Jillapalooza

IM IN UR OCEAN. EATIN UR CARDZ.

State Fair, day 4

Let me begin by saying that I don’t exploit people. A few strategically placed images on the web here and there doesn’t denote exploitation. I’m a strong believer that people have the right to know. If you have no idea what I’m talking about you can look it up on Nick’s blog. If you’re racking your mind right now, tapping into those memory banks because you don’t remember reading it there, it’s because it’s a new post!! But no need to rush over, the post will probably be on the main page for awhile, if you know what I mean.

On Monday Nick and I went to the fair for the 4th and last time this year. We brought along Kristen and drug along Curtis. I thought it would be a good idea to try driving there because it would be $20 for the four of us to ride the bus and it would be free to park there, if not for the sole reason that I couldn’t handle another bus adventure. We managed to find the fair just fine, but had no idea where to park. We ended up at the ETC Park & Ride. We had a short bus ride, but as much as Nick bitched, he can’t argue that it was FREE!!

We entered by the Haunted House and promptly moseyed over to the AAFLHD booth for Nick. Then C, K & I got a corn dog. Mmmmm. We four way split a Nut Roll. Way better than the prepackaged ones. Then we stopped for a couple steak sandwiches again. We headed up to watch the 3:00 Lumberjack show, only to find there was no 3:00 Lumberjack show. I won’t exploit the person who led us astray. But that was ok, because I wanted some kettle korn. The line wasn’t that long, but it took frickin’ forever. One lady bought the entire first batch. That is just a ridiculous amount of popcorn. The small is equivalent to a movie theater jumbo. And the large is a bag that looked taller than me. So I don’t know why anyone would need 4 bags of it, but apparently this lady did. So after a few more batches I got a small bag. C & K helped me eat about half of it. When I bought it I intended to throw away what I didn’t eat, but it was just too good. So it’s sitting in my kitchen right now and I’m looking forward to a nice little snack when I get home.

After watching C & K split a root beer float I had to go for another Dippin’ Dots one. Which was immediately followed by a blackberry malt from the dairy barn. We visited Jordon & got some free minis, then filled up with liquids and sat in the shade by the Grandstand for quite awhile, chit chatting and listening to the Def Leppard/STYX/Foreigner sound check in the background.

Then we relaxed in the shade again and watched a comedian for a bit (I’m sure there was some food eaten in the interim, but the memory gets so hazy after the 4th time there). He was quite funny, making fun of us Minnesotans tastefully without ever imitating the accent from the movie Fargo.

After that I got another pretzel. It wasn’t as doughy as the first, but it was still good. Until Kristen threw away my cheese >:( Then I had a taco, but I forgot to ask for sour cream >:(

After that fiasco we headed to visit Jordon at the Tiny Tim donut stand for the second time of the day, chit chatted a bit and got another bag of mini donuts. Then we headed to Sweet Martha’s to get a cookie bucket for Travis. $13 dollars later we were eating the top layer of cookies so we could close the pail. Nick got another AAFLHD, C&K got more corn dogs and that is when the infamous picture above was snapped (more pics in the gallery).

We said goodbye to the fair 6 1/2 hours after we arrived and hopped back on the ETC bus. It was a bittersweet goodbye. Until next year, Great MN Get Together!!

State Fair, day 3

Alright, Nick and I went to the state fair, again, today. It got off to a rocky start. As we were walking up to the bus it pulled away, only to find out that there wouldn’t be a bus for another half hour. If Nick would have just gotten off the couch as opposed to laying on the couch to make me angry, we wouldn’t have had to wait there in the blazing heat for the next bus. The bus which, if I may add, and I may because it’s my blog, showed up a couple minutes after it was supposed to depart. Irritating.

Of course Nick got an AAFLHD when we arrived. I had a bite, it was the best hot dog ever. Then I promptly got myself a Dippin’ Dots root beer float. I had a bite of Nick’s fried soft shell taco from El Sol in the corner of the food building. It was yummy. Next year we’re gonna split a burrito from there. We roamed around Machinery Hill, I stopped at the FM 107 booth for a little bit, but they were discussing SPAM and it got old real fast. Not to mention there was no shade or seats available. Then we had a steak sandwich from Butcher Boys (big red roof, right by the Grand Stand). Best steak sandwich ever. After that I got a corn on the cob and ate the kernels one row at a time with extreme precision. Unfortunately I couldn’t throw my cob in the compost bin, as by the time I was done we had wondered far from it.

We stopped by Tiny Tim for a bit to chat with Jordon. I asked for one mini donut, but he brought me one bag instead. I should have stopped eating at one. I really don’t like them all that much anyway, but it’s hard not to eat something when you’re the one holding the bag. After that I got me a Snickers bar, deep fried and stickified. We headed to the milk booth. Nick had chocolate, I had vanilla to wash down my Snickers. After that we left and Nick surpassed the AAFLHD on the way out for the first time. I think I’m all faired out for the year. Nick claims he’s going back again. It’s always sad to me when the state fair is over. I look forward to it for so long, then it’s done, and with its ending marks the end of summer. :(

Must have fair foods for next year:

  • Corn cob
  • Dippin’ Dots float
  • Corn dog
  • Steak sandwich
  • Snickers w/milk
  • Raspberry malt from the Dairy Barn
  • Turkey To Go sandwich
  • Pretzel the size of my head with cheese
  • Fresh French Fries
  • Sweet Martha’s cookies
  • Burrito from El Sol
  • Tiny Tim mini donut (1)

One more thing. You know those advertising signs on the inside of bathroom stalls? I was looking at one while using the facilities. There was a section that was open. Technically it wasn’t open, as it was advertising the rental of the sign. Anyway, the heading was for “Uninterrrupted Advertising” … I’ll let you figure out what is wrong with that.

State Fair, day 2

Nick, Travis and I went to the fair again on Wednesday night. I started the night off right with a corn dog. Then we headed over to the mini donut booth to chat with Jordon. I spent $7.50 on a giant turkey leg that I ate about 1/4 of. Then we split some Australian battered potatoes. Nick took it upon himself to order sour cream and ranch… no cheese. >:(

Then I tried some pretzel balls on a stick. I had to compare them to the giant-pretzel-the-size-of-my-head. They tasted just as good, but the pretzel was doughy-er. We stopped in the dairy building. I didn’t get a malt because I was saving room for a Dippin’ Dots root bear float. But I did take one for the team and finish the last few bites of Nick’s chocolate malt. In the bee section of the horticulture building there was some honey nut ice cream. It looked good, so I thought I’d give it a try instead. Not good. It’s not that it was bad… it just didn’t taste like honey. I should have spent $.50 more and got a sundae. And by sundae I mean a bowl of ice cream with honey drizzled on it. I love nuts (laugh it up) in my ice cream, but sunflower seeds don’t quite fit the bill. Nick ate a foot long of course. We also scored a couple bags of mini donuts again. I couldn’t find the apple fries. I think I know where they are… but they weren’t on the menu and I didn’t feel like asking about it.

I woke up yesterday morning feeling a little grease logged. I’m still feeling the effects a bit. We’re going again tonight, I’m going to try to stick to healthy fair foods. So far here’s all I have: pickle on a stick, corn on a stick (a.k.a. cob)… yeah, that’s it. This time I’ll be more focused on site seeing, people watching, and actually getting to the FM107 booth in time to see Lori and Julia. Maybe I’ll shoo Nick off to the arcade while I’m there.

Great Minnesota Get Together

Yesterday was the first day of the MN State Fair, and also the first time I’ve been there on the first day. Nick and I brought Kristen with us, since Curtis is anti-fair for whatever reason. Even though there is photographic evidence of him seemingly having a great time with Nick.

Corn Dog Kings

We got there around 6 pm. I thought it was really empty compared to what it is normally like. Maybe it was because it rained all day, or maybe that’s just what it’s like on the first day. Either way I have to say it was nice to not have to wait in any lines or touch random people on the street.

Nick started the night off with a foot long hot dog from the About A Foot Long stand. Kristen and I compared Pronto Pups to Corn Dogs and agreed the Corn Dogs are the better of the two. There is more batter on the CD and it’s sweeter and has a nice grainy texture. I know I’ve said previously that they taste the same, but I’ve never actually compared them on purpose before. Other tasty items of the night included a giant pretzel the size of my head (very doughy) from inside the back corner of the Bazaar, a free bag of Tiny Tim mini donuts (compliments of Nuts), a tub of Fresh French Fries, a raspberry malt from the Dairy Building, and a heaping cone of Sweet Martha’s cookies. There was more, but I’ll start to feel guilty if I keep typing. It’s nice to have three people splitting food too.

We also watched the IRONJACK Timber Team show. That was a lot of fun. Kristen pointed out that one of the lumberjacks was a celebrity. Sean Duffy from season 6 of MTV’s The Real World!! Woo-hoo. This was a big time celebrity sighting for Kristen. I’ve never seen her so giddy before. Of course I had to look this Sean character up on the interweb today. I don’t watch the Real World, so for all I know she could have been trying to pull a fast one on me. Unfortunately none of us had a camera, so Kristen is unable to immortalize the moment forever in her blog (coming soon).

Other than that we walked around and checked out some of the buildings. We also watched people go down the giant slide in hopes of a mass person collision, but that didn’t amount to anything.

I can’t wait to go again next week. I want to try the new apple fries, and of course get a deep fried candy bar with all the milk I can drink, another CD (not PP), Dippin’ Dots root beer float, Australian battered potatoes, and a Turkey to Go sandwich… to go. Maybe I’ll even try something new if it tickles my fancy. Don’t worry, I’ll let you all know if I find something good. In the meantime, the State Fair website has a lot of info including a Food Finder section. I highly suggest you take a gander at it if you have time.

Minnesota State Fair Website

jilly’s Awesome Chocolate Chunk Nutty Brownies

Here is the recipe for my delicious chocolate brownies. I have to give credit where credit is due… I got it out of Thursday’s Taste section in the Star Tribune.

Brownie Ingredients

  • 1 cup pecans, chopped
  • 2/3 cup (10 2/3 Tbsp) butter or margarine
  • 2 (12 oz) bags (4 cups total) semisweet chocolate chips, divided
  • 1 cup minus 2 Tbsp sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cup plus 2 Tbsp flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Chocolate Ganache Topping Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 2 Tbsp (1/4 stick) butter
  • 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions (Read it all the way through, be prepared, do it… do it…)

Brownies
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9×13 inch pan.

Toast pecans in a frying pan over low-medium heat, about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they become fragrant and begin to color. Set aside.

In saucepan over low heat, melt together butter and 1 bag (2 cups) of the chocolate chips, stirring constantly. Pour the mixture into a large bowl of an electric mixer. Beat in the sugar, then the eggs (2 at a time), and the vanilla. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt (yeah right) and briefly beat into the batter. Stir in the pecans and the remaining bag (2 cups) of chocolate chips. Bake about 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center (try several places, you might hit a chocolate chip) comes out clean.

Chocolate Ganache
While brownies are baking, combine the cream and butter in a saucepan over medium heat and bring just to a boil, stirring occasionally to melt the butter. Pour into the small bowl of an electric mixer. Stir in the chocolate chips, stirring until they are largely melted. Beat on low speed until the mixture is smooth and uniform. Pour the ganache over the pan of brownies. Cool completely, then cut and chill.

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