Real Man Recipes - Thanksgiving Dinner Part 1: Turkey

Real Man Recipes - Thanksgiving Dinner Part 1: Turkey

It’s that time of year again when turkey’s everywhere (well mostly just in Canada) start running for their lives. I’m talking, of course, about Thanksgiving. And the crew here at Real Man Travels has got you rookies covered with some easy recipes to make sure you can knock the big dinner out of the park.

Thanksgiving in Canada is just like in the USA, just earlier, and without NFL games.

Turkey

A lot of people go to great lengths to try and take their turkey to the next level. News flash! Turkey is pretty damn good just the way it is. Here is a great, basic recipe to make your bird sing.

Go to the grocery store and buy a frozen turkey when they start going on sale. Make sure it’s a Grade A turkey, but don’t shy away from the utility turkey label. This usually just means it’s missing a wing or a leg or something superficial. Thaw the turkey out. Keep in mind that this might take a number of days. Thawing in the fridge is safest. Now, most turkeys come with the neck and giblets, which are usually stuffed up inside the abdominal cavity. I’m not a huge fan of the giblets, but hold on to the neck (queue the Christmas Vacation ‘Save the neck for me for Clark’ quotes). Throw the turkey into a roasting pan and put the neck in the pan beside it. Roughly chop 2-3 medium size onions and put those in the pan too. Pour some chicken broth into the pan (I make mine with chicken Bovril) so that there’s about an inch or so in the bottom of the pan. Now take a healthy dose of room temperature butter and start massaging your bird. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cover that bad boy with foil (or a lid if your roaster is big enough).

"You want to put what, where???"

Preheat the oven to 350 and pop him in for 15 minutes a pound. I like to crank up the oven to 400 and uncover for the last hour or so to get that nice golden colour on top; plus the crispy skin is most definitely where it’s at. Get yourself a meat thermometer and double check the internal temperature before taking it out. Poultry should be cooked to an internal temperature of 180 degrees in the thickest part of the thigh.

When your bird is done, pull him out and let him rest a good 20-30 minutes before carving. For the love of all that is awesome, don’t get rid of your pan drippings. That’s where the sweet, sweet gravy lives. Check back later this week for the gravy recipe.

enjoy, and then nap,

Now I know what you’re thinking; where’s the stuffing? I don’t stuff my turkey because I make what we call ‘stuffing balls’. And you’ll have to check back later this week for that one, too.

Read More

Top 5 Family Attractions in Niagara Falls

At the very edge of the falls your knees feel a little weak.

There is nothing like hearing the giggles of your children as a beautiful butterfly lands on their shirt. There is also nothing like being on a boat at the bottom of Horseshoe Falls on a hot summers day. The power of the falls is intimidating but you feel perfectly safe. The cool mist covers your family from head to toe and everyone is smiling. That sounds like a perfect family trip to me.

A few weeks ago I was invited by Niagara Parks to try out their adventure pass at Niagara Falls with my family. On top of it saving you money, it includes four adventurous activities, a bus pass for two days to get you to wherever you needed to go, and some coupons to save you even more money.

Whichever activity you choose, make sure you bring good company to share in these memories, you wouldn't want to do it alone (or maybe you would... I am not judging).

So without any more hesitation here is my list of the Top Five Family Things to Do in Niagara Falls.

5. White Water Walk 

Take a walk  along a boardwalk at the edge of one of the world's wildest stretches of whitewater.  Trillions of gallons of water are forced into this accelerating trough with three to five-metre (10 to 16 ft.) standing waves. 

 Tip: Just a heads up, this one is a few kilometres away from the falls.

White Water Walk 

4. Butterfly Conservatory

The Butterfly Conservatory is located on the grounds of the Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens, 10 minutes north of the falls. Over 2,000 butterflies, made up of 45 different species, call this beautiful space home. Explore and be amazed at all of the different colors and if you are lucky one might even land on you! 

Tip: This is not part of the Adventure Pass but is a great way to spend a couple of hours with your loved ones. Wear anything green and the butterflies are more likely to land on you! This is also near the White Water Walk.

This attraction brought out a lot of smiles from my family.

3. Niagara's Fury

Discover the ancient story of Niagara Falls in a fun animated tale that the whole family will love.  Follow it up with a thrilling 4D experience that takes you back 10,000 years to when Niagara Falls was formed.

Tip: You will get wet and it is dark and very loud. 

This was fun and very refreshing. Photo Courtesy of Niagara Parks

2. Journey Behind the Falls

You'll travel down into the tunnels behind the thundering Horseshoe Falls, where lookout holes give you a backstage pass to this incredible wonder. Then, step out onto the observation deck and experience the falls crashing down from 13 stories above.  As you marvel at the huge waterfalls the mist covers your face and makes you feel alive (and cool on a hot day).

Tip: Journey Behind the Falls is in the same building as Niagara's Fury, be sure to book the times close together. 
 

My daughters get up close to the falls, they loved this attraction!

1. Hornblower Niagara Cruises 

This is my favourite adventure of all.  What a thrilling way to experience Niagara Falls. This up close and personal tour of the falls get you as close as possible to the breathtaking power and mist that is the magnificent Niagara Falls. Hornblower Niagara Cruises gives you the thrill of a lifetime!

Tip: Lines are smaller at the start and end of the day.

Have you checked any of these out? Let me know what you thought?

Thank you to Niagara Parks. My family had an awesome time.

When you travel with four beautiful girls... life is good!

Read More

Real Man Travels: 5 Tips for Family Road Trips

A post by Justin K

It’s pretty clear that the crew at RMT enjoys a good road trip. Being the road trip master, I can’t help but offer up a few tips for a successful road trip. A little background here: since relocating to Thunder Bay, my better half and I (along with the kids and dogs that have been added to the family), have road tripped the 1400+ kilometers back to Alliston, Ontario every year, usually twice. The fastest we’ve managed is 14 hours; the slowest, 18 hours with the average time usually clocking in between 15 and 16 hours. So without further delay here are my top five tips for a successful road trip:

Preface: Always make sure you’ve checked and double checked your vehicle, like a real man. Oil, tranny/brake/power steering fluids, coolant levels and tire pressures are a good place to start. Also check your brakes/tires for signs of wear. The last thing anybody needs is to be stranded in the middle of nowhere with a screaming family and broken down vehicle. And, for the love of God, make sure your jack, wheel wrench and spare tire (no not your beer belly) are all ready to go. Also, if you’re road tripping during the winter months like me, a good set of winter tires is essential.

Food/Snacks

If there’s one thing I’ve learned raising my kids it’s that a hungry child is an angry child. Keeping any toddler in a car seat for 15 hours is bound to make them angry at some point during the trip; keeping their favourite snacks in the car will go a long way to alleviate some of their frustrations. I’ve also found that snacking while driving helps keep you awake. Feeling a little tired? Whip out the Sour Patch Kids and munch away.

Olivia enjoying her chocolate chip cookie

Music/Entertainment

Portable DVD players, LeapFrog tablets and old cellphones loaded with games will become your best friend on a long haul road trip. These help keep the kids entertained and if your kids are anything like mine, a good movie on the DVD player can help lull them to sleep. Also, bring headphones for the kids. I don’t know about you, but I’ve hit my Dora the Explorer threshold. If I have to listen to the “I speak Spanish and English too” song one more time, bad things will happen. Which brings me to music. With headphones firmly inserted into your kidlets ears, feel free to pop in/connect your favourite music. If you’re road tripping with other people, don’t be selfish, share the radio. I find that compilation albums work best if you’re still rocking the CD player, or shuffle on a phone/MP3 player if you can. I find that mixing it up helps to keep it fresh. Multiple genres too.

 Gavin napping after wearing himself out with his LeapPad

Stops/Breaks

Have a good idea of your vehicle's fuel range to gauge when you’ll need to fuel up. Use these opportunities to hit the bathrooms and grab a coffee. You’ll likely need to stop more often than your vehicle does, especially if you’re travelling with small children. Limit the amount of water/juice the kids drink to ensure you’re not stopping every 30 minutes. Often times it will be long stretches between bathrooms so, unless your little guy is cool with doing his biz outdoors, plan accordingly. Also, make sure that if you ever get drowsy on the road, pull over, switch drivers (if you can) or do some exercises on the side of the road, seriously. It helps wake you up and keeps you, your family and everybody else on the road safe. Energy drinks can be your friend when doing long trips.

Pack Light

Check out Ed’s packing post for some tips/tricks on packing light. Bring what you need, leave what you don’t. It really is that simple. That said, the more people you bring, the more stuff you’ll have. Travelling with two kids and two dogs (and golf clubs of course) typically results in a packed minivan. Not to mention all the stuff that your family sends you back with.

Layla, our eight week old Rottie, dans un laundry basket

Timing

Have a good idea of how long it will take you to get where you’re going as well as the stops along the way. If I know that my road trip is going to take 15-16 hours, I like to leave early in the morning so that I get to my destination at a reasonable hour. I hate getting to my destination at 10 p.m.. After being in the car all day, everybody’s tired and cranky, and to be very honest, I just like to get where I’m going so I can get out of the car, relax and crack a beer.

Do you have any tips/tricks for successful road trips? Scribe them in the comments section below! We always love to hear from our readers!

Read More

2013 - Real Man Travels Year In Review

2013 was a roller coaster ride of a year, Its was a successful year and I have my friends to thank for it. I look forward to 2014 and I hope the year treats you well. I leave you with an Irish Cheers Sláinte!!

Sault Sainte Marie, Ontario: This Photo was taken on our way to the St. Mary's rapids to try our luck and new found skills at Fly Fishing. This was a great adventure that introduced me to some great people. Thanks Again to Soo North Fly Shop.

Bushplane Museum- Sault Sainte Marie, Ontario: This is my top mate Dylan in a small coin operated space shuttle. For those of you who do not know him, Dylan is 6'3. So you can Imagine how funny this would be in real life. 

Elmavale Zoo, Ontario Canada: This was at a school trip with my daughter's class and I will tell you that Giraffe tongues gross me out. However my daughter was not so squeamish as the Giraffe licked the food clean off her palm.

Bruce Peninsula National Park, Ontario Canada: I was lucky enough to be hosted by Parks Canada for a couple of days. We stayed in a Yurt which is an excellent way to camp. This photo was taken at Indian Head Cove right next to the grotto. 

Grundy Lake Provincial Park, Ontario Canada: The final shot of our homemade "Man Of The Year" competition where we compete in various outdoor events such as Fishing, Washer Toss and the Xtreme Challenge! 

 Brampton, Ontario Canada: This year we experienced Tree Top Trekking. It turned out to be quite the test of the mind and body. I remember feeling so proud of our group not one of us lost our balance and fell off during the whole course. This is not easy by any means.

Canadian Space and Aviation Museum - Ottawa, Ontario Canada: This past summer the kids and I took a road trip to Ottawa. When I look at this picture, it scares me a little. It actually looks like they know what they are doing...

Bon Echo Provincial Park Ontario, Canada: After hiking to the top of the cliffs, My hetero life mate Mike and I boarded the Mugwump Ferry and I captured this photo on our way back to the mainland. It was one of the best weather days of the year.

Dublin, Ireland: I went for a few walks in Dublin one was to the Temple Bar to drink beer and the other was an early morning stroll to St.Patrick's Cathedral.

Strandhill Beach, Sligo Ireland:  We were on our way for dinner and when we arrived this was the scene as 20 Travel Bloggers unloaded out of the bus and started taking pictures. The weather gods were smiling down on us the entire trip.

Streedagh Strand Sligo, Ireland: This photo was taken along a guided hike with SEATRAILS our guide was Auriel Robinson who is a Marine Archaeologist, While showing us amazing fossils along the shores, She told us many interesting stories of the unforgiving coastline.

Glenevin Waterfall, Ballyliffin Co. Donegal Ireland: This small but very picturesque waterfall can be found along a small pathway with sheep wandering free a few tiny bridges cross the stream along the way. We followed up this brisk fall walk with a stop at Nancy's Barn which we were served hot soup and coffee and delicious home-made treats.

Malin Head Donegal, Ireland: This was on a small hike at the most northern coastline of Ireland. Besides the swimming seals and breathtaking views of coastline, the wind also tried to take our breath away on many occasions.

Farren's Bar- Donegal, Ireland: This personalized pint was served up to us just after our hike at Malin Head at the end of our Ireland press trip. The location was Farren's Bar it is Ireland's most northerly pub I enjoyed unwinding with 20 new friends at the end of an amazing journey as we all posted our beer photos on instagram.

TCF Bank Stadium - Minneapolis, Minnesota: This photo was taken as a gag to re create an old Three Stooges photo. The representative of the Gophers stood there shaking his head like "you have got to be kidding me, are these guys for real?" But he took the picture and we love him for that.

Target Field - Minneapolis, Minnesota: The host of the 2014 MLB All Star game, The Twins have it all in this stadium. The tour of the stadium is one of the top rated tours in sports on ESPN.com. We were allowed to take a "special" tour and this is the view from the home dugout. Minneapolis is a great sports city.

TCF Bank Stadium - Minneapolis, Minnesota: Gopher Game Day, we were given 3 media passes to a Big Ten College football game so we showed up early to watch the players warm up and we were awarded with this photo. Yes I was laying on my stomach for this one.

Algonquin Provincial Park - Ontario, Canada: The girls and I took a fun little road trip to this picturesque little spot along the way we seen our very first Moose! When we reached this campground the sun was just setting over the lake as I started getting our supper ready on a camping stove on the tailgate of my truck.

Drysdale's Tree Farm - Utopia, Ontario: This was my last adventure of 2013, and one of my favorite because, it really shows off how happy I am making memories with my family.

Read More

Steam Whistle Brewery

Steam Whistle Brewery, A Family Adventure?!

     I have been to Toronto many times with my family for different types of Sporting Events or Ice Shows. But had never thought of going on a brewery tour while I was there. Until I heard from The Steam Whistle Brewery Company claiming it was the "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" type of brewery (Sadly, no Oompa Loompas). This sounded like the perfect place for the kids to take their dad... 

  I was right! The kids, and even my mom, had a great time. The kids were even lucky enough to pull the actual "Steam Whistle"!! (Jealous)

Three Things I love About Steam Whistle 

1. The delicious taste of the beer. 
2. The Steam Whistle Company is as Green as it gets when it comes to saving the planet.
3. Real Man Travels and Steam Whistle have "founding" similarities. Steam Whistle was thought up on a canoe trip in Ontario around a campfire and that is exactly how Real Man Travels was created.

   Steam Whistles Tour Info

Read More

The Canadian Space and Aviation Museum

The Canadian Space and Aviation Museum

“When I was eight years old to be a spaceman was the most exciting thing I could imagine.” - Roberta Bondar

I have a dream! And it is a very important one. I want my daughters to be the best they can be in life. I am sure you have similar hopes and dreams for your child/children.

My plan this past summer was to try and inspire my children to be leaders by taking them to a city that is full of leaders,our nations capital Ottawa.

You maybe wondering why I chose The Canadian Space and Aviation Museum as a place of inspiration for my daughters. Well the museum is host to many exhibits, but my favorite part was dedicated to Great Canadian Astronauts like Roberta Bondar, The first Canadian Woman in space, and Col. Chris Hadfield who just this past year was the Commander of the International Space Station. You can pretend to be an astronaut by playing a giant version of Chris Hadfield's guitar or by sitting on a space toilet.

With amazing planes of all shapes and sizes, and craft workshops to keep the kids happy. Strolling through the museum is a fun way to to teach your kids about the history of aviation and space travel. 

Another bonus that I was not expecting, was the nice playground they had just beside the parking lot, its a great way to burn off any left over energy.

Check out Ottawa Tourism's Website for more info.

Read More

Tight lines, and Good Times - Fly Fishing in Sault Ste Marie

As I wade into the quick moving water a sense of calm moves over me. Any nerves or jitters have been washed away by the crystal clear water, and any lingering thoughts of my work week have been drowned out by the sound of the rapids of the St Marys River. Only when I reach the island that will be our base for the day can I pause and appreciate just how beautiful this morning is.

That view may look familiar to regular readers of Real Man Travels. Chris, our editor-in-chief, and my older brother, was lucky enough to travel to Sault Ste. Marie in June and learned to fly fish as part of a media trip. This time he would be the savy veteran as our Dad and I learned the finer points of fly fishing from our guide Brad, of Soo North Fly Shop. Furthermore, if you are a regular reader, you know we like taking our unique trips as birthday or father`s day gifts (50 year old NASCAR virgin, Our First Win). It was his birthday gift that brought us north to wade the waters in pursuit of Pink Salmon, Tight lines, and good times.

So why the Soo you might be wondering? Long drive to go fishing, others have said to us. Well, Sault Ste Marie, which is french for "Rapids of the St. Marys", has been a fishing hot bed for somewhere around 400 years. Ya, you read that right, 400 years. When early European settlers traveled the great lakes in the 1640's, they found many natives settled near the rapids as it provided an excellent source of food. If your looking for something a little more recent, in 1920, Ernest Hemingway himself proclaimed "At the present time the best rainbow trout fishing in the world is the Rapids at the Canadian Soo." These days you wont just find resident rainbows, but whitefish too. The rapids also serve as a migratory route for Atlantic, Chinook, pink, and coho Salmon, and steelhead and brown trout. After reading that I'm sure you understand why Sault Ste Marie is still highly regarded as a world class fishing destination.

My best go at the "Official" Real Man Fishing pose

The original shows me how its done

Dad, Chris, and I showing off the tools of the trade: Vision Rods and Reels

One of our dads favourite stories is about how he would take us river fishing when we were little. He claims he would tie us to trees on the river bank so we wouldn't fall in and be swept away. This of course was driven by the fear of coming home to my mother with one less child. I cant remember if this is bull or not, but thanks to Brad, we now have memories that will not soon fade.

Tight lines my friends-

Sam

Read More

What is Mosaika?

Mosaika is a light and Sound Show that tells you the story of Canada. It is truly a treat for your eyes and ears.

If you are wanting to see Mosaika live and in person time is running short the last show is on September 7, 2013. If you are going don't forget to grab some drinks, snacks and a chair and head for Parliament Hill. If you show up early you will get a great seat plus you will be treated to some great Canadian Music as you wait.

For those of you that are unable to make it to Ottawa this weekend here is a small taste of what it was like.

For more fun things to do around Ottawa check out Ottawa Tourism's Website

Read More

The Rideau Canal Museum

On my recent road trip to Ottawa, I planned my route in hopes that I would be stopping in Smith Falls, Ontario to visit the Rideau Canal Museum, So the kids could maybe learn a few things and have fun,  before hitting the road once again.

Before I get started here is a brief history of the canal: It was constructed in the 1800's and is nearly 220 kilometres long. It is also Ontario's First UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

 

After hearing "Are we there yet" 34 times we arrived at the locks in Smith Falls, it was beautiful to say the least, it was a perfect spot to relax or have a picnic. The kids were excited because I had told them classified info that there was a "Species At Risk" scavenger hunt with a possible treat at the end. 

We were met by two very nice young ladies that explained the scavenger hunt to the kids and took us to the film room for a short film on the history of the canal.

 The Scavenger Hunt took you from the bottom floor up 4 floors to the Indoor Lookout Tower. (Don't worry there is an elevator.) Each floor had a different theme and different interactive activities. 

It was an excellent way to stretch our legs. If you are ever in Smith Falls you should check it out.

Read More