Mad City Girl

Madcity Girl

2009-01-04T15:32:00.000-08:00

A new year, a new look. Updates are in the works at www.madcitygirl.com

Christmas With Grandma D

2008-12-29T18:37:00.000-08:00

Christmas picture of my cousins and me with Grandma D

Keeping Tradition Alive

2008-12-29T13:55:00.000-08:00

While certainly not my most flattering photo op (my friend Brodie already strongly advised I lose the chin cinched hat ASAP), these are pictures from my annual Christmas Day run with my brother, Kelly. For the last several years, my dad, brother, and I have made it a tradition to run from my parents' house in Brookfield to the Milwaukee lakefront (approximately 10 miles) on Christmas morning. Unfortunately, my dad is currently sidelined with a knee injury, so this year's run wasn't quite the same, but Kelly and I felt like we had to keep the tradition alive and brave the 8-foot snow mounds, uncleared sidewalks, and icy patches, to literally earn our Christmas day feast.

Running to the lakefront has become similar to a rite of passage in our family. I like to do the run each time I visit my parents. My mom made the journey for the first time a few months ago, and has been rewarded accordingly with a coveted spot in our secret sect. I love the run because I get to spend quality time with my family and enjoy memorable conversations (sometimes my dad will ask if there are any new guys in my life, which is always classic). I also love the variety of the route and terrain. During the course of the 10 mile journey, we experience the suburbs, parks and trails, the campus of Marquette University, the ghetto, the city, lakefront, and Milwaukee Art Museum (aka, Mecca).

I definitely love good family and holiday traditions (what could be more memorable?), and our annual Christmas run to the Lakefront is one of my favorites. Although we missed my dad this time, I'm glad my brother and I kept the tradition alive for yet another year.

Christmas Bliss

2008-12-26T11:40:00.000-08:00

Homemade Holiday Gifts

2008-12-23T13:27:00.000-08:00

My favorite holiday gifts for friends are simple and homemade. This year, using an idea I found in a Martha Stewart holiday magazine, I made several batches of my famous homemade granola :), bagged them into 1lb window coffee bags, and decorated with festive ribbons. I bought the coffee bags from an online coffee wholesaler, and used a modified recipe for granola that I found in the Joy of Cooking.

Dinner & Nutcracker

2008-12-23T12:28:00.000-08:00

This past Friday night, a few friends and I went out to dinner at the Old Fashioned, followed by a performance of the Nutcracker at the Overture Center. I love the Old Fashioned, and hadn't been there in a while. It's a relatively recent entrant to the Madison dining scene and is essentially a trendy take on a Wisconsin supper club. It's good stuff. I enjoyed a burger, and we all split a $4.50 pitcher of Shlitz. It doesn't get much more Wisconsin than that. Afterwards, we headed to the nearby Overture Center, where we barely arrived in time for the show. The performance was good, but nothing extraordinary. I feel like I've seen the Nutcracker a bazillion times, and this performance wasn't particularly noteworthy, except for when two of the professional dancers fell on their butts during two seperate sequences. When does that ever happen?

Two Chicago Favorites

2008-12-23T06:43:00.001-08:00

P.O.S.H. (613 N. State Street)

Chriskindlmarket (Daley Plaza)

P.O.S.H. (613 N. State Street) is one of my favorite stores in Chicago. Unlike the nearby homogenous big box stores, this cozy storefront, tucked just off Michigan Avenue, features an eclectic assortment of antique and vintage china, dinnerware, glassware, and flea market finds. It’s the perfect place to find very unique gifts and trinkets. I found a great Christmas present for my parents there during my most recent visit, the details of which I obviously can't yet divulge. I always make an effort to stop at POSH each time I'm in Chicago. The store also offers online sales. Not quite the same experience, but a nice option nonetheless.

More of a seasonal favorite, Christkindlmarket is the largest German holiday market outside of Germany. For the last 12 years, the event has been held daily on Daley Plaza from Thanksgiving until Christmas Eve. The market features a very large Christmas tree, nativity scene, daily dance and music entertainment, and vendors from Germany, Ukraine, Austria, and Chicago, selling beer, spiced wine, baked goods, toys, and handmade holiday ornaments.

I've made the trip to Chistindlmarket in December for the last several years. Last week, I met up with my friend and college roommate, KJ (Kristen), to enjoy the outdoor market. It was the coldest day in Chicago I've experienced, so shopping outside wasn't terribly pleasant, but we still had a good time. We enjoyed a lunch of traditional German potato pancakes with apple sauce, brats, and hot apple cider in the warming hut. Afterwards, we stocked up with traditional German candy and roasted nuts at the "Sweet Castle" and perused the beautiful handmade ornaments. Chriskindlmarket is definitely a beloved Chicago tradition, and a must-see during the holiday season.

Feeding My Inner Foodie

2008-12-19T14:27:00.000-08:00

My dining adventures in Chicago were superb. I visited some classic favorites, and explored new territory as well. My inner foodie was very pleased.

Starting with a classic favorite, I enjoyed a record-breaking six meals at Fox and Obel Café (401 E. Illinois Street), which covered the span of breakfast, lunch, and dinner. My favorites are still the breakfast offerings, specifically the French Toast, Applewood-Smoked Bacon, and Healthy Start Parfait (layers of milk an honey granola, vanilla yogurt, and seasonal berries). I also love any and all of the baked goods.

Also along the lines of breakfast, my friend Seif (Katie) introduced me to a new restaurant, The Bongo Room (1152 S Wabash Ave.), which specializes in creative French toast and pancakes. The strategy, as Seif explained it to me, is to order multiple items on the menu, but as half orders. That way you can sample as many different pancakes as possible. So Seif and I essentially created a pancake/french toast flight, and enjoyed four varieties, including the Chocolate Tower French Toast (bittersweet chocolate chunk bread stuffed with maple mascarpone, banana crème brulee sauce, bananas and shaved chocolate). It was quite hilarious to see all of the decadent varieties of pancakes spread across the table for just the two of us. It was sheer gluttony, and I loved every moment.

Next up was another Seif recommendation, Tango Sur (3763 N. Southport), which is where I enjoyed dinner on Monday with Seif, Karen, my friend Mel from college, and my colleague Cydney, and her boyfriend Ben. I loved this place, definitely now among my Chicago favorites. It’s essentially an Argentinian BYOB steak house with a very intimate atmosphere and great prices. We started out with appetizers, sampling the four varieties of Empanadas, as well as the Provoleta (Argentina provolone cheese cooked on the grill with olive oil and roasted red pepper). Seif and I then split the El Filet as an entrée (range grown filet mignon cooked on the grill then topped with a red onion wine sauce and accompanied with spinach mashed potatoes.) We also took advantage of the BYOB, with two bottles of red wine with dinner. I'm embarassed to admit I was a tiny bit hung over on Tuesday!

My next restaurant adventure was to The Publican (837 W. Fulton Market), which recently opened in October to much hype (it’s the latest venture from the team who opened Avec and Blackbird). The menu is unique and eclectic, and primarily highlights seafood and heirloom pork, as well as an incredible beer list and communal dining. Karen, her sister Sue, and I shared three dishes—the mussels, the heirloom apple salad, and a dish with chicken, sausage, and frites. The heirloom salad stood out most for me. It was very good. The rest was good, but not great. The service was very good, and the bathrooms are also cool. But I’d still pick Avec over The Publican any day.

And my final culinary adventure in Chicago was to Sweet Mandy B’s (1208 W. Webster Ave.), which features “old fashioned” homemade cakes, cookies, cupcakes, and more. I ordered two cookies and the "Magic" bar. I’m such a sucker for good bakeries. They just draw me in with their creamy frostings, cheery pleasantries, and sugar.

Chicago Dining Adventure Pics

2008-12-19T14:21:00.000-08:00

The Bongo Room

Empanadas at Tango Sur

Mussels at The Publican

Sweet Mandy B's

Wish List Addendum

2008-12-19T10:10:00.001-08:00

I've never been so excited for a cook book. I found this one in Chicago over the weekend and can't wait to pick up a copy of my own. This is my kind of baking, and Matt and Renato pretty much live my dream life. Here's a synopsis of the book:

Hip. Cool. Fashion-forward. These aren’t adjectives you’d ordinarily think of applying to baked goods.

Think again. Not every baker wants to re-create Grandma’s pound cake or cherry pie. Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito certainly didn’t, when they left their advertising careers behind, pooled their life savings, and opened their dream bakery, Baked, in Brooklyn, New York, a few years back. The visions that danced in their heads were of other, brand-new kinds of confections…

Things like a Malt Ball Cake with Milk Chocolate Frosting, which captures the flavor of their favorite Whoppers candies (and ups the ante with a malted milk ball garnish). Things like spicy Chipotle Cheddar Biscuits that really wake up your taste buds at breakfast time. Things like a Sweet and Salty Cake created expressly for adults who are as salt-craving as they are sweet-toothed.

Which is not to say that Lewis and Poliafito sidestep tradition absolutely. Their Chocolate Pie (whose filling uses Ovaltine) pays loving homage to the classic roadside-diner dessert. Their Baked Brownies will wow even the most discriminating brownie connoisseur. And their Chocolate Chip Cookies? Words cannot describe. Whether trendsetting or tried-and-true, every idea in this book is freshly Baked.

Amassing A New Collection

2008-12-19T07:14:00.000-08:00

Now you probably think I went crazy and spent all kinds of money on Michigan Avenue, but au contraire, my friend. Besides extravagant dining expenses, I kept my pocket book relatively tight lipped. I'm saving for skate skies.

My biggest purchases were the two ornaments pictured above. I'm on a mission to amass a fantastic collection of personalized Christmas ornaments. I found the top ornament at Crate&Barrel. It's the "Cook's Tools in Crock Ornament." I purchased it for close to $10, and of course when I checked online this morning, it's down to $6.97. But even at full price, I think it's an excellent ornament and truly fitting for my me and my love of cooking.

Obviously I found the second ornament at Starbucks. But luckily this time, I scored a deal. The ornament was 30% off, so I think I paid somewhere between $3 and $4. I fell in love with the ornament because it reminded me of all the Carmel Apple Spice drinks I had during my time in Chicago. Only on vacation do I indulge in the extravagance of daily grande Carmel Apple Spice drinks.

Snow Day in Chicago

2008-12-19T07:06:00.000-08:00

These are a few pictures I took on Tuesday night in Chicago. As you can probably tell, we were in the midst of a bit of a snow storm. Tuesday is also the night we had tickets to see Dirty Dancing at the Cadillac Theatre and were planning to drive back to Madison afterwards. Instead, we declared a snow day and booked our hotel room for another night and called into work to extend our vacation yet another day. The evening was made much more enjoyable knowing we weren't going to have to plow through the snow back to Madison at midnight. The next day, Karen and I enjoyed a final run through the city, breakfast at Fox and Obel, and a shopping excursion to Lincoln Park.

My Chicago View

2008-12-19T06:56:00.000-08:00

Here is a picture of the view from our hotel room in Chicago. Our room was on the top floor, and the woman who checked us in said we had the best view in the house. I'm sure they say that to everyone, but this time I believed it. It was most beautiful when everything was lit up at night. I love Chicago. Definitely my second favorite city.

Daily Mile Launch

2008-12-18T14:02:00.000-08:00

I watched with awe the very exciting Ironman World Championships coverage on NBC over the weekend. It was different this time, as I tried to imagine myself during each stage of the race. I was also struck by all of the things that went wrong for some of the race leaders—flat tires, snapped break cables, upset stomachs, cramping and dizziness, etc. It’s amazing to see the world’s greatest athletes truly humbled and brought to their knees by Ironman. Most impressive, of course, was the race performance and sheer determination of women’s champion, Chrissie Wellington. She blazed past the other competitors, always with a smile on her face, and quickly jumped back into the race after a disappointing flat tire and CO2 cartridge mishap half-way into the bike leg.

The coverage certainly bumped up my excitement for next year’s race to a new level, as did an online article my friend Jen sent me this morning. It's an article titled “Wisconsin’s Kona Bound Women" on Ironman.com, in which both of our names are quickly mentioned. The article is written by Gaylia Osterlund, an Ironman staffer who writes a series on the Kona Bound age group women. It was definitely more rewarding than my debut in the Regent Neighborhood Association Newsletter, in which I was featured as "Kim" in an article about neighborhood Ironman Finishers. Sigh.

And in the most exciting news of all, my brother and his friend, Ben, officially launched their Web site, Dailymile, this afternoon. It’s been in private beta for several months now, and has increasingly gained momentum with over 100,000 miles logged to date. You can sign up for the site and invite your friends to join at http://www.dailymile.com/. Of course I’m a proud sister doing everything I can to support Kelly and Ben, but I also think it’s an incredible social network that I look forward to logging into each and every day. Please take just a few moments to check it out (and don’t forget to tell your friends!). The only thing more rewarding than putting in good miles, is doing it with friends.

December in the City

2008-12-11T18:15:00.001-08:00

The time has come for my annual 5-day December trip to Chicago. I look forward to the trip all year long. There's nothing better than December in Chicago...the lights, festivities, cheer, glamour, and action.

As is the case every year, my roommate Karen is on the planning committee for an annual professional conference that takes place in Chicago each December. I come along, keep her company, and reap the benefits of free accommodations just off Michigan Avenue and plenty of opportunities for bumming around the city, breakfast every morning at Fox and Obel, great shopping, coffee, running on the lake shore path, exploring, unique dining, and meeting up with old friends from high school and college. It's like five days of completely selfish, uninterrupted Kristin time.

Karen also scored tickets for us to see the Pre-Broadway US Premiere of Dirty Dancing at the Cadillac Palace Theatre on Tuesday evening. I can't wait to see it on stage...Nobody puts Baby in a corner.

K & K's Holiday Dinner Party

2008-12-11T16:10:00.001-08:00

Cydney, Ben, Karen, Kate, Karla, Max, Tony, Emily, and Chloe

The Making of a Dinner Party

2008-12-11T15:25:00.000-08:00

Last night, Karen and I held a joint holiday dinner for our colleagues and their loved ones. My staff includes Emily and Chloe, and Karen's consists of Tony and Cydney. Since I love a good dinner party and obviously enjoy cooking very much, we thought it would be the perfect way to honor our colleagues and show them how much we appreciate them and their work.

Several weeks ago, we started party preparations and sent out hand-made invites a and decided on a menu of spinach artichoke dip, lasagna, salad, bread, and a few varieties of holiday cookies. Karen began setting the table earlier in the week with her grandma's china and silver (agonizing over fork placement and centerpiece selection) and I started cooking up a storm in the kitchen, baking three varieties of holiday cookie recipes from the latest issue of Rachel Ray and simmering homemade sauce for lasagna.

Things came together perfectly for the party. With lasagna cooking in the oven, mounds of snow covering the yard, Christmas tunes on the radio, a beautiful Christmas tree decorated with lights and colorful ornaments, garland on the mantel, and a fire burning, the house felt so cozy, warm, and welcoming. Everyone had a great time, the food was delicious, and I felt so lucky to work with such wonderful people. The dinner party was definitely a great success.

Trial and Error

2008-12-11T12:34:00.001-08:00

For several months, I had been having issues with my turntable, seemingly as a result of my attempt to replace the needle. After I installed the new needle, the sound quality was suddenly off, and I could only get the music to play from the right speaker. After much trial and error, I decided to take it to a specialty shop for a diagnosis. Through another vinyl-collecting colleague, my friend Karen learned of a great recommendation for Madison’s resident turntable expert. In just a few days, he evaluated my turntable, gave it a tune and a new needle, and now it’s playing better than ever.

Apparently I had purchased and installed the wrong needle for my turntable, which is why I was having sound issues. He also reported that my turntable is in great working condition, and that it’s a classic Technics, likely from the 70’s. I had always been convinced that I needed to splurge on a better turntable (in my mind, the dream was the $1,200 Rega P3), but he assured me that my turntable is perfect.

Which is actually funny, since I found my current turntable in the dungeon-like basement of Karen’s former appartment. I had found it sitting on a table, next to the laundry room, with a simple sign stating, “Free. Take me if you wish.” Thinking that it looked better than my turntable at the time, and knowing that my conscience would not allow me to leave this beautiful turntable stranded in a dingy basement, I took it home and made it my own. Unsure of its origins, however, I was always apprehensive about its quality and performance. Now I can rest assure that I have a solid turntable.

So although it was a process to get to this point, and I was forced to go months without my beloved turntable, I guess I’m always learning. And now she's truly ready to spin, and I’m more excited than ever to break out my favorite records.

Atomic Records to Close in February

2008-12-10T12:21:00.000-08:00

Milwaukee’s well-known vinyl shop, Atomic Records, announced plans last week to close its doors in February. Owner Rich Menning explained that after 24 years, the “decline of the music industry combined with the recent economic downturn” have made it impossible to remain open for business.

It’s sad to see such a beloved, indie-stocked, locally-owned vinyl shop close its doors. As I'm sure you can imagine, good vinyl shops are tough to come by these days, and Atomic was definitely the best in Milwaukee.

NBC Airs 2008 Ironman World Championships, Saturday

2008-12-09T11:32:00.000-08:00

This Saturday (Dec. 13) from 2–4pm (Eastern), NBC will air coverage of the 2008 Ironman Triathlon World Championships, which recently took place in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii on October 11th. I’m pretty excited to check out the coverage and get a glimpse of the race I’ll be competing in next October.

Speaking of which, plans are coming together nicely for the big trip. My parents have committed to making the trip with me, and we’ve already secured accommodations for the duration of our stay on the big island. Afterwards, we plan to travel to a few of the other islands. I’ve never been to Hawaii, so I’m excited to check it out. Of course I’m excited for the race, and the perhaps once in a lifetime chance to compete in the World Championships, but I’m most excited to swim in the ocean, lay on the beach and explore after the race.

My Christmas List

2008-12-05T14:08:00.001-08:00

Following is my much-anticipated :) Christmas list. I put together my list last week, and then everything changed over the weekend. I went skate skiing for the first time, and pretty much fell in love with the sport. It was fast-paced, technique-driven, incredibly challenging, and a phenomenal cross-training workout. So now, all I really want is skate skies. I can just picture myself cruising around the groomed trails all winter long, taking occasional breaks in the warming hut to fuel up with hot chocolate and cookies. It's all about the hot chocolate with marshmallows.

Skate Skies

Depeche Mode, Music for the Masses (vinyl)
Eddie Bauer down comforter

Craft Thermal Split Finger Glove

North Face Ultra 104 GTX XCR trail running shoes

The Shock Doctrine, by Naomi Klein

North face booties

Title Nine Metro Sweater

Nick Drake, Pink Moon (vinyl)

Middlesex, by Jeffrey Eugenides

Frivolous, Furry, and Faux: Meet My New Throw

2008-12-05T13:18:00.000-08:00

This is, perhaps, the most frivolous item I’ve ever purchased. Last weekend, during one of the many after-Thanksgiving sales, I bought an Espresso “Faux-Fur Throw” from Pottery Barn. Just had to have it. Here are the details:

Soft and plush, our faux-fur throws are irresistible. The espresso, ivory and gray fog throws have a channel cut reminiscent of vintage mink coats; the frosted taupe has variegated coloring and a uniform plush hand. Dry-clean. 50 x 60". Imported.

It might be frivolous, but you can’t tell me it’s not practical. This thing is keeping me snuggly and warm in these quickly-approaching-below-zero temperatures. Plus it just feels so furry and luxurious, but in a faux, animal-friendly sort of way.

Plus I got an awesome discount on it. I couldn't resist. And I figure it will last a lifetime.

Vetting of the "First" Puppy

2008-12-05T07:39:00.000-08:00

I love the cover of this week's New Yorker, entitled "Vetting," by Barry Blitt. Interestingly, Blitt is also the infamous cartoonist behind the previous controversial terrorist fist-jabbing cover ("The Politics of Fear" from the July 21 issue).

For this week's piece, Blitt drew Barack Obama "vetting" various dogs as he attempts to select the "first" puppy. Interesting, vetting also means to "submit an animal to examination by a veterinarian." Quite clever.

Legend of the Pickle

2008-12-04T10:55:00.000-08:00

A few years ago, a friend introduced me to the tradition of hanging a glass pickle ornament from the Christmas Tree. Apparently, my friend's grandmother had always insisted on the custom. Although the origins of this supposedly German custom remain a bit sketchy, the widely practiced custom is as follows:

In old-world Germany, the last decoration placed on the tree was always a pickle, carefully hidden deep in the boughs. Legend has it that the observant child who found it on Christmas Day was blessed with a year of good fortune and a special gift.

When I explained the custom to my family last year, my mom and grandma just shook their heads and told me they had never heard of such a thing. This seems to only further imply sketchiness since my mom’s side of the family is very German, and there’s a huge contingency of German descendants in the Milwaukee area, which is where my ancestors immigrated. It seems that with all of that German ancestory around, my grandma would have picked up on something.

Sketchy origins aside, I like the idea behind the custom and must say I enjoy admiring a glass pickle hanging from the tree. It may not be an old-world German custom, but it’s mine now.

Oh, Christmas Tree

2008-12-03T06:20:00.001-08:00

A Thankful Weekend

2008-12-02T12:19:00.001-08:00

Over the past few years, I’ve gotten into the routine of spending the Thanksgiving holiday with Karen and her family, who have generously welcomed and introduced me to their family and traditions as I’ve been left family less by my nomadic brother and winter-bird parents! Although my parents were in Wisconsin this year for Thanksgiving Day, I decided to again spend the holiday with Karen and her family in Elmhurst.

I had a very nice time and definitely enjoyed the long weekend. On Wednesday evening, we arrived in Elmhurst, which is my favorite Chicago suburb (it has such small-town charm and character, great proximity to the city, and a wonderful sense of community) and also where my dad was born. We did the Annual Dan Gibbons 5k Turkey Trot on Thursday morning, which was huge event with thousands of runners pouring through the streets of Elmhurst (think: walkers and baby strollers lined up at the 6-minute/mile pace start). Weaving through the masses, Karen and I eventually caught up to and finished with her speedy 8-year-old niece Megan, and brother in law Brian.

Later in the day, we drove to Karen’s aunt and uncle’s house in Janesville, where we celebrated Thanksgiving with her extended family. I am not generally fan of Thanksgiving foods (turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie, you name it), but the meal was pretty tasty. I particularly liked the mashed potatoes and pecan pie. And of course the items I brought along—spinach artichoke dip and chewy gingerbread cookies, both of which were solid hits. I received several requests for my recipes that night, and obviously left proud as a peacock.

Other weekend highlights included running each morning with Karen and her friend Jeni on the Prairie Path (including a 16-mile marathon training run on Friday with plenty of uncomfortable stomach turkey jiggle), repeat shopping trips to Oakbrook (I took advantage of several good sales for myself. I always appreciate my own thoughtfulness), babysitting Karen’s nieces on Friday night (complete with a dance contest), and making ginger bread houses with Karen’s nieces at a family friend’s house (Allie and I pictured hard at work, above...I'm gonna be a damn good mom some day). All in all, a good weekend with great people. And lots to be thankful for.

Chewy Gingerbread Cookies

2008-11-26T08:11:00.000-08:00

Last night I made a great recipe for Chewy Gingerbread Cookies that I found on Martha Stewart’s Web site. The cookies look and taste great, and I'm hopeful they'll be the perfect offering for my Thanksgiving hostesses.

Ingredients
3 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed dark-brown sugar
2 tablespoons finely grated, peeled fresh ginger
1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
2 tablespoons baking soda, dissolved in 1 tablespoon boiling water
1/3 cup granulated sugar

Directions
Sift together flour, cocoa powder, and spices into a medium bowl. Put butter, brown sugar, and grated ginger into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until fluffy. Beat in molasses.

Beat in flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the baking soda mixture. Shape dough into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours (up to overnight).
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Shape dough into 1/2-inch balls, and space 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate 20 minutes.

Roll balls in granulated sugar. Bake until surfaces crack slightly, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on sheets, 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks, and let cool completely. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container up to 3 days.

Banana Espresso Muffins

2008-11-25T11:20:00.000-08:00

In anticipation of the work week and my continual need for a a sweet accompaniment to my morning coffee, on Sunday night I made a recipe for Banana Espresso Muffins that I found on a cooking blog (via Tastespotting). I love banana bread, and this recipe seemed to offer a new and exciting alternative to the classic staple.

The muffins turned out quite tasty and have paired nicely with my morning java this week.

Ingredients
1 very ripe banana, lightly mashed

1/4 cup sour cream

1 large egg

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup unbleached flour

6 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 salt

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup chopped pecans

2 tablespoons instant espresso powder

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor mix banana and sour cream until smooth. Add the egg, lemon zest, and vanilla and process until blended. In a separate bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and beat on low speed of a stand mixer for about 1 minute. Add the butter and half the banana mixture and beat until the dry ingredients are moistened. Raise the speed to medium and beat for 1 1/2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and add the remaining banana mixture in two parts, beating for about 20 seconds after each addition. Add pecans and beat on low speed just until incorporated. Remove half of the batter and place in separate bowl and add the espresso powder until incorporated.

Place muffin liners in tins and alternate spooning banana mixture and espresso mixture into each liner until full to the top. Take a knife and gently swirl each muffin liner to mix the espresso batter and banana batter. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove muffins from pan and cool on wire rack.

African Peanut Butter Stew

2008-11-25T05:49:00.000-08:00

I tried a recipe for African Peanut Butter Stew this past Saturday night. I found the recipe online at Lunds and Byerly's, the Minneapolis gourmet grocery store that I am mildly obsessed with. For over a year, I've been wanting to recreate an African stew that I enjoyed at an on-campus lecture event I attended last year (at which my former Professor, Harold Scheub, of the famed African Storyteller 210, relayed his favorite tales and explained commonly used story devices). I've been waiting for the perfect stew weather. And this past weekend, I knew that it was finally time.

While the stew did require some prep work, the end result was well worth the elbow grease. My friend Karen gushed that it was one of the best dinners I've ever made. The pictures above just don't do the dish justice. It was a great combination of hearty vegetables, chicken, and subtle flavors of curry, peanut butter, and pepper, over a fluffy bed of couscous. The recipe also made enough to feed approximately 10 people, and since there were only three of us, I have lots of great leftover lunches for the week.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons roasted peanut oil
1 large onion, chopped (1 3/4 cups)
2 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can chicken broth
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
4 large carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 bell peppers, green, red and yellow, chopped
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 6 cups)
1 (10 ounce) package couscous

Directions

Heat oil in heavy saucepan. Stir in onion, cook over medium heat until translucent. Stir in chicken, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until outside is browned. Stir in chicken broth, tomato paste, peanut butter, carrots, bell peppers, curry powder, red pepper flakes, remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat; simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Stir in sweet potatoes and continue to cook until potatoes are tender and chicken is no longer pink (about 30 minutes). Meanwhile, prepare couscous according to package directions using 1 teaspoon salt. Serve stew over hot couscous.

The Modern Camper

2008-11-24T14:16:00.001-08:00

Growing up, my family did a lot of camping, traversing the best Wisconsin state parks with our trusty popup camper in tow. Many of my favorite memories from growing up are those in which I was camping and spending time with my family in the great outdoors. That's why I was so excited to learn about a new "camper-esque" product on the market for today's adventure lovers...

Recently awarded the coveted designation of “Men’s Journal Gear of the Year 2008,” Sylvan Sport’s GO is the most unique, intuitive, versatile, and lightweight mobile adventure camping and travel trailer ever created.

The all-aluminum, low profile design weighs in at just 800 pounds and can be pulled behind even the smallest cars. You can stow up to 800 pounds of equipment in one configuration, and strap gear and bikes to the Thule-compatible roof rack system in another.

The tent fits cleanly into the roof’s storage box, and when you’re ready to set up camp, the tent stands up in just two minutes. The camper-esque dome tent offers a dining table and space for up to four adults. The GO also comes with a locking, weather-proof gear box where you can keep all of your camping essentials. The GO will set you back $8,000.

The Glady-Ator

2008-11-24T13:52:00.001-08:00

Gladys "Glady-ator" Burrill, age 90, plans to race walk her 5th marathon at the Honolulu Marathon on Dec. 14. Her goal is to do an 8:30 marathon and break the women's 90-94 age group world record. Wow.

http://www.kitv.com/cnn-news/18048676/detail.html

Ugg-Free and Proud

2008-11-21T09:42:00.000-08:00

Meet my new winter boots. While I haven’t purchased them yet, I intend to as soon as possible. They’re the perfect blend of style and function—sort of a hybrid of rugged Sorels and trendy Uggs. I’ve been searching for the perfect pair of boots for some time now. Specifically, something that I can tromp around and shovel snow in, but just as easily wear to work and pair with my long, wool black coat for a more sophisticated look. I’d say these Merrels succeed in meeting both requirements equally. I found the boots in the latest Title Nine catalog.

As a side note, I will never wear Uggs. I will always remember my brother telling me a few years ago, “Don’t be one of those girls.” That’s stuck with me, and I just can’t do it. To this day, I remain Ugg-free and proud.

Most Delicious Apple Cake

2008-11-21T06:29:00.001-08:00

Last weekend, I also made this great apple cake that I found at the excellent food blog 101 Cookbooks. It was really easy, and I think it turned out quite delicious. I also think it looks hot, too (see photo, above). Would you agree, Katy?

I made/would make a few substitutions. I couldn't find large grain sugar, so I just used regular sugar to sprinkle on top. And although I used natural cane sugar as the recipe suggested, I think I would use brown sugar next time for a little more flavor and sweetness. The cake definitely got better throughout the week as the flavors intensified and the cake moistened.

Unfussy Apple Cake Recipe
from 101 Cookbooks

Ingredients:
2 cups sweet, crisp red apples, cut into 1/4 cubes (peel on)
2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tablespoon aluminum-free baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup dark Muscavado sugar (or other fine-grain natural cane or brown sugar), lump-free
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
2 eggs1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled a bit
3 tablespoons large grain sugar

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400F degrees, racks in the middle. Butter and flour (or line bottom with parchment paper) one 9-inch square baking dish or tart pan, you can also bake it in a 9x13 pan but really keep a close eye on it after 20 minutes - it will be quite thin.

Place the chopped apples in a bowl of water along with the juice of one lemon. Set aside. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, sugar and salt in a large bowl. And in a separate smaller bowl whisk together the eggs and the buttermilk. Whisk in the melted butter. Pour the buttermilk mixture over the flour mixture and stir until barely combined - try not to over mix. Now drain the apple, shake off any excess water, and fold the apples into the cake batter.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, pushing it out toward the edges. Sprinkle with most of the large grain sugar. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until cake is just set and a touch golden on top. I like this cake every-so-slightly under-baked, just barely, remember it will cook for a little while after you remove it from the oven

Favorite Chili

2008-11-21T06:14:00.000-08:00

I made a double batch to ensure plenty of leftovers!

Here's my Tupperware, reheat special!

The last time I was home to visit my parents, my mom whipped up an amazing batch of chili from a recipe that she had found in the March 2008 Rachel Ray magazine. Apparently it was the winning chili recipe for some sort of chili cook off Rachel had hosted for readers. I think this chili is awesome, especially served with cilantro, shredded cheese, and tortilla chips. It's quickly become my favorite, and it's the perfect Tupperware, reheat lunch for me at the office.

Ingredients:

2 T. olive oil

1 pound of lean ground beef or Boca meatless ground burger

1/2 cup chopped onion1 garlic clove finely chopped

1 T. chili powder

1 t. ground cumin

1 15oz can black beans1

15 oz can pinto beans

1 10oz can tomatoes and green chiles

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

12 oz Monterrey jack pepper cheese, shredded

1 (10 oz) bag corn chips such as Fritos

Directions:

1. In a Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook for 7 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, chili powder and cumin and cook over medium low heat for 5 minutes. Add the beans, with their liquid, and the tomatoes; bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thick, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Stir in the cilantro, then top with the cheese, cover and let stand until the cheese melts, 5 to 10 minutes. Place a handful of corn chips in each of 4 bowls. Top with the chili and serve.

He's At It Again!

2008-11-20T16:02:00.000-08:00

My brother recently found out that he secured a lottery spot for the 2010 Western States Endurance Run, which is a race that he's been trying to get in to for a few years now. Western States 100 is one of the oldest ultra trail events in the world, and definitely one of the most challenging. The 100-mile rugged trail run winds through California’s Sierra Nevada, beginning in Squaw Valley, and ending in Auburn. The run includes a climb of 2,550 vertical feet in the first 4½ miles, and a cumulative total of 18,000 feet of climbing and 23,000 feet of descents.

The race begins at 5am on the Saturday of the last weekend in June and runners must finish by 11am the following day in order to be eligible for an award (the coveted bronze belt buckle). The field typically consists of approximately 450 seasoned ultra running veterans.

So Kelly will add yet another ultra endurance race to his impressive and continually growing resume. His next ultra is on February 7—the Rocky Raccoon 100 mile trail run in Huntsville, Texas, which is the race that started his ultra career in 2005. Since the race will be much flatter and faster than many of the other ultras Kelly has competed in, his goal is to run a PR. Can you even imagine trying to run a personal best in a 100-mile trail run? It’s really just hard to grasp the concept of running that far, let alone trying to run it as fast as you can. But that’s my brother. Always making my athletic accomplishments look like small potatoes :)

Pain Un Chocolat, S'il Vous Plait

2008-11-19T13:17:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend, I joined my friends Jill and Ryan for a nice breakfast of patisseries at La Baguette, which recently relocated to Madison from the north woods of Minocqua, and prior to that, France. The bakery is now located in a strip mall near West Town mall on Mineral Point Road. While the owners make a solid effort to create the atmosphere of a French café, the location and strip mall vibe thwart all attempts. But here’s a case in which food trumps atmosphere, and the declisous pastries and breads more than made up for what La Baguette lacks in atmosphere.

I met Jill and Ryan for breakfast on Saturday at 9am. By then, the place was bustling, and there was already a sizable line at the counter, which only continued to grow during our time there. Luckily, Ryan was able to save us one of the 10 or so tables for dining in, and Jill and I stood in line and salivated over the beautiful baguettes, croissants, brioches, ciabatta, and quiches. I decided on an apple turnover for breakfast and a chocolate-chip scone to go. Why is it that I can never decide on just one of something? Jill and Ryan each enjoyed a chocolate croissant and shared a goat cheese quiche.

As I’ve mentioned before, Jill was my roommate my freshman year in college in the dorms, and has been a close friend ever since. Jill studied abroad in Paris her junior year in college (with our mutual friend Emily) and is pretty much obsessed with anything French. She is quite the connosuier of chocolate croissants (I love how she confidently marches up to the counter and orders a “Pain un Chocolat” in a beautiful French accent. I also have to add that when Ryan proposed to Jill a few years ago, he learned a bit of French so he could ask her to marry him in the “language of love”. Now that deserves a drawn-out awwww…

Back to the patisseries. They are wonderful, and from what I’ve been told, very genuine. They’re light and flaky, and very fresh. I was most impressed with the sheer number of options. Prices are also very reasonable. We all agreed, however, that service is still a work in progress. While the staff is attentive and friendly (and very French), they need to come up with a better strategy to get the line moving a bit quicker. It seems like a second cash register would speed things up significantly.

Other than that, I was very impressed, and it’s already clear that La Baguette will be very successful in Madison. Jill and Ryan claim the’ve been there every weekend since it’s openend.

Long Live the 80's

2008-11-18T11:38:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend, I attended an 80’s-themed 40th birthday party at Nakoma Country Club in Madison. Random. How did I find myself at such a function, one might ask?

My friends Brodie and Lauren, who have been great friends of mine since college (I was even the maid-of-honor in their wedding two years ago!) invited me to go with them to the party, which was a birthday celebration for two of Lauren’s married clients who train at her West side Orange Shoe Gym.

The party was a blast, and I’m now inspired to throw an 80’s party of my own. Although we were notably lame, sporting little 80’s flair other than “Save Ferris” buttons, we promised each other that we would be well prepared for the the next 80’s party we’d surely find ourselves at soon.

One thing is for certain, these 40-some year olds sure knew how to roll. The 80’s decorations were fantastic, with movie posters and classic quotes adorning the stately country club decor. I loved the continual play list of 80’s hits, complete with music videos on a big screen, and watching everyone re-live their glory days on the dance floor while sporting tight-rolled jeans, leg warmers, and acid washed jeans. Not to mention the spread of amazing appetizers, cake, and of course, the open bar. Like I said, this was a party.

Mark my words, I will not be lame at the next 80’s party I attend.

Holiday Art Festivals

2008-11-17T13:18:00.000-08:00

Need something unique for that special someone on your holiday gift list? Look no further...

MMoCA Holiday Art Fair
Madison Museum of Contemporary Art
227 State Street
Friday, November 21, Noon-6pm; Saturday, November 22, 10am-5pm; Sunday, November 23, 11am-3pm
$4 admission

Shop for original art and gifts from many local artists and the Rediscovered Art and Treasures Sale; quilt raffle and carolers.

4th Annual Holiday Craftacular
Saturday, December 6th, 10am-6pm
Madison Masonic Center
301 Wisconsin Avenue
Free admission

Over 60 artists and crafters featuring holiday gifts, cards, purses, housewares, clothing, body care, and more! First 50 shoppers get a free gift bag.

Beloved Farmers' Market Moves Indoors

2008-11-14T17:17:00.001-08:00

The outdoor Dane County Farmers’ Market on the Square has come to an end for the season, which makes me want to cry. Last weekend marked the last outdoor market, and it was a sad site—it was freezing and seemingly decimated.

Luckily, a smaller, indoor version of the market is offered until the outdoor season returns next April. The indoor market will run every Saturday through Dec. 20 from 7 a.m. to Noon at the Monona Terrace (early winter market), then will transfer to the Madison Senior Center, 330 W. Mifflin St., in January through mid-April, on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to Noon (late winter market).

Although it’s definitely not the same as the outdoor market, the indoor market still features the season’s best bounty of vegetables, crafts, and homemade, home-grown Wisconsin products from over 300 vendors. Additionally, the “late” winter Farmers’ Market held at the Madison Senior Center features the very popular “Winter Market Breakfast,” which is a full breakfast that features vendors’ products as the main ingredients.

Perhaps all is not lost.

Free Beer This Weekend

2008-11-14T11:30:00.001-08:00

99 Bottles Documentary is a documentary film that explores the history, processes, and culture of craft brewers in Southeastern Wisconsin. The film features the founders and brewmaster of 16 unique Wisconisin breweries and brewpubs. It’s a collaboration between Wisconsin-based Mutant Barmonkey Productions and Haptic Visison that began over a pint at Wolski’s Tavern.

The documentary is playing tonight and Saturday night at the Orpheum Theater in Madison. And yes, there will be free beer. Each show will feature a pair of breweries from the documentary that will sample their products thirty minutes before the show begins. Sounds a nice weekend excursion/cultural outing.

Cliff Bars for the Holidays

2008-11-14T05:51:00.000-08:00

Just in time for the holidays, Cliff Bar has introduced three new seasonal cliff bar flavors that include Carmel Apple Cobbler, Iced Gingerbread, and Spiced Pumpkin Pie. Now that makes me want to get up and go work out!

It's Back! Gingerbread Bagel.

2008-11-13T08:03:00.000-08:00

Equally as good as Einstein’s seasonal pumpkin bagel is Panera’s seasonal Gingerbread Bagel. As so, as the saying goes, when one door closes, another one opens. Panera’s Gingerbread Bagel is flavored with ginger bits, cinnamon, nutmeg, molasses and filled with white chocolate & cinnamon chips. I prefer mine with the Hazelnut cream cheese and mug of piping hot dark roast coffee. Now that's breakfast.

Speaking of Panera, I’m also currently obsessed with their Bacon, Egg, & Cheese Breakfast Sandwich, a somewhat recent addition to the breakfast menu. The sandwich is made with all-natural eggs—freshly cracked every morning—a thick slice of Vermont white cheddar, and Applewood-smoked bacon all grilled between two slices of freshly baked Ciabatta. It’s heaven. There’s just something about that Vermont white cheddar that leaves my mouth watering, even now.

Sometimes I can't decide between the breakfast sandwich and the bagel. If you, too, find yourself in a similar situation, I'd recommend that you do as I've done, and just order both.

Friends & Family at Gap Inc.

2008-11-13T07:44:00.000-08:00

Need clothes? Receive 30% off during Gap Inc.'s Friends and Family Event. 4 days only, November 13-16. Includes Gap, Gap Outlet, Banana Republic, Banana Republic Factory Store, and Old Navy. For every purchase you make, Gap Inc. will give 5% of the amount you spend to the World Wildlife Fund. Get the in-store, multiple use bar code here. Now go shop and stimulate the economy! Thanks to my friend Christie for the tip.

Buckeye Spirit?

2008-11-11T12:57:00.000-08:00

Working in college admissions, I'm often amazed and equally humored by the things that prospective students write in their application statements and general e-mail correspondences. I could probably put together a whole book of funny stories and excerpts from my four years in admissions. I just received the following e-mail this morning from a prospective student....

I just wanted to thank you so much for the great information session last week. I had looked at your school online, but seeing it in person was a much better experience. The Buckeye spirit is quite something!

Buckeyes? I think you mean Badgers.

And last week, I reviewed an application statement with the following excerpt.

I have seen the Dave Matthews Band live twelve times in four cities across the Midwest. This is an example of the passion and dedication I will bring to Madison.

These sorts of statements give me headaches and make me laugh. Today I also read a letter of recommendation for an applicant from the Commissioner of Major League Baseball, Bud Selig. Just another day in college admissions.

Cronometro Bike Swap 2007

2008-11-07T09:12:00.001-08:00

18th Annual Cronometro Bike Swap

2008-11-07T09:11:00.000-08:00

18th Annual Cronometro Bike Swap
Madison, WI
Alliant Energy Center
Saturday, January 10, 2009
9:30am-3:30pm
$7 per person
www.brazendropouts.org/swap09.shtml

I think this is one of the best bike swaps in the country, and also where I purchased my first road bike and current commuter several years ago. It's a huge event, and there's both used and new bikes and gear. I've also found fantastic deals on new jerseys and bike shoes at this swap. If you're in town and in the market for affordable bike gear, definitely plan to check this one out. But make sure to get there early...there's always a long line at 9:30am.

Standing By My Man

2008-11-07T09:08:00.000-08:00

Nov 4, 2008-Zilly Rosen of ZILLYCAKES in Buffalo, NY, builds a likeness of presidential candidate Barack Obama using 1240 cupcakes. Incredible!!

I love this picture!

Chef Dangler's PR Pasta

2008-11-06T08:07:00.001-08:00

I found the following recipe in the November issue of Runner's World. I love how they always feature a runner chef and that person's favorite runner-friendly recipe. This one is from Chef James Dangler at the Ritz-Carlton Westchester in White Plains, New York. Chef Dangler credits this dish for his sub-three-hour PR marathon. I really enjoyed the recipe. You could definitely shorten the recipe by buying pesto, rather than making it from scratch. I thought the meal had great flavor, and I really enjoyed the flavor contrast of the pesto pasta on a bed of bell-pepper coulis sauce. I'll have to try the dish before my next big race. Perhaps maybe I'll run a PR, too!

Chef Dangler's PR Pasta

Runner's World, November 2008, The Athlete’s Palate

Pesto
5 oz. fresh basil
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tbsp. pine nuts, toasted
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
½ cup olive oil

Bell-Pepper Coulis
1 12-oz. jar roasted red peppers, drained
¼ cup water
1 tbsp. dark balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. jarred grated horseradish
1 pinch sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

Pasta
4 chicken breasts, cut into pieces or strips
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
¾ cup white wine
1 16-oz box rotelle pasta, cooked
1 tbsp. toasted pine nuts
1 tbsp. basil, sliced into thin strips
2 tbsp. Parmesan cheese, grated

Pesto: Place all ingredients in food processor and puree. Bell-Pepper Coulis: Puree all ingredients in blender. Warm coulis in a saucepan. Place in pasta bowl. Pasta: Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a skillet. Add chicken and minced garlic and cook through. Add white wine, scraping pan to loosen any brown bits; simmer to reduce liquid by half. Add five tablespoons pesto. Toss pasta with sauce. Add toasted pine nuts, basil, and grated Parmesan. Place pasta into bowl over bell-pepper coulis. Serves four.

Weekend Visit Home (and to the Zoo!)

2008-11-05T06:45:00.001-08:00

This past weekend, I spent some time home with my parents in Brookfield to destress. I took the day off work on Friday and drove there on Thursday evening. It was a beautiful Halloween weekend with incredibly warm temperatures. I enjoyed a couple nice runs, and the first-ever run with my mom! My mom has worked extremely hard to get to where she's at now health wise. She's so fit, and also eating really well, too. We ran approximately 4 miles together, and I was overwhelmed with pride to be able to share that with her.

The rest of the weekend I spent time catching up with my parents, shopping and enjoying coffee with my mom, and we also made a visit to the zoo on Saturday morning, probably my first visit to the Milwaukee County Zoo in close to two decades! Growing up, my mom would take my brother and I to the zoo all the time. It was great to go back and see what a wonderful place it still is. I think it's one of the finest zoos in the nation. It was also nice because it was a free admission day on Saturday, so there were many families taking advantage of the opportunity to enjoy the zoo on such a beautiful fall day. The backdrop of the colorful, crisp leaves was breathtaking. Afterwards, my dad and I ran from the zoo, back to my parents' house in Brookfield.

Vintage Vinyl Sale

2008-11-05T05:47:00.001-08:00

This afternoon begins the popular annual vintage vinyl sale at St. Vinny's in Madison. I've heard great things, and have never been, so I'm pretty pumped to check it out this afternoon. Apparently the staff puts all of the great vinyl aside throughout the year and saves it for this annual sale. I'm hoping for some great finds!

St. Vincent de Paul’s 11th Annual Collectible Records Sale
Madison, WI
Basement of St. Vincent de Paul thrift shop
1309 Williamson Street
3-5:45pm Wednesday ($5 donation to enter)
9am-5:45 Thursday-Saturday (free admission)

Yes We Can.

2008-11-05T05:44:00.001-08:00

Voting on Campus

2008-11-04T11:53:00.001-08:00

Photos by university photographer, Bryce Richter

If you vote, Starbucks buys your coffee

2008-11-04T11:51:00.001-08:00

Election Day Freebies

2008-11-04T11:26:00.000-08:00

In addition to ensuring democracy, your vote can also get you freebies today at Starbucks and Ben & Jerry's. Starbucks is offering a free tall coffee all day to anyone who's voted. Similarly, from 5-8pm tonight, Ben & Jerry's is offering a free scoop of ice cream in celebration of democracy.

Freebies aside, there's no denying the magnitude of this election, and the extent to which the outcome will change our nation's history. I literally had tears in my eyes this morning at my polling place as I cast my ballot. To know that I was voting for someone who I truly believe can change the world was very powerful.

Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomato "Spaghetti"

2008-11-04T09:36:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend, during a short visit home to spend time with my parents, my mom gave me a copy of the Vegetarian Times that she had laying around. Inside, I found several great recipes, including the following recipe for Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomato "Spaghetti" that is made with spaghetti squash. I made this meal on Saturday night. It was definitely one of the best meals I've made recently, and I wouldn't change a thing to the recipe. It was the perfect mix of flavors and colors, and a very healthy meal, too.

Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomato "Spaghetti"

Vegetarian Times, October 2008
Submitted by Amy Schwartz, Macon, GA

Ingredients
1 large spaghetti squash
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
5 oz. spinach
1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)
1 cup chickpeas
4 oz. oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and julienned
½ cup fresh basil, chopped
1 ½ tsp. garlic salt
4 Tbs. low-fat feta cheese

Directions
1. Pierce spaghetti squash rind several times with a fork. Microwave on high 5 minutes per pound of squash, until squash is soft. Cut in half lengthwise, and remove seeds. Rake insides of squash into bowl.
2. Cook olive oil and onion in large skillet over high heat, until fragrant. Stir in spinach and garlic, and cover. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. When spinach has cooked down, reduce heat, and stir in spaghetti squash.
3. Stir in chickpeas, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, and garlic salt. To serve, divide among 4 plates, and top each with 1 Tbs. feta cheese.

Sunset at Green Lake

2008-11-04T09:22:00.000-08:00

Beautiful sunset at Green Lake this past weekend

Baked Butternut Squash With Sausage and Apples

2008-10-30T07:13:00.000-07:00

While it seems that I've satisfied my recent obsession with cooking all things involving pumpkins, I've since replaced that obsession with squash. But as my friend Karen reasoned, they're both in the gourd family. Ever since squash started appearing at the farmers' market earlier this month, I've been attempting new squash recipes with hearty fillings that make a meal of themselves.

Recently, I attempted the following recipe, which I found in my Joy of Cooking cookbook--pretty much the bible of cookbooks. Luckily, I had some helpers for this recipe and plenty of time, because it was quite tedious and involved many ingredients and lots of chopping. I chose the recipe because it sounded delicious, but didn't realize at the time that it involved three separate recipes! The meal was fabulous, but I'm not going to lie, it was a pain. I was flipping between pages 309, 532, and 533, which were recipes for Baked Butternut Squash, Basic Bread Stuffing, and Bread Stuffing with Sausage and Apples, respectively. Of course you could buy pre-made stuffing and make things a whole lot easier, but I can't help myself, I'm a cooking purist.

I would definitely recommend this recipe for a hearty fall dinner. It also warmed up nicely as leftovers. I've taken the liberty of combining the three recipes into one, below. I think a single, complete recipe (although long) will make it much easier for anyone else who wants to take a stab at the meal. Enjoy!

Baked Butternut Squash Stuffed With Sausage and Apples
Joy of Cooking (75th anniversary edition), pg. 309
4 servings

Ingredients
2 butternut squash (about 1 pound each)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound sliced firm white sandwich, French, or Italian bread, including crusts, cut into ½-inch cubes (10 cups lightly packed)
¼ to ½ cup (1/2 to 1 stick) unsalted butter
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup finely chopped celery
¼ cup to ½ cup minced parsley
1 tablespoon minced fresh sage or 1 teaspoon dried sage
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/3 to 1 cup chicken stock or broth, or as needed
1 pound bulk pork sausage
4 cups diced peeled green apples, such as Granny Smith
4 tablespoon butter, cut into small pieces
4 tablespoon dark brown sugar

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375F. Grease a baking dish. Halve lengthwise and remove the seeds and strings. Arrange cut side up in the baking dish and brush lightly with oil. Cover with a lid or aluminum foil and bake until almost tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the squash cool slightly. Keep the oven on.

Toast bread cubes on a large baking sheet at 400F, stirring several times, until golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Turn bread cubes into a large bowl.

Heat a large skillet with butter over medium-high heat until the foam subsides. Then add the onions and celery and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the parsley, sage, thyme, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and cloves. Add the bread cubes and toss until well combined. Stir in the chicken broth, a little at a time, until the stuffing is lightly moist but not packed together.

Cook pork sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Break up the meat with a spoon, until it is no longer pink, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat and return the skillet to the heat. Add the apples and cook, stirring, until tender. Add the sausage and apples to the bread stuffing.

When the squash has cooled, scoop out most of the flesh, leaving 3/8-inch-thick shells. Lightly mix the squash pulp into the stuffing mixture, breaking up the squash as little as possible.

Pile the stuffing into the squash halves. Dot each half with 1 tablespoon butter, cut into pieces, and 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar.

Bake, uncovered, until piping hot and brown and crusty on top, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for several minutes before serving.

30th Wedding Anniversary!

2008-10-28T13:43:00.000-07:00

Today is my parents' 30th Wedding Anniversary! That's a LONG time. I realize I'm very lucky to have parents who have been together so long and whose relationship only seems to grow stronger. Congratulations! I'm very happy and proud :) Have fun today!

The "Consummate" Chocolate Chip Cookie

2008-10-28T11:48:00.000-07:00

A few months ago, the New York Times featured an article and recipe for the ideal chocolate chip cookie. The blogging world of cooks and bakers obsessed over the piece all summer, testing, refuting, and perfecting the article’s hypotheses. The recipe is based on Jaques Torres’ (a renowned chocolatier) classic recipe, but also relies on contributions from several other prominent bakers who are also featured in the article, including Mary Rubin of City Bakery in New York City, Herve Poussot of Almondine in Brooklyn, and Dorie Greenspan, the celebrated author of several baking books. Here’s a glimpse of the article:

Like the omelet, which many believe to be the true test of a chef, the humble chocolate chip cookie is the baker’s crucible. So few ingredients, so many possibilities for disaster. What other explanation can there be for the wan versions and unfortunate misinterpretations that have popped up everywhere — eggless and sugarless renditions; cookies studded with carob, tofu and marijuana; whole-wheat alternatives; and the terribly misguided bacon-topped variety.

All this crossbreeding begs the question: Has anyone trumped Mrs. Wakefield (former owner of the Toll House Inn, who is credited with creating the first chocolate chip cookie in 1930) ? To find out, a journey began that included stops at some of New York City’s best bakeries as well as conversations with some doyens of baking. The result was a recipe for a consummate cookie, if you will: one built upon decades of acquired knowledge, experience and secrets; one that, quite frankly, would have Mrs. Wakefield worshipping at its altar.

I’m clearly behind the rest of the blogosphere in my recent attempt to recreate these cookies, but that's largely because it took me so long to gather the necessary ingredients—particularly, the bittersweet chocolate discs (with at least 60% cacao content). Eventually, I found a variety of discs at a specialty grocer in Minneapolis. Unfortunately, I’m yet to find them locally.

I finally made the cookies last week and released them for tasting and judgement at Thursday night's chili party. The process is unique and definitely requires patience, as the recipe recommends chilling the dough in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours prior to baking. After 72 hours, I sprinkled sea salt on the golf ball size dough balls, as the recipe suggested, and then baked them in the oven. The cookies definitely looked beautiful, very plump, evenly baked, and airy. Consensus seemed to be that they tasted great, too. I, however, thought they were a little dry. I prefer more of a chewy/gooey chocolate chip cookie. To each his own. But I definitely enjoyed this science experiment, and learned new tips that I can incorporate into my favorite cookie recipes.

Free Wilco Campaign Rally Concert

2008-10-28T08:43:00.000-07:00

This just in from the Wisconsin State Journal, and forwarded to me by my friend Margo...my favorite band Wilco announced that they will play a free concert as part of a campaign rally on Saturday afternoon. Here are the details...

A "stripped down" version of the rock band Wilco will perform a free concert at Union Theater as part of Campaign for Change, a Barack Obama rally featuring speakers Sen. Russ Feingold and Rep. Tammy Baldwin on Saturday afternoon.

Three of Wilco's six members — frontman Jeff Tweedy, bassist John Stirratt and multi-instrumentalist Pat Sansone — will perform at the event, which begins at noon, according to Wilco publicist Deb Bernardini.

Free tickets will be distributed on Wednesday at Campaign for Change's student office, 216 N. Henry St. and at the Wednesday Farmers' Market on Martin Luther King Boulevard. The Union Theater's capacity is 1,300.

In September 2007, Wilco's last show in Madison at the 2,200-seat Overture Hall sold out in one day.

Doors will open in Union Theater, 800 Langdon St., at 11 a.m. Saturday. After the concert, Baldwin will lead a march to the polls for voters to cast early votes before polls close at 3 p.m.

Full Puppet Nudity

2008-10-27T17:20:00.000-07:00

I went to see the Tony award-winning musical Avenue Q on Sunday night at Madison’s Overture Center. It was entertaining, raunchy, and completely hilarious. The show is largely inspired by Sesame Street and most of the characters are puppets (operated by onstage actors). The story follows the lives of several 20-somethings who live in New York City as they attempt to navigate the unexpected life after college—“What Do You Do With a BA in English”—of shitty jobs, difficult relationships, and never-ending bills. The show includes full-on puppet sex, musical numbers entitled “The Internet is For Porn”, “It Sucks to Be Me,” and “Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist,” and a puppet named Lucy the Slut.

My favorite characters, however, are the Bad Idea Bears. The sweet sounding, colorful stuffed bears, reminiscent of Care Bears, continually taunt the main characters, Princeton and Kate, and talk them into several bad ideas like playing drinking games with Long Island Ice Teas the night before a very important day at work, taking a tipsy date home for sex (post Long Islands), and buying a case of beer despite being broke.

I definitely enjoyed the show and the parody of life after college. The actors/puppeteers/singers were phenomenally talented. I don’t know how they kept it all straight. I would definitely recommend this show for a great laugh.

Homecoming Parade

2008-10-27T11:06:00.000-07:00

My student worker, Chloe, riding in the parade as a member of court!

Various alumni club representatives

Short bus

Fraternity/sorority float

Students for Obama

Students for McCain

The big bus

WSUM student radio station

Formula SAE cars

Wisconsin Band

I went to go see the Wisconsin Homecoming parade on Friday night. I was especially excited to see my student worker, Chloe, ride by as part of homecoming court. I haven't had the opportunity to see the parade in several years, so I was excited to experience it once again. I almost had tears in my eyes watching Chloe go by. I definitely got emotional because I was so damn proud of her and excited for her to experience the entire weekend.

The parade was pretty phenomenal and featured many, many student and alumni groups. I think it's the perfect showcase of diversity on campus and shows how there truly is a place for everyone at UW-Madison.

Award-Winning Chili Recipes

2008-10-27T06:36:00.000-07:00

Scott's Drunk Turkey Chili

Notes from Scott: I can’t take full credit for this recipe. I found it on the Food Network’s website as a featured Super Bowl Chili a couple years ago and have made some adjustments to suit my liking.

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 med yellow onion (chopped)
5 cloves of garlic (chopped)
1-2 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp Kosher salt
2 Tbsp tomato paste
3 chipotle chilies en adobo (coarsely chopped), with 1.5 Tbsp of the adobo sauce (you can find this in the ethnic foods section at the grocery store in a little can. This gives the chili it’s heat and smoked flavor)
20 oz ground turkey
1 (12 oz) Mexican lager-style beer (I prefer Dos Equis)
2 (14 ½ oz) cans whole peeled tomatoes
1 (15 ½ oz) cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained

Directions:
Heat olive oil over med-high heat.
Add the onion, garlic, salt, and chili powder and cook while stirring ~3 min
Stir in tomato paste and the chipotle chilies and adobo sauce, cook while stirring ~1 min
Add turkey and cook until it looses its raw color ~3 min
Add the beer and simmer until reduced by about half ~8 min
Wash hands
Add tomatoes—crushing them through your fingers into the skillet—along with the extra juice from one of the cans.
Add beans and bring to a boil.
Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally until a good thickness ~10 min

I use an large electric skillet when cooking this chili. If you are using a saucepan, it will take longer than the suggested times for liquids to reduce. It’s ready to eat right away, but will continue to soak up flavor if you cover it or put in a crock pot. Delicious garnishes are: pepper jack cheese and avocado mixed with sour cream

Wed Wagon Wheel Chili

Notes from Jessica: Zeke found his culinary inspiration at: http://www.famouschilirecipes.com/Halftime.html To make this recipe a little extra-tasty, we also added a few dashes of hot sauce, some ground up red pepper, a teaspoon or so of chili powder, and (of course, the secret ingredient) wagon wheel noodles.

Ingredients
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
8 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 pounds ground chuck
1 envelope taco seasoning or 1/4 cup taco seasoning
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 15oz can tomato sauce
3 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 6oz can tomato paste
2 15 to 16oz cans of kidney beans (drained)

Directions
Heat oil in heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic. Saute about 8 minutes or until onions are translucent. Add chuck and cook until brown, breaking up meat with a spatula as it cooks. Add taco seasoning, basil, oregano, and thyme. Stir 2 minutes. Mix in tomato sauce, chicken broth and tomato paste. Simmer until thickened to desired consistency, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, about 1 and a half hours. Mix in beans. Simmer for 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until cold then reheat over low when ready to serve.

2008 K&K Chili Cookoff

2008-10-24T10:50:00.001-07:00

Kristin & Karen

Chili Row

Chili Entrants

Cornbread lineup

The 2008 K&K Chili Cookoff Winners

Last night’s chili cookoff was a tremendous success. Although I didn’t come away a winner in any of the four categories, everyone had a lot of fun and enjoyed great chili, cornbread, and company.

Karen and I didn’t start making our chili until just before the party started, which was probably a big mistake—especially when I realized that my recipe needed to simmer for an hour and Karen discovered she didn’t have the main ingredient (ground beef) for her recipe and needed to run to the grocery store. Needless to say, we were a bit frenzied as our first guests arrived. I also nearly started a grease fire while making my chili and didn’t realize until after the party that I had the remnants (grease stains) all over my shirt! Oops. But that was just part of my presentation, right?

I couldn’t believe how many people, crock pots of chili, and loafs of cornbread fit into our house. It was wall to wall chaos. Once the tasting began, there were people hopping from chili to chili sampling from Dixie cups, competitors lobbying on behalf of their chili, and a whole lot of trash talking.

Once the ballots were tabulated, the following results were announced. Each winner was awarded a prize and the opportunity to say a few words.

Best Chili: (TIE) Scott’s Drunk Turkey Chili (Scott) and Wed Wheel Wagon Chili (Jessica & Zeke)
Best Cornbread: Kim’s Pumpkin Kornbread (Kim)
Best Named Chili: Wed Wheel Wagon Chili (Jessica & Zeke)
Best Presentation: Gereau Family Heritage Chili (Karen & Kate)

The party was probably our best yet. Everyone seemed to have so much fun and I love how all of our friends get along so well and seem to know each other through random connections. I also love a great theme party, and it’s awesome when you have guests who truly embrace the theme. As the party winded down, there was much chatting and strategizing for next year’s event. I for one will be putting together a strategy to get myself back on the podium. Luckily, I have plenty of time to perfect my recipe. Until next year…

Gonna Smoke You Out: K&K Chili Cookoff

2008-10-23T12:27:00.000-07:00

Today is a very exciting day. At 6pm, all hell will break loose. And by hell, I mean chili. Tonight is the Second Annual K&K Chili Cookoff. Karen and I are hosting 29 of our friends and colleagues, which should be interesting since I don’t think we have room for all of them in our house! Apparently word has spread quickly about the annual cookoff and it’s become the “must attend” event of the season.

Last year was our first chili cookoff, and competition was intense. And this year we have many more entrants. We’ll be awarding prizes for the best chili, best cornbread, best presentation, and best named chili. Last year I was thrilled to have been awarded “best chili,” and my friend Kim came away with the “best cornbread.” Currently, there are ~10 chili division entrants and ~7 co-rec cornbread division entrants. The rest are celebrity judges (a.k.a slackers). The trash talking has been in full effect among competitors, as illustrated in the following e-mail exchange:

Cydney:
Hi Ladies
You better hold on to your taste buds, in preparation for the
"HIGH SIERRA HOT FLASH."
It's not for the feint of heart or slight of tongue.
Only the strong will survive it.

Karen:
Were you not able to work the words "organic" or "noncarcinogen" into the title?

Cydney:
Oh, my chili is carcinogenic. It will smoke you out.

I’ll be entering both the chili and corn-bread divisions. I’m hoping to come away with victories in both. I’m using last year’s chili recipe (clearly already a proven winner), as well as a new recipe for Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread that I found on the Food Network (picture above). Should be a great time! Of course I’ll be sharing lots of fun pictures, stories, and award-winning recipes in the next few days.

Wild Rice and Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash

2008-10-23T10:04:00.001-07:00

I love squash. And so I've been loading up on many varieties at the farmers' market. Recently, I came across a great recipe for Wild Rice and Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash. I found the recipe online at Lunds and Byerlys, a Minneapolis specialty gourmet grocery chain. I modified the recipe a bit since I didn't have the recommended Lunds and Byerlys special seasonings on hand. I think it still turned out great and the bowls looked beautiful. The meal was delicious, filling, and also seemed quite healthy. Always a bonus.

Ingredients

1 (1 lb.) acorn squash, halved, seeds removed

1 tbsp. olive oil

8 oz. bulk Italian sausage

2 tsp. Italian herb seasoning

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 tsp. minced garlic

salt and pepper to taste

1 (10 oz.) package frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed dry

1 cup cooked wild rice

1 1/2 cups shredded provolone and mozzarella, divided

Directions

Arrange squash halves cut side down in 13X9 microwavable baking dish; add ¼ cup water. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, using multiple sheets if necessary. With a knife, make 4 steam vents in plastic wrap. Microwave (HIGH) until tender (15-20 minutes).

While squash is cooking, heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Sauté sausage, Italian herb seasoning, red pepper, onion and garlic until sausage is no longer pink and onions are tender (8-10 minutes). Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in spinach, wild rice and 1 cup provolone/mozzarella.

When squash is tender, carefully remove plastic wrap, starting from side farthest from you. Using tongs, transfer cooked squash to cutting board; discard water.

Place a tablespoon of butter in bottoms of each squash half. Mound sausage mixture into halves. Return to 13X9 dish, cover with foil and bake in preheated 350F oven for 10-15 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle remaining ½ cup cheese over tops, return to oven and bake until cheese melts (5-8 minutes).

Amount: 4 servings

Monroe Street Bistro

2008-10-22T07:35:00.001-07:00

There’s a new kid on the block. The Monroe Street Bistro recently opened in late summer in the storefront formally occupied by Papa Phil’s, just west of Michael’s Frozen Custard. The Bistro has since drawn comparisons to Brasserie V, also a beer bar/European inspired restaurant located on Monroe Street, less than a mile away. The Monroe Street Bistro serves locally-sourced, European inspired cuisine paired with speciality beer, wine, and spirits. Since the Bistro is only a short walk from my house, it’s been at the top of my “must try restaurant” list since it first opened. From the beginning, the reviews have been stellar and there’s always a crowd. It seemed like the perfect choice for Saturday dinner with my parents.

When we arrived, shortly after 5pm, like eager senior citizens we found ourselves the only customers in the entire bar/restaurant. The staff was welcoming and attentive, but sort of had the “deer in the headlights for the first customers of the night” sort of look. Joseph, the gregarious and apparently well-known French bartender, took us under his wings and ensured that our beers were always filled and frothy. The bar has a great variety of unique beers on tap including Ale Asylum Hopalicious, Bell’s Two Hearted, Dlirium Tremens, Duchesse de Bourgogne, Gulden Draak, Hoegaarden, Kwak, Lagunitas IPA, Lake Louie Scotch Ale, Pilsner Urquell, Tripel Karmeliet, St. Bernardus ABT, Unibroue Maudite, Van-Dieu Grand Cru. Joseph provided us with many samples, always encouraging us to try before committing, and also filled us in on his educational, religious, and personal background. Joseph was indeed a character and very entertaining.

Before we knew it, and just as we started on our second beers, we realized the little bistro’s tables had quickly filled. We moved from the bar to a cozy table near the front window. So far, I was impressed. Great beers, friendly service, a quaint and charming atmosphere, locally sourced menu offerings, and a great neighborhood vibe. For dinner, I chose the Steak Et Frites (a 12oz CAB Flat Iron seared to medium rare, Cabernet pan sauce, grilled asparagus, & frites). At the last minute, I decided to order the steak medium, which ended up being a mistake. My mom opted for the Seasonal Quiche (filled with locally sourced seasonal vegetables) and my dad chose the MSB Burger (Fountain Prairie Farms ground beef, Hook’s white cheddar, fried onions, lettuce, tomato, bistro aioli, on ciabatta, with frites).

I must admit the food was good, but not great. My steak was a little overdone (partly my fault), but the frites with aioli were superb and enough to feed the family. My mom’s quiche was tiny, and next to a single leaf of spinach, seemed to drownd in a background of white china. My dad’s burger was interesting, to say the least. The taste of the beef was a little disconcerting. It was like a combination of a burger and a brat, which is not something you’re necessarily expecting/hoping for when biting into a juicy burger. It was a little disappointing, especially when it was my dad's first burger in over six months.

I’d definitely recommend Monroe Street Bistro, and plan to go back. I’d like to try a few other dishes on the menu, including the mussels and pesto grilled chicken. I’m also interested in a few of the small plates, namely the almond stuffed dates, spinach artichoke dip, crab cake, and cheese plate. The desserts also sound delightful and include cava poached pear, David Bacco truffles, cheesecake and brie and honey.

All in all, a fantastic addition to the neighborhood!

Fall Weekend Continued

2008-10-21T12:17:00.001-07:00

Teddywedgers. It sounds gross, but it's really good. Promise.

Myles Teddywedgers is a small corner pasty shop on State Street, just across from the State Capitol. A pasty (not to be confused with a pastie) is a traditional Cornish miner’s lunch, most popular in the upper peninsula of Michigan, and usually made with hearty beef, potatoes, onions, rutabaga and seasoning. Myles Teddywedgers offers a variety of pasties, including chicken, veggie, pizza, salmon, and breakfast pie.

After the farmers' market, my parents and I headed to Teddywedgers for a quick lunch. My parents chose the chicken, and I opted for the pizza pasty. Very good stuff—cheap, quick, and filling. And I think Teddywedgers is a great little Madisonian gem. It’s the perfect lunch stop after the farmers' market where you can bask in the sun on a cool day and take in all of the excitement that surrounds the market.

After lunch, my parents and I enjoyed a bike ride (~15 miles round trip) to the Epplegarden, which is a nice pumpkin farm and apple orchard, just outside Madison in the farmlands of Fitchburg. Although my mom complained about the challenging hills on the way there, she was a trooper and on the way back we enjoyed a great tail wind and nice descents. At the orchard we sipped apple cider and took a hike around the orchard. As I’m sure you can imagine, it was a pretty popular place on Saturday afternoon, with many funny families standing on each other’s shoulders attempting to pick apples from the highest branches.

As a perfect ending to our fall day, we headed to the new Monroe Street Bistro for drinks and dinner. It's a great new addition to the Monroe Street neighborhood, and I will be blogging about it separately next.

Pumpkin-Swirl Brownies

2008-10-20T12:09:00.000-07:00

And so the pumpkin obsession continues...

This weekend I made a batch of Pumpkin-Swirl Brownies and a batch of pumpkin chocolate chip muffins. Both turned out very good. I love the combination of pumpkin and chocolate, certainly a match made in heaven.

Today I randomly came across a recipe for Pumpkin Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins. The addition of peanut butter leaves me intrigued. Maybe I'll try that one later this week.

Following is Martha's recipe for pumpkin swirl brownies. Enjoy!

Ingredients
Makes 16
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for pan
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups solid-pack pumpkin
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts or other nuts

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan or dish. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper; butter lining.

Melt chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, cayenne, and salt in a large bowl; set aside. Put sugar, eggs, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat until fluffy and well combined, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in flour mixture.

Divide batter between two medium bowls (about 2 cups per bowl). Stir chocolate mixture into one bowl. In other bowl, stir in pumpkin, oil, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Transfer half of chocolate batter to prepared pan smoothing top with a rubber spatula. Top with half of pumpkin batter. Repeat to make one more chocolate layer and one more pumpkin layer. Work quickly so batters don't set.

With a small spatula or a table knife, gently swirl the two batters to create a marbled effect. Sprinkle with nuts.

Bake until set, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into 16 squares.

The Colors of Fall Market

2008-10-20T06:26:00.000-07:00

The Dane County Farmers’ Market season may be nearing the end, but it’s certainly not fading into the cold unnoticed. For the past two weeks, the market has been alive with vibrant colors and hearty produce. Pumpkins, squash, peppers, corn, carrots, onions, and cucumbers—glisten in the sunlight like precious jewels.

My parents came to town for the day on Saturday and our first stop was of course to the market. It was a beautiful fall morning, and the market was definitely busy and crowded as always. Before starting our first loop, my mom and I grabbed coffee and my dad, the ultimate sweet tooth, proceeded to stop at every single bakery vendor as we made our way around the capitol square. By the end, my dad had enjoyed a cider donut, a rhubarb breakfast bar, an oatmeal raisin cookie, and a large apple fritter (I helped, of course). But that’s my dad! The healthiest person alive, save a wicked sweet tooth.

My mom and I packed our bags with produce along the way. We ended up doing two loops of the market, so as to experience the full range of offerings and prices before “committing” to purchases. We came away with filled bags and stuggled to haul everything back to the car.

One of the most interesting events of the morning was that we happened to run into my brother, Kelly’s, roommate Ben’s family, who was in from New Hampshire to visit Ben’s younger sister, Cecilia, who is a student at UW. Ben is my brother’s best friend, college roommate, and current roommate and business partner in Austin, Texas. It was cool to chat with Ben’s family, and I couldn’t believe how much Cecilia reminded me of Ben! But they said the same thing about Kelly and me...

I have a few more weeks before the last market of the season on November 8, after which the market moves indoors to the Monona Terrace for the winter. It's nice to have the winter option, but of course it just doesn't compare to the outdoor market, which won't be back until April. And that just seems like an eternity from now.

Pumpkin Ravioli

2008-10-17T06:53:00.000-07:00

Last night I tried my hand at a recipe for pumpkin ravioli that I found in the latest issue of Ready Made Magazine.

I made the "pumpkin puree" ahead of time, which definitely quickened the process last night. It was exciting to make my very first batch of home-made ravioli. I though it would be complicated and time consuming, but who knew it was as easy as mixing together a filling, folding small amounts in won ton wrapper triangles, and then boiling in batches of 10-12 for 2 minutes?

The browned butter topping was awesome, and would definitely work as a great accompaniment to many other pasta dishes. It was a great meal, and home-made ravioli was a new and unique culinary experience for me!

Christian Lander

2008-10-17T05:59:00.001-07:00

I loved the Christian Lander book reading the other night. It was definitely one of the most entertaining and least pretentious readings I've ever experienced. Lander was so chill, cool, and humble. He just kept repeating, I seriously can't believe this happened, and came across as a totally approachable every-day kind of guy. Which made me, and probably others, proud and happy for his recent and great success.

He spent most of the reading explaining where his idea for the blog Stuff White People Like originated, and the amazingly quick timeline of events that followed. Essentially, he started the blog in February, inspired by the TV series The Wire, and sent to 20 of his "only friends." By the end of the month the site was experiencing 30,000 hits a day and he had a book deal two months later. Since then, he's been on Conan, his book became a New York Times bestseller, and his site now experiences 300,000 hits a day. Not bad.

Lander did a few readings from the book that he figured were most appropriate for Madison. They were hilarious. Then Q&A, which was very interesting. He talked about how past generations competed in terms of material goods--who had the best cars, house, etc.--and how our generation has generally shunned capitalism, and instead of competing in material goods, we compete in terms of who has stayed in the most hostels, who has the best taste in indie music, etc. His ideas were so interesting and funny, probably because they were so true.

I will definitely be purchasing a copy of this book, and sharing it with my brother. Because I know he would find the entries hilarious, too. The book is just full of self-deprecating humor. My favorite entries are about the New Yorker Magazine and Marathons, both of which felt like they were written for me. I think my brother would most enjoy the entry on NPR's This American Life, which has been his recent obsession. Kelly explained to me the other day how he oftentimes weaves episodes into conversations with friends. Which is exactly what the entry in Stuff White People Like explains. Essentially you can have a conversation about anything (at a dinner party, with your boss, etc.), even those topics that are generally included on the list of unspeakables, such as STDs, and as long as you mention that you heard about it on an episode of This American Life, it's totally acceptable and you might even receive a raise in the morning.

Scared of Santa

2008-10-16T14:55:00.000-07:00

I just read about a great new book released this week. It’s called Scared of Santa: Scenes of Terror in Toyland. As the name suggests, it’s a collection of more than 250 Chicago Tribune reader-submitted photographs of panicked and crying children on Santa’s lap. In the article that I read yesterday, the writer talks about a remark he overheard to a room full of Santas at a Santa convention a few years ago–“We tell our kids to stay away from guys who look like you most of the year. Then once a year, we say, ‘Hey, get up there on his lap and smile!’” How true and funny is that?

Stuff White People Like

2008-10-15T11:43:00.000-07:00

Tonight I’m going to Borders to see provocative liberal blogger Christian Lander discuss his popular blog and bestselling book, Stuff White People Like: A Guide to the Unique Taste of Millions. Lander is a 29-year old Toronto-born Internet copywriter living in Los Angeles who, on a whim earlier this year, decided to write about fundamental stereotypes by compiling a list of “stuff that white people like”, such as:

They love nothing better than sipping free-trade gourmet coffee, leafing through the Sunday New York Times, and listening to David Sedaris on NPR (ideally all at the same time). Apple products, indie music, food co-ops, and vintage T-shirts make them weak in the knees.

Furthermore,

They pretend to be unique, yet somehow they’re all exactly the same, talking abut how they “get” Sarah Silverman’s “subversive” comedy and Wes Anderson’s “droll” films. They are also down with diversity and up on all the best microbrews, breakfast spots, foreign cinema, and authentic sushi. They’re organic, ironic, and do not own TVs.

Umm…yes. So true. On many accounts, I am one of those white people.

According to Lander, "We have a generation of white people who want nothing more than to distance themselves from being white. They need to believe that the earth is being destroyed by evil white people, culture is ruined by the wrong kind of white people, and that history's sins were committed by distant relatives. And so by eating at ethnic restaurants, travelling, trying to save the world, you can say that 'I'm part of the solution, if everyone were like me, the world would be so much better.' I think that attitude lends itself to pretty easy satire."

It’s pretty humorous stuff. And certainly meant to be taken as satire. In a nut shell, Lander “essentializes” complex identities and “pokes fun at the many progressive, educated, self-conscious, upper-middle-class whites who think they are beyond ethnicity or collectively shared tastes, styles or outlook. He's essentially reminding them that they too are part of a group.”

Sounds interesting enough...

Everything But Pumpkin Pie

2008-10-14T14:22:00.000-07:00

I think it's rather obvious by now that I love all things pumpkin. All things, except pumpkin pie. I detest pumpin pie.

In the last few weeks, I've made pumpkin fetuccini, pumpin bread, and last night I made a double batch of pumpkin chocolate chip cookies (pictured, left). The cookies are to die for and best served cold, straight from the freezer. I blogged about them last fall. The post and recipe are here.

Next up on my list is homemade pumpkin ravioli. I found a great recipe in the latest issue of Ready Made Magazine, and am excited to tackle the recipe later this week.

My brother also recently sent me a pumpkin-related discussion
on runnersworld.com. Turns out I'm not the only pumpkin lover out there. It's a great discussion with ideas for many pumpkin snacks and recipes like Edy's Slow Churned Light Pumpkin Ice Cream, Pumpkin Oatmeal, and Deena Kastor's Pumpkin Lasagna. It was like visiting pumpkin heaven...

Sick and MIA

2008-10-14T14:19:00.000-07:00

I realize I’ve been MIA. It has not been a good week. I’ve been very sick with a head cold ever since the marathon and am yet to fully recover. In fact, after a bout of insomnia late last week, things have actually gotten worse and spread to my throat. I sound like a 70-year old smoker, but am drinking lots of tea and trying to work through it.

Not only that, but last week I also broke my camera and my phone. I replaced my phone on Sunday, but my camera remains in pieces. Damn technology.

To top it off, the Badgers got slammed for the third weekend in a row, and I had to work Friday night and all-day Saturday at an on-campus alumni volunteer training program. Luckily the event went well, but I didn’t get to experience much of a weekend. On Sunday, my one day off, my head cold intensified and instead of being able to enjoy the beautiful 80-degree day, I made repeated trips to the Verizon kiosk at the mall. I looked around and wondered to myself, who the hell would go to the mall today? Then realized that I, too, was at the mall.

Enough bitching and onto more positive topics...

My friends Beth and Seif did phenomenally well at this past weekend’s Chicago Marathon. It was a very warm day out there, which made things extra tough. Beth finished in 4:13, and Seif in 4:15. And Seif reached her goal of beating P. Diddy. Well done, ladies.

And finally, my new employee started on Monday. Thus many new responsibilities, challenges, and experiences lie ahead. She’s already doing so well, and I’m very happy with my hiring decision. And it's great to feel part of a team again.

P. Diddy Marks My One Twin Cities Success

2008-10-09T06:45:00.000-07:00

I’ve never wanted to drop out of a race more in my life than I did this past Sunday at the Twin Cities Marathon. Although the race was less than a month after my Ironman race, I felt confident and strong going into the weekend’s marathon. In fact, knowing that I ran my marathon PR (3:31) in Detroit just over a month out from my Ironman race in 2006, I felt like I had another great opportunity to benefit from my Ironman training and fitness and take a shot at a personal record

Unfortunately, a repeat PR just wasn’t in the cards for Sunday’s Twin Cities Marathon. Far from it, actually. By 45 minutes to be exact. The race started out well. I felt great, and the weather was crisp and cool, with a very light sprinkle of rain. For the first eight miles, I held at or under an 8 minute pace. I felt great and confident that I’d be able to hold the pace and shoot for a personal record.

Shortly after the 8 mile mark, however, disaster struck. It started down pouring—like the I’m going to be washed away by the river kind of downpour. The combination of cool temps and very wet weather and clothing left me unable to feel my limbs or move my hands, and completely nauseous. I stiffened up, and within seconds, my quick and smooth stride turned into a barely forward moving shuffle. Feeling cold and miserable, and seriously contemplating whether I’d be able to get to the finish line in my current state, I considered dropping out of the race. But then I realized that I really had nowhere to go—except to the finish line.

And that’s how the last 18 miles played out. Shuffle. Walk. Shiver. Nausea. It was a sad state of affairs. Karen cruised past me at around mile 15. She looked great, and I was very happy to see her doing so well.

As I finally neared the finish line, I realized that I would be very close to a 4:15 marathon—which, I had learned the weekend before from my friend Seif, was music mogul P. Diddy’s (Sean Combs) time at the NYC marathon in 2003. Seif had told me over brunch that it was her goal at this year’s Chicago Marathon (her first) to beat Oprah’s time, and hopefully P. Diddy’s, too. At the time I just laughed, but now, as I saw the clock ticking away, I kicked it into high gear so that I, too, could beat P. Diddy.

I’m happy to report that my one success of the day was that I beat P. Diddy’s time by 33 seconds. Ever since Sunday I’ve been as sick as a dog, paying the seemingly never ending price of running 4+ hours in the cold rain. Don’t get me wrong, the Twin Cities Marathon was beautiful—a great course and amazing spectators. I’d definitely go back. But, sometimes, it’s just not your day. And I’m okay with that.

Abraham Lincoln's Head on a Turtle's Body

2008-10-08T06:20:00.000-07:00

My evening with David Sedaris was almost everything I had hoped for. He did several great readings, many of which left the huge audience at the three-tiered Overture auditorium roaring with laughter. His quick wit and extraordinarly funny analogies coupled with his sqeaky voice and short stature are a match made in comedic heaven.

Many of the readings he performed were ones I had not read previously. Although I wish he would have talked a bit more extemporaneously, he was clearly in his element when reading his work. The short Q&A session at the end, although brief, was also very interesting and humorous.

The biggest downer of the evening was that I had to go alone to the show and cancel dinner reservations at Fresco because Karen came down with a stomach flu of sorts about an hour before the show. I tried calling other friends to see if they might like to use the extra ticket, but after the first person I called replied, Who's David Sedaris?, I kind of gave up.

Albeit a little lonely, I enjoyed the show and many laughs with myself. Afterwards, trudging my freshly read copy of Sedaris' newest collection of short stories, When You're Engulfed in Flames, I tried to appear confident as I took a place in line to meet him and request that he sign my book. Unlike many other authors, Sedaris claims to love book tours and talking to the many people who stand in line to meet him. I can't say that I'd have the same outlook if I were in his shoes.

Anyhow, I eventually made my way to the front of the line, where I was rewarded with a quick caricature of Abraham Lincoln's head on a turtle's body, as well as a rather unotable exchange of words with David Sedaris. I very much enjoyed observing Sedaris interact with the people in front of me in line. There was a woman, probably my age, with her boyfriend. Sedaris asked her what she did for a living and she replied that she was a waitress. He took one look at her chest and replied, you could get a job at Hooters anytime. Wow, some people can get away with anything that comes out of their mouth.

An Evening With David Sedaris

2008-10-07T14:20:00.000-07:00

Tonight I have tickets to see David Sedaris speak at the Overture Center in Madison. David Sedaris is a bestselling author and frequent NRP contributor. He’s definitely one of my favorite writers. Many of his essays and short stories are autobiographical and self-deprecating, often focusing on the themes of family, jobs, education, drugs, homosexuality, and travel.

In anticipation of the event, the last few days I’ve been devouring his sixth and newest book, an essay collection entitled When You Are Engulfed in Flames, which was released in June. It’s very good, and like his other pieces—hilarious, poignant, witty, unconventional, bruisingly honest, and completely unpretentious.

Although I saw a stage reenactment of his Santa Land Diaries essay last year in Chicago, this will be my first time experiencing David Sedaris in the flesh. It should be a an exciting evening of great entertainment and unbelievable stories. I can't wait.

Twin Cities Marathon

2008-10-03T15:04:00.000-07:00

I'm so not ready for you, but here I come...

Fettuccine with Pumpkin, Shiitakes, and Mascarpone

2008-10-03T07:49:00.000-07:00

I had a couple friends over last night for dinner and the debate. I decided to try a new recipe that I’ve had my eyes on for a couple years now—Fettuccine with Pumpkin, Shiitakes, and Mascarpone. Doesn’t that sound heavenly? And so seasonally appropriate?

I’m not going to lie, it wasn’t the easiest recipe I’ve ever made, and did take quite a bit of preparation and close to two hours to make (not to mention a near disaster with the blender). Without a doubt, the biggest pain was shelling the pumpkin seeds. Try it, you'll see. However, the dinner was delicious and unique, and my friends cleared their full-plate heapings of fettuccine in no time. I also served the pasta with homemade pumpkin bread, which was a nice touch as well. Luckily, I have leftovers for lunch today, and plenty of extra sauce at home.

Fettuccine With Pumpkin, Shiitakes, and Mascarpone
From Bon Appetit, September 1998
Makes 8 servings

Ingredients
4 cups 1/2-inch pieces seeded peeled fresh sugar pumpkin or butternut squash (from 1 1/2 pounds squash)

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
4 1/2 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth

1 cup mascarpone cheese

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

12 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, thinly sliced
1 pound fettuccine

2/3 cup shelled pumpkin seeds, toasted
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 450°F. Toss pumpkin with olive oil in large bowl to coat. Transfer pumpkin to baking sheet. Bake until pumpkin is tender and beginning to brown, stirring once, about 30 minutes.

Transfer pumpkin to processor. Add 2 1/2 cups chicken stock. Puree until smooth. Add mascarpone cheese and ground cinnamon. Process to blend. Season with salt and pepper.
Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 2 cups chicken stock. Boil until stock is reduced by half, about 8 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Stir in pumpkin mixture. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat before continuing.)

Cook fettuccine in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Transfer fettuccine to large bowl. Add sauce and toasted pumpkin seeds; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Serve, passing Parmesan cheese separately.

Avec

2008-10-01T13:49:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in the last post, I had dinner on Sunday night in Chicago at Avec, which was an extraordinary dining experience. My favorite foodie friend, Seif, recommended the restaurant last year, and I finally decided to see what all of the fuss was about. The restaurant is located in West Loop Chicago on Randolph Street. It’s simple storefront is unnoteworthy, but the inside of the restaurant is truly unique. The clean design of the cedar-lined dining room is striking, and apparently designed to provide a clean palate in which to present Avec’s unique dining experience.

The dining room is essentially one long rectangular room, with a silver topped bar on one side, and long tables for communal dining on the other side. A wall of green wine bottle bottoms present color and visual flair on the far end of the dining room.

The seasonal menu features wine cuisine inspired from the regions of Spain, Portugal, Italy, and France surrounding the Mediterranean. Avec offers “tapas style” dining with small plates, large plates, artisan cheeses, and wines. The prices are very reasonable. Small plates are $4 to $12, and large plates range from $10 to $18.

Although the dining room may look trendy and pretentious, it certainly didn’t feel that way. The wait staff was extremely friendly, and the service was superb. The communal dining set-up lead to easy conversation with neighbors. As soon as we sat down, the couple next to us was offering a taste of their focaccia bread.

We ended up choosing the following combination of small and large plates. My favorites were definitely the flatbread and focaccia, but the dates (pictured, above) and hanger steak were fantastic, too. But maybe a tad more spicy than I can usually handle.

-Chorizo-stuffed madjool dates with smoked bacon and piquillo pepper-tomato sauce
-Wood-fired flatbread with roasted mushrooms, fromage blanc lardons and fresh thyme
-"Deluxe" focaccia with taleggio cheese, truffle oil and fresh herbs
-Pan-roasted hanger steak with rapini, roasted corn, smoked paprika lima beans and herbed butter

Anyone who is living in or visiting Chicago must visit this restaurant. The food is fantastic, and the entire dining experience is unique. Avec does not take reservations, however, so be sure to get there early or be prepared to wait. We were able to get a seat at the bar immediately on Sunday evening, but the place definitely filled up quick.

Sex In the City

2008-09-30T14:58:00.000-07:00

For my third weekend in a row out of town, I spent time in the heart of Chicago’s Magnificent Mile, which was a nice change of pace from the last two weekends spent camping and enjoying the outdoors.

As I’ve mentioned before, Karen serves on a planning committee for a professional conference that takes place in Chicago each December. Throughout the year, she heads to Chicago for planning meetings, and I tag along to selfishly enjoy the fabulous downtown accommodations, shopping, and dining, and to catch up with friends who live in the city.

We spent late Saturday through Monday in the city. Saturday was a beautiful day, so after checking into the hotel, we immediately headed to the Ohio Street beach to lay in the sun and read. That night, we ate dinner at A Mano, an Italian Trattoria located on North Dearborn, near the House of Blues. A Mano focuses primarily on antipasti, wood oven pizzas, pasta, and gelato. The Arugula Salad (with pine nuts, parmigiano and Meyer lemon vinaigrette) was fantastic, but my entrée—Herb Gnocchi (with mussels, zucchini blossoms, preserved lemons, and snap peas)—didn’t quite live up to expectations. I liked the open kitchen concept, but business was relatively sparse for a Saturday night, which makes me believe it won’t last long.

On Sunday morning, we did a nice long run on the Lakeshore bike path. Afterwards I met my friend, Seif, at my favorite Chicago breakfast spot—Fox and Obel. It was great to catch up, and after brunch, we did a little shopping on Michigan Avenue. I then met up with Karen after her meetings, and we went to dinner at Avec, a truly unique and extraordinary restaurant that Seif had recommended, and a place deserves a post all to itself. Details will follow.

After dinner, we went to see the film Choke, which exceeded my expectations in being dark and disturbing. I knew the basic storyline and how the main character is a sex-addict, but really, I wasn’t expecting quite that much raunchy sex. I would steer clear of this movie if you’re a.) on a first date, or b.) expecting to have sex in the next month. Otherwise, go for it. I suppose it was thought-provoking, and I did love the soundtrack.

We had big expectations for Monday, our final day in the city. We did another long run on the lakeshore path, I had breakfast at Fox and Obel, and Karen had just a few hours of morning meetings, after which our grand plans included a trip to the Lincoln Park zoo. Unfortunately, our parade was literally rained on, so we settled for a little shopping on Michigan Avenue, lunch at Go Roma, a fast-food Italian chain on North State Street that never fails, and then headed home, back to the comfort of Madison, at least for a few days, until our travels take us to Minneapolis for our next urban adventure.

Fall Food Fun

2008-09-30T13:49:00.000-07:00

I've had some nice "fall food fun" spottings lately. I found the top picture on my favorite foodie site, tastespotting.com. The oreo turkeys were originally featured on a food blog entitled "the hungry housewife." Ingredients include double stuff oreos, candy corns, milk balls, Reece's cups, and chocolate frosting. The original posting points out that a recipe is hardly needed...once you look at those little turkeys, you can pretty much figure out how to make them. If you need more assistance, check out the hungry housewife blog.

I found the pumpkin pictured in the second photo over the weekend at Fox and Obel, a gourmet food market in Chicago. I think pumpkin art is always fun, and I like the idea of using assorted vegetables for the eyes, hair, ears, etc. Very creative and food friendly. Hopefully these pictures will get your creative foodie juices flowing!

Film Ramblings

2008-09-26T14:38:00.000-07:00

As the weather turns cooler, one thing I am excited for is going to the movies more often.

Just last week, I saw a great movie at the theater in town that features “soon to be on their way to DVD” new releases at discounted prices. We call it “the cheaps.” Anyhow, the film I saw, titled The Visitor, from the director of Station Agent and the producer of Sideways, is the story of newfound connections with strangers and their ability to transform and awaken a once joyless 62-year-old man to a new world and new life. It was poignant, understated, heartfelt, uplifting, human, and illuminating. I loved it, and it’s one of those movies in which you find yourself thinking about the characters afterwards, wondering how they’re doing, as if they really exist.

I’m also excited to see the film Choke, based on the novel by Chuck Palahniuk. The film, which was featured at this year's Sundance Film Festival, is being released nationwide today. It's the dark and twisted story of a sex-addicted con-man who pays for his mother’s hospital bills by playing on the sympathies of others who rescue him as he repeatedly pretends to choke to death. Certainly not your standard Disney flick. I have no idea if I will like it, and will quite certainly find it immensely disturbing, but I do think the concept is intriguing and I’ve always wanted to get a taste of Palahniuk’s work.

Finally, I read an article in last week’s New Yorker which was essentially a review of the new film, The Women, a remake of the 1939 classic. The film’s reviews have been abysmal across the board, but what I found most interesting is how the article talked about the recent movies that have been targeted to females (think: Sex and the City, Mama Mia, and the Women.) Now don’t get me wrong, I love me a little Sex and the City, but it’s undoubtedly trashy and shallow, and what does it really say about the film industry’s perceptions of women when we’re being targeted with the shallow garbage that’s come out lately?

There's my two cents. So bring on the cold, and the heavily salted and buttered popcorn, but give me something with a little more thought and substance.

Blast From the Past

2008-09-26T07:57:00.000-07:00

I just found out yesterday that my wonderful student worker, Chloe, has been selected for homecoming court at UW!! I am so happy, proud, and excited for Chloe. I remember my time on court in 2001 as among the best two weeks of my life. It was a whirlwind of excitement, new friends, service, school spirit, and great parties. It went by so fast, and left me unbelievably exhausted. But of course, it was an experience that I will remember forever. Congratulations to Chloe! She's definitely in for a wild ride :)

San Marzano Tomato Sauce

2008-09-25T06:27:00.000-07:00

Last night, I made myself a simple Italian fest—Fusilli noodles covered with San Marzano tomato sauce. I was recently introduced to canned San Marzano tomatoes through a friend of a friend. They are a variety of plum tomatoes that are considered by many chefs to be the best sauce tomatoes in the world.

The story goes that the first seed of the San Marzano tomato came to Campania in 1770, as a gift from the Kingdom of Peru to the Kingdom of Naples, and that it was planted in the area that corresponds to the present commune of San Marzano. They come from a small town of the same name near Naples, Italy, and were first grown in volcanic soil in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius. The volcanic soil is believed to act as a filter for water impurities. Compared to the Roma Tomatoes with which most people are familiar, Marzano tomatoes are thinner and pointier in shape. The flesh is much thicker with fewer seeds, and the taste is much stronger, more sweet and less acidic. Many people describe the taste as bittersweet, like high-quality chocolate. Because of their high quality and origins near Naples, San Marzano tomatoes have been designated as the only tomatoes that can be used for true Neapolitan Pizza.

I had been looking for a can of San Marzano “Whole Peeled Tomatoes” for a few months with no luck. They seem to only be sold at speciality food markets. Finally, over the weekend I found them at a small market in Door County for $3.99 per can, and so I stocked up with four. Last night, using the simple recipe featured on the back of the can, I whipped up a batch of tomato sauce. In addition to the tomatoes, sauce ingredients include butter, a small onion, and salt and pepper. I also added some fresh basil from my garden. The sauce was incredible. It was thick and chunky, and the flavor simple, yet complex. Definitely puts jarred varieties to shame. The small amout of work required is well worth the taste.

Fish Boil and Other Door County Treats

2008-09-24T11:59:00.000-07:00

White Gull Inn Fish Boil

Karen entering the White Gull Inn

Our Master Boiler, Tom Christianson

White Fish from Lake Michigan

Bringing in the cooked fish for dinner

Let's go eat!

Another one of my favorite parts of this past weekend was experiencing my first fish boil, which has been a Door County tradition for over a hundred years, pioneered by the early Scandinavian settlers of the Peninsula. Many of the local restaurants offer fish boils, but the White Gull Inn's is one of the oldest, and most famous.

A traditional Door County fish boil features freshly caught Lake Michigan whitefish caught by local fishermen and cooked outside over an open fire. The fish is cut in chunks and cooked in boiling water with small red potatoes. Fish oils rise to the surface of the boiling cauldron, and when the fish is perfectly done, the Master Boiler tosses a small amount of kerosene on the flames under the pot. The great burst of flames causes the boilover, spilling the fish oils over the side of the pot and leaving the fish perfectly done, steaming hot and ready to serve.

I loved the fish boil. It was fun and entertaining to watch, and the fish and accompanying dishes were delicious. I love a good fish fry, but doubted that I would enjoy plain, boiled whitefish. But served with a little tarter sauce and a touch of butter, the stuff was to die for. The dinner was also an incredible deal. For $18.95 per person, our dinner included all-you-can-eat fish and potatoes, garden fresh coleslaw, homemade breads and homemade Door County cherry pie for dessert. Of course, there was also the entertainment factor of watching the cooking process and hearing the history first hand from our master boiler. On top of that, there was also a gentleman playing the accordion during dinner. I thought the fish boil would be a "one and done" experience for me, but I loved it and will definitely go back.

After the fish boil, we headed back to our camp site for a nice campfire before turning in for the night. Sunday morning we slept in a bit before heading out on a 14-mile run around the perimeter of the park. The run was very difficult, as most of it was spent in the bluffs of the park, climbing hill after hill. Karen reminded me that it was good training for the hills of the Twin Cities marathon, which we're scheduled to run next weekend. Along the way, we also stopped at the lookout tower, where we enjoyed phenomenal views of Lake Michigan from a very high platform. Towards the end of the run, I was struggling immensely, but pressed on. I was very tired and hungry for breakfast.

Afterwards I told Karen that I was going to eat all day long. She laughed and replied that's my mantra every day. True. Nonetheless, I was ready to eat breakfast. We decided on a cute little breakfast nook in Ephraim named "Good Eggs." Upon entering, I immediately fell in love with the place. They were playing Beck, my favorite musical artist, and their menu featured three simple versions of breakfast omelets, fruit smoothies, scones, and "mountain bars." I loved the vibe, and the food was great, too. Definitely a gem. And very cheap, too.

From there, we did a little shopping in Ephriam, Egg Harbor, and Sister Bay before starting our drive home. We stopped at Orchard Winery on our way out for a little wine tasting and to pick up a pie for the way home. Which, living up to my day's goal, I immediately dug into. It was some damn good apple pie!

Door County (Saturday, Continued)

2008-09-23T08:06:00.000-07:00

We spent the rest of Saturday driving up the peninsula, visiting one harbor town after another, including Ephraim, Sister Bay, Ellison Bay, Gills Rock, and Northport. One of my favorite stops was to Uncle Tom's Candies in Northport, which is a small candy shop in an old schoolhouse that I remember visiting as a child during our frequent family camping trips to Door County (we were one of those pop-up camper families). The memory of Uncle Tom's seemed so vivid to me, even though it's been over 20 years since I last visited. Uncle Tom, who owned the shop since the 1970's, passed away in 1997 and gave the store to his favorite employee, who later sold the store to the current owners upon her retirement. Uncle Tom's legacy remains, and remnants of his zany personality are everywhere. I ended up purchasing ungodly amounts of Uncle Tom's famous pancake batter and peanut brittle to get me through the winter, and to send to some very important people. After Uncle Tom's, we drove to Gill's Rock and considered taking the ferry to Washington Island, but decided to save it for another time.

We then drove back South along the peninsula, and stopped for a quick lunch of chili in Sister's Bay, followed by ice cream at Wilson's Ice Cream Parlor in downtown Ephraim, which has been a classic Door County icon since 1906. Interestingly, just in front of Wilson's, on the piers that jut out into Lake Michigan, is where I had a pretty good fall in the lake when I was approximately 5 or 6 years old. As the story goes, I was walking along the pier, tripped, and fell in frigid waters of Lake Michigan. My dad jumped into action, and reached down into the lake to grab and pull me out. We have a great picture of me warming up afterwards by a campfire. Perhaps this accident is what initiated my first swim lessons and subsequent career in competitive swimming...

Cana Island Lighthouse

2008-09-23T06:11:00.000-07:00

Our Saturday in Door County was filled with an incredible amount of activity. Despite sleeping on slightly uneven terrain in the tent, I had a relatively restful night (but will definitely be adding a Thermarest to my Christmas list). Karen and I awoke to a quick burst of rain, which luckily only lasted for approximately 10 minutes. Afterwards, the overcast skies immediately cleared out and the sun poured in. At that point, we headed out on a 5 mile run on the Sunset Trail. It was one of those amazing fall runs that I look forward to and remember all year.

After our run, we cleaned up and headed to Bailey’s Harbor for their Autumnfest celebration. We perused the arts and craft vendors, and I purchased a small beautifully crafted wooden bud vase. We then walked around town, and ultimately decided Bailey’s Harbor was not all that exciting. Moving on, we drove to the nearby Cana Island Lighthouse, which is Door County’s most recognizable lighthouse. It was one of my favorite activities of the day, as I really enjoyed learning about the significance of the lighthouse in maritime history, and also about the day-to-day life of the lighthouse keepers and their families. I also liked touring the inside of the lighthouse and climbing up to the top for the incredible views. Actually, climbing to the top was not all that easy for me. I’m really shaky when it comes to heights, so I definitely struggled with the never ending twisting staircase. Amazingly, although the lighthouse was built in 1869, a guardrail was not installed until the early 1900’s!

Arriving in Door County

2008-09-22T14:36:00.001-07:00

I think this past weekend was my favorite of the year thus far. It was as close to perfect as could be. I spent Friday through Sunday camping at Peninsula State Park in Door County. The weather was phenomenal—definitely an Indian Summer experience. The fall colors were just starting to pop, and the temperatures were extremely mild.

After a 3.5 hour drive to the Door County peninsula, Karen and I arrived at the park. We set up camp, and were happy to find our site in Tennison Bay, which was wooded, secluded, and along the shore of Lake Michigan. Despite my cluelessness upon making a reservation quite some time ago, apparently I had done good work. After situating ourselves, we went on a short bike ride along the Sunset Trail, and enjoyed breathtaking views of the expansive lake and surrounding islands and harbor towns.

After a quick rest, we drove through Fish Creek and headed to the Orchard Winery in Egg Harbor, the departure location for our 7pm “ghost tour” trolley ride, which promised “a scary, fun, and informative tour filled with tales of ghostly sunken ships, haunted lighthouses and mysterious happenings on the darker side of this spirited peninsula.” While I had done the same tour last fall, I really wanted Karen to experience it as well. We ended up having a great guide, who was a masterful story teller. We had a lot of fun and learned great historical tidbits about the peninsula. By the time the tour had ended, it was nearly 10pm. We ended up grabbing a pizza at Digger’s Pizza and Grill. Despite the name, the pizza was delicious. From there, we headed back to camp and slept in our little tent under the stars.

Camping Is In-Tents!

2008-09-18T14:08:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow morning, I'm heading to Door County for a long weekend of camping at Peninsula State Park. My family camped there regularly when I was growing up, and I have many fond memories of the park and surrounding areas.

I am hoping for a weekend with beautiful weather and lots of outdoor fun. Planned activities include the following: a trolley ghost tour of Door County, a fish boil at White Gull Inn, a stop at Wilson's Ice Cream Parlor, a tour of Cana Island Lighthouse (pictured, above), a stop at Bailey's Harbor Autumnfest, a bike ride on the Sunset Trail at Peninsula State Park, and possible stops at one of the local wineries/orchards, Sweetie Pie's, and Uncle Tom's Newport School Candies in Ellison Bay.

I am so excited. I love camping, and I've been planning this trip for over 6 months, as sites at Peninsula State Park are hard to come by! The thought of camping also reminds me of my former student worker, Meghan, who also loved camping and frequently wore a t-shirt imprinted with the message "Camping Is In-Tents!" Good stuff. I still think I might need one of those.

The Great Pumpkin Bagel Returns!

2008-09-18T13:12:00.001-07:00

Yesterday morning, Einstein's Bros. Bagels launched their classic fall flavors menu across the country. These seasonal favorites include the popular Pumpkin Bagel with double whipped Pumpkin Cream Cheese, the Pumpkin Muffin topped with cream cheese icing, and Autumn Roast coffee, a blend that features toasted chestnut.

I’ve said it before. I’m obsessed with Einstein’s pumpkin bagel with pumpkin cream cheese (I still refuse to call it “shmear” as Einstein’s commonly refers to cream cheese). I very much wish it were offered all year. But, alas, I can only stuff my belly with endless pumpkin bagels for a limited time. And so now, until Madison’s supply runs dry, I will savor every morsel and frequent Einstein’s as much as possible.

According to a press release offered by Einstein Noah Restaurant Group, the fall flavors will be available in stores thorough the end of November or while supplies last. According to Jim Hood, Chief Marketing Officer for Einstein Noah Restaurant Group, “All good things, the autumn season and the classic pumpkin flavors at Einstein Bros. included, must come to an end." And so with that, I will eat on until I am cut off.

The New "Bucky" Clock

2008-09-17T11:59:00.000-07:00

Just recently, the five-story addition to Grainger Hall was completed, which now serves as home to Business graduate programs on the University of Wisconsin campus.

Part of the three year, $40 million dollar construction project included the demolition of a former bank and office building, and most notably, the removal of the widely celebrated “Bucky clock,” which hung on the old bank building (on the corner of University Avenue and Park Street) and served as a campus landmark for students and campus visitors. Bucky's arms always helped guide me to a timely arrival to classes at the adjacent School of Business.

In the last month, as part of the construction project, a new clock has been resurrected at the corner of University Avenue and Park Street. Meet the new "Bucky clock," sans Bucky. A new sleeker, modern, statuesque, perhaps phallic, campus icon. But still, I yearn for Bucky's sprightly limbs...

Down Time Up North

2008-09-15T15:35:00.000-07:00

I spent a very relaxing weekend in northern Wisconsin at my family's cabin near Minocqua. Karen and I arrived late on Thursday evening. It was quite chilly the entire time we were there, although we did have nice, sunny skies on Friday. The rest of the time was overcast and damp, but we didn't really mind. Most of our time was spent napping, playing solitaire, reading, and eating. We did venture out a few times for antique shopping in town, a hike on the bear skin trail, and a long run--also on the bear skin trail. I love the bear skin trail. It's a beautiful, 17-mile trail from Harshaw to Minocqua, along an old railroad route, complete with trestles and all. I was amazed at how the colors are already beginning to show in the trees around the area. While the trees are mostly still green, some vibrant yellows and reds really stood out.

And is it even possible that I had never in my life played Solitaire before this weekend? Karen taught me and I have become obsessed. It's all I want to do. Solitaire anyone? For a beginner, I'm quite good :)

My Cookbook Library

2008-09-11T12:56:00.000-07:00

For me, the definition of “friends with benefits” or “friends in high places” is friends with retail jobs. Just recently, through a friend who works at Williams-Sonoma, I have had the opportunity to borrow cookbooks of choice from the store’s extensive library. Essentially, I check-out a book and peruse the recipes/try out a few, and decide if I’d like to buy it. The problem, of course, is that I end up wanting to buy each one I borrow. I love cookbooks. My latest loaner is Giada De Laurentiis' "Everyday Pasta," which is her third and latest cookbook. Some of you might be familiar with Giada from the Food Network. As I have no cable access at home, I was not.

As soon as I borrowed the book, I spent an entire night curled up reading the fabulous recipes and admiring the beautiful pictures. The book is full of simple and completely unpretentious pasta dishes. Giada clearly knows Italian, and explains the recipes in a very clear way. She also seems very fun and approachable. I love the collection, and will be making my way through the recipes this month. Stay tuned! Who said the carbo loading needs to end post-Ironman?

Just a Few More Pics...

2008-09-11T12:09:00.000-07:00

Race Day Pics

2008-09-10T13:40:00.000-07:00

A Dream Come True

2008-09-09T12:00:00.000-07:00

Qualifying for the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii has been an elusive dream of mine since being first introduced to Ironman as a young girl while watching live coverage of the race on TV with my dad.

Many of you know I started young. A competitive swimmer since my early youth, at age 10 I found a brochure at our local YMCA for the Lake Keesus triathlon, and begged my parents to let me register. It was a family affair, with my dad and younger brother also competing in their first triathlon, and a day I will never forget. Since then, I’ve completed many triathlons, and attempted my first Ironman in 2002 as a member of the UW Triathlon Team. My parents thought I was insane, and given my tendency at the time towards running injuries, they were scared I would not be able to finish. I, too, had my doubts, and although the marathon was tough and I walked a great deal of it, I ended up finishing in 12:47. From then I was hooked.

While I’ve always tried not to make such a big deal of it, deep down it’s always been my dream to qualify for Hawaii. But it’s hard to get wrapped up in a dream that at times seems so unattainable. And so I knew in my heart that my time would come eventually (even if it took me until I was a card-holding member of AARP). Unfortunately, the goal of qualifying for the Ironman World Championships is not quite as intrinsic or clear-cut as qualifying for the Boston marathon, for example. Essentially, there are a set number of qualifying spots for each Ironman race that are divided among the age divisions based on the number of competitors in that division. This year, there were 90 women in my age division, which equated to 3 qualifying spots. The past two years, I’ve placed 5th and 6th in my race division, respectively, so I knew that there was always a chance this time. But really, you just don’t know who is going to show up to the race, and how you or they will perform. And I think if you get too focused on qualifying for Hawaii, you can quickly loose perspective. So it’s always been a dream, but somewhat of a “stretch goal.”

Amazingly, the stars aligned for me on Sunday. I woke up at 4:45am and quickly took down a cup of coffee, a banana, and half of a whole wheat bagel with peanut butter. At 5:15, I drove with Karen and her family to the race site. We dropped off our special needs bags at the appointed spot near the capitol, before heading into the transition area to pump up our bike tires, get body markings, and zip into our wet suits. Luckily, I saw my parents while I was heading down to the race start, and gave final hugs before wading into the water and taking a position near the front. At 7am, the cannon blew, and we were off. The swim was relatively uneventful, although I did find myself in a few bottle necks, with bodies violently crashing all around and over me. For the most part, I was able to get into a comfortable rhythm, and completed the swim in 58:41.

From there, I ran up the Monona Terrace helix into the transition area, where I threw on my bike gear and arm warmers, since the temperature was still a little cool. I had trouble getting into a rhythm on my bike. I was being passed left and right, which is pretty typical but still discouraging, and I had to remind myself to stick with my pace and ride my own race. I started feeling much better 20-30 miles into the bike, and continued to concentrate on getting in much needed calories. Throughout the bike I consumed lots of Gatorade, 4 cliff shots, a vanilla power bar, an oatmeal raisin cliff bar, 4 cliff blocks, and 6 electrolyte tablets. On the second loop, a considerable head wind made things a little more challenging, and I definitely felt myself tiring on the last set of hills. On one of the final climbs, I felt a severe cramp in my legs, but quickly downed Gatorade and two salt tablets, which alleviated the pain almost immediately. On the way back into town, I was encouraged by a few friendly male competitors who shouted that I was riding smart and very well. I was also very pumped to see my parents at many points along the course. My mom was sporting a cow print skirt during the bike portion, which definitely made me chuckle. I ended up finishing the bike in 6:12, which even at an 18.1 mph pace is certainly my weakest link.

When I arrived back to the transition area, I was thrilled to be off the bike. Just being able to get out of the saddle after 6 hours is enough for me to want to run a marathon. I was able to get into a rhythm pretty quickly. The spectators and support are phenomenal, and I just love how the run course winds through campus and downtown. Definitely feels like home. The run went really well, except for a short funk between miles 13-18. During the last quarter of the race, I felt great and was so pumped and excited to be close to the end, that I kicked it into high gear. I knew that I was probably in the top 5 in my age group, and just wanted to finish strong. The last mile and a half I started to cramp up, which was very scary. I though maybe I would be forced to cross the finish line on my hands and knees, Julie Moss style. I quickly took down a couple cups of Gatorade at the closest aide station and was somehow able to keep it together and cruise into the finish line. Once I rounded the capitol, a huge smile spread across my face, and I broke through the finish line in 11:15.

Afterwards, I found out that I had passed the 3rd place woman in my age group just 2 miles out from the finish. I ended up with a 3rd place finish in my age group, and secured the third Kona spot by a very close 2 minutes. I was also so much on target with my goal times that my friends found it comical (My friend Brodie is already asking me to predict his finish time for next year!). I celebrated with my family and friends at the finish line, and also had the opportunity to speak with my brother over the phone, who had been obsessively tracking my progress online from Austin, TX, all day.

On Monday morning, I claimed my Hawaii spot, and am officially registered for the 2009 World Championships. It feels surreal, and although I'm still in a lot of pain from the race, I feel more excited and motivated than ever to start training again. Qualifying for this race is the culmination of so many dreams and hours of hard work and dedication. And I am thrilled that Karen, and possibly my entire family, is planning to share the experience with me next October.

Thank you so much to all of you who cheered from the sidelines or followed my progress online. Your support and words of encouragement definitely helped make my dream a reality. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Iron Time!

2008-09-05T14:09:00.000-07:00

Ironman Wisconsin
Sunday, September 7

Kristin's Bib Number: #103
Division: W25-29

Projected Split Times
Swim: 59 minutes (7-7:59am)
T1: 6 minutes (7:59-8:05am)
Bike: 6:10 (8:05am-2:15pm)
T2: 4 minutes (2:15-2:19pm)
Run: 3:54 (2:19-6:13pm)
Total: 11:15

Online Athlete Tracking
http://ironman.com/ironmanlive
On Sunday morning, you will see a link for the Live Athlete Tracker on the home page of Ironman.com. You can also access the coverage by navigating to Events and clicking on Ironman Wisconsin. You will be able to follow progress throughout the course with split times, pace, transition, and position information. Text updates, photos, and video coverage will also be available during the day.