Anna Popovic Blues Concert at the Watseka Theater

So until today, I'd never heard of blues artist Anna Popovic or the town of Watseka, Illinois.

"Until today" being the operative part of that sentence.

The Captain, some neighbors, and I loaded up in our ride and started the trek to the Watseka Theater in -- you guessed it -- Watseka, IL. Two neighbors are big blues fans and the rest of us were just along for the ride. If you know anything about Illinois geography, you basically leave Chicago, pass Kankakee, turn right at a corn field, drive down another 11 cornfields, make a left, and you are in Watseka.

While blues isn't my first, or second, or 15th choice in music genres, the concert was quite good, and the venue was really nice. The smaller theater sat about 300-400 guests (and the 'house' was packed), and had an adjacent bar and lounge area (per some signs, they also had a pre-show buffet we missed).

We stuck around and got some autographs (our neighbor-fans were IN HEAVEN).

If you ever get a chance (and enough gas) to head down to the Watseka Theater, it's a quaint venue for any concert or show. Here is their web site to check out upcoming events: http://www.watsekatheatre.com/

Comments

Instant Pot Chicken Marsala

Day two with my Crock-Pot Express (CPE), aka Instant Pot. Tonight, we are making Chicken Marsala, one of The Captain's favorites. Since I'm preparing to get back into the 21 Day Fix starting on January 15 (with the new 80 Day Obsession plan!), I'm going to enjoy the chicken and green beans only, while the rest of the family will have egg noodles with their chicken. I found a simple enough recipe on Pinterest that I'm going to adapt to work for our family's tastes a little bit better. Here is the plan: Ingredients: - 2 lbs chicken thighs, boneless, skinless - 1 T olive oil - 1/2 t garlic powder - 1/2 t salt - 1/4 t black pepper - 1/2 yellow onion, diced - 1 pint sliced baby Bella portobello mushrooms - 1 c Marsala wine - 1/4 c chicken stock or broth - 1 T minced garlic Instructions: - Set device to “Sauté” and add oil. Allow to heat for 1 minute. - Season chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic powder - Add chicken to pot and sear meat for 3 ...

Creamy Tomato Sauce

This is my best low point tomato sauce concoction yet! Let's get to it: Ingredients: 2 cans diced tomatoes (do not drain) 4 t EVOO 1/4 c fat free sour cream 2 T Italian Seasoning 2 t garlic salt 1 t dill 1 t thyme Combine all ingredients except the corn starch. Bring to a boil and simmer on med-low for 15-20 minutes to begin the thickening process. Transfer about 1/4 c of the liquid from the tomatoes to a small bowl and mix well with corn starch to create a roux. Once free of lumps, add the roux to the tomatoes and stir well. Continue to simmer for another 5-10 minutes on low until ready to serve. Stir periodically to ensure the sauce doesn't get too thick or begin to dry (add a little water of this occurs). PP+ 2 for 1/4 of the tomato mixture Serve over pasta (I served it over beef ravioli). Enjoy!

Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce

Raise your hand if you LOVE washing dishes? Yes? Then this recipe isn't for you. Because dinner is done in one pot. Set it and forget it while you change into something more comfortable after a long day. Ingredients: 1 lb. ground beef 1/2 onion, diced 2 c broth or water 3 c (24 ounces) pasta sauce (marinara or tomato sauce recommended) 1 lb. any pasta (I used whole wheat high protein spaghetti) 2 T Italian Seasoning 1 t Onion Powder 1 t Garlic Powder 1/2 t salt 1/4 t black pepper Instructions: Set your pot to "Saute" and cook the ground beef, breaking up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Add the onion to the ground beef and they will cook together. Once it is cooked through (about 4-5 min), do not drain out the fat. **If you prefer to use frozen meatballs, skip the above steps, start with the meatballs in the bottom of your pot, then go from here: Mix in all seasoning (Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper) Layer in ...

Sunday Southern Days

Search This Blog