Way Back WhensDay: Chuck E. Cheese

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

I got my first part time job when I was 15 years old.  I bagged groceries, stocked shelves, and worked the cash register at a local supermarket.   I worked there all through high school and even picked up hours over Christmas and Spring Breaks when I went to college.

I didn’t work at all my freshman year while I was in school.  But by the second semester  of my sophomore year, I decided my bank account needed some boosting.  I applied for a job at Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza, but had an advantage as my girlfriend (now wife) worked there.

Chuck E. Cheese (not from my restaurant)

In January 1993 I became a cashier, but eventually found myself doing every job the restaurant had to offer.  I made pizzas in the kitchen.  I was a host on the showroom floor for birthday parties.  I walked around and tried to fix games, but mostly just unjammed tickets and handed out tokens.  I was an assist manager (technically shift supervisor).  Yes, I was Chuck E. Cheese himself, and Jasper T. Jowls, and Helen Henny.  Don’t judge.

Working at Chuck E. Cheese was a lot of fun.  It helped that everyone who worked there was in the same age group essentially.  Plus, who couldn’t have fun with video games, singing rodents, and lots of pizza?  There were days that it was challenging.  I think back specifically to the night a kid pooped in his pants in the bathroom and smeared it over the toilet, floor, and walls.  His poopy underwear was left sitting on the top of the trashcan.  As the only guy on duty that night, I had the pleasure of cleaning up that mess, but I think it helped prepare me for fatherhood.

Munch's Make Believe Band

Here are some Chuck E. Cheese fun facts.  The E stands for Entertainment.  We were encouraged to answer the phone with this phrase: “We’re making magic at Chuck E. Cheese, this is ______, how can I help you?”  We choreographed all the dance routines when the company sent us the program for the new season.  Our store employed several talented dancers who led the way.  When it came to cleaning out the ball pit, we would fill giant mesh bags with the balls and take them to the carwash for cleaning.  Someone would use a cleaning solution to scrub the empty pit.  You can imagine the things we found along the way.

I still have my name tag (one of them)
See the "Dexter" blog for details

I worked at CEC for more than three years.  The memories I made there will last me forever. Some I can share here, but others I can’t because this is a rated PG blog.  I'm sad that the Chuck E. Cheese where I worked in Cape Girardeau is now a Goodwill Store. 

Way Back WhensDay: Pantera's Pizza

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

When I was a kid, I hated pizza.  For those of you who read my Showbiz Pizza blog, I made that statement and promised more details.  Well, the time has come.  My family would go out for pizza from time to time, be it Pizza Hut, Imo's (a St. Louis institution), or Pantera's Pizza.  Each time, I'd either order a sandwich or just pick the toppings off, usually bacon and ground beef.

Then in 5th grade, my class earned a trip to Pantera's Pizza, which sat in a shopping center at the bottom of the hill from Brennan Woods Elementary School.  Each student in Mrs. Tatlow's class had the opportunity to make his or her own personal pan pizza.  I was more than a little reluctant, seeing as I hadn't ever really tried an actual pizza.  Somehow in my mind, I just knew I didn't like it.  But that little pepperoni pizza, made by me was delicious.  Since Pantera's was one of the few restaurants in High Ridge and surrounding communities at that time, it became a favorite for my family.

Oh yeah!

Pantera's also became the official "go to" spot for the parents' group at our school, The Brennan Woods Backers.  I have fond memories of heading down to Pantera's after all the parents wrapped up a fundraiser at the school, be it the Chili Supper and Haunted House, Christmas Bazaar, or Spring Carnival.  The kids would badger their parents for handfuls of quarters and play the plethora of video games or listen to some of those fantastic tunes in the jukebox.

I can still see all the parents, unwinding from a long evening of volunteer work, talking and laughing.  They'd enjoy the pizza and beverages and tell stories.  The laughter and jokes could be heard over the funky beats of the 80's and the chomping of Pac Man.  It's something I'll never forget.

I don't know exactly when Pantera's closed its doors at the High Ridge location, but I know it was a sad day.  Besides the ambiance and the fun, the food was so good too.  There is a Pantera's still open a couple of hours from where I live now.  I've yet to visit, but one of these days I will have that pizza and hopefully get in a round of Pac Man, QBert, or Dig Dug.

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents

I have declared 2014 "Operation Find My Abs", and learned  a long time ago that just working out isn't going to get the job done.  News flash: the Ab Roller did not work for me.  One thing I have discovered though is the first place to start if you want to show off your abs is in the kitchen.

So far this year (I know it's only 10 days into the New Year) I have drastically cut back on my sugar intake.  I no longer add it to my morning coffee, and I've cut back to only having soda on Friday and Saturday.  I know I need to cut it completely, but I am drinking diet.  Yes, that's just as bad I know, but I am addicted to it.

My wife and I are eating healthier and cleaner too.  It requires some extra prep and patience, but I think it's going to be worth it not just to look better, but to feel better too.  So I wanted to share with you a recipe we had the other night.  Despite the title, it was really good.  My kids, who do not know I used cauliflower for the crust, even liked it.  Oh, and this is not my own creation.  I found it on the website RecipeGirl.  Her recipe is for Hawaiian pizza, but we just opted for tomatoes and onions.

Grating the cauliflower

This recipe should give you enough crust to make two small pizzas.  It was enough for the five of us to eat, but keep in mind none of us planned to pig out.  We each had a couple of pieces.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Then use a cheese grater or food processor to reduce your cauliflower into tiny pieces.  Once that's finished microwave it for 12 minutes.  The original recipe called for 8 minutes, but I increased the time because I made two crusts.  You want the cauliflower to get soft.  Once it's finished in the microwave allow it to cool.  I stuck the bowl in the fridge for about 15 minutes.

Flatten the "dough"

Add the eggs, cheese, oregano, and garlic to the cauliflower and mix well.  Then place on a cookie sheet or pizza pan. We have stoneware and don't spray it, but you may want to do that first.  Flatten the "dough" into the thickness you prefer for a pizza crust.  I did this by hand as it stuck to the rolling pin we have.

Bake the crust for 15 minutes.  Remove it from the oven and add the toppings you like.  Turn on the broiler in the meantime.  Return it for about 3 or 4 minutes or until the added cheese melts and bubbles.  

Our toppings before the broiler 

Remove from the oven and cut into slices.  I did notice this is better to eat with a fork, as the crust isn't as strong or dry as a traditional pizza crust.  But like I said, it was really good and the kids had no idea it was made with cauliflower.  I just hope they don't read this.  

CRUST:
1 large head of cauliflower
2 large eggs
2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
2 teaspoons of dried oregano
2 garlic cloves (or 1 teaspoon of dried, minced garlic)
1 teaspoon of onion salt (I did not use this, I don't add salt to recipes usually)

For the toppings, my wife and I used Lucini Rustic Tomato Basil Sauce.  It's a healthier option with fewer calories and no added sugar. Because we were almost out of it, we just used a can of Chef Boyardee Pizza sauce on the kids version.

Way Back WhensDay: Showbiz Pizza

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents

Until I was in the 5th grade I did not like pizza.  In fact, I hated it.  One day I will blog more in depth about that and how I came to love the stuff, but for now, I'm reflecting a childhood memory that us Gen Xers will all remember fondly: Showbiz Pizza Place.  The company started in 1979 and offered families a place to go and enjoy an evening of food, entertainment, and fun.

I don't remember going to see Billy Bob (an animatronic singing bear) and his Rock-aFire Explosion Band very often as a kid, but when we did go, it was a treat.  I actually think the first time we went it was around 1982 when we were vacationing in Florida.

There was always something magical about that place.  The music was blaring with the robotic characters at the helm.  There was Fatz, Mitzi, Dook, Beach Bear, Ralph & Earl, and Looney Bird all led by that hillbilly clad bear, Billy Bob.  There were video games and games of skill that spit out tickets.  Those tickets were then exchanged for cheap trinkets at the gift shop, usually it was something that was lost or broken before the end of the car ride home.  There was also pizza involved, but as a kid it was all about playing Skeeball, and less about eating.

Billy Bob meets the people

Showbiz was the perfect place for a kid's birthday party.  It was one stop shopping for parents.  Kids could get hopped up on sugar and caffeine then burn off the energy in the ball pit or playing Whack-a-Mole.  Someone would slip into the Billy Bob costume and it seemed as if that robot on the stage had a life of its own as he would greet eager children and shake hands with his giant paws.  There was the occasional brat who would kick Billy in the shin or pull on his suit in an attempt to unmask the character.  It was like getting that Disney World experience of meeting a character without the high ticket prices and long lines.

Eventually Showbiz Pizza bought out competitor Chuck E. Cheese (fun fact: the E stands for Entertainment).  I don't know all the logistics, but I remember the local Showbiz changed things and became Chuck E. Cheese.  Billy Bob and his band mates weren't sent packing into nothing more than faded memories.  Years later, I would find myself working there (that's a story for another day too)

The Rock-aFire Explosion Band

Currently, there are no Showbiz Pizza Places left in the United States.  But I did come across this website that is a step back in time.  You may also come across a few of the old games at your local Chuck E. Cheese.  I remember the one I worked at had the Billy Bob carousel for years.  Before I left that job, my boss gave me an old Showbiz Pizza Place coloring book.  It's probably around here somewhere still.

Chuck E. Cheese is still out there, and while it's fun going there and reliving those days of when I was in college and working there, I miss Billy Bob and the Rock-aFire Explosion Band.  Great times...