Atlanta Adventure!

Before I dive into our recent trip to Atlanta, I must start by telling you why we went.  Early this year, my dad and I decided that we would attempt to visit all 30 major league baseball stadiums, by hitting a few each summer.  We will attempt to see the Cardinals play in as many as possible. 

Because of some pretty awesome circumstances, my dad was able to score us some great Braves tickets for Friday night and Saturday afternoon.  It was such a good deal that Katie decided to tag along!  So on Friday Sep. 10th, we land in Atlanta, get in our rental car, and drive straight to Turner Field.  We get to our seats just in time for the first pitch.  After the first inning, we decide to go ahead and get some food.  I spied a tasty looking hot dog stand on the way to our seats, so my dad and I decided to head back that way. We both ended up ordering the "Georgia Dog".  It was a footlong beef hot dog, with coleslaw and a sweet onion relish.  Holy Toledo that was a great hot dog!  

To add to the enjoyment, I ordered a "small" cup of fries to go with it.  The dog and fries ended up being $11.25.  Now, if you've been to ballparks, you know the food isn't exactly cheap.  But this was the first time I can ever remember beign full after my meal at a ball park.  All in all, a great meal!

On Saturday, we got up early and headed to the Georgia Aquarium.  If you are ever in Atlanta, I highly recommend going if you are ever in the area.  This was another big reason why Katie wanted to travel with us.  She had a great time!  Probably the most memorable part of that was getting to pet the manta rays. No food stories from here, but a great stop none-the-less.

After the aquarium, we headed to our first stop on our "Man vs. Food" tour.  We ate lunch at the Votex Bar and Grill. Here is a short vlog entry of Adam Richman talking about the Vortex.  I ordered the Tasmanian Devil Burger.  It was a 1/2 lb sirloin burger with a pepperberry rub, pinapple salsa, and pepper jack cheese.  It was amazing.  I ordered onion rings to eat on the side.

Katie ordered the Pesto burger, which was topped with a pesto spread, of course, and provolone cheese.  She had fried zucchini for her side.  My dad ordered the Coronary Bypass burger.  It came topped with a fried egg, 3 slices of cheese, and 4 slices of bacon.  He had sweet potato fries on the side.  It was an excellent meal.  The Vortex got six thumbs up from the Montagues!

After the Vortex we went back to Turner Field early to watch some batting practice.  Katie was able to catch a practice ball thrown to her by Chris Carpenter who was out shaggin fly balls.  For the second straight day, the Cardinals ended up losing, but at least they were both close games.  After the game we drove a little north to visit our second stop on our Man vs. Food tour.  We ate at The Big Pie in the Sky Pizzaria.  Here are the highlights from the Carnivore Challenge as seen on Man vs. Food.  We  merely attempted to tackle a 20" Large supreme pizza.  That turned out to be way too much pizza, even for the three of us.  It was still very good pizza! 

Sunday, we ate a quick bite in the morning, headed to the airport, and flew back home.  It was a quick, wonderful, delicious trip to Atlanta and back.  I would definitely go back to both of these wonderful restaurants if given the chance.  If you ever find yourself around Atlanta, we highly suggest stopping at either of these places. 

A Tasty Breaded Talapia Recipe

Ok, for our first post, I figured we would share one of our favorite recipes for Talapia.  We make the breading using Cream of Wheat.  I know, it sounds a little strange, but trust us, it's delicious!

Here's what you will need:

Up to 4 Talapia Filets

1/2 cup of Cream of Wheat
2 tbsp of Old Bay seasoning
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper

1 Egg
Some lemon wedges

Combine all of the dry ingredients in a flat dish or container.  Beat the egg in a seperate flat dish or plate.  Before you get too carried away, make sure your fish filets are fully thawed.
Next, pat the fish filets dry with a paper towel.  Dredge the fish through the egg wash, then dredge the fish through the breading. 

Now, you have a decision to make.  We have prepared this recipe using three methods of cooking.  All of which are delicious! 

Method 1: Using a deep fryer, cook each filet 2-3 minutes.  Fish doesn't take too long to cook!
Method 2: Put enough vegatable oil in the bottom of a large pan, and pan fry the fish a couple of minutes on each side.
Method 3: For a healthier taste, throw it on the grill!  Make a little aluminum foil boat for the fish, spray it with a little oil, and cook it a few minutes on each side.  I have a charcoal grill, but i'm sure a propane grill would work great!

Squeeze some fresh lemon juice on your fish, and enjoy!  If you try this, let us know what you think, or any variations you try with it.