Opening Day Is 50 Days Away!

Just 50 days until Opening Day!

Hi, it's Sheila, and I don't know about you, but I can't wait!
Our Cincinnati Reds and the folks behind the Findlay Market Opening Day parade are getting everything ready for Cincinnati's unofficial holiday.

It promises to be more exciting than ever, and this year, Opening Day in Cincinnati is making history. For the first time, we'll welcome our Reds to the field on a Thursday! Major League Baseball threw Cincinnati a bit of a curve ball, but our Reds stepped up to the plate, and Findlay Market is right there with 'em.

There are a few events leading up to the 92nd annual Opening Day parade, like an ice cream social at the market on Mar. 26.

And right now at the parade website, you can read some Opening Day memories. Reds CEO Bob Castellini was there to see Hank Aaron hit his 714th home run in Cincinnati back in 1974, and he shares the story. I wrote some of my memories too.

Opening Day is second only to Christmas in my book, and I can't wait to see our Division Champion Reds again! Find out more about the parade, the memories, and more by logging onto: http://findlaymarketparade.com/

Grocery Shopping

I stop by Kroger almost everyday before work.

Hey everyone. Rob here.

Most people think it's crazy that I stop by Kroger before work. First because it's so early. Before work for me is around 3 a.m. They also think it's crazy because of the frequency. I stop by Kroger just about everyday. There are very few people there. Usually just employees maybe a few police officers from Newport and Fort Thomas. I can take my time and figure out what I want to eat for the morning. First stop is produce. Sometimes I get grapefruit. Maybe some cut up pineapple. This morning I settled on a honeycrisp apple. Now on to protein. I chose Faye brand greek yogurt. (read my earlier blog about why I am a fan.) I also bought some oat bran which is a nice alternative to oatmeal which I won't eat. Oat bran is closer to Cream of Wheat, but healthier. Working the Fox19 morning news is fun but it's long. The only time to eat is on set or between commercial breaks. My early morning stop at Kroger is the best way to nourish myself through the show in a healthy way. It may seem crazy, but early 3.am grocery shopping is a nice way to ease into my day.

Now This Is Snow ...

Good Morning Everyone....Did you have a super SUPER BOWL weekend ? What a game, right? Many sleepy eyes I am sure this morning but way to go Packers!! So I wanted to show you a picture of some big time snow and it's just not one snow event. Now do not get me wrong, we have had our share of snow this year, just over 30 inches when we average about 23 inches a season. However, up at my parents house right now in Cleveland a good 15 inches of snow pack is on the ground, covering basically mailboxes and working up the trunks of trees. Unlike here in the Tri-State when snow melts and we see grass from time to time, you can tell from this picture you really do not see the grass until Spring when you head north. Mr. Benson was exhausted from running in it, funny part is there was a tad of ice on the surface of the snow and it made it more of a hard surface so he did not sink into the snow. He ran so much that he was fast asleep Saturday night.

Is it Groundhog Day again?

Good Friday Morning! I hope this note finds you well and in good spirits!

If you missed it, Wednesday was Groundhog Day!

Yes, I'm from Pennsylvania so I have to blog about my good friend... Punxsutawney Phil! To the relief of the winter-weary, the world's most famous groundhog predicted an early spring. (right now I'm cheering while I write this)

Punxsutawney Phil emerged just after dawn on Groundhog Day to make his 125th annual weather forecast.

Now, here's the back-story, Phil has seen his shadow 98 times and hasn't seen it just 16 times since 1887. With that said let's hope he's right!

If you guys don't know the celebration takes place on Gobbler's Knob, a tiny hill in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania a borough of about 6,100 residents some 65 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. (it's actually a really cool little town, if you've never been)

The celebration is rooted in a German superstition that says if a hibernating animal casts a shadow on Feb. 2, the Christian holiday of Candlemas, winter will last another six weeks. If no shadow was seen, legend said spring would come early.

Zoological data suggests that groundhogs (like Phil) have a average lifespan of 10 years in captivity and 6 years in the wild, with a maximum lifespan of 14 years in captivity documented.

Punxsutawney Phil fans say that there is only one Phil (all the other groundhog weathermen are impostors), also every summer, Phil is fed a sip of the mysterious Groundhog Punch, which magically lengthens his life for seven years. This is done by Inner Circle members of the Groundhog Club. According to the Groundhog Club, Phil, after making the prediction, speaks to the Club President in "Groundhogese", which only the Inner Circle appear to understand, and then his prediction is translated for the entire world.

The celebration usually draws 10,000 to 15,000 spectators when it falls on a weekday. I've been to the event twice and can say it's truly a blast, so if you’re in the "good ole" Keystone State on February 2nd...check it out!

Cheers

Dan

Banh mi

Bahn mi is a sandwich which combines French and Vietnamese cuisine.

Hey everyone. Rob here. It is one of my favorite sandwiches, and now I have a new option to get them. Pho Lang Thang is a relatively new restaurant at Finlay Market. It serves all kinds of Vietnamese food, but I've only ordered the bahn mi. The sandwich is a product of French colonialism in Indochina. It combines French ingredients like baguettes, pate and mayonnaise with native Vietnamese ingredients like cilantro, hot peppers, fish sauce and pickled carrots. I usually order it without the pate though. The sandwich is made of some type of grilled marinated meat (I get pork) or tofu. Ton top of that there's a huge helping of crunchy cucumber, carrots and daikon (Japanese white radish). It is delicious. Try it the next time you're at Findlay market

Nothing Says Love Like Soup

There's nothing better when you're sick than a hot bowl of soup.

Hi, it's Sheila, and my daughter Katie was home sick from school yesterday, so I cooked an extra large pot of one of my favorites, Rita Heikenfeld's Chill Chasing Vegetable Soup.

I like to make a double batch and put some in the freezer or share it with friends. It filled up my largest soup pot.

The recipe follows. I don't use tofu, but sometimes I make a vegetarian version with vegetable (no meat) broth. And I use barley instead of bulgur wheat, but you can cook up your own variation. It's fun to try different things. Bon appetit!

Rita Heikenfeld's Chill Chasing Vegetable Soup

1 pound very lean ground chuck or round
1 generous cup chopped onion
1 tsp. garlic
1 jar chunky style pasta sauce (19-28 oz.)
3 cans low sodium beef broth
1 can chopped tomatoes and chilies or 1 can diced tomatoes & 1-2 chopped jalapenos
1 bag frozen soup vegetables (16 oz.)
1 box frozen mixed vegetables (10 oz.)
1 can drained beans (I used black beans)
1/4 cup bulgur wheat
a few handfuls of fresh greens (like spinach)
a few chunks of extra firm tofu
low fat cheddar or parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS: Saute meat, onions, and garlic. Drain fat. Thaw frozen vegetables. Add remaining ingredients, except spinach and cheese. Bring to boil. Lower to simmer for 15 minutes or until vegetables tenderize. Toss in greens and cook one minute. Garnish with cheese.

I Love Columbia Parkway...If I Could Be A Road...

Marzullo Here... If you know me you know that I love to drive! I usually am the one who is doing the driving when my FOX19 co-workers and I hit the road. I am also not one who should ever lease a car because my miles always exceed what is given to me. So with that said I do have my favorite roads and I have to say if I could be a road I would want to be Columbia Parkway. I love that road, something about the way it curves and winds along the gorgeous Ohio River. When your driving west on it you start to see the city skyline and the new towering Great American Tower. It is a road that speaks to me, some great music and all of my cares go away. I call it the auto-bond of Cincinnati, it feels BIG CITY to me, I love it! Plus it is a road that takes me to all of my favorite places including Annabells in Mount Lookout, where I can get the best pancakes in the city. You must go and get the Buttermilk Corn Cakes, they are to die for with the honeycomb butter. Sooooo gooood! So take a drive on Columbia and see where it takes you.