Delicious Monday Night Chow? Oh yes.

That's right, on the night of the week that makes boiling water seems like a hideous challenge, I managed to crank out a nice little feast using a few ingredients snatched up at Heeb's while on a lunch-time stroll.

For a tasty first course, beets were roasted, chopped and combined with toasted pine nuts, olive oil, local goat cheese, and placed on top a crispy baguette slice.

Fresh peas were blanched, pureed, and combined with some half and half. A couple of local tomatoes, some garlic and some olive-oil-enhanced baguette croutons formed a quick panzanella salad.

Seven bucks worth of beef tenderloin (3/4 pound) was grilled, rested, and sliced. The beefy goodness rounded out the plate of veggie goodness. To finish it off, a red wine/balsamic reduction was drizzled on the plate.

On a Monday night this tasted like a million bucks.

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Frost in Bozeman this Morning

Although my outdoor thermometer was reading closer to 34 degrees, frost was clearly visible on my deck.

Where are my gloves, my ear-band? Didn't I just put these things away just a few weeks ago?

I don't mind the cool air as I pedal my bike downtown this morning - especially after I hear that the temps are well into the 100s in Texas.

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It's a Man-Eat-Dog World: Paulie's Hot Dogs

I like hot dogs. We are fortunate in Bozeman to have, at least during the summer months, two places to satisfy your craving for tube steak: the hot-dog cart downtown in the summer and Paulie's Hot Dogs all year long.

I had the distinct pleasure of introducing two Paulie's virgins to the hot dog experience today. My friends Mark and Teri signed on to the adventure with enthusiasm; Teri having gone so far to proclaim, "I want me some hot dog!" earlier in the week. Okay then.

Today, I decided to show off a bit in front of my friends and I ordered one of the larger, more indulgent and fully loaded varieties, the "Route 66". When this dog hits the table, your friends will be jealous. It is big. It is colorful. Most of the food groups are represented: chili, white cheddar, neon relish, onions, tomatoes, celery salt, and a pickle spear. Oh yea, I went for the "jumbo" instead of the lame-sounding "regular". I don't know about any of my readers, but I have had plenty of "regular" in my life, thank you.

Chomping through the layers of goodness while seeking the hot dog within, I played a tasty game of culinary "Where's Waldo". MMmmmm....find the doggy.....mmmmggglllll....

Mark and Teri order the more conservative "New York" (sauerkraut and brown mustard) and "Starter" (neon relish, onions, yellow mustard) dogs respectively.

Grunts of approval emanate from our booth. I was enjoying my indulgent dog so much that Teri and Mark snatched up my camera in an effort to capture the sick and hedonistic display of tube-meat bliss that was washing over my face.

In a moment of lipid-fueled creativity, Teri draws Snoopy on the chalkboard wall of the restaurant with the words, "Dogs are good". Yes, they are. Dogs ARE good.

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Revenge of the Bike Nerds

This is pretty funny. The humor herein about fixed gears, hipsters, lycra, leg-shaving, and Dura-Ace is spot on. Not that I have any..er...much...uh...years of...uh...personal experiences with any or all of of the above topics mind you.

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Dinner Tonight: Flat Iron Steak with Chanterelles, Roasted Carrots and Potatoes

Cook just about anything savory in garlic and butter and it will taste pretty good. Cook local chanterelle mushrooms in garlic and butter, and put them on top of a medium-rare flat iron steak, and it will taste way more than good. We paired our steak was a combo of roasted carrots and potatoes. It is a dinner like this one that make going out seem like a poor decision, or at the very least, a waste of money.

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Pasta with Chanterelles, Bacon & Pesto

For the record, this was delicious. Homemade pesto with bacon dressed up plain spaghetti. Topped with the orange-hued chanterelles that had been sauteed in butter and olive oil, this simple pasta dish boasted favor that belied the limited number of ingredients. Thanks to the foragers at All Things Italian for picking - and selling these gems of the fungal world.

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Bruschetta, Nina Franco Prosecco and Raspberries

Tonight we had a simple dinner of cannellini bean and tomato bruschetta. To drink we had Nina Franco Prosecco with raspberries from the yard. On this evening, life is not sucking.

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