Monthly Review: April 2013

I feel like April went by in a flash, where did it go?  Fortunately, it looks like spring is (finally) upon DC, and I’m looking forward to some warmer weather!  Check out what photos I have capture on my iPhone this month!

Interested what we did in the past?
2013: January February March
2012: May June July August November December

After running the Rock ‘n Roll Half Marathon in DC, I needed some new shoes.  For running apparel, one of the best places to go in DC (or Virginia) is Pacers.  After trying out a bunch I chose these Mizuno‘s- they’re probably a little flashier than I prefer, but fantastic to run in!  What races are others running?  Any favorites one’s you’ve done before?

While training for a full or half marathon it’s important to get some delicious food, here are some suggestions for great fueling: Garlic Hummus, Chocolate Chip Banana Bread, Fall Granola, Sausage, Egg & Cheese Breakfast Casserole.

Spring days are the best for exploring new neighborhoods and restaurants.  Which is exactly what we did when we stopped by Union Market’s Rappahannock Oyster Bar– check out what we ate in our blog post recap!  I also mentioned Union Market in the March review, see what I got then!

I had a great Sunday night dinner party with some DC bloggers (Anne, Ericka, Sarah, Sarah, Amy).  Sarah, of Why Food Works, wanted to spread the word about her new business in DC, and we got to see how her dinner parties work.  Definitely check out the post-  Why Food Works: A Dinner Party, and call Sarah to book a fun Friday night activity!

This month was busy for our new house, we had a housewarming with our friends, a brunch housewarming with Sam’s family, and both of our families came to check out the new digs!  It was a little hard to choose recipes for people to snack and nibble on (so many choices)!  Here are some links to what we made for our visitors: Herbed Almonds, Cream Cheese and Arugula Baguette Bites, Mediterranean Turkey Balls with Herbed Yogurt Sauce, Creamy Ranch Dressing, Lemon Bars, lox and cream cheese, Smokey Quiche, No-Bake Coconut “Cheesecake”, vegetables, fruit.  What are your favorite go-to ideas when you host parties?

Thanks to some expert advice from Emily, we tried making a pizza on the grill!  So delicious- would anyone be interested in a post on how to do it?  What are your favorite pizzas?  Some of our creations include: Apple & Smoked Cheese on Whole Wheat and Mushroom & Broccoli Pizza.  The one in the photo above is actually a “clean out your fridge” pizza.

When my parents were visiting DC, we took a day trip to Annapolis.  As we wandered through the cute city, we stumbled upon Seasons.  It’s an olive oil and vinegar taproom- a way to sample delicious oils and vinegars.  After trying out some, we each bough a couple to try out in our salads!

Coincidentally, salads have been taking over our Food Matters Project posts!  But they are all so delicious!  Check out the Bulgur Wheat Mango Salad with Avocado (above) or the Spinach Cobb Salad with Caper-Anchovy Vinaigrette.  Or see what other recipes we’ve made from the Food Matters Project.

I went to Nashville, Tennessee this past weekend to run the Rock ‘n Roll Half Marathon.  Thanks to a great Food & Wine article and from Lindsay of Love and Olive Oil, we got some great food recommendations.  I’ll be doing a post about the delicious meals soon.

Lastly, while at the expo- we got to hear Kara Goucher speak and take a photo with her!  It was really exciting for all of us.  The girls running weekend turned out great, even though we had some crummy weather.  Thanks for an awesome time: Becky, Beth, Cassie, Katie, Katie, Lianne, and Sarah!  (two of these ladies are bloggers, so definitely check their blogs out for more Nashville fun)

Monthly Review: March 2013

Another month went by in a flash, hopefully spring is here!  Check out what photos I have captured on my iPhone!

Interested in what we did in the past?
2013: January February
2012: May June July August November December

Unfortunately, the month of March started off on a sad note for us.  One of our adorable kitties, Malcolm, passed away.  I realize not everyone feels this way, but to us the cats are like family and it’s difficult when they’re gone.  Thank you to all of our friends and family for the kind words, wonderful memories, and flowers.  We’ll miss you Malcolm!

I’m probably the last person to check out Union Market, but thanks to my friend Alix- I (finally) did!  After sandwiches from Red Apron Butchery, I also got some goodies for Sam.  Alix and Sam are pickle lovers, so thanks to her I was able to choose the best one’s from Oh! Pickles.  I also bought some fresh bread, from Lyon Baker, and a new beer from Cordial.  Have you been to Union Market?  If so, what’s your favorite place to eat at?

One early afternoon, Sam and I explored a new place- The Coupe.  It’s a 24 hour diner in DC.  Since then, I’ve also stopped by for coffee on a Saturday morning- lots of people coming in for brunch!

We also checked out a new gem in our new locale- El Chucho.  If you’d like to see what we ate and drank check out our El Chucho Review blog post!  What’s your favorite dish on their menu?

The 2 days before running races I like to make a giant pot of pasta.  Of course, I get bored of just red sauce- so I tried out a brussels sprouts mac ‘n cheese recipe.  Need other some new recipe ideas? Clams and Linguine with White Wine Sauce; Green Pea & Pancetta Linguine; Kale Lasagna; Lobster Mac ‘n Cheese; Mushroom Bolognese Fettucini; No-Cook Spaghetti Sauce; Provencal Pasta Sauce; Rigatoni with Vegetables, Figs & Blue Cheese; Sam’s Summer Pasta Sauce.

I ran in the Rock ‘n Roll Half Marathon!  This was my 10th half marathon!  Congrats to all the runners out there, and thanks to my friends Steph & Cassie for being great cheerleaders.  Unfortunately, Sam was unable to run- but as always, he was my best cheerleader out there!  I also celebrated by eating a couple of our Green Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting!

I’m excited for #11 next month: the Rock ‘n Roll Half Marathon in Nashville.  Anyone running that race?  Any Nashville recommendations?  It’ll be a fun girls weekend which includes my friends Becky and Lianne– make sure to check out how their training is going!

Welcome the newest member of our family at Fifth Floor Kitchen!  His name is Fuggles- it’s a type of hops used in British beer.  One of Sam’s hobbies is brewing his own beer, which is where we got the idea for this cutie’s name.  He’s a little less than a year old, and a very energetic little guy!  I’m sure he’ll keep Van Gogh (our other kitty) on his toes!

Every couple needs a date night.  Everyone needs a date night at Red Rocks.  It’s our favorite pizza place in DC, and you all should check it out (at least) once.  Above is the Roasted Eggplant pizza (roasted eggplant, goat cheese, pesto, parmesan).  You should all be happy I shared this classified secret with you!  😉

I really enjoy having dinner dates with food blogger friends- I always get the great gossip about new restaurants, best dishes and fun events.  This past month Olga, from Mango & Tomato, and I went to Dukem.  I haven’t had Ethiopian in a long time, and it was nice to try a new spot.  Have you had Ethiopian?  If not, definitely give it a shot.

Thanks to Liza, of (a)Musing Foodie, and her post about Tonx- I knew we had to try a new coffee.  Check out how to get a free sample of Tonx Coffee here!  We received a medium roast for our sample, and it was perfect for the cold March mornings!

Full disclaimer: For the free sample Tonx will ask for credit card information, and automatically subscribe users to the lowest monthly subscription, unless you cancel (which is done with a quick press of a button).  They will provide reminders (via email) before moving you to the subscription (a couple of days notice).   

*This was not sponsored by Tonx, just me sharing a link to a free sample!

The Monday’s in March have not had the best weather- hello snow!  I’m hoping April will bring more sunshine and higher temperatures.  We did stay warm this month by making some of these recipes: Dal with Lots of Vegetables; Provencal Pasta Sauce; Rhubarb-Blueberry Pie; Rice & Lamb Burgers with Spinach & Tzatziki Sauce and the Banana & Chocolate Chip Cake.

To end the month on a delicious notice- my runner friend Tracy and I tried this amazing dessert: Deep Fried-Bacon Wrapped PB Cups.  Where can you find this treat?  At The Passenger!  Awesome bar too, so doubly worth the visit.

Sausage, Egg & Cheese Breakfast Casserole

As I’ve mentioned before, Sam and I do a lot of running.  Currently, we’re training for the Rock ‘n Roll USA Half Marathon, which is held in DC in March!  Are any of you running it?  I would love to see some bloggers and readers out there!

For me, the hardest part about training for distance races (halfs, fulls, etc) is providing your body with enough nutrition and energy.  Specifically, the day you do your long run- ours tend to be Saturdays.  What can you eat after a run during which you’ve burned over 1,000 calories?  A burger definitely hits the spot, but I some mornings all I want are eggs.

A couple of weeks ago, I was perusing my Google Reader and I saw the perfect post-long run breakfast dish.  It was from Liza, of (a)Musing Foodie– a fellow blogger I met at the Eat, Write, Retreat Food Blog Conference.  The best part was, it’s a dish you put together the night before, and just pop it into the oven in the morning.

Even if you don’t have a long run planned for this Saturday, this is a perfect dish for your brunch guests.  Easy, delicious and very versatile!

Sausage, Egg & Cheese Breakfast Casserole
Adapted from: (a)Musing Foodie

Liza used a baguette, I did not have one on hand- so I used leftover whole-wheat bread from Trader Joe’s that had flaxseeds and sunflowers seeds in it.  Feel free to use what you have in your bread box!  Additionally, use any type of milk product for the 2 1/2 cups of liquid (regular milk, soy milk, almond milk, etc)- I ran out of the soy milk so I substituted the rest with the half ‘n half.

2 cups of bread, cubed
6 slices of bacon
1 large onion, chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño, chopped (optional)
1 lb Polish sausage, cut into small pieces
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated
2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
10 large eggs
2 cups soy milk
1/2 cup half ‘n half
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Spray a 9×13” baking dish with cooking spray. Then spread the bread cubes on the bottom of the baking dish.

Heat up a large skillet, place the bacon on it and heat it up until crispy on both sides.  Set aside on a paper towel, but leave the bacon grease in the pan.  Then add in the onion, let it cook until translucent over medium heat, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the garlic and jalapeño, cook for another 2-3 minutes.  Next, add in the sausage and cook for about 5-10 minutes, until it begins to brown.  Add all of these ingredients into a large bowl.

Once the bacon has cooled off, chop it up and add it to the bowl.  Then mix in cheese, spinach, and green onions.  Once the meats and vegetables are mixed, spread this out over the bread cubes in the baking dish.

Next, in a medium bowl whisk together the eggs, soy milk, half and half, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.  Then pour this mixture over the layers in the casserole dish, and gently press down so the liquid drips down.

Cover the casserole, and let it sit overnight in the fridge.

Once you’re ready to cook it, preheat the oven to 375ºF.  Bake the casserole covered with aluminum foil for 45 minutes.  Then uncover it, and bake it for another 15 minutes when it starts to bubble.

Let it rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Monthly Review: December 2012

The last monthly review for 2012!  What photos did I capture on my iPhone this month?

Interested in what we did in the past months?  Check them out for 2012: May, June, July, August, and November.

I love walking and running in DC, views like this don’t let me forget how lucky I am to be in such a great city!

Our friend Brittany celebrated her 30th birthday with a brunch at Granville Moore’s.  It was the first time for Sam and me, and we really enjoyed it- hope to come back to try the mussels and Belgian beer!

My friend Carrie and I went to the screening of Honor Flight, at DAR Constitution Hall, it’s a documentary about a network that brings World War II veterans to see the memorial in D.C.  If you haven’t seen this, please do- what a great organization!

Holiday Parties, I’m pretty sure everyone had many this month.  This is my attempt at one of them to decorate my cookie.  I don’t think Christmas dessert decoration is my thing…maybe next year!  If you’re as decorationally-challenged as me, try making this Creamy Winter Veg Soup.

We’ve had a number of friends find new homes the past couple of months- congrats to all!  I just thought this card was really cute!

For those that follow me on Twitter, you probably already know that I run with Back on My Feet in DC.  This is a great organization helping homeless attain various personal goals (school, homes, jobs, etc) while using running as a platform.  If you’d like more info about it, don’t hesitate to ask!

This was during our huddle right before the group ran the Jingle All the Way 8K!

During our last visit to the Penn Quarter Farmer’s Market we got: spaghetti squash, cheeses, sausages and brussels sprouts.  The market will be back in March, until then we’ll try to stop by the Dupont Farmer’s Market on Sunday’s!

Recipe ideas for the foods above: Leafy Brussels Sprouts with Nuts & Rigatoni with Vegetables Figs and Blue Cheese.

There have been a couple cold nights in December, so we like to stay in and enjoy some cheese, crackers and pear slices!  And we got to usa a wedding gift- a new cheese board (thanks to Steph and Jack!).

Other appetizer ideas: Apples, Blue Cheese & Honey; Beet Chips with Pistachio Dip; Fig & Arugula Flatbread; Roasted Mushrooms with Parsley; Tomatoes with Mozzarella & Basil.

Although we have had delicious dinners at Zengo DC, we had yet to try it for the new brunch option.  When our friends Josie and Nathan wanted to hang out, we suggested this $35 bottomless brunch!  Wonderful food, good service and those churros at the end were delicious!

With Back on My Feet DC I got a chance to visit the White House when it was beautifully decorated for the holiday season.  Check out my post on this little adventure!

Great photo of the Mall on Christmas Day!  I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season!

When I’m sick, the only thing I crave is pho.  Does anyone have any favorite places around DC/NOVA?  I’d love to hear where you all go!  This one was takeout from Pho DC.

DC recently opened up its first gin distillery.  Green Hat is open for tours, but we snagged this in our local liquor store.  Have you tried it yet?

Boston: Flour Bakery

This past weekend, I got to spend some time with friends in Boston.  It was great to see the city in some warmer temperatures, since it was a little chilly when we were there in April.  Check out what Sam and I did on our last visit: Sam Adams Brewery and Boston Review.

This time around it was a girls weekend, so there was some running, brunching, eating delicious pasta and enjoying the beautiful weather!  One of the highlights was a visit to Flour Bakery.  As stated on their website, Flour Bakery was “borne out of a passionate desire to share the simple pleasures that mouth-watering pastries and foods can bring”.  Walking in you can smell the delicious variety of baked goods from tarts and decadent chocolate cakes, to traditional cookies and croissants.

Joanne Chang is a Harvard graduate with a degree in applied mathematics and economics.  At 24, after two years as a management consultant, she changed her career and dove into the pastry and restaurant business.  Today, in addition to the three locations of Flour Bakery (Fort Point, South End and Central Square), her and her husband also manage Myers + Chang.

As we walked through the door of the Central Square location, there was a bit of a line- but it moved quickly.  After a run that morning we decided to each have a brunch item, as well as a dessert, so we can share.  There is standard menu of breakfast items, sandwiches and desserts.  In addition, there are also daily and weekly items.  On this board, a couple of items were already crossed out and unavailable by the time we arrived (around noon).  So what did we eat?

Beth and I had ordered the exact same thing, but prepared differently.  All sandwiches can also be prepared as a salad, unless they are roasted.  So I chose the Smoked Salmon with Herbed Cream Cheese, Red Onions and Arugula Sandwich.

Meanwhile, Beth decided on the salad version of the same dish.  After trying the salad, we all raved about the dressing- but couldn’t exactly decide what was in it!

Becky opted for another weekly special of the summer squash quiche, which was served with a small side salad.

Now for the best part, the desserts!  We had an oreo:

A chocolate chip macaroon:

And a Sticky Buns, the signature dessert at Flour Bakery.  I’m not a huge fan of anything cinnamon, but these might have won my heart.  They were a little sweet with notes of caramel and brown sugar, a little nutty with pecans, and a little sticky per the name.  My favorite was that they were lightly airy and not too heavy, makes for a delicious treat after a run!

Becky said that she’ll definitely be back, and I’m excited to hear what she’ll get next time!