Trick or treat? Guess which witch has her natural hair color again?! Ooooh, I love being a witch! I do this every once in awhile (go brunette, that is; I'm a witch all the time, ha), often in the fall when I'm sick of summer highlights. It's always a little shocking to see just how dark my hair has gotten over the years. (It shouldn't be, both my parents have dark hair, but mine's always been lighter than theirs, both naturally and, uh, not-so-naturally, see yesterday's post.) Kinda fun. It also puts alot of shine back into it which I appreciate mightily, especially after the job I did on it by putting my head under while swimming this summer. I will NOT be repeating that mistake next year. It's amazing how much lustre the chlorine steals, definitely not worth it. In truth, I'm always messing around with my hair, makeup, clothes, fragrance. I need to mix things up or I get bored to tears. In any given week I can exhibit bangs, no bangs. Long, longer. Curly, straight. Blonde, brunette. Side part, middle part. Don't even get me started on lipstick, lipgloss. Color, nude. Shadow, liner. Blush, bronzer. Why the hell not? It's FUN! I am not a low-maintenance girl...although I never pretended to be. Plus I'm married to one of the more (lovably) high-maintenance men out there, so I seem downright easy-going in comparison! For a witch...

Happy Halloween everyone! And stay warm and safe while trick-or-treating with the kiddies. Me, I'm hanging here at the hacienda, where it's a nice and cozy type of spooky, with a cup of witch's brew (aka decaf tea) and a book, handing out candy as the need arises. G'night!

Little bonus with John's bro Tom coming to stay with us tonight. He's in town on business, and therefore busy for din, but able to pull off sleeping here (and perhaps a little ice cream eating?) so we can see him at least a bit before he flies back to NYC at some ungodly hour tomorrow morning.

Today I cooked whole grain, protein-and-anti-oxidant-packed amaranth (I'm still on my new whole grains kick). Delicious! I had a bit drizzled with a little maple syrup as something sweet after lunch. Somewhat similar to quinoa in appearance and texture, I really like it, rarrr. Would make a nice tabbouleh-esque salad as well as a delicious warm cereal for breakfast, with dried fruit, nuts, and honey. I also baked yet another acorn squash (I can't help myself, I love it, sprinkled with cinnamon and roasted cut side down for an hour), and steamed an artichoke to have later this week - but instead had it for dinner tonight, oh well. Lurve artichokes. I've been cooking and then chilling vegies and whole grains ahead so I can pull together quick, healthy- tasty! - lunches and dinners for myself, but sometimes, you gotta eat it while the eatin's good, baby!

And Happy (Late) Birthday Cami Sue! You young 'un, no fair...

Happy Birthday Carol!

We had yet another amazing dinner at 20.21 last night, to celebrate Carol Mack's birthday. Her husband Aaron put together our little party, including their kids Ethan and Hannah, as well as Andrew Zimmern and his father Bob, visiting from Maine. And ohhh, I'm still full from our literal feast. I did do my best to take ONE bite of each of the 16 (!) different items we sampled, in the name of moderation and also to pace myself so I really could try everything, since it's always incredible (I confess, I had an extra bite of foie gras, and several bites of the stunning cake the pastry chef created for Carol):

crispy green beans with walnuts
creamy pumpkin soup
beef tartare on toast
salmon tartare in a sesame cone
salmon sashimi
hamachi (yellowtail)
seared foie gras
crispy butterfish
roasted salmon
glazed beef short ribs
slow-roasted pork shank
pureed taro root
grilled lamb chops
lobster curry risotto
assorted homemade sorbets
chocolate cake with white buttercream icing

Am I forgetting anything? I actually could be...! It was a beautiful meal, incredible service, fab setting - we had the table, overlooking downtown Minneapolis. And it's always great fun to hang with the Zimmerns and Macks! Actually, this was the second day in row we'd seen them, which never happens. On Friday John and I, plus the kids, attended an open house at the Zimmern's home, in honor of Bob's visit (all of Andrew's 200 or so close friends know Bob!). Andrew and Rishia had food brought in from the lovely I Nonni...again, I attempted small tasties of just a few scrumptious things - trying for moderation! - but was particularly blown away by a deboned-then-stuffed whole chicken, filled with porcini mushrooms and roasted until crispy. Killicious.

Nice weekend of food, huh? Sheesh! I walked my butt off yesterday and today in an attempt to counter all the loveliness. Today? Lots of green tea, steamed swiss chard, and light soup! Except for Nathan - tonight he gets to indulge, in pizza (of course!) with Stacey, Bowen, Baby Cooper, and my mom. He'll be as happy as I was eating foie gras, mmmm...

Hope you're enjoying this beautiful day - October has seriously sucked weather-wise, at least here in Minnesota, but today, we scored a beauty.

"I don't feel tardy!" That's a line from the Van Halen classic, Hot for Teacher, which I confess I listened to three (!) times in a row this morning on my walk, cracking up the entire time. Totally bawdy and ridiculous, and yet so infectious, I think I laughed for the entire 10 minutes. (Clearly that laughing did not put color in my cheeks, my goodness what a pallor...get that girl some blush!)

Actually, I do feel tardy, I know I'm way late in posting. I was away over the weekend, Nathan and I drove out to just north of Kerkhoven, MN, to visit my aunt Mary and uncle Bruce (aka Brucyn, Brucie, Bruce B Broccoli) on their lovely farm. Nathan had a blast taking pics and riding in the combine with my cousin Michael, who is helping his dad harvest corn and soybeans. And of course Nathan played and played with dogs Shep and Cody - Nathan and dogs, yet again. He was in heaven. (Plus, he took all of these amazing pics!)

I also had a blast, getting lots of time to hang and chat with Mary and Bruce in their cozy kitchen, as well as eat delicious food - lovely wine, beef stroganoff, tortellini soup, lots of coffee, pancakes with warm apples... YUM! My uncle Jim and aunt Marge came over for dinner Saturday night, it was great to see them too. Sunday morning Mary and I got a brisk walk - I love walking out there, no one else around, golden sunshine, rolling fields. I really feel away from the city, sleeping in their completely charming 100+ year old house, in my favorite yellow bedroom, in a bed loaded with soft pillows and warm quilts. I love the creaky stairs, and all the pictures of my grandma and grandpa, and Mary's incredible antique furniture and dishes, some of which belonged to Bruce's grandparents. They have lovingly and beautifullly restored - and added on to - the house that Bruce grew up in, it's very cool to be in a home with history.

By Sunday night Nathan and I were back home, back to homework and laundry and all the real stuff. Which is good too!

Tonight I'm making chicken paillards for dinner, with a big pan of sauteed mushrooms, and roasted acorn squash. (And rice for everyone else, ha!)

I've been having lots of fun cooking different grains, as I wrote about last week. The quinoa and rolled rye, and also millet and buckwheat. All delicious. I tend to make them for breakfast, with a bit of honey and chopped nuts stirred in. Mmmm... I also bought a fabulous pumpkin butter at Whole Foods - at 25 cals per tablespoon, it totally relieves the little craving I've been having for pumpkin pie (one of my absolute, all-time favorite desserts - in a good crust, preferably prepared by my aunt Marge, heavenly). I've been spreading it on Honeycrisp apple slices for a sweet - and healthy! - treat.

Check out this antioxidant-packed lunch. I felt so virtuous eating it - not to mention, it was delicious! Quinoa (red) with sauteed swiss chard. Mmm... I've been experimenting with different whole grains, especially those that are high in protein and with a big antioxidant punch to boot. For breakfast I had rolled rye - very similar to rolled oats, quick to cook, I just ate it with a drizzle of honey. And for lunch, this red quinoa.

From World's Healthiest Foods:

A recently rediscovered ancient "grain" native to Central America, quinoa was once called "the gold of the Incas," who recognized its value in increasing the stamina of their warriors. Not only is quinoa high in protein, but the protein it supplies is complete protein, meaning that it includes all nine essential amino acids. Not only is quinoa's amino acid profile well balanced, making it a good choice for vegans concerned about adequate protein intake, but quinoa is especially well-endowed with the amino acid lysine, which is essential for tissue growth and repair. In addition to protein, quinoa features a host of other health-building nutrients. Because quinoa is a very good source of manganese as well as a good source of magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorous, this "grain" may be especially valuable for persons with migraine headaches, diabetes and atherosclerosis.

It's so easy to prepare (similar to rice) and of course, yummy - or why bother, right? I left some plain to eat with honey for breakfast tomorrow, and stirred chopped scallion, radish, red onion, carrot, and garlic into the other half for my lunch today.

And of course swiss-chard, always delicious and nutritious. Trim away the large middle stem/rib, chop the greens, and "saute" in a small amount of water until tender. Right before it's done I stir in minced onion and garlic, a sprinkle of red pepper flakes and salt, and a small drizzle each of balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Perf.

How gorgeous are these flowers? I love receiving flowers - definitely a sensual pleasure. Plus, just damn fun! These arrived today, via Roger Beck florist, from my in-laws, Dot and John. Occasion? Our four-year anniversary tomorrow. We're celebrating tonight with the kids, a sure-to-be lovely dinner at D'Amico Cucina, where we all celebrated our first anniversary, making it sort of "our spot." We think of it as our family's anniversary, because our marriage brought together not just John and me, but Nathan and A as well.

Happy Birthday David!

How cute is this picture Stacey took of him, holding Coop, in Montana? Nice view off my parents' deck, huh? Spectacular. The blondie and the redhead look pretty cute, too!

Badgers vs. Gophers in Camp Randall today! Go Bucky, Go Bucky, F*ck 'Em Bucky, Go Bucky! Wish I were there, Gopher weekend in the Madtown is always great fun. LOTS of Minneapolitans make the scenic drive down I-94 for a naughty get-away in lovely Madison. What happens in Madtown stays in Madtown (forget Vegas, pshaw!)... So I raise a bratwurst in one fist, and a beer in the other (oh wait, I have to swallow my fried cheese curd first, ahhh, there she goes, smooth as silk, baby) - and scream CHEERS and good luck, Bucky!

In truth, there's neither beer, bratwurst, nor cheese curds on the menu for me today, sniff. No KK Klub Burger either. I think I'll treat myself at half-time to a big bowl of miso soup (which I really do love, so really not much of a sacrifice there) with a fresh, perfectly ripe pear for dessert. My weight loss efforts have been slowly successful so far, so I'm pretty motivated to stick with my uber-healthy fare, even while watching Badger football. You should have seen my grocery cart yesterday, I almost laughed. Tofu, raw almonds, frisee, kefir, olives, garlic, Ezekiel 4:9 sprouted grain bread - I could (almost) have passed for a vegan! Me! But I love all of those things, so I'm not feeling deprived one bit. (Plus, I made a steak for dinner on Wednesday night that tasted amazing to me, wow it was good, nothing more than grilled top sirloin, but man it hit the spot, mmmm...)

I made a decent taco salad for Stace the other night - with tofu! I had opened a package and used a small amount for miso soup, and since it's very perishable, and Stace loves tofu... I marinated it with lime, chili powder, garlic, and onion, then roasted it. Worked pretty nicely (not great enough to post a recipe, however.) I'm feeling my way...we'll see what I come up with this weekend. Stay tuned...

Hooooeeey! Good morning! That'll wake you up, a nice, brisk, 33 (!) degree walk to start the day. Few first snow flurries to boot. Whoa! But I was ready, with long underwear and windpants, a pocketful of tissues, and a soft hat. I actually enjoyed being out there, mostly because I've been so house-bound since getting sick last week. But also because the howling winds have yet to blow down all the beautiful leaves. Ah, Minnesota. Lovely; yet brrrrr...!

Happy Birthday to my father-in-law John! I hope you're planning a fabulous meal and some damn good wine!

Today, since I have CSA-veggie share broccoli and cauliflower sprouting from my fridge, I'm going to make another couple of Jacques Pepin gems - broccoli puree with brown butter and cauliflower with scallions and sesame oil. Both are gorgeous, delicious, simple. (Recipes posted in comments, below.)

And hey, I'll add a couple more recipes to boot, I made myself a tasty and satisfying lunch - miso soup and a cabbage, spinach, and apple salad with sesame dressing. Both super-simple, and good together. (Recipes posted in comments, below.)

Stay warm!

Ohhhh, I DID get knocked down with a cough, damn. I was down for the count yesterday, my friends, totally out of it. Better today, but still pretty tired. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be more myself and back to thinking up (lighter!) recipes. In the interim I've been grabbing simple things that require no prep like fruit, whole grain cereal, toast, plain yogurt, and lots of tea. More complicated fare tastes pretty odd and doesn't sit so well. Hey, looking on the bright side, I'm sure to drop a couple of pounds! Ha?

Yawn! I'm TIRED after my Kim & Suz Slumber Party! We had so much fun. Nice dinner, great wine, time to talk, an after-dinner stroll around the neighborhood, lots of silliness - basically, a total blast. We all padded off to bed around 1 a.m. - not quite like the good ol' days when we'd stay up all night doing facials, trading back rubs, eating Doritos, playing spooky games, singing along to bad songs, and crank-calling boys. In fact, we did exactly none of those things, thank goodness. I'm much more for the grown-up version - especially a good night's sleep in my own comfy bed! I could have used someone's dad making us pancakes this morning, however, that was always one of my favorite sleepover traditions. Or iced cinnamon rolls and a bowl (or three) of Lucky Charms, like Stephanie Sanford's mom used to make for us. That was the BEST! Instead I made steelcut oat Irish porridge with brown sugar and toasted walnuts, lots (!) of coffee, and Canadian bacon (Nueske's - it RAWKS, mmm...). Up and at 'em!

I just returned from picking up John and Nathan at the airport - their trip to NYC was a big success! All the good stuff. Central Park, Wicked, Elio's (linguine with white clam, of course), several slices of pizza in various spots (Nathan's dream come true), a sleepover with Tom & Valerie and the kids. So now we're all home, getting back into our usual Sunday groove... Hope you had a good weekend too!

I had to give up Cooper and Stacey today because of my dumb cold. Cooper Cuteness! I didn't want to make him sick, of course, sigh. I feel so much better today than yesterday, I hope this is a short-lived annoyance. I must be in good shape for tomorrow night's Slumber Party! Since John and Nathan are livin' large for a long weekend in NYC, I'm having my minxes (aka Kim and Suz!) over for dinner, Sex and the City, podcasting, popcorn, continuous chatting and cackling, and perhaps a little sleep. Can't wait!

I decided to make a light, colorful dinner, very feminine, and very much centered around vegetables:

Avocado dip with yellow and red bell pepper
Artichokes sauteed with ham
Roasted squash soup
Chicken paillards on a bed of diced vegetables (leeks, mushrooms, carrots, potato, and garlic) with pan juices and fresh herbs
Sheep's milk cheese with Honeycrisp apples and toasted pecans

Hey, there's no reason why we can't feel indulged while enjoying a meal packed with antioxidants, fiber, monounsaturated fats, and healthy protein. Woo hoo! Add a few sips of bubbly, a few sips of a nice pinot noir, on a lovely fall evening (it's supposed to be a stunner again tomorrow) and I'm seriously looking forward to preparing - and enjoying! - all of it! More details tomorrow...

I have a damn cold. Damn! Came on yesterday afternoon, seemingly all of a sudden, but when I think back to how tired I felt on my walk on Monday morning, and how sore my throat and head were on Sunday afternoon...the writing was already on the wall. I was in denial and hoped it was "allergies." Oh well. 'Tis the season, of course, I'm lucky I've made it this far into the new school year without succumbing! Now I must cross my fingers that it doesn't bloom into a bronchial infection, that's what always nails me, and it's uuuuuugly. Well, I'll hope I don't go there. (And so will you, so I don't bore you or gross you out with the details, ha!)

So. Back to the realm of sensual pleasures! Here's one I've been treating myself to everyday for the last couple of weeks...pigeon pose. What the??? It's a yoga pose, a fabulously deep stretch for the hips and butt, and the one that most effectively nails my piriformis muscle, which for whatever the hell reason (tight hips? my gait? my posture? I'm working on figuring it out...) gets sore when I walk a lot. Literally, a pain in the ass. But this stretch, OMG, I just have to recommend it, as you know it can be heavenly to find the right stretch for a sore muscle. It fits in the realm of delicious, I think, that sounds totally odd but that's what it is, delicious...

...as is this little gem of a pretty, pale green soup. (Nice segue, huh? As I've said before, I cover it all here at the moderate epicurean...from soup to butts, in this case. Ouch!) A summer carryover, really, a cold cucumber-buttermilk concoction. (I have now, finally, used all the cukes from my CSA veggie share, woo hoo!) I don't know if it's the warm weather, or my head cold, or my sore piriformis (just kidding), but man this hit the spot today. Cool and creamy without being overly thick. Nice and light at about 130 calories per cup. I'm relatively new to appreciating the tanginess of plain yogurt, buttermilk, creme fraiche, etc. I actually crave it now. A small dab of sour cream can take many soups from simple to sublime. A few bites of plain yogurt can be the perfect mid-afternoon snack. This buttermilk baby is divine. And good for the bones to boot! (Recipe posted in comments, below.)

Happy Birthday to my awesome mother-in-law Dot! (Aka Dottie the Kid, so-called by her loveable, dorky sons John and Tom, I doubt they even know why. And oh, aka M-Bear, as in Mama Bear, by same dorky sons, aka Puppy and Boogles. Got that?)

And a big thank you to Ana Scofield and Rudy Maxa for hosting another lovely dinner party last night, this time in honor of their friend and wine critic Andy Blue, visiting from L.A. Along with Louis and Susan Ainsworth, and Stu and Debbie Williams, we feasted on rosy prime rib, creamy gruyere potatoes, and garden-fresh green beans, corn, and tomatoes. Several lovely cheeses. Home-made rum cake topped with whipped cream. A pretty fabulous spread, eh? NICE! As well as a Farewell to Summer '06 dinner, what with our sunny, 80-degree day yesterday, and what was probably a last taste of farmer's market veggies for the season. Sigh. And oh, the wine, did I mention the wine? My apologies, for I didn't write one thing down - too busy talking, tasting, sipping, and laughing, what's new? But I can say this - all were very special and delicious (that's helpful, huh? Sorry...). You don't have dinner with this group - plus Andy Blue, to boot - without enjoying some serious wine! So. Damn. Fun. Loved it all.

Today? Back to moderate reality, Stephanie, back to reality. Yeah. I'm thinking...a basic tomato cucumber salad, crumble of feta, bit of grilled pita. Might as well run with this Farewell to Summer thing as long as I possibly can...

If you're searching for a hearty - but not heavy - and fabulously delicious Sunday night dinner, I have the perfect suggestion: Jacques Pepin's Instant Beef Stew. It's made with beef tenderloin (or tender lamb), so doesn't require a long braise. In fact, a relatively quick turn in the saute pan results in vegetables that remain fresh, colorful, and flavorful. (And if you want to make it even lighter, increase the ratio of vegetables to beef.) It's beautifully and simply seasoned and just works - if you give it a try let me know what you think. This is the type of recipe I most admire - clever, clean, doable, and of course, killingly SCRUMPTIOUS. Merci, Jacques, c'est bon. (If you, like I, are trying to um, pare things down a bit, I highly recommend - as I have before - Jacques Pepin's Fast Food My Way. Not only are the recipes tasty, simple to prepare, and of course fast, they're quite light with an emphasis on fresh ingredients. The path to a slim, healthy body is paved with whole foods, not processed ones, and Jacques' recipes make eating healthfully - and pleasurably - easy and delicious. Oui baby! Kiss, kiss!)

And Happy Birthday to Nathan's Grammy Barb!