February 15, 2020

WEEKLY MENU 02.16.20

Get your knives and forks out in preparation for our Weekly Menu 02.16.20!

I’ve waxed poetic about Niagara Falls before. It’s one of my most favorite places in the world, and we are lucky enough to live about 2 hours away from it. My favorite time to visit is mid-winter. An overnight is usually part of our family Christmas festivities, but we held off this past year. Why?

The drinking and gambling age is 19.

Our slightly more liberal neighbor to the north (Helloooo Canada!) is where we take our offspring to celebrate being able to buy an alcoholic drink (legally). And Baby Boy turned 19 in late January.

The American side is gorgeous, of course. Incongruously, the American side is more state park than mad house, and the views are breathtaking. The Canadian side is a little like a carnival on crack. The always fun “museums” like Ripley’s Believe it or Not, Louis Tussaud’s Wax Museum and, of course, Guinness World Records Museum on and around Clifton Hill all add to the kitsch. Don’t miss the HUGE Niagara Sky Wheel. It’s scary, but not too scary. And of course, the Fallsview Casino on the Canadian side is full of ringing bells and mirrored walls.

We’re not big gamblers.

But it’s so fun to visit and people watch, plus it’s a treat to buy a legal beer for one of our boysies. Baby Boy is coming home for spring break in a couple weeks, and we’re planning on heading up.

Pro-Tip for Money Savings

Make a reservation at one of the hotels close to the casino. Park in the casino parking lot and schlepp your bags across the street. When you go to the casino, join the Players Advantage Club and use your badge when you gamble. When you leave the parking lot, present your card for deeply discounted (often free) parking. Yippee! We spent double the room rate on parking one night – so we learned.

You know what else Niagara Falls has? Awesome, mile long buffets. Otherwise, the food is more touristy than anything else. Of course, we’re so busy checking out the views it doesn’t matter.

Our Weekly Menu 02.16.20 matters though!

We’re starting out the week with a most excellent Pork Tenderloin that just screams Sunday Night Dinner. Bert (and our oldest) were in Saint Louis, Missouri this week, and I heard about the absolutely decadent Ooey Gooey Butter Cake from them. It sounds super easy and fantastic, so it made the menu cut.

It’s a busy week, work-wise, so dinner is easy all week. If you’ve never tried Pops Crispy Chicken, fast and easy Beef and Black Bean Burritos or Parmesan Crusted Chicken, what are you waiting for?

The knock-off Pizzeria Uno Pizza Skins are basically deep dish crust with mashed potatoes and potato skin fixins’. How could that possibly be bad?