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My family and I wanted to share our experiences enjoying the Christmas festivities in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. We moved here earlier this year, so all of these fun activities are brand new to us. We all couldn't be happier, and have settled in quite well in the Northwoods of Wisconsin. Come enjoy the small town fun with us as we celebrate Christmas time. Our first stop is downtown Chippewa Falls, where we watch the annual Christmas Parade, featuring local businesses and people who have worked on homemade floats to participate in the parade. Many floats had parade participants who threw candy out to the many children who were attending. Then we went down to Riverfront Park in Chippewa Falls. It is right along the Chippewa River, and has an outdoor area where people enjoy a wide variety of fun activities throughout the year. We got to see the lighting of the town Christmas Tree, and Ava Grace got to meet Santa Claus. Finally we got to experience the Christmas Village in Irvine Park, which is also located in Chippewa Falls. This was the 34th year that local residents put up various displays and lights for all the residents of the city to enjoy. It was quite impressive! The best part was we were able to experience this in a horse drawn wagon that took us through the downtown area and Irvine Park. Although it was cold and lightly snowing, it was an experience I will never forget. So join us as we experience our fist Holiday Season in the Northwoods of Wisconsin in Chippewa Falls. Watch my video below to see the Christmas fun we experienced this year.

Here is a great way to smoke and cook a Chicken on your Kettle Grill. Spatchcock the Chicken by cutting out the backbone. This will guarantee that it will evenly cook, and as a bonus allows the skin to get extra crispy. Ingredients: Whole Chicken Kosher Salt Seasonings of your choice (I used Lovafoodie Chicken Lovers Spice Blend) Start by cutting out the backbone of the Chicken using kitchen shears, or a knife. Break the breastbone by applying pressure with you hand by pushing down. Cut off any excess skin or bones, and dry off with some paper towels. Next apply some Kosher Salt to both sides of the Chicken. Let rest for a few minutes to overnight to allow that salt to soak into the Chicken, as this will make sure it remains juicy and flavorful. Apply your favorite seasonings or BBQ rub. Make sure to get all sides, and rub it good to cover the whole Chicken. Allow to rest while you start some charcoals for the Kettle Grill. When coals are ready pour them on one side of the grill. Place your smoker box filled with wood chips (I used Apple and Hickory) directly on the coals. Place the Chicken on the grill grate on the opposite side. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Remove and cover with foil for 15 minutes before carving and serving. Enjoy! To watch me make this recipe step by step simply watch my video below.

Talk about a quick and easy recipe. This one you cook in your Instant Pot. Throw in all the ingredients and set the timer to 0 minutes. Yes, you read that right, 0 minutes. Just wait till it reaches pressure, release the steam and dinner is served. It cannot get any quicker than that. Ingredients: 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce 1/4 cup water 2 tablespoons rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon fresh ginger grated 1 tablespoon garlic minced (about 2 cloves) 1 tablespoon granulated sugar or honey or maple syrup 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper or ground black pepper 24 oz thawed raw shrimp 1-2 zucchini, sliced 1 yellow onion quartered into wedges then halved 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced green onion, chives, or parsley 1 tablespoon cornstarch use more if needed 1 tablespoon water Add the sauce ingredients to the Instant Pot. Soy sauce, water, rice wine vinegar, ginger, garlic, sugar, sesame oil, and white or black pepper. Then add the shrimp, onion, zucchini, mushrooms. Cover with the lid, make sure that the valve is in sealing position. Press on manual or pressure cook, and cook on LOW for 0 minutes. When the cooking is finished, quickly release the steam and carefully remove the lid. If the sauce is not thick enough, then remove the vegetables or leave them in, and add the slurry which is 1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon of water, and cook on saute for 1 minute, then return the veggies after the sauce is thickened. Serve over rice and top with chopped green onion or parsley. Enjoy! To see me make this recipe step by step simply watch my video below.

I absolutely love a perfectly cooked Pork Loin. The most important part is to not overcook it, because if you do it can very easily get dried out and very tough. I found the secret is using your Sous Vide Circulator. This guarantees it will be perfectly cooked and very juicy and flavorful. Ingredients: Pork Loin (I used a 5 pound piece) Seasoning of your choice (I used Luvafoodie Smokehouse Lovers Spice Blend) Worcestershire Sauce Preheat your water with your Sous Vide Circulator to 144 degrees. Next start applying some Worcestershire Sauce all over the Pork Loin. This will serve as a binder to help your seasonings stick to the Pork Loin. Rub it all over. Apply a nice amount of the seasoning of your choice all over the Pork Loin. Make sure to rub it in. If your Pork Loin has some fat on one side simply cut around a quarter inch cuts in a diamond pattern to allow the seasoning to get into the meat underneath. Next vacuum seal the Pork Loin in a bag. If you do not have a vacuum sealer you can always use a large Ziploc freezer bag. Just make sure to squeeze all the air out, otherwise it will not be easy to submerge it under the water in your Sous Vide bath. When the water reaches 144 degrees place your Pork Loin into the Sous Vide bath and cook for 3-6 hours. Remove the Pork Loin and dry off completely with some paper towels. Apply some additional seasoning if you feel it is necessary. Then all that is left is to apply a nice sear on all sides for a few minutes. This can be done in a variety of ways. A hot grill, frying pan or even the broiler in your oven. Be careful not to sear it too long, only 90 seconds or so on each side is all you need. Remember it is already perfectly cooked, and this last step is just to make it look and taste better. Slice and enjoy! To watch me make this recipe step by step simply click and watch my video below.

Here is a way to take your ordinary Cheeseburgers and turn them into something absolutely Delicious! This recipe comes from my local butcher who told me the secret on how to make the most smokey and flavorful burgers you have ever tried. Cook them with your sous vide circulator and then finish them off on the grill for a special treat that will impress your family and friends. Ingredients: Lean Ground Beef Smoked Bacon (I used end pieces I got from my butcher) High Temperature Cheese (cut into small pieces) Salt & Black Pepper to taste Burger Buns Toppings of your choice Start by grinding your Smoked Bacon pieces. Mix it well with your lean Ground Beef and Cheese by hand. Be careful not to over mix, just try to evenly blend them together. Form your burger patties by hand or by using a burger press. Place the patties in a freezer bag and sous vide cook at 135 degrees for 1-4 hours. Remove and dry off the patties very well with some paper towels. Finish them off by searing them on a hot grill, or frying pan. Don't forget to add your favorite sliced cheese. Top with your toppings and enjoy! Watch my video below where I show you how to make this recipe step by step.

One of my favorite things to cook on my Blackstone Griddle is Breakfast Sandwiches. Mainly because they taste so good, and as a bonus they are very easy to make. You can cook them with the burners on low as well, so no need to stress on burning or over-cooking anything. Add some hash browns and you have a delicious meal your whole family will love! Ingredients: English Muffins Sliced Ham Eggs American Cheese Slices Mayonnaise Butter Start by heating your Griddle on low. Lather both sides of your English Muffins with Mayonnaise. Toast on the Griddle for a few minutes until they are golden brown, remove and set aside. Next place your ham sliced on the Griddle and cook for a few minutes until they are browned. Make sure to flip the pieces to ensure even cooking. When done remove and set aside. The last step in to cook the eggs. If you have some egg rings it makes the process much easier. As the eggs are cooking place the muffins and ham back on the Griddle to heat up. When the eggs are done start assembling your sandwiches. Place a slice of cheese on top and allow it to melt. You can cover and add some water to steam and speed up the process. Remove and enjoy! To see me make this recipe step by step click on the video below.

One of my favorites things to cook and eat since moving to Wisconsin is Bratwursts. They are very popular here, and all the local butchers make them homemade. So when I saw my local butcher had made some Philly Cheese Brats I knew I had to try them! Ingredients: Bratwursts Onions Green Peppers Sliced Mushrooms Provolone Cheese Buns Butter Oil Salt & Pepper Start by placing your Brats in a freezer bag or vacuum sealing them. Cook them in the sous vide bath at 146 degrees for a minimum of 45 minutes, or up to 4 hours. Remove from the bag and dry off with paper towels. Saute the sliced Green Peppers and Onions on your Griddle with Butter and Oil. Add the Mushrooms last and mix together when they have softened. Move them to the far side of the Griddle. Saute the Brats in Butter, turning to brown on all sides. Remember they are already cooked fully, so the only objective is to make them look appetizing. Place the Brats in Buns and top with the Onion, Pepper and Mushroom mixture. Add a few slices of Provolone Cheese on top and melt. Serve and Enjoy! Watch my video below where I show you how to cook this recipe step by step.

My family and I were looking for something fun to do on a Saturday night, and luckily we heard about Movie Night at Riverfront Park. Movie Night is sponsored by the city of Chippewa Falls, and offers the opportunity for families to watch movies on a big screen under the stars. They also had some food trucks there offering some delicious options. My favorite was Fire Truck Pizza, who converted an old fire truck into a functional pizzeria. It was cool to see how they added wood burning ovens in the back to cook the pizzas. The pizza was Awesome as well. So come join us for a fun filled evening at Riverside Park in Chippewa Falls as my family and I enjoy Movie Night. Simply click on the video below.

One of my favorite cooking devices is my Blackstone Griddle. It is so easy and fun to cook some delicious tasting food on a Griddle, and I highly recommend them if you are considering getting one. But what about when you experience some peeling and flaking on your Griddle surface? How are you suppose to fix it? In this video I share my personal experience with that exact problem. If you are experiencing a similar problem with your Griddle surface watch my video to see how I was able to bring my damaged Griddle surface back to life, using the Blackstone Cleaning Kit. Watch my video below where I show you how to clean and re-season your Griddle step by step.

Chippewa Falls Oktoberfest has been providing a family-friendly German heritage event in the Chippewa Valley for 17 years. I knew I had to take the whole family for some family fun, as well as enjoy a few beers. We decided to go the opening ceremonies held at the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company. We started by watching the Festmeister and Festmeisterin being announced, as well as seeing the ones from previous years. Next we watched the Golden Keg Procession, where the Golden Keg gets attached to a horse drawn carriage. Then it leads a parade of people to the Northern Wisconsin State Fairgrounds. Once their the Golden Keg gets tapped, and the Oktoberfest officially begins. Festival goers can enjoy four stages with over 30 entertainers for all ages, vendors, authentic foods, and plenty of dancing. Watch my video below where you can come join us for a fun filled afternoon at the Chippewa Falls Oktoberfest.

Nothing beats a nice Porterhouse Steak, especially when you make some homemade Cowboy Butter to dip that Steak into. It seems Steak and Butter are the ultimate combination! Ingredients: Porterhouse Steaks Kosher Salt Ground Black Pepper Cowboy Butter Ingredients: 4 tbsp butter Juice and zest of half a lemon 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 tbsp Dijon mustard Pinch of cayenne pepper 1/4 tsp paprika 2 tsp fresh chopped parsley 1 tsp freshly chopped chives 2 tsp minced thyme 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes Salt and Black pepper to taste I started by Dry-Brining my Steaks. It isn't very complicated, just apply some Kosher Salt and Ground Black Pepper, and let rest in the refrigerator for a few hours, or even overnight. Mix the Cowboy Butter ingredients together in a bowl, and place in the refrigerator to firm up. Next I smoked the Steaks on my Kettle Grill at 225-250 degrees until they reach an internal temperature of 125 degrees. I used some Cherry Wood and a few Hickory Wood Chips. Try to keep that temperature low, as you want to keep those steaks on as long as possible to absorb some smoke flavoring. Once they reach 125 degrees remove the Steaks and cover with foil for a few minutes while you add more charcoal to the grill. Get the fire going strong, as in the final step we want to sear those Steaks for a minute or two on each side. Sear the Steaks and serve immediately with the Cowboy Butter. Enjoy! Watch my video below where I show you how to make this recipe step by step.

Are you looking for a portable grill that you easily transport with you? How about a compact camping stove? Or an easy to transport fire pit? Well I have found something that does it all. It is a grill, a camping stove, and a fire pit all rolled into one. Let me introduce you to the Lifedoo Urod Fire Pro. I was happy when the Lifedoo company reached out to me about doing a review for their new updated portable car camping fire pit called the Urod Fire Pro. One thing I appreciated right away was how small this stove was. So easy to throw into the trunk of your car or the back of your camper. Yet despite its small size it is a heavy duty unit that will last for many years. It is 3mm thick stainless steel that is very durable. It will handle charcoal or even bigger pieces of firewood if you prefer using it as a fire pit. It also prevents making a mess with the tray that catches all the ash from the fire. Overall I was very impressed with the Lifedoo Urod Fire Pro. If your looking for an inexpensive and heavy duty unit that can be used as a grill, a camping stove, and a fire pit I think you don't need to look any further. Watch my video below where I show you my unboxing and review of the Lifedoo Urod Fire Pro.