There is a privacy about it which no other season gives you .....

In spring,
summer and fall people sort of have an open season on each other; only
in the winter, in the country, can you have longer, quiet stretches when
you can savor belonging to yourself." - Ruth Stout

No Peek Giveaway Begins!

Every year our “No Peeking” Holiday Envelopes are a HUGE hit! Last year we
gave away $20,000 in complimentary dinners, desserts, $50 off, $10 off and
$5 off. This year we’re giving away another $20,000 in complimentary dinners,
desserts and appetizers! Bring in your No Peek envelopes throughout January
or February . . . you have to open it in front of your server when your secret prize will be revealed!
Remember you must return the envelope unopened for the prize to be valid. This offer is not valid
with any other offer & is not valid for carry out items. So, bring your envelope in from
January 1 ~ February 12th and only take a peek in front of your server to see what you’ve won!
Everybody is a winner. Remember-NO PEEKING!
Only ONE envelope valid per table.
This offer is not valid with any coupon or any other offer.

Online Ordering at the Brick Oven ~ 20% off on Sundays

It's Fast & Convenient! Try this easy method of ordering carry-out from Brick Oven. For the
month of January we have a Special Promotion just for YOU! Every Sunday when you use
online ordering, we will give you 20% off your bill!
not valid with any other offers, coupons or discounts ~ www.brickovencourtyardgrille.com

Wednesday, January 28th Wine Dinner, 7pm

Cremini Mushrooms stuffed with
Marinated Pork with a Red Wine Glace
Carneros Creek Pinot Noir
Winter Beet & Toasted Walnut Salad w/ Peppered Goat Cheese
Mason Sauvignon Blanc
Blackened Sirloin with a Louisiana Shrimp Creole Sauce
served over Garlic and Onion Mashed Potato Gratin
Windsor Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Espresso Crème Anglaise with Kahlua Chocolate
Quady Essencia Muscat

$60 per person ~ Call to reserve your seat soon! Space is limited.
This offer is not valid with any coupon or any other offer.

Beginning the First Wednesday in February Brick Oven will Offer Wine Tastings!
$30 per person. Call for details 785.478.2742
Brick Oven Courtyard Grille 3030 SW Wanamaker Rd. Topeka, Kansas 66614
785.478.2742 brickovencourtyardgrille.com
Did you ever wonder . . . Did you ever wonder about the unique personality of your dog or cat? I
don’t think there’s any amazing answers here, but I do think it is interesting just how differing the personalities of our
pets can be.
Right now in my home, we have two dogs and two cats. And they all couldn’t be more different. First there is
Maximus (Max for short), a three year old, 75 pound, Black Lab. Max is the favored child in the family and according
to my husband he is innocent from any wrong doing ever. Max is my husband’s dog. Granted, Max is typically the
better behaved of the two dogs. Our second dog is an enormous (90 pounds) 18 month old ½ Black Lab ½ Rottweiler, Maggie. She lives in a con-
stant state of trouble, typically involving chewing. Since we’ve had her she has chewed five, count them, five pairs of Birkenstocks, before I became
trained not to leave my beloved sandals around. In addition to the footwear, she’s eaten my eye-glasses, my son’s saxophone music book, my
husband’s check book, and numerous bills and magazines. If you visit my home, all the trash baskets have been relocated to higher altitudes. We
often tell Maggie that it’s a good thing she is cute. It may surprise you to learn that both dogs did successfully graduate from obedience school.
The only real tricks either of them performs is the paw/handshake and pointing your finger at them and saying “bang your dead.” Immediately they
drop to the ground with all four legs in the air. No matter what is messed up when the two dogs are present, Max remains “not guilty.” Six months
ago both dogs escaped from home for nearly 14 hours and traveled over six miles to a privately owned shoe store, where the shop owner called me
and let me know they were safe and together. It was Maggie’s idea to run off and take Max with her. Sure.
Then there are the two cats. Sophie is a petite short-haired Calico, belonging to my son. I have never seen a more cuddling or loyal feline (I’ve
owned several cats over the years). Ordinarily, as most cat owners know, cats are not known for their loyalty nor long term cuddling. When you
pick up this cat, she nuzzles right into your neck and actively “hugs” you. If you happened to be leaning over to pick up something, she thinks noth-
ing of hopping on to your back (claws usually retracted) and then walking up your back as you straighten your posture. At night, my son calls So-
phie and she comes running from parts unknown to crawl under the blanket, turn around and slither her head back out, not unlike a human. As far
as her eating habits go . . . she takes her paw and slaps out several pieces of dry food on to the floor, plays with it across the kitchen floor and fi-
nally dines. She used to push the whole bowl of food on to the floor until we velcroed the bowl to the counter. Sophie is in NO way bothered by ei-
ther dog. She’s been around the longest and she rules the house—both dogs have a scratch mark across the nose to prove it. Daphne, our
long-haired beautiful, Maine Coon cat, despises the dogs—if the dogs disappeared and never returned, she wouldn’t shed a tear of loss. She ap-
pears to be about twenty pounds, but the long hair is deceptive. She weighs about eight pounds and thinks she is a dog. As a kitten she would

December Where in the jump on our laps when we were eating a meal,
Recipe of the Month any meal, regardless of the meal—cereal, pie,
World Answer: Crockpot Beef Stroganoff scrambled eggs, steak, etc.— and dive right
Québec Canada Prep Time: 25 minutes
into our plates. You could push her down and
Quebec Ice Hotel right back up she would come. Oddly, her
Cook Time: 9 hours pastime is shredding paper towels. Her two
Ingredients: favorite places to lounge: directly in front of my
1 - 1/ 2 lbs. beef sirloin tip, cut into 1" cubes computer screen and the kitchen sink (no
16 oz. pkg. baby carrots water). Daphne refuses to come to her name
2 onions, chopped or “kitty, kitty.” She does, however, come to
3 cloves garlic, minced the sound of an acoustic guitar. We just open
1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves the door and strum a few chords and she
1/2 tsp. salt scampers in.
1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1/8 tsp. pepper We love them all and all were rescue animals.
1 bay leaf
January Where in the 1-1/2 cups beef broth
But Max, I got you this time. The camera
World is This? Win a 1/2 cup apple juice doesn’t lie . . . you got into the dog biscuits.
8 oz. carton sour cream
FREE Dinner! 1/4 cup flour
Come in & tell us where & what this is & if 1/4 cup water
you are one of the first twenty people to
Preparation:
answer correctly, you’ll win a FREE dinner
Combine everything except sour cream, flour, and wa-
($12.00 value). Not valid with any other offer. ter in a 3-1/2 quart slow cooker. Cook on low heat for
8-10 hours (high for 4-5 hours). Remove and discard
bay leaf.
Combine sour cream, flour, and water in medium bowl
and mix well, using a whisk. Add 1 cup of the hot liquid
from the crockpot to the sour cream mixture and stir
until combined. Return this mixture to the crockpot and
stir well. Cover crockpot and cook on high for 20-30 John Helms is the January
minutes until thickened and bubbly. V.I.P. winner and will
receive a $25.00
Serve over hot cooked egg noodles. gift certificate.
 Catering Corner,
... Tricia Adolphson, Catering Director
785-478-2742(BRIC) Direct Catering 785-249-1282
It’s January, you say. What thoughtful thing can I
do in January? The next time you’re out & about The holidays may be behind us . . . host an “after the holidays” party! We cater
& it snows, clear the windshield of the car next to hors d'oeuvres and party trays, buffets, and formal sit down dinners. We want to help make your
your’s in the parking lot. Draw a smile on the celebrations more enjoyable. You can be a guest at your own event. Give Tricia Adolphson a call to place
hood of a snow-covered car. It your order or set up an appointment to plan your event.
will make you feel great. When
shoveling your walk or driveway, Are you having a fund raiser, social gathering, office luncheon, corporate event, wedding rehearsal, or
shovel your neighbor’s walk as wedding reception? Do you want your event to be memorable? We can help you plan your event whether
well. Remember, the good it's casual, semi-casual or formal and make it spectacular with our great menu selections and excellent
service.
deed will reward you.
Drop-n-Go Buffet
Right Time, Right Price! Our most economical buffet. Drop-n-Go Buffets serve one-third pound of sliced meat per person with your
Monday through Saturday from 4pm- choice of two meats: Beef Brisket, Chopped Kobe-style Burnt Ends, Hickory Roasted Ham, Smoked Turkey
5:30pm. For $10.99 choose from any of the Breast or Pulled Pork
following menu items & comes with 1 side 50-74 guests 75-99 guests 100+ guests
dish: 9.25 9.00 8.75

~ Oven Roasted Chicken Wood Grilled Buffet

A genuine hickory wood-fired delight. All wood grilled buffets are prepared on site. Customize your meal.
~ The Carolina Choose from:
~ Oven Roasted Chicken & Backyard Picnic (burgers, brats and hot dogs) -------- 11.95 per person
Kobe-Style Burnt Ends Add Boneless Chicken Breast Fillets--------------------- 1.99 per person
~ Fire-Seared Eggplant The 12 oz. K.C. Strip---------------------------------------25.99 per person
~Wood-Grilled Scallop & ½ Marinated Grilled Chicken------------------------------12.99 per person
Tenderloin Kabob All buffets include the delivery & set-up of disposable table covering for 8 foot tables (provided by you).
~ Fire-Seared Sirloin Food arrives in disposable containers. Our sides include our famous iron-skillet beans, creamy coleslaw,
Prices are only valid on these items listed above. pasta salad, barbeque sauce, pickles, and variety of breads, paperware, and serving utensils. Call me to
This offer not valid with any other discount, cou- plan your event and give you further details on our catering.
pon or offer. These items come with 1 side dish. Thanks, Tricia Adolphson
January Word of the Month
It’s the Law in Kansas
Expand your vocabulary. Use the word at ~ Rabbits may not be shot from motorboats.
least once a day for the month and it should ~ Pedestrians crossing the highways at night must wear tail lights.
stay filed in the brain. ~ No one may catch fish with his bare hands.
~ The state game rule prohibits the use of mules to hunt ducks.
ennead (EN-ee-ad) noun ~ A group of nine. ~ If two trains meet on the same track, neither shall proceed until the other has passed.
~ Dead chickens may not be hauled across Kansas Avenue.
Ancient peoples ~ The ‘Wild West’ is long gone it seems, for driving your herd of cattle
considered an through this town (Topeka) is now outlawed.
~ No matter how nice it may be, a pet Pit Bull is not allowed within the city limits.
ennead of
~ No one may scream at a haunted house.
deities very ~ The installation of bathtubs is prohibited.
important. For more interesting laws go to www.dumblaws.com

Monday Nights are Vision in the New Year of 2009

Prime Rib Night at Every year we intend to change something about ourselves to bet-
Brick Oven Courtyard Grille ter our lives. Take your new 2009 calendar and mark the first
day of each month with your resolution of the month. You might
Enjoy our Prime Rib Dinner take your bigger resolutions and slot them into a certain day of
for $15.99 every month as a reminder.
Entrée includes
10 ounce slice of delicious smoked Prime Rib Some ideas to widen your horizons:
served with one of our fabulous side dishes and Read a book a month ~ Eat, Love, Pray by Elizabeth Gilbert
a dinner salad.
This offer is not valid with any other offer, coupon or Journal/Name the journal with a real name & write in letter
discount. Price does not include beverages, tax or form ~ Dear Fred, today I flew to Whidbey Island . . .
gratuity. You MUST mention that you want this
special when ordering to receive special price. Take more photographs . . .
Dine in only 4-10pm. Keep your eyes open for the unique ~ Free Hugs
Volunteering has a long and proud history in America (partially reprinted from
www.pointsoflight.org)

Our roots in service extend back to the first pioneers, when colonists had to ban together to overcome the challenges of surviving and adjusting to a
new land. Since the time of the formation of our nation, Americans have volunteered to help each other in times of war, tragedy, and need.

The main purpose of a Volunteer Center is to be the connection between volunteers and service opportunities. Their history in the United States
began in response to World War I with the Volunteer Bureau in Minneapolis, MN in 1919. After the war, Volunteer Centers focused on becoming
the link between the growing number of citizens who wanted to be involved in their communities and the agencies that needed help. Over the de-
cades, Volunteer Centers have gone through many transformations, from name and affiliation changes, to broadening of the mission. The mission
has evolved from simply matching volunteers with organizations to serving as a comprehensive community resource for positive change.

The problems faced by Americans today are no less critical than they were a century ago. Volunteer Centers mobilize people and resources to de-
liver creative solutions to community problems. Volunteer Centers have become the central agents for creating change within their communities
because they have become leaders in volunteer recruitment and management; models in volunteer outreach and community problem solving; and
resources in effective utilization of volunteer skills.

The vision of the Volunteer Center National Network is to strengthen the nation by igniting volunteering and social action through Volunteer Centers
in local communities. Reaching nearly 193 million people in thousands of cities, this Network connects more than 2.5 million people with more than
a million opportunities to serve annually. Each Volunteer Center is defined by its own community, but is also part of a larger, sweeping movement
for social change. The future of volunteering calls on us to build this movement of valuable service to our nation.
Given this information, perhaps now is the time to offer an hour or two of your week in a volunteer capacity. Together we can all make a difference!
Here are a few ideas:
Read to children, the elderly or the blind. Did you know that Benjamin Franklin began the first volunteer
Host a canned food drive. firefighting company in 1736?
Help out at a school or public library.
Host a coat drive for those less fortunate.
Visit http://www.americantowns.com/ks/topeka-make-a-difference
Be a friend to some one in a nursing home. Volunteer.
for volunteer opportunities in Topeka
Volunteer at a hospital. It’s good for all of us.
accommodate your party! Or better yet, put us on your speed dial on your cell phone--just call to see if we have room for you-- 478-2742!!!!
Please know that often times our parking lot appears full and we still have plenty of room in the restaurant. Do come in and see if we can

Permit 97
Kansas
Topeka,
Paid
U.S. Postage
PRSRT