well blended.
2. Place pork and onions into mixture, coating both sides of meat.
3. Cook for 8 to 10 hours on low or 4-6 on high.
4. After meat is cooked, remove from slow cooker onto plate and break apart with fork. If meat has any bones, discard.
5. Place meat back into warm sauce to reheat.
6. Serve on hamburger buns or Kaiser Rolls and Sweet Baby Rays if people like more sauce.

Optional: I usually top the sandwich with coleslaw (recipe below)

This is ALWAYS a crowd favorite.


Coleslaw Dressing

Ingredients

1 c. mayonnaise
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt (or to taste)
1 tbsp. white vinegar
1 tbsp. white grated or pureed horseradish
1/4 tsp. celery seed

Blend thoroughly and chill.

Hope you enjoy!!

Bye Bye September, Hello October

Hi Friends!!

September was a busy month-fall festivities, beginning of football season and a trip Gatlienburg, TN. I have said it many times and I will say it again I absolutely love fall!! To start off the Fall season my husband and I went to a few of our local favorite places and of course the Brown's home opener. One of the places if Patterson's fruit farm. If you have not been than you must go! The apple fritters alone are worth the trip. We take our God daughter every year but we went a bit early this year so we will be making our way back this weekend. 

Feeding the goats at the Trout Club in Chardon, Ohio

As for the Browns games...we are die hard fans. We tailgate for pretty much every home game in the PIT with DJ B-low (my hubby). We are part of the greater Bacon Brown's backers-you will see a lot of these guys in the upcoming posts.

We finished up September with a trip to the Smoky Mountains. It is a great experience every time we go. Add this to your bucket list if you have not been there already!

Hillbilly Deluxe

Welcome new members! Just a little update, we finished up the summer at our friends' parents' cabin! Thank you again Jerry and Diana for letting us stay there. It was so peaceful and the perfect way to end the summer. We made some delicious food which I will share on the blog later this week...stay tuned.

Being surrounded by 25 acres of land with nothing to do but relax, ride ATVs, drink and have fun with friends was exactly what we needed. I came back from the weekend well rested and ready for the fall season. Of course we had to go to the air show as we do every year. My husband is a giant fan of planes...you will see this through out the year. Looking back on the summer we did quite a bit and only more to come this fall. 

Enjoy the pics from our hillybilly deluxe weekend!!

Our lovely dog Harley!!!

Hubby getting in some
target practice!

Buffalo Chicken Pierogies

I promised recipes on this blog and so I shall deliver! 

Disclaimer for family: I doubled checked the recipe online to make sure there were others out there like it.  I wanted to make sure I was not giving away a family secret dough recipe.  Plus this dough recipe was given out at my wedding shower so double coverage. 

I took the traditional pierogie and gave a little spice. Note it is better to make the filling prior to the dough. It is a long processes but totally worth it!!!


Buffalo Chicken Filling:

2 chicken breasts
1 bottle of Franks Red Hot
1 stick of butter
1 shredded carrot
1 shredded celery stick

Cook the chicken breasts anyway you normal would but make sure you can pull the chicken. Pull the chicken a little then add to a sauce pan. Add the bottle of Franks, butter, carrot and celery. I usually shred them with a peeler directly into the pan. Let it simmer until the chicken is nice and shredded...about an hour and half. Have crumbled blue cheese off to the side for when you stuff the pierogies.




Potatoes:
5 pounds of potatoes
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 stick of butter (optional)
Sprinkle of crumbled blue cheese

Peel and cook potatoes in water until soft

Drain potatoes, while still hot mix cheese, salt and butter
Use a mixer to combine ingredients
Let potatoes cool before using,, they can be warm but NOT hot.
**It is best to make the potatoes ahead of time before you mix dough

Dough:

8 cups flour
1 stick margarine
4 eggs
1 1/4 cups water
1/2 tsp salt


Put flour into large bowl, mix in salt
Melt margarine in a microwavable bowl, let cool
Mix eggs in separate bowl with water, stir together with a fork
When margarine is cool, mix with eggs and water, stir together with a fork. Pour mixture into flour and salt, start to mix with a spoon, once it's most of the way mixed take your hands and totally mix, take out of bowl and knead dough until it's totally combined, put dough into Ziploc bag and let sit for about an hour in the fridge. 

To make a pierogie:
If you have a pasta maker, cut off a piece of dough, roll thru noodle maker until dough is thin, but not too thin, it is best to roll dough on a thicker setting then take the piece of dough and roll it back thru on a lower setting. If you don't have a noodle maker, you can use a rolling pin. Make sure you have a non-stick surface to work on.

Cut dough into rectangles or squares, the pieces don't have to be perfectly shaped.

Spoon some potatoes onto dough, add a little of the buffalo chicken filling, lastly top with a little bit of crumbled blue cheese-fold over and crimp the edges real well, you can't have any open area. After you have about a dozen made, put pierogie in slow boiling water and cook until they float to the top.

Saute butter to put pierogie's in when finished cooking

My Golden Year

This year was my golden birthday, 28 on the 28th. I could not have asked for a better birthday. I think this one was my favorites so far. 

We celebrated with amazing friends and family. I was asked, how does it feel to get older? My response, "honestly I love my life and it gets better with age." I wanted to share this blessing below with others.  

These are words to live by. I see people that don't have this and I feel sorry for them. Life is too short to be angry, resentful or bitter. Move on and live your life! If it is one thing I have learned thus far it is that friends are family and family are friends, no regrets but learn from your mistakes and no one can dictate your life but you...among other things, which I will share in this blog. 

In the next few months I will be sharing recipes and DIY projects. 

I can not wait to see what the next year brings! Enjoy pics from the past weekend festivities.

Flowers from the hubby

The great family and friends I brag about!

This is my meatball (left), you will see
 her a lot in these blogs!

Market Garden Brewery by
Westside Market

Traveling Fennells

Slacking on my blog again. I don't think I have ever had this much fun in one summer. I feel like the older I get the better life is.

July was go go go for us and only picked up more towards the end. We took an 8 day vaca with 4 of our close friends to Key West. What an experience!!!  We swam with wild dolphins, caught lobsters on the edge of the Gulf of Mexico, partied hard on Duval Street and toodled out on the ocean.

10 Tips when traveling to Key West:

1. Know a family member or friend down there. It is not the same experience without one. We were able to meet the locals and see Key West in a way most don't. We meet a wonderful Cajun couple that were born and raised in Key West. They taught us how to catch lobster, a few Cajun words and made an incredible meal for all of us.

2. Hydrate! Hydrate! Hydrate! Between the sun, salt water and partying remember to drink lots of water. We went through a case a day. 

3. SPF 50 will be your best friend. If you think you are tan and don't need it. You are WRONG! Don't worry you will still get a tan. Bring a good moisturizer. The salt water dries out your skin. 

4. No high heels...it is pointless. Just flip flops, sun dresses, shorts and tanks. For guys, t-shirts and shorts. 

5. You will only need a carry on when traveling there. Save yourself on the baggage fees.

6. Best restaurants and bars: Jack Flats, Margaritaville, Cowboy Bill's, Green Parrot Bar and Willie T's. There are a ton more places to go. I suggest doing the bar crawl. Start at one end and work your way down. Go to Hogsbreath and Sloppy Joe's just say you went. 

7. Try something new!! 

8. $5 stores are great for souvenirs 

9. Southernmost Point is worth it for the pics. 

10. Fly direct into Key West if possible. We did this and it was a great! Try to buy your flights in March. This is when you will get the best pricing. 

Boating out to the sand bar-first day out!

caught a lobster-YOLO

This was the first one. I had to throw him back.
He was a little guy

We caught 47 lobsters. That was only day 1 of mini season!

Amazing dinner cooked by Jerry and D

Traveling Feldmans and Fennells

Partying on Duvall with Mags!

Swimming with the wild dolphins.
What an experience!

Finished the trip up with a little relaxation :)

Busy Busy Busy

I swear it has been non stop since spring! The problem with living in Ohio is everyone tries to cram all their fun in 4 months when the weather is some what predictable. I love the seasons so I embrace our wonderful wishy washy weather. Lately it has been hot!!! Thank goodness I have two pools in walking distance from my house. The month of July has already had it's excitement and we are only the second week in.



The day before the holiday we celebrated my dad's 61st birthday at my in-laws. I was very fortunate to marry into such a wonderful family. I am pretty sure he teared up. As big and bad as he thinks he is...underneath he is all mush. The 4th of July was very relaxing we laid pool side with a few close friends for 8 and half hours! Could not have spent the day any better.

We tried something new this past weekend thanks to Wheel Pros! We went to the drag car races at Norwalk, Ohio and holy hotness. We must have picked the hottest day of the year. I am not complaining because I will enjoy this weather while it lasts. We finished up the weekend celebrating our god daughter's 8th birthday! Those kids know how to party in style!!! 

My nephew Lucas and I

S.I.L. and I

Nicole, Natalie and I

VIP Status-thanks again Wheel Pros

Wheel Pros/American Racing Trailer

Party like a rockstar!!