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Many of us over the next week will have backyard parties or picnics to celebrate the 4th of July. And while dining outside tends to be a bit more casual, how would you feel about serving boxed wine? For DeRusha Eats, Jason DeRusha is giving you show how boxed win has changed for the better!
For many of us in the Midwest lobster is a fancy, special occasion food. But that has changed in the Twin Cities, thanks to one food truck that's become one hot restaurant. This morning Jason DeRusha Eats in the busiest neighborhood for food, at one of the busiest restaurants: Smack Shack.
Old Country Buffet was in bad shape. Stores were closing, and the company was filing for bankruptcy. Then came new CEO Anthony Wedo. "We haven't done a facelift even for 30 years in this business," Wedo said. "If you wore the same clothes you wore 30 years ago, you'd be in trouble, right? I mean, you'd stand out in the wrong way."
They'll forgive you if you carry a stack of letters into The Postmark Grille in Hudson, Wis. "They love how we kept a lot of the characteristics of the building," said manager Erica Schletty.
Mark Reese of B-52 Burgers and Brew knew he made a great burger. But competing against The Nook, MyBurger and The Gold Nugget? "It was very intimidating," Reese said. But a panel of chefs and food critics judged the B-52 burger as the best in the Twin Cities Burger Battle.
It looks like every other grocery store from the outside. But for nearly 40 years, Valley Natural Foods has been doing things differently inside. Kirsten Shabaz is the co-op's "Fresh Food Educator." "You wouldn't be able to walk into a big-box store and find dandelion greens or even ramps probably for that matter," Shabaz said.
At Steven Brown's award-winning Tilia in south Minneapolis, you won't find mac and cheese on the "Cootie Catcher" kids' menu. The shrimp fried rice is good, real, scratch cooking. But Brown's making good kids' food inside and out of his restaurant.
You might not expect Executive Chef Brad Berg to be searing scallops at Pittsburgh Blue. "I guess sometimes I'm surprised we do sell a lot of seafood here," Berg said.
Inside a non-descript industrial building in Mankato, a snack that's thousands of years old is getting a new look. Angie and Dan Bastian started popping kettle corn as a couple in 2001. "It's amazing when you think about we started all of this by hand, we popped by hand, we bagged by hand, we did everything by hand," Angie said.
It was nearly ten years ago when Chef Jonathan Hunt opened an Italian restaurant in the Nokomis neighborhood of Minneapolis. The city has changed. "There's definitely a lot more restaurants and I think that [the] diner has changed as well," Hunt said. "We've been able to educate."
Inside a St. Paul commercial kitchen, two friends are forming more than just loaves of bread. Micah Taylor is a web designer, and Nate Houge is a songwriter. Together, they form Brake Bread. "Bread is all about, like, time and tension and finding out the balance between them," Houge said.
If the first thing you think of when you hear "Swedish chef" is the Muppets character, then maybe you need to start thinking of Paul Berglund. He has a picture of his felt counterpart in the kitchen of the Bachelor Farmer, the red-hot North Loop Minneapolis restaurant. "A liver pate is one of my favorite things," Berglund said.
The fire burns 750-degrees hot at Pizza Nea in northeast Minneapolis. But owner Mike Sherwood's carefully-crafted dough is really what makes his pizza special. "I probably went through 150 pounds of flour before we got the crust the way I wanted it to be," Sherwood said.
With names like "Naked Blues," "Sweet Potato" and "Simply Sriracha," the chips of Way Better Snacks are way different from anything you've tried before. Jim Breen graduated high school and college in the Twin Cities, worked on the East Coast for food companies and is now growing his own food brand in the North Loop neighborhood of Minneapolis.
A Twin Cities family's burger chain is ready to really get cooking. My Burger started in the Minneapolis skyways almost ten years ago. Now there are three locations, with plans for even more. John Abdo, president of My Burger, says Americans have had a love affair with the hamburger for more than 100 years. "Everybody remembers burgers and fries as a kid," Abdo said. "When you're eating, it always harkens back to … backyard grilling."
When you hear the sound of slot machines, you can't help but look to see the buffet. It's almost Pavlovian. Executive Chef Richard Fisher says Mystic Lake has been planning a remake of their Casino's buffet. "We have new pans, all small format," Fisher said. "We actually have people in the food and beverage business from Vegas come out look at our buffet."
Diane Yang may be small in stature, but she's a big force in La Belle Vie's kitchen. "This is my corner of the kitchen. It's nice because we have the window," Yang said. "We're the only place in the kitchen that has a window, so it keeps us sane." As executive pastry chef of the top restaurant in the Twin Cities, Yang and her team are setting the standard for desserts.
No one's ever thought of eating at the airport as being anything other than fast and expensive. That is changing at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, especially in Concourse G, where Delta Air Lines hired a company to completely re-do all of the restaurants.
The jukebox in the corner of Wally's Roast Beef is loaded with oldies, including the 1969 classic, "The Beat Goes On" by Sonny and Cher. It's appropriate, since Wally's first started serving their legendary roast beef in Bloomington in 1969.
The Super Bowl is unquestionably the biggest weekend of the year for chicken wings. This week in DeRusha Eats, we want you to meet a local chef who's turned the humble wing into a culinary piece of art. Tucked away near 3M in Maplewood, D-Spot offers some of the best wings in town.
When Francine Weber opened Milton's Vittles, Vino and Beer in suburban Crystal, Minn., she thought she'd open a fast casual soul food spot. Somehow the space she found and the response from the community changed things.
Throughout the month of February, DeRusha Eats is taking it to the suburbs. This week in DeRusha Eats, we take you to a Minnetonka restaurant to check out the signature dishes of the Gold Nugget.
This week, DeRusha Eats is heading to the east Twin Cities metro to find a popular restaurant that stands out from its typical strip mall setting. Jason DeRusha heads to Woodbury to check out Cravings Restaurant and Wine Bar.
This week in DeRusha Eats, Jason cooks at Chefs Night off at Kitchen in the Market. Every month in Minneapolis, a cooking school gives you the tips to help you cook like a pro.
After the recent deep freeze, you might be dreaming of escaping Minnesota in favor of Hawaii or California. But brothers Chris and Andrew Ikeda did just the reverse, leaving those warm states to open a restaurant in their hometown of Minneapolis. This week, DeRusha Eats at Lake and Irving, where the Ikedas are bringing global influences to a local intersection.
Authorities southwest of the Twin Cities say a teen Fleet Farm worker is in the hospital and a man is in custody following a stabbing Sunday.
Minnesota food shelves are feeling grateful for new funding.
Special counsel Jack Smith asked a federal judge to toss out the charges against President-elect Donald Trump in the case stemming from the 2020 election.
The NFL currently gives the Vikings a 98% probability of making the playoffs. So now the question becomes: is this team for real?
A woman shot in Rochester early Sunday was likely targeted, police said.
As many as 80 million people will hit the roads and skies this week, according to AAA.
Passion and purpose are what brings a group of volunteer dancers together every holiday season to spread joy throughout the Twin Cities to those who need it most.
One of the most successful computer games of all time is currently being developed by Apple as a forthcoming movie.
A group of young adults wants everyone, regardless of what suburb or rural area they live in, to know what it's really like to live in the heart of the city and to sometimes not have a place to live at all.
The accident happened just after 10:30 p.m. Saturday near Chicago Avenue and Ninth Street South.
A woman shot in Rochester early Sunday was likely targeted, police said.
A central Minnesota deputy assisting at the scene of a crash suffered serious injuries when another driver hit his parked squad car while he sat inside it, authorities said.
The shooting happened just before 7 p.m. Thursday near 10th Street Southeast and First Avenue Southeast.
Authorities recovered multiple guns and a "significant amount of ammunition" from the home of a man accused of threatening his neighbor over her sexual orientation, charges say.
Minnesota will once again be one of the top states in the country for voter turnout.
Authorities are urging a Wisconsin man accused of faking his death and fleeing to Europe to come home and spend the holidays with his wife and three children.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court is grappling with a case affecting whether the swing state's nonpartisan top elections official can remain in her post despite not being reappointed and confirmed by the state Senate.
Documents say Steven Williams resigned from the Prescott, Wisconsin police force "in lieu of termination."
An attorney representing a conservative prosecutor struggled Monday to convince Wisconsin's liberal-leaning Supreme Court to reactivate the state's 175-year-old abortion ban.
Jennie-O turkey brand will display its float at Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade for the fifth consecutive year.
A group of young adults wants everyone, regardless of what suburb or rural area they live in, to know what it's really like to live in the heart of the city and to sometimes not have a place to live at all.
Inside Catholic Charities St Paul Opportunity Center, local physicians, surgeons, and lawyers gathered on Sunday to support people experiencing homelessness.
A man is expected to survive after being shot during a possible drug deal in Minneapolis' Dinkytown neighborhood Thursday morning, police said.
A warm place to live may be taken for granted, but for a veteran taking over his family home, it's a gift.
Michael Fuller and Mahesh Mathew are finding purpose on Twin Cities running paths together.
Special counsel Jack Smith asked a federal judge to toss out the charges against President-elect Donald Trump in the case stemming from the 2020 election.
President Biden pardoned two turkeys, Peach and Blossom that hail from Minnesota, where they will return.
President-elect Donald Trump is making his final selections for who might join him in the White House as part of his cabinet in January.
Ken Martin, who has led Minnesota’s DFL Party for more than a decade, now has his sights on the Democratic National Committee following bruising electoral defeats this month.
Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth said that Pete Hegseth is "flat-out wrong" in his view that women should not serve in the military in combat roles.
The average price for a typical turkey is about $25 this year. That's 6% cheaper than last November.
"We literally walk in and dust off the jackets because they have been sitting for a while," she said.
Thieves capture radio signals from your key fob by using a device that grabs that fob's signal, even from long distances. That signal can be stored and re-used.
The price of housing in Minneapolis rose less over the last five years compared to other metro areas around the U.S.
The Wild also partnered with community food shelves to give out Turkeys this holiday season.
Authorities southwest of the Twin Cities say a teen Fleet Farm worker is in the hospital and a man is in custody following a stabbing Sunday.
A woman shot in Rochester early Sunday was likely targeted, police said.
A couple from Connecticut is charged with allegedly orchestrating a retail theft operation that may have cost Lululemon as much as $1 million.
The shooting happened on the 1500 block of Lake Street East just before 8:30 p.m.
When cyclist Anna Moriah "Mo" Wilson was murdered in Texas, U.S. Marshals assigned to the case used a unique tactic to track down her suspected killer in Costa Rica and bring the fugitive to justice.
Last year, Minnesota lawmakers passed new protections after a young woman testified about contamination in her community just before she died. Her sister is now carrying on the fight to protect other families.
The Minnesota Department of Health and the United States Department of Agriculture say they have confirmed a total of 15 cases of E. coli related illnesses in Minnesota.
PFAS are forever chemicals used in everyday items like nonstick pans, dental floss and food packaging that can build up in our bodies and harm our health.
A new Minnesota state law requires school districts or charter schools to adopt a policy on the use of cellphones in school by March of next year. But one nonprofit has gotten a jump start, working with students to help them find a balance between devices in and out of school.
The Mayo Clinic says surgeons there successfully performed a face transplant for a Michigan man who was severely injured from a self-inflicted gunshot wound 10 years ago.
One of the most successful computer games of all time is currently being developed by Apple as a forthcoming movie.
Chuck Woolery was inducted into the American TV Game Show Hall of Fame in 2007 and earned a daytime Emmy nomination in 1978.
English hyperpop artist Charli XCX will be coming to Minneapolis on April 26, 2025.
After almost a decade of "Disney on Ice" performances, a Minnesota native is eagerly anticipating his first show at the Xcel Energy Center.
Post Malone announced Tuesday that the "Big A** Stadium Tour" will come to U.S. Bank Stadium on May 20, 2025.
Meet a student athlete from Chisago Lakes with endless drive, despite a surprise diagnosis. Plus, Becker and Totino-Grace battled at U.S. Bank Stadium for the Class 4A championship.
The NFL currently gives the Vikings a 98% probability of making the playoffs. So now the question becomes: is this team for real?
Gabriel Pec, Joseph Paintsil and Dejan Joveljic each scored two goals to help the LA Galaxy beat Minnesota United 6-2 to advance to the Western Conference finals.
Jaylen Brown scored the Celtics' first 15 points on five consecutive 3-pointers and finished with 29 points, before Boston withstood a late charge to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 107-105.
Sam Darnold threw for 90 of his 330 yards in overtime to set up Parker Romo's game-ending 29-yard field goal, and the Minnesota Vikings outlasted the Chicago Bears 30-27 after giving up 11 points in the final 22 seconds of regulation.
In this election, Klobuchar faired much better than all other Senate Democrats — she won by a significantly larger margin.
For Democrats the postmortem continues on why Vice President Kamala Harris and her Running mate Governor Tim Walz performed more poorly with almost every demographic than Joe Biden did in 2020. In Minnesota, Senator Amy Klobuchar did much better than Harris with some of those same groups.
As Election Day nears, experts say voters in Wisconsin and other battleground states will decide the 2024 presidential election winner.
As Election Day nears, experts say voters in Wisconsin and other battleground states will decide the 2024 presidential election winner.
As Election Day nears, experts say voters in Wisconsin and other battleground states will decide the 2024 presidential election winner.
There are a lot of quirky town names in Minnesota: Embarrass, Nowthen, Clontarff, Kiester. But the people of Nimrod believe their name stands out from the rest.
Did you know that donkeys are fast, smart and can build life-long bonds with other animals and people? It's believed that donkeys are smarter than most dogs.
The Fitzgerald Theater is the oldest active theater in St. Paul — but is it also haunted?
Wisconsin bars are known for their pints and their patrons. About the last thing you'd expect to discover in such a place would be 55 feet of historic American artwork.
Did you know Minnesota has a real castle? Miller Castle, near Nisswa.
This holiday season, you might pull out a Betty Crocker cookbook to find a tried and true recipe.
Krueger is the third-generation owner of Krueger's Christmas Tree Farm. While he finds joy in knowing the evergreens will make a family happy, they might not realize the effort it took to reach these towering heights.
As President-elect Donald Trump fills out his cabinet, there's one department for which he's yet to announce a leader. That could be because he promised it wouldn't exist after taking office.
The tiny sensory organs that cover our tongue allow us to detect five basic tastes: sweet, salty, bitter, sour and umami — which is a savory, rich or meaty flavor.
Grabbing a TV for a steal-of-a-deal is a popular move during the holiday season. This year, industry experts are expecting shoppers to go big — like really big.
Regions Hospital and Children's Minnesota share photos of their tiniest patients dressed to the nines for Halloween.
Minnesotans got a great view of the northern lights Thursday night due to the arrival of a severe geomagnetic storm.
Minnesotans got a great view of the northern lights Monday night.
Storms ripped through parts of Minnesota and western Wisconsin on Thursday evening. There were several reports of tornadoes and trees were downed in the metro and beyond, including in Cottage Grove, Anoka, Champlin and Fridley.
A powerful thunderstorm tore through the grounds of the Minnesota State Fair on Monday night, delaying Tuesday's opening.
Temperatures will fall Monday and stay below average for the rest of the week.
In Minnesota, weather can be all over the place. Here at WCCO, we want to give you what you need to prepare for what's happening next.
WCCO meteorologist Joseph Dames previews Minnesota's Thanksgiving forecast, which calls for colder temperatures and largely dry conditions.
Below average temperatures will persist for the next several days, with highs near 30 and lows in the teens.
Northern Minnesota will see snow Monday, but the Twin Cities will stay mostly dry as temperatures plummet.
Temperatures will fall Monday and stay below average for the rest of the week.
Minnesota food shelves are feeling grateful for new funding.
NFL insider Cody Benjamin talks about where the Minnesota Vikings stand as the late-season playoff push begins.
The two birds, Peach and Blossom, hail from Minnesota but are named after the Delaware state flower, the peach blossom, which symbolizes resilience.
Isaiah Allen, with College Possible, shares some tips for getting help with FAFSA, along with the Minnesota Dream Act application.