Grilled to Perfection

For those of you new to the Jesse & Shotgun radio show, I have troubles with my grill. It is not that I have trouble with cooking food outdoors; I just physically have problems with my current grill. Let me explain. My gas grill is probably 5-7 years old. Everything is in relatively good working order, but it’s a cheap grill… and open all around the bottom. Couple that with the fact that it’s almost always windy here in Colorado and my stupid grill doesn’t even get hot enough to brown brats. It’s pathetic. For that reason alone, I do not grill nearly as often as every man should. There have been many days I’ve gone out to fire up the grill… waited… and ended up cooking my food some other way. I actually once, I hate to admit, BAKED a STEAK! Sad, but true.

After the humbling steak incident, I went to Target and bought a $40 George Foreman electric grill. That decision has lead to much ribbing and torment on the morning show. Jesse also has issues with my “meat fork” because it has an electric meat thermometer and “no self-respecting male should have to check the temperature of the meat” for doneness. He also thinks my pigtail flipper is “wussy”. I stand by the pigtail. It’s awesome!

Well, further proof that I am married to the most wonderful woman in the world… my wife said that for Father’s Day (and our 15th anniversary-which are two weeks apart) I could buy myself a new grill. I’m so PUMPED! Being the nerdy guy that I am, I spent the last week visiting grill stores and doing research online. I decided on an infrared grill, because they heat evenly, burn a third less propane and heat up quickly. It’s really sweet and even has a place to add wood chips for smoking. Whoo-hoo! I went and picked it up yesterday. I wanted to get the one that was already put together, but it wouldn’t fit in the minivan… so I got one in the box. I took it home and put it together in my garage. At one point, my neighbor Tom came over to check on me because he’d “been watching me work on the grill for five hours” and thought I might need some help. LOL.

Amy went to the store to get some steaks as I was in the final stretches of putting it together and just as I was wheeling it onto the patio in the back yard… it started to downpour.

I can’t win.

The Art of Fencing

From Wikipedia: A fence is a freestanding structure designed to restrict or prevent movement across a boundary. 

“Good fences make good neighbors.” – Robert Frost

“A good neighbor is a fellow who smiles at you over the back fence, but doesn’t climb over it.” – Arthur Baer

“There is something about jumping a horse over a fence, something that makes you feel good. Perhaps it’s the risk, the gamble. In any event it’s a thing I need.” – William Faulkner

“Don’t Fence Me In (song)” – Cole Porter

I have never lived anywhere in the world where more people have more fences than here in Denver, CO.  It is very rare to drive anywhere in this metro area without finding fences around people’s property.  I’ll be honest, I’m a fan.  It’s great to be able to let the dog out without worry or to let the children have a place to play where they can feel safe and I as a parent can have piece of mind.  I also like the privacy aspect of having people not be able to see into my back yard.  I can be very anti-social that way.

There are many different types of fences you can buy.  Wood, Concrete, Wrought Iron, Vinyl, and even the good old chain link.  Some neighborhoods may dictate not only how tall your fence can be but how far back it must be set from the street. Also, don’t forget to verify the exact borders of your property to avoid upsetting the neighbors.

Speaking of neighbors, how do you decide what type of fence to use if you share a property line?  Do you come to a consensus and split the cost, or does one person get to pay and decide. And what about fence maintenance?  Who is responsible?  In my back yard, I face a rental property that is usually in pretty bad shape.  This spring, I noticed that the middle of this fence is beginning to sag toward my lawn.  Whose fence is it to fix?  The posts are on their side, so I replace the boards if they need repair.  If the posts need to be re-dug or replaced I would think that would be the landlord’s responsibility.  Have you ever been in this situation?   What do you think?

Fast Food Foibles

 Trying to lose weight or keep weight is tough in a drive-thru society.  Ask yourself how many times you and the family eat out.  I know… my family, too.  Remember there are always healthy alternatives, these are not those.  Here’s the 19 Worst Drive-Thru Foods in America according to MSNBC

Worst drink: Sonic Minute Maid Cranberry Juice Slush (“Route 44”–extra large) 616 calories 165 g sugars

Worst value-menu item: Burger King Spicy Chick’n Crisp Sandwich 450 calories 30 g fat (5 g saturated fat) 810 mg sodium

Worst Mexican entree: Taco Bell Grilled Stuft Beef Burrito 680 calories 30 g fat (10 g saturated fat) 2,120 mg sodium

Worst hot sandwich: Sonic Chicken Club TOASTER Sandwich 742 calories 46 g fat (11 g saturated, 0.5 g trans) 1,742 mg sodium

Worst crispy chicken sandwich: Hardee’s Big Chicken Filet Sandwich 800 calories 37 g fat (6 g saturated fat) 1,890 mg sodium

Worst Roast Beef Sandwich: Arby’s Roast Beef and Swiss Market Fresh Sandwich 810 calories 42 g fat (13 g saturated fat) 1,780 mg sodium

Worst Chicken Strips: Dairy Queen 6-Piece Chicken Strip Basket 1,270 calories 67 g fat (11 g saturated fat) 2,910 mg sodium

Worst drive-thru breakfast sandwich: Jack in the Box Sausage, Egg & Cheese Biscuit 740 calories 55 g fat (17 g saturated fat) 1,430 mg sodium

Worst side: Arby’s Large Mozzarella Sticks 849 calories 56 g fat (26 g saturated fat) 2,730 mg sodium

Worst milkshake: McDonald’s Large Triple Thick Chocolate Milkshake 1,160 calories 27 g fat (16 g saturated fat) 168 g sugar 510 mg sodium

Worst potato side: Jack in the Box Bacon Cheddar Potato Wedges 720 calories 48 g fat (15 g saturated fat, 12 g trans fats) 1,360 mg sodium 48 g carbohydrates

Worst salad: Chick-fil-A Chick-n-Strips Salad with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing 800 calories 60 g fat (12 g saturated fat) 1,745 mg sodium

Worst dessert: Dairy Queen Large Strawberry CheeseQuake Blizzard 990 calories 39 g fat (24 g saturated fat) 114 g sugars

Worst fish sandwich: Burger King BIG FISH Sandwich with Tartar Sauce 640 calories 32 g fat (5 g saturated fat) 1,540 mg sodium

Worst cheeseburger: Hardee’s Monster Thickburger 1,420 calories 108 g fat (43 g saturated fat) 2,770 mg sodium 230 mg cholesterol

Worst healthy meal: Arby’s Roast Turkey and Swiss Market Fresh Sandwich 708 calories 29 g fat (8 g saturated fat) 1,676 mg sodium

Worst grilled chicken: Jack in the Box Chipotle Chicken Ciabatta 690 calories 28 g fat (9 g saturated fat) 1,850 mg sodium

Worst drive thru meal: Carl’s Jr. Double Six Dollar Burger with Medium Natural Cut Fries and 32 oz Coke 2,618 calories 144 g fat (51.5 g saturated fat) 2,892 mg sodium

Why is yummy food so bad for you?  Eat responsibly. LOL