Despite the political back and forth, Americans and Mexicans have a lot in common when it comes to what we love to eat. Sure, we might prepare things a little differently by trading one ingredient for another but at our core we share a lot of similar traditions. One of these that I'm exploring today is carnitas - or pulled pork as it would be called in the Southeastern United States.

Visitors to Coronado Island are typically familiar with the famous Hotel Del - afterall, it's one of the earliest buildings in the area and set the tone for the next 100+ years as a mecca for beachgoers. What I learned this week, was that just across the road is an even older building that was built a year earlier in 1887. Originally serving as the boathouse for the resort, it now houses a fantastic seafood restaurant that is part of the Bluewater Grill group.

Who doesn't love spending a hot August day outside drinking cold San Diego craft beer? Good! I don't see any hands up... To celebrate the second annual "Uncasked" beer festival, we're giving away a pair of tickets.

I enjoy fresh produce - honestly I do, but as I have gotten older I have started to fall into a rut. I buy the same peppers, the same cucumbers, the same lettuce and I'm pretty happy. For several years now, I had heard about CSA programs (community supported agriculture) for a while now but never did anything. Essentially how these programs work is that you sign up for a weekly delivery of produce fresh from the fields and it's a bit of a pot luck special with what you'll actually get. I've just never signed up because I assumed it wouldn't be as great as it sounded. On the other hand, I'm a big fan of the monthly "box" sites. They are great for getting surprises and frankly while some of it isn't useful, it is always fun to experience something that is new and different. That's exactly what I found when I tried our Farm Fresh To You. 

No visit to Milwaukee is complete without a stop at Leon's Frozen Custard located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin - just outside of Milwaukee! Since 1947 they have been a center of the community and you'll see rich, poor, English-speaking, and non. This is a place that people come to, united by one thing... a search for a great experience. 

The trouble with going to other people's BBQs is that you can't be "King of the Grill" since it's their domain, but that doesn't mean you can't be king of the table and win bragging rights by having the biggest, baddest dish that everyone will be talking about next week at the office. Sure, anyone can bring "mac and cheese"... for goodness sake, it comes in a box and even college kids can make it. Let's dress this up a bit and make something that everyone will want a piece of.

If you are anything like me, road trips and snacking are synonymous and that can either be a fun experience for everyone involved... or like I found out a couple years ago, not so much! See, normally I'm pretty straight-edge and go for cookies or crackers, and maybe some Twizzlers Twists or other candy that doesn't melt. During a stop in Maytag, Iowa though I was overcome by how cheap Maytag blue cheese was and so I just had to buy some. Let me tell you - after a few hours sitting on the dashboard a few things happened. First - the car smelled really bad. Second - I started to feel sick (eating blue cheese in a hot car during the summer is just dumb). Third - my brand new car earned it's first "love mark" since the cheese melted a bit and the enzymes and grease ate a spot on the dashboard that two years later I still can't get rid of!

Frozen food has come a long way since I was a kid when "meals for men" were things like fried chicken with mac and cheese. Sure, those were tasty but they better be for all the bad stuff in them. STOUFFER'S® Fit Kitchen offers an alternative that is much more mature, with protein packed meals that are actually pretty satisfying. The other nice thing is that unlike some frozen dinners that are packaged in a tiny box forcing you to eat 2 or 3 of them to feel full, these are a complete dinner that is easy to make and tastes great.

When you think of a great Vegas buffet, chances are you think about the Bacchanal over at Caesar's Palace or Aria's awesome new buffet we plowed through earlier this year. What I WASN'T expecting was that Excalibur's buffet would be right up there, delivering a feast fit for a king. While the days of costumed knights and ladies is gone and so is the super kitschy medieval feast theme, what's replaced it is a super clean, light and airy dining room with an updated menu and easy navigation.

Like most guys, I lead a busy lifestyle and unfortunately that frequently means meals that aren't the most healthy. After all, it's easy to grab a burrito from the freezer and stick it in the microwave for a few minutes and call it lunch. In the past, I haven't been a fan of frozen meals but I decided to try the new LEAN CUISINE^® Marketplace meals. These new offerings come in three categories that are much more upscale and designed for today's lifestyle: "Made With Organic Ingredients", "High Protein", and "Gluten Free". The days of being limited to salsbury steak and enchiladas are gone. Instead I found more appetising offerings including: Vermont White Cheddar Mac & Cheese, Sweet Sriracha Braised Beef, and... ok I lied - you can still have Spicy Beef & Bean Enchiladas!

Ok, so I had some help but I think this is an AWESOME idea and it was super fun to try out. Essentially, each Hard Rock Cafe is participating in a celebration of different styles of hamburgers that are inspired by different awesome cities around the world. Different locations will have different selections from their list of 16 different burgers. Each of those burgers is inspired by a different city that hosts a Hard Rock Cafe location. 

Our collection included the Date Burger - Dubai, Java Lava Burger - Seattle, Schnitzel Burger - Cologne, and my favorite the Banh Mi Burger from Ho Chi Minh City.

Are you ready? 

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Weight Watchers® Ice Cream for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

Ok guys, I know usually talk of watching what you eat is typically the domain of women, but I am a fan of doing what you can without making sacrifices. I don't like sugar-free soda and I can't stand a lot of "healthy" meal choices because it feels like I am punishing myself with every bite. While that might work well for a few days or weeks, it isn't a sustainable solution to stay healthy.

For many years, Weight Watchers® has been a great source of inspiration for people looking to make healthy choices and I have a HUGE amount of respect for the organization because they recognize its about more than just "eliminate all the fat!". Instead, they have a focus on living a more healthy life through smart decisions including portion control. That's the same attitude that they have brought to their ice cream bars as well and I was honestly very impressed by what I sampled recently.

It's almost summer and that means it's time to break out the grill again and hopefully shine as the dinner time hero you know you are. However, even the best grill masters out there didn't get that way without some practice, common sense, and advice passed down to them from their elders.

Smart & Final! is one of my favorite places to shop, especially when it comes to entertaining. It's the perfect place to start if you are planning a family BBQ this year but even when planning a nice romantic dinner for that special someone, it's a great place to shop. The thing I love about Smart & Final! is that they they have some great private label brands and since they carry warehouse sized items at great prices. 

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Char-Broil for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

It's been a long time since I've used charcoal... a few years ago I abandoned the delicious smoky flavor for the easy to use, quick to clean up and more precise gas grill (which BTW just happened to be a Char-Broil). However, I was thrilled to discover that the engineers at Char-Broil have been working hard to bring some innovative designs to the world of charcoal grills. Their new Kettleman frankly kicks butt and you could even say that #KettlemanKicksAsh. It is absolutely light years beyond what I had experienced in the past with a similar "kettle grill".

While I'm never going to solve the convenience factor of being able to turn gas on or off, what I found with this Char-Broil Kettleman Grill grill was that it addressed all of my other concerns.

Spring is a time of new beginnings, of new relationships and one of the peak wedding seasons. Let's take a step back in time though... before wives and girlfriends, before kids, to a time when all that mattered was a quick and easy dinner with minimal cleanup that tasted awesome and could be made for just one person. When meals consisted of frozen entrees and freezer fries?

Do you remember those bachelor days now? 

One of the great things about traveling is trying different foods and seeing how those foods morph and adapt as they are embraced by one culture and then another. I can't think of any dish that has been adapted in so many ways than a simple curry, which likely originated from southern India but is now the national dish of England, with variations found in Thai, West African, Caribbean, and American cuisine today. It is even popular as a type of sausage street food in Germany, known as currywurst. 

Today though, I am going to share my own interpretation that is super quick and easy to prepare and while it tastes delicious on day one - it's even better the next day, so make a big batch and be prepared for easy to re-heat leftovers!

It's national grilled cheese month and I still have some corned beef brisket left in the fridge since St Patrick's Day and I was looking for something special to make with them that was different than the corned beef and cabbage I've already had a few times. Instead, I decided to make an ULTIMATE grilled corned beef and havarti grilled cheese sandwich. 

I get hungry like everyone sometimes and honestly I'm not myself when that happens. You Probably get the same way but that's when I like to grab a Snickers. Yeah, I know that sounds like a cheesy intro to another sponsored post, but it's the truth. Traveling can be tough with changes in time zones, unfamiliar locations, and lets face it you aren't at home with easy access to your fridge and microwave either for a quick snack. However, one thing I love about Snickers is that it has the perfect balance of sugar sweetness, chocolatey deliciousness, and protein from the peanuts (or almonds). It's really a great snack to stick in my backpack for those moments when you need something to pick you up a bit.

I've finally found it! I knew that San Diego had to have a restaurant that was equally good at ambiance as it is in service, preparation, and presentation. Earlier this month Heather and I were invited to have dinner and check out Greystone Steakhouse - one of the older restaurants here in San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter.

Greystone Steakhouse just recently celebrated 15 years of operation here and after the amazing dinner we enjoyed, I can see why it's been able to survive so long and I am sure they will continue to have great success for many more years to come!

Who said you can't combine two of the top choices for companions while watching football - Beer and Chili? Not the folks over at Sapporo who sent in this great recipe for us to share with you guys!