Race Day Recipes: Seasoned Beef and Bean Burritos

Another one skillet meal, full of flavor and easy to bring together.  With rice & beans it turns into a classic Tex-Mex meal, but stand alone burritos can make a hearty lunch.  Built with lots of protein, it'll keep you fueled all race long.






Prep time: 5 Minutes
Cook time: 20-30 Minutes

Total time: 25-35 Minutes

Ingredients:  (Makes 6 wraps)

1/2 lb. 85/15 ground beef
1 medium onion--chopped
1 tblsp. Chili Powder
1 jalapeno--chopped
1 large green chile--chopped
1/2 cup cooked corn
1 can no-salt diced tomatoes
1 can no fat refried beans
2 cloves garlic--minced
Black pepper to taste
2 oz Monterey Pepper Jack cheese--sliced or shredded
Tabasco to taste
Salsa to taste
Sour Cream to taste
6 Fajita-sized flour tortillas

Preparation:

• Chop onions, toss into skillet with ground beef on med-high heat.  Add garlic, chili powder and black pepper.  Break beef apart and brown.
• While beef browns and onions turn glassy, chop peppers and add to mix. Let peppers begin to sweat.
• Add corn. Continue to mix everything together.  Corn should begin to sweat. Chili powder gives the blend a nice rusty color.
• Add tomatoes.  Mix through. Let simmer for about 5 minutes.  Let's the flavors blend while the tomatoes heat through. 
• Add beans and stir. Add Tabasco if more heat is desired. Once beans break down and mix into the blend, reduce heat to med-low. Stir occasionally. Let simmer for 5-10 minutes, until flavors have thoroughly blended.
• While the pot bubbles, shred or slice cheese. Place salsa and sour cream on table.
• Warm tortillas according to directions on package.  15 seconds in the microwave does it for me, but warming them in the oven will garner better results.
• Build your burritos!  On tortilla, place cheese on the bottom, so the warm beef & bean blend will melt it. Spoon desired amount of beef & bean over the cheese. Roll burrito.  Top with generous amount of salsa and sour cream.
• Serve and enjoy!

As always, you'll notice a minimum of salt added to the recipe. Your fresh veggies always give lots of flavor.  Salt arrives in the beans, tortillas, cheese and prepared salsa.



 

On the Road: The Henry Ford and The Ford Rouge Factory Tour

 Somehow NASCAR knew we had chosen Michigan as our destination this year. Beginning in April, Pure Michigan ads kept appearing during race coverage.  Then it came to planning our day trips and we realized Brooklyn, MI is literally in the middle of farms. What to do? That's when we saw an ad for The Henry Ford--millions of artifacts. Acres and acres of museum. AND a factory tour where they build F150's. We were all in.

We'll start with Dearborn, the city Ford owns/runs/built/what have you. The bridge on I94 is a Blue Oval, for goodness sake. There's a manmade lake with the corporate name on it. Block after block loom research facilities, massive testing tracks, hotels clearly built solely for the Ford offices.  This isn't just about the car in your garage, but Ford runs a humungous part of Michigan. It's then that I actually began to understand why our government felt that car manufacturers had to be bailed out. Ford wasn't part of the handouts, but my point is that for the first time I got it. This was about the men and women who punch the clock creating cars--not just corporate greed.   If Dearborn had fallen, we were looking at an entire city in shambles.  What the rest of Michigan looks like, having greatly suffered through the economic collapse, I can only imagine.

Onto the factory tour:  We are both fascinated by "How Things Are Made." The intricacies of robotics, line work, logistics, etc. Yes, Ford has set up the tour to impress you with their Eco-friendly approach to factory life and it offers the opportunity for them to sing the praises of the latest model rolling off the line. But for me, that's all beside the point. We pretty much by-passed the propaganda films and headed to the factory floor. 

I'll be recalling the images of the flawless ballet being executed by the 1,000 person team for years to come. My respect for their labor increased ten-fold as they wired tailgates, installed moon roofs and bolted the truck beds to the frame rails. While modern technology has improved quality, consistency and speed, it is startling to realize where 100,000 people used to work this factory, only 3,000 do in this current day. How America can continue to employee its millions is a question posed to the tourist, even while we marvel at the trucks honking horns in the final inspection bay. 

Note: I have no pictures of the factory, not due to corporate secrets, but because the workers don't want their pictures plastered over the internet. The tourist in me grumbled--the caddies carrying car parts around were worthy of documenting. But I can't blame the employees for protecting their privacy in this day and ago.

Ronald Reagan's Presidential Limo--you can see where they fixed the ding the bullet left.

 The Henry Ford Museum:  The museum itself is built around innovation. Yes, transportation works into it significantly. But not only are you presented with the first Toyota Prius, but why it meant something to the American consumer.  Add to that Kennedy's limo--yes, where he was fatally shot--and THE bus where the Civil Rights Movement began and it is not merely a building with a collection of old things.  It all means something.

There's innovation in comfort, economy, technology and beauty. Even now, you cannot deny the glamour of the Bugati, but also understand that in the midst of the Great Depression, only the exceedingly rich could drive one. Sometimes creativity cannot be stymied by the exigencies of poverty.

I can't truly expound on the depth of the Henry Ford collection, as we only had a few hours to wander about before our feet gave out.  Days could be spent here.  We only scratched the surface of the complex, leaving the village for another year perhaps.

We found Trevor Bayne's Daytona 500 car--still covered in sticky soda and confetti.  His front and rear bumper were rubbed raw from his dance with Jeff Gordon that propelled him to an unfounded victory.  Fun stuff.  Next to him say Bill Elliot's 212 mph Talladega car (too fast! Much too fast!) and Bobby Unser's Pike's Peak Hill Climb machine. Salt flat rockets and IndyCar samples.  Accompanies with the random RV.


But let's not forget the trains.  Yes, trains. Fullsize engines, passenger cars, snow plows and even horse-drawn carriage conversions for the earliest attempts.  I pondered how the Allegheny Steam Locomotive got in the door, until we discovered the giant gates carved into the rear of the gallery.  And yes, the trains still sit on tracks.

To finish off the day we grabbed the requisite souvenirs:  a squashed penny, magnet for the fridge and a injection molded plastic car--made right before my eyes.  A pair of German gentleman kept shaking their heads. "We have nothing like that in Germany," they said as I pulled the warm, blue truck from the dispenser.

Quite clearly we are still crazy Americans.  But at the Henry Ford, you experience a multitude of ways that our enjoyment of the new and possible has created the world we live in.  Right down to the campy, plastic F150 I just bought.
  

On the Road: Travel Days to Michigan International Speedway

Once again, we packed up the RV and headed out in search of a NASCAR track we had not yet visited. This time the destination was Michigan International Speedway, departing from the Megalopolis of Massachusetts. 

Why do we drive instead of flying and taking a hotel? Well, yes NASCAR fans have the corner pocket on tailgating, but we've found that rolling on our own schedule suits our busy lives better. There's no panic about getting to the airport, stripping down in security, missing flights or making do with a week's worth of food at hotel restaurants.  The RV life allows us to slow down when we want, explore culinary adventures and best of all, park in a wide open field under star filled skies.

Anyway, as usual, as soon as we leave the rolling hills of Connecticut behind and cross over the Hudson River, something wonderful happens. Traffic jams vanish and the expanse of our huge nation unfolds before us. We've gotten pretty used to Day 1--the trees of Pennsylvania. However, when you keep driving for hours and hours with nothing but the forest of Northern USA appearing in all directions, I can understand why the pioneers back in the Great Expansion felt a compulsion to fill the Prairie with more trees.

Dense, lush vegetation is something we become accustomed to in our daily lives. It's why we adore Spring, when brown gives way to the soft whispering of green followed by the rush of Mother Nature to replenish our oxygen supply. Imagine leaving that for an unending sky interrupted only by the rolling waves of grass on relatively flat ground.  Something must be wrong.

Well, we didn't reach the prairie this time.  Only upper Ohio. But the flatness of the world in this state is...odd to those whose homes perch upon a hill.  In fact, the vast majority of houses in my hometown rest on some kind of incline. On I80 West, we drove past acre upon acre of flat farmland and perfectly mowed lawns devoid of any other ornamentation and it starts to bother you.

Then you realize all this farmland feeds our nation and much of the world.  Did I hear that even with this seemingly unending supply of vegetables, we are still scheduled to run out of food in another 50 years or so? It boggles the mind that this much food cannot feed those in need. And then there's the realization that there is not a farmhouse to be seen for miles in some cases. Gone are the days of single families raising food and their own children on private parcels. Ah, times do change.

We did pass the Lordstown Chevy factory, where the Chevy Cruze is made.  Impressive building. Here in Michigan we must've entered via the non-factory world. For more than 40 miles off the interstate, we passed nothing but farms, empty houses and tiny hamlets that sported nothing more than a gas station and a church. We've yet to hit the grocery store, let alone find one. That might be 20 miles back that away.

And yet, in the middle of all this beautiful farmland, here sits yet another monument to auto racing. The stands gleam, the signs are big and stamped with lots of logos. The t-shirt haulers are here with a smattering of summer vacationers.

We'll be heading out to the Henry Ford museum either today or tomorrow--after locating the elusive grocery store.

We live in an amazing country.  I love leaving my little corner of it once a year and seeing its glory for myself.  One more reason to avoid the airports.

Pictures and such to come later. Enjoy the day!
 

RaceDay Recipes: Corned Beef and Cabbage

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I grew up in a household that avoided boiled dinners like the plague. Thus, when I married into a bona fide Irish family, I was introduced to the traditional Corned Beef and Cabbage and promptly wondered why I have been denied this meal my entire life.  It is made of a fatty and salty cut of meat, but if you ignore suggestions to pour another pile of salt into the pot, the brine remains as seasoning for the massive servings of veggies and the fat will boil off. So, once a year, enjoy! Wear a little green and indulge.

Cook time: 90 minutes (20 min. per pound. Min. 90 minutes recommended)

You prep your veggies while the beef enjoys its initial bath in the pot.

Ingredients: (Serves 2)

1 2 lb. flat cut corned beef
1 parsnip
2 carrots
2 medium sized potatoes
2 small yellow onions
1/4 of a head of cabbage
(Turnip is also a traditional part of the meal, but I like parsnips. Add any other root veggies you may enjoy as well.)

Directions:

Place beef, fatty-side up, in the bottom of a large pot. Pour cold water over the beef until it is entirely covered. Cook on medium-low heat to bring to a simmer. Cook for 40 minutes.

While beef simmers, peel and chop all vegetables into 3/4" cubes. To help remind you which veggie goes in next, take a large mixing bowl and place chopped cabbage, then onions, then potatoes, carrots and parsnip on top.

At 40 minutes, drop in parsnips and carrots. Continue simmering 30 minutes. Add hot water to pot to keep meat from drying out on top.

Add potatoes and onion. Continue simmering 10 minutes.

Add cabbage. Simmer 10 minutes.

Test beef for tenderness. A fork should slide through with little resistance. All vegetables should be fork soft.

Add time as needed.

Remove beef from pot. Let sit for at least 10 minutes. Drain vegetables and place in large serving bowl. Sprinkle with parsley. Slice beef across the grain with sharp knife, as thick or thin as you prefer.

Serve with your favorite mustard.

There will be leftovers! Which work well warmed over or minced into your very own corned beef hash.

This meal was born from large farming families with ingredients that were always on hand. It didn't intimidate the cooks back then, don't let its simplicity fool you into thinking it's harder to prepare now.

  

RaceDay Recipes: Sausage and Egg Breakfast Skillet

Welcome back! With a new NASCAR season, we have a whole pile of new recipes that are never daunting to whip together.  Today we have a hearty Sausage and Egg Breakfast Skillet.  One pot. Lots of flavor and loaded with enough protein to keep you energized until the late afternoon Phoenix race arrives.

Prep time: 5 min.
Cook time: 20-25 min.
Total time: 30 min.
Serves 2-3 hearty portions









Ingredients:
1/2 lb. Your favorite ground sausage (not links)
1 large potato
4 eggs
2 tblsp. chopped chives
A quarter of a sweet onion
3 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
Cholula Sauce (Smokier, sweeter hot pepper sauce)
Bacon Crumbles
Sour cream
Salt & Pepper to taste

1.)  Preheat oven to 350F. Heat large deep ovenproof skillet on stove top over medium-high flame.  Dice onion. Brown ground sausage and toss onion into the pot. Heat until onions are glassy.

2.)  Chop potato into small cubes. You don't need to peel them. Add to pan.  The fat from the sausage provides enough oil. Likewise, the seasoning from the sausage will season the potatoes. Stir occasionally to provide even heating throughout. However, letting the mix sit for a few minutes between stirring allows the ingredients to nicely brown, increasing the flavors. Don't fear the color!

3.) While the potatoes cook, in a bowl crack and whip the eggs. Set aside.  Shred the cheese and set aside.

4.) When potatoes begin to brown, add the eggs and mix in.  Toss in chives and Cholula Sauce to taste. Stir once to blend. Top with shredded cheese and bacon bits.

5.) Place skillet into the oven until cheese is brown and melted. Just a few minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for a minute or two.

6.) Serve with sprinkle of chives and dollop of sour cream.

7.) Enjoy!

RaceDay Recipes: Shrimp & Angel Hair Parmesan

I've said it before, I'll say it again. You don't always need to go shopping in order to make an awesome meal!  Take a good look at what's already in the pantry before deciding to spend more money. We do those stocking up trips at the grocery store for a reason!

This is a light pasta dish. If you're looking for better flavor, fresh veggies, herbs, cheese and shrimp are always better, but sometimes they are not sitting in the fridge.  I ran with what I had.

 Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes
Serves about 2


Ingredients

• Angel Hair pasta 1/3 box
• Shrimp--pre-cooked, frozen, deveined and all that goodness
• Garlic--1 clove chopped
• Onion--2 tblsp chopped
• Celery--1 stalk chopped
• Green onion--1 stalk chopped
• Chicken stock 1 cup
• Olive Oil--2 tblsp
• Oregano & Basil to taste
• Parmesan Cheese--1/2 cup or more (to taste)

Preparation

• Rinse shrimp under cold water to start thawing them
• Set pot of water to boil
• Chop all your veggies, heat a skillet and swirl in your oil, let warm.
• Add garlic, onion, celery, oregano and basil.  Cook a couple minutes until onion is glassy.
• Add chicken stock and green onion.
• When stock starts to simmer, add shrimp.
• Drop pasta into BOILING water.  Angel Hair is the thinnest pasta out there.  It only takes a few minutes to reach Al Dente, so don't wander off.
• When shrimp is just thawed, start adding cheese.  Keep stirring to melt. The parmesan will melt quickly. Let sauce simmer on low while pasta finishes.
• Test pasta for being done. Drain. 
• Either mix pasta with a swirl of oil to prevent sticking or mix with sauce.
• Serve!

I don't have a picture of my kitchen adventures, today. I ate it all :)  Also remember that if you don't like a particular ingredient in a dish, don't be shy about substituting your own.

Enjoy the race at Talladega tomorrow. You could probably throw this dish together during the caution for The Big One.

RaceDay Recipes: Pork Chops & Fried Apples

Pan fried boneless pork chop and fried apples.

Seriously, it's time to stop over thinking your food.

How many times do we look in the fridge at a collection of ingredients and think there's no time make anything out of it all?  Think again.

Sometimes simple is delicious and fast!

Boneless Pork Chops and Fried Apples

Prep time: 5-10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• One pound boneless pork chops, thick cut
• 4 small seasonal apples...I used Paula Reds
• 2-3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• salt, pepper, sage for seasoning
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Extra virgin olive oil

Preparation:

1. Core and chop apples into 1/2" cubes.  Don't peel them.  All the flavor leaves the apples when you do that. Granny Smiths are often recommended for fried, but that's because they are less likely to turn to mush.  Any apple will do. At this time of year, don't be afraid of the bags of fresh bargain fruit!
2. In a 2 qt. pot heat up butter over medium heat. Drop apples into melted butter. Coat the apples. After a minute, mix in cinnamon and sugar.  Stir until apples are coated and sugar is melted. Turn heat down a bit and let apples simmer, stirring occasionally. 
3. In 12" frying pan, heat up EVOO over medium high heat. Season pork chops and drop into hot pan.  Let brown--about four minutes or so--then turn.  Continue to cook until no pink remains.  Turn only once! When done, remove from pan and let sit for a few minutes before slicing.
4. By now, apples should be soft, but not cooked into sauce. Remove from heat.
5. Serve! Garnish (which I always forget to do) with fresh thyme or parsley.

Accompanied with a green salad, this is an elegant meal that requires no special ingredients or fancy cooking tricks.  During our harvest season, it is often rewarding to enjoy the flavors of fresh produce and meats without hiding them beneath overly complicated sauces.

Hope your Race Day is full of satisfying snacks :)
 

RaceDay Recipes: French Onion Soup

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

Total time to the table: 15 minutes

I know. What am I thinking?  French Onion Soup is not fast and easy to make.  However, if you open a can, it's not complicated.  So, if you're heading out to the track in your RV, how can you have this light, warm, satisfying meal without sacrificing quality by eating something out of a can?

Think ahead.


My favorite recipe for making French Onion Soup is from AllRecipes. Sometime in the winter I find some free time for some great soup.  I make a double batch of the good stuff and freeze half of it. When we head out to the track, I just take the frozen treat with me.  While shopping for the week, I'm sure to add to the cart:

• 8 oz. of Swiss Cheese (The recipe calls for Gruyere. I'm not that much of a cheese snob, and can't really tell the difference.  At $12.00/lb I'm willing to go for the cheaper swiss.)

• 1 Baguette from the bakery.  The French bread is the right shape for making the big crouton.

At the track, leave the soup in the fridge until the day you want it, so you don't have to waste time defrosting.

Reheat the soup on the stove top.  Toast several 1" slices of the baquette in your oven. You don't need a toaster. Just toss it on the rack on your oven at 350 degrees for a few minutes until crispy and brown. If you don't toast the bread, it will soak up all the liquid in your soup AND collapse leaving an awkward presentation.

Turn the oven to Broil.

Fill individual oven-safe soup crocks with the warm soup. Leave about 1/2" at the top.
Top with toasted bread. Try to cover the entire top with the bread to provide a more even melting surface for the cheese.  Top crock with swiss cheese.  Let the cheese run over the rim--this will seal the soup into the crock.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Broil for 5 minutes--or until top is bubbly and a little brown.

Serve.

Remember, you don't have to eat hamburgers and hot dogs non-stop when hanging out at the infield.

Happy Racing!

At the Track: Things You May Not Have Known About NHMS

It often amazes me what you can learn about the inner workings of massive venues like NASCAR tracks when you arrive a few days early.  Like, did you know you can wander around the facility for free if you arrive on Monday or Tuesday?  Just stay out of the way of all the vendors getting the place ready for the 100,000 screaming fans!

See the little tether at the top of the number 1?  It's there because a few years ago the bolts on the numbers (which help the drivers count down to the entry of the corner) failed and the tin number became a piece of "debris" during the race. 

 

 

 

 JUST PAINTED!  The guys were finishing up as we walked up.  The start/finish line is all bright and shiny for Sunday's race!

Did you know? Every Styrofoam piece of the SAFER barrier has these numbers on them...what for? Date of manufacture. Some pieces are dated from 2010. Most of the new ones are in the corners.  Guess where we have all the wrecks at NHMS?

 
 


Unlike some other tracks (Martinsville!) the grass does not get painted green in New Hampshire. We only paint on the logos.



What is Your Car Saying to You? The Seven Lights to Listen To

Most cars these days come with those "driver information centers."  While the one in my 2006 Impala is one of the simpler versions, it really does help me keep my car going.  Perhaps you're one of those car chicks who has a couple lights appearing on your dash, but you're not really certain something should be done about it.   Here's a few of the common lights and why you really should get your car checked out when they won't go away.

 

1.)  Airbag:  Your vehicle runs a self-diagnostic when it starts.  If your airbag light remains on or is blinking, it needs service.  It may not deploy in case of an impact, and that's a sure way to end your day in a bad way.

2.) Battery:  Battery technology continues to improve year to year.  We no longer need to replace the battery every couple years.  6 to 8 years is not uncommon.  But when it goes, it goes.  If your battery light won't turn off, head out to get the battery system checked and be prepared to replace it.  Better to fix it with only a warning interrupting your day, rather than in the middle of the night in an empty parking lot.

3.) Change Oil:  Many cars come with self-monitoring systems for oil.  However, it isn't really checking your oil's viscosity (ability as a lubricant).  Your car is only calculating how many miles it's been since a change.  If your Change Oil light is on, it's been 7,000 miles since your last one.  Failure to change it soon can result in metal on metal grinding in your engine. It won't end your car's life now, but it will shave many years of life off of it later.  Change Your Oil!

4.) Engine:  This one can be very misleading.  That little light will come on for a wide variety of reasons.  Some of them are minor.  Some can be devastating.  "Check Your Gas Cap" is the leading reason the Engine light will appear.  The computer has detected there is a problem in the fuel/air mixture being delivered to the engine.   While it is often the gas cap, the failure of manifold intakes, solenoids, filters and cracks in the engine block may also be the culprit.  The only way to know it have your codes checked.  Take the fifteen minutes and stop at a service station.  Many places will check the code for free.  Doing this could save you thousands of dollars down the line by making a simple repair now.

5.) Brakes:  While your service station will often check your brakes for wear during an oil change, your car checks, too.  If you've been notified by the car, you really need them fixed NOW.  Worn pads and rotors lead to uneven braking, pulling to the side and even failure to stop under high speeds.  It's your life.  Listen to your car and your mechanic.

6.) Temperature:  High temps in your engine will destroy your engine.  Heat can warp the block, crack valves and melt seals.  A high temp warning means you may be lacking coolant, have a crack in the radiator or just a bad sensor.  It it's the sensor, have it replaced so when you really have a problem, you'll know.

 

7.)  Tire pressure:  Most of us don't have a light or warning on the dashboard for this one, but the new high-end vehicles do.  And it's about time.  When getting in your car every day, it's a good habit to walk around and make sure your tires are inflated.  If they look a little flat, or you've got the snazzy addition to your car and it says low pressure, go straight to the gas-station and inflate your tires.  You get better gas mileage, better handling and will get better tire life with a properly inflated tire. 

And that's the basics :)  No, nothing earth shattering.  Listen to your car. It's trying to tell you how to keep it running for years and years to come.    A little maintenance now means thousands of miles later.

 

RaceDay Recipes: Tabasco Chili Mac

Here's another quick and easy recipe that is hearty, warm and a little spicy.  Simple to put together in time for the green flag!  The secret to a delicious, fast chili is the Tabasco Chili Starter.  They spent all the hours getting the spices already blended.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes

TOTAL time: 40 minutes

Of course, most of your cook time is spent smelling the chili pot bubbling on the stove, so this one doesn't require lots of attention.




Ingredients:

1/2 lb. ground beef
1/4 large yellow onion diced
1 4 oz. can diced green chiles
1 14 oz. can red or pink beans
1 jar of Tabasco Chili Starter (I use Spicy...they have a mild.)
8 oz. elbow macaroni
2 oz. shredded Colby Jack cheese
1/4 cup of sour cream

Preparation:

• Put large pot of water to boil for your macaroni.  I don't add salt, as the chili starter and other canned goods have plenty.
• In large dutch oven brown ground beef over medium heat.  The beef provides enough fat to sauté the onions. Add onions while the beef is cooking so they are glassy when you begin to add other ingredients.
• When beef is completely brown add chiles, beans and Chili Starter. 
• Add 1/2 a chili starter jar of water (or beer if so inclined) to the mix.
• Stir.  When chili begins to bubble, reduce heat to low and let simmer for about 20 minutes or until beans are softened to your liking, stirring occasionally.
• Add macaroni to boiling water and cook until al dente.  Do not overcook! Drain and add to chili. Stir. 
• Spoon into a bowl.  Top with cheese and dollop of sour cream.
• Enjoy!

Serves 2-4, depending on how many bowls of chili you like eating at once.

Do you have a great RaceDay Recipe?  Email me for details on being a guest at The S-Curves!
 

RaceDay Ready: What's In Your Bag?

Happy RaceDay, folks! While I'm settling in for 400 miles around the Irish Hills of Michigan, I'm also planning for a quick trip to the track next week.  I'm checking my track bag for all the basics.

 For the new race fan, you might be wondering what those basics are.  If you've received your tickets in the mail, you've probably gotten the Fan Guide that has a long list of what is not allowed.  Which leaves the question, what is in all those coolers and backpacks that people bring into a NASCAR track?

 I've a few answers, all benefitting from years of experience.  Sometimes it's also knowing what you should just leave at home.

 ·         The Backpack:  Mine has a net top and a soft-sided six-pack cooler on the bottom. This meets both the 14"x14" size restriction and the see-through bag requirement.  I fit everything I need in this one bag for the day.  No little red wagon or wheels needed.

1.       The Beverages:  A six-pack is more than you need.  Me? I mix it up between soda, juice and water. You can always refill a water bottle on hot-hot days.  But beer works, too :)  Remember: Leave the hard stuff at home and NO glass bottles.

2.       Snacks:  Most tracks permit you to bring in food.  Do you really want to spend $10 on a bad burger and fries?  Since we have eggs & bacon at the trailer before we head to our seats, I pack a couple bags of chips, some fruit and maybe sandwiches.

3.       Hearing Protection: At the very least, a pair or two of ear plugs.  But if you're really going to enjoy yourself, a headset and scanner are recommended.  You can rent these at the track for about $60 or buy your own for about $200. Remember to have extra batteries in there, too.  The scanner will always die in the middle of the race.

4.       ID and cash: Leave the pocketbook at home. Keep your ID, credit card, keys and cash in a pocket.

5.       Sun protection: Sunscreen and lip balm. Hat and sunglasses.  Don't be the idiot who goes home in an ambulance because you started your liquid diet at 9AM, strips down to nothing and passes out from sunstroke.  There are no convenient trees for shade at the track. Bring your own.

6.       Rain protection: One of those $5 rain ponchos all folded up into a tiny packet.  Also, pack another large plastic bag to protect any electronics you're carrying in case of a deluge.  Leave the umbrella at home.

7.       Sharpie:  Of your favorite color!  You most likely will see some kind of racing celebrity during the day. They don't always have a marker to hand to sign your t-shirt.  Sharpies now come attached to key rings. How convenient!

8.       Camera: Many smartphones come equipped with nice little cameras. Great! One less thing to carry. But if you're a shutterbug and you can live without a massive lens/camera combo, there are many slim and small digital cameras out there that can slip into an outer pocket of your backpack. Mine is a SONY Cybershot.

9.       Towel and washcloth:  A dry towel in the top to either dry off a damp seat or to provide a little insulation from sun heated aluminum.  The wet and cold washcloth goes in the bottom with your iceback and will ease your comfort when the sun starts to cook.

10.   Medications:  If you often need an aspirin or some allergy medication in the middle of the day, tuck a small bottle in your bag.

My track bag lives in a cupboard in the RV year round.  I don't take it apart between trips, and that means at a moment's notice, I can just grab and go.  It's always reassuring to know I've got all the little things that make a day in the sun comfortable.  I just have to remember to recharge the scanner.

Always remember to check your local track's bag restrictions for specific rules and regulations. 

What's in your bag?  Maybe you've got a beach bag with similar items stowed.  Feel  free to leave suggestions in the comments below.

I'll be seeing you at the track!

RaceDay Recipe: Quick Quesadillas

What a beautiful race day!  I'm almost happy the Nationwide Series was rained out last night, so I have Iowa keeping me entertained this morning while I wait for Pocono to fire up.

RaceDay Recipes will be recipes you can make on race day, and still have time to actually watch the race.  I don't know about you, but I don't want to be the one slaving over the BBQ pit or spending hours compiling finger sandwiches.  I want something yummy to eat that can be compiled during pre-race festivities or during a lengthy debris cleanup.  Will they be super healthy?  No.  But the ingredients will represent how I enjoy my food and for my small family of two.



Quick Quesadillas.  Prep time: 5 minutes  Cook time: 10 minutes
Serves: 2

Ingredients:

3 Whole wheat Fajita size tortillas
1 package Purdue Short Cuts Chicken (Original Roasted)
1 cup shredded Colby jack cheese
1/8 Sweet slicing onion, sliced
1/8 Green Pepper, sliced
1/4 cup taco sauce (medium)
1/2 cup chunky salsa (medium)
1/4 sour cream
Cholula Sauce for seasoning

Cooking:

Use the grill side of your double-sided griddle.  Bring to medium heat.  Spray down with Pam.  Lay tortilla onto the griddle. On one half of the tortilla layer cheese first, chicken, onion, pepper, pour a little taco sauce and Cholula sauce to taste.  Top with more cheese. The cheese melts and serves as the glue to keep your quesadilla together.  Build all three quesadillas. Fold them in half. Flip when cheese starts to melt and tortillas are nicely toasted (approx. 2 minutes).  Toast and melt the other side.

Remove from heat. I use a pizza cutter to slice the quesadilla in quarters.  Place on plate. Top with salsa and generous dollop of sour cream.

Change up peppers and sauces to meet your desired heat level.  Mix it up with beef, hamburger, pulled pork and even crab meat. Or go veggie!

Don't forget the guacamole!

Happy Snacking while they search for Jacque DeBris.

(Also a great recipe for rain delays...just sayin')

Have a great RaceDay recipe? Send it to me! I'd love to post it here to share with other racing foodies :)




 

The Recall Jinx: Scrambling My Car Shopping Impulses

I want this car. 

My aging Impala passed its 100k mark this winter.  I've replaced the tires and am looking at about $2,000 of "maintenance" to keep it on the road for as long as it wants to live.  The transmission slips. The interior is looking tired.  The A/C doesn't have the oomph it used to.  In short, my daily driver is wanting to be replaced.

Buying a new car isn't an impulse.  This is an investment of time and money.  I will spend a year researching the market and available vehicles.  This year at the Boston Auto Show, I came to thoroughly appreciate the new Ford Fusion.  And driving around town, every time I come up on the new model at a light, I say to myself, "I want that thing."

But I do have a rule.  I won't put money down on a Toyota, no matter how reliable the things might be.  How many recalls have been issued on various models in the last five years?  Nope. Not touching a Camry with a five foot pole. 

Then what happened yesterday? You got it.  A freakin' recall.  On Fords. Fusions!  The fuel tank could leak.

So...don't buy a Toyota. Enough different models had faulty braking systems, I'm not playing.  Now, half a million Fords might blow up when their fuel tanks crack open. Nice. 

What's left?  Subaru. Ehhh... The last review I read on that one had the tell-tale "it drives like a Subaru" in it.  A clear indication I won't be happy with the test drive when I put my foot down. Honda Accord? Their one-price for all the extras is nice and even reasonable.  But...it's a Honda. 

JEEP. The most horrendous thing happened this year. My co-worker bought the exact model I was swooning over at the auto show.  There goes feminine pride.  It's like wearing the same dress. Can't do it.

Last, but I'm wondering if maybe it won't be least.  The Dodge Dart.

I sat in it.  Liked the interior--didn't feel tiny, although it is a compact.  Its got nice horses under the small hood and all sorts of bells and whistles at an extremely competitive price.

But, should I finally take the Impala down for a trade-in, I will be in a good position to drive out of the dealer's lot with something I want.  And as long as the Dart remains recall free...its got a nice shot of winning me over.

Who knew?  Downsizing.  I could do this.

I'm a Car Chick! And Proud of It

Welcome to the S-Curves!  The place where women can gather and talk about cars--anything to do with them.  Beautiful, fast cars...like the Wood Bros. No. 21 above.  That's the one Trevor Bayne drove to victory lane at the Daytona 500 in 2011.  Beyond Trevor's sweet, young smile, I spend time drooling over the red & white Ford. How does that come to be? 

It's a lazy Sunday afternoon.  I have a choice.  I can put on a skirt, nice blouse and head out for a fancy dinner or pull out a favorite t-shirt, tug on some jeans and pop a can of soda.  Why?  Because the command to start engines has been given.  I would much rather listen to the purr of race engines vs. neighborhood gossip.

I'm still a girl, don't get that wrong.  I bake, crochet the odd tacky scarf, hug my cats and dictate the exact shade of cerulean blue to be used as paint in the new living room.  I know what an impact wrench is, but prefer to find somebody else to use it.

I find the design of cars sexy, their sound thrilling and the smell of the track inebriating.

All in all, like most anybody else on the planet, I am a conglomeration of many things--none of which seem to fit into the little convenient holes society likes to place people.

So, welcome!  Bring your enthusiasm for automotive anything, favorite recipes, tricks for keeping the family happy and your random feminine squee of delight.

It's all good here.  For here we are the Car Chicks!