Friday, January 31, 2014

Tossed Salads and Scrambled Eggs

For the past week,  I've been a blur of coughing, mucus, and chest pains with a touch of feverish delirium. After finally forcing my aching bones to MedExpress last Thursday, I was diagnosed with severe bronchitis bordering on pneumonia. Needless to say, I was away from the office for days and became rather attached to Lifetime's morning Frasier marathon. I also grew accustomed to having a warm kitten on my lap at all times.


As I adopted a diet of jello and hot toddies, poor Boyfriend had been on his own with cooking dinner since last Tuesday, but now that I've returned to work and have started using normal hygiene habits again, it was time for me to regain control of the kitchen for tonight's meal. 

I opted to make one of Boyfriend's favorite chicken dishes, with a side of Parmesan rice and brown sugar glazed carrots.  To start the rice, I browned two cloves of minced garlic in oil then added two cups of chicken broth, one tablespoon of lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Once this came to boiling, I added one cup of brown rice, reduced heat and let cook for about 35 minutes, until the liquid was absorbed.

While the rice was cooking, I browned two chicken breasts, seasoned in poultry spices, in olive oil.  


Once the chicken was cooked, I transferred it to a plate and draped each piece in provolone cheese until melted.  Then, I added sliced baby portobello mushrooms and fresh baby spinach to the pan, until the mushrooms softened and the spinach wilted.  Once the vegetables are ready, I covered the chicken breast with the spinach-mushroom mixture.



During this time, I also cut two medium carrots into strips and covered them in a pot with water, then brought the water to a boil. After ten minutes of boiling, I drained the carrots and added one tablespoon of butter and one tablespoon of brown sugar into the pot, plus a dash each of salt and pepper. Once blended, I returned the carrots to the pot and stirred until fully coated.


At that point, the rice was finally done, so I fluffed it up with a fork, added a handful of grated Parmesan and plated the first dinner that I had prepared in a week.  Boyfriend was a happy camper with his cheesy chicken and we dined together while watching our new obsession, Breaking Bad.



It's a simple and healthy meal representing a few food groups and is a good way to begin the work week. Not quite as fun as jello and hot toddies, but it was time to stop eating like a 90-year-old great aunt in a nursing home anyway. 




Saturday, January 25, 2014

Snow Day

Along with the rest of the east coast, Pittsburgh has decided to become an arctic tundra as of late, which means that the shortest trip outdoors requires six layers of clothing and countless pairs of socks. My space heater has become my workplace BFF and I've promised my first born to my car's seat warmer out of respect.

Last night, we had plans to visit Bridgeville's Walnut Grille with some of Boyfriend's friends; however, those plans fell through. I decided that the only thing that could salvage such a freezing night without plans could be soup... Creamy, cheesy potato soup.

Growing up, I was a huge fan of my mom's potato soup with pieces of ham and a sprinkling of cheddar. I used to down several bowls of it for dinner (I think that my record was six) and the meal was something of which I would never tire. 

Now that I'm the meal preparer, I love any excuse to make potato soup and a fridgid night in seemed like as good an excuse as any.  As with most nights while prepping dinner, I had a captive audience. 



I start by baking two potatoes for an hour at 425 degrees. When they're done, I scoop out the innards and keep them in a bowl until I'm ready. While the potatoes bake, I cooked four slices of chopped turkey bacon, then set it aside until later.


Then, I melt three tablespoons of butter in a large pot and once melted, I toss in three chopped green onions. When these have softened, I stir in three tablespoons of flour, a dash of salt and pepper, along with about 1/4 teaspoon of dried dill.  

After a slight rue has formed, I slowly pour in four cups of milk while stirring. 


I stir and cook this for about twenty minutes until thickened.  Unfortunately, this particular batch of potato soup did not want to thicken and I became too impatient while waiting. When the soup reaches your desired thickness (or until you become too hungry and just want to eat), add the reserved potato innards and a handful of shredded cheddar. 


When the cheese melts, ladle the soup into bowls and top with more cheese and the bacon.  Voila! 


Despite the lack of thickening, this soup is still a good, filling and warm meal for bitter cold Friday night.  Not quite like mom's, but it's probably best if I don't eat six bowls of soup anyway.   




Saturday, January 18, 2014

Pamela's Diner


As I've mentioned in my first post, Pittsburgh has so much to offer in terms of culture, entertainment, and especially food. There are certain places in Pittsburgh that warrant special trips to the city just for the cuisine. Pamela's Diner is one of those places.

Pamela's is a trademark in the city and has five locations. The diner has been around since 1980 and has a reputation for being busy and absolutely delicious. My Curly Sister and I were heading to Pittsburgh's Squirrel Hill neighborhood for some afternoon ceramics at Color Me Mine, but I suggested a late breakfast at Pamela's first. I arrived about 25 minutes early (my punctuality is a sickness) so after traipsing around Murray Avenue for awhile, the bitter cold pushed me toward Pamela's to request a table. 

Standing room is non-existent in the diner, but the clanging of forks on plates, laughter from patrons, and kitchen commotion creates a care-free vibe. A wait time was obvious, but nobody seemed to be bothered. Pittsburgh is often referred to as a friendly place and that doesn't stop at a packed diner with hungry Pittsburghers on a frigid Saturday morning. 

Shockingly enough, I only waited about 10 minutes for a table for two. The genuinely chipper server asked if he could bring me a drink while I waited for my sister and I requested hot chocolate to warm my chilled bones. 


The mug was filled with warm chocolately goodness and heaped with freshly made whipped cream. I warmed my hands on the mug while I sipped the most awesomely delicious hot chocolate that I've had in ages. Swiss Miss has nothing on Pamela's. 

Curly Sister arrived and it didn't take us long to make our final food decisions. I ordered the strawberry hot cakes and Curly Sister ordered the chocolate banana hotcakes. We shared an order of Pamela's "famous" lyonnaise potatoes. My hot cakes were rolled and filled with fresh strawberries and a creamy sauce made of brown sugar and sour cream, then topped with more of the whipped cream. 

What makes Pamela's hotcakes so incredible is the width. They're quite thin, but crispy around the edges. I didn't feel overwhelmed by a too-fluffy pancake that seemed to expand in my stomach after two bites. 

The lyonnaise potatoes were fantastic. I'm not an onion fan, but I didn't even notice them among the soft potatoes and buttery goodness. 


The only downside that I can think of about Pamela's is that it is a cash-only establishment. As a chronic debit card user, this was a mild inconvenience, but sometimes, you just have to suck it up and visit an ATM. 

For Pamela's hotcakes, I'd gladly suck it up and withdraw cash, because it means that I can suck up more pancakes and hot chocolate. If you're new in Pittsburgh, visiting Pittsburgh, or if you've lived here for 100 years, please make sure that you always have a pocket of cash to spend on a gem like Pamela's.

Pamela's P & G Diner on Urbanspoon

Monday, January 13, 2014

Sunday Quiche

Every week as I am crafting my list for Sunday's traditional grocery shopping adventure, I ask Boyfriend "do you have any requests for dinner?" Usually, he responds with normal replies of "maybe chicken Parmesan?" or "how about salmon?" 

But every once in awhile, Boyfriend will smirk when I ask, look pensive, and request a completely random or imaginary meal. He cracks himself up by doing this, while I try to pretend that his suggestion of chicken-cantaloupe-casserole with a side of green bean soufflé is a hilarious notion.

About two-and-a-half years ago, Boyfriend's face lit up with a smirk when I asked for recommendations. He thought long and hard before saying "quiche!" 

I had never even eaten quiche at this point in my life and had certainly never prepared it, but I considered this challenge accepted. I hit the cookbooks and found an easily modified version. Our love affair with spinch bacon quiche was born. 

Boyfriend suggested that we have a nice Sunday quiche yesterday, and I gladly agreed. It had been awhile since we last enjoyed one.  Due to a request via Instagram for a recipe, I'm here to detail the glory that is spinach bacon quiche.

First, I cook six slices of chopped turkey bacon with red pepper flakes until the turkey bacon is cooked.  When this happens, I add a square of (defrosted and squeezed) frozen spinach. I heat the spinach through, stirring to break up the freezer-induced square shape. 


I cheat and use a frozen pie crust a la the Pilsbury Dough Boy. Perhaps someday I'll be ambitious enough to create my own crust, but for now, I continue to poke Dough Boy's belly and use the premade crust. When the spinach is heated, I dump the mixture into the crust.

In a medium bowl, I combine half a cup of cottage cheese, a handful of shredded Swiss, one 16 oz carton of Egg Beaters (do NOT use the Egg Beaters Egg Whites. I tried this once with terrible results), a few sprinkles of salt, pepper, oregano and paprika. I adore paprika, so it usually go a bit overboard there. 

I mix this all together, pour it into the crust and place the quiche into the oven set to 350 degrees.


I check the quiche about forty minutes in by inserting a butter knife into the center. If it comes out clean, you are almost ready to devour. After the middle is set, I allow the quiche to sit for 10 minutes before  slicing a piece. Boyfriend and I like to eat our quiche with sour cream, but that's just our preference.

Last night's was one of my better quiches, or perhaps it seemed that way because it had been so long since our last quiche dinner. Either way, it was delicious and continues to serve as a warning that any and all dinner request challenges may result in actual dinner.



Sunday, January 12, 2014

Prayers

Welcome to the second installment of dining out and reviewing our evening as part of Mission: Experience 2014.

Last night, Boyfriend and I dined at the Church Brew Works in Lawrenceville with Mr. and Mrs. Magpie.  I met Mrs. Magpie in 2010 when we both worked for a background screening company run by an 80-year-old lunatic and her equally as elderly husband. 

Mrs. Magpie and I formed an instant friendship based upon a shared affinity for grammatical accuracy, appreciation of Barbie in the development of a young girl (we once came to near fisticuffs with our co-worker during her lunchtime proclamation of the evils of Barbie and patterned tights), and our adoration of vodka gimlets. 

We have each moved on from that company, but have remained friends and co-conspirators in the judgement of others. 

So, as I said, we dined with the Magpies last night at the Church Brew Works, a restaurant and brewery housed in a refurbished Roman Catholic Church in Lawrenceville. This was my second time at Church Brew, following an unfortunate summertime visit when I had forgotten my wallet and my generous friend purchased my lunch. Due to the inconvenience, I chose the cheapest menu item, but the second time around, I made sure that my wallet was present. 

After a hectic search for parking, we found a spot down the road from the restaurant.  The parking lot was filled and the street lined, so we were lucky to stop circling.  Church Brew Works does not accept reservations during the weekend and we were prepared to wait an hour for a table; however, our pager began buzzing mere minutes after Boyfriend and I requested a table. 

As pleasant as this surprise was, it was made even more positive when the host guided us to an intimate corner booth toward the back of the restaurant. Boyfriend and I are big booth fans and this one provided ample room and seclusion from the hustle and bustle of the busy restaurant. 



While we waited for the Magpies to find parking, Boyfriend and I reviewed the drink menu with our server, Ashley.  Ashley was well-informed on the menu and was able to describe available brews with detail. We ordered an appetizer of smoked Gouda, feta and spinach dip, along with two beers.  I had the vanilla stout, reminiscant of my beloved Southern Tier Creme BrĂ»lĂ©e. 

I really enjoyed the Church Brew's vanilla stout and had another throughout the course of dinner. It wasn't too heavy and had a perfectly subtle vanilla aftertaste. Boyfriend doesn't recall he name of his first beer, but he enjoyed it. It was light and went down pretty smoothly. 


The appetizer arrived just as the Magpies sat down to join us. I expected more of a liquid dip, but the smoked Gouda, feta and spinach appetizer was more solid, and delicious. As I've mentioned before, I'm a whore for feta and who doesn't enjoy a nice Gouda? The appetizer quickly disappeared while we gave Ashley our dinner orders.  

Mrs. Magpie and I each ordered the pierogie sautĂ©, homemade potato and cheese pierogie sautĂ©ed with diced tomatoes, broccoli (I declined) and served with a garlic cream sauce. I added chicken to mine and Mrs. Magpie opted for pancetta. I truly enjoyed my dinner and thought that the garlic cream sauce was perfect. I absolutely love pierogie and finding a quality homemade version (no offense, Mrs. T) is always exciting. The flavors blended well and I am looking forward to heating up the leftovers for lunch. 

Boyfriend ordered the buffalo meatloaf, which came with red potato croquette and braised greens. We had to ask Ashley to describe the potato croquette; once she explained that it is basically fried mashed potatoes, Boyfriend was sold. He said that the buffalo meatloaf  was just okay (he prefers my homemade sundried tomato version), but that the potato croquette was good. 

Mr. Magpie ordered and devoured the wild boar cassoulet. He enjoyed it and was the only one at our table who didn't require a takeout box. 

All-in-all, our experience at the Church Brew Works was a good one. The atmosphere is unique and the decor provides a lot of visual stimulation. The food was delicious and the beer options plentiful. 

I'm not a religious person, but if I had to enter a house of worship, one serving vanilla stout and homemade pierogie would be my first choice. Amen.

Church Brew Works on Urbanspoon

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

The Cleanse - The Grand Finale

I just finished my last drink of the Dr. Oz Three Day Detoxification Cleanse and I have to say... I could totally demolish an entire cake right now. 

    As a child, this scene in Matilda always made me hungry


The past three days of liquid haven't been easy, but they also haven't been as terrible as I initially imagined. I certainly can't speak for Boyfriend on this; he's been hot mess central for days. 

I shamed Dr. Oz again and didn't finish my lunch shake, but I did devour the snack shake, which was a repeat of breakfast. I needed to refuel for my Barre and Pilates Fitness class, which I coerced two of my coworkers to take with me in the event of my collapse. I did advise them to crumble my corpse into the corner and resume their workouts; however, I impressed myself by finishing the hour class and still being able to walk to my car at the end. 

It was my first Barre and Pilates class and I probably shouldn't have started on the final day of a cleanse, but people low on food intake don't always make the best decisions. I assumed that barre would be similar to my beloved Yoga Booty Ballet; however, I was sadly mistaken. Don't get me wrong, Gillian and Teigh make me work, but Pat at Amerifit showed no mercy and didn't once compliment my booty. 

I began with energy and zeal. I ended with sweat and aches. My leg lifts got lower and lower as the clock ticked minute-by-minute. My thighs couldn't fathom the idea of holding a ball and squeezing said ball, all while lifting my leg and bringing it across my body. Graceful, I was not. I was thankful for the teacher-mandated chair on my left for support, both physical and emotional.

I came home and made the final shakes for both Boyfriend and me. I made extra for Boyfriend, to avoid his passing out from near starvation. He has expressed the sincere excitement of a child on Christmas Eve for tomorrow morning's egg and oatmeal feast.

As of this morning, Boyfriend lost two pounds and I lost five. I'm proud of both of us for sticking it out and completing the cleanse (although I didn't always follow protocol and skipped a few drinks). Would I recommend Dr. Oz's Three Day Detoxification Cleanse? Sure, for a jump start on healthy living, not as a way to lose quick weight. Make sure you have a dedicated partner and the ability to look cookie dough in the face and say "no means no... Whore."


Tuesday, January 7, 2014

The Cleanse - Day Two

Temperatures in Pittsburgh today were arctic with below zero wind chills. I just so happen to work for the greatest company in the world; therefore, our office was closed due to the frigid temperatures. It was a great day for sleeping late, snuggling with my kitten and watching Lifetime.

Fiona is the world's most cuddly kitten 


Unfortunately, it was also a great day to listen to my stomach growl. Now, I didn't actually feel hungry, but when you're in the house all day with nothing really to do, the contents of your cupboard start saying things. Mean things. Things like "cleansing is for losers!" and "have some Golden Grahams, all the cool kids are doing it!"

Much to my surprise, I managed to fight the voices and the urges. I stayed in bed for as long as I possibly could rolled up in nine blankets like a burrito. Before he left, Boyfriend double tucked me in to ensure ultimate warmth and immobility. It was delightful. 

I enjoyed my hot green tea when I finally rolled out of bed around 11 a.m. That's when the bag of Hershey Kisses in the cupboard started beckoning. I yelled at them to shut up and I checked my work e-mail  and did laundry. Productivity in place of grazing was today's fun. 

I had my breakfast shake and enjoyed it even more than I had yesterday. I think that I I didn't add as much almond butter, making a fruitier drink. Because I ate this shake so late, I ate neither my lunch nor my snack shake, which probably wasn't a wise decision. Dr. Oz would likely scold me for that.

Boyfriend called me midday and was again struggling with lack of solids. It didn't help that his office was freezing to the point that he had to wear a winter hat indoors. He's a big fan of protein and actually chewing food, so he's not built for such a cleanse, but his determination is solid. He will detox.

I did some Cardio Caberet Yoga Booty Ballet with my gal pals Gillian and Teigh at Swerve Studio in L.A. while my dog watched (critiqued).


I was proud of myself for actually working out, but I figured that I need to prepare for tomorrow's barre and Pilates class. By the end of the workout, however, it was clear that I had not consumed enough today. I felt tired, slightly dizzy and ravenous. I opened the freezer to get fruit for a dinner shake and a pint of ice cream fell into my arms. 

I was immediately smitten with the ice cream in distress act. Cookie dough... Such a slut. I threw the carton back into the freezer and blended away my desires. 

Tomorrow is the final day of the cleanse. I know that Boyfriend is eager to get it all over with and I am, too... Assuming we last that long. The moral of day two? Drink all of your shakes if you want to do Yoga Booty Ballet. Otherwise, you'll never come to the day's intention.

Namaste, bitches.

Monday, January 6, 2014

The Cleanse - Day One

We are almost through Day One of the Dr. Oz Three-Day Detoxification Cleanse and I must say that I don't feel nearly as hungry as I had anticipated. 

I woke and had green tea for the first time; I was surprised to find that I didn't hate it. Next was the breakfast shake, which wasn't bad. I liked the fruitiness of it, but found the taste of almond butter to be distracting. I couldn't finish the entire thing, but Boyfriend had no problem gulping down the last few swallows. 

I had prepped our lunch and snack shakes the night before, so I grabbed my shakes and made my way to work. I wasn't overly hungry by the time that lunch came, but I was overly hesitant to try the lunch shake.  If you recall, I don't eat vegetables. They make me nervous and they make me gag. This shake is green. I mean BRIGHT green and the consistency is unusual. I pureed the crap out of the celery, cucumber and kale, but the texture was still stringy. 


As for taste, the fruit included couldn't mask the vegetables lurking within. I struggled with this one and couldn't finish the shake within my hour-long lunch break, so I brought it back to my desk. As I took a massive swig of the green stuff, I felt my throat unwilling to accept the shake. I held it in my mouth for longer than normal and forced it down, while my stomach churned.  My co-worker questioned my look of nausea, while I waved him away and tried to avoid eye contact while my stomach was still deciding whether or not to accept this slime as a meal. 

In the end, I did finish the shake and quickly washed the glass to avoid the scent of cucumber and celery permeating my cubicle. This shake was so nauseous to me that I didn't even consider drinking my snack shake.

Boyfriend, on the other hand, guzzled his shakes and texted me midday that he was struggling to focus, struggling to work.... Basically, he was struggling to be alive after a day of liquid. I offered to make him actual food for dinner, but he's a trooper and declined. I was slightly worried about his commute home with an empty belly, disoriented head and in 2 degree weather. 

I had dinner shakes ready by the time that Boyfriend came home. These shakes are mostly fruit with kale and cayenne pepper. Generally, I welcome a touch of spice to my food; however, cayenne and fruit just seems wrong. I would have really enjoyed my dinner shake if it didn't singe my lips off during consumption. 


I failed to finish this shake, but Boyfriend welcomed the extra nourishment to his withering system. I feel fine at the end of Day One. Not fantastically and organically energized nor dying of starvation. 

I'm passing on the bath, too. Whatever I'm detoxing out of my body, I certainly don't want to lay in it in a pool of warm water. I'm hoping that tomorrow will bring similar results for me and some relieve for poor Boyfriend. He simply can't perish... Who would walk the dogs?


Sunday, January 5, 2014

We're Off to See the Wizard

Every once in awhile you come up with an idea and think "this is going to be awesome!" In the back of your head, there is a small voice saying "don't do it! This will NOT be awesome." I keep urging the small voice to shut the heck up and be supportive, but so far, the voice is being such a Negative Nancy. 

Tomorrow will mark Day One of my and Boyfriend's attempt at Dr. Oz's Three-Day Detox Cleanse. The cleanse consists of three days of three shakes designed to support immune health, detoxification and natural energy. I've read reviews and some proclaim the aforementioned benefits, but some also mention headaches, bloating and curmudgeonly attitudes. 
 


I'm fairly confident that I can handle this well, but I do have some concerns about Boyfriend. He is accustomed to three meals per day, plus ample healthy snacks. I often tell him that he is infantile in the way that he becomes cranky and overly groggy during times of hunger; however, he wants to try the cleanse and who am I to second guess his decision? I suppose that bodies commonly react to hunger in such a way. I've just never experienced it first hand. 

On our day before the cleanse, we treated ourselves to a blueberry pancake breakfast. I then embarked on my weekly shopping trip to Market District clutching a list laden with produce, flaxseed and coconut water. 

Market District was teeming with housewives in Steelers hoodies pushing carts full of Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Kraft and DiGiorno Pizza. Their ape-like children hung on the shelves, shouting for sweets and demolishing the free-sample lady's supply. I powered on and somehow made it through without bloodshed.


I did feel the need to inform the cashier what I was doing, so she didn't judge my purchase. She has done a similar seven day cleanse and said that her experience was a roller coaster: euphorically energized on day two, then suicide-inducing misery by day seven. Since our detox ends on day three, I'm hoping that we'll just ride high on that euphoric feeling.

Tonight, we'll feast on pizza and beer and then it's all business starting tomorrow at 6 a.m. Stay tuned to enjoy the euphoric energy and potentially suicide-inducing misery of the Dr. Oz Three Day Detox Cleanse. 

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

What's Up 2014


How was everyone's New Years Eve? Mine was pretty uneventful and consisted of a haircut, steak and Boyfriend developing a stomach bug, which I blame on my Ginger Sister for bringing her stomach bug into the house days prior. Boyfriend spent his night playing Call of Duty, while I read Markus Zusak's The Book Thief with a115 pound dog on my lap. We live dangerously, what can I say?

New Years Day was spent walking our giant dogs and relaxing. I'm a fan of holiday traditions, but you can bet your New Years party hat that the smell of pork roast and sauerkraut was not permeating our house. Despite my partial German descent, the mere thought of reeking up my house with cabbage and having to wash a hot dog before consumption is enough to yell "nein! Das ist widerlich!" 

To keep slightly with tradition of good luck New Years pork, I prepared pork served with orzo and asparagus. I cooked the pork, seasoned with garlic powder, salt and oregano, in olive oil. When it was browned, I added sliced grape tomatoes and heated through. 

Meanwhile, I cooked the orzo as directed and just as it was almost cooked completely, added a few handfuls of fresh baby spinach. Once the spinach wilted, I topped it with feta. Ahhh glorious feta cheese! Feta is the only reason that I like this meal and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I save the biggest hunks of it for my plate, but don't tell Boyfriend.


The orzo/feta masterpiece is then added to the skillet containing the pork and tomatoes. I finish it off with a  drizzle of lemon juice and call it dinner. 

I also cooked some fresh asparagus in olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper, then drizzled with lemon juice. Simple, but Boyfriend enjoys it quite a bit. Who doesn't love a side dish that alters the smell of his or her urine?


It's not the traditional pork roast and sauerkraut mess that many families consume on New Years Day, but it's my non traditional way of attempting tradition. The tradition of pork, apparently. 

I'm looking forward to beginning some new traditions this year, like eating out more often, seeing friends more often and enjoying life more often. Here's to 2014.

Happy New Year, Folks, and Happy Pork-Influenced Traditions!