I guess it made a lasting impression...

Five years ago, a group of friends from our church here in DC used to go down every Friday afternoon/evening to the sand volleyball courts by the Potomac River and play a few games of pick up.  Having played volleyball very, very momentarily in high school, it was always a fun time to connect with friends, get a tiny bit of exercise and impress people with my amazing serve.  Which I'm obviously very humble about.

One Friday that summer, we had just finished a set of games and decided that the logical step after completing said games was to go gorge ourselves on local Mexican food.  A little place down on the Hill (where 99.9% of our friends lived back then) was chosen and we made the drive across the city, sweaty and sandy, but in a good mood and ready for even more of a good time. 

Sitting down at a booth once we arrived, I looked up and realized that there were more friends there than I had expected.  So of course I scooted (scootched?) down the bench, hoping to make room.  And then I felt a very sharp, sharp pain and a little throbbing.

My foot was gushing blood, punctured by a broken beer bottle that was lodged under a table.

I don't remember exactly what happened next, but I know I didn't scream or cry.  I think I motioned that my foot was gushing blood (in case people couldn't see it) and I tried to hop back to the bathroom of the restaurant.  Did I mention that my foot was gushing blood?  Spurting, really, is a better way to describe it.  I'm pretty sure there was blood on the walls.

Finally making it back to the bathroom, I began to feel light-headed.  Did I mention blood was shooting out of me?  I sat down in the bathroom and was immediately swarmed by well-intentioned women who worked at the restaurant.  Unable to understand what they were saying to me, all I could really understand was, "This will stop the bleeding" as they poured coffee grounds on my foot.  Reader, I swear to you that I am not making this up.  Thankfully, one of our friends finally had the bright idea that I needed to get to the emergency room, and so one of the guys carried me out to his car (this would have been somewhat romantic had I, 1) not been gushing blood and 2) been in a clear state of mind).  Finally arriving up at the emergency room, the doctor took one look at me, told me the worst part was the coffee grounds that had been poured into the wound and then gave me three little stitches to sew me up (did I mention he had to first dig out the coffee grounds?  Oh yes.  That was not pleasant.)

Needless to say, the restaurant felt very, very bad.  They covered the medical costs, but still felt remorse for the "emotional damage" that had been done.  How to repair that?  Why, free drinks every time I came in of course!  And reader, I'll be honest.  I took advantage of it (as did some of my friends).  When a bill would come near, I would wince and say, "oh, my foot," always guaranteed that the bill would be taken care of.

(Ok, I didn't really do that.  But I thought about it once or twice.)

This past weekend, over five years later, M and I were craving Mexican food and decided to stop by Las Plas for the first time since moving back.  We shared a meal, I had sangria, he had a beer, and we were about to ask for our check when.....

Free drinks appeared.  Not just one, but multiple.  Like, flowing.  And, sure enough, the waiter who had been there on Bloody Friday walked over to me to say hello.  Did you catch that the cutting incident was OVER FIVE YEARS AGO?  The waiter even asked me where I had been the last two years (I have good friends who didn't even realize we were gone!)  He said, "I still remember you.  It's good to have you back."

I guess it made a lasting impression. 

The best brussels sprouts you will ever eat

Quite a statement, right?  But friends, believe me, these are some dang good brussels sprouts.  (And who knew it was "brussels" and not "brussel"?)

I was first turned on to brussels sprouts from a friend who told me about the amazing sprouts she had at another friend's house.  Then last night, I consulted Mark Bitman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian- a gift from another friend (did you know M was a vegetarian until he suddenly started eating meat on our honeymoon?  True story) added some bacon and came up with this.

1 lb brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half.
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 slice uncooked thick-cut bacon (you can add more), diced
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

1.  Coat a large oven-safe skillet with olive oil.  Heat oil on the stove top on medium to medium-high heat.
2.  When oil is heated, add brussels sprouts, cut side down.  Sprinkle with garlic, bacon, salt and pepper.
3.  DO NOT TOUCH THE SPROUTS.  If you're anything like me, this will be extremely hard.  But just let them be!  It's better for them, and for you.  Trust me.  If you have to do something, you can shake the pan a little.
4.  After approximately ten minutes, remove sprouts from stove top, stirring.  Do you see their golden beauty?  Yep, that's because you left them alone.
5.  Place skillet in 450 degree oven for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6.  Enjoy the best brussels sprouts you will ever eat.

In the Bleak Midwinter

Ok, it's not quite "midwinter" yet.  Is it even winter yet?  God, please, say it is.  Because I'm already cold and grumpy.  In a loving, happy sort of way, of course.

Things have been really crazy lately, due to my role in the Breakthrough Christmas Store (it's not too late to donate new toys and gifts for parents to purchase at a discounted rate!) and M's finals (which he ROCKED by the way!  Or at least has rocked the two he's taken at this point- one law class and one policy class).  But we've still made an effort to get out of the apartment and enjoy the beauty of the season.

First stop, the University of Chicago Harper Library (please note: there are not actually any books here.  Apparently there were at some point.)  I like to sit here and just stare.  Come to think of it, that might freak people out who are there studying...especially since I usually have a goofy grin on my face as I'm sitting.

M's enthusiasm is somewhat less than mine.  And by "somewhat less" I mean that he doesn't bat an eye.  Chalk it up to being surrounded by the beauty of the campus on a daily basis.  I, however, just FEEL smarter sitting here.  Smrtuhr.  That's me.

Also, it sort of reminds me of Harry Potter and/or Oxford, which both make me happy.  Sigh.

Then, since you know M is German and all, we have to stop by the Christkindlmarket.

It's the largest German Christmas market outside of Germany apparently.  And they sell authentic German Christmas stuff at authentic (read: outrageous) European prices!  Yesss!!  It's also a great place to have a reindeer propose to you, as one of our Breakthrough interns, Rae, found out.  (They're writing about them all over the world, y'all! Seriously, google it.  Oh and watch the video on YouTube.  I like the homeless lady at the end.)

And when we're tired of walking around, it's always nice to come back to the apartment and relax.

This afternoon, I made some wonderful granola (healthy) and some of my favorite cookies covered in sprinkles (not so healthy).  Does anyone else remember eating these cookies as a child?  They always remind me of being a kid.  Later, as the next winter storm hits tonight, we'll have homemade vegetable soup with bread and prosciutto on the side.  Ah, the life.

So maybe it's not such a bleak time of the year after all.  Beautiful buildings, yummy food and fun markets make the snow much more bearable.  Oh, and then of course there's moments, as you sit in the holiday traffic, when you see gems like this...

Merry Midwinter!

Finally, a "Garden"

There are some real benefits to living in an apartment.

Granted, I can't actually think of them right now, but I'm sure there are some.  Low maintenance costs, maybe?

Unfortunately, outdoor living space is not one of them.  And as much as I've talked about how I would love a garden, our small third floor walk up doesn't really work for a green thumb.

Until now.

These herbs, courtesy of my cousin Allie's wedding (sidenote: herbs make a beautiful centerpiece for reception tables!!) are sitting pretty on the ledge outside our living room window.  Just last night, I cut off two cups worth of basil to make a beautiful pesto and I'm trying to figure out what fun things to do with chocolate mint (it really smells like chocolate!)

It might not be the fresh vegetables I would love to one day grow, but it's a start.  And while we have to thoroughly wash everything since bus and car exhaust from Hyde Park Boulevard does make its way up here, it's definitely a great place for these little herbs to get some sun and some rain.  And that's a start.

Yes, I said pineapple

One of the great things about summer is that M doesn't have to study every evening.  Not only does this mean that we can go work out together (it's so much easier when someone else is expecting you to do it) but it also means that M cooks dinner quite a bit. 

Anyone who knows anything about M knows that he's a great cook.  I would even venture to say that he might be better than me (and- yes, I'm bragging- I'm pretty darn good).  He's much more creative and willing to try things until he gets them right, making up his own proportions and such.  And 9.5 times out of 10, he gets it spot on the first time.  How did I get so lucky??!  Did I also mention that he's brilliant, humble, wise, calm, quick-witted, athletic, a true leader and super attractive, inside and out?  Because he is.  Just saying.

So anyway, since he's not studying a million hours a day (I am not exaggerating), he's been cooking quite a bit.  So when he offered to make dinner the night I had planned to make lasagna, I couldn't refuse.

And, dear Jesus, it might have been the best lasagna I've ever had.  It had the perfect proportion of sauce, cheese, spinach and noodle and he added a tiny bit of pepperoni to give us a little bit of protein.  But the best part?  The best part was...the pineapple.  Sprinkled on the top, with a coating of mozzarella on top of that, I could have probably licked the pan clean it was so good.

I don't know why it never dawned on me to add pineapple to lasagna.  I love it on pizza, which is basically the exact same ingredients, but I never thought about it outside of the confines of deep dish or thin crust.  But seriously.  Do yourself a favor and try it.  If you like pineapple on pizza, you'll like it on lasagna.  I guarantee it. 

Not for the Faint of Heart

Or stomach, for that matter.

At the corner of Elizabeth and Lake Streets in the West Loop, you'll find Peoria Packing, my newest love. We originally found it back in February when we were showing a friend around the city. And after that one trip...I was hooked.

If you know anything about Chicago- or Upton Sinclair- you know of the city's (in)famous love of, well, meat (and casseroles. It is the midwest, after all). Lake Street is Exhibit A. Meat packing store after meat packing store, which really means giant walk-in refrigerators with literally EVERY PART OF THE ANIMAL that you can imagine. Need a pig head? It's here (you can thank me for not posting that picture). How about an ox tail? Yep. And the most ridiculously large rack of ribs? It's here, too.

And here's the best part. The meat is CHEAP. For instance, I got a huge pot roast, 3 full chicken breasts (which is equal to six separate chicken breasts-that I broke down myself, thank you very much) four thick-cut pork chops and a bunch of ground beef, all for $32. THIRTY TWO DOLLARS. Now, I'm thinkin' this meat ain't organic (which I really would prefer if, say, we had more disposable income) but for what you get, it can't be beat.

So I spent my Saturday afternoon doing a little meat packing of myself, breaking down my chickens, packing and freezing the meat and then making half of the huge pot roast, just as so many midwesterners have done before me. Now I just need to find a good ground beef casserole recipe...

More like our Grandmothers

There's a New York Times Magazine article making its way around Facebook right now called the The Femivores Dilemma that I highly recommend you check out. The article itself is but a tiny glimpse of a neat little revival of sorts (minus big tents and people passing out) among young, hip- and oftentimes urban- families.

I have an apron just like that

The jist of the article is to tell us about a growing trend toward home-grown, unprocessed food, even-gasp- chickens. The idea is that it's not only healthier, it's also, somehow, more pure, more community-focused and less, well, consumer-driven. Like the majority of our grandmothers had, this new trend focuses on sustainable "kitchen gardens" that can feed a family, save money and ultimately allow women (and men) the opportunity to again work with their hands and bring life out of dark soil.

There is a feminist piece in the article that I won't go into (though I find it enlightening)...what is more interesting to me is this paragraph:

As I rustled up a quick dinner of whole-wheat quesadillas and frozen organic peas, I found my thoughts drifting back to our conversation, to the questions she raised about the nature of success, satisfaction, sustenance, fulfillment, community. What constitutes “enough”? What is my obligation to others? What do I want for my child? Is my home the engine of materialism or a refuge from it?

At its heart, I believe these are deeply spiritual questions, questions that I wish the American church in particular would take more seriously. These are questions, as we have budgeted and cut and downsized and budgeted again, that M and I are taking a long, hard look at. What is fulfillment? What is enough? What do our lives say are the answers to these questions? While we can't literally have a kitchen garden (but will be planting tomatoes and some herbs on our itsy bitsy back staircase), how do we make decisions that reflect our belief that our worth is not found in the things we possess, the restaurants we eat at or even in the neighborhood we live in? How do we live responsibly, not because it's "cool" right now, but because we believe it's part of our Christian calling? How can we encourage others, others who strive and strive to reach the top of that ladder or make that extra million or whatever it might be, that these worldly pursuits, while they may be golden, are fleeting? Do not read this as a condemnation of enjoying trips or food or homes or what have you- but do see this as a condemnation of the Gospel of More Stuff.

I don't know the answers. Even still, I know these are all questions worth asking.

Hello, Cupcake

In the late summer of 2006, my office was having a small party for something or another. Though I am usually a big baker, for some reason (which I don't remember now), I bought cupcakes for our party at the grocery store. You know what I'm talking about, right? Those sometimes oddly-colored concoction that are half cake and half icing? And you start shaking after eating one because of all the sugar?

Yeah, one of those.

At the time, one of my co-workers, MG, took a cupcake up to her office, maybe to eat it later, maybe to look at it...I'm not sure why exactly. And there it sat.

And sat.

And sat.

And.....sat.

Molding, right? Going through some process of decolorization, surely.

Nope.

That's right. Nothing happened. Nothing. When I left in August 2009 (THREE YEARS LATER) the cupcake- while maybe slightly smaller- looked exactly the same. In fact, MG and I were just emailing today and she told me the cupcake remains, just as before. Like God, the cupcake never changes.

Mmmm. Go getcha one of those.

Friday Round-Up

Praise the Lord, it's Friday! Here's what happened this week.

1. I somehow pushed the cork of our wine bottle INTO the bottle, instead of pulling it out. What can I say? I can do amazing things. I also sprayed red wine all over my white shirt in the process. Awesome!!

2. I drank 20 full glasses of water at work over the course of the week.

3. It snowed. Again.

4. It was butt cold. Again.

5. I finally got a new pair of jeans that look halfway decent.

6. I learned who invented the stoplight. (Thank you, Breakthrough youth Black History Month celebration!)

7. I made an awesome PowerPoint.

8. I successfully kept myself from mindlessly watching TV. We did watch Lost, but that's not mindless. AND, Lost (and new episodes of The Office) are part of our Lenten agreement with God.

9. I purchased our tickets to DC for Easter.

10. I arrived EARLY to work 3 days.

11. I almost ran out of gas twice.

12. I brought my lunch to work 4 out of 5 days. And the other day doesn't count because we were celebrating all the February birthdays.

13. I added 30 people on my LinkedIn profile in an office competition. And I would just like to say that what should matter is how many you have, not how many you can acquire in two weeks. I'm just saying.

14. I did the "2:30 Candy Dance" around the office. Don't ask. It's sorta scary. And there might be children watching.

15. Umm...probably lots of other stuff but those are the standouts.

Ok, so when I list it out like that, it doesn't really amount to much, does it? But hey, it's the small victories, right? RIGHT?!

Have a great weekend!

Top Things I Love

Oh my gosh, it's been so long since I blogged. But...it was my birthday and then we were in Florida (it was great, thanks for asking) so I am WAAAAAY behind. Anyway. My apologies. Let me fill that void now that has been in your life.

Let me tell you about the top things I love. Obviously, numero uno, God (does the Trinity take up numbers 1, 2 and 3). Number two, Mason. And number three? Let me introduce you to...

No, not Delta. THE COOKIE! Biscoff, to be exact. Now that's not REALLY the thing I love the third most in the world. Because you can't forget family and champagne stoppers (sidenote: the stopper is so good that I'm still drinking the bubbly goodness of the bottle M got me for my birthday. No, I didn't drink it all that night.)

But OH MY GOSH! What is it about these little cookies?! EVERY time I fly Delta I feel my heart beat just a little bit faster when I hear that little drink trolley headed my way. Ok, I'm slightly exaggerating. I even ate the cookies on 3 of the 4 flights to and from Florida this weekend, despite my low sugar diet...and subsequently only felt slightly guilty by all the "bad food" we ate the rest of the weekend.

Maybe it's because they're European? Or because they're sweet but not too sweet? Whatever the reason, I love them. A lot. And they're practically free, right? Minus that whole "$250 you just paid for a ticket" thing...

Move Over Bobby Flay

Actually, I'm not really a big fan of Bobby Flay. Not sure why...maybe it's that he's so...everywhere. He's the poster child of the Food Network. Throw Down with Bobby Flay. The Life and Times of Bobby Flay. Iron Chef Bobby Flay. Like Rachel Ray. But anyway.

With the long weekend, I was able to spend a significant portion of my time cooking. And in case you don't know me by now, I love cooking. Love it. I love making things up as I go, like my new wholewheat carrot muffins. Or my pork tenderloin recipe. And so, I give you my...

stuffed poblano pepper with homemade tortilla chips and a fresh tomatillo sauce (salsa verde)

It looks delicious, doesn't it? And it was, my friends, it was. And here's the great thing: it's healthy (or, I should say, not as unhealthy as a lot of Mexican food)! Those chips you see? They're baked. Yep. Small corn tortillas, cut into slices, with just a tiny bit of olive oil and kosher salt. The poblano pepper? I "roasted" it over our stovetop (ie held it over the open flame and rotated it) and then stuffed it with a very spicy, very lean ground beef, green chiles and my version of a Spanish rice- no cheese necessary. And of course the piece de resistance, the tomatillo sauce. Hyde Park produce had beautiful tomatillos (which are technically out of season, but...) that I just had to grab them up. Man, it was good.

I've yet to find a healthy, authentic Mexican restaurant in Chicago (minus Rick Bayless, who we simply can't get reservations for and usually can't afford, though he's amazing), so it's nice to know that I can cook up my own, healthy version of some of my Mexican food favorites. Now it's on to the margaritas...