random musings

Eat - Kraftwork

2010-05-09T18:46:00.006-04:00

Sidecar has a new baby sister. Kraftwork, up in the far-away Fishtown is owner, Adam Ritter's newest pride and joy. And he has every right to be proud and joyful. It opened up on Friday. We skipped the opening since we figured it would be crazy (and from what I hear it was!). We showed up at opening (they had to unlock the door for us) on Saturday and within 45 minutes there was a wait for

Cook - Chicken Enchiladas and Roasted Corn and Radish Salad

2010-05-07T11:15:00.005-04:00

Last night we had Chicken Enchiladas and Roasted Corn and Radish Salad with Avocado-Herb Dressing. Both are Cooking Light recipes. And both would be made again. We went to Lowe's to pick up our gardening supplies for the season so we made the enchiladas the night before and then heated them up last night.Chicken Enchiladas This dish

Cook - Mediterranean Wraps and Brussels Sprouts

2010-05-06T10:23:00.006-04:00

Last night we went a little Mediterranean with Mediterranean Wraps (from Eating Well) and Mediterranean Brussels Sprouts (of my own creation). Mediterranean WrapFrom EatingWell: May/June 2010 (Picture is theirs) This wrap is stuffed with chicken tenders and couscous with a hit of lemon and a healthy dose of fresh herbs. Save any leftovers to wrap up for an easy lunch. Serve with: Mixed

Cook - Pulled Pork and Beef with Coleslaw

2010-05-05T12:06:00.006-04:00

In honor of our LOST-hosting duties last night we served Pulled Pork and Beef sandwiches with Coleslaw and Tater Tots. For dessert with had Margarita Cake. It was all delicious.The Barbecue Beef and Pork sandwiches were based on a Betty Crocker recipe - Slow Cooker Beef and Pork Barbecue Sandwiches. The picture is from Betty Crocker.1 4 lb pork shoulder (bone-in)1 2 lb beef chuck roast (

Cook - Sloppy Lentils in Pita

2010-05-05T11:51:00.003-04:00

Yeah, I know. It has been over 2 months. In those two months I have . . . turned 29, broken my knee skiing, successfully turned in my thesis (I am graduating May 17th) and started the teacher certification program in Secondary Biology at Drexel University Online. I have been busy. I also have not been cooking. But that changes this week! So first up - Sloppy Lentils in Pita. This was

We roasted a chicken!

2010-02-28T20:49:00.003-05:00

Yayz! So we did this before about 2 years ago and it was a disaster and we decided that it totally wasn't worth it all. But then I went to a nutritionist this week (my blood pressure is a bit high) and she was all about roasting chickens. I think it was mostly because she herself has been roasting chickens a lot recently. But anyway, I look cooking on Sundays and so we decided to try it out

Calzone and pizza party

2010-02-22T11:51:00.003-05:00

Well it was a party of 2. But yesterday we made 3 calzones and a pizza for dinner. No, we didnt eat them all. But we couldnt decide which ones to make, so we made 3!Matty made the dough based on a recipe in Mom's Big Book of Baking. I am not sure what the actually recipe was but it is a pretty good recipe (a little sticky sometimes).Then we made a cold cut calzone, a bbq beef brisket calzone,

Creole Recipes

2010-02-16T10:50:00.003-05:00

Someone asked me for the crawfish creole recipe, so I figured I would post it here in case anyone else wanted it. A creole is like a tomato sauce kinda? It was originally from The Encyclopedia of Cajun and Creole Cuisine. I got it from Best of the Best from Louisiana. And then I modified it. I made three recipes-worth since I was making alligator (big oval pot in the back), crawfish (big

Mardi Gras

2010-02-15T11:54:00.002-05:00

This weekend we had our Mardi Gras party. This is a party that we inherited from my parents who had it for 17 years before deciding that they had had enough. They gave us their recipes and decorations and we started having it last year. They came down for it last year with 3 of their friends and this year with 2 of them. And we have a great time. This year I think I really got the recipes

One-Skillet Bean & Broccoli Rabe Supper

2010-02-08T14:14:00.002-05:00

This was super tasty and different. And I think you could play around with it. We used hot italian sausage and white beans. But you could use the merguez and chickpeas or chorizo and black beans.One-Skillet Bean & Broccoli Rabe SupperIf beans and greens are not a part of your regular menu, this one-pot dish will change your mind. Sausage and garlic flavor the broccoli rabe and beans while the

Soup's on

2010-02-04T11:35:00.003-05:00

Saturday night we had some people over for soup since it was so goddamn cold out. Also for some Modern Warfare and Mortal Kombat II. I tried two new soup recipes - Red Lentil Dal with Charred Onions and Italian White Bean and Spinach Soup. They both needed more salt. I liked the dal better than the spinach soup, especially since I didnt cook the dried mushrooms long enough. I would probably

Curried Beef Short Ribs

2010-01-18T20:08:00.005-05:00

This was tonight's dinner and damn was it good. I had to go to work this morning so Matty put this together and got it going for us. This was our first exploration into short ribs. Yummy.Curried Beef Short RibsFinishing this dish with lime zest and juice brightens its rich flavors. Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 3 ounces ribs, 2/3 cup rice, and about 2 1/2 tablespoons sauce) (

Sausage and Spinach Soup

2010-01-18T19:46:00.006-05:00

This is another meal that Matty made while I was working late. But it was much easier to put together than the pork-potato hash. It was really really good. Almost surprisingly good considering how easy it was. We served with a baguette. The only thing I would change is the tomatoes. I would either used diced or I would chop the stewed some since the pieces were pretty big.Sausage and

Pork-Potato Hash with Eggs

2010-01-18T19:26:00.005-05:00

This one I have to credit Matty for. I did not pay attention to how long it took to make and he patiently stood by and made it for us anyway while I was working late. So as a warning, this is not a quick meal! But it is so tasty! I would suggest maybe making this as a weekend meal. He also cooked this in the buffet casserole that I mentioned in the previous post. However he cooked the eggs

Bacon Mac

2010-01-18T18:23:00.005-05:00

Totally not apologizing for not writing in FOREVER and promising to do better. Cuz it doesnt seem to matter. So . . . here's what we ate last week. First up is Bacon Mac which was AWESOME! It isnt as saucy as a mac and cheese. But oh so tasty! And easy. We added broccoli to try to make it a bit healthier. I made this all (besides boiling the pasta) in my brandy new Buffet Casserole (I got

Does this ever happen to you?

2009-12-16T13:33:00.005-05:00

Ok, first off, I posted some pics from the holiday party if you are interested, check out that old post.Ok, so this happens to us much more frequently than it seems like it should.Last night Matty was doing his sit-ups and says "Hey, can I ask you something?" and I say "Uh huh" and keep doing what I was doing, at the time, Christmas shopping online for my godson. And he says "Does that hole in

Holiday Party 2009

2009-12-14T10:24:00.004-05:00

I know it has been forever, but I have been really busy. With so many things. One of the things I have been most busy with recently was my holiday party. I look forward to this party all year. I start planning in August. I sent out the invitations in October. I start setting my menu in November (only because Matty cant handle me doing it earlier) and it is set by Thanksgiving. I started

Ok, one quick post about some boobies

2009-10-15T16:21:00.004-04:00

Have you seen this?Critics a-Twitter over Meghan McCain's racy picOk, so I guess Wednesday night Meghan McCain decided to curl up in a tank top and some sweat pants and get in some reading time. Who cares? Well in order to tell all of her friends she took a picture of herself and put it on Twitter. Again. Who cares? Well apparently a lot of people."You don't have to pull cheap gags like this

Quick update

2009-10-15T16:00:00.002-04:00

We are back from our trip to Canada and Maine. It is so beautiful up there. The leaves are in full or near to full peak and there is so much empty land. I could never live there. But it was very pretty to ride through. The wedding was a lot of fun and was very pretty and different in several ways from traditional American weddings. We ate some really good (and some not so good) food and I

Phew!

2009-10-07T12:55:00.004-04:00

You are probably wondering about all the posts in the last two days. Well Matty and I are going on vacation and I wanted to get caught up before we left and I had been really busy the last two weeks and had fallen behind. Well, we are going to Prince Edward Island with his family for his cousin's wedding. We are leaving tonight to fly to RI, then we are going to drive (with his parents,

BMA quesadillas

2009-10-07T12:36:00.002-04:00

That is bacon, mushroom and avocado to those of you not in the know . . . Ok, I just made that up. But we made pretty damn tasty quesadillas on Monday. This is based on this Smoked Turkey Quesadilla recipe from Betty Crocker that I would also highly recommend. I also made a side of salsa (see recipe below) that we had with chips on the side.Bacon Mushroom Avocado QuesadillasThis made enough

Pasta e fagioli and Sopressata-Parmesan Beer Bread

2009-10-07T11:48:00.006-04:00

This pasta e fagioli is my recipe which has been edited and revised and played with over the last 6 years or so. It was originally based on a recipe I found in a compilation Cooking Light cookbook, but it has changed drastically since then. So I call it all my own and it is awesome! Matty said this is the best one I have made. :-) The bread recipe is not mine however. It is also very good,

Italian Sausage Supper Stuffing

2009-10-06T16:34:00.002-04:00

This is a recipe that we have made before and really liked. Though I do say, even with 2 people cooking and having done it before, there is no way we could do it in 30 minutes. But it is so tasty. We added ricotta cheese (why not right?) because we needed to use some we had. I wouldn't do it again. It was good but the creaminess was over the top and I think it diminished some of the other

Chicken Thighs with Olives and Tomato Sauce

2009-10-06T16:18:00.004-04:00

A slow cooker recipe! I love using my slow cooker. Especially in the fall and winter. A hot meal waiting when you get home, your house smelling all yummy. Yay! It seems especially awesome when it is already dark when you get home in the winter. And this is a really good one. Like most of our slow cooked meals, we prepare it all the night before in the slow cooker liner and keep it in the

Bacon-chipotle Twice Baked Potatoes

2009-10-06T16:05:00.004-04:00

Bacon. Chipotle. Cheddar. Potato. Let me sop up that drool real quick . . .We had a salad on the side. That makes it ok right? Who cares? These are FANTASTIC! And really really good leftover as well. I mean really, how could they not be? I will repeat. Bacon-chipotle twice baked potatoes . . . We did a third of the original recipe. So what is here is what we made, you can follow the

Bulgur Salad with Edamame and Cherry Tomatoes . . . Sorta

2009-10-06T11:52:00.003-04:00

This is one of those recipes that I sorta messed with a bunch. Some on purpose, some due to necessity. First I couldn't find shelled edamame and I wasn't shelling them myself. And I didnt agree with all of the ingredients (we aren't huge fans of dill). And then I didn't want to let it cook as long as I was supposed to. But what we made was very good . . . so there. I am pretty sure that we

Cheddar Chicken Corn Chowder

2009-10-06T11:41:00.003-04:00

A mouthful to be sure. I have decided that (when possible) Sundays are going to be soup (or chili) and bread days for me. So two weekends ago I decided to try Cheddar Chicken Corn Chowder from The Big Book of Soups and Stews. It was ok. The flavors were great, but it didnt thicken up as much as I would have liked. And it separated out in the fridge and so leftovers were a little tough. You

Resurrection Ale House

2009-10-06T11:16:00.005-04:00

It has been almost a week and a half since we went, but I am still thinking about our appetizer. Mmmmmm . .This is the newest incarnation of the space most recently held by Yello'Bar. Which we liked. In theory. When they first opened. But they couldn't compete against Sidecar. And then their food quality started to decline. And now it is Resurrection Ale House from the people who own

Spasso Italian Grill

2009-10-03T09:00:00.003-04:00

This season for Restaurant Week we went to Spasso Italian Grill on Front. We have a tendency to do Italian for Restaurant Week (Le Castagne, Ristorante Panorama) because we rarely go out for Italian, mostly because we dont like to pay as much as it normally costs. So when we can get it cheaper, we go for it.Spasso had the highest ratings on Yelp for the Italian places we were looking at and so

Two non-recipe meals.

2009-10-03T08:45:00.003-04:00

We have those sometimes. Honest. I just have all these recipes that I want to try, it is hard so sometimes just decide not to over plan. I know, hard to believe that I would overplan. But last week we had too underplanned nights. It was largely because I was working late and Matty was making dinner and he is much more apt to just cook. And not be obsessed by the recipes. So one night we

Ranch Chiles Rellenos with Ancho Chile Salsa

2009-09-28T18:58:00.003-04:00

So you may remember that last weekend we made Ancho chile salsa. Well that was in advance of making Ranch Chile Rellenos. Mmmmm . . . chile rellenos . . . These were remarkably easier to make than I expected and so tasty. We used Anaheim's from the garden but I think poblanos might be a good idea. The Anaheims were a bit too skinny and so split when I put the cheese inside. But it didnt all

Apple Blackerry Oatmeal Crisp

2009-09-28T18:00:00.004-04:00

Matty wanted to use some apples that we had lying around and some blackberries that we had in the freezer. And he loves to bake. So for dessert following our buffalo chili last week we had an Apple Blackberry Oatmeal Crisp. He looked at this recipe while he was baking though I am not sure how closely he followed it. He only made a small one (two apples). It was delicious! Really you could

I haven't forgotten!

2009-09-28T14:14:00.002-04:00

I am giving my department Research in Progress talk on Friday and so work has been beyond busy and whenever I get the chance to be away from my computer I have been. So I am sorry about not writing sooner. By the end of the week I hope that have caught up on these topics from last week:Apple Oatmeal CrispChile RellenosGrilled Cheeses and Tomato SoupSpasso for Restaurant WeekSquash Cake muffins

Ancho chile salsa, High Plains Buffalo Chili and Manchego-Jalapeno Beer Bread

2009-09-20T19:18:00.007-04:00

It's Sunday in football season! That has always meant a stove full of food for me growing up. And so I am picking up my mom's tradition. So after a delicious early brunch at Sidecar (brunch menu hasnt drastically changed) with my college roommate and her husband I sent Matty for ingredients and I got to work. I started with my very first savory bread. It is a beer bread, not a regular bread.

Sidecar has a new menu and new hours!

2009-09-18T20:47:00.002-04:00

While Matty makes cole slaw for tomorrow I figured I would post a quick message about The Sidecar, our favorite neighborhood bar. We went tonight after an extended (apparently) absence to find a change in menu and hours. We suspected something was up Monday night when, driving home from Target (with our dinner from Tony Luke's) that Sidecar was open! On a Monday! Well apparently starting

American Blackout and 30 Rock

2009-09-18T10:48:00.003-04:00

Do you guys like the way I have been splitting up posts like this. I know that a lot of people (ok, one or two of you) don't like to read the recipes, so I figured it would be easier to skip those if they were separate posts. Let me know if this is easier to read or more difficult. If I dont get any (or many) comments against it I will keep doing it this way.Last night we watched American

Asian corn soup

2009-09-18T10:23:00.003-04:00

So Sunday while we were in the Italian Market I noticed that the spice place down there had lemongrass stalks on sale. I have never actually even seen lemongrass stalks anywhere, but I am sure it is just because I didnt really know what it looks like (a lot like palm actually. Like Palm Sunday palms). So I bought some. Because that is totally what you do when you find an ingredient you have

The Regulators and Daybreak

2009-09-17T13:25:00.003-04:00

Ok, so it has been awhile since I have done a book review (or a tv review [see below]). Mostly because I have been working my way through The Dark Descent verrrrryyyy sllllooooowwwwllllyyyy. I blame the 1000 pages and not the fact that I am a very slow reader and we have been watching Food Network in bed instead of reading. I would love to do a series of posts on some of the stories/authors

Zucchini Eggplant Lasagna

2009-09-17T12:52:00.005-04:00

Yet another awesome recipe! One of these days we are going to have a really shitty meal I think. It is just karma. We have eggplants from the garden that needed to be used, so I picked this recipe since it sorta combines Matty's love of eggplant parm and my love of all things pasta. The only time consuming part was dealing with the eggplants. We actually put this all together Tuesday night

Chicken and Feta Tabbouleh

2009-09-16T16:55:00.003-04:00

I told Matty last night, we need to start making some shitty recipes. Because everything is so damn tasty and so I have to keep all the recipes. One of the points of trying all these new recipes lately has been to thin the herb a bit. I have more recipes than I could ever even think about making and I keep finding more. And I am having some issues with storage. Anyone have a really good

La Lupe and Tony Luke's

2009-09-16T16:41:00.002-04:00

Sunday for brunch we went to La Lupe. You know, that mexican place next to that cheesesteak place in the Italian Market? I know, how have we not been there? I don't know. But we hadn't. So we went on Sunday. And now I really don't know how we missed it for so long. We started with chips and guacamole (after the chips and "salsa" they gave us). The salsa is very good but more similar to a

NoLibs afternoon

2009-09-12T17:58:00.003-04:00

The weather is very strange here today! It isn't warm but it is humid so it isnt quite jacket weather but . . . I dont know. At least eh rain held off so we took a jaunt up to NoLibs for lunch. We decided to check out a new-ish place up on Girard that we have heard great things about - Paesano's, the sister to fellow-Girard restaurant Modo Mio. This is a little hole in the wall sandwich place

Baked Falafel Sandwiches with Yogurt Tahini Sauce

2009-09-12T17:35:00.003-04:00

Yet another tasty tasty dinner. I have been so impressed with us lately. We have had difficulty with falafel in the past. Usually the patties or balls are fried and we have had difficulty with sticking and with falling apart. So I was interested in trying a baked recipe. Also I was interested in using bulgur in the patties since I have not used bulgur before. And boy was I right to check

Six-Veggie Bake

2009-09-10T13:47:00.002-04:00

This was pretty good. A good basic veggie strata that could easily be played with. I think it needs a bit of heat. Either a hot pepper or some crushed red pepper or something. I was thinking pickled hot cherry or banana peppers would be good because it also needs a little more salt. And it I think it needs salt, it needs salt. I was also thinking black olives would be good. The cheese also

Peppery Monterey Jack Pasta Salad

2009-09-09T11:49:00.003-04:00

Another awesome salad from Cooking Light! They are really impressing me lately! So last night we had Peppery Monterey Jack Pasta Salad and Asiago Crescent rolls. And it was awesome. I changed the recipe a little bit and I have a few changes I might make in the future, but it was awesome! Another highly highly recommended meal! I LOVE the crescent rolls and will totally make them again in

Southwest Airlines - pissing me off!

2009-09-09T10:38:00.002-04:00

Now I love Southwest Airlines. I have flown Southwest exclusively since moving to Philly. I used to be able to get flights from PHI to PVD for $29 each way. I can still get them for $49 each way. I use their credit card and fly so often that I rack up free flights way faster than I can use them. You can even give the free flights to other people for free! Which I have done. All flights are

Quinoa and Pistachio Salad with Moroccan Pesto

2009-09-04T13:08:00.002-04:00

So I should really be telling you all about Sanctuary and Being Human and Quantum Leap and Revolutionary Road and Guitar Hero 5. I really should be. But I am not going to. Maybe later. Hopefully later. Wednesday night we had Oven Roasted Italian Chicken Sausage (from Martin's, grilled on Monday) with Mashed potatoes (with caramelized onion, roasted garlic and marinated mozzarella) and

"Middle Eastern" Eggplant Salad and Grilled Chicken

2009-09-02T13:56:00.002-04:00

Another yummy dinner last night! I am not sure what makes this salad "middle eastern" besides having eggplant. In fact I am not really sure what makes it a salad per se. It is a warm dish more reminiscent of ratatouille in my mind. But it sure is tasty. Monday night we grilled the red peppers (instead of roasting them) and the eggplant (instead of sauteeing). We also grilled two chicken

Yummy dinner

2009-09-01T11:04:00.003-04:00

Well Matty went to LA and I watched a whole lot of TV. Which I will talk about. At some point. And then we went to New England for a wedding. Which was lovely. But I wanted to talk about a dinner I made last week. Which I am calling Chik'n Sarambocca with Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts. The brussels sprouts recipe is based on this one from George Duran.First I roasted a head of garlic.

Recent "television" watching

2009-08-20T15:41:00.005-04:00

We pretty much don't watch TV anymore. Well we dont watch shows on TV. We always end up missing an episode and then fall behind and then give up. Enter Netflix. Never have to wait til the next week, never miss an episode, pause, fast foward . . . tada! I will have to say that we do watch the Food Network (obsessively), Jeopardy! and the occasional Bravo, Style Network or Discovery Channel

Recent movie watching

2009-08-20T14:26:00.006-04:00

As you may have noticed I have a pretty open day today so I am trying to catch up a little bit on reviews at least. So first up are movies.Last Chance Harvey (2008). The story of a guy, a bit of a sad sack, Harvey (played by Dustin Hoffman) who goes to London for his estranged (?) daughter's wedding only to realize that he is at his "last chance" at changing his life and meets a woman (played

Center City Sips Review Week 6 (for us): Ladder 15

2009-08-20T14:01:00.005-04:00

Finally up to date. Last night we tried Ladder 15. This is the newest addition to Sansom St in the old firehouse. Specials: $2 Hook & Ladder Pipe & Drum Irish Ale (only downstairs), Blue Moon, Bud Light bottles. $3 Beaulieu Vineyards Pinot Grigio and Pinot Noir. $4 Mango Sansom (Parrot Bay Mango, Triple Sec, Pineapple & Orange Juice, splash of cranberry on the rocks) and Cherry Water Ice (

Center City Sips Review Week 5 (for us): APO

2009-08-20T13:26:00.005-04:00

It has also been a few weeks since we went here, so bear with me. APO (Apothecary is apparently against PA laws for a bar's name) Bar and Lounge is the new upscale (read fancy pants) cocktail lounge from the same people who brought Philly 1225 Raw Sushi and Sake Lounge. Specials: $2 Victory Prima Pils on draft and Modelo Especial cans (they ran out of the Pils when we were there and substituted

Center City Sips Review Week 4 (for us): Smokin' Betty's

2009-08-20T12:56:00.006-04:00

I know. This is really really really late (we went here sometime mid-July). Sorry! I have been way behind. As a note, all the pics in this post were taken from the yelp page.Smokin' Betty's is the newest restaurant by the people who brought us Devil's Alley. It has been awhile since we were there and I honestly can't remember all the specials. I tried both of the cocktails on special. One

Ugh

2009-08-10T10:32:00.002-04:00

So my sinus infection is still here. (Yes I know I should give the antibiotics at least a week to work, but I dont wanna!) And still painful and not a huge fan of the humidity at all. The heat index is supposed to be 100 today. So I took the bus. Which is good. Because I was at work (not walking here) in the AC and relatively unsweaty when my father called to tell me that my Nana passed

New addition to the sidebar and a quick update

2009-08-08T10:11:00.002-04:00

So firstly, I want to point your attention to the sidebar over there where there is a new addition. Skivvies and Chives. This is the new blog about everything food by a fellow Philly foodie. Ok, I am not really a foodie. But she is. And we are both in Philly. And the alliteration was nice right? She will be sharing recipes as well as adventures in the kitchen and in urban gardening in our

Sick

2009-08-07T12:22:00.002-04:00

Sorry it has been so long. And this isnt going to make up for it. I have a sinus infection. And bronchitis. And I am miserable. I am actually not sure whether I felt better before or after starting the medications I am currently on. I just want to sleep. Or at least lie down. Somewhere quiet. And least I seem to have stopped coughing. But now Matty is coughing. He was up all last night

Not Dealing Well

2009-07-28T12:51:00.003-04:00

So I have spent the good portion of the last hour almost crying at work. One of my favorite passtimes. Oh wait. That's right. I actually hate crying at work. I just do it a lot. And the reason that I have been close to crying is that I was just dressed down via twitter by a friend for being offended by commenters on a blog. I guess I should at least be grateful that it was mostly via DM.

Some other stuff

2009-07-09T15:40:00.002-04:00

Ok, so I am kinda dying with this headache and cant concentrate on actual work but feel like I should at least be here until 4. Sooooo . . . a couple of things that have come up recently. I am just gonna throw some stuff out there and maybe I will actually get some discussion in the comments? Ha! Yeah, I know, but I am gonna throw it out there anyway.1) Governor Mark Sanford of South

Some recipes and reviews and shtuff.

2009-07-09T14:03:00.020-04:00

Ok, so first I will run a quick update. I think I have a sinus infection. I have an awful headache that starts right behind my left eye and then spreads to my left ear and teeth and then to the right side of my head and then to a band right behind my eyes all the way to the back of my head. And I have had it since Sunday night. The reason I think it is a sinus infection is that only thing

Center City Sips Review Week 3 (for us): Chifa

2009-07-02T16:03:00.002-04:00

So last night we went to Sips at Jose Garces's newest restaurant, Chifa. A Peruvian-Cantonese place. Specials: $2 Philadelphia Brewing Company Kenzinger and Walt Wit bottles; $3 Valdivieso Sauvignon Blanc and Malbec; $4 Sparkling Mango Lemonade (mango vodka, lemonade, sparkling white wine) and Mula Cuzco (vodka, ginger liquer, cusquena pilsner, lime); $5 (I think) Ecuadorian Ceviche (fresh

Ridiculous Watermelon Doggie

2009-07-01T15:14:00.002-04:00

Ridiculous.

Migas with Chorizo and Mexican Succotash

2009-07-01T14:08:00.009-04:00

Two more recipes. Dont really feel like talking about anything else. Had a rough morning, killing mice, broken scopes, just blah. So all you're getting is some more recipes that we had for dinner last night. Both dishes were super tasty and we will definitely be making it again. Watch the amounts on the succotash since it made a huge amount. Lots of lunch leftovers.Migas with Chorizo

"Fajita" Burgers

2009-06-30T13:52:00.006-04:00

A quick post about dinner last night since it was uber tasty. We grilled Fajita Burgers (Roberto Cafe is closed on Mondays so they couldn't bitch at us, since he does not want us grilling while he is open). Also, potatoes, onions and mushrooms in a foil packet with cajun seasoning and garlic. And a new sausage from Martin's with hot peppers and spinach (just to try it and have around for

Ugh I know!

2009-06-29T14:22:00.007-04:00

I know, I know, I know. I have not been good about this at all lately. I am really sorry!And I am not even going to be able to really make up for it here. Aaghh! But as a quick overview of things:Matty's birthday party went really really well. Well, for most of us it did. The weather held out for enough time that we got some chance to grill and then people periodically had time to hang out

A movie, a book, a weekend and a birthday

2009-06-10T12:40:00.007-04:00

So first off let me do a quick run through of the weekend. Friday night started at my program happy hour which I invited Matty to. He isnt actually a grad student or anything. But he knows a lot of them, and that is what is important. So we start there with a few drinks (go free beer and cider!) and then go to a friend's new place in University City at 44th and Osage-ish. A really cute place

Center City Sips Review Week 1: Vintage

2009-06-04T14:48:00.004-04:00

Anyone think I can keep this up for more than 1 week? Nah, me neither. But I will try goddammit! Now a quick note to start. The last few years we have pretty much stuck with El Vez for Sips. For good reason. I love Mexipolitans, Matty loves Lager, we both love El Vez food but we can't afford any of those things on a regular basis (except for lager if we are not at El Vez). Yes, it was

Food food food food . . . food food food food

2009-06-01T14:55:00.006-04:00

It was a pretty food-centric weekend this weekend. New restaurants, new recipes.Friday night we went to the Art Museum to see Cézanne and Beyond, finally. Two days before it closed. You know, because it has only been open since the end of February. And we are members. So it is free and all. It was a good exhibit. Smaller (it seemed) than the Frida Kahlo or Renoir exhibits. I realized that

Just a few notes

2009-05-27T13:35:00.003-04:00

This weekend Matty and I went to Williamsburg, VA for a vacation. We also finally got to visit our college roomate Erica and her husband in Maryland at their house that they have had for way too long for us not to have seen it yet. We had a wonderful time. The colonial Williamsburg thing for him and Busch Gardens for me. Though the colonial stuff was pretty neat and he enjoys the roller

Movies, movies, movies

2009-05-22T14:07:00.006-04:00

I have seen a few movies since the last time I reviewed some so here goes. First up, while Matty was away at "Guy's Night" I watched:Failure to Launch (2006). Which actually was not exactly about what I thought it was about, sorta. In general (this part I knew) it is about a guy (played by Matthew McConaughey) who lives at home with his parents (played [suprisingly, to me] by Kathy Bates and

A random post

2009-05-15T13:46:00.016-04:00

So there is a bunch of stuff that I have been meaning to post but havent. And that is mostly becasue I wanted to write a post about last weekend and havent had time. So I am going to post the random stuff and then hopefully write last weekend's post. We will see. In case I dont, here are the highlights -Friday night was Joey's Memorial Party at the Westbury. The point of the event was

Happy Star Wars Day!

2009-05-04T11:32:00.004-04:00

Get it? May the 4th . . . Sigh. It is also National Candied Orange Peel Day if that is better.This weather sucks! I feel like I am back in Pittsburgh. This weekend was a nice relaxing weekend. Well, compared to the last few anyway.Saturday we ventured out in search of shoes for me for a wedding we are going to next weekend. A whole lot of walking for me considering I have spent most of the

Happy May Day!

2009-05-01T11:51:00.005-04:00

Wednesday night we watched Frozen River (2008). This was on my queue because it was nominated for Best Actress for Melissa Leo's performance and Best Original Screenplay. Basic story: Two single moms do what they need to do. Involves smuggling across the border on a Mohawk reservation crossing the New York/Quebec border. It was very good. Melissa Leo was excellent. In general I would say

Not pleased

2009-04-29T11:46:00.006-04:00

So my phone (10 month old Palm Centro) has mysteriously and suddenly to stop functioning as a "phone." I can still go on the internet, text, get my email, play solitaire, all that crap. But I cant make a phone call. Well that is not entirely true. I can make a phone call. And the person I call can hear me. And if I put it on speakerphone I can hear them. But I cant hear them on the actual

Time keeps marching

2009-04-27T10:15:00.002-04:00

That is what I learned this week. It took me awhile. Mostly because I wasnt sleeping. And a week and a half of sleep deprivation is just not good. I couldnt manage to stay asleep for more than 4 straight hours. And the only nights I could manage 4 were nights when I got messily drunk before going to bed. So I would sleep for an hour or two, lie awake for an hour or two, on and on. And so,

April is the cruelest month

2009-04-23T10:56:00.005-04:00

This is something I have heard over and over in the last week and a half. And I have thus far simply ignored it. I am not as such as poetry fan. However my favorite, or at least the poem I quote the most (mostly in my own head as a bit of a mantra) is Eliot's The Hollow Man.This is the way the world endsThis is the way the world endsThis is the way the world endsNot with a bang but a

I promise to try to . . .

2009-04-22T11:23:00.003-04:00

I promise to try to hold less back and give more forward.I promise to try to do what I can and then ask for help.I promise to try to hold on to what is important and let go of what isn't.I promise to try to remember but not dwell, look forward but not run.I promise to try to say the things that need to be said when they need to be said.I promise to try to appreciate more loudly and thank more

Please Don't Stop the Music

2009-04-15T17:03:00.003-04:00

I dont do emotions real well. I tend to laugh at awful times. I tend to make sarcastic remarks when I should be sensitive. I tend to burst into tears when I (and everyone around me) least expects it. But this blog has int he past served me as a place to say what my mind keeps telling me to think about but which sometimes I cant. If you know me real well, you know what this is about. And so

So much to write about!

2009-03-31T12:32:00.006-04:00

I have been sick since Thursday. I think a mild stomach flu. But since everyone in my lab (or their children or spouses) has been sick with major stomach flus recently I wasnt taking any chances. I finally feel like I am going to recover and am at work for at least the majority of the day today. Yay! I hate when being sick ruins a weekend though. I left my house Thursday to walk to work,

Happy International Waffle Day!

2009-03-25T11:49:00.007-04:00

Mmmm! Waffles!Ok, so this is just going to be a recipe post.Last night we made Couscous, Lentil and Arugula Salad with Garlic Dijon Vinaigrette from the latest issue of EatingWell magazine (March/April 2009). It was AWESOME! We will definitely be making this a regular I think. In case you couldn't guess, what it is supposed to look like is on the left and what it did look like is on the right

Milk

2009-03-24T16:06:00.004-04:00

Not the dairy product. The movie. We saw it last night. It was fantastic. See it. NOW! Sigh, you didnt go did you? Well you should. Because it was great. Sean Penn was great. Now, I have never seen any actual footage of Harvey Milk. So I cant say that he did a great job at being him. But there are a lot of people who were there who were either in the film, or helped with the film. (

Happy national chocolate covered raisin day!

2009-03-24T11:57:00.004-04:00

Let me see. I guess I will do some weekend updates. Friday night we had dinner at Sidecar (chili, nachos and carnitas all half price) and then played Rock Band/Guitar Hero at Dan's. Matty has fallen completely in love with the chili at Sidecar. He wont stop talking about it in fact. I admit that it was pretty awesome. Especially half priced for happy hour. I think I am just tired of

It certainly doesn't feel like Spring!

2009-03-20T15:03:00.009-04:00

Brr! It was downright chilly this morning. Certainly not very Spring-y.Last night we made Corn and Scallion Griddlecakes for dinner. We topped them with fried eggs, salsa, guacamole and sour cream. And we had a side of sauteed mushrooms and jalapenos. It was very yummy though there were some setbacks to the cooking process int he beginning. The nonstick of the skillet is VERY important.Then

Happy St. Joseph's Day!

2009-03-19T10:33:00.004-04:00

And Match Day for some of you!Not much to report, but we had a lovely dinner last night with a new recipe to share. It is a bit of a combination of Picnic Oven-Fried Chicken and Cajun Pecan-Crusted Catfish, both from Eating Well.Pecan-Crusted Oven-Fried Chicken Breasts4-6 chicken breast halves (depending on size)1/2 cup cultured nonfat buttermilk1 Tbsp Dijon mustard1 1/2 tsp bottled minced

Between Patrick and Joseph

2009-03-18T10:35:00.003-04:00

Last night we met after work at Greek Lady for dinner which was great as always. Then we went up to Distrito for a drink before the movie. This is Jose Garces's (Amada, Tinto) new "modern Mexican" restaurant in The Hub in University City. The space itself is gorgeous. They did a fantastic job. We sat at the bar and both had the house margarita (figured we should start witht he basics). It

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2009-03-17T14:48:00.008-04:00

Ok, so first up, some pics from Dan's (apple cake, soda bread, Matty):Sunday we got up (slowly) and went to Marathon for brunch. We were a little disappointed, for the first time really. Matty ordered gingerbread pancakes and got regular, possibly with chocolate chips. And my breakfast quesadilla was a bit lacking in veggies. Everything was very good, as always, but still. Just sayin'. Then

Between the Ides and the Drunks

2009-03-16T14:25:00.003-04:00

Let me see. I have some movies, some restaurants, some recipes and some updates.Friday night we decided (at least temporarily) to avoid the Beer Week ridiculousness and stay in. We ordered Chinese from our new favorite take-out place Golden Empress. One great thing about this place is that they have a full vegetarian menu, even with some vegetables on it! As opposed to just being fake meat.

Hoppin' John and some pics

2009-03-13T12:07:00.009-04:00

Ok so first, some pictures from this weekend skiing. Aren't we just fucking adorable?Ok, last night we had new Eating Well recipe number 4 for dinner. Black-Eyed Peas with Pork and Beans. It is kind of a take on Hoppin' John. It was pretty damn tasty. I have a few suggestions. Firstly, I would use ground pork next time since I felt like I was eating pork and then rice and not really pork and

South Steet Bridge Update

2009-03-12T10:55:00.008-04:00

So I told you awhile ago that Iwould take pics of the bridge progress every week and then post them here. Well I lied. Because did you really think I would be that up to date and stuff? But I have been taking some pics. So here they are.December 17th, 2008 February 2nd, 2009February 13th, 2009 February 19th, 2009 March 10th, 2009

This American Life and Stew

2009-03-12T10:25:00.003-04:00

So we finished watching the first season of the Showtime This America Life TV show last night. If you dont know what This American Life is, shame on you. Just kidding, I am not that kind of NPR listener. But you really really should check it out. It is a radio show . . . where they pick a topic . . . and then offer vignettes on that topic . . . about life . . . in America. So yeah, it doesnt

Some recipes and an update

2009-03-11T15:45:00.003-04:00

Quick update: Matty and I had a fabulous time this weekend skiing in New England. The conditions werent great (close to 50) but skiing in bad conditions is still better than not skiing in my humble opinion. We stayed at a cabin on Lake Winnipesaukee owned Sue and Don. Saturday we skied Attitash and then Sunday we played around on their snowmobiles and played in the snow and made a snowman and

Happy National Frozen Food Day!

2009-03-06T13:52:00.003-05:00

3 posts! In one day! Just thought I would throw in a bit of an update since it is Friday and I dont have anything to do since something actually worked for me this week! and because we are going away this weekend to New Hampshire to go skiing! Yay!Ok, so let's see, I was sick all last week which was awful but am doing much better now.We had a busy week this week and I was sick last week and

Battlestar Galactica, aka I am a dork

2009-03-06T11:22:00.004-05:00

If you want an actual review and episode by episode guide to the miniseries and first season, I once again implore you to check out The Daily Drew. And I am going to say right off the bat that some of what I have to say comes from Drew, but I totally wholeheartedly agree with it and couldnt say it better myself. And I figure most (if not all) of my readers have never seen the show and so an

Death Race review

2009-03-06T10:56:00.005-05:00

Ok, I am going to try to get through two posts today. First will be a movie review of Death Race. Then I am going to try to explain the basics of Battlestar Galactica (because I am a dork) in order to try to convince you that I am not really that big of a dork. We will see how far I get.So first off, Death Race. Not to be confused with Death Racers, which also came out in 2008 but was a

Grab your popcorn!

2009-03-03T10:42:00.003-05:00

It is time for some way overdue movie reviews. And maybe some TV thrown in if I have time.Mamma Mia! I liked it. It was pretty much what I expected. I mean it is certainly not an amazingly high quality drama. It is a musical. Based on the music of ABBA. I mean, come on. But the story was cute, the singing was really well done (I thought, Matty disagrees, he is not a fan of Pierce Brosnan's

Grrrr!

2009-03-02T20:32:00.004-05:00

Ok. So I used to use this blog to rant about personal things so that I would be a calmer, less angry person, with whom Matty could more easily deal. So I might as well use it for that again.So every year since I was a baby my parents and I have gone up to my godparents' for Easter. For the last 8 years or so Matty has been invited. And for the last few years he has been coming. We fly into

Laissez les bon temps rouler!

2009-02-23T10:47:00.006-05:00

Well Mardi Gras (aka Fat Tuesday) isnt technically until tomorrow. But I dont have parties on weeknights, so we threw the first annual (hopefully) Smith-Gallagher Mardi Gras party Saturday. It was a success I would have to say and not nearly as stressful as my holiday party. It was still stressful, but for different reasons. We took this party over from my parents who had like a decade worth

Happy National Battery Day!

2009-02-18T11:25:00.003-05:00

I am glad this is a day to celebrate those little powerhouses that keep our electronics working, as opposed to beating someone up.This will be short because I need to do something work related. But I figured I would do a quick one.1) I added a new link to the sidebar to our friend Drew's blog, The Daily Drew. It is significantly more organized and well though out than this here. He reviews TV

Get off the Fucking Sidewalk!

2009-02-17T15:33:00.003-05:00

I am gonna rant here for a bit. About something I have mentioned previously and am going to mention again. Bikes on sidewalks. It is pretty much my number 1 pet peeve. It drives me to the point of wanting to actually stop them and yell at them. And frequently I do say, out loud, as they ride past me and give me that "could you please get out of my way, I am so much more important than you"

I got a snuggie!

2009-02-16T16:14:00.003-05:00

Yes I am happy about this.Unless you have been living under a rock, you know what a Snuggie is. It is a blanket. With arms. Or a shapeless robe you wear backwards. It is similar to, but far less expensive than, a Slanket. It also has a better name. The first time I saw the Snuggie commercial:my first response was: Wow, that is ridiculous. My second thought was: I totally want one. Now