Twist on Bill Granger's Spicy Chicken Meatballs

As a Midwesterner and fan of meat, I can't believe it took me this long to make homemade meatballs. I followed Bill Granger's recipe for Spicy Chicken Meatballs from his cookbook "Everyday" pretty closely and threw in a few twists. I couldn't find a good online link to the recipe (one person rewrote it and suggested sampling the raw chicken!), so here's his recipe with my variations noted.

Bill Granger's Spicy Chicken Meatballs

3 tbs. olive oil (Who uses that little? You need a lot more!)
1 small onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed (I used three)
1/2 tsp. ground coriander (I might have used slightly more)
1 red chili, sliced (I used a red serrano pepper and loved it)
1 lb., 2 oz. ground chicken (I used chicken thigh)
3 tbs. fresh breadcrumbs (Yeah ... I used the canister kind, and it's fine)
1 3/4 oz. pancetta
2 tbs. chopped fresh-leaf Italian parsley
1 lb., 2 oz. cherry tomatoes, halved (I used one of those squarish packages)
(1 medium  zucchini, chopped -- I wanted more vegetables and added it)
(Splash of balsamic)
1/2 c. chicken stock
1 lb., 2 oz. pasta (I used 3/4 pound spirals)
Shaved parmesan (I used grated)
Salt and pepper

His directions, slightly abbreviated in description and with a few variations to accommodate my additions, but true to intention: 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees (F). Heat oil in medium-high heat and add onion and garlic. Cook until soft, and then add the coriander and the chili, stirring for about a minute. Place mixture into bowl.

Add chicken, breadcrumbs, parsley, and salt to the bowl and mix with your hands. Refrigerate for 30 min. until firm (I stuck it in the freezer for five). Roll into small meatballs. (Mine were about 1 1/2 inches thick). Place on a lined baking sheet and brush or drizzle with olive oil.

Meanwhile, coat the tomatoes and zucchini in olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the mixture on lined baking sheet. Also start cooking the pasta.

Bake both the meatballs and the vegetables at the same time. The vegetables should take about 15 min.; cook until the the tomatoes' skin looks a little bubbly. The meatballs took about 30 min. to get golden brown for me, but he advises 15-20 min.

When they're done, transfer the meatballs and vegetables into one stovetop pan and add the chicken stock. Simmer for 5 min., then spoon over the pasta and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

I liked adding just a drizzle of balsamic vinegar to mix in -- add's a touch of sweetness. The above made 3 hearty portions for me.  He says it serves 4.

Enjoy!

What's Going On

Here's the latest and greatest, without prose:

* Wedding plans are going swimmingly.
* I decided to do the Pleasant Prairie tri a week before the race and set a personal record of 1 hour, 23 minutes. (The perfect weather helped.)
* My posts for ASBPE on content strategy have led a few association trade pubs to interview me.
* My dad's cancer has turned aggressive. We're hoping that he can still have necessary surgery to remove his bladder now that he's had a mini-stroke -- from which he's recovering magnificently, btw.
* Food is still fun.
* I'm doing my best.

More at some point.

Trying to Eat Healthy and Exercise Regularly? Ideas on How to Make It Work (And It Starts with Becoming Disciplined)

I had this weird stretch in my last job in which colleagues -- even ones I didn't know -- were constantly commenting on what I was eating, which usually wasn't fried, like their food, and was a smaller portion, unlike theirs. It got so bizarre that one woman who saw me filling up my water bottle with half-hot water, which is just something I do, turned to me and said, "See, that's why you're skinny. I'm gonna do that if you're doing that so I can be skinny too."

By the time she had said this to me, I had been facing comments for months, and I'd had enough. So I just told her, "I'm thin because I work out five days a week in the morning and I make sure to eat well 90% of the time," and I left the room.

I still am often asked what I do to stay at a healthy weight, albeit in much more normal and tactful? flattering? way. And I answer with the same basic answer: I eat healthy and exercise regularly.

Then, I usually end up listening to the person -- who knows very well that healthy food and exercise is important and who has the means to improve their lifestyle -- list excuses about why they're not doing either.

It's frustrating because they often make the assumption I don't face similar challenges  -- and that's what they are: challenges, not obstacles. Just because you don't have time for whatever reason to get a workout in doesn't mean you can't eat well. Just because you are on the road a lot and forced to eat restaurant food doesn't mean you can't make healthy decisions.

That's what it boils down to: constantly making decisions every time you go to eat and figuring out how to fit in exercise -- weighing good, bad, and ugly choices; thinking about it strategically; and being responsible.

Here's the best advice I can give to someone trying to be healthy for whatever end goal and trying to get into a sustainable routine. Because we all know it has to be sustainable to work, right?

• Stop the excuses. Find a way around the challenge, because there is one. Hitting a road block? Ask a friend for ideas or consult the Google machine.
• Devote money to your food budget. The sad thing about our society is that food that is bad for you is cheap and easy to put in the cart. If it means spending less money on gifts to people, entertainment, clothes, etc., do what you need to shift that money. Accept the sacrifice for the commitment.
• When you can't get a full workout in or go the gym, look for time you can take to do something elsewhere in your day -- stretching, lifting, walking, etc. Or accept a shorter workout and go to the gym anyway. Just get there or get moving so you can look at it as an accomplishment: I had no time to do X, but I made time to do Y.
• When you're not motivated and know you should work out, tell yourself that anything you do -- even if it's an easier or shorter workout -- is better than nothing.
• Can't workout at all? Make sure to eat healthy.
• Learn how to shop for food -- and keep easy-to-cook ingredients on hand for when you don't have time.
• Wondering what easy-to-cook ingredients are? Google them. 
• Make the right decision in the moment. Forced to eat takeout? Be that customer who asks for the grilled chicken sandwich without the cheese and mayonaise. 
• Except you're going to have to get creative on how to add flavor to food that isn't fried or covered in butter or mayonaise. 
• Don't cook at home with butter. If you must use butter, use actual butter, fat and everything. And don't go crazy on it. 
• Plan what you're going to eat or do for exercise for the week or that day.
• Then have a backup plan when life inevitable comes in the way.
• Give yourself options
• Use those options: variety is the key so you don't get bored, so you can react when your plan's foiled, and so your body is happy (cross training, different foods all work differnt muscles or provide diff. nutrients).
• Don't try to go cold turkey on anything food related. You'll torture yourself, and it's unrealistic. The point is to learn how to enjoy things like birthday cake and not go crazy -- either by overindulging or denying something you really, really enjoy.
• Don't set unrealistic goals you can't accomplish or follow-through on. Think short-term, or baby steps, and build on from there.
• Pay attention to how full you are.  Stop eating when you hit that point. If you're still hungry, eat. 
• Listen to your body. Think about how you feel and what you did that day that might be affecting you.
• Cook at home. Don't know how to cook? Learn how to boil water, make scrambled eggs, open a bag of frozen vegetables, etc. Even if you don't like to cook, determine what you need to do to avoid having takeout or restaurant food at every meal.
• If you're in the happy-to-splurge mode -- say, at a party or dinner with friends -- and are offered something that tastes bad, don't eat it and move on to something else.
• Save your calories for the good stuff.
• Talk about exercise and healthy food with people. Keep trying if you have a hard time finding like-minded folks.
• Make being healthy what you're known for. 
• Read labels; get educated; read the pamphlets HR hands out or your doctor talks about. Eat those foods. If it sounds bad, i.e. I can't imagine a baked potato without a slab of butter, find ways to (naturally) add flavor. 
• AVOID PROCESSED FOODS WHENEVER POSSIBLE. Just do it, and you'll see. 
• Don't overdo it and become too concerned that it stresses you. This can be hard once you get into it, but trust me, you don't want to drive yourself nuts.
• Find what works for you -- what makes you feel healthy and satisfied that you're doing something and are showing improvement.

I know I'm writing this with a lot of attitude, and it's mainly because of my beef with American society's food culture. My hope is that the people asking me for advice take a hard look at the areas you CAN control and can improve and go after them. Take ownership of your lifestyle!

While I recovered from pneumonia and could barely cross the room without losing my breath, I tried yoga. I was really doing very basic stretches for short periods of time, but I felt like I was doing what I could, as frustrated as I was.

Are you doing what you can?

What to Do With Tzatziki

We made a tzatziki sauce over the weekend to go with a fantastic grilled lamb recipe Brian does. We loved the tzatziki so much we made it again Monday night and have been on a binge ever since.

A few winners:

Tzatziki atop a bison burger on wheat with tomato. Grilled veggies on the side.

Tzatziki as pasta sauce. I added browned ground lamb that I seasoned with mint, rosemary, lemon, salt and pepper and then topped it with fresh, chopped tomato. It worked! Glass of milk optional. :)

If you have other ideas, let me know!

Last Night's Dinner: 'Fiery' Tilapia with Cucumber-Snow Pea Salad

I put together last-night's dinner from several recipes, mainly Allrecipes.com's "Fiery Fish Tacos with Corn Salsa." I didn't want the calories from taco shells, so I just pan-fired the tilapia in Brian's grandmother's cast iron skillet with some olive oil. Yum.

I intended to mix the salsa with the white jasmine rice but left it separated, Brian's preference; for what it's worth, he ended up mixing them together, and it tasted great. It balanced the tilapia well. I was afraid the recipe's spice mix of cayenne, pepper and salt would be scathing hot, but it wasn't.

I chose the cucumber and snow pea salad because I wanted something green, cold and with lime, to match the salsa. I have Bill Granger's "Everyday" to thank for that recipe.

Tonight's dinner will feature many of the same vegetables, some leftover rice and chicken. We'll see what I come up with.

Goal: Resume Control of Dinner Ingredients

I've had a bad cold this week, which means I've pretty much been rendered useless, and by choice; I need to get better, and considering I'm not working full-time, I'll take the rest that I can get! Consequently, I'm not cooking dinners in the evening, a role I've voluntarily and happily assumed three or four days of the week.

When I cook these days, it means I'm using as little packaged food as possible. I'm whipping up recipes impromptu in the store, and our meals are balanced because I want them to be. We've been eating well! And considering Brian and I lost more weight after we'd already established a workout routine, I'm happy to credit the non-processed food goal with that result.

But now I'm sick, which means Brian's in charge of dinner. Brian can whip up mouthwatering three- or four-course meals that require techniques and kitchen tools with foreign names. Middle of the week? Particularly after a really stressful day (typical when you're a trader)? He specializes in a walk to Subway, or like last night, grilling a pre-made bison burger. Not bad at all, but when you're on an anti-pre-made-food streak, it can be hard to stomach. 

Don't get me wrong: I totally appreciate his taking care of me when I'm sick and grilling me a burger. I didn't mention he offered to pick up whatever I needed, and when I refused, still bought me miso soup (my favorite sick food these days) and other treats to make me feel better. And he does indeed make really wonderful food during the week too when the mood strikes.

I just wish it were easier to keep the non-processed trend going.

The funny thing is, it's not like he's totally unhealthy! When we first met, I was shocked that a guy could buy so much organic food or request to order out or make "something healthy" so often. I would eat healthy, but in a low-fat kinda way. I can't say that I always approved of the money he'd drop at Whole Foods on one of his big, special dinners because I didn't see the value.

Now I'm the one encouraging us to spend my unemployment check on organic and fresh foods and, for the most part, resist the indulgences I was always happy to succumb to (specifically Skinny Cow ice cream). I'd rather make the banana bread homemade than buy the fake stuff.

But you can't do that sick.

So here's hoping I get better soon! The next four days entail a second-round interview, celebrating Brian's birthday at Girl & The Goat, being a guest at a wedding and a triathlon. And hopefully, I can resume control of dinner ingredients. :)

Baby Steps to Better Cooking, Courtesy Italy

Since I experienced Italian food, I have a completely new appreciation for ingredients and simple cooking -- and it's not just because I upped my wine consumption.

I've always been a fan of basic dishes -- I'm the person who couldn't follow a recipe if my life depended on it and hates cooking anything with more than five ingredients -- but the country inspired me to get more creative on my own and not stick to the basics I've mastered. This means I walk into the store, pick out a protein based on what looks good, and compose from there. Admittedly I pretend I'm walking around Florence's mercado centrale. And it works!

Last night's example: The catfish filets looked good, which reminded me we wanted to pan-fry fish using Brian's grandmother's skillet. Easy -- throw in little olive oil and garlic and we're done. At the store I decided to pair the fish with roasted vegetables, which I seasoned on-the-spot with garlic powder, onion salt, coriander and mustard powder. For a starch, I took jasmine rice and mixed it with black pepper, coriander, cumin, a little cinnamon and salt.

OK, so maybe it's not Italian, but it's something.

Other dishes since I've been back: homemade pesto with Tuscan bread; homemade bruschetta with Tuscan bread; Tuscan bread with pecorino romano cheese, arugula and truffle oil (mimicking a sandwich I had in Florence); and ... yeah, other things with Tuscan-style bread, and then some.

Last night I used lemon fettucine from the Cinque Terre co-op and tossed it with shrimp, olive oil and garlic I had sauteed. And it was wonderful. I felt Italian! I patted myself on the back.

None of this is original (except for the roasted vegetable seasoning combo) but it's original for me. And I probably wouldn't have gotten to this point if I didn't have as much free time or as flexible of a schedule as I do now. I know I sure don't have enough patience or creative juices left in me at the end of a long work day to walk into a store and let the ingredients guide me.

Until work picks up or I join a company full time, I'm going to try to stick to it. Hopefully food-on-a-whim will become habit. We shall see.

Italy Photo Highlights, Part 1 of 3

I took 1,909 photos in two weeks and wittled them down to a digestible 500 for folks' viewing pleasure.

This is the first of three groups. Enjoy.

(I released the second group. See it here.)

The blog diet begins

 I want to be doing what he's doing!

Well, folks, it's time for a break. I'm going to give this blog a formal rest and come back to it later, kinda like what I do to a story when I have writer's block, although that's not an entirely accurate comparison. I know what I want to say; it's just when to say that gets me.

My story -- my life -- is actually quite busy, but I can't stand knowing that the few friends who check this blog know I don't update it. And that stresses me out (even if I know it makes no difference to them). Good thing I don't promote it and thus worry about SEO, tracking stats, etc., as I do with my professional work -- then I'd really have an audience to worry about leaving.

I have plenty to say, and I constantly think about how I want to say it! I still want to tell you about our L20 experience, and share my thoughts about New York, and update you on all the great food we had on vacation in Virgin Gorda.

I have yet to share with you my Health Action Plan of 2010, and fill you in on my still-unsuccessful triathlon training thanks to my still bothersome health, and describe my frustrations with going to work full-time while taking a class that actually requires reading, writing and homework (Marketing 201) while dealing with all of the above.

Yeah, and then there's the job search. I haven't told you about that yet.  That keeps me busy, too.

And the photos! I have tons of photos of new recipes and great meals to post -- all taken with a new camera. I haven't gotten around to that yet, have I?

Work. Class. Triathlon. Health. Job search. Relationships.

So I'm going to take this off my plate -- for now. You know how I love full plates; I always have to share. That time will come again soon, but until then, the blog diet begins. 

Keep me posted on you! And talk soon.

I feel better already.

Flu food and products I recommend

Of course your taste buds are all out of whack when you're sick -- you're miserable, and why would you be able to enjoy food to make your misery a little less horrible?

You can follow all the advice on the Internet about what to eat, and I did. But knowing which brand and type of product can be key. All of these foods below can be made or gathered when you are barely able to walk, can't see straight and can't commit to any amount of time to do anything because you'll have to run to the bathroom. My recommendations:

1) Mom's chicken noodle soup (pictured). Find my mom, and have her make you some soup.
2) Don't have my mom? I purchased four canned chicken noodle soups, only to be revolted by each: no matter the brand, they all had a metallic taste, and the noodles were fake. Don't fear: you can buy my mom's backup to her chicken noodle soup, Lipton Chicken Noodle that's dehydrated and sold in a box. Sounds disgusting, but I promise you, it's a million times better tasting than the canned stuff. All you do is add water.
2) You're supposed to eat rice when you can't hold anything down. The easiest and best tasting I found out is Success boil-in-a-bag rice. They say it's foolproof, and considering the condition I was in when I made it, they are telling the truth.
3) Apple sauce -- with cinnamon. This stuff is loaded with sugar -- when I'm healthy I opt for the natural, unsweetened stuff -- but you're sick, you need the calories, and you deserve it.
4) White bread. Like the apple sauce, I generally avoid white bread and opt for wheat when I'm healthy, but I wasn't. And the stomach likes white bread a ton more than digesting wheat.
5) Hot water with honey. I like to drink this healthy, too.


I don't recommend the bananas, per the BRAT diet you're supposed to follow (bananas, rice, apple sauce and toast). The consistency and varied taste turned me off, but that's just me.

I also owe a lot of gratitude to the following products:

• Gatorade
• Colgate toothpaste, to get all the sugar from the Gatorade off my teeth
• Disinfectant wipes
• Charmin Mega Roll soft toilet paper
• Mucinex DM
• Chloraseptic sore throat spray. Warning: It's addictive.
• Kleenex anti-viral tissues. Expensive, soft, and purportedly anti-viral. I'm sold. 

When you're sick, certain comforts can make ya feel at least a little better. At least I've found a few to count on.

Food Update! Jam breakfast place, Molly's Cupcakes, and more

Here are a few of the photos that were publishable in terms of quality -- my camera phone only captures well in certain lighting:

The scone of the day at Jam in Ukrainian Village: garlic paprika with whipped butter that was good enough to eat by the spoonful and raspberry jam. Really tasty. I'd been dying to try Jam; it's owned by a bunch of sous chefs at my favorite restaurants in Chicago, and everyone knows it. Consequently, by the time I roll in for brunch on Sunday there's a 1.5 hour wait, no place to really sit and, at least on the first try, they don't even let you put the name of the list unless all people are standing in front of the host. Third time's a charm though -- and showing up at 9:45 was JUST in time to beat the line.

This is Jam's Malted Custard French Toast, which features macerated quince, lime leaf cream and pink peppercorns. The entire dish is lovely -- until you bite into the pink pepercorn. That makes the dish have moxy. And it's great.

Oh, sweet egg sandwich. Jam's features pork cheeks, ricotta and persimmon ketchup. I didn't need the layers of French bolla, but it didn't matter. It's the perfect savory breakfast dish without having a lot of salt, which I like.

Switching gears:

I must recommend Molly's Cupcakes, even if the owner -- my ad class instructor -- ripped my work to shreds and may or may not have asked me, "What will that get you?" after I tossed out a solution to a problem during a brainstorm. Not that I'm bitter or anything (OK, maybe a little). But after a visit with my cupcake-obsessed (in a good way!) friend Cynthia last night, I've softened up: he's got a helluva business.

The country is dotted with cupcake bakeries, many that try to knock your socks off with creations that pair bacon with pears and strawberries with balsamic vinegar. Some of these cupcakes are really good. Others are OK, or tiring; sometimes you just wanna good, no frills dessert. What's great about John's cupcakes are that they play on comforts we all love -- think Boston cream pie or chocolate chip cookie dough -- and work them via filling and toppings into a lovely, cakey delight. The restaurant's concept is a throwback to his elementary school teacher who used to bake cupcakes for birthdays, so it's a playful schoolyard approach -- swings, for example, hang at a bar for seats. Only this schoolyard stays open til midnight, and John was there working himself  even then. Impressive.

Switching gears again:

When my friend Saul visited earlier this month, we ended up at Millenium Park around lunch time, and I immediately thought of Park Grill for burgers. For years I've been reading write ups in the many "Best Burger" issues in Chicago -- seems like everyone's got on -- yet never made my way in. Well folks, it's worth the hype. Pictured on the left is 1/2 of a regular ol' burger and the other half is the angus peppercorn crusted burger, which has gorgonzola, balsamic onions and mustard (although I swear there was bacon, too, but the online menu says otherwise). Guess which one was the best? The regular one, but they were both great. The regular one -- not greasy like its fancy, schmancy rival -- is one of the best burgers I've ever had. I'd go back. Just for the burger.

What We Eat At Home: December Highlights

Put aside all the holiday meals (four so far) and we've had a fairly healthy food month here at Brian and Sara's. Some of this months have been my favorites in terms of both flavor and color:

This is my favorite in terms of color. I took cubed sweet potatoes, spinach and onions and sauteed them in a little olive oil, then added eggs. I recall cumin being a component as well. The flavors came together well -- it's the execution that fell short. I threw the potatoes in first but totally underestimated how long they'd take. Mental note: fully cook the buggers and then add 'em.

Brian made me this after a long night at work, and it's still one of  my favorite quick pasta dishes to date. I can't recall all the ingredients, but I do know that spinach, a little bit of tomato, onion, garlic, and rosemary -- lots of rosemary -- were involved. He sauteed those ingredients and added the sauce to store-bought mushroom ravioli. The fact that there was only a hint of tomato instead of its being the main ingredient really made the rosemary (and was there thyme, too?) stand out. Brian says he simply took my pasta sauce idea and put a twist on it, but I think he did much more.

 Mmm, catfish. Some call this redneck. I call it tasty and fun. So long ago, though, I can't remember what he put in the sauce -- I'm pretty sure wine's in there -- and if that was polenta on the bottom or what. But I had to at least call it out.

See the next post for the big holiday finale.

Secret Santa Duty Report

How could you NOT love these kids? My coworkers and I became Secret Santas this year and got to distribute the gifts to needy kids in Chicago Public Schools, and what a hoot! This video begins right after we "Santa's Helpers" walked in.



This year I bought gifts for three kids, and two of those gifts were in lieu of gifts to a couple of my friends who I always exchange with. It's so easy and simple, and we're at a time in our lives where we don't really need to buy more things for each other. These kids' excitement woulda topped any gift certificate, candle or jewelry we might have given. .

This little girl was my favorite -- a little me! I, too, had glasses when I was young, and I hope I was nearly as smiley and sweet as she was. Her glasses, btw, were much cooler than mine; I wore upside down glasses, and they were horrible. I distinctly remember another 5-year-old and her mom walking by our house and pointing at me while asking why my glasses were upside down. But I digress. This little girl was my favorite.

I'm thankful Barbie's still popular, b/c Lord knows there are some skanky dolls out there.

This little girl wouldn't open her present so she could have something under the tree. (She wasn't the only one.)

I spent $30 on a Hug-n-Heal Barbie set when bubbles could've brought the same enjoyment? J/k

The little girl (above) didn't get what she wanted and had a major meltdown -- one of only two, so I consider it a success.

I can't tell who's more excited in this one. Remember how fun it was to watch someone open presents -- especially toys?

No update here: They are serving the exact same pizza that they did when I was in elementary school in the '80s.

So if your company, church, gym or what have you does a Secret Santa, DO IT. Do one. Do a few. Buy in lieu of presents for other people. They'll appreciate it.

One more thing: when you're buying something, try to stick to what the kids want and don't assume that because they're poor they'll automatically like whatever you give them. Kids are kids. Rich or poor, they have an opinion. And although many definitely will have an appreciation or excitement that a more fortunate kid might not feel, they still dream about cool toys they see on TV. Just sayin'.

Merry Christmas!

Food Photos TK

I owe this blog a food photo update -- it's been awhile. I've got enough photos, mostly from home, but the problem is that they're in two different places, and it's a bitch to download.

A good majority are on my phone, which means I have to send them to an online album through my Verizon account, then send them to my email address, download them, then upload to the blog. There's a "send to blog" option, but I must be doing something wrong, because it's not working (I've only had the phone for a short time, so maybe that's the problem).

The other photos are on my camera. It's really not that difficult to download 'em, but it takes time. It all does. And these days, I'm lacking the time to spend uploading, downloading, emailing and editing.

Ad class just ended (more on that later), so that should free me up. Stay tuned. Tonight's dinner alone is worth bragging about: it's Brian's take on my own recipe! Store-bought mushroom ravioli with a sauce of onions; orange and yellow peppers; tomatoes (not a whole lot though); olive oil; garlic; and rosemary.

Thanksgiving: The Meal

As you can see, Thanksgiving at my aunt and uncle's was a success. I cleaned my plate -- twice. Here's what it looked like to start:

Clockwise, from top: dark meat turkey with gravy; kugelis, my mom's Lithuanian potato and bacon specialty, with sour cream; stuffing; broccoli; canned cranberries; sweet potatoes with marshmallows; and frozen cranberry salad, which I would definitely like at one of my last meals and makes its rounds at every family holiday. 

The above table is the adult table.

And this is the kiddie table. It doesn't matter that Brian's older than my cousin Debbie, who's at the adult table -- again -- but that's OK. Donna (pictured) is awesome, and we've determined the cool people sit at the kiddie table anyway. (And the wine's better.)

The biggest news though from Thanksgiving is that my mom showed up with a walker. Every time I see her, her back is worse, and her pain seems to be increasing. She technically could have used the walker a long time ago but was waiting until she couldn't not use it. Unfortunately that time has come.

I'll probably write about it later; it's a complex issue I don't feel like diving into. I just hate that she's so young and lives life in so much pain.

I'm thankful for Brian, my family and my friends; the luxury of food and everything else I take for granted; and my health. I so dearly appreciate my health.

A Successful Friend Thanksgiving!

Check out that spread.. Isn't it beautiful?

That's Clive, Kelly, Kelly's friend/our friend Jen, Patrick and Brian yesterday at a very successful and gluttonous Friend Thanksgiving. Clive and Kelly -- who hosted a Thanksgiving last year that Brian and I visited after my own family's -- will be in Napa Thursday and invited us all over to celebrate anyway. This is the group Brian and I have spent the past few New Year's with and who comes with us to Jazz Fest. It's a great group dynamic -- we're all on the same page in terms of level of energy, being adventurous with food and just being genuine people, I'd say -- so  Friend Thanksgiving celebrated that and then some.

Our spread had a lot of garlic. Pictured you'll see Brian's garlic mashed potatoes; sweet potatoes in a sage and butter sauce; turkey sausage dressing; fancy green bean and garlic casserole; homemade cranberry sauce; brown-n-serve rolls (the best!) and  of course, turkey. The turkey was juicy -- they got a fresh one, which apparently is really difficult to order for the weekend before Thanksgiving -- and the eight or nine bottles of wine we killed (there were six of us) tasted more fantastic as the night went on.

My contribution: redneck crab dip and jump shrimp. Jen brought amazing chocolate chess square and Dutch custard apple pies.

Can't go wrong when you hit all the right notes.

Are we lucky or what? We're surrounded by good people and amazing food to share. Thanksgiving has become my favorite holiday because, as my former boss summarized it, there's no other focus than getting together with people you care about and being thankful for everything life's given you. No presents to distract, nor stress over a tree. Kelly made a point to keep the stress of dinner to a minimum; it was a perfect combination of home-cooked food and store-bought goodness.

During dinner we went around the table and said what we're thankful for. Some of the offerings: "That we all have jobs." "Friends." "Malbec."

Happy Thanksgiving.

REDNECK CRAB DIP
1 can white crab meat
1 package cream cheese (reduced fat OK)
1/2 lemon
garlic powder
cocktail sauce
crackers

Mix the crab meat, cream cheese and a sizable sprinkling of garlic powder in a bowl; squeeze 1/2 lemon into it and mix thoroughly. Form into a ball and place in dish; top with cocktail sauce so it's about 1/2 covered. Serve with crackers.

The Comfort of Food (and a great boyfriend)

I just came home sick. I stuck through the day OK, then 4 p.m. hit and I progressively got worse. I'm supposed to be in ad class but called my partner to see if he can present for both of us. My nice instructor was really cool about it, which makes missing class easier, because I feel like shit.

I'm about to go lie down, but before I do so, I wanted to tell you what a wonderful boyfriend I have, because recounting how much I appreciate him reminds me that, even when I feel like crap -- because of a cold, because of craziness at work or for whatever reason -- I have Brian by my side.

As I wrote, yesterday was a horrible day at work. I called Brian at lunch time to tell him what was going on, and by the time I touched base with him at the end of the day, he had a "special dinner treat" started. All I had to do was pick up rosemary.

This is what was cooking (and sadly, my timing and camera quality does not capture it well): 

A fall risotto, comprising rosemary, mushrooms, roasted squash and a bunch of other stuff I can't remember because my head's fuzzy. I do know olive oil, butter and some type of special broth were involved. I asked him what recipe he based it off of, and he literally just glanced at a few risottos and whipped it up -- and cooked it perfectly! He knows I love risotto, squash and mushrooms. It couldn't have been better.

That's also a glass of Old Charter bourbon and Coke. I needed to take the edge off - a perfect pairing.

[Update: I did not lie down. I worked. However, it was truly advancing the "next big thing." Gotta invest to get where you want, right?]

A 5k Should Be Easier Without the Swim and Bike, Right?

Before the heat of the moment passes, I wanted to tell you about this Sunday's Run for Chocolate, which is by far one of the best races I've done in a while because of the location, organization, route, and perfect amount of chocolate. It was my first 5k since October 2006 because of the strain running has put on my knees and having to essentially ditch running. I stopped signing up for 5ks to instead "conserve" my knees for the 5ks in triathlons.

So I wasn't sure what to expect from Sunday's run. I went in realizing I didn't care about time. As we lined up, I loved not having the pressure to gut it out. I was calm and relaxed.

Of course, I spoke too soon. Brian and I took off, and I felt my adrenaline and the energy from the crowd of 12,000 people all moving down the same path propel me. I decided to push myself and not hold back -- I always have to hold back b/c of my knees, and did I really know how far I could take it? Besides, I figured, wouldn't it be a helluva lot easier to push the limits not having swam and biked first?

The good news is that I have a new personal best time for myself, 3.1 miles in 27:27, which is I think an 8:51 pace. I really pushed it toward the end, too! And it felt great. Bonus: amazing hot chocolate and the perfect portion of chocolate fondue (pictured) post-race. [Update: Not everyone had it so lucky -- especially if you ran the 15k. Read Flour Girl's account here.]

The bad news is my right knee is killing me. It's two days later, and in the pool this morning -- the three laps I did -- my knee hurt while I was swimming. It's as if all I built up -- being able to run sporadically -- has crumbled and my workout routines now affected, all because of my stupid knees. I think I do better at triathlon 5ks because my joints and muscles are completely warmed up by the time I get to the run and, at that point, I don't have it in me to go all-out, which is bad for me knees. I do the light jogs my joints will allow, and it seems to work well.

I need to rest and lay off the workout for another day, which does NOT make me happy but at least allows me the opportunity to work on all the other stuff (resume, homework, my own Web site, getting enough sleep, etc.) I need to accomplish. But it sucks to do so well and then get taken right back to injury.

I did schedule that appointment with Coach Leach I mentioned earlier, btw, and meet with him in two weeks. I wonder where I'll be then?

I GOT A 'GOOD JOB' IN MY AD CLASS

HEAR YE, HEAR YE: I GOT A 'GOOD JOB' IN MY AD CLASS!

Make no mistake: it was followed with an urge to "take it to the next level" and came with a reminder that "it wouldn't get into Archive [magazine]," but my instructors -- uber tough critics -- said, "Good job." Well, one of 'em said it, and the other one didn't have nearly as many bad things to say about it compared to my other ad campaigns or ideas.  This one, the complimentary instructor said, could run in Good Housekeeping magazine (hold your judgement on the type of magazine and work with me) -- a major publication!

I'd like to credit the subject matter -- food -- for my success. Specifically, junk food, comfort food. I can relate to food and no doubt that relationship helped me. They said food campaigns are the toughest, alongside fashion. Thankfully, I had my love of food on my side.

The ad had to be for Ruffles potato chips. I designed a campaign (three ads around the same concept) featuring a healthy person -- in workout gear or standing in an organic food aisle with a basket of fresh vegetables -- stuffing Ruffles potato chips in her/his face, crumbs everywhere, with the words, "Ruffles missed you, too." The third ad featured a long hallway-esque persepctive of a health club. No people, just a crumpled bag of Ruffles on the floor surrounded by crumbs.  Yeah, someone indulged, and it's OK.

Would this concept need a little oomph, particularly with the copy? Yes, among other tweaks. But I still declare last week's class a success, and I may or may not have had a twinkle in my eye when one of the students who "gets it" in class (and whose opinion I respect) said he liked it, too.

We will not talk about our group project -- why dwell on the "challenges?" (By the way, can I tell you how sick and tired I am of interviewing sources and having to ask what "challenges" they faced instead of using the word "problems?" I digress.)

Despite my success, I am leaning toward not continuing the class. I'll finish this trimester, but there are two others left at $1,360 each. I'm not learning takeaways that are applicable to any type of marketing materials I might have to prepare (this class is specifically geared toward people who want to be a creative in advertising and preparing a portfolio for that), and $1,360 is a lot to spend on fun. Even the "fun" part is debatable sometimes. If I were getting reimbursed, I would definitely continue. But after paying off my car and debt, and a reduction in rent, I'm supposed to be saving money. Hence, I'm waivering.

I have a few weeks to decide. In the meantime, I have a new campaign and a new partner to focus on. And a little hope to boot.

I HEART RUFFLES. And food, I heart you, too.

It's Random Meal Week!

I just got back from the grocery store and have the makings for many individual side dishes but not a main meal:

• Sweet potatoes for mashed sweet potatoes
• Brussels sprouts for some type of dish (olive oil, a little butter and some brown sugar? no sugar and just salted?)
• Collards
• Chicken breast and green pepper to throw in with jambalaya mix from a box

I've recruited Brian to make the collards at some point, and I have to whip together the potatoes and collards on my own. Sometimes I start the week with set menus in mind. This time it's all over the place. Randomness is good sometimes.

I'm really excited for Fiber One's version of Pop Tarts in strawberry, two slices of carrot cake forwhenever and Fudgcicles, which are on sale at Jewel for those who might be interested. (Can you tell I have a sweet tooth this week?)

We'll see where this food leads!