Tag Archives: Amazon Music

Pizza Crawl! 🍕🍕🍕 [The Carroll Clan Cut Crawl?]

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I got it in my head a while ago that I wanted to try some local pizza places back-to-back, and three of my favorites are super close to each other, so… why not? I set out to get 1 slice each from Beto’s, Slice on Broadway (in Beechview), & Badamo’s (in Dormont). They are all less than 2 miles apart, so it was only a few minutes from one to the other.

Instead of a Birthday dinner, we made this my birthday lunch, albeit a few days early. I have a problem with loving alliteration. Should this be dubbed the Carroll Clan Cut Crawl?

A close-up image featuring three slices of pizza with different toppings and a layer of shredded mozzarella cheese. - Pizza from Badamo's, Slice on Broadway, & Beto;s!
A collage of three photos featuring a family enjoying pizza at local restaurants. - The Carroll Clan Cut Crawl!

I’m not that guy that talks about one-bite rules or pizza flop, so I’ll rate all of these a 13/13. I think there are so many styles and recipes for pizza, they all deserve a spot at the table and some respect.

A cut from Beto's | A slice of cheesy pizza with a thick layer of unmelted shredded cheese in a takeout box, resting on parchment paper.
3 cheese cuts from Beto’s

🍕 Beto’s – $1.92/cheese slice | If you can’t get your head around Ohio Valley Style… I get it. But, it’s worth figuring out. I don’t put it in the same class as these New York Style pies, but there is room for many styles of pizza in this world. Beto’s is an institution. They are always packed. This stuff is a hit with me. It is simple, the crust is thick and square like Sicilian style with a savory sauce. The Provolone is just perfect, and the decision to leave it uncooked is wild but it works. I mean, you can ask them to cook it, but why? I got a small Mug root beer from the fountain. I love it. My son loves it, my wife is on the fence, and my daughter is not a fan (she got the mozzarella sticks). My son said Beto’s is his far & away favorite.

A slice from Slice on Broadway | A slice of cheese pizza on a metal tray, featuring a golden-brown crust and melted cheese with a slightly crispy edge.
A slice from Slice on Broadway

🍕 Slice on Broadway – $3.50/cheese slice | They claim it’s NYC style pie made by Yinzers. I have never had a slice of pizza in NY, but I hope for New York’s sake it’s as good as this. The sauce is ever so slightly sweet… not overly sweet, but it hits. The crust is crispy and doughy. The cheese is absolutely just right. It was so nice & warm on a cold day… and it hits the spot consistently every time, even across different locations. I paired it with a Boylan’s Birch Beer. I ordinarily like to get it with Ricotta & meatball here. My daughter, son, & wife all loved it as usual. Of course I loved it too. I think Slice was my wife & daughter’s favorite.

A slice from Badamo's
A slice from Badamo’s

🍕 Badamo’s – $2.50/cheese slice | So much love and attention to the craft goes into this pie! Anthony & the people that work there are just incredibly cool and super welcoming. I opted for Pepperoni this time, but my son was getting full so I ended up eating his cheese slice too. The sauce is savory and delicious, it’s not sweet but it’s not acidic. The crust has an entirely different feel & taste than anyone else around. It’s delicious and perfectly crispy. I really need to try their Sicilian style too! The pepperoni is small and delicious without taking over. On regular trips, I like the Ricotta & basil. I paired it with a carton of Turner’s iced tea. My wife & daughter really liked this one, my son nope’d out for being full, and I loved it enough to have two slices. (Hey, listen to Black Tie Revue!)

All in all, to me the nearly side-by-side comparison was super fun, and confirmed that they’re all great pizza that can stand on their own, or stand together. It was a cool afternoon activity with the family & everyone was enthusiastic about the mini adventure.

Of course I have a Punk Rock Pizza Party 🍕 playlist on Amazon Music & Spotify. You can import it to your preferred service too.

We are lucky to have so many great independent & small chain pizza shops in the area with a wide variety of styles and flavors. I remember the first time trying Beto’s and I took it back to the old apartment in Dormont & the cheese was sort-of half-melted and it was just perfect. I remember when Slice opened and we checked it out and it was absolutely delicious. I remember going to A’Pizza Badamo in Mt. Lebanon before it moved to Dormont and absolutely loving their pie & the great people.

Of course, there are great spots all over in & around the city… but I kept this Crawl tight. If you did a pizza crawl, which spots would you hit? Bonus points for keeping them within say a 5 mile radius! Would you do more than 3? Could you?

🏴‍☠️ Curses, Cutlasses, and Cauldrons | Joel Fatal, Local Troublemaker

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Curses, Cutlasses, and Cauldrons by Joel Fatal, Local Troublemaker

I’ve posted before about other friends that have written books. That’s not new. I know some cool-ass people. This scoundrel has an Ernie and the Berts tattoo though.

I was on a boat in the ocean exactly once in life. We were far enough out that we could not see land. I was told it was a rather calm sea that day. I still puked over the side. I caught an amber-jack, that apparently was not good eating because of a potential parasite? I am deathly allergic to shellfish, and I am not a fan of the beach. I have probably only had rum a handful of times and it was always mixed with Coke or Dr. Pepper. Still though, who doesn’t love the romance & adventure of pirate imagery, and pirate songs?

Here’s my review of Joel’s book:

This collection of thoughts, reflection, & feelings is delivered not unlike catching a glimpse of a ghost ship in the mist on the barely discernable horizon. Sometimes it’s just hinted at on the whispers of the wind or waves of the open sea. Then, all of a sudden you’re in the crow’s nest surveying the chaos of the poop deck in a storm or in the captain’s quarters as he sips rum and recounts tales of anarchy, punk rock, rebellion, & love by candlelight. Maybe it’s the brig? Or a deserted island. It’s left to the reader to fill in the gaps as they dream of their own adventures, shenanigans, & longing. Who can’t relate to a journey, physical or metaphorical? What is the line really? Get lost in this book, & create your own treasure map to get out or to get further lost. 🏴‍☠️

You should pick it up on Amazon via KDP or check out the Goodreads page.

A hand holding a book with an illustration of a witch stirring a cauldron against an orange background, featuring a skull and crossbones in the upper corner.
Curses, Cutlasses, and Cauldrons by Joel Fatal, Local Troublemaker

After you read Joel’s book, you’ll probably want to listen to my “Let’s Get Scurvy 🏴‍☠️🦜“ playlist, and maybe even try my treasure map maze (from my book, You Can See Yourself Out). Tell me what you like from the playlist & make suggestions for more songs in the comments!

A hand-drawn treasure map maze featuring a pirate ship, sea creature, palm tree, and treasure chest, set against a background of winding paths. (Hand-drawn by AiXeLsyD13)

You can get this one on a T-shirt, and a ton of other stuff too.

But really, buy Joel’s book. Tell me what you thought about it in the comments, you barnacle-ridden bilge pump!

A person with a beard and glasses (Joel Fatal) holds four copies of a book with a pirate-themed cover featuring a skull and crossbones.

Playlist | Bass Case

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I’m building a Bass Case playlist on Amazon Music. I’m looking for songs with a killer bass-only or at least bass-heavy intro. Mostly punk, metal, rock, etc. but open to just about anything. Bass guitar or a bass VI, not electronic bass or keys.

This is the start of it (but not all of it) so far:

  • Metallica – “(Anesthesia)—Pulling Teeth”
  • Black Sabbath – “N.I.B.”
  • Misfits – “London Dungeon”
  • Type O Negative – “Black No. 1 (Little Miss Scare-All)”
  • Rancid – “Journey to the End of the East Bay”
  • Alice In Chains – “Would?”
  • Beastie Boys – “Gratitude”
  • Queen – “Under Pressure [feat. David Bowie]”
  • Green Day – “Longview”
  • Ozzy Osbourne – “No More Tears”
  • Motörhead – “Ace of Spades”
  • AFI – “Miss Murder”
  • Primus – “My Name Is Mud”
  • The White Stripes – “Seven Nation Army”
  • Metallica – “For Whom the Bell Tolls”
  • Beastie Boys – “Sabotage [Explicit]”
  • Queen – “Another One Bites The Dust”
  • The Cure – “Just like Heaven”
  • Guns N’ Roses – “Rocket Queen”
  • Megadeth – “Peace Sells”
  • Anthrax – “Got The Time”
  • The Cure – “Burn”
  • Operation Ivy – “Sound System”
  • Jimi Hendrix – “Born Under a Bad Sign”
  • Black Flag – “Six Pack”
  • Primus – “Jerry Was A Race Car Driver”
  • Fugazi – “Waiting Room”
  • Faith No More – “We Care a Lot”
  • Guns N’ Roses – “You Could Be Mine”
  • TOOL – “Schism”
  • The Dead Milkmen – “Bitchin’ Camaro”
  • Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Higher Ground”
  • Black Flag – “TV Party”
  • Violent Femmes – “Blister In The Sun”
  • Metallica – “Crash Course In Brain Surgery”
  • NOFX – “The Idiots Are Taking Over”
  • Faith No More – “Falling to Pieces”
  • The Breeders – “Cannonball”
  • Rick James – “Super Freak”
  • Duran Duran – “Rio”
  • Jane’s Addiction – “Mountain Song”
  • The B-52’s – “Rock Lobster”
  • Rage Against The Machine – “Bombtrack”
  • A Flock Of Seagulls – “What Am I Supposed To Do”
  • Weezer – “Only In Dreams”
  • The Commodores – “Brick House”
  • Death Cab For Cutie – “I Will Possess Your Heart”
  • Iron Maiden – “Killers”
  • Nirvana – “Lounge Act”
  • Jane’s Addiction – “Three Days”
  • Van Halen – “Runnin’ with the Devil”
  • The Cure – “Fascination Street”
  • The Smithereens – “Blood And Roses”
  • The Stone Roses – “I Wanna Be Adored”
  • Metallica – “King Nothing”
  • The Byrds – “Eight Miles High”
  • The Stone Roses – “She Bangs the Drums”
  • The Clash – “The Magnificent Seven”
  • Lou Reed – “Walk On the Wild Side”
  • Joe Jackson – “Got The Time”
  • Stevie Wonder – “I Wish”
  • War – “Low Rider”
  • The Jam – “Pretty Green”
  • The Temptations – “Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone”
  • Sonic Youth – “My Friend Goo”
  • Pennywise – “Ace of Spades”
  • The Beatles – “Come Together”
  • AFI – “Death Of Seasons”
  • NOFX – “Hobophobic (Scared of Bums)”
  • Thin Lizzy – “Dancing In The Moonlight (It’s Caught Me In It’s Spotlight)”
  • The Monkees – “You Just May Be The One”
  • Metallica – “The God That Failed”
  • Bad Brains – “The Regulator”
  • Rancid – “Maxwell Murder”
  • Deee-Lite – “Groove Is in the Heart”
  • Talking Heads – “Psycho Killer”
  • Dead Kennedys – “Viva Las Vegas”

Song name/artist would be more helpful than a Spotify link because I can’t copy/paste from there into Amazon Music.

…and this is subject to change pretty quickly & often.

A screenshot of a playlist titled 'Bass Case' on Amazon Music, featuring various songs with prominent bass lines.

Halloween Music

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I have a playlist problem. So, I have a lot of Halloween and Halloween-adjacent playlists. Some I have that are just massive & I listen to them on random. Some are a little more compact. What are your favorite Halloween songs? Anything I’m missing, songs or themes?

Screenshot of a Halloween playlist on Amazon Music, featuring album covers and the playlist title 'Halloween' with a pumpkin emoji.

I mostly listen on Amazon Music, but can use Tune My Music to pop these over to Spotify if you’re interested.

Straight-up Halloween:

Spooky Vibes:

File under “Of course”:

Good Halloween Costumes:

Damn, reading this… I feel like I’m slacking for not having Vampire, Werewolf, & Zombie playlists.

A Band Called Punchline | Podcast

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It took me forever to get into podcasts. Some I have been enjoying lately are Chris DeMakes a Podcast, One Hit Thunder, & more recently A Band Called Punchline. (The former two break-down & deep-dive into songs in totally different yet incredible ways… I highly recommend them to musicians and fans!)

🎶 Don’t sleep on One By Willie, In Defense of Ska, Gumbands (with the legendary Rick Sebak), Lobby Boys, What Makes This Song Stink (Pat Finnerty!), That One Time on Tour, Peer Pleasure, & Weird Al-gorithm. But, this isn’t about those. 🎶

You can listen to all of these anywhere you find podcasts, but I do mostly all of my listening on Amazon Music.

Collage of images featuring the band A Band Called Punchline performing live, showcasing musicians on stage and off, with the band's name prominently displayed in bold letters.

I have absolutely no idea why I didn’t get big into Punchline in the very late 90’s or early 00’s. We all frequented the same places. I had to have seen them. I was active in AiXeLsyD then Gasoline Dion at the time. Their music is in my wheelhouse. I have heard a lot of Chris Fafalios because he produces on Chris DeMakes a Podcast & co-hosts One Hit Thunder. Chis is a great co-host with Matt Kelly & producer with involvement in 2 quality shows. This came up, and I was like… I have no excuse to not check this out as I love music, music documentaries, stories about songs, stories about playing & touring. It’s a no-brainer, right?

Well, I’m 3½ episodes in and the name-dropping alone is mind-blowing. Laga, Logic, AMC, Berlin Project, Mr. Smalls, Soundscape Studios, Garfield Artworks, Josh Bakaitus, Drusky, Joker Productions, mp3.com, practicing in McKees Rocks, and more I am surely forgetting. It puts me back into the days when I worked on the assembly line at Sony with Alf from Circle of Dead Children, or when me & An-Die ran into the Zao guitarist at Westmoreland Mall. Everyone was in a band. Ha ha. I remember Dirtbag Rob saying he had an AiXeLsyD T-shirt or patch before he was in the band.

I was at so many shows at Laga. That’s where I got to see Doyle play the Misfits intro in their green room one time. I remember Logic from that killer Take Me To Your Leader compilation CD. Man I miss punk comps. AiXeLsyD was practically the house band at AMC for a bit. We played every open stage we could. Berlin Project always worked the crowd well. I remember playing Mr. Small’s at least once with Gasoline Dion, not sure if Ernie and the Berts ever played there or not. I also remember being in the back for some reason. Maybe hanging out with Dethlehem? Me & Jason were hanging out with Next Stop Detox when they recorded at Soundscape in McKeesport. I was in Detox for like 30 seconds and recorded a single at Studiophonix in Mt. Pleasant. I think Gasoline Dion played Garfield Artworks… Maybe EaTB too? I know I saw a bunch of shows there. Ernie and the Berts recorded drums there once, I think? (It’s oddly not on my places I have played map.) We practiced at the shady ABC Storage in McKees Rocks and up in Allentown for a bit.

It makes me think of all the cool bands & all the fun times we had back then!

But, the cool part is hearing Berlin Project’s story, from the guys themselves. They seem like genuine nice people who set out to make some music, make a living doing it, and accomplished that! It’s presented documentary style and sort of gives me NPR vibes.

I am rooting for them every step of the way while I listen, When they talk about literally losing a tire off their van, using calling cards & pay phones, running up cell phone bills in the Nokia brick & flip phone days, purposely putting music on Napster just to get it out there, paying way too much for recording, sleeping on floors & booking tours, meeting other great and not-so-great bands… it all just hits. I am not and never was a pro touring musician, but I get it. I respect the hustle, and I appreciate the insight & shared experiences.

If you were around the southwestern PA scene in the late 90’s or early 00’s, ever picked up a guitar (or bass or drums or keys or horns), or are a fan of punk, indie, & DIY… you gotta check this out.

It’s on a bunch of platforms, so find it how you find yours… or start here:

Apple | Spotify | Amazon | YouTube

I’m starting to dive into their stuff. I really dig the old stuff on their bandcamp that they sort of don’t recognize as much any more. Check out their website. I also want to see their music special on Amazon Prime. Punchline fans, what are your favorites? Can you make me a top 20 playlist in the comments? What are your memories of seeing them play or hearing their songs for the first time? What about if you played your own shows in & around that time?

Bluesky | Music Ask (AiXeLsyD13’s Answers)

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These go around all the time on social media. Saw one on Bluesky. Thought I’d make a playlist. This, like all of my musical tastes, could change if I were to do it again in 5 minutes. Here we are though. I made a playlist & put it on Amazon Music, Spotify, & YouTube.

Music Ask 1. A song you like with a color in the title 2. A song you like with a number in the title 3. A song that reminds you of summertime 4. A song that reminds you of someone you would rather forget about 5. A song that needs to be played LOUD 6. A song that makes you want to dance 7. A song to drive to 8. A song about drugs or alcohol 9. A song that makes you happy 10. A song that makes you sad 11. A song that you never get tired of 12. A song from your preteen years 13. One of your favorite 80's songs 14. A song that you would love played at your wedding 15. A song that is a cover by another artist 16. One of your favorite classical songs 17. A song that would sing a duet with on karaoke 18. A song from the year that you were born 19. A song that makes you think about life 20. A song that has many meanings to you 21. A favorite song with a person's name in the title 22. A song that moves you forward 23. A song that you think everybody should listen to 24. A song by a band you wish were still together 25. A song by an artist no longer living 26. A song that makes you want to fall in love 27. A song that breaks your heart 28. A song by an artist with a voice that you love 29. A song that you remember from your childhood 30. A song that reminds you of yourself

1. A song you like with a color in the title.

“Black No. 1 (Little Miss Scare-All)” – Type O Negative

2. A song you like with a number in the title.

“3 Small Words” – Josie and the Pussycats

3. A song that reminds you of summertime.

“Swing Life Away” – Rise Against

4. A song that reminds you of someone you would rather forget about.

“Casket” – Graves

5. A song that needs to be played LOUD.

“Headbanger” – Teenage Bottlerocket

6. A song that makes you want to dance.

“The Safety Dance” – Men Without Hats

7. A song to drive to.

“UFO’s, Big Rigs and BBQ” – Mojo Nixon

8. A song about drugs or alcohol.

“Beer” – Reel Big Fish

9. A song that makes you happy.

“Maggie Mae” – Pietasters

10. A song that makes you sad.

“Cricket” – Dance Hall Crashers

11. A song that you never get tired of.

“I Turned Into a Martian” – Misfits

12. A song from your preteen years.

“Sweet Child O’ Mine” – Guns N’ Roses

13. One of your favorite 80’s songs.

“True Colors” – Cyndi Lauper

14. A song that you would love played at your wedding.

“You Shook Me All Night Long” – AC/DC

15. A song that is a cover by another artist.

“War Pigs” – Cake

16. One of your favorite classical songs.

“Duel of the Fates” – John Williams

17. A song that would sing a duet with on karaoke.

“Heart Shaped Guitar” – Masked Intruder

18. A song from the year that you were born.

“We’re a Happy Family” – Ramones

19. A song that makes you think about life.

“Ordinary World” – Green Day

20. A song that has many meanings to you.

“One” – Metallica

21. A favorite song with a person’s name in the title.

“Jamie Oliver” – The Apers

22. A song that moves you forward.

“Float” – Flogging Molly

23. A song that you think everybody should listen to.

“Raise Your Glass” – Guns ‘n’ Wankers

24. A song by a band you wish were still together.

“Love’s Easy Tears” – Ann Beretta

25. A song by an artist no longer living.

“God’s Gonna Cut You Down” – Johnny Cash

26. A song that makes you want to fall in love.

“Pantera Fans in Love” – Nerf Herder

27. A song that breaks your heart.

“Crazy” – Willie Nelson

28. A song by an artist with a voice that you love.

“Sabbath Bloody Sabbath” – Black Sabbath

29. A song that you remember from your childhood.

“Walk Like an Egyptian” – Bangles

30. A song that reminds you of yourself.

“Knowledge” – Operation Ivy

It was tough to pick. I could do this list probably 5 deep with entirely different yet valid answers right now. I mean, I have whole playlists for color, numbers, dates, names, & more. I also thought of another ask that I wonder if anyone would participate in?

🎵🎶🎸🤘📻🎵🎶

The whole thing:

Would you do this one, or another one? Just the ones that popped into my head are…

  1. A song about a season.
  2. A song about a day of the week.
  3. A song about a year.
  4. A song about a bodily function.
  5. A song about a body part.
  6. A ridiculous song.
  7. A macabre song.
  8. A song about food.
  9. A song about an animal.
  10. A song about a monster.
  11. A song with advice.
  12. A sea shanty.
  13. A song from a movie you like.
  14. A song about a movie you like.
  15. A song from a TV show you like.
  16. A song about a TV show you like.
  17. A song an artist sings about another artist.
  18. A song about making love.
  19. A song about birth.
  20. A song about death.
  21. A song about a house.
  22. A song about a place.
  23. A song about a road.
  24. A song by a supergroup.
  25. A song that’s a collaboration of artists.
  26. A song about a family member.
  27. A great live song.
  28. A song from the 70’s.
  29. A song from the 90’s.
  30. A song from the 00’s.
  31. A song from the 10’s
  32. A song form the 20’s.
  33. A super catchy song.
  34. A song one of your parents likes.
  35. A wholesome song.
  36. A crazy song.
  37. A song about mythology or religion.
  38. A nice song.
  39. A mean song.
  40. A song about a historical event or figure.

What are some other good suggestions? You gonna do the ask? Which of these songs do you love or hate?

Roasted Broccoli Cheddar Soup w/ Ham n’ Cheese Beer Bread Sandwiches 🧀🥦🥣🍺🥓🍞

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It’s cheeseception. I wanted to try that cheesy beer bread in some grilled ham & cheese sandwiches… and I needed some soup for the side, right? Why not up the cheese level with my old broccoli cheese soup or my potato soup? I thought the fiber from the broccoli may be beneficial. 😆

I altered the recipe a bit.

Golden roasted broccoli cheddar soup with pops of green and orange (from carrots) in a small white bowl with a spoon sitting beside a panini-grilled ham & cheese sandwich with cross-hatch lines on a white plate. It's all on a wooden counter top, beside a wooden cutting board,
Roasted Broccoli Cheddar Soup and a Cheesy Beer Bread Grilled Ham & Cheese Sandwich

I probably should have stuck with a traditional tomato soup to combat the absolute decadent richness, but this soup was pretty damn good. I want to try to make a roasted butternut squash soup eventually too… but not sure that would pair well with this sandwich?

I did spice-up my original broccoli cheese soup recipe. This could be a full meal, or a side to a nice turkey or roast beef sandwich. Recipe down below. That’s what I did this time. I’ll probably make it slightly different next time. Everyone does that, right?

As far as the sandwich, I just cooked some lunchmeat ham for a few seconds on the panini grill, sliced up the cheesy bear bread, buttered the outsides with softened butter, and stacked it with some individually wrapped cheese slices… cooked on high on the countertop grill to sear & melt it all at once. I should have gotten a side view, but I was hungry.

🥦🧀🥣 Roasted Broccoli Cheddar Soup | The Recipe

This is like my last recipe, but slightly altered.

Ingredients:

  • 2 sticks of butter
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or whatever kind you like)
  • 1 cup of flour
  • ½ cup of shredded carrots
  • ¼ cup of diced celery
  • ½ Spanish onion
  • 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
  • ½ tsp. ground mustard
  • ½ tsp. paprika
  • ½ tsp. onion powder
  • ½ tsp. garlic powder
  • ½ tsp. salt-free table blend seasoning
  • ¼ tsp. white pepper
  • Salt, black pepper, & dried parsley to taste
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 32 oz. box of chicken stock
  • 32 oz. box of vegetable broth
  • 12 oz. bottle or can of beer (I used Yuengling Traditional Lager.)
  • 2 tsp. Ham Broth Base (I used Orrinton Farms)
  • 3 bundles of fresh broccoli (chopped up into spoon-sized pieces)
  • ¼ cup of bacon pieces
  • 10 oz. block of extra sharp cheddar cheese (grated)
  • 10 oz. block of white cheddar cheese (grated)
  • ½ cup of parmesan cheese
  • 16 oz. block of Velveeta (cut onto small chunks)
  • 2 cup bag of shredded “mac & cheese blend” cheese

Method:

  1. Pre-heat oven to 425°, & do all your chopping/shredding/measuring.
  2. Toss about ⅔ of the broccoli, & a bit of carrots & bacon pieces in a bowl with salt, pepper, & oil to coat. Roast on a sheet pan for about 20 minutes.
  3. While that is going, melt butter on medium heat in the bottom of your stock pot, add celery, carrots, onions, garlic, & sauté for a bit.
  4. Mix all the spices with the flour, add to pot to make a roux and let it get a nice color brown.
  5. Add the beer slowly to the roux, then the boxes of stock, then the buttermilk.
  6. Add remaining ⅓ of broccoli & bacon pieces, bring to a boil, simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes.
  7. The roasted broccoli should be done, hold it until you have 5 min. left of simmering.
  8. Turn heat to low, stir in all that cheese. (I mixed it all into a bowl 1st)

Notes:

  • This was a different soup when roasting vs the last time. I could honestly go for either again.
  • I used whatever seasonings at every step as they struck me in addition to the measured amounts.
  • I did pop in a squirt of yellow mustard, too. Mustard is botanically related to broccoli, & acts as an emulsifier.
  • Fresh real bacon would be incredible here, maybe more of it… or even bits of cubed ham.
  • You could skip the beer & do 1½ cups of water with the ham bullion or Better Than Bouillon. I like to use Straub Amber to cook too.
  • I wonder if a red bell pepper would be good in this too?
  • This makes a large pot, so hope you like leftovers.
  • My apologies to vegans, the lactose-intolerant, and the dairy-allergic.

🥦🧀🥣

OK, so how would you make your broccoli cheddar soup? Can I call this broccoli cheddar when it also includes other kinds of cheese? What are your thoughts on the roasting? Would you try this? Do you have a broccoli cheese soup go-to recipe? How about any tips & tricks?

Halloween Playlists 🎃🍬👻🐈‍⬛🍫🦇💀🍭🕷️🕸️

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If you read this, you know I mostly use Amazon Music, but I do copy stuff to Spotify. I should copy these ones over. I refuse to pay to synch them with Tune My Music though, so I try to wait until I’m close to done to copy it. I may have copied some of these a long time ago.

What are your go-to Halloween songs? What am I missing from these lists?

You can peep this Misfits tribute from 20 years ago too, and don’t forget to get some Halloween swag or solve some free Halloween mazes.

Get Your 'Ween Out (Halloween Punk Rock) 🎃

German-Style Hot Potato Salad

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I was in a cooking mood last weekend, and I tried out some hot German style potato salad. As usual, I googled recipes, solicited advice on Threads, and even bounced stuff off of LLM’s. I came up with the recipe below, and it paired nice with some Reubens. The bread on the Reubens was less than stellar. I need to get some better rye, & make sure it’s still seedless. (Thanks, diverticulitis!) Maybe marbled or Pumpernickel is the way to go? I’m not much of a baker, unless it’s as easy as the Cheesy Beer Bread.

Hot German-Style Potato Salad

OK. So here’s what I did:

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs. red potatoes
  • 10 strips thick-cut bacon, chopped
  • 1/2 of a Spanish onion, finely diced
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup white vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon ground mustard
  • Salt, Pepper, Onion Powder, & Garlic Powder to taste
  • Dried parsley to taste
  • Fresh chopped parsley

Instructions

  1. Put the whole potatoes in a large pot and cover with about 1 to 2 inches of cold, salted water (or chicken broth for extra flavor). Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 15-20 minutes. Drain the potatoes well and set them aside. (Next time I will add the other half of the onion here. I did add a bit of ham bullion to the water.)
  2. While the potatoes are cooking, place the chopped bacon in a large skillet or pan over medium-low heat. Cook until the bacon is crispy, stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon pieces and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain, but leave the rendered bacon grease in the skillet. (I may have snuck in a tiny bit of butter here.) This seemingly takes forever but is worth it. I seasoned the bacon with onion powder, garlic powder, & black pepper.
  3. Add the diced onion to the skillet with the bacon grease. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the onion is soft & translucent.
  4. To the skillet with the onions and bacon grease, add the chicken broth, white vinegar, sugar, Dijon mustard, and ground mustard. Whisk the mixture to combine. Bring the dressing to a simmer and let it cook for about 2 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Season with salt and pepper to your liking. I put the dried parsley in here, too.
  5. Dice, the still-warm potatoes into large 1-inch-ish chunks, then place in a large bowl. Pour the hot dressing over the potatoes and gently toss to coat. Stir in about half of the cooked bacon pieces.
  6. Let the salad sit for at least 15 minutes to allow the potatoes to fully absorb the flavors. Just before serving, sprinkle the remaining crispy bacon and fresh chopped parsley or chives over the top.

The fresh parsley made it pop. Of course, you could use Yukon Gold or whatever potatoes you have. Watch out for green ones!

I wondered if honey mustard would be good? Obviously brown mustard or German mustard or even yellow mustard should be fine. I wonder what Herlocher’s would be like? Apple cider vinegar or brown sugar should be fine too. I see proponents for and against just about every variation online.

I say use what you have on hand or what you know you like. I bet I used Mrs. Dash’s table blend at some point, too. Some recipes recommended wine instead of broth. I may try it with beer?

Is this one you make often? Have you ever tried it? What are your tips & tricks? Luckily both kids liked it, so I’m sure I’ll be making it again. Also… I really didn’t measure much…. I just go.

Hit me up with your take on the Reuben, too! I have made them a few different ways, but always with the same basic ingredients.

Reuben Sandwich & Hot German-Style Potato Salad

Also, this is a hilariously appropriate song to rock to while you’re cooking:

It’s tangential, but made the cut for my Fast Food Punk Tunes & Dad Shit playlists!

Playlist | Fast Food Punk Tunes

Posted on by Standard 2

This is another punk-rock leaning short one. “Bloodbath at Burger King” is an absolute gem, as are many others here. This is what I have so far:

  • Screeching Weasel – “I Saw The Devil At McDonalds (Demo)”
  • Teenage Bottlerocket – “Blood Bath At Burger King”
  • The Berlin Project – “Taco Bell World”
  • Gas Station Boner Pills – “Fist Fight at the Waffle House”
  • Richies – “Le Big Mac”
  • Indigo Girls – “Dairy Queen”
  • The Knuckleheadz – “Fuck McDz”
  • Teenage Bottlerocket – “Too Much La Collina”
  • Wesley Willis – “Rock ‘N Roll McDonald’s”
  • The Smithereens – “White Castle Blues”
  • Boris the Sprinkler – “Don’t Really Want To Walk To Taco Bell Without You”
  • Silly Stu – “McDonald’s in the Pentagon”
  • Motorpsychos – “Fries With That”
  • The Aquabats! – “Burger Rain!”
  • Parry Gripp – “Raining Tacos”

What am I missing? Are there punk-leaning songs about Wendy’s, Pizza Hut, KFC, Raising Cane’s, or Chick-fil-A? Panera? Jersey Mike’s, Jimmy John’s, Subway, Quizno’s, Vocelli Pizza, Papa John’s, or Domino’s? What about Hardee’s, Carl’s Jr., Checker’s, Rally’s, Five Guy’s, In & Out, Krystal, Jack-in-the-Box, Rax, Arby’s, or Auntie Anne’s? I’ll even take Eat’n Park or Denny’s.

I have the current list up on Amazon Music & Spotify.

Playlist | Fast Food
Playlist | Fast Food

🍔🌮

I wish I could include the great Wat Tyler track “There’s a Guy Works Down the Chip Shop Swears He’s Satan.” It doesn’t appear to be available for streaming. I may have to settle for adding the original.

Holy cow, reddit’s r/punk and Facebook’s Oddly Specific Playlists stepped up with some killer suggestions! The list is currently at 85 tracks. Some fit more loosely than others… but close enough counts in horse shoes, hand grenades, and punk rock.

Also, I need to figure out the right plugin to let me embed Amazon playlists here.