Eat - Kraftwork

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 tables. The bar is absolutely gorgeous and features 25 beers on tap with 8 oz pub pours, 10.5 oz goblets and 16 oz pints available. As well as growlers. $10 for the growler and then fills ranging from $10-$17 (cheapest we have found so far). The decor is part architecture, part art gallery with metal-work and hops inspired wall art, hanging art and seating (family style 6-tops so be ready to meet other patrons). And of course, the most important part, the food! It is very ballsy for a brand new eatery featuring things like rabbit, chicken liver mousse and pork crispy treats (think rice krispy treats, but replace the rice krispies with pork rinds, and top them with bacon and chocolate sauce - no I am not kidding). So we started with ricotta dumplings (with wilted Swiss chard and red pepper Harissa sauce). Of them Matty said - "If I am ever in the hospital and my doctor says it doesn't look good I need you to run up here and get me some of these as my last meal." Yeah. I think he liked them. They were so tasty! I don't know how they got that much flavor into ricotta (Claudio's)! The chard was wilted perfectly. And the sauce. You could put that sauce on anything and I would probably eat it. Next we split the beer can chicken sandwich (with sharp provolone, fried long hot peppers and caramelized onions served with red cabbage and apple slaw) and garlic and herb fries with a Yard's porter mustard aioli. The chicken was shockingly tender, the provolone delightfully sharp and the peppers and onions . . . perfection. Everything should be served with fried long hots. And on that brioche-style roll. And with the Yard's mustard. Really. I will dream about that mustard. The fries were great and the portion was huge! For dessert we had . . . yup, you guessed it, the pork crispy treat. Matty described it perfectly - "An eating disorder in food form." Topped with bacon and chocolate. It was so decadently delicious. The salty porkiness with the sweet marshmallow. The bacon with the chocolate. My God. I should never tell anyone we ate it (oops) but we did and I would recommend it to anyone (any omnivore at least). At least once. We drank - Doc's Apple Cider, Hitachino Ginger Ale, Young's Double Chocolate Stout, Dark Horse Reserve Special Black Bier, Flying Dog Old Scratch Amber Lager and Elysian The Wise. We will be back, all the way to Girard and Montgomery we will go.

Resurrection Ale House

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 Memphis Taproom which we have never been to but have always heard great things about. I will say, I am impressed. The decor hasn't changed much, but the menu and beer list are about as different as you can get from Yello'Bar and still even think about being considered a neighborhood bar. They specialize in lambics and if you are beer person (which I am not) the beer list is simply to die for. I was much more interested in the food, and they certainly did not disappoint in quality. They do not yet have a brunch menu however they do have brunch specials during brunch hours and the brunch menu we hear is coming. We decided to stick to their published menu since that is where they have spent so much time and effort. We started with the Pan con Tomate ($7, Grilled homemade bread with tomato, manchego and sweet chorizo, pictured to left). Oh my god! This is something I will certainly get cravings for. Everything about it was perfect. The manchego was by far the best I have ever had. The chorizo was perfect. The olive oil was so fruity. Really, it was awesome. Just fantastic. I ordered the Monte Cristo ($9, Traditional ham, turkey and Swiss on brioche, served with hand cut fries). And it was also something cravable. The ham was so thin and the turkey so thick and delicious. And the bread was delightful. The best I have had in the city (though both Nodding Head and National Mechanics make damn good ones). This had the perfect amount of sweetness and savoriness and the bread had the perfect amount of soggniess. The syrup was awesome. It was like the absolute essence of maple. Mmm . . . and the fries. Oh the fries. I cant even describe them. They were just perfectly fried potato. Nothing more, nothing less, but really perfectly cooked. Matty had the Hamburger ($9, Challah bun, pickled red onion, served with hand cut fries... Add Swiss cheese for $1, pictured to left). The waitress told us that the chef dedicated himself for an extended period of time perfecting this burger. And it shows. It just melted in your mouth and the beefiness was perfect. Due to the perfectionist tendencies of the chef, he will only allow it to be served with Swiss or no cheese. Which we thought a little strange, but I can understand obsessiveness about food. And the Swiss really was perfect on it.

All in all we are glad they have come to the neighborhood. They will certainly not replace Sidecar for us. The menu tends towards a bit fancy-pants for our regular taste. But we will be back. Matty is still talking about that burger. And I could have a plate of the Pan con Tomate pretty much everyday. And we have yet to even look over the entire beer list, which Matty is certainly interested in.

Spasso Italian Grill

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 we decided to try it. And I am very glad we did. It is so isolated way over on Front (between Market and Chestnut, south of Swanky Bubbles) we never would have just gone I dont think. The food was excellent, the service was delightful (a great Italian lady who reminds me of one of my Italian aunts), the portions were huge and the people watching was great. The place was almost packed by the time we left, and they weren't all Restaurant Week people. We were a little concerned when we had no trouble getting a reservation and were given a booth even though we were only 2. But the dining area is deceptively large and they were not hurting for customers. We had a bottle of Chianti and we were brought bread (when was the last time you got bread a a restaurant) and a mixed grilled veggie in olive oil . . . thing, like a chunky tapenade. It was really really good. The veggies were perfectly grilled and it was a nice change over just bread and butter. Then we started with Spiedini de Mozzarella (bread and mozzarella skewers, grilled with an anchovy/tomato sauce) and Arancini (fried balls of risotto stuffed with cheese served with pomodoro). Both were fantastic. I thought the sauce with the spiedini was a little anchovy-heavy, but I am not a huge anchovy fan. And really, how do you make risotto better? Fry it up and stuff it with cheese :-) We then both got a plate of penne pomodoro. I like their pomodoro, it tastes like tomatoes, the way it should. And they cooked the penne to a perfect al dente. For our main courses we had Gnocchi Con Asparagi (perfectly made and cooked gnocchi in a light asiago, truffle oil and asparagus broth) and Involtone di Manzo (beef rolled with proscuitto, spinach and mozzarella in a mushroom demi glace with fresh veggies). Both were excellent. I was concerned by the word "broth" with the gnocchi but it was more like a really light cream sauce. The gnocchis may be the best we have had in the city and the portion was huge. We rarely order beef out (except for burgers) but I am so glad we did. It was SO beefy! Mmmmm . . . it was really excellent. For dessert we had a cannoli (which was enormous and filled with the best chocolate chip filling ever [ok, maybe second to Mike's]) and tiramisu (possibly the best I have ever had). Both had the perfect amount of their respective cheeses, perfect amounts of sweetness. Just lovely. See?

So all in all I would HIGHLY recommend this place. The dinner prices are not cheap, but a couple could split a single appetizer, entree and dessert and be more than satisfied. And everything else we saw come out of the kitchen looked fantastic.

Sidecar has a new menu and new hours!

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 last Monday they are now open on Mondays! And they are now open from 3pm-2am Monday-Friday (kitchen open til 1:30am) and 10:30am-2am on Saturday and Sunday (kitchen open til 1:30). And we learned tonight that they have also changed their menu. Gone are the chili (much to Matty's chagrin) and the tequila poblano turkey burger (much to mine) but they have added a few awfully tempting things, including Shrimp and Crawfish Hush Puppies (sorry vegetarians) and a fantastic sounding romaine salad with smoked avocado! The happy hour special (M-F 3-7 and 12-1:30) are now 1/2 price carnitas (same as before), nachos (now with a delicious braised pork to replace the tasty but perhaps too greasy chorizo) and pretzel crusted chicken fingers (in a small (4) and large size (8) which are very good, but fairly typical chicken fingers). The new menu is available on the website. The brunch menu does not appear to have changed. The drink specials are $1 off all drafts (including PBR), $2.50 HighLife bottles, $2.50 well drinks and $3.50 call drinks. The nachos ($6.50 for happy hour) and chicken fingers ($4 for small for happy hour) were delicious. We know the carnitas ($2 each for happy hour) are. Tonight Matty tried Lagunitas Imperial Red Ale (reminded me of an IPA with a bit of a bite, but darker in color) and Victory Helio Saison ($4, a light wheat beer flavor). I stuck with my tried and true vodka cranberry. We are excited to try the rest of the new menu and now be able to go on Monday, which is something you dont realize you want so much until it isn't an option. We also hope them all the best with Resurrection Ale House (Memphis Taproom people) opening this Wednesday around the corner in the space most recently occupied by Yello' Bar.

La Lupe and Tony Luke's

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 mild/medium hot sauce. It is orange and served in a maple syrup pourer thingy. Go figure. The guac was good, nothing spectacular. Very fresh, but a little wet for my taste. And it needed a little salt I think. Then we had a chorizo taco, a carnitas taco and chilaquiles with red sauce and chicken. The tacos were by far the winners of the day. For $2.50 apiece you got a lot of meat. And the meat was awesome. The chorizo was crumbled and fried so it was crispy. And the carnitas tasted like it was just pork. No fancy seasonings needed. Just pork. Somehow at the same time, fall apart tender and crispy. Don't know how they do it was it was awesome. Each was served with cilantro, onions and lime on a soft corn tortilla. Mmmm! Really really tasty. The chilaquiles was good. A lot of food, we actually couldn't finish. The sauce was perfect. It was all very good, but nothing that blew my socks off, especially compared to the tacos. So we will definitely be going back. And getting more tacos. And trying more things.

Monday night, after a trip to Target/Best Buy etc. we decided to pick up dinner at Tony Luke's on the way home. I hadn't been in forever! We decided to try something a little different and got a Chicken Parmesan with Sharp Provolone and an Egg and Potato with Sharp Provolone. And a side of rabe. Mmmmm!!!!! The egg and potato is the stuff that cravings are made out of. It is probably a good thing the place is so damn far away. I have no idea how they manage to completely incorporate the potato into the egg, but whatever the magic, I am all for it. The chicken parm was also very good. Lots of chicken, basic yumminess all around. We put some of the rabe on the sandwiches and it was all really really fantastic (especially that egg and potato!).

NoLibs afternoon

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 right on Girard that is SO much more. There is one table outside on the sidewalk and 6 seats inside with a front row view of everything. The menu is small but packs a punch. We split a Diavlo (spicy chicken, fried salami, some of the sharpest provolone ever, some of the best broccoli rabe I have ever had [besides my mom's of course] and these awesome roasted tomatoes all on a toasted seeded roll) and an Arista (whole roasted suckling pig, those broccoli rabe again, that provolone again, long hots that just melt into the roll and jus, all on that roll again). Oh and a side of potatoes (home fry style that taste like roasted, with more of that sharp provolone again). The sandwiches were $7 and $8 respectively and the potatoes were $2. And it was probably the tastiest $17 ever. The whole menu looked awesome (it is available from that link, though they are tweaking it soon with the change in seasons) and we sat and watched them make everything, to order. Delicious! And there were people at the window or inside ordering, or calling for pick up the entire timew e were there. So check it out. Totally worth the hike.

After lunch we went to grab a drink at The Swift Half Pub at Piazza. The new sister to Good Dog looks the exact opposite. It is big and bright with high ceilings and big windows and big flat screen TVs. But the service is just as friendly, the beer list just as good and I am a huge fan of the "swift half" concept - a half pint meant as a last drink before heading home, or somewhere else, or just a quick drink. Matty had Troeg's Dead Reckoning Porter ("a welcome to fall" he says), Anderson Valley Oatmeal Stout ("it doesnt taste as dark as it looks, a refreshing dark beer" he says) and Two Brothers Domaine DuPage French Country Amber Ale (I think it was, he says it isn't, we will go with what I remember. He says about it "it was ok"). I had a Blue Point Toasted Lager (it was the closest to Lager I have had really. Still pretty beer-y.) and a Magner's (my new fave).

I told Matty I don't feel like I belong at Piazza. And I stand by that. I don't feel comfortable there really. I feel like I need to be a whole bunch more ironic, cynical and fashionable. But I like the Swift Half and I think I would like some of the other restaurants around there. We will see.

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

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 (Three Olives Cherry, lemonade, served up over Cherry Pop Rocks [yes you read correctly]). $7 Black Truffle Flatbread (fontina, parmigiano reggiano, sea salt). $4.50 Buffalo Style "lollipops" (Drumette Confit, ranch).

When I walked in (at 10 past 5) downstairs was very crowded with no free tables or seats at the bar. Luckily Matty had gone upstairs (shown in the pic) which was empty and we got a booth since we were expecting a few more. The Hook & Ladder was only available downstairs so we both started with Mango Sansoms. Essentially fruit punch with rum. I would say sickeningly sweet but then I had a Cherry Water Ice and realized that that was what sickeningly sweet tasted like. It was like drinking a melted cherry Jolly Rancher. Mixed with pop rocks. Not good, just sweet and fakely cherry. So Matty made a run downstairs for Hook & Ladders. By then it was what I would consider "crowded." The Hook & Ladder is good actually. Though not nearly as much flavor as one would expect from the appearance (very dark ale-like). So we stuck with Blue Moon for the rest of the night in order to avoid moving because between 6 and 7 it went from crowded to frighteningly packed. Like we didnt think we would be able to get to the door if we had wanted to leave. Downstairs was like a frat party - shoulder to shoulder packed. The crowd was decidedly young college kids to dress down professionals. The high ceilings (35 foot) and the enormous crowd made it really hard to hear anything at all. We tried the buffalo "lollipops" which were essentially buffalo wings with the bone scraped to hold, served with ranch. They were good but nothing special. I do not imagine we will be going back. Too young, too loud, drinks are too sweet and prices aren't terribly awesome. We might try it for dinner (the menu looks interesting) but I would much rather go to Nodding Head two doors down I think.

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

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 Yards Brawler which is Matty's new favorite beer so he was very happy). $3 House red and white. $4 Moscow Mule (vodka, fresh lime juice and gingerbeer); John Collins (bourbon, fresh lemon juice, house seltzer); and something with gin and house grenadine. $5 shrimp shumai, pork gyoza and crispy chicken bites (from Raw).

So this place is WAY out of our range of normal places to hang out. I don't deal with dress codes, $15 cocktails, etiquette rules and complete lack of food. So Sips was our chance to check it out. And it was lovely. We managed to get a table on the roof deck which was beautiful. And the cocktails were all extremely tasty. The Moscow Mule (my choice) was deliciously spicy at the beginning and refreshing all the way through. And the food was very good (especially considering it was being provided by a bar across the street since they do not have a food menu) though it was unfortunate that they did not have a vegetarian option. Would I go back? For Sips maybe. But while my drinks were very good, they were not $15 apiece good. And they only serve food during Sips. And while I am willing to make sure that I am dressed appropriately for a place, I am not willing to get dressed up for it. So probably not outside of Sips.

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

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 was similar to a bellini - a light ale with peach nectar. And the other, the Paradise Kitty was a tropical drink with rums and mango juice. It is delicious. They do special happy hour editions of their flatbread pizza (changes daily and is usually delicious), cheesesteak springrolls (good but a bit pricey even for happy hour since you only get 1), house smoked wings (an order of 5 - they are awesome!) and veggie quesadilla (which we didnt get).

The menu is very similar to Devil's Alley but the feel is different. It is a much cleaner and larger space. It is 2 floors and the windows open to give it a very open air feel. It caters largely to the Jefferson crowd which is great for Happy Hour because they don't seem to show up until after 5:30 it seems. So if you get there right after 5 it is pretty empty and you have your choice of seats. I really like it. It is a different place so we dont feel like we keep going back to the same place over and over. The food is good and the service for Sips was good considering how crowded it got. Matty went back for Sips again last week and had major service issues so it is something to keep in mind. We went back for dinner on a Tuesday night and service was very good and the place was almost empty (which is a little concerning). That night Matty had the BBQ Sliders - hickory smoked beef brisket, carolina pulled pork, and caribbean pulled served with macaroni salad ($8) and I had the Grilled Chicken & Broccoli Rabe Sandwich - roasted
red pepper, sharp provolone & pesto mayo ($9.25). Both were excellent. The chicken sandwich was a little heavy on the mayo for me, but was really really good. And the sliders were perfect. I am not even sure which one I liked the best. The Sips menu is very similar to the normal everyday happy hour and I would highly recommend for happy hour, Sips (in the one week left) or for dinner.

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

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 shrimp, yellow tomato gell, avocado) and Pork Belly Buns (grilled pork belly, hoisin glaze, pickled daikon and carrot, togarashi mayo).

Overall I was very impressed. We hadnt been to Chifa yet since it opened. It is an absolutely beautiful space. Sips is confined to the downstairs bar, which was apparently the bathrooms when the space was 707. It is a bit small and loud considering the number of Sips participants, but understandable, again considering the number of Sips participants. We stood for about half the time and then got seats (the seating filled up almost immediately at 5). I think I preferred standing at the bar. The seats are mostly benches along the wall which make conversations between more than 2 people difficult and it was also much louder when we sat down so that added to the difficulty conversing. The drinks were yummy. I stuck with the lemonade. It was a bit tart but refreshing. I tried the Mula Cuzco but after the tartness of the lemonade the pilsner/ginger combination was a bit tough to take. I dont eat shrimp so I didnt try the ceviche but I heard it was delicious. The pork buns (more of a mini sandwich really) were really tasty as soon as I managed to ignore the fact that it was pork belly. I dont know why, but the word belly freaks me out. So overall a definite winner and we would go back, definitely recommended. I would really like to try going there for dinner at some point.

The rest of the night we wont talk about. Just suffice it to say that while walking home I tweeted this: "too drun to read tweets nd wakking aomeeem finw right ?" What I meant to write was that I was "too drunk to read tweets and walk" and something else apparently. I dont know what. Ooops. Well it is a holiday week right? I have decided to take tomorrow off. Which I am pretty happy about. I hope that the weather is nice this weekend. Hope you all enjoy your weekends!

Ugh I know!

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 outside (much to the chagrin of one of our neighbors apparently who thinks that 11pm is quite late enough for people to be sitting around talking in their own backyard.) But Matty really enjoyed himself, which made me very happy since he was dreading celebrating this birthday.

We went to RI/MA the following weekend to:
Meet up with
1) One of Matty's URI roommates (Eric) who now lives in Redding, CA with wife and son and is currently expecting baby number 2. He was in Lynnfield, MA (his hometown) for a wedding and we hadnt yet met his wife or son (long long story there) or seen him since 2005.
2) Matty's other URI roommate (Liam) who now lives in Los Angeles, CA and was able to come in for the weekend which also coincided nicely with a family reunion of his own.
3) Another of Matty's URI friends (Justin) who now lives in Cranston, RI (recently from Chicago, IL) who we haven't seen since Matty left URI for Pitt.
Spend the night with:
4) Beth and Erich who are now in beautiful Central Square, Cambridge, MA. They have a lovely new apartment where we spent the night (and late into the morning) up talking. And Matty has (of course) fallen in love with Boston all over again. This I am perfectly fine with. We had dinner at Miracle of Science Bar and Grill. It was very good but there are claims that it has the best burger in Cambridge and I am not sure I am buying that. But good prices, good food, good beer selection and neat atmosphere (though the menu is a bit hard to read).
And:
5) Got my hair cut! Yay!
6) Hung out for a bit at Wickendon St. Pub with Liam, Justin, Liam's brother and firned. Which is kinda neat since we never really hang out in Providence. And by "never really" I mean really never.
7) In-the-garage Father's Day BBQ at Matty's parents place. Ridiculous amounts of food and a very silly watermelon holder which I will have to post pics of.

Phew. Ok, so done with the traveling right? Nope.
This weekend, (after an absolutely amazing rooftop movie screening of Ed Wood Friday night) we went to New York to celebrate the new apartment of Matty's high school friend Jeff and his girlfriend in Williamsburg with some croquet. Brooklyn, not Virginia. Home of the hipsters. A very cool neighborhood and a very cool apartment. Croquet in the park was certianly something different. Something different that I am not at all good at.

We got there via Eastern who partners with MegaBus. I do not think we will be taking them again. Firstly, we were supposed to leave at 9am. We ended up leaving after 10 because the bus had to be replaced since the original one broke down. Which is fine except that they refused to give us any information until 9:30. Secondly, there was absolutely no organization for the lines. Everyone was in one big line and then they suddenly announce that the DC people all had to go inside (their shoe box of an office) to check in and so then there was all this confusion since we didnt even know there was a DC bus. They were scheduled to leave at the same time as us. And on the New York side, there is no place to wait for the bus except on the sidewalk in front of other businesses, whose owners then kept coming out and yelling at us to get out of their way. In Chinese. And again, no order for the lines so there were definitely 2 (I think actually 3) buses worth of people (for buses scheduled to leave simultaneously again) all milling about on this sidewalk we werent supposed to be on. It was all very disorganized and there was no information given to any of us ever. Personally I do not think it was worth the $4 (roundtrip) we saved over our normal Chinatown bus, New Century Travel, who have always been on time and at least tell us what is going on.

But our actual time in New York was lovely. If you are in Williamsburg and looking for some tasty pizza I would recommend Anna Maria Pizza on Bedford between 7th and 8th. Very tasty and filling. And if you are looking for very reasonably priced brunch in a beautiful place in Carroll Gardens I would recommend Le Petit Cafe. Matty has once again decided he wants to live in New York. This I am not OK with and am completely serious in saying that he will have to leave me if he wants to live there. Or we will have to live separately. Because I am not moving to New York. Also he is talking again about not wanting to have kids. Which worries me, but I am not ready to bring it up again.

Let me see. Oh right, Center City Sips Review Week 2: Mexican Post. We missed 2 Sipses due to me being so pissed at my boss I couldnt deal with people 1 week and then a Phillies game the next (they lost 7-1 to the Blue Jay's and it was pouring). So this was our second week of Sips and we decided to try the lawyerly hangout that is Mexican Post - Love Park. Specials: $2 lager and Bud. $3 Gallo Copperidge Chardonnay and La Terra Cabernet. $4 Margarita on the rocks, Watermelon Leblon (dont know what this is, didnt know it was an option). $2 (I think) tacos (supposedly ground beef, chicken or beans but we were told only ground beef), Mexican Pizza (supposedly cheese or ground beef, but we were only told ground beef).

Pros: $2 lager. $4 margaritas. $2 tacos and mexican pizza. Sips specials with table service. Cons: Full of yuppy-type, self-important lawyer-types. The margaritas are not very good. The ground beef on the food is a bit on the watery side and the mexican pizza was too soggy to pick up.

We got to sit outside which was nice, until it rained. It was a nice change I guess, got to see what the people who work West of Broad are like. Were the pros worth the cons? I dont know. I probably wouldnt choose it to go back to. But if the lawyers want to go back I might go. I would probably avoid the food next time, simply due to messiness. And maybe find out what the watermelon thingy is.

Movies:
Man on Wire (2008). The story of Phillipe Petit's 1974 high wire walk between the (then brand new) World Trade Center Towers. It is pretty good and you should see it. I wouldnt necessarily bump it to the top of your queue, but definitely see it when you get a chance. He is a very interesting (and possibly completely crazy) guy. And what went into this stunt was ridiculous. But it is still the story of a guy doing a crazy and illegal high wire walk. So there isnt a whole lot going on necessarily. But again, worth seeing.

And finally. Some recipes of some new dips that I made for Matty's party. They were all awesome and I would totally recommend them all.

Skordalia

Cooking Light, APRIL 2008
This is a tangy potato garlic dip that I first had a Greek restaurant. This dip's olive oil—with its beneficial monounsaturated fats—tames the heady garlic. Serve with crudités.

1 pound peeled red potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces (I used 1/2 red and 1/2 regular potatos)
10 garlic cloves, peeled
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
4 teaspoons chopped fresh chives

1. Place potatoes in a large saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 14 minutes. Add garlic to pan; cook 1 minute. Drain potato mixture in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Place potato mixture and reserved liquid in a food processor; add oil, juice, and salt. Pulse until smooth. Cover and chill overnight. Sprinkle with chives before serving.

Yield: 2 1/3 cups (serving size: about 1 1/2 tablespoons) CALORIES 38 (67% from fat); FAT 2.9g (sat 0.4g,mono 2.1g,poly 0.3g); IRON 0.1mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 2.7g; SODIUM 57mg; PROTEIN 0.5g; FIBER 0.4g

Cumin Curried Hummus

Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2004
A great use for whole cumin seed if you have them around like I did! Also, I made this the night before to let the flavors intensify. The pic is what it is supposed to look like, and is pretty close. The flavor of the hummus is similar to that of Indian lentil dal but is much easier to prepare. Serve with warm pita wedges.

1 tablespoon olive oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon curry powder (I used hot Madras curry)
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 (15 1/2-ounce) cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained

Heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add curry and cumin; cook 30 seconds or until fragrant, stirring constantly. Place garlic mixture, water, and remaining ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth.

Yield: 3 cups (serving size: 1/4 cup) CALORIES 82 (29% from fat); FAT 2.6g (sat 0.2g,mono 1.4g,poly 1g); IRON 1.2mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 27mg; CARBOHYDRATE 12.2g; SODIUM 254mg; PROTEIN 3g; FIBER 3g

Baba Ganoush and Pita Crisps

Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray, 2008

Prep Time: 30 min,Cook Time: 20 min, Level: Easy, Makes: 2 cups (That is the supposed to look like pic again)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds (2 to 3 small) firm eggplant, halved lengthwise
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup, a generous handful, flat-leaf parsley
• 3 tablespoons tahini paste
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
• 2 bags pita crisps, any flavor (recommended: Stacy's)

Directions

Turn broiler on high.

Brush cut eggplant with olive oil on flesh side, drizzle over skin side. Season the eggplant with salt and pepper. Place flesh side down on nonstick baking sheet and leave under broiler 4 to 5-inches from heat until skin is charred and flesh is very tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes.

Scoop out eggplant flesh into food processor. Paste garlic with some salt mashing it with the side of your knife. Add garlic and the juice of 1 lemon to processor. Add parsley and tahini to processor and process until smooth. Adjust salt then transfer dip to a bowl and stir in half the pine nuts, garnish with remaining nuts. Surround the dip with pita crisps and serve.

Ok. I hope that satisfies and I will try to be better in the future.

A movie, a book, a weekend and a birthday

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 with access (though not legally) to the roof. Which (since the building is 5 stories and therefore the tallest building around) has a beautiful view of the Philly skyline minue the Comcast Center, Cira Center and Murano. So it looks like the city 5 years ago. Which is neat. Except you can see the HUP construction. But whatever, nice nonetheless. We went over to play spades (my team won!) and grab dinner. We got Vietnamese hoagies from Fu Wah. This is the mini-market next to (and owned by the same people as) Vietnam Cafe (also the same people as Vietnam in Chinatown). This was my first Vietnamese hoagie and I must say I am mightily impressed. We got chicken, our friend got tofu and for ~$4 we were pretty happy.

Saturday we wandered around the city for awhile and ended up at Washington Square for some quiet reading. There were about 6 weddings taking pictures there while we were. And lots of puppies etc. And the weather was simply lovely. And Matty made it all the way through a Citypaper before getting antsy and needing to leave. Then a quiet night at home with margaritas, tortellini and Battlestar Gallactica (Only 2 more discs in season 4!)

Sunday we made french toast and then wandered up to the Parkway to see a bit of the Philadelphia International Championship bike race and the associated goings-on. It was pretty intense. As a complete non-biker I had absolutely no idea that this was such a big deal! But yeah, apparently it is.

Then we went to Rittenhouse for some more reading after grabbing yogurts at Sweet Ending, the new froyo place on Chestnut. One of several (at least 2 I guess) new serve-yourself, pay-by-weight yogurt places in the city. We haven't tried Phileo yet, the one on South Street though have heard good things about it. It is an interesting concept and will either do extremely well or not well at all. So you choose between several different flavors and toppings and then pay $0.49 per ounce. Which is good for them because 1) the cups they give you are enormous and 2) no one knows how much an ounce is. And I have to say my green tea yogurt with oreos, chocolate chips and strawberries was mighty tasty. The green tea is very subtle and almost lost behind the yogurt twang, I wouldnt mix it with any other flavors except plain maybe. Matty tried pineapple (very good), mango and green tea and lost the green tea. So the two of us had servings on the small-medium side and it came to $10. So, similar to gelato with added yumminess of toppings.

After relaxing in the park for a bit (just long enough for Matty to lose interest in sitting) we headed to another friend's roof deck for cheese and drinks. It was a very roofy weekend. It was lovely. Another beautful view, good friends, yummy cheese and olives and brownies and other snacks. And then a ride home in an open jeep that was absolutely fantastic. Of course that much time in the sun + too little water + too much alcohol led to a very drunk Matty when we got home. To the point of me having to feed him tortellini so he would stop dropping it all over the couch (and me). He is absolutely amazing. He goes from perfectly happy Matty to drunken mess in the blink of an eye. No ones sees it coming. Not even him. I dont generally mind until he gets weepy or belligerent. He doesnt throw up, so a least that is good. And it is kinda like having a puppy.

I finished Misery over the weekend. And I was very happy with it. After Thinner I was looking forward to gtting back to some old fashioned Stephen King (as opposed to Richard Bachman). I had seen the movie but had skipped the book previously (since I had seen the movie). Basically it is the story of what happens when an author's "number 1 fan" gets ahold of him. It was very good and creepy. Kathy Bates was absolutely perfect for Annie Wilkes (the number 1 fan). I just started The Tommyknockers, which Matty doesn't like, but we will see.

Yesterday was Matty's birthday (he is 29). He wasn't looking forward to it at all. He says it is because it is one close to the big 3-0. I am not necessarily sure that that is all. But I insisted (for better or worse) that he celebrate it. At least acknowledge it. I mean, how many days do we get to celebrate ourselves? He disagrees. But I thought that this year, after everything we have been through in the last few months that we shouldn't give up any chances to celebrate life and the people we love. So it is probably just pure selfishness on my part but we are having some people over on Saturday and yesterday we had a little celebration just the two of us. We ordered Chinese in (Golden Empress, our new favorite place) and watched a movie (which I will get to). And he opened some presents from me and his mom. I got him Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (which I am pretty excited about myself), The Book of Vice: Very Naughty Things (and How To Do Them) by Peter Sagal (of Wait, Wait fame), The New Kings of Nonfiction by Ira Glass (of This American Life fame) yes there was a theme, and finally a membership to First Person Arts, so expect to hear more about Story Slams and Salons. Because he wants less stuff and more experiences. So I got him some stuff and a bunch of experiences.

And finally. Last night we watched The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008). Based on the short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald of the same name, this is the story of a man (Benjamin Button, played fantastically by Brad Pitt and several others) who who is born an 85 year old man and grows younger. Brad Pitt plays Benjamin from age 66-23 and is absolutely wonderful as are the rest of the Benjamins, the story is beautifully told and beautifully filmed, the costumes (spanning almost a whole century) and the makeup (just think about it) were amazing. Cate Blanchett who plays the leading female role is very good, Taraji P. Henson who plays Queenie, Benjamin's mother is a joy to watch. And the guy with the longest name ever (ok probably not, but close) is in this. Mahershalalhashbaz Ali plays Tizzy Weathers, Queenie's man-friend. It is long (166 min) but I think it is well worth the time. Two thumbs up from me. And the Academy (sorta). This movie won Oscars for Art Direction, Visual Effects and Makeup. It was nominated for Cinematography, Costume Design, Directing, Editing, Original Score, Sound, Best Picture, Lead Actor (Brad Pitt), Supporting Actress (Taraji P. Henson) and Screenplay.

At some point I should tell you about the garden, the storm and the slug. Just to keep you wondering!

Center City Sips Review Week 1: Vintage

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 busy, yes it was full of fairly obnoxious people. But it was so tasty! And if someone got there by 4:45 you could get a seat at the bar and so service wasnt that bad. So why the switch? Stephen Starr has apparently decided not to participate in Sips this year. So no El Vez. So we will be trying different places this year.


So last night for our first Sips of the summer we went to Vintage. Specials: $2 lager and Big Eye IPA (though it appears that this will be changing weekly); $3 house wines; $4 Caipirinha and Red Sangria; $5 braised short rib flatbread, $5 vegetarian squash flatbread, $5 shrimp mousse (these may also change weekly).

I think this might be their first year doing Sips. And if so, I will excuse last night as an oops. But if they are going to continue under-staffing, then they are not going to be a repeat. Now I should also add that their normal every day happy hour is $2 lager and $3 house wines but only goes from 4-6. Matty drank lager, I drank Pio Pinot Noir (my favorite from their house list), Brian and Jeff had the Pinot Grigio. We also tried the braised short rib flatbread. The drinks were fine as always (well the lager and my wine were fine, I dont know about the pinot grigio) though the pours on the wines left something to be desired. The flatbread was extremely tasty but tiny. They only had 2 waiters and 2 bartenders. Not enough at all! It was crowded (of course) but not nearly crowded enough to explain how long it took for us to get our drinks. They did have a dedicated food deliverer which is good. But they definitely need to increase staff on the floor for Sips if they want us back.

Food food food food . . . food food food food

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 1) I didnt know anything about Cézanne, 2) I dont hate him, 3) I am not a big fan of anyone who came after him (the Beyond part). I am not really a "modern" art kinda girl. Or whatever it is. Picasso, Matisse, Kelly? Not a huge fan really. It was kinda neat that one of the curators who narated the audio tour was actually there giving a private tour. So you would hear him on the audio tour and then you could hear him in the room talking to someone else. So that was our culture for the weekend.

After the exhibit we decided to try a new place (for us) in the Art Museum neighborhood since we never go up there (and Matty LOVES trying new things). So we went to St. Stephen's Green at 17th and Green. Your basic little-pubby type place with a fairly ambitious menu and failrly extensive beer list. The food was . . . ok. I mean it was fine. But nothing spectacular. We had pork nachos (on the special's menu) to start. If you are going to call something pulled pork nachos, I expect a bit more pork. I also expect cheese on my nachos. Like a noticeable amount of cheese. And then we split a "chicken cheesesteak" served open faced on a baguette with brie and wild mushrooms. Again, it was pretty tasty, but nothing at all like a cheesesteak. And again with the lack of noticeable cheese. Pretty good fries though. All in all, I wouldnt go to the neighborhood specifically for it, but if I was there (not sure why I would be) and we were looking for a quick bite, I would go back.

Saturday we got up, did some much-needed spring cleaning and then headed out to yet another new (for us) restaurant: Plaza Garibaldi. It is one of the numerous Italian Market taquerias, on the North side of Washington between 9th and 10th. We ordered way too much food and it was only $20. Which is a nice change. We started with sincronisadas which were mucho tasty. Ham and chihuahua cheese roll-ups with a chipotle sauce. Then we got a chicken mole burrito and marinated pork sopes. All in all very tasty, tons of food, great price, would definitely recommend and will probably go back.

After lunch and some walking around I decided to make margaritas. And of course I couldnt just make normal margaritas, because that would be boring. Well, that and we had a whole bunch of oranges in the fridge that were threatening to go bad. So I ended up juicing 5 oranges and 4 limes (all by hand of course) and then crushing up some blackberries and using that. And I have to say, I was pretty happy with myself. I also froze some blackberries and used those as "ice cubes." Very tasty indeed.

Yesterday we made pulled pork (mostly because we had been watching Diners, Drive-ins and Dives and they had featured some tasty looking barbecue Friday night). It was by far our best yet. And easiest. Saturday we bought a 7.75 lb pork butt (a little ambitious on our part). We usually use pork shoulder but the butt didnt have any skin, and the only shoulder they had left was on the small side. So Sunday we threw the butt (rubbed down in Paula Deen's Butt Rub), 2 onions (sliced), 5 cloves of garlic (minced) and about a 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar into the slow cooker, put it on high for 7 hours (and then on low for another 2) and my god! So tasty! And fall off the bone and totally apart tender. We ate it on kaiser rolls with some bbq sauce and cheddar. It was so pork-y! And we have a giant bowl of it left, so excited!

I also made a pot of sauce for later in the week, because I am Italian and that is what I do. And while I did that, Matty made homemade Whoopie Pies (recipe below). Because he likes to bake and that is what he does. Hey, you know what is worse for you than a whoopie pie? Not a whole hell of a lot. But they are SO good! Of course he didnt read how many the recipe made and so we now have 2 dozen whoopie pies in our fridge. So if anyone wants any, let me know!

WHOOPIE PIES (from Cooks.com)

WHOOPIE PIE:

2 c. sugar
3/4 c. shortening
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 c. milk
2 tsp. vanilla
10 tbsp. cocoa
4 c. flour
2 1/2 tsp. soda
Pinch of salt

FILLING:
1 1/2 c. shortening
1 1/2 c. confectioners sugar
12 tbsp. marshmallow fluff
2 tsp. pure vanilla

Cream shortening and sugar. Combine beaten eggs, milk and vanilla and beat into creamed mixture. Slowly stir sifted dry ingredients into the creamed mixture, and beat on medium speed about 2 minutes. Drop with tablespoon onto greased and floured cookie sheet (enough dough to make a baked cookie about 2 to 2 1/2 inches). Bake at 350 degrees until cookie just springs back when pressed in center with finger. (About 10-15 min) Remove to rack and cool completely before filling.

Combine fluff, shortening, and vanilla and beat until well mixed. Slowly add confectioners sugar until well mixed. Place a generous amount on the flat side of one cookie and top with another cookie. Makes about 2 dozen whoopie pies.

These store well in an airtight container in the refrigerator and also freeze well.

A random post

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 twofold. Firstly, to have something in his honor more appropriate than the actual funeral. The second was to offer something for those people who were unable, for whatever reason, to go to the actual funeral. So we threw an 8 hour party where some people drank too much, some people cried it out, a DJ (DJ Mike Mesa) played and we collected about $450 (and a condom, a bottle of lube and a pack of matches) for Phildelphia Animal Welfare Society (PAWS). It was fairly well attended, though there were some people who were not able to make it.

Saturday night we went to the Best Wedding Ever. Ever. Sorry for all you other married couples whose weddings we have attended. Nothing can compete really. It was at the Constitution Center. The mayor officiated. There was an ice sculpture of their dachshund. The band who played Tina Fey's wedding, The Sid Miller Dance Band, played. Yeah. Not to mention the Manhattans (official drink of the wedding), the food (mini cheesesteaks! mini cannolis!), Signer's Hall, the parting gift (soft pretzels! with mustard!). All of it was awesome. But really, the band was the thing that put it over the top. They started with Dean Martin, ended with Journey, hit everything in the middle and everything was spot on perfect. Oh, by the way, Rob and Jennie were the bride and groom. Rob is Poo of ciggitycite (check out the right hand bar).

Speaking of the right hand bar, there is a new blog there, ...But Enough About Me that I would recommend. Written by a new friend of ours.

Sunday we went for cheesesteaks. Tried a new place (for us): Ishkabibbles. Definitely impressed and it has made my list. We had a cheesesteak (provolone and fried onions) and a South Philly cheesesteak (provolone, spinach, roasted peppers). Both were excellent. Highly recommended. You can grab your steaks and then wander over to the river to eat. We went to the Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The one at Front and Spruce. Then we headed to UC for Star Trek. I really really really really liked it. I really did. Best movie ever? No. But it was really good. And mostly I just love what they did with it. It wasn't what I thought it was going to be and that makes me happy. But unfortunately if I say any more about it I will give things away. So I will stop. But you really really need to check it out if you like Star Trek. Or science fiction. Or general fun action-y movies.

Ok, so maybe I dont need to write a post for last weekend.

Other things:
The garden.




















So yeah, the garden is certainly getting there. I am concerned about the stuff from seed. But I think the little greenhouse thing (birthday present from Dan, Rob and Karla) will help. And there are already a few sprouts.

The War of the Worlds. 1953. Well, what can I say. It was 1953. For 1953 this was a ground-breaking movie. The effects were state of the art. The sci-fi genre was new (or non-existant) and here comes a movie based on an H.G. Wells novel from 1898 (the Orson Welles radio show was 1938). Is it well done for our standards? Of course not. Did it fit with the novel? No idea, never read it. Did it fit with the radio drama which many probably remembered at the time? Yeah. Is it worth a watch? Sure. Could it be analyzed to death? Abso-fucking-lutely. So yeah. Not really sure what to say. The leading lady, played by Ann Robinson, is capable of serving donuts, frying eggs, writing theses on important scientists (all men) and looking horrified which is a bit disappointing. It is pretty much what you expect from a 1953 sci-fi flick.

Ceiling. Does anyone remember when we had those ceiling problems that lasted forever? Started with a drip from the shower onto the ceiling right above the couch in the living room. Became a hole. Became a giant hole and an open ceiling but was eventually fixed? Well. It is back. This time no drip. Just a suddenly-appearing wet spot. Quickly turning into a mildew-y/fuzzy spot. Yay! The plumber is coming Monday.

Dinners:
Monday night we had Chicken Souvlaki. Very good, highly recommended. Tuesday night we grilled (and had a run-in with out neighbor which is a whole 'nother story). Wednesday night we had my first lasagna for the Lost season finale. I am pretty happy with the way the lasagna turned out. Tuesday night I made meatballs and sauce (with hot and sweet Italian sausage) and put the whole thing together. We used Trader Joe's No Boil lasagna noodles which worked perfectly. For cheese we used fat-free ricotta, mozzarella, grated asiago and Trader Joe's Quattro Formaggio (parmesan, provolone, fontina and asiago). We also added thawed, drained frozen spinach. I think (and Matty agrees) we needed more cheese (and full fat ricotta) and less sauce (Matty kept making me add more). But for a first try it was pretty awesome. And then last night we had Chicken-Orzo Salad with Goat Cheese which was AWESOME!

Thinner. The novel, not the movie. Written in 1984 by Stephen King as Richard Bachman. It was ok. I was not expecting anything great. For two reasons. Firstly, Matty told me he didnt like it. Secondly, I am not s huge Bachman fan. Which sounds ridiculous. But really. I feel like King would finish a book and if it was good, he would put his name on it. If it was ok he would put Bachman on it. Because the Bachman books I have read have been definitely King-esque stories. But they do not have the thing that I LOVE about Stephen King in them. The rich language. The descriptions so succint but so perfect that you can picture what he is talking about. The character development that is perfect, giving you exactly what you need, when you need it without bulky awkward exposition. This has none of that. It is a good story, but it just wasnt all there for me. Eh.

Oh and my phone is back! Or I got a new one! Well, a refurb, but it is new to me! So now I can actually hear people on my phone! Yay!

Recipes:

Chicken Souvlaki


In Greece, souvlaki typically refers to skewers of grilled lamb. In America, chicken is more common, and it's often served in pita bread. Precooked chicken makes these sandwiches a snap to prepare. Serve with tabbouleh. (We served with Trader Joe's Bella salad. That is what it is supposed to look like over there. I forgot to take a pic of ours, sorry.)

1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup plain Greek-style yogurt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill (we used parsley since I dont really like dill)
1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil, divided
1 1/4 teaspoons bottled minced garlic, divided (we used a clove of fresh)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cups sliced roasted skinless, boneless chicken breast (we used uncooked)
4 (6-inch) pitas, cut in half
1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce (we used romaine)
1/2 cup chopped peeled cucumber
1/2 cup chopped plum tomato
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion (we used regular onion)

Combine feta cheese, yogurt, dill, 1 teaspoon oil, and 1/4 teaspoon garlic in a small bowl, stirring well.

Heat remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add remaining 1 teaspoon garlic and oregano to pan, and sauté for 20 seconds. Add chicken, and cook for 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. (We just cooked the chicken in the olive oil with the garlic and oregano) Place 1/4 cup chicken mixture in each pita half, and top with 2 tablespoons yogurt mixture, 2 tablespoons shredded lettuce, 1 tablespoon cucumber, and 1 tablespoon tomato. Divide onion evenly among pitas.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 stuffed pita halves) (Made enough for us for dinner plus 1 lunch) CALORIES 414 (30% from fat); FAT 13.7g (sat 6.4g,mono 4.7g,poly 1.4g); IRON 2.8mg; CHOLESTEROL 81mg; CALCIUM 187mg; CARBOHYDRATE 38g; SODIUM 595mg; PROTEIN 32.3g; FIBER 2g Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2007

Chicken-Orzo Salad with Goat Cheese


Leftover salad is also good the next day for lunch (Yes it is!); stir in a handful of arugula to add a fresh touch, if you have extra on hand. Serve with pita wedges. (We just ate it on its own. Their picture is on the left, ours is on the right.)

1 1/4 cups uncooked orzo (rice-shaped pasta) (we used ~1 1/2 cups to finish a box)
3 cups chopped grilled chicken breast strips (such as Tyson) (We just grilled 2 breasts ourselves)
1 1/2 cups trimmed arugula (we used a whole head, be sure to rinse REALLY well since it can be pretty gritty otherwise)
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper (we used one bell pepper)
1/4 cup prechopped red onion (we chopped half of a regular onion)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar (we used about twice this)
1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil (we used about twice this)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
6 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain well.

2. Combine pasta, chicken, and the next 6 ingredients (through oregano) in a large bowl; toss well.

3. Combine vinegar, oil, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle vinegar mixture over pasta mixture; toss well to coat. (We just mixed it right into the salad instead of dirtying another bowl) Sprinkle with cheese.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups salad and 1 tablespoon cheese) (We each had dinner and then lunch today and there is probably another lunch and a half. And I was really hungry last night. So this makes a bunch and it is awesome leftover) CALORIES 295 (23% from fat); FAT 7.7g (sat 2.9g,mono 2.8g,poly 1.1g); IRON 2.4mg; CHOLESTEROL 55mg; CALCIUM 40mg; CARBOHYDRATE 32.1g; SODIUM 788mg; PROTEIN 24.4g; FIBER 2g Cooking Light, APRIL 2008