Hi all ….. Big Mike here.  Tomorrow (Tues, 9/1) Rick Gary and I will represent Sunny 102 in a Beef Day competition … our dish is called “Big and Rick’s Ay Carumba Holy Guacomole Mucho Loco Gringo Steak” …. come out and cheer us on at 10am at the Chevy Court Pavillion.  Then Rick and I will be broadcasting from the nearby Softub exhibit from 11a-1p … come over and see two men in a tub …. It’s senior’s day so Rick gets in for free (again).

Hey ladies want your boyfriend to pop the question, try this “Engagement Chicken” recipe, from Glamour Mag in 2004. Give it a try and get ready to say “I do”.

1 whole chicken(approx 3 lb)
2 medium lemons
fresh lemon juice (1/2 cup)
ground pepper
Place rack in upper third of oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Wash chicken inside and out with cold water,remove the giblets, then let the chicken drain,cavity down, in a colander until it reaches room temp(about 15 minutes). Pat dry with paper towels. Pour lemon juice all over the chicken (inside and outside). Season with salt and pepper. Prick the whole lemons three times with a fork and place deep inside the cavity. Place the bird breast-side down on a rack in a roasting pan, lower heat to 350 degrees and bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and turn breast-side up (use wooden spoons)return it to oven for 35 minutes more. Test for doneness-a meat thermometer inserted in the thigh should read 180 degrees, or juices should run clear when chicken is pricked with a fork. Continue baking if necessary. Let chicken cool for a few minutes before carving. Serve with juices.

Finally feeling more like summer than the first few days of fall. It was great being on Cayuga Lake yesterday boating with friends.
Later this week Big and I are getting together for dinner to go over our secret recipe for the Beef Day at the fair contest. It’s a steak no one will forget, that’s for sure. We’ll post the recipe after the contest.

Block Party Bash!

Get to know your neighbors and have a blast on your block.

By Kelley Moore  (www.kelleylmoore.com)

If you’re like me, then I’m sure you love lounging outside with good friends and a glass of wine on a warm, summer night. For myself, this generally means curling up on my front porch with my husband and a few friends from the neighborhood. I have been blessed to have incredibly close relationships with my neighbors, as they are some of my closest friends, and I have always been a strong believer in camaraderie between those who live near us. Whether or not you spend your weekends with your neighbors, a block party is the perfect opportunity to strengthen your current relationships and to welcome new members into your community. With a few simple preparations and coordination with your neighbors and friends, you can easily pull together a wonderful summer party that every block will surely envy!

Invitation

Why send an invitation in the mail when you can simply hand-deliver? For a creative invite that screams block party, create a door hanger with all the party information, and then place the invitation on your neighbors’ front doors. Be sure to create a slogan or a community saying for the front of the doorknocker to give it a personalized touch (we used “Queen Anne Rules” for our Queen Anne neighborhood).

Not only will your friends come home to a surprise on their doorstep, but they will also be even more excited when they discover that the decoration is also an invitation to a fabulous party!

Backyard Picnic

Outdoor tables and chairs felt like a hassle to set up at our block party, but we wanted to keep the party outside. Our solution? Waterproof blankets to create a picnic, family-like atmosphere amongst the group. These fun blankets come in a variety of colors and will leave less of a mess once everyone is done indulging in a delicious meal. Another added bonus for all of us Seattleites – last night’s rain will not put a damper on your picnic décor!

Name Game

Hopefully all of the families at your block party are familiar with each other, but remember the possibility of new families and friendships. To spice up your décor or to help your guests with the names of every attendant, create signs with each family’s name for the picnic blankets. Attach each sign to a wooden stake and place it in the ground next to the family’s assigned seat. The signs will not only add a whimsical feel to your outdoor set-up, but they will also function as outdoor place cards for the backyard oasis!

Barbeque on the Block

Paper plates and cups will leave your backyard in a mess, and plastic utensils are certainly not eco-friendly. As a solution to the problem, we created small picnic baskets for every guest complete with flatware, a container for food and a cookie. We simply grilled meat, vegetables, and seafood, and let each guest create their own kabob to bring back to their blanket with their basket. This scenario was much easier than trying to arrange a potluck or large barbeque. Best of all, we used biodegradable flatware and cleverly buried our forks and knives when we were finished!

Signature Cocktail

I am a firm believer in a signature cocktail for every party, and I felt inspired by fresh-squeezed lemonade to make the perfect, summer drink. For the adults at the party, we made Arnie Palmers, complete with lemonade, iced tea and Finamore Limoncello. For the alternative kid-friendly version, we went with the original Arnold Palmer and simply mixed iced tea and lemonade. To display the cocktails, we used beautiful apothecary jars and created matching labels identifying the two beverages. The little ones had a blast sharing drinks almost identical to their parents!

Entertainment

While the adults may have been content simply chatting the night away, we knew that we needed something fun to keep the little ones occupied. As a solution to their boredom, we rented a sno-cone machine, so the kids could stay cool with their favorite treat. Sno-cone machines are fairly inexpensive to rent for the day, and the money is well spent to keep all the children in a constant state of fun! If a rental is not in your budget, a cheaper version can easily be purchased for less money, but just as much fun!   (comment from Steve Kelley at Sunny 102:  hire a DJ… like me… for your party!)

Takeaway

Even though we incorporated multiple houses for the block party, I still believe that a takeaway is important for a memorable experience. To solidify the new relationships formed at the party, I sent each guest home with a water bottle complete with the same logo as the invitation. As a helpful reminder, I attached a neighborhood watch schedule with the name and phone number of every family who attended.

The guests can easily place the tag on their fridge or bulletin board as a safety precaution for the community, but the note will also remind them of the wonderful time they had!

Try this recipe it is really good!!

BBQ Beef Pizza

Ingredients:
1 container (18oz) fully cooked shredded beef in barbecue sauce
4 individual prebaked pizza crusts (7-inch)
½ cup cream cheese, softened
1 can (4oz) diced mild green chilies, drained
½ cup short, thin red bell pepper strips
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Procedure:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place pizza crusts on an ungreased large baking sheet.
3. Spread 2 tablespoons cream cheese on each crust.
4. Spoon shredded bbq beef evenly onto crusts.
5. Top evenly with chilies, bell peppers and cheese.

Bake in 400 degree oven 15-20 minutes or until topping is hot and bubbly. Cut each pizza into wedges.

Servings 4
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes

Hi, Steve Kelley here.  So, my wife Cathy made zucchini bread over the weekend.  And I gotta tell you, it was pretty good!  I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it was really quite good! 

She actually got the zucchini out of our garden. 

Let me be honest, I think that’s the ONLY thing we’ve got out of the garden!  My mother in law inspired us to plant a few seeds, and then we promptly forgot about it… at least I did!   I’m not really the green-thumb type.  My gardening experience goes back to endless weeding when I was growing up.  Hated it!  Don’t want to do it again!

Anyway… the Z-bread did inspire me to find you a few recipes if you’ve got some extra zucchini on the counter.  Have fun!  Let me know how it turns out.

Orange Cranberry Zucchini Bread

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup Canola oil
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons orange extract
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• finely grated zest of 1 orange, about 1 tablespoon
• 2 cups shredded zucchini
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 3/4 cup chopped nuts, optional

Preparation:

Heat oven to 325°. Grease and flour two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 3-inch loaf pans.

Combine the flour, baking powder, soda, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat or whisk together the sugar, oil, eggs, and orange extract.

Stir in the dry ingredients and th sour cream until well blended. Fold in the orange zest, zucchini, cranberries, and optional chopped nuts. Spoon into the two loaf pans, dividing equally.

Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a wooden pick or cake tester comes out clean when inserted in center.
Makes 2 loaves of zucchini bread.

Easy Chocolate Zucchini Cake

This chocolate zucchini cake is easy to make with a cake mix, and it’s loaded with chocolate chips, shredded zucchini, and nuts.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) butter, softened
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 chocolate fudge cake mix with pudding in the mix, about 18.25 ounces
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 medium zucchini, shredded, about 1 1/2 cups shredded
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Preparation:

Grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt cake pan or 10-inch one-piece tube cake pan. Heat oven to 325° (350° for a light-colored pan).

In a mixing bowl with electric mixer, beat the butter until light; beat in eggs and flavorings. Beat in the sour cream and cinnamon, then slowly beat in the cake mix. Stir in the zucchini, chocolate chips, and pecans.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean when inserted in the center of the cake. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Invert the cake onto a serving plate to cool completely. Frost the cake or dust with powdered sugar.

Easy Zucchini Carrot Cake

A carrot cake mix makes this a quick and easy cake to prepare and bake. Frost this cake with cream cheese icing or dust with powdered sugar.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup vegetable oil, such as canola oil, corn oil, or safflower oil
• 4 large eggs
• 1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple with juice, undrained
• 1 box (18 ounces) carrot cake mix with pudding in the mix
• 1 medium zucchini, unpeeled, grated, about 1 1/2 cups grated
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup flaked coconut, optional

Preparation:

Heat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 13×9x2-inch or 10-inch round baking pan.

With an electric mixer, beat oil and eggs together. Beat in the pineapple with juice and the cake mix. Stir in the zucchini, nuts, and coconut, if using.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the cake bounces back when touched lightly with a finger.

(sent to me from my friend Rose, an RN … you know who you are):

Losing weight is hard. You eat right and get enough exercise, but every time you step on the scale, the same number’s staring back at you. Here are four reasons you’re not losing weight – and what to do about it. This comes from MSN Health & Fitness.

First, you don’t know how many calories you’re eating. In one study, 80% of participants underestimated how much they were eating by 700 calories. The fix: Learn proper portion sizes. For one week, measure or weigh everything you eat. You’ll learn quickly the proper sizes of a 1/2-cup of pasta, a cup of cereal, a teaspoon of butter, and a four-ounce portion of chicken.
Another reason you’re not losing weight: You skip breakfast. Researchers at University of Colorado found that people who lost 30 pounds and kept it off ate breakfast. It not only prevents 10 a.m. vending machine visits, eating breakfast also boosts your mood, memory, and focus. The fix: Make a grab-and-go breakfast! The night before, fill a small container with sliced berries and one cup of non-fat yogurt, and take it to work with a cup of low-fat granola in a baggie.
Another weight loss roadblock: You eat without thinking. Say, you nibble off your kids’ plates or constantly taste while you’re cooking. Every mindless nibble is about 25 calories, which means, with just 4 mindless bites a day, you could gain one pound in a month! The fix: Keep a food journal and write down everything you eat. Once you know how much you’re eating, you’ll know where you need to cut back.
Final reason you’re not losing weight: You drink more calories than you realize. Sugary sodas, teas and juice drinks aren’t filling – and they can really pack on the pounds. For example, one bottle of sweetened green tea has 140 calories – the same as one chocolate chip cookie! A large margarita can have the same number of calories as four cake donuts. The fix: make soda an occasional treat and cut juice calories by adding one part juice to two parts sparkling water

How to Be Indispensable at Work
By Martin Lindstrom, PARADE

The global economy has taken a big hit, and millions of Americans have lost their jobs. All of us, it seems, are vulnerable. How can you increase the odds that you won’t become a grim statistic of company downsizing?

The answer? Create your own personal brand. In today’s uncertain financial environment, if you’re just another face at the water cooler, you run a far greater risk of ending up in the unemployment line. Branding yourself is one of the best preventive strategies to make sure you survive and even thrive in the workplace. Think of your personal brand as a bankaccount that will only increase in worth the more effort, thought, imagination, and resources you put into it. Here are a few tips on how to get started.

Define who you are (and who you aren’t)
Ask yourself what makes you different from your colleagues at work. Your punctuality and sense of responsibility? Your ability to juggle multiple tasks without losing your cool? One of the best ways to create a personal brand is to take two everyday tasks and combine them in an extraordinary way. For example, let’s say you’re a cashier in a big-box store and you enjoy sitting in its fast-food emporium during your breaks. Is there anything you’ve observed that might be valuable for management to know about — for instance, that customers wish there were more prepackaged sandwiches and salads? Let management know. By sharing your observations, you’ll set yourself apart from the competition.

Real People, Real Salaries: Check out what everyday Americans are making across the country

Become well known for one thing
Think for a moment about the high-profile brands that surround us every day. They each have a single phrase you can instantly apply to them: Google (search engine), Volvo (safe car), Coca-Cola (all-American), Marlboros (cowboys — hey, sorry, but it’s the truth).

Now, what’s the one adjective or phrase you imagine comes to mind when your co-workers think about you? Listener? Mentor? Funny? Dependable? Captain Crisis? If there isn’t one, then create it. Next, begin to live it. Why just a single word? Because as a culture, we are flooded with too much information, whether we’re tweeting, e-mailing, juggling cellphone calls. Amid this barrage of white noise, individuals who can attract attention via a simple association have a decided advantage.

Communicate your brand
Once you’ve decided on the phrase that best sums you up, consider making an impression online. I can hear you now: “I can’t start a website! What on earth would I put on it?” C’mon — the Internet is the most influential medium in the world, and creating a personal website is easy and inexpensive. Ask yourself: What do I have to say that’s fresh and provocative? If you can come up with some intriguing observations or a new angle or point of view, then you’re well on your way to creating a solid online presence.

For example: A young guy was working at the Gap when he got an idea for a video blog: a gay man giving advice about fashion trends. Hundreds of thousands of hits later (not to mention increased traffic across Gap stores nationwide), the employee had made his mark. By doling out free, useful, tongue-in-cheek advice from a novel perspective, he succeeded in creating an indelible personal brand.

Create a signature look
Now that you’ve figured out what sets you apart from the other faces in the crowd, make sure you keep at it! Most famous people, for example, have one component or element that makes them instantly recognizable, appealing, or mysterious. It could be Clint Eastwood’s squint, Barack Obama’s cool intelligence, or Will Ferrell’s goofiness, just to take three examples. Believe me, these elements aren’t going anywhere soon.

Sneak a peek at celebrity paychecks

For most of my career as a global-branding expert, I’ve dressed head-to-toe in black. Apart from my work, it’s how people recognize me, occasionally even in the streets. Every now and then, I mix things up by wearing other colors. And guess what? People walk right past me, completely oblivious. So, without being flamboyant about it, find a signature look that works for you, then stick with it. You’ll become the equivalent of a celebrity in your office — and ensure you keep your job long after the recession has become a distant memory.

Leave a personal mark behind
Most business cards bore you silly, right? You tuck them inside your wallet or purse, then promptly forget about them. My advice: Create a distinctive mark or “signature” that other people can’t get out of their minds. It can be a logo, a symbol, or a saying you affix to the end of your personal e-mails. Once again, combine two elements that have nothing to do with each other — flying monkeys, for example. Whenever I think about The Wizard of Oz, those horrible flying monkeys spring immediately to mind. Why? Because as we all know, monkeys don’t have wings (at least the ones I know). If you create an equally dramatic mark or signature, I guarantee no one will ever overlook you.