Duly Noted

Doling out presents acquired from weeks for perusing African markets, Christmas in Milwaukee was as gray as a shock to the system can be gray. My stomach still can't handle my mother's fiber filled menu, nor the buttery cookies that my dad, sister, and I secretly stock up on to counter brusselsprouts, root vegetable casserole, and fish. I love my mom's cooking, don't get me wrong, but my white bread and wine diet in south western Africa didn't prepare me for a quick reunion with mom's food pyramid. Enough about food, I feel sick thinking about it. I guess I should mention I'm lightly hung-over as I write this; well worth it, still... I knew, flying home from Jo-burg, adjusting would be tough and I certainly didn't want to sink back into the miserable routine of waking up at four in the morning to open up City Market Bakery and then the day sort of teetered away after that... I still haven't figured out how exactly I'm going to make it to San...

***(I wrote this but forgot to publish.  I must have been distracted by a little love nut.  Better late than never.) Yesterday, I turned 29 but for a minute, I thought I was 30 and I was totally okay with that. For the last three years and forevermore, my birthday shares the same day as our wedding anniversary.  As my brother in law put it, "Happy Biversary!" July 24th is certainly a date for the record books.  This year, Mike and I fondly reflected on my last three birthdays and anniversaries. First, our wedding day. Then, our epic 50 mile bike ride followed by a three course dinner at Muffuletta's. And then...our discovery in a bed and breakfast overlooking the Duomo in Florence Italy in 2012. This year, we kept things simple.  A picnic in the park.  Perusing vintage finds at neighborhood shop.  An evening bike ride to dinner at Muffuletta's. And lots of smiling with our little darling boy. And...apparently...we didn't ta...

-Backyard happy hour with old friends (including two pairs of soon-to-be parents (one of which just moved to Minneapolis much to our pleasure!) and two pairs of parents with newborns!) -Long run with a favorite running buddy (Highlights included free lemonade from a rummage sale!  It was advertised on a sign and we could not resist.  I felt a little bad for indulging since it was very clear we were not about to leave with slow cooker!) -Afternoon work/hangout date with a fun English colleague!  I really love helping teachers build websites...I should seriously get paid for this (google?  district?  who wants to pay me???!) -Sunday morning easy run with Misha and another favorite running buddy. -A lovely backyard dinner (basically a deconstructed lasagna with ricotta and sautéed zucchini, garlic, and tomatoes) -A morning visit to the State Fair with my boys.  Misha's first fair!  We had a great time.  I am a big big fan of the morning fai...

I had a request for the bruschetta recipe so I thought I would share with all my delightful readers.  I adapted the recipe from an Italian cookbook and I adapted the basil pesto recipe from Moosewood. First, you need: 2 crusty, fresh baguettes, cut diagonally* into thin slices.  3-4 garlic cloves- minced. Then: Turn on broiler. Place directly on oven rack.  Broil for 1-2 minutes until golden brown. Spread a pinch of minced garlic cloves across each piece. Tomato pesto: Chop grape tomatoes into small pieces.  Use scissors to cut thin strips of fresh basil. Sprinkle a little of each on each slice and arrange on platter. Drizzle olive oil across the slices.  Grate fresh pepper and sprinkle sea salt on top. Basil Pesto: Blend in food processor: Basil, pine nuts, parmesan cheese, olive oil, salt Spread on slices. Place a dab of goat cheese on each slice. Ta Da!   *Cut diagonally so that there is prime bread s...

McCarthy 4th of July tradition lives on...DONUTS! Hipster baby.  Bringing brooklyn to MN. New picnic table arrived on the 4th!  Perfect for a potluck. Bruchetta Sleepy Misha We need new landscaping but we are rocking the American flags.

This past weekend was of the toodling variety.  What's toodling, you ask?  Toodling involves doing this and that, following one's whims. Friday was a fairly lazy day.  Mike and I declared Fridays as "M-Cubed Day," a day of adventures with little Misha. We were talking about going to the Landscape Arboretum (our wedding locale) this past Friday, but Misha fell asleep and, consequently, I fell asleep and then motivation drifted along with us to dreamland.  Lucky for us, the day ended on an effortless high note when our dear friends came over and made dinner Nicaraguan style, complete with our favorite tostones (fried plantains!). Saturday morning, I headed out for a longish run with another old friend along river road.  Often, I take Rachel the dog or Misha with me when I run, so running solo feels like a treat.  I love my little home team, but I feel so light with my hands free.  Post run, Misha and I checked out our local farmer's market.  Not...

Today I made a pesto from my inherited 1977 Moosewood cookbook.  My mom wrote "good" with a double underline, so I knew it must be a worthy recipe.  I have been preparing giant batches of salads and grilled meats to keep me from eating cereal on nights Mike is at grad school. In my opinion, the trick to tasty wholesome food is in the dressing.  I will eat a plate of plain raw veggies, but I enjoy a tossed salad with a mustardy vinaigrette beneath grilled chicken with a Mediterranean, yogurt-based marinade.   My favorite dressings are light (not saturated in mayonaise) and savory.  I prefer lime and cilantro over lemon and mint.  I avoid garlic because I cannot stand the aftertaste (still...hours later), but I do like green onions, chives, and red onion. Tonight, I tossed whole wheat noodles with a couple scoops of the pesto (recipe below- as noted, I skipped garlic and butter) and served them with tomatoes and olives over salad greens.  D...

I haven't done a three things thursday post in a while.  What's a three things thursday?  Exactly what's implied- three things on a thursday. Here's three of my all time favorite things: 1. Summer beverage: Iced coffee!  I had my first ice coffee of the season on Monday. 2. Food: Soft pretzels.  My personal favorite is the pretzel stand at the Minnesota State Fair.  This is actually the only known reason that I attend the fair every summer. 3. Dessert: Carrot Cake with cream cheese frosting.  I am a novice carrot cake connoisseur.  My absolute favorite is offered at Shish (and formerly at Coffee News, now closed).  Please let me know if there is a carrot cake that I should try. That's it.  Three things thursday concluded.  P.S. I had to double check that it was indeed Thursday before I posted this.  It was.  Duly noted.

This post marks the last weekly update of the Misha Man series.  From here on out, we are rolling at a month to month basis. Yet again, Misha's fourth week of life was an eventful one!  The family train continued as Mike's parents arrived on a sunny Wednesday afternoon.  They were ecstatic as they missed an earlier opportunity to drive northwards due to a bad cold.  Misha took to his grandparents instantly. Before the grandparents arrived, I had a couple days alone with Misha while Mike was working.  We went on several long walks to local coffee shops and parks.  I am absolutely in love with my BOB stroller- as is Misha.  It is heaven on wheels.  As Mother's Day weekend approached, a rumor spread that another Vasich might make his way up to the Twin Cities.  All were doubtful that Mike's youngest brother and his girlfriend would actually make the 12 hour drive from Bloomington, Indiana...all except Mike who knows t...

Over the last two weeks, we had some great meals thanks to a solid menu plan and an eager cook (my mother!). Here's the rundown: Monday: Pasta with shrimp and Trader Joe's pesto Tuesday: Leftovers...or, as my parents say, "Schmorgusboard!"  After Misha's arrival, we received an onslaught of delicious dishes from our wonderful friends.  We needed to clean out the fridge to make room for a new batch of groceries! Wednesday: Joan's famous Black Bean Soup with a tasty salad and an incredible loaf of bread from whole foods.  I forgot how much I love whole food's bread.  I must also comment on Joan's soup- she made up the recipe herself and it was seriously the best black bean soup I have ever tasted.  Apparently, it had beer and cocoa powder in the mix. Thursday: Coconut Curry Chicken Soup with grapes and orange slices and a loaf of bread. Friday: Punch Pizza Take Out Saturday: Gathering at friend's Sunday: Trader Joe's pork tenderloin...

I didn't post last week's dinner menu, so this is a double feature post.  (As a side note- SAT question of the day is a routine warm up in my English class.  The subject of week's grammar question was a 1930's ploy to attract more moviegoers by offering a double feature- two films for the price of one.  I asked my students if they ever went to a "double feature."  They giggled and looked around.  I told them not to worry as my mom was a real supporter of "double feature"- one of her more rebellious habits along with McDonald's ice cream for lunch.) Anywayssss- to the menus! February 23rd-Friday, March 1st Saturday- "Homemade" pizza...although there really isn't anything homemade about this pizza...store bought crust, mozzarella log, italian sausage, basil, and pizza sauce. Sunday -Salmon, Israeli couscous, and steamed green beans. Monday- Brocoli and cheese soup (cooking light- thanks mom!) with baked potatoes (microwave...so...

I set two goals as I planned this week's menu: 1)use up a hug bucket of chickpeas that I soaked and cooked last weekend, and 2)incorporate the sad looking cauliflower*** at the bottom of the veggie drawer. Sunday - I decided I better tackle these goals TODAY with some Sunday soup making that will provide for a couple meals later in the week. Soup 1: Syrian Chickpea Soup with Lemon and Tahini from New England Soup Factory Cookbook Soup 2: Cauliflower Soup with aged cheddar and mustard croutons from Super Natural Every Day Monday -Stir fry vegetables with tofu T uesday - Leftover soup! Wednesday -Early Valentine's Day date night at Al Vento , one of our favorite Italian spots in the city.  Last year, we ordered something like a 1/2 quart of wine to share and the server brought us a full quart. Needless to say, that will not be happening this year!  :)  The olive oil for bread dipping is perfect at this little corner restaurant. Thursday- My parents come to town!...

I'm really having too much fun with picmonkey .  Anywho, the snow is coming down after some initial sleet.  Gotta love the wintry mix.  Luckily, I just got back from a neighborhood stroll with Rachel the Dog so she is peacefully contemplating the snowfall from her perch on our very vintage living room coach.  The sofa is three generations at this point and I can't seem to find one that I like more. I mean, check this puppy out: Her 60's floral print actually matches our leather west elm chairs perfectly.  She can fit four plus adults (and multiple dogs). And, she is really comfortable!  I have napped here on many an occasion. Before I head out the door to work up a sweat at the Macalester gym, here's a run down of this weekend's highlights: Vinyasa + Restorative Yoga with my friend Julia.  It wasn't a pre-natal yoga class, but I've known the instructor for many years so she was sensitive to altering some poses for me.  I was surpri...

Sometime in the last few years, I started weekly menu planning to guide grocery shopping, save money, and reduce the frequency of the question- "What's for dinner?"  Although we allow a degree of flexibility (the temptation of half price burger night at our favorite local spot can be strong), menu planning helps us to stick to our food budget, eat healthier, and eliminate the stress of pulling together dinner after a long day at work. Mike and I were pretty proud of ourselves when The Biggest Loser*** gave each contestant $70 to pay for one week of healthy groceries.  70$ per person?!  That's not much of a challenge.  We listed the groceries we would've added to our cart: rolled oats, bananas, milk, eggs, grains, vegetables, dried beans, olive oil...Basically, we know how to feed ourselves well and that's something to be proud of. Here's this week's menu: Sunday: Carrot Soup with tahini and roasted chickpeas, homemade pita chips with sesame se...

Mike proudly displays his loot. On the roof. A real baby bump. Christmas cookies. Rachel poses beneath the tree. This is actually from Thanksgiving, but an accurate and timeless display of Vasich game nights.

Reunions with longtime running buddies Homemade Pizza and Bezzerwizzer Getting my fill of  talk radio Run To Unite  A new book Meeting little Leo! Preparing for Summit For Courageous Conversations Double feature:  Argo  (100% recommendation) and  Looper  (I disagree with this review...it's forgettable) A pretty make-up line Dreaming about making my own shadow box of keepsakes

Are you someone that gets cliches messed up?  I do this frequently.  The name of this post was "Coming Up For Water" until I remembered that I am not a mermaid and I actually need to breathe to survive.  Sometimes, I need to be reminded of this. Anyway, my loyal readers, you must be wondering what's been up in these parts.  Well, let me tell you, time never slows down.  Here's a glimpse into the state of affairs in our household: 1. Our garden:  Last summer, I experienced overwhelming anxiety at the idea of breaking ground.  So much so, in fact, that I decided not to plant anything.  This year, Mike stepped on board (again, another example of messed up cliche: hopped on board or stepped up to the plate...) and joined the team (okay, so stepped up to plate would work better here...duly note: Math, not English, was actually my favorite subject as a school kid).  Turns out, we are a great team and we have already accomplished more garde...

*invite friends- new and old- over for a home-cooked dinner . *practice good table manners as a guest. *exist as a tourist..even in my own city . *only keep things that I need or I consider beautiful . *make something.  use my hands. *try something just a little exotic . *write something.  document. *Embrace the season .

 To honor the memories of 2011 (despite a reported 7/10 Americans who claimed that 2011 was a bad year) and welcome in 2012, an old friend and neighbor, Sara, Mike, and I decided to host a Mad Men/Sparkles themed New Year's Party.  The night was complete with dancing (thanks to the unexpected hits on the night's playlist alà Mike Vasich), the festive appetizers and treats prepared by the classy hosts and their friends, and the spirits (booze and otherwise) running aplenty. And not to be forgotten, a post midnight jam session in our basement studio, legible and illegible notes in the guest book as well as some interesting observations recorded on the house typewriter, kisses at midnight, and muffins in the morning. I feel such gratitude to have such a lovely group of friends- new and old to welcome in the new year.

(via The Sartorialist ) The Twin Cites are apparently the top bicycling city(ies) in the United States. This label likely stems from our extensive bike trail network connecting the suburbs to urban centers, our hardcore winter riders, and our anarchist do-it-yourself-ers with bike powered pig roasts (no joke, witnessed it myself). Yet, there is something missing in our bike culture. I feel like the nytimes article, "The Dutch Way: Bicycles and Fresh Bread," gets close to the heart of it. Author, Russell Shorto writes, "The coexistence of different modes of travel is hard-wired into the (Dutch) culture. This in turns relates to lots of other things- such as bread. How? Cyclists can't carry six bags of groceries; bulk buying is almost nonexistent. Instead of shopping for a week, people stop at the market daily. So the need for processed loaves that will last for days is gone. A result: good bread." Now this article continues with many good points about g...