WEEKLY MENU 11.10.19

We have a dam good menu for this week~

Weekly menu 11.10.19 leaves plenty of time to enjoy the outdoors while we still can.

What did the fish say when it hit the wall? Dam.

Our post picture evokes thoughts of Europe, but it’s actually a really neat dam in Connecticut.

When Hartford region residents turn on their faucets or showers, many may not realize that much of the water flows into their sinks and tubs from the sleepy town of Barkhamsted in the Litchfield County hills. It’s made possible by one of Connecticut’s true architectural marvels and the largest drinking water reservoir in the state.

The eight-mile-long Barkhamsted Reservoir was built over a five-year span, from 1934 to 1939, and the dam, which is nearly a half-mile long and 135 feet high, was named after the chief engineer of the ambitious project, Caleb Saville. When combined with the Metropolitan District Commission’s Nepaug Reservoir in nearby New Hartford, the two reservoirs could supply normal water use for 22 months (660 days) with no rain. When full, the Barkhamsted Reservoir has a capacity of 30.3 billion gallons.
Hartford Courant

The coolest part about the dam is the upper gatehouse that’s pictured with this post.

…most of the dam is under water and not visible. The upper gatehouse is a concrete and granite tower with its base 115 feet below water. From base to peak of its roof, the tower is 181 feet tall. In the middle of the embankment there is a concrete core wall that is a half mile long, 12 feet thick at the base and up to 140 feet tall.
Hartford Courant

Do you have any interesting dams near you? This time of the year is a great time to take a mini road-trip road visit. There’s interesting stuff everywhere!

Our Weekly Menu 11.10.19 starts out with a dish inspired by one of our favorite Buffalo restaurants, speaking of road trips. Chef’s is famous for spaghetti parmesan – spaghetti tossed with marinara before being smothered with cheese. I add meatballs into the mix for a little bit of protein. We cleverly call it Meatball Parmesan. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

What makes the chopped burgers “Steakhouse”? We’ll season them with steak seasoning then add a creamy horseradish sauce and a dollop of steak sauce once they’re cooked. We’ll round them out with some sauteed mushrooms. It’s a quick, elegant little meal when combined with oven fries drizzled with a little truffle oil. And we don’t consider it a steakhouse meal without creamed corn. We’re going with a lighter version of that, though. Don’t tell Bert.

The stuffed peppers on Tuesday are as Tex-Mex as it gets – plus, it’s a one pan meal, always a favorite with the kitchen helpers. More on that (plus pictures) later.