Get Grilling!

By Chef Erin O’Donnell

As Bob Marley so eloquently put it: “The sun is shining and the weather is sweet” so let’s all get out there and enjoy us some good old Vitamin D.

Some of my favorite things to do in the sun are hike, bike, kayak, and just soak up some rays on the beach. Another great American pastime is the good old family BBQ, and I would love to share some of my favorite go-to’s for a hot afternoon.

BBQ Time!
I have the most fun grilling out and there are some great benefits too, like no dishes (woo hoo) and not a bunch of added fats and oils to cook with, so we’re getting healthier already – who doesn’t love that? My most tasty BBQ would have to be my tri-tip. I make a red wine vinaigrette with some fresh parsley, dijon, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and olive oil and marinade for up to 24 hours. Then preheat the “barbie” to 350 degrees and toss the tri-tip on for 35-45 minutes until it’s as done as you like it.

Barbecuing some sausages, veggie dogs and corn.

Veggie Grilling
We all have beloved friends who are vegetarian (like our Communications Manager Eva Lipson) and vegan friends (like Co-Owner Misty Young), so these are for them.

I love veggies and especially when grilled, the natural flavors are really brought out, followed by the sweet smokiness from the briquettes below.

Try this super-easy recipe: take zucchini and slice it lengthwise into planks so it won’t fall through the grill. Place the planks in a ziplock bag with Italian dressing and let marinate for 30 minutes. Then place them on the top rack of the grill so you don’t get flare ups from the excess dressing. The squash is cooked to perfection in minutes and is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Another option are grilled red peppers and asparagus. These I simply brush with olive oil and let them cook for about 7 minutes. Freshly grilled asparagus tastes extra good with a squeeze of lemon them. If you’re grilling corn, soak them in water for 20 minutes, then put right on the grill, turning frequently. A little salt and you’re golden.

So crack a cold beer and dust those cobwebs off your BBQ and let’s get grilling!

What Graduation Really Means

By Shila Morris

Shila was all smiles on her graduation day with her honey Chad and her bouquet of roses.

This week, as thousands of college students receive their diplomas and embark into the real world, it seems everyone takes a moment to reflect on the momentous occasion and what it means for the future of the individuals as well as the society at large. Most of our Squeeze In staff is either pursuing higher education or already degree holding, and we even have one of our very own, Emily Bohlen, graduating from UNR this week. Amid skyrocketing costs (the cost of college has risen 1,120% since 1978) , and more diplomas than job opportunities (over half of young college graduates are either jobless or underemployed) it leads many grads to ponder their futures more uncertainly than any of the degree-holding generations before them.

The Facts
The facts are clearly unclear. The U.S. Department of Labor reports that workers with a Bachelor’s degree earn nearly $27,000 more per year than their high school graduate counterparts. However, the fact that more people than ever are completing college makes the almighty degree less valuable in the eyes of employers, and each job requiring a college education much more competitive. According to the US Census Bureau, in 1998 less than 25% of U.S. adults age 25 or older had a college degree, whereas just 14 years later more than 30% of U.S. adults age 25 or older had at least a Bachelor’s degree. So the number of degree holders is increasing rapidly, while the prospects for them are diminishing. In other words, it seems just getting the degree doesn’t set you up the way it used to.

Steve Hatcher and his son Colin on Steve’s graduation day with his MBA

The Reality
So you complete your education, and take your hefty debt into the real world. If you are like the many college grads I employ at the Squeeze In, it means you’ll be tending bar or serving tables for the next few years while you pay off student loans and wonder what in the heck you are going to do with your Liberal Arts Bachelor’s degree. Don’t get me wrong, I am a huge proponent of higher education. I myself have a dual major in Sociology and Psychology and am currently working on my Master’s in Sociology. For me, education is a personal passion and I choose to study out of a deep love for learning. For many, I think college is seen as a sentence to be served in order to obtain a desired lifestyle and status, and when they graduate they find they aren’t able to put their degrees to use, in a profitable way.

The Saving Graces
With the costs soaring and the return on investment diminishing, many may wonder if it is really worth it. The good news is, no matter how you dice it, your life chances are greatly enhanced by attending and completing college (trust me, as a student of Sociology, every study clearly shows a high correlation between college education and everything from marriage satisfaction to living longer). Additionally, for many, including myself, going to a university was a personal goal that felt really good to achieve. I proved to myself that I could do it, and being the second woman in my entire family to complete college (the first being my mom), I am very proud to have earned my degrees.

Shila smiles big on her graduation day!

Practical Skills
Finally, college teaches many life skills that are practical, even if they aren’t taught in any of the specific classes. How to meet deadlines, and complete projects, how to work in teams and present to groups. How to navigate the basic computer programs of the professional world, and perhaps most importantly, how to hold your liquor (ha ha ha!). All of these are skills I see demonstrated time and time again by all of our college educated and educating, associates at the Squeeze In. Ultimately, I am so proud of each and every person who pursues this goal to its completion and hope that they will all take at least this weekend to congratulate themselves and each other, on a job well done.

And after that? Well, if you didn’t notice, table two is ready to order.

What Every Pregnant Girl Wishes

By Shila Morris

The Pregnancy Sweet Spot

I am at the very exciting part of pregnancy. Four months along, gone are the days of food aversions and tummy aches, still ahead is the giant belly that hinders most fun activities and, well, even normal every day activities. But right now it’s the pregnant sweet spot. Your belly is cute, your energy is up, and you want to eat everything in sight. I’m the kind of pregnant girl that refuses to work out or deny myself cravings. I figure, you only get to be pregnant for a tiny portion of your life, you might as well embrace the fact that for a sliver of reality, you are allowed not to care about your appearance or shape.

Eating!

I am lucky enough to be in a position that most pregnant girls dream. I am pregnant AND I own a restaurant. And not just some restaurant, like a really-awesome, super-yummy, tons-of-variety-of-food-on-the-menu kind of restaurant – The Squeeze! Each and every day I delight in my 10-20 minute deliberation of the menu. Will I have french fries or nachos? Do I want to have a quesadilla or a burger? These are the questions I ponder at night in bed.

Odd Cravings

It is funny too how your taste changes as you are pregnant. Normally I hate cantaloupe, but I’ve been enjoying it this time around. The first time I ordered a regular fruit cup, the head cook poked his head out and asked: “No cantaloupe right?” I laughed, and said “No I want it” and his jaw practically hit the floor. After making me fruit cups for nine years he had never ever seen me eat cantaloupe.

Savor It

I feel so lucky to run a business that benefits my pregnancy in such a fun way. Ask any pregnant woman what she takes the most pleasure in and she’ll most likely say one of two things: eating or sleeping. Food to a pregnant woman is like the highlight of the day. You can’t have a drink, you can’t ride a roller coaster, and you can’t even take an Advil. So you take what you can get and savor each and every bite of each and every meal. And that’s what I plan to continue to do until this little one is born.

Introducing Chef Erin O’Donnell…

Hello EggHeads!
Some of you Truckee folks might already know me but for those who don’t, let me introduce myself. I’m Chef Erin O’Donnell and I am the Assistant Manager of “the mothership ” aka the Truckee Squeeze In. I also head up Squeeze In’s catering and I live for cooking.

The Beach Chef

I attended culinary school in Aptos, California. Going to culinary school in the Santa Cruz area was amazing! We had access to the most delicious and couldn’t-be-fresher ingredients, straight-out-of-the-sea fish caught that morning, and organic luscious veggies and fruits. Wednesdays were the best day of the week, as my classmates and friends would get out of class and head to downtown Santa Cruz for the weekly Farmer’s Market. We would scoop up the catch of the day, usually halibut, my fave, and whatever veggies caught our eye, then head to the beach and have the most delicious grill out ever! We were spoiled rotten. If anybody has been to the Farmer’s Market in S.C. you know what I’m talking about.

The Full Experience

For those who haven’t been, let me indulge you in the splendor (and you will definitely have to make it a must stop next time you visit). It takes place in a large parking lot and there are endless rows of vendors, including everything from seafood to organic wines, oils, crafts, and of course the farm fresh produce. There are usually some colorful characters rocking out in a drum circle for your listening pleasure. The aromas, colors, and tastes are a treat for all of your senses. Most everything is organic, and you can taste the difference. There is nothing like the creaminess of an organic locally-grown avocado or the crisp bite from a gala apple picked at its peak grown the hot California sun. So I hope everybody’s mouths are watering, and I will be sending you all great tips on culinary adventures on The Good Egg a few times a month so please continue reading and support your local farmers!
– Chef Erin

We Won Best Breakfast in the Reno Metromix Best Of Contest again this year!

Thank You! This year, you all were so kind to vote us Best Breakfast for a THIRD YEAR IN A ROW in the Reno Gazette/Metromix Best Of Contest! We are so proud to serve our hometown communities and are honored to have been voted by all of you. Thank you for believing in us, and supporting our family as we live our dream. We strive to live up to this prestigious award with each and every egg we crack, and we look forward to serving you the best breakfast in the sierra again soon. Thank you EggHeads!

Now Serving Sparks!

The Squeeze In is proud to announce the newest addition to our family! No, it’s not twins this time, but a brand new tiny, long, skinny restaurant, harkening back to the layout of the “mothership” in Truckee. Welcome home baby Sparks!

Yes, it’s true. You can now enjoy your favorite Racy Tracy, Buckin Buster, Hangover Helper, Spanish Flay or Holy Crab at the Sparks Squeeze In, at the corner of Sparks Blvd., and Disc Drive. Open daily from 7am-2pm, try to get there early on the weekends, as usual, it’s packed!

We can’t wait to serve you the Best Omelettes on the Planet!

With love!

Meet the owners!

Hi! We’re the owners of the Squeeze In, Gary and Misty Young and Shila and Chad Morris. We’re family. Mom, dad, daughter, son in law.

We love doing business, serving our communities, taking care of our associate families, giving back. We’re thankful and blessed and want to continue serving the Best Omelettes on the Planet for decades to come!

Join us at any location of the Squeeze In (and, of course, you can find those at http://www.squeezein.com/locations.html)

With love and thanks!

Misty

Shila and Chad Morris & Misty and Gary Young