Friday Five


1. I bought some extra tilapia fillets at Whole Foods last weekend as I wasn't sure that we had enough for Easter dinner (turns out the fillets D had bought actually had two fillets per package, one on top of the other; needless to say, we had plenty of fish). I cooked up both tilapia fillets last night -- and ate one of them. I seasoned the fillet with a combo of the lemon and garlic peppers I'd used on Sunday, along with a drizzle of olive oil and a generous shake of herbes de provence. I served myself the fish alongside a side of rigatoni and asparagus, which I tossed together with a little bit of butter, juice from a lemon wedge, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, and some freshly ground black pepper.


2. This guy and I have been bonding all week while D has been out of town doing some fieldwork in Tennessee. Everyday we've gone for two hour-long walks, so I've been getting some good exercise in. He's been rocking out the housetraining and we've got "sit" figured out pretty well. Now if he'd just get "down" and "stay"! I think Leroy would definitely benefit from some formal obedience classes, and it looks like there are a few options here in town.


3. My parents brought along a bottle of Snapping Turtle cabernet sauvignon, and I have to say it's quite good. Though we shared most of the bottle over Easter dinner, there was enough left over for a glass last night, which I enjoyed along with a fine selection of chocolate Easter candy. Dessert of champions!

{Photo by Rusty Kennedy for PIFA}

4. This weekend marks the closing weekend of the Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts, or PIFA. The festival, which began on April 7, has featured a variety of dance, educational, film, art, music, theatre, food, fashion, and other arts-related events.

On Saturday, Broad Street will be transformed into a Parisian street fair, complete with French street vendors and performers, music, and even a Ferris wheel. The evening will end with a performance by La Compagnie Transe Express, an aerial acrobatic group. D and I still need to get to the Kimmel Center to see the evening mini Eiffel Tower light show and grab a couple of fresh crepes from the crepe cart.

{via}

5. I've got my eyes on this recipe to make this weekend. D brought home a black & white cookie a few weeks ago from the Penn library, and I've been dying to make a batch at home ever since.
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What's For Dinner: Tex-Mex Salad Bowl


Since we have a bunch of leftovers in the refrigerator, my dinners this week have mostly involved scrounging around in the fridge and tossing together ingredients. Last night's dinner consisted of a layered Tex-Mex salad bowl. The bottom layer was made up of crumbled tortilla chips, followed by a layer of mixed greens, then a layer of red and white quinoa, then a layer of refried beans and black beans, all topped with a sprinkling of mozz cheese, some salsa, fresh cilantro leaves, and a dollop of Greek yogurt. Though it may not look that great, it actually was rather tasty; and given that I've still got a bit of leftover quinoa and beans, it looks like that's what I might be eating for dinner tomorrow night, too.
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What's For Dinner: Parmesan-Almond Crusted Tilapia


Up until Sunday afternoon, all I knew was that I wanted to make a tilapia dish for Easter dinner; I just didn't know exactly what kind of tilapia dish I wanted to make. Luckily, D's mom came to the rescue and emailed a recipe for Parmesan-Almond Crusted Tilapia. I tweaked the recipe slightly by cooking the fish in the oven rather than on the stove and nixing the extra Parmesan cheese; but I think the fish dish turned out rather well considering it was the first time I'd tried the recipe. Given that everyone was a member of the Clean Plate Club that evening, I'm going to have to assume that my guests would agree!

Parmesan-Almond Crusted Tilapia (printer-friendly version)
makes four servings

2 organic eggs
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic pepper
1 cup ground almonds
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
4 6-oz tilapia fillets
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
4 sprigs curly parsley
4 lemon wedges

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.
3. Beat the eggs in a shallow bowl and set aside.
4. Mix together the lemon pepper, garlic pepper, and flour in a shallow baking dish and set aside. (Sense a theme?!)
5. Process the almonds in a food processor until finely ground. Place the ground almonds into a third(!) shallow baking dish. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese.
6. Place a tilapia fillet in the flour mixture and dust both sides of the fish with the seasoned flour.
7. Dip the fillet in the egg mixture and allow any excess to drip off.
8. Dredge the eggy fillet in the almond-Parm mixture and coat evenly on both sides.
9. Place the seasoned fillet on the prepared baking sheet.
10. Repeat steps 6-9 for the remaining fillets.
11. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until the meat is opaque and flaky and the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees.
12. Place each fillet on a plate and garnish with a sprig of parsley and lemon wedge. Serve with sides of your choice -- we served our tilapia fillets with a side of string beans, red and white quinoa, and a mini caprese salad.
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What's For Breakfast: Not Your Everyday French Toast


While at Reading Terminal Market I came up with the brilliant idea to serve an Easter brunch on Sunday morning. The star of the meal would be French toast using a loaf of brioche bread from Metropolitan Bakery. The most difficult part of this recipe was finding a dish large enough to accommodate the ginormous slices of brioche. I ended up doing small batches of three slices per batch, but the process still went pretty quickly. Though I had considered making a stuffed French toast, I decided that I didn't want to make something quite that heavy, and would rather have my guests (aka, D and my parents) have the option of adding a ricotta-honey topping if they so desired. The end result was delicious, and received rave reviews from my parents.

Not Your Everyday French Toast (printer-friendly version)
makes 4 servings

6 organic eggs
1 1/2 cups organic skim milk
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon brandy
zest from one lemon
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1 pinch salt
8 1/2" slices brioche bread
organic canola oil

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
2. Whisk together the eggs, milk, orange juice, vanilla, and brandy in a medium bowl.
3. Stir in the lemon zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
4. Pour the mixture into a shallow serving dish. (I used a 9"x13" baking dish.)
5. Preheat your skillet over medium high heat. (I used my iron griddle.) Brush with canola oil.
6. Add 3-4 slices of brioche bread to the custard and soak both sides.
7. Grill each piece of French toast for 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown.
8. Once grilled, place the cooked French toast on a baking sheet in the warmed oven.
9. Repeat the process until all the slices of French toast are cooked.
10. Create a French toast bar by providing a variety of toppings for your guests.
The toppings I had on offer included Grade B maple syrup, strawberry preserves,
lingonberry preserves, ricotta cheese mixed with honey (1/2 cup ricotta cheese mixed
with 3 tablespoons honey), fresh strawberries, and sliced almonds.
11. Invite guests to help themselves!
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Weekend Shenanigans: Easter Edition


My folks arrived on Friday afternoon, and once a parking spot was procured, I gave them the grand tour of our apartment. Leroy wasn't too sure about the new people in his space, but by the end of the evening he was becoming a little less tentative around them. It probably helped that they gifted him with a stuffed squirrel to play with; he took no time in beginning the process of tearing it apart. (By Sunday afternoon, Leroy had successfully performed a de-squeaker surgery on the poor stuffed toy.)


Since we haven't yet left Leroy alone, we opted to stay in Friday night for dinner, and ordered pizza from Lazaro's. We opted for a "jumbo" margherita pizza, and it was no joke. (The slices were literally bigger than our plates.) There was probably half a pizza leftover after we had our fill -- it was a very good thin-crust, New York-style pizza. We'll definitely have to order it again -- but perhaps go with a smaller size next time around. After letting the pizza digest, we finished our meal with a slice of red velvet cake that my parents had brought from Costco along with a cup of coffee.


On Saturday morning, D and I met my parents at their hotel. After D headed off with Leroy to the dog store, I walked with my parents to Reading Terminal Market, which was teeming with people. I made a couple of purchases, including some pumpkin butter and Grade B maple syrup from an Amish foodstand and a loaf of brioche bread from Metropolitan Bakery. After wandering around the crowded aisles of the market we headed back out and over to Macy's in the historic Wanamaker Building to hear the 12p organ concert. The Wanamaker Organ was originally built for the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, and was bought by John Wanamaker for his store in 1909. The organ is the world's largest functional pipe organ. The concert was a little lackluster, given that apparently the organists aren't allowed to play it full bore; however, just seeing the instrument itself was quite impressive.

Following the concert, my mom and I continued shopping while my dad headed back to the apartment to help D with some handyman projects. Mom and I lunched at Le Pain Quotidien, where I had a ricotta and fig tartine (open-faced sandwich) which was delish. I definitely have plans to make my own version soon. I had a mint lemonade along with the tartine, which was super-refreshing given the humid conditions outside. After checking out a few more stores, my mom and I returned to the apartment to check out D and my dad's handiwork. Now we've got peepholes and an adjustable thermostat installed -- yea!

Saturday evening D stayed home with Leroy while I went out for dinner with my parents at McCormick & Schmick's. I had an excellent pan-seared wild caught salmon with a balsamic reduction served over vegetable orzo. (Another meal I'll have to replicate at home!) On the way back to the apartment, I stopped in at the closing Border's (sigh), where I picked up two dog training books that were 40 percent off. The scene inside the bookstore was a bit depressing. Our local store had made the first round of cuts, but got chopped in the second round. I'm not quite sure when their final closing date is, but I may have to head back to see if there are any other deals to be had.


On Sunday my parents came over for brunch, and we dined on French toast (look for the recipe later this week), bacon, and coffee cake. My mom gifted us with a ginormous bowl of chocolate eggs and bunnies from Aglamesis Brothers, which I hope will last us for quite awhile! (I've currently got it safely stowed away out of my sight...) These be-suited bunnies remind me of my childhood, as they were always a part of my brother's and my Easter baskets growing up.


Following naps, D and I headed out for a walk with Leroy, and I stopped in at Whole Foods to pick up a few ingredients for that evening's dinner. Around 7p we enjoyed a meal of almond and parmesan-crusted tilapia (another recipe to look for later this week -- thanks for the link, Sheila!), green beans, and quinoa. Dessert was again Costco red velvet cake -- I think we're down to just two servings left. We called it a night around 9p and said our goodbyes to my parents, who head back to Ohio on Monday. Since D had to get up early Monday morning to catch a plane to Tennessee, we all went to bed shortly after.

All in all, a fun weekend in Philly with my parents. Hopefully next time they visit, Leroy will be good to spend some time along, and we'll be a little less tethered to the house. Though the forecast called for rain most of the weekend, we managed to dodge most of the raindrops, and Sunday's weather was actually quite sunny and warm. I can't believe tomorrow's forecast includes a high of 84 degrees -- I don't think I'm quite ready for a hot and humid summer just yet!
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Friday Five

1. D skipped his workout yesterday evening so that he could come home and relieve me of Leroy duties so that I could go for a run. I had a delightful 3.5 mile run, and came home to a plate of pancakes for dinner. I topped my pancakes with some lingonberry spread that we had picked up at Ikea. Not exactly the same as a plate of swedish pancakes from Ann Sather, but it was still quite delicious.


2. Ahh, Easter. Back in the day Easter excitement centered on getting a fancy dress for church and looking forward to an Easter egg hunt after we arrived back home. I've always been a sucker for Easter candy, and still enjoy making a yearly Easter basket. And let's be real -- when it comes to Easter candy, my "less processed" rules kind of fly out the window. I do draw the line at Peeps and Cadbury eggs, because, well, ewww, but, give me some Reese's mini peanut butter cups in the pastel wrappers, a handful of jelly beans, and another handful of Cadbury mini eggs, and I'm a happy girl, indeed.

{via}

3. However, if you are interested in making your own Easter candy, there are several awesome tutorials out there. Fans of Cadbury eggs should try this recipe. If Peeps are more your style, there's this Martha Stewart recipe and this recipe that relies on a bunny-shaped cookie cutter from Heart of Light. Not Martha has a number of awesome tutorials for Easter treats, such as these instructions to make surprise eggs.


4. This week's request at the library is How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend by The Monks of New Skete. Hopefully this book will give insight on housetraining and how to deal with separation anxiety. Leroy's doing really well for being a part of our household for less than one week. Slowly but surely we'd like him to feel comfortable being in his crate while we leave the house to run errands. Yesterday he had a bit of a whinefest when I left him in his crate while I checked on the status of the laundry machine in the basement (still broken, sigh). I think it'll definitely take baby steps to get him comfortable with being on his own, but I think everyone will be happier when that happens.

{via}

5. My parents are visiting this weekend! Logistics will be a bit challenging given the added dimension of the dog, but I'm looking forward to seeing them and hanging out in the city. Hopefully we'll get a chance to hit up Reading Terminal Market or one of the farmers markets in town tomorrow. The weather forecast is a little gloomy, but hopefully the rain will be intermittent so we can wander around town.
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What's For Dinner: Tilapia with Broccoli, Couscous, and Arugula Salad


D was in charge of dinner the other night, and my only role was to thaw the tilapia. While I went for a 30-minute run, D put together this dish -- tilapia (which he seasoned with a tequila lime seasoning prior to cooking), a side of broccoli and couscous, and an arugula salad with fresh strawberries, sliced almonds, and a balsamic vinaigrette. As an extra touch, D garnished the tilapia with a handful of fresh cilantro.

We're getting into a routine with Leroy. And, we're doing pretty well with house-training -- so far no accidents today; knock on wood! Today was also a red letter day as he let a stranger pet him without a problem while we were out for a walk on South Street. When we took him out for walks on Sunday twice he refused to let other people touch him (or even get near to him, for that matter). Even with today's breakthrough, he's still a bit skittish at times, and large groups of people make him a little nervous. However, I think that the more walks we go on, the more confident he will become. Bedtime is a work in progress; on Saturday he slept in his crate in our bedroom after whining about being left alone in the main room (as apartment dwellers, we don't have the option of letting him "cry it out"; on Sunday and Monday he slept in his crate in the main room (with short spates of whining before calming down); and last night he was back in our bedroom in his crate. We'll need to work on separation anxiety; I'm sure there will be some issues given he was abandoned by his previous owner. But let's face it, at some point in time D and I are both going to need to be out of the house without the dog. "Parenting" a dog is definitely no-joke; at the end of the day I'm exhausted! I'm sure as soon as we get our routine in order things will be a lot smoother. And, hey, if I get a little svelter from all this dog-walking, I definitely won't complain about that!
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What's For Dinner: Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Roasted Grape Tomatoes and Cottage Cheese


Okay, I know pasta and red sauce isn't all the exciting. However, I opted to fancy it up a bit by adding some roasted grape tomatoes to the sauce as well as a bit of cottage cheese to the finished dish to add in a little creamy flavor and interesting texture. (If it's good enough for lasagna and baked ziti, why not a spaghetti dish?) Meanwhile. what is the deal with "cottage cheese"? Something about its name gives me the heebie-jeebies, though I actually really like how it tastes. If you aren't a fan of cottage cheese, you could easily replace it with ricotta cheese.

Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Roasted Grape Tomatoes and Cottage Cheese 
(printer-friendly version)
makes two servings

2 oz whole-wheat spaghetti
1 cup of your favorite pasta sauce
1 cup roasted grape tomatoes (recipe below)
2/3 cup nonfat cottage cheese

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with salt, then add in the pasta. Cook according to the manufacturer's instructions.
2. Add the pasta sauce and roasted grape tomatoes to a small pot. Heat over low heat until warmed.
3. To serve, add a serving of pasta to a plate. Top with 1/3 C cottage cheese and 1/2 C pasta sauce. Serve immediately.

Roasted Grape Tomatoes
makes one pint

1 pkg organic grape tomatoes, rinsed and dried
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon brown sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Add the rinsed grape tomatoes to a glass baking dish.
3. Drizzle the olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the tomatoes. Shake the dish to evenly coat all the tomatoes.
4. Season with salt, black pepper, and brown sugar. Shake the dish again to evenly coat the tomatoes with the seasonings.
5. Place in the oven and roast for 30 minutes, or until the tomatoes have shriveled slightly.
6. Let cool for a few minutes before eating, or store in a closed container in the fridge for up to a week.
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What's For Dinner: Portobello Pad Thai


Since the introduction of Leroy into our lives, our activities have centered around him and I haven't had a chance to run to the grocery store yet. After Sunday's busy schedule of activities, I decided to rummage through the fridge to see what I could throw together for dinner. I opted to make pad thai, with a slight tweak to add in some sliced baby portobello mushrooms we had on hand leftover from a stir fry D cooked up last week. The results turned out quite well; this recipe in general is pretty amenable to the addition of extra ingredients.

Portobello Pad Thai (printer-friendly version)
makes 4 servings

8 oz wide rice noodles
1 pkg firm tofu
1 cup baby portobello mushrooms, sliced
1 small bunch green onions, chopped into thin slices, green and white parts separated
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (1 lime)
3 tablespoons tamari sauce
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, rinsed and patted dry
1/4 cup unsalted peanuts, chopped

1. Cook the rice noodles according to the manufacturer's instructions. (I brought a large pot of water to a boil, added the noodles, then removed the pot from the heat and let sit for 10 minutes.)
2. Whisk together the lime juice, tamari sauce, and brown sugar. Set aside.
3. Follow these instructions to dry fry the tofu. Set aside the cooked tofu.
4. Add the sesame oil to a skillet and heat to medium-high.
5. Add the portobello mushrooms and saute into browned and softened.
6. Add the chopped green onions (white parts only) and garlic cloves. Cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds.
7. Add the lightly-beaten eggs to the skillet. Use a rubber spatula to agitate the eggs. Cook until just set, about 30-45 seconds.
8. Remove the egg mixture from the skillet and place on a plate.
9. Add the cooked noodles to the skillet. Pour the lime-tamari-brown sugar mixture over the noodles. Use tongs to evenly coat the noodles with the sauce. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
10. Add the egg mixture to the noodles, Use tongs to break up the eggs and evenly distribute the ingredients. Cook for 1-2 minutes longer. Stir in the green parts of the remaining green onions. Add in the dry-fried tofu and cook a few minutes more, or until the tofu is re-heated.
11. Serve up the noodles on individual plates. Top each portion with cilantro leaves and chopped peanuts.

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Weekend Shenanigans: Meet Leroy


On Thursday night we got word that Leroy was ours. We began making lists of what we needed to make our apartment ready to bring him home and completed our home organization to make sure that the apartment was dog-friendly. We woke up early Saturday morning and headed out to Princeton, New Jersey to begin our day with breakfast at Pj's Pancake House, located across the street from the Princeton campus. It's clearly a popular place for breakfast, given there was a line of folks outside waiting for a table. (There's no waiting list, you just stand outside in a line and wait for a table to open up.) D and I opted to sit at the counter when two spots opened up. D had a half-order of buttermilk pancakes and I had a half-order of banana pancakes -- a great filling breakfast to start the day.

Following breakfast we headed into the main town of Princeton and began our dog shopping extravaganza at Petsmart. There we picked up a crate, crate mat, and toy for our new friend. We then ran into Wal*mart next door to grab a cheap towel, as it was scheduled to rain all day long, and we wanted something to use to wipe down the dog if necessary.

From there we drove to Hillsborough, where we headed inside the PetValu pet store (where weekly dog showings are head by Small Animal Rescue on Saturday afternoons) to finalize our adoption of Leroy. After filling out the paperwork we began our second shopping excursion to pick up food and water bowls, dog food (key!), collar, and leash for our little guy. The volunteers with Small Animal Rescue were super-friendly and had plenty of advice to give; we ended up spending over three hours in the store. Leroy was a little nervous when we first got him, but soon warmed up to us, his tail wagging away.

Leroy's backstory is that he was found tied to a pole in a park in Brooklyn. He was taken into custody by Animal Care & Control of New York City on March 13. On March 25, he was taken in by Small Animal Rescue of Princeton, NJ. The Small Animal Rescue was founded and is run by Dr. Emmett Wilson, a retired child psychiatrist. The rescue is home to over 100 dogs, who spend their days romping around on the property's 53 acres. Most dogs live in the sanctuary's climate-controlled big red barn, though some also are allowed house privileges. The rescue is largely funded by Dr. Wilson; his is clearly a labor of love, and it's very important to him that each dog is matched to the right family and vice versa.

Though our hope was to take Leroy out to a park to run off some of his energy before driving home, the weather did not cooperate. So, we leashed him up with his new leash and collar and hightailed it in the rain to the car, where he rather easily found his way into his crate. I opted to sit in the backseat next to him in his crate as a little added encouragement. He was fine for a bit, then began complaining. We pulled off on the side of the road so he could have a potty break -- though he just romped in the puddles and didn't do the deed. Back in the crate, and back on the road. Not too long after he began whining once again, so we decided to let him out of his crate and I held him on my lap. He's super curious and couldn't stop looking around and trying to escape my arms to explore the insides of the car.

Once home and the car parked, we were ready to get him out of the car and into our apartment. However, he had no desire to get out of his crate. I ended up taking our other purchases to the apartment, then came back out to help. D decided the easiest way to get him home would be to carry him in the crate. We brought in the crate, opened it up, and let him out to explore his new home. Our first evening was pretty low-key. He had a couple accidents in the house (housetraining is top on our agenda!) -- and of course, managed to find the two soft things (rug and pillow) on which to have his accidents, rather than on the more-easily cleaned wood or tile floors. We took him for a walk later in the evening (in the pouring rain!), but he apparently had no need to go.

That evening, we first set him up in his crate in the main room for bedtime, but his whining and howling quickly made us move his crate into our bedroom, where we could at least reassure him that we were still there. He whined for a few minutes, but then quieted, and we all got a good night's sleep.

Sunday morning we were again up early, and, after taking him out for a potty break, we packed him back up in his crate in the car and were back off to New Jersey. Turns out he hadn't been neutered yet, and Doc hadn't had the chance to get it done prior to the adoption. So we opted to take him ourselves to Animal Alliance in Lambertville, which performs low-cost spaying and neutering. Leroy was a rockstar on the way to the vet and chillaxed in his crate. After we dropped him off, we headed into the (cute!) small town of New Hope for breakfast. We ate at Sneddon's Luncheonette; D had blueberry pancakes and I had scrambled eggs and hashbrowns. Hunger satiated, we headed back to Princeton to complete another round of dog shopping at Petsmart. This time around we got Leroy a brush, some treats, a stuffed mallard squeaky toy, a cone of shame for post-surgery just in case, and a pet gate.

We picked up Leroy around 1p from the vet and headed home; about 10 miles down the road he began to complain rather loudly (whilst turning around in circles in his crate), so we stopped off at a park to see if he was in need of a potty break. No such thing; but he did enjoy walking through the grass in the sunshine. Back into his crate, and down the road once more. Unfortunately, he used his confinement to lick at his stitches, so we stopped once again and I held him in my arms in the front seat so that I could keep my eye on him. Leroy was in heaven and was sniffing like a maniac. Back at home we brought Leroy back in and set up the pet gate, which I think will come in handy while I'm working, since it'll confine him in the room where I am and will prevent him from getting into trouble elsewhere in the house. We also gave him his mallard toy, which he promptly placed in his crate.

The evening ended with a long walk for him to the dog park; he's a bit skittish around new people and other dogs, so socialization will be key. Since he's not allowed to run or do any vigorous activity for the next week due to his surgery, it'll be a while before we'll let him off the leash to play in the dog park. (Plus, I think he'll need a bit of encouragement just to be in the park in the first place.) He loves stoops and makes it a point to walk up as many steps as possible. He's got quite a bit of personality, and we're already working on his commands. He also seems to be fairly content to lie down and hang out on his own; currently as I'm typing this he is lying near me on some blankets on the floor, taking a snooze. His other favorite activity thus far is looking out the window at all the cars and pedestrians that pass by, as pictured below.

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Friday Five

1. I like to pretend that vegan = healthy. Which in many instances it does, but in the case of a muffin, I'm not quite so sure. (Muffins are oftentimes major calorie/fat bombs.) I like to think it helps that I choose the healthier-sounding vegan muffin, such as today's vegan apple and oat muffin from Whole Foods pictured above (although I'd really have preferred the chocolate chocolate chip version).


2. I finished Tina Fey's book the other day. I highly recommend it, though it totally felt like she phoned in the ending. However, the humor laced throughout, plus interesting details about her rise from improv comedian to creator of 30 Rock definitely makes up for the paltry ending.


3. I just picked up my latest request from the library -- Black Heels to Tractor Wheels, a novel by Ree Drummond (aka The Pioneer Woman). Her blog is amazing and has a HUGE readership. (Case in point, when poking through her site yesterday, I saw that a post for a giveaway had over 34,000 comments. 34,000!) Word broke yesterday that she has a deal with the Food Network for her own show (her cookbook was published in 2009). Quite a force to be reckoned with!


4. There's a good chance that this guy will be coming home with us on Saturday. We've got a bit of organizing and supply-buying to do! I am definitely excited, and more than a little nervous, to introduce a dog into our family. It should be quite the adventure! Hopefully he won't mind being a city dog.

5. Chobani is by far my absolute favorite brand of Greek yogurt. Though I've been buying the big 32 oz tubs of 0% plain for awhile, about a month or so ago I started also buying the small containers with fruit on the bottom. These make for a great afternoon snack or post-workout protein boost. I try to stock up whenever they're available at my local Superfresh. My favorite flavors are pineapple and lemon (ironically, not shown in the photo above!).

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Snacktime: PB&J Pretzel Sticks


I have a seriously love for peanut butter. More like an addiction, as it seems that nary a day goes by where I don't partake in at least one spoonful of the stuff. I personally prefer crunchy peanut butter, as I like the texture better than the creamy kind. We always buy the natural stuff -- we're currently consuming the Whole Foods store brand, which has an ingredient list that contains only peanuts and salt. (I'd prefer salt-free, but that hasn't been an option during shopping trips of late, and since the added salt content is fairly low, I don't feel too bad about it.)

When I've got a hankering for some PB in the late afternoon, I typically put a spoonful of it and a spoonful of whatever jam I have on hand (pictured above is strawberry, I think) into a small bowl, then spike it with a handful of pretzel sticks. I may or may not lick the little bowl clean every time.
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What's For Dinner: Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Asparagus and a Poached Egg


Yet another recipe from this month's Everyday Food. This meal took hardly any time to put together -- the biggest time constraint was waiting for the water to boil!

Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Asparagus and a Poached Egg (printer-friendly version)
makes two servings

2 oz whole-wheat spaghetti
1 large bunch asparagus, rinsed, ends snapped off, and cut diagonally into 2" pieces
3 T unsalted butter
1/4 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 cage-free eggs
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
2. Season generously with salt.
3. Add in the pasta and cook according to the manufacturer's instructions.
4. During the last minute of cooking, add in the asparagus.
5. After cooking, reserve one cup of the pasta water, then drain off the rest. Return the pasta and asparagus to the cooking pot.
6. Stir in the butter and Parmesan. Add in reserved pasta water as needed to create a thin sauce.
7. While the pasta is cooking, poach two eggs. We used an egg-poacher contraption. If you're feeling particularly adventurous, try this method.
8. To serve, add the pasta to two plates and top each with a poached egg. Season with salt and pepper to taste.


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What's For Dinner: Salmon with Brown Sugar and Mustard Glaze


I can't help but purchase the latest issue of Everyday Food when I see it in the grocery store at the checkout lane -- there are always so many good recipes to try! This dish comes from the latest issue -- and gave me a perfect excuse to try out another salmon recipe and use up some fresh asparagus I had on hand. Loads of fresh asparagus in the store is a sign that spring has definitely sprung! To make the asparagus as a side dish, I just washed it, snapped off the ends, and cut the remaining stalks diagonally into 2-3" pieces. I popped the cut asparagus into gently boiling water for about two minutes, removed it from the water with a slotted spoon, and served it with some freshly grated Parmesan. Couldn't be easier.

Salmon with Brown Sugar and Mustard Glaze (printer-friendly version)
makes two servings

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large shallot, minced
1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
1/4 cup German mustard
1/4 cup light brown sugar
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 6-oz wild-caught Alaskan sockeye salmon fillets

1. Place an oven rack at the uppermost setting in the oven. Set the oven to broil.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepot over medium-high heat.
3. Add in the minced shallot and saute until softened, about two to three minutes.
4. Stir in the red-wine vinegar and cook until slightly evaporated.
5. Stir in mustard and brown sugar. Cook an additional one to two minutes.
6. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Add the salmon fillets to the foil, skin side down. Season both fillets with salt and pepper. Generously brush each fillet with the
8. Broil for 5-10 minutes, or until the meat is opaque and flakes easily.
9. After plating the fish, brush again with the glaze.
10. Serve alongside a grain such as wild rice and a fresh vegetable such as fresh asparagus.

(adapted from a recipe in the April 2011 issue of Everyday Food)
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Weekend Shenanigans: Errands, Puppies, and Tina Fey


Another low-key weekend around these parts. D was up early Saturday morning, but I opted to sleep in. I finally found the motivation to go for a run in the sunshine, and put in a good five miles. The good weather meant the river trail was busy; even the tourists were out on their Segways. (I couldn't help but crack up as I ran past the line of them scooting one behind the other.)

After a refreshing shower D returned from his morning activity and I hopped in the car and we were off to New Jersey. Our destination was Hillsborough, a town located just north of Princeton (home to the most private boarding schools I've ever seen in one place). Why Hillsborough? We've been considering adopting a dog for quite awhile, and now that we're in a place where dogs are allowed, and our apartment is finally in dog-friendly condition, we decided to get serious and check out a few prospects. There were several dogs available to meet from Princeton's Small Dog Rescue; we met two dogs -- Blake, a cairn-corgi mix and Jake, a Jack Russell terrier mix (who looked a bit more like a mini golden retriever). We decided to go for it and put in an application for Blake; he was the dog I had originally seen on Petfinder.com. When we arrived at the showing, another woman was spending time with him, so we think she also may have put in an application for him, so now it's a bit of a waiting game to hear back. Theoretically we should know by Thursday if he'll be joining our family.

After spending a few hours with the dogs, we headed back to Philly, stopping first in Lawrenceville for dinner at the Fedora Cafe. We arrived around 4:40p, but opted to wait to order off the dinner menu at 5 p. We both got coffees to tide us over until we could order; D had a latte and I had a hazelnut mocha. For dinner, I ordered the salad and quesadilla. I'll have to replicate the quesadilla at home -- it was a delicious combination of goat cheese, roasted zucchini, squash, green peppers, and onions. Served alongside was a ginormous field greens salad with cherry tomatoes and a honey lime dressing.

Once back at home we chilled for the rest of the evening, and watched the last few episodes of The Ricky Gervais Show that I had from Netflix.

Sunday after breakfast we headed to a local doggie boutique to see if they had any dog training or obedience books or DVDs; unfortunately no dice. We then headed over to Barnes & Noble, where we checked out their stock and flipped through a few books. Afterward we hung out in the cafe for a bit where D did some data crunching and I read more of Tina Fey's new book, Bossypants, which I received from the library the day after it released to the public. (Geez, I love the library and the convenience of requesting books!) I think I have a bit of a girlcrush on Tina -- her book thus far is hysterical. Is it weird that I think it's cool that we both went to the same Planned Parenthood in Rogers Park? (And yes, a lot of women go to PP for health checkups and not abortions!) I'm about a third of the way through the book and pretty much have laughed my way through nearly every page. Definitely highly recommend! Once I finish this book the next one I've got to pick up at the library is The Pioneer Woman's (Ree Drummond's) memoir, Black Heels to Tractor Wheels. Clearly, I am taking major advantage of Philly's library system. Love!

After spending the morning at B&N we returned home, stopping first to pick up a couple sandwiches at Pumpkin Market. I opted for the hummus sandwich (pictured above), which featured sprouts, cucumber, red onion, tomato, and an olive tapenade on whole wheat bread. Delish. Over the course of the afternoon I napped and read some more Bossypants; D took more of our stuff down to the basement and cleared out our small side yard. Afterward we ran a couple of errand, ending with a trip to Whole Foods to grab some groceries and pick up dinner (since I was feeling too lazy to cook anything myself). We ended up with sushi for dinner; it was kind of exactly what I needed.


So, there you have it, another exciting (!) weekend under our belts. Now it's just a bit of a waiting game to find out if a furry friend is joining our family sooner rather than later, and if our lives are about to change forever! : )
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What's For Breakfast: Yogurt and Granola (Again)

I haven't done a breakfast post in a while, but this is mainly because I have the same thing for breakfast nearly every day. Today I changed things up ever so slightly and had banana slices in my yogurt instead of blueberries. Crazy, I know. Also mixed into my bowlful of Chobani 0% plain yogurt is a small dollop of honey, Kashi GoLean Crunch cereal, chia seeds, and a healthy sprinkle of ground cinnamon. I suppose it's a bit boring that I eat the same thing nearly every day, but since it keeps me full until well into the early afternoon, I figure I ought not mess with a good thing. Plus, it tastes good!
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What's For Dinner: Pesto Pizza

Since we had one more crust to use up after making a margherita pizza a week or so ago, we decided to use it up with a pesto pizza. Having a pre-made crust makes making pizza super-convenient! We topped the crust with fresh basil pesto and shredded mozzarella cheese. The pizza baked in the oven on a baking stone (ours is actually from The Pampered Chef, but it appears they don't sell a flat one like ours anymore) for about 14 minutes at 400 degrees. Once removed from the oven, we let it cool for about five minutes and then dug in. Definitely a bit more decadent than a margherita pizza, but so worth it for the taste.
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What's For Dinner: Pear and Brie Grillé

Okay, Jeanine, this one is for you. Well, inspired by your comment from the other day on my grilled cheese aspirations, at the very least. This sandwich features two slices of sourdough bread, a generous slathering of brie, pear slices, and keeping with the French theme, a dollop of dijon mustard. Since I had half a pear left over, I opted to dice it up and use it as a topping for a simple salad with arugula and a honey-dijon dressing. Uncomplicated, yes, but also delish.

Pear and Brie Grillé (printer-friendly version)
makes one sandwich

olive oil
two slices sourdough bread
1/2 organic Anjou pear, cut into thin slices
one small wedge of brie
dijon mustard

1. Slather the brie over the top of one slice of bread.
2. Add the pear slices atop the brie.
3. Spread a generous dollop of dijon mustard over the top of the other slice of bread.
4. Pop the two halves of the sandwich together.
5. Prep a large skillet by spraying it with olive oil. Heat the skillet over medium-high heat.
6. Add the sandwich to the hot skillet and toast both sides until lightly browned, about 2-3 minutes per side.
7. Serve it up -- Bon Appétit!
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What's For Dinner: Wild Rice Tempeh Sandwich


I was intrigued by the idea of making a sandwich using tempeh. It seems like this ingredient is a common option at vegetarian restaurants -- and somehow I don't think I've ever actually eaten it! Time to rectify that situation. There were many flavor options; I decided to try out Lightlife's organic wild rice tempeh to make my sandwich.

What exactly is tempeh you ask? According to Ye Olde Wikipedia, "[Tempeh] is made by a natural culturing and controlled fermentation process that binds soybeans into a cake form." Yummy, right? It is an ingredient native to Indonesia, where it has been a cooking staple for over 2,000 years. Here's an excellent summary of tempeh's nutritional qualities.

Tempeh has a high protein content and can be used in a variety of different dishes (typically as a meat substitute). It can be sauteed, grated, stewed, or baked. I opted to saute my slab of tempeh in a little bit of sesame oil, cooking each side until golden brown, or about 2-3 minutes per side.

To make my sandwich, I toasted up two slices of sourdough bread. Then I slathered each slice with some hummus. I topped one bread slice with slices of heirloom tomato (seriously, once you have tasted an heirloom tomato, you can't go back to any other kind, unless, say, you grow your own), and a handful of arugula. I plopped my sautéed tempeh slab on top of the arugula, then popped on the other bread half. Done! And, actually, quite good. Tempeh is kind of like tofu in that it takes on the flavor of whatever it's cooked in; I think next time I'll opt for a plain kind and then marinade it in something yummy before sauteing or baking it.


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Weekend Shenanigans: Grilled Cheese, Champagne, and A Long Run

The weekend started off with a grilled cheese sandwich, as promised. The sandwich pictured above features sourdough bread, a generous slathering of fresh basil pesto, thinly sliced fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced heirloom tomato, and fresh basil leaves. It tasted just as good, if not better, than it looks.

On Saturday we headed to Lovers & Madmen, a cafe in West Philly, to get some work done. I caught up on some magazine reading that I've been neglecting. (I am forever behind in reading The New Yorker, I just can't keep up!) In the late afternoon D and I headed over to Columbus Boulevard, where we purchased a few more shelves at Ikea, some screws and other whatnot at Lowe's, and a cartful of goodness at Target. Back at home D set up our new shelves, I tidied up a bit (I chore I kind of hate, just ask D), and we worked to get our kitchen closer to finally being organized (yea!).

Following a dinner of frozen pizza (no judgement!), D got word via email that his latest journal article had been accepted, so we popped a bottle of champagne (left over from our 2009 wedding, one more bottle to go!) to celebrate. I also cut up some organic strawberries to go along with the bubbly.


On Sunday we headed out to another cafe so D could get some more work done. The cafe he initially picked to visit turned out to be more a restaurant than a cafe, so we wandered around a bit more before happening upon The Bean Cafe on South Street. Since it was so warm out I opted for an iced nonfat hazelnut mocha, D had an iced coffee, and we both shared an awesome slab of homemade pumpkin bread. While at the cafe I finished reading The Bucolic Plague: How Two Manhattanites Became Gentlemen Farmers: An Unconventional Memoir by Josh Kilmer-Purcell, one half of the Beekman Boys. D and I started to watch The Fabulous Beekman Boys on Planet Green last year; their new season just started back up, and though our current cable line-up doesn't include the channel, luckily we can still catch it On Demand. The show is about two New York city slickers and their adventures running a small-scale farm (mainly goats, some chickens, one llama named Polka Spot, and two sheep as of last week's episode) in Sharon Springs, located in upstate New York. The book was about the purchase of their historic home and farm, plus the ups and downs of managing a farm alongside dealing with the economic fallout of 2008. Good (and funny) stuff, particularly if you are a fan of their show. D and I may have to try to get up to Sharon Springs sometime while we're out here on the East Coast. Apparently the Beekman Mansion is open to the public a few times during the year. Needless to say, as a bit of a fangirl, I'd love to see it (and the town) firsthand.

In the early afternoon we returned home and I suited up for a long run. I finally bit the bullet and signed up for the ODDyssey Half-Marathon, which is on May 22nd -- which means I need to commit to training! The weather was perfect for a long run, with warm temps, abundant sunshine, and just a light breeze. I managed to get in eight miles -- and they were great. This marks the longest run I'd done since running the Steamboat Springs Half-Marathon in June of 2009 (training for which was lackluster, with the longest run being the Bolder Boulder 10k the weekend before). The run felt great -- my legs felt good, and my joints didn't complain, which is always a good sign. The pathway along the Schuylkill was super-busy, but aside from nearly tripping over a pit bull and playing a game of chicken with a Sunday stroller walking in the opposite direction of traffic, the run was fairly uneventful. It's always nice to get in a really good long run -- such a confidence booster! Now I just gotta keep up the commitment!

After a much-needed (and refreshing) shower, D and I headed out to finish off our weekend with dinner at a new (to us) restaurant. This time we tried The Sidecar Bar & Grille, located at 22nd and Christian, just a short walk from where we live. The restaurant was busy, though we snagged one of the last open tables. D and I both had a Bell's Double Cream stout (shout-out to Kalamazoo!), and for dinner D had the angus burger while I had the S.O.B. black bean burger (with a half portion of fries and half portion of the house salad, a brilliant compromise). The black bean burger was kind of awesome -- I'm a huge fan of vegetarian burgers that are clearly made in house.

All in all, a busy, but fun, weekend. Now, if only we could fast-forward to next weekend. The work week is always getting in my way!
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Mid-Morning Snack: Muffin and a Chai


Another grey and gloomy day in Philly. However, the sun decided to make a quick appearance, so I opted to take advantage of the teasing rays of light and snuck out to run a couple quick errands. First stop was to Starbucks, where I ordered my ol' standard, a grande nonfat chai latte. Then on to Whole Foods, where I picked up the vegan lemon coconut muffin pictured above. I figured the flavors would at least make me feel like I was in a tropical location, even if the temperature outside is in the 30s. Since April is National Grilled Cheese Month, I decided to pick up a few ingredients in order to start the celebration off right.


What's on the menu for tonight? A grilled cheese sandwich made with freshly baked sourdough bread, heirloom tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese handcrafted in Vermont. Which could quite possibly be a contender for the Most Pretentious Grilled Cheese Ever. And, since we still have some leftover pesto and basil, I think those ingredients will also have a guest-starring role in the panini as well. Who's excited? Is it dinnertime yet?!
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