Sunday Morning Brunch

I swear we eat more than eggs these days.  It does seem that way given I just posted about Eggs with Soyrizo and now I'm writing about Sunday brunch.  Plus, we had quiche at our friend, Andrea's, house for brunch Saturday too.  Guess we really don't eat much more than eggs afterall.

Hmmm not really sure what this post is about, Saturday or Sunday truthfully...As you see in the picture above there are two tickets from the Ben Harper show Saturday night.  He's so awesome and we also got to spend quality catch-up time with our good friends.  Most importantly my bff Carolyn!  Great time!!

Operation New Patio: Phase 2

The patio project started on a Tuesday afternoon and the picture above is how things looked by Thursday evening.  (here's phase 1)  Next on the list was to dig out the grass  to expand our patio to the size we want, level, and build the steps.

At this point I'm thinking we have totally made it through the hard part!  Woo hoo!  Not so fast or as my dad, the Dude, always quotes from Glengarry Glen Ross, "Put that coffee down!  Coffee is for closers!"

Farmers Market

Farmers Markets!  Here's where I'm supposed to say, "I love Farmers Markets! We go every week and here's the amazing pie I made!"  Alas, really it's more like I want to love farmers markets.  I love in-season, just picked produce and helping the local farmer.  I love finding something I've never heard of and figuring out what it is and a new recipe to try.  The truth is I rarely actually make it. (insert stellar batch of excuses here) When I do make it I kind of wander around like a lost duckling not quite sure what to buy or wishing it was earlier or later in the season when more stuff would be in-season.

This Sunday forecast was the cold and possibly rainy day of the holiday weekend.  We decided to check out the farmers market since strawberries are in season.  (btw - looking to go strawberry or raspberry picking soon!)  Well guess what?  We had a blast!

Low Tide at Alki Point

Seattle is just now starting to warm up.  As you can see in the picture above from last week my sis-in-law, Katherine, and Z-man are wearing coats!  It had to be mid 60s for the high that day. Crazy huh?!  I'll take it over 90s any day. I'm a total wimp.

That said, with company in town we were hoping for more summer like weather.  How great would it be to order the weather like a burger?  No such luck... Z wanted to go to the beach and "touch the water" so off we went to Alki Beach.  I know what you're thinking "Is this a rerun?"  Well, yes kind of.  Wait, but don't change channels yet!  I promise this episode is different.

We did go to the water and the same coffee shop for lunch.  That's true.  This time after lunch we took a long walk to Alki Point because we could tell the tide was low.  Turns out the Seattle Aquarium has naturalists out along the beach on the point during extreme low tides armed with their glossy books ready to point out the cool things to look for under rocks and hiding in the sand and water.  It was a BLAST!  I geeked out and even snapped a picture of Kat and Z with one naturalist that was super helpful.

The tide is so low you walk out about 50 yards over what would normally be the sound floor.  Along the way crabs squirt water up in the air so they can sink further into the sand.  This move is in attempt to not get eaten.  People watch for the squirting and race to try and dig the crab up before it gets too deep to catch.  Not my bag.  Blach!

There were tons of starfish!  Big ol purple ones clinging to rocks!  There were sea cucumbers hiding under rocks (didn't get a picture).  Did I say already how much fun we had?  Deja Vu?  hmmm.  After the field trip we took Ed and Kat to Starbucks, of course.  Z got a doughnut and was so relaxed and happy.  It was a perfect day!

Alki Beach

When I told my students six years ago that my soon-to-be hubby and I were packing up and moving to Seattle here's what Charlie shouted, "Why Seattle?  It has the highest suicide rate in the nation!"  His comment was met with mixed reviews from fellow students to which he defended, "It rains like all the time there!"

Gotta say, it certainly does rain a lot in Seattle.  It is more of a drizzly, cool, cloudy-like climate rather than stormy rain.  Most of the winter the rain doesn't bother me.  About April I start watching the forecast for sun and wondering where the rain "off switch" might be located.

Walla Walla!

Did I mention we went to Walla Walla with an expert?  Our good friend, Peter, grew up and went to college in Walla2.  Nothing better than saying "where to?" and knowing it was going to be great wine!

His friend works for the winery Cadaretta.  They cooked up a tour and tasting at the custom crush site.  That's fancy talk for warehouse where they crush the grapes then store and bottle the wine.

No Whining with Wine

Last weekend we took Z to Walla Walla, WA.  This has to be one of the coolest and yummiest untapped wine areas in the country!  It was Balloon Stampede weekend and we rented a huge house for the weekend with our PEPs friends.  Balloon Stampede is where 40+ hot air balloons launch one after another and float along for all to OOOH and AHH at all morning.  Mother Nature had other plans so not one balloon was launched.

Weekend Craziness with an Ethiopian Kick

Phew!  It's Monday evening and I am beat!  The weekend was awesome but tiring and I am fighting my little heart out trying not to get a full blown cold.  I've been drinking tea like it's going out of style and well, ok maybe I'm not really fighting that hard cuz that's all I got.  Not even a little chicken noodle soup or taking vitamin C.  As usual, Lame.

We had one of those Saturdays where in the middle you tell yourself to remember to never overbook again.  First, we had soccer for Z at 10am.  He wanted to be held for the first 10 minutes poor little guy.  Plus, he was pretty much done with 10 minutes left and the class is only 50 minutes.  hmmm, nowhere to go but up!

Next, we headed home to meet Grandma and change. She watched Z for the afternoon and evening (Thanks Mom!).  We met my sis, B, at Key Arena and saw Illinois crush Gonzaga at basketball.  It was way fun to see so much orange and blue even though Gonzaga was definitely the home team.  ILL-INI!!!

From there we booked to meet friends at an Ethiopian restaurant.  They just learned they have been matched with a baby they will adopt in January!  We celebrated with some of their other friends.  Ethiopian food is pretty good.  C did not like the bread you pick up the food with, Injera.  It is pretty spongy but is so bland that it works well to not overpower the flavors.  He didn't care for the texture.  I get it for sure.  We had some really yummy kitfo (ground beef cooked not tartar) which was pretty spicy and this chicken with collards dish that was easily my fav.  The rest were vegetarian like lentils, and cabbage, and collards, all good too.  I'd go back.

We dragged ourselves home and as quickly as possible went to bed.  Z, of course, was bright eyed and bushy tailed at 5:30 am Sunday.  Groan.  I'll skip the boring Sunday stuff but know this - we made pizza, Z made pizza too, and it was divine!  If you're actually still reading I'll spare you that tale for another post.  Smoochy smooch, to bed I go!

That's Not Kosher

Last night Grannie Frannie watched Z so C and I could get out.  It was awesome!  First, we met friends for drinks before they all went to a concert.  We decided not to go cuz we didn't know the band.  I'm sure the concert was a blast but I felt we got the best combo of seeing everyone and then having a quiet dinner "Just. The. Two of us, we can make it if we try just the two of us... "

About a month ago we went to this wine bar/bistro place in Greenlake neighborhood of Seattle.  One look at the menu and we decided we would be back to try their food.  We went there last night.  If you are a Seattlelite it is called Eva.  I'm cruising through the menu and I see this item as an entrée.  What?!

Pork and latke?

Yep, you read it right, pork and latke.  That's just not kosher! :)  I think in this case they should have called it a potato pancake.  Other things on the menu sounded good but I just had to try this since I am a non-kosher Jewish girl with a sick sense of humor.  Turns out the latke (and the pork) was yummy.  Missing was one totally key ingredient that both the latke and pork would have benefited from: APPLESAUCE!

 
Overall, the evening was quite nice. We have stayed up much too late all week and Z has gotten up much too early.  I'm feeling like I did when Z was first born and we were in that zombie like stage. Well, he's sleeping now, maybe I should too.  zzzzzzz

Happy Weekend!

What happened to the week?  Here we are Friday already!  WOW!  Soooo this weekend is the highly anticipated baby shower for my sister at my house.  It is on Sunday which means the whole weekend will be devoted to prep for it.  17 RSVPd they are coming which sounds pretty big to me.  Seating might be a bit of a challenge for present opening.  I'm pretty excited about this though!

My mom has games planned, groan.  This is definitely other people's thing.  Not mine but I'll rally and put on a happy face about it.  They are never as bad as I think they'll be.  

Here's the final menu, stay tuned for pix!

Zucchini, mushroom, onion and Gruyere Frittata
Underdressed chicken salad with pita quartered
Roasted Cauliflower (and possibly red pepper) with Smoked Gouda sauce on the side
Garden Salad

Grilled Angel Food Cake with optional toppings strawberry sauce, whipped cream, and melted chocolate sauce.

Wish me luck!

Weekend lineup

In case you are wondering where things are with Sunday Pizza...

We took last weekend off from pizza making.  Instead, we met our PEPS group at a pumpkin patch with corn maze. It was so much fun!  Z and his buddies ran through the corn maze and didn't think twice when they hit dead ends!  We were running short on time in the end and all decided to take the short cut out of the maze and b line to Red Robin.  8 adults and 4 toddlers!  We felt for the waiter but they are experts with that kind of thing there.  

So this weekend we are diving in the deep end of the pizza pool with the following plans

1)  Make a new batch of sausage.  Last batch we used sherry to bind and it was not quite right.  We're going to try red wine today. mmmm wine.

2)  Make a new batch of sauce.  We really haven't tweaked our sauce in a couple years.  I just love it!

3)  Make pizza on Sunday with our new sauce and sausage!  At least one will need to be traditional sausage and onions I'm betting with our new sausage to try.  Wanna come over?  We need guests!