Man Made DIY

Sheridan Fire District

This month, IKEA and The Family Handyman magazine are hosting this worthy contest, The Rescue Remodel. Previously, 1000s of local firehouses were nominated to receive a complete kitchen remodel. The top five have been selected, and now it's your turn to vote! "The firehouse with the most votes will receive a truly heroic kitchen renovation valued at $25,000. And since it’s all from IKEA, it will be full of smart and innovative ideas to make their lives a little bit easier so they can better protect our communities."   … read more

If you go to any high-end kitchen shop and general goods discount store, you'll find any number of dedicated popcorn popping devices. Handle-cranked special pans, air poppers, campfire shakers, motorized stirrers, microwave options, and even tiny versions of carnival/movie theater style hopper poppers. (Isn't that fun to say?)

Turns out, their all unnecessary, and a waste of money and storage space. Cause the best way to pop corn at home, avoiding burning and popping every kernel, is likely already in your kitchen.   … read more

Fifteen years ago, I first heard about peanut butter cheeseburgers, and I assumed it had to be a joke. I was at a sports bar in my hometown in Iowa that had this vile sounding concoction on the menu and my friends were adamant that I would love it.

So I ordered it, and immediately fell in love. And I've been eating them ever since.

Now whenever I tell people about this delicacy, the reactions I get tend towards the intense. But believe me…peanut butter cheeseburgers are amazing. The sweet, gooey peanut butter compliments the savory burger patty perfectly, and believe it or not, the ketchup and mustard mixed in there makes for a perfectly heavenly bite. 

If there is ever a reason to cite the "don't knock it 'til you've tried it" trope, this is the one… read more

It's not that often that I'm wowed by a TV commercial, but today I am. This ad for Lurpak, a Danish brand of butter (margarine?), is really great. The narrator's voice is a little strange, but I guarantee after watching this you'll be singing "Chop chop chop chopping!"   … read more

I love a seasonal beer. My first question upon sitting down at any pub or restaurant is always, "What are your current seasonals on tap." Often, it's the only way to try something new in all but the most beer-centric of establishments.

Well, except for the winter. I'll try nearly anything in the fall, do my best to get in all the summer seasonals I can, but until a few years ago, I tended to stick with the year-round standards. Perhaps its just cause it's twenty degrees out, but I tend to find most Christmas-y beers a bit too...Christmas-y. First, nearly all winter seasonals are ales (as that's when those yeasts could traditionally ferment), and most American microbrews really, really pile on the hops, which I find to be unbalanced. And secondly, "Christmas ales" are seriously spiced, like a cookie, and I tend to appreciate a beer that tastes like beer, not gingerbread.