Life was getting me a little down, but that didn’t stop me from eating some tasty dishes:

Salmon thanks to our resident fish-fryer, The Boyfriend:

Spaghetti and turkey meatball masterpiece:

Heard of oats in a jar?

What about sundae in a jar?

An entire plate of chocolate chip pancakes The Roommate made (nah, I shared):

And finally, plenty o’ green monsters:

I was drinking green monsters, but I was a blue, miserable monster.

But then the clouds parted and something wonderful happened.

I won’t share too much just yet because it seems to good to be true, but things are turning around for this Page girl!

The weather is acting accordingly. Thanks, Albany.

My boys and I spent a warm Easter Monday at the park. Normally we go to the dog park by our house, but Washington Park was buzzing with people and puppies!

Jack is normally a total princess about the water (bathtubs and cups included), but today he spotted some ducks and bolted in!

Attaaaaack!

Retreeeeat!

Someone needs to work on his swimming skills. Perhaps we could enroll him at the Y?

It was so beautiful out, despite a quiet threat of rain. The weatherman is predicting 84 degrees for Wednesday! Woohoo!

Dinner tonight was simple with cheddar and broccoli pierogies with steamed veggies and pesto.   

I’m off to bed soon because Granny has work, a meeting, and three apartment showings (!!) tomorrow. But I’m baaaaack to blogging and it feels good!

With the Boyfriend, of course.

Here is my advice for men who are looking to plan a great date and score some major bonus points with the little lady: plan a date around her interests. It’s incredibly flattering to know that you’re paying attention and it guarantees she will have a good time. And unless you’re dating, I don’t know, Lady Gaga or some other wackadoo, chances are she likes some pretty cool stuff and you’ll both end up enjoying yourselves.

Personally, my interests include wine and old movies. The Boyfriend planned accordingly.

We started the evening at the Palace theater in Albany to see a screening of To Kill A Mockingbird. I love watching old movies at the Palace. It’s this grand old theater and I imagine this is what it was like to go to the movie theater when the movies first started. It’s just such a fun, classy atmosphere. I also have to give major props to the ticket people. Upon arriving we discovered the “cash only” rule and could only scrounge eight bucks between the two of us, which left us each a dollar short for a ticket. The ticket people took pity on us and charged us the senior ticket price of four dollars each, thus scoring some major karma for themselves.

I read the book in high school but never got around to seeing the movie. However, I loved the story, wanted to be Scout, and I have a secret crush on Gregory Peck, so the film was on my must-see list. The movie was incredible. The Boyfriend seemed to enjoy it, too, and I always give props to people who are open to watching old black and white movies. I was raised on Bringing Up Baby and Notorious, but I realize this is unusual. There was no Quentin Tarrantino or Michael Bay in the 40s or 50s.

When we were in college a friend of mine had the idea to re-read all the books they forced him to read in high school. While you’ll never get me near Lord of the Flies again and though I’ll be good without re-reading Ellen Foster, generally this turned out to be a good idea. To Kill A Mockingbird was one of the books he read for a second time and he quite enjoyed it. In truth high schoolers are way too busy freaking out about EVERYTHING to bother with understanding books anyway. Not that I blame them; I was the same way. But nowadays, rather than bemoaning the fact that I’m a nerd, I accept it. Nerds read books. Point me to the nearest copy of Harper Lee’s classic.

As we were walking out of the theater, The Boyfriend turned to me and said, “I imagine you exactly like Scout when you were little.” Scrappy and opinionated? I’d say he might be onto something…

The second half of the date centered around another interest of mine: booze. We went to the Wine Bar and Bistro on Lark, which I have been dying to get to. Without knowing it, we picked the perfect date spot! The Wine Bar is located in a warm and romantic brick-covered basement, accented with fireplaces, candles, and local artwork.

They also have a little something called Wine After Work (yes, please).

“You Know You Need It!!”

Since we went on a Monday night, we enjoyed $5 glasses of wine. I tried a Vouvray which is now a new favorite of mine.

A little sweet, but quite crisp and incredibly fresh. The Boyfriend ordered a glass of Chardonnay, but we both agreed that my wine choice was the winner of the evening. We weren’t planning on eating, but before I knew it I found myself ordering butternut squash ravioli with pancetta. I mean, come on.

The Boyfriend got a stew with chicken confit, bacon, sausage, and white beans, all with a side of garlic crostini. This was absolutely incredible.

As soon as the server set down the bowl he said, “Baby, you better take a picture FAST because this isn’t gonna last long!”

They also brought us a carafe of water right away, which is awesome since I drink water like a beast when I go out to eat. I definitely judge a restaurant by how much water they give you.

My blurry Valentine

With its intimate layout, the Wine Bar is decidedly ideal for couples, but I foresee a girls night out with my lady friends there soon. You can’t beat the $20 bottle Wine After Work deal, and the food is good, too. The glasses of wine are plentiful and the hassle of the workweek seem far away.

It was heavenly to slurp soup, sip wine, and chat with my love. I spied a little on the only other couple in the dining room who were clearly on a second date. They knew each other, but they were asking basic questions: Where are you from, What’s your family like, What do you do for a living? I was suddenly very thankful to be sitting across from someone who has known me for years, someone who has seen me cry and makes me laugh, someone who cheered me on at my college graduation and knows my friends. Someone my mother likes. Someone with whom I have a song and a dog and a common obsession with Criminal Minds.

First dates are nice. Anniversaries are pleasant. But a random Monday night out with your sweetheart is something to cherish.

Within 15 minutes I, first-time Muddy Cup goer, arrived at the coffee shop to find this sign: “Sorry, Cash Only.” Well, sorry, no customer. I have limited financial resources to begin with, and what funds I do have I keep trapped inside a debit card. So what turned into a stroll to the coffee shop for a smoothie ended up being a circular 30 minute walk. No problem, though. I was happy walking about the neighborhood. I love where I live. It’s the edge of urban, a place where shops and bars and movie theaters are within walking distance, but also a place where you know your neighbors and smile at strangers walking by. Well, you smile at them between the months of March and September. If you are unfortunate enough to be forced outside during the winter months, the only glances you are exchanging with passerby are those of empathy and bitterness.

Today was the Smile! type of day. I passed a man out for a run, kids coming back from after-school care, a mother out for a walk with her daughter by her side and her son on a small bike with training wheels. The son zigzagged slightly down the road with his family behind him. When he came near me he stopped suddenly and honked the bike horn three times at me. I grinned. Kids crack me up.   

Once I got to my building I decided I didn’t want to go inside.  I needed someplace other than my animal-filled living room to write. As much as I love Jack and Sid, they are needy monsters and in order to type, I actually need to STOP petting them. This is not a concept they understand and I can’t take those shelter eyes and frantic paws coming at me. At Panera — a humans-only establishment — I was able to do some writing AND get my smoothie fix. Score.

Now that the sun is down and the chill is setting in, I’m back to hibernation mode. Lethargy is setting in and the sinus pressure headache that’s been lurking around all day is now here so I think it’s home to my couch, my animals, and a hot cuppa tea. Pleasant evening, Blogland!

Then again, this was the sight that met my eyes when I walked through the door this evening:

That would be a slice of cheesecake from the one and only Cheesecake Machismo. How do I feel about Cheesecake Machismo? I would like to fill my bathtub full of their cheesecake and soak it in through my pores. I’m hoping one day they will hire me to be their personal cheesecake tester. Just hearing the word “cheesecake” bring me unabashed joy. Cheese? Wonderful. Cake? Yes, please. Cheesecake? WELL, IF YOU INSIST.

I suppose I should stop my drooling for a moment to mention that this phantom cheesecake was purchased and set ever-so-sweetly upon my desk by the one and only Boyfriend. I sent him a text earlier detailing the fact that I was having a crummy day full of gray skies and blue emotions. (I believe the text went something like “shmeh.”) And because he is wonderful he bought me cheesecake. Bliss.

The cheesecake was a good buffer to the other thing I came home to:

That, dear friends, is a large pot. Normally I would use such a pot to boil up a large vat of pasta, sprinkle it with a little cheese and pepper, and call it dinner. But on this day, we are using this pot to collect the rain that is falling from our living room ceiling.

Drop by drop…

This is the fourth or fifth leak we’ve had in the apartment since we moved in last spring. We’re all delighted, as you can imagine.

It’s been raining all day along in Albany. But yesterday it was doing a little something like this:

Albany finally got its snow.

Nearly everything was cancelled, so The Boyfriend, Roommate, and I clambered into the Roommate’s minivan and ventured to the Gateway Diner for a late breakfast. Speaking of why you’re fat:

When one’s city is blanketed in snow, one is left with no choice but to consume copious amounts of breakfast foods to cope with the pending hibernation/starvation of a snow day. You understand.

I can only hope spring will be here soon, at which point I will stop eating like a bear.

(P.S. I know the layout of this particular post is all distorted.  I have no idea why.  WordPress and Ecto are both being whiny children today.)

Other than my slight hangover excitement over my friend’s news, it’s a pretty low-key day.  Today is turning out to be one of those to-do list Saturdays.  Nothing horrible, just some laundry and dirty dishes (I’m not sure we actually do dishes during the week in this apartment.  We seem to save them for the weekend).  And a trip to the dog park with my two favorite puppy twins!

We’re taking care of my cousin’s dog, Lola, who is a fatter version of Jack and a big ball of lovin’.  It’s so much fun having two dogs!

I should get to my list. But before I do any of that, I need a playlist.  Don’t you always need some good music to motivate you? I came across the new version of “We Are the World” and, since I’m a total sucker for super emotional musical collaborations, I watched all 8 minutes of it. Twice.

My impressions:

• I want to do karaoke with Pink. How fun would she be at a bar?
• The lead singer of The Fray is super bald and super cute.
• Jennifer Hudson has some nice pipes.
• It’s Enrique Iglesias, everybody!
• Is that Jeff Bridges?
• I secretly like Sugarland.  Shh.
• Lil Wayne “sings.” It’s weird.
• Wyclef Jean is awesome.

I’m not totally missing the point of this remake, by the way: you can still donate to Haiti relief by texting “WORLD” to 50555.

Off to be productive!

Blueberry oatmeal with peanut butter, wheat germ, cranberries, and almond slivers. Plus green pomegranate tea.

Is it snowing where you are? I guess New York, Philadelphia, D.C. got slammed, but the flakes are only just starting to fall here in Albany. Apparently it’s going to last all day! I hope the morning and evening commutes aren’t pain! Stay warm and dry!

I’m watching L.A. Story which is one of my all-time favorite movies.

It’s hilarious and the ending is so sweet. It’s a feel-good movie that’s not too sappy. It means even more to me know because The Boyfriend gave me a copy for Christmas. I used to have a VHS copy but then my old VCR ate it (oh yeah, I still use my VCR!) and I was crushed. So The Boyf tracked down a copy for me! He’s so thoughtful!

Jack is looking bored. It’s so sunny out but the wind is a-roaring, which makes for very cold Albany weather. I want to take the monster to the dog park but that wind is making it difficult.

Pleeeease?

He’s so social and loves hanging out with his buddies. I’ll layer up in a bit and make the trek out into the arctic temperatures.

If my morning looked stressful, check out my afternoon: dog park, grocery store and meal planning for the week, and baking (?!). Phew.

But before I get to tonight’s dish, can I go on a cheese tangent? While picking up some extra sharp Cheddar at the store, I saw Price Chopper is having a 2 for $4 sale with Cabot cheeses. And imagine my delight when I saw this tucked away:

I pulled out Old Faithful and that block of cheese was reduced to shreds in the pulse of a finger.

I made minor adjustments to Smitten Kitchen’s recipe:

Homey Macaroni and Cottage Cheese

(Homey? Cottage? See what I did there??)

• 1 c. low-fat cottage cheese
• 1 8 oz. block Cheddar cheese, shredded
• 2 c. 1% milk
• Pinch paprika
• Pinch dry mustard
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 lb. multi-colored vegetable pasta, uncooked
• 1 cup chopped broccoli

My pasta came from this box:

This dish is so easy to assemble:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and shred cheese.

2. In a food processor, combine the cottage cheese, mustard, paprika, salt and pepper, and blend. Slowly pour in the milk while blending the cottage cheese mixture.

3. In a large bowl combine all but 1/4 c. shredded cheese, cottage cheese and milk mixture, and the pasta.   Once combined, pour into a greased baking dish.

4. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove, sprinkle the remaining Cheddar over the pasta, cover, and bake again for another 30 minutes.

Ta da!

The only hard part is waiting for this to bake.

Fun.

I hate the cold. It makes me feel hopeless. How do I cure these chilly and depressing feelings? With a hot dinner that sticks to your ribs, of course.

I cooked up a hearty risotto for my rumbling tummy and the roommates (who are currently on break from school and can therefore spend their weekdays sitting on the couch watching South Park while I brave the cold to go to work all day. I only mention this because I am jealous and bitter, not because it has any relevancy to risotto). Risotto is indescribable. I could eat buckets of it every day for the rest of my life. I’ve decided it’s my desert island food.

I started off with a little olive oil and a lot of butter melting together in a pan. Don’t they look happy?

Then I added half a chopped onion and let it soften.

Next one head of chopped radicchio and about a cup of sliced mushrooms made their way into the pan.

These cooked all together until the veggies were soft. A cup and a half of Arborio rice was next.

The original recipe called for 1/2 cup of white wine, but we drank it all didn’t have any so I added a splash of rice wine vinegar for a little zing.

If you read my risotto recipes from before or if you’ve made risotto yourself, you know the drill: add 1-2 ladles of broth to the rice and stir so that it does not stick to the pan.

When the liquid is absorbed, add another ladle. Continue this until the rice is fully cooked, which should not take more than 10-15 minutes.

Add salt, pepper, and a sprinkle (or five) of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Do not expect any leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

For some veggie power, we threw together a couple of salads. Mine had romaine, cucumbers, mushrooms, and olives.

I topped it off with homemade vinaigrette. I didn’t measure the ingredients, but it had juice from one clementine, olive oil, a little dry mustard, pepper, and balsamic vinegar. I keep my dressings in an old agave nectar bottle which makes it easy to pour. Clever, huh?

Want to see this post in simple recipe form? Check out the link for Radicchio Mushroom Risotto on my Recipe page. You can also find tomato basil risotto and pumpkin risotto.

The Roommies and I took Jack out for a romp in the snow.  I say “romp”…. we may have romped, but Jack sprinted around the backyard like a bat outta hell!

Jack attack!

He was a blur.

The snow really put us in the Christmas spirit so we heated some Mexican hot chocolate and busted out the decorations to festify the apartment.

This is not, as it were, a case of Maker’s Mark.  Although I suppose that would make for a merry Christmas of another sort.

We strung lights about the apartment and in the windows.  And on the pets.

The Boyfriend, meanwhile, was actually working.  It didn’t take long to get our tiny living ready for the holidays!

Even the fish got in on the act.

We found a bag of my Mardi Gras beads from last year.

Jack dressed up as a Louisiana belle.

Hm… perhaps I wanted a little girl dog? No way, I love my patient little puppy.  (Fun fact: today is the 6 month anniversary of his adoption!)

Somewhere during the day I finished up my bagels.  I added salt to half and flax seeds to the other half.

This batch went much faster than the last batch, so apparently I’ve got the recipe down! I really think the trick is adding toppings.  Who doesn’t love toppings?

I have to get started on narrowing down my cookie recipes for Christmas.  If it were up to me I would make 27 different kids and Santa and I would split them all.  But then I would look like this guy:

[Image courtesy of Chicago Tribune]

Only in my case it would be upset stomach, not lust for world domination, that explains the super grumpy face.

If you need me, you can find me drooling poring over these: