Smart Menus. Easy Recipes, Mom-Level Hacks
Cinco de Mayo is almost here! Is there an easier theme for a fiesta than Cinco de Mayo? Nope. There is not. Mexican food is great for a crowd: it’s easy to make, it tastes awesome, and it’s cheap! Hopefully this year we can celebrate …
The Spicy-Sweet Cocktail adds a less sour bite to any Mexican meal. The simple Paloma is the older, cooler big sister of the margarita. When the average American thinks of Mexican cocktails, the margarita is likely the first drink to come to mind. But hiding in …
In French, it’s Chicken Cordon Bleu, but this grilled take on the classic is All American. A cordon bleu or schnitzel cordon bleu is a dish of meat wrapped around cheese (or with cheese filling), then breaded and pan-fried or deep-fried. Veal or pork cordon …
I’m totally there for hot dogs during the Weekly Menu 04.19.26~ How did Hot Dogs make it onto the Weekly Menu 04.19.26? It’s hockey playoff season, and “our” team, the Pittsburgh Penguins, actually made the cut. It wasn’t something that the pundits expected. Nor was …
Being totally cool, we’re having a “watch party” for the big ‘game’ during the Weekly Menu 04.12.26~ What are we watching during the Weekly Menu 04.12.26? The Masters Golf Tournament! There’s seriously NOTHING more relaxing than watching someone else play golf on TV. I play …
Good Friday is part of the Weekly Menu 03.29.26. Do you know what that means? We’ve got Breakast for dinner during the Weekly Menu 03.29.26! We’re also doing the one thing most likely to induce groans from all the boysies (and maybe our beautiful DIL): …
National Cheese Steak Day shows up on the Weekly Menu 03.22.26, like we NEED a reason to eat steak! What’s going on during the Weekly Menu 03.22.26? It’s National Cheesesteak Day on Tuesday. If any food deserves it’s own day, it’s Philly Cheese Steak. Options …
We’re celebrating Saint Paddy’s Day and busting myths during the Weekly Menu 03.15.26~ You know why we’re eating Irish-based foods during the Weekly Menu 03.15.26: Saint Patrick’s Day is here again! This annual harbinger of spring is a fabulous time to celebrate the awesome Irish …
Weekly Menu 03.08.26: A Well-Rounded Week (Thanks, Pi) Weekly Menu 03.08.26: The One Where Dinner Meets Pi (and Probably Pie too!) Every year around this time, the math world gets a little excited about Pi Day, celebrated on March 14 (3.14… get it?). Pi is …
Erieites like to say Erie, Pennsylvania is centrally located: we are within 100 miles (give or take 20 miles) of Buffalo, Cleveland and Pittsburgh. We share Lake Erie with Buffalo, which is one of the reasons that we head east more often than south or west. Another motivator for me, is that, growing up, we went to Niagara Falls at least four times a year – so heading east is apparently genetic.
One of my favorite day trips to the falls included only my Dad and my baby brother, who was probably not more than three at the time. (Not everyone in the family got the Niagara Falls bug.) We ate at a typical touristy buffet overlooking the falls, where, horrifyingly, my brother’s lunch went right through him. Spectacularly. And, of course, we had no spares. We located a store that sold both underwear and pants (and socks and shoes) and stocked up. We giggled the whole way home (and for years after) about the ridiculousness of the entire day as well as his outfit.
In college, I convinced my roommate and her boyfriend that they hadn’t lived until they saw Niagara Falls, and we made the eight hour trip from Boston to Niagara Falls in a loud and bouncy blue Jeep Wrangler. The Falls were as magnificent as I had told them, and, as far as I know, it was the only time they ever got to see them. I feared my parents would be angry that we made the road trip, but finally told them about it. They agreed 100% that the trip was completely reasonable as well as necessary.
Mom and Dad went to Florida every year for about six weeks during the winter. The snowbirds were pretty lucky they had a live-in babysitter for the younger unit of their eight child family, huh? Keeping the sibs occupied could be a little bit of a chore, though, so I finally decided on a day trip to the Falls. I still remember how disappointed my vacationing father sounded that he hadn’t made the trip with us.
Part of our marriage negotiations included at least semi-annual trips to Niagara Falls. Despite rolling his eyes about it occasionally, Bert keeps up his end of the deal, so we’ve been able to convince our boys that Niagara Falls is both a great day trip and awesome overnight destination, especially now that two of them are able to enjoy (brave?) a trip to the casino on the Canadian side. I prefer avoiding Niagara Falls during the summer because of the sometimes insane crowds: in my mind, there isn’t much better than the falls frozen and surrounded by snow in February or March. As a bonus, it’s cheaper to stay then.
“It’s Niagara Falls. It’s one of the most beautiful natural wonders in the world. Who wouldn’t want to walk across it?” Nik Wallenda
Ha! This girl. I love them, but…
