Fall Flavors: Pumpkin, Squash and Sweet Potatoes

I have to backtrack a little bit. Thursday night I made a Tortilla Pie inspired by Annie Eats. I just found her blog and I love it! I wanted to follow her recipe, but when I got home I realized I didn't have black beans so I substituted kidney beans instead. I also added ground turkey. Here is my recipe:

Tortilla Pie

Ingredients:
4 (10-inch) flour tortillas
1 tbsp. canola oil
1 large onion, diced
1 jalapeno chile, seeded and minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp. ground cumin
coarse salt and ground pepper
2 (15-oz.) cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 ½ cups of veggie broth
1 (10-oz.) package frozen corn 4 scallions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
8 oz. shredded Mexican cheese, 1lb of ground turkey

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°. Using a paring knife, trim tortillas to fit a 9-inch springform pan, using the bottom of the pan as a guide. Set aside. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion, jalapeno, garlic, and cumin; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 5-7 minutes. Add beans and broth to skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until liquid has almost evaporated, 8-10 minutes. Stir in corn and scallions and remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper. Fit a trimmed tortilla in the bottom of the springform pan; layer with ¼ of the beans and sprinkle evenly with some of the cheese. Repeat three times, using all of the remaining cheese on the top layer. Bake until hot and cheese is melted, 20-25 minutes. Unmold pie; garnish with scallions.

*I saved the leftover turkey mixture for another dish that I made today.


Also on Thursday, I made Pumpkin Blondies with Coconut and Chocolate Chips! These are insanely addicting and sooo good!
This was another recipe inspired by Annie Eats.

Pumpkin Blondies
Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. salt
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup cups granulated sugar

1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup chocolate chips 1 cup butterscotch chips ½ cup coconut

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with foil. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt. Stir together and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla until well combined. Mix in the pumpkin puree. With the mixer on low speed add the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Fold in the white chocolate and butterscotch chips and coconut with a rubber spatula. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake until the edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs, about 35-40 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely before cutting.

Then today, I used the rest of the can of pumpkin puree to make Pumpkin Chili! This was inspired by Love and Olive Oil and this whole foods recipe.
Pumpkin Chili
Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pound ground white or dark meat turkey
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with their liquid
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin purée
1 cup water
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

Instructions:

Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, jalapeños and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add turkey and cook until browned. Add tomatoes, pumpkin, water, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low then add beans. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes more.

I added some mexican blend cheese on top with some crusty bread. So that was our lunch today. In addition, I also made Pumpkin Muffins!
Pumpkin Muffins with Simple Glaze
Ingredients:
2 cups of flour
2 T of baking powder
1/4 t of salt
1 T of pumpkin pie spice
1 stick of softened butter
1/4 cup of brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup of sugar
1/2 t of vanilla
3/4 cup of unsweetened pumpkin puree
1/8 cup of skim milk
1/8 cup of cream
coconut, chocolate chips, peanut butter chips
Instructions: Beat butter at medium speed until soft, add both the sugars and beat until light and smooth. Then one by one, add in the eggs then add the vanilla. Then lower the speed and mix in pumpkin and milk/cream, then add in the dry ingredients in a steady stream until it is mixed well. Add in coconut, and the chips then fill muffin pan with paper liners and back at 375 for 20-25 minutes. The Glaze was made with 1/2 cup powdered sugar, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla and cream.
Next up, I made Sweet Potato and Butternut Gratin inspired by Cooking Light.

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 ounce prosciutto
  
• 1/4 cup chopped shallots
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1.38 ounces all-purpose flour, divided (about 5 tablespoons)
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 2 cups of fat free milk
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 pound baking potato, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices
• 8 ounces sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices
• 8 ounces butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices
• Cooking spray
• 1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) shredded mexican blend cheese
• 1/3 cup of baby spinach and swiss chard
  

Preheat oven to 375°. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add proscuitto; cook 1 minute. Add shallots and garlic; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Weigh or lightly spoon 1.1 ounces (about 1/4 cup) flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Add to pan; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk. Stir in thyme. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly with a whisk; cook over medium heat until slightly thick (about 3 minutes), stirring constantly. Stir in Parmigiano-Reggiano; cook 3 minutes or until cheese melts. Stir in salt and peppers and greens. Remove from heat. Cook baking potato in boiling water 4 minutes or until almost tender; remove with a slotted spoon. Cook sweet potato in boiling water 4 minutes or until almost tender; remove with a slotted spoon. Cook butternut squash in boiling water 4 minutes or until almost tender; drain. Sprinkle vegetables evenly with remaining 1 tablespoon flour. Arrange potatoes and squash in alternating layers in a broiler-safe 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray; spoon sauce over potato mixture. Top with cheese and bake at 375 for 40 minutes.

Next, I made Butternut Squash Ravoli. I stole this idea from Gretchen's blog and it was tons of fun! I skipped the sage and the hazelnuts and my sauce was made from butter and veggie broth, but other than that, I followed her recipe. It was really fun and unique to make my own ravoli!
Oh and I made Argula Salad with Sweet Potato fries and Feta.



It was a pretty tasty almost vegetarian meal (prosciutto). Now I'm trying to keep my eyes open for the Pats game.

Oh, remember when I used to blog about running? Yea, I miss writing about it too, but by December, I am confident, I will be back in action! I ran 1.5 yesterday along with all my leg excersices and felt pretty good.

Workouts Week of 11/16
Monday- PT, run 2 miles
Tuesday- Boot Camp
Wed- PT, run 2.5 miles
Thursday- Muscle Conditing
Friday- run 3 miles

Dinners:
Monday- Sushi
Tuesday- Squash/Kale/Bread Pudding
Wed- Chicken Butternut Tagine with Saute of Winter Greens
Thurs- Pork and Acorn Squash

Three Days, Three Homecooked Meals

I've been quite the cook this week. Monday I made Mexican Crab and Shrimp Cakes with Remoulade Sauce and Corn Fritters. This recipe was adapted from my dear friend Gretchen who leaves for New Zealand on Saturday!!! She is going there to get married!! Lucky gal : ) Have the best time Gretchen, I will miss you!

Okay, on to my version of Mexican Crab and Shrimp Cakes
Ingredients
• 5 oz jumbo lump crab meat, picked over
• 10 ready to eat shrimp, cut in pieces
• 1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced
• 1/2 red pepper, finely diced
• 1/2 yellow pepper, finely diced
• 3 chopped green onions, divided
• 1/4 cup fresh homemade bread crumbs
• 2 Tbls mayonnaise
• 1 large tomato, diced
• juice of 1/2 lime
• canola for frying

* In a medium bowl, stir together crab and lobster meat, peppers, 1/2 diced jalapeno, and 1/2 chopped green onions. Add bread crumbs and stir to combine. Add mayonnaise and stir to combine. Add more mayonnaise if mixture seems dry.
* Form into 5 - 6 patties and lay on plate lined with parchment paper. Chill in fridge for about 30 minutes
* Meanwhile, combine the remaining jalapeno, and green onion in a small bowl with diced tomato and lime juice. Set aside to allow flavors to blend.
* Heat about 1 inch of canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat until very hot but not smoking
* Add crab and shrimp cakes to skillet and cook until golden, about 4 minutes, then flip and cook until golden on both sides
* Remove from pan and lay on paper towels to drain
* Top cakes with salsa fresca to serve

I also made the Remoulade Sauce that Gretchen raves about. Check her the link above for the recipe. I served the cakes on a bed of argula with Corn Fritters and leftover Seafood Paella I got at the Dolphin on Friday night.

In addition, I made Corn Fritters.
Ingredients:
* 1 cup flour
* 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon ground coriander
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1 egg, lightly beaten
* 1 teaspoon lemon juice
* 1/2 cup cream
* 2 cups of corn kernels
* 4 large scallions or green onions, finely sliced (about half a cup)
* Canola Oil

Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, ground coriander, and ground cumin in a medium bowl. Add egg, lemon juice and water. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until smooth. Add the corn, onions, and cilantro. Stir until just combined. Heat a large frying pan on medium high heat. Add enough oil to generously coat the bottom of the pan. When oil is hot spoon about 2 heaping tablespoons worth of fritter batter into the pan to form one fritter, patting it down with the back of the spoon as soon as it is in the pan. Work in batches. Leave about 1/2 inch between the fritters in the pan. Let cook about 2-3 minutes on each side, flipping the fritters when they are nicely browned on one side. When browned on the other side, remove the fritters to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess fat.

On Tuesday night, I made another dish I saw on Gretchen's blog: Savory Mozzerela Parmesan Pain Perdu with Poached Eggs.
Savory Parmesan Pain Perdu with Poached Eggs

adapted from Gourmet magazine and Gretchen's blog

6 1" slices baguette

1 cup skim milk
1/4 cup heavy cream

pinch of nutmeg

3 large eggs, divided

1/2 cup grated parmesan
1/4 cup mozzerela

• Preheat oven to 400º
• Butter a shallow 1 quart baking dish
• Arrange bread in single layer in dish
• Whisk together 1 egg, milk, nutmeg, and salt and pepper
• Pour custard over bread, then sprinkle with grated cheese
• Let stand until absorbed, 15 - 30 minutes
• Bake until puffed and golden, 20 -25 minutes
• Meanwhile, poach eggs to desired doneness (I like firm whites and runny yolks)*
• Divide pain perdu into 2 portions, and top with poached eggs
• Sprinkle eggs with salt and pepper

I served this along with an argula salad. I had never poached an egg before so I asked my good friend Google what to do. There were lots of options but I went with Mr. Breakfast.

Then last night, I made Cheesey Veggie filled Calzones with spruced up tomato sauce. Basically, I took out a saute pan, added some EVOO, an onion, peppers, spinach, brocolli, cauliflower and steamed/sauteed the veggies until they were cooked through. Then I took my store bough pizza dough and cut it in half and stretched each piece out. I added the veggies on one half, covered it with mexican blend cheese and pulled the other half over the first half and then weaved the dough over each other until enclosed. Then I did the same to the other half of the dough. I baked it at 400 for 25 minutes.
For the sauce, I added store bought tomato sauce to the leftover sauteed veggies and then added salt, pepper, oregano, italian seasonings and red pepper flakes and let the sauce reduce out while the calzones cooked.
So I've been busy this week in the kitchen!
Workouts:
Monday: PT, Ran 1.5 miles, eliptical, stair climber
Tuesday: Boot Camp
Wed: (soooo sore from boot camp still, took day off)
Thur: see Wed
Friday- I will be at PT to run!

The Wheel and Adult Dinner Party

On Thursday night I headed to bar to watch my friend Remi's husband Marc compete on Wheel of Fortune. He went on the show a couple months ago and Remi and her family remained mum on the results. It aired November 5th at 7pm and Remi and March threw a party at Lir in the Back Bay. One of Remi's friends made these festive cupcakes...
And then the show began. None of knew what to expect... but we were surprised when Marc started kicking it into gear and getting puzzle after puzzle correct. Here's Pat Sajack saying "He's the man!"
And they won a trip to Trinidad:
And pretty soon, he was in the finals and won 42K! Go Marc & Remi! Congratulations!! And good job at keeping a secret!
Saturday night, my friend Joanna and her fiance Dean came over for an Adult dinner party. I prepped the menu Friday and got my ingredients on Saturday. Here's the menu:
Baked Brie with Apricot Jam and Crackers
Guacomole and Chips
Prosecco Sangria
Salmon with Blanched and Sauteed Brocollini and Kale
Corn Vegetable Salad
Mashed Cheesy Potatoes
Cous Cous with Green Onions
Graham Cracker Crusted Black Bottom Peanut Praline Mousse Pie

lets just say, I have a lot of leftovers...
I set the formal dinner table using my fine china : )
Made a Baked Brie by buying Brie, putting apricot jam on the top and wrapping puff pastry around it and baking it for 20 minutes in a 400 degree oven.
Joanna and I enjoyed Sangria, while the boys drank beer.
This looks like red wine sangria huh? Well it's not! I made it with a bottle of Prosecco, a quarter of a liter bottle of 7Up, 1/4 Cup of Sugar, a couple shots of peach schnapps and mixed frozen berries.

For the main course I made Roasted Salmon with a Creamy Green Sauce over a bed of Kale and Broccolini.
Here's what I did with the Salmon. I asked for 8 fillets at the Seafood counter, and when I got home I marinated the fish in
1/3 cup of Pino Grigio
1/3 cup of OJ
1/3 cup of soy sauce
for about three hours. Then I took the filets and put them on an aluminum foiled cookie sheet and baked at 450 for 14 minutes.

The Green Sauce was made with:
1 cup of baby spinach leaves
1 cup of argula
1/2 shallot
3/4 cup of light sour cream
1/2 cup of cucumber
4 tablespoons of dijon
I whirled these ingredients in a food processor (God I love my food processor) and got a nice light creamy sauce to go over the fish.

I also made Broccolini and Kale to serve as a bed for my salmon. Here's how I made it- I boiled water and once boiling, I added the Kale with lots of salt and let it continue boiling for 10 minutes. Then I took the Kale out and put it in an ice bath for a minute or two. While I did that, I added the brocollini to the boiling water for two minutes and then moved it to the ice. Then I drained both greens and added it to a saute pan with EVOO, garlic and chopped onions. I sauteed the greens with Salt, Pepper, Red Pepper Flakes and a little Soy Sauce.
And then I made a Vegetable Corn Salad using this recipe.

And I made Mashed Potatoes and Cous Cous but neither of those dishes deserved to be photographed- it looked the same as every other time I cooked those dishes : )

I still think the dessert was the star and I'm excited to try different kinds of mousse to put on top... I'm thinking next time I will make a pumpkin butter mousse... mmmmm

Okay so here's the recipe. It's from the Bon Appetit in 2006. There version was called Black Bottom Peanut Butter Mousse. I substituited the Peanut Butter for the Praline spread I got at Le Pain Quotidien in New York City. If you haven't tried this spread, there are locations all across the country, and it's a must. The praline tastes like a mix between Nutella and Peanut Butter. It's addiciting, delicious and all together amazing. I'm going to write the dessert recipe out just in case it somehow dissappears from the link above. I never want to be without this recipe again.

Ingredients:
Nonstick oil spray
7 whole graham crackers, coarsely broken
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
4 tablespoons sugar, divided

1 1/3 cups bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips (about 8 ounces)
2/3 cup plus 1 3/4 cups chilled whipping cream, divided
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided

6 ounces (1 cup) peanut butter chips
2 tablespoons praline spread from le pain quotidien or just creamy peanut butter

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish with nonstick spray. Blend graham crackers, melted butter, and 2 tablespoons sugar in processor until moist clumps form. Press crumb mixture over bottom and up sides of prepared pie dish. Bake crust until lightly browned, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine chocolate chips, 2/3 cup cream, corn syrup, and 1 teaspoon vanilla in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on medium heat until chocolate softens, about 3 minutes. Whisk until melted and smooth. Spread chocolate mixture over bottom of crust. Freeze 10 minutes.
Microwave peanut butter chips and 3/4 cup cream in large microwave-safe bowl on medium heat at 15-second intervals just until chips soften, stirring often. Whisk in peanut butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Cool to barely lukewarm. Beat remaining 1 cup cream and 2 tablespoons sugar in medium bowl until very thick, fold in peanut butter/praline mixture in 3 additions. Spoon mousse over chocolate layer. Chill at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.

See you can see the layer of chocolate...I tried to make a pretty chocolate pattern on top with some store bought whip cream. Tried being the operative word... haha.

After dessert, the boys enjoyed Blue Label Johnny Walker (Dave does not open this bottle too often...)
...while Joanna and I continued drinking Prosecco. Such a great dinner with great company!

I'm watching the game now and getting ready to make another yummy dinner for Dave and his father. I'm thinking Chicken Picatta. Our leftovers from last night will be our lunches for the week : )
_________________________________________________
I'm back!
My father-in-law brought me these beauties- what a nice guy!
After the game, I made Chicken Picatta with Kale Chips and heated up last nights Cous Cous. Frank even liked the Kale Chips- see I'm making people everyday into Kale fans!
I made Chicken Picatta by cutting in half and pounding out 5 chicken breasts. Then I used the three-step process of flour, eggwash and (homemade) breadcrumbs and got the chicken cooking in a hot skillet with EVOO. The chicken cooked for about three minutes on each side then I moved it to a cookie sheet. After repeating this process a few more times, I finished cooking the chicken in the oven at 400 for about 15 minutes. Then I got to work on the sauce which consisted of:
• 4 tablespoons of butter (I used smart butter- Dave's dad is lactose-intolerant)
• 1/8 cup of lemon juice
• lemon zest
• 1/2 cup of white wine
• 1/8 cup of chicken broth
When I took the Chicken out of the oven, I put it back in the sauce and then added lemon slices and served with Kale Chips and Cous Cous.

After dinner, I put together lunches for the week- we have a lot of leftovers!
Dave and I will be pretty happy this week with lunches like this:
And this:
I also prepped tomorrow nights dinner which will be Mexican Crab and Shrimp Cakes. I prepped all the ingredients in a bowl. All I need to do tomorrow is add the mayonnaise* (eww) and breadcrumbs and cook them up!
*so I hate the idea of mayonnaise, but if I mix it with other stuff (quickly) without seeing the consistensy or color, I'm usually okay. Same goes for Sour Cream...I know, I'm weird. But never never never would I eat either plan...ewww...

Dinners for Week of 11/9
Monday: Mexican Crab and Shrimp Cakes with Corn Fritters and Salad
Tuesday: Potato Cheese Soup, Savory Parmesan Pan Perdu with Poached Eggs (Gretchen's Recipe)
Wednesday: Calzones with whatever veggies are left in the fridge
Thursday: Something with Ground Turkey : )
Friday: out or leftovers

Workouts:
Monday: PT
Tueday: Boot Camp, Run 2 miles OR eliptical and lifting legs
Wednesday: PT
Thursday: Muscle Conditioning
Friday: PT

Mid Week Dinners...

On Tuesday, I made dinner using the above ingredients: Apricot Jam, Tamari, Thai Chili Garlic Paste, Sesame Oil, Sweet & Sour Sauce and S&P. I made an adaption of this recipe from Bon Appetit of Pork Tenderloin Stir Fry with Tangerines and Chili Sauce. The biggest thing I did differently was I used Thai chili paste instead of sweet chili sauce and also used sweet and sour sauce to add in some sweet. After tasting it, I realized something was a bit bitter, so I added in some Apricot Jam. In general the dish was okay, but nothing amazing. I had hoped it would be like a Chinese food dinner from a restuarant, but it just wasn't up to par. I think not using tangerines or clementines (I just used an orange) affected the taste too. Oh well!
Then on Wednesday night, I made Poblano and Mushroom Tacos from Bon Appetit.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 1 fresh poblano chile, halved, seeded, thinly sliced into long strips
• 1/2 small white onion, sliced
• 3 ounces portabella mushrooms, thinly sliced (about 1 1/4 cups)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 4 flour tortillas
• 4 thin slices Monterey Jack cheese
• Crumbled feta
• Assorted toppings (such as shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and hot sauce or salsa)

Instructions

• 
  
  Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add poblano chile, red onion, and mushrooms; sauté mixture until brown, about 5 minutes. Mix in ground cumin. Season to taste with salt. Transfer mixture to medium bowl.
• 
  
  Heat remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add tortillas in single layer, draping up sides of skillet to fit. Divide mushroom mixture among tortillas, mounding on only 1 side. Place slice of Monterey Jack cheese atop filling in each tortilla. Fold plain tortilla halves over filling and press firmly. Cook until tortillas are brown, about 1 minute per side. Transfer tacos to plates. Open tacos; sprinkle with chopped cilantro, crumbled feta and toppings.

New York New York

So, our weekend in NYC was bittersweet. Amazing to see friends and watch the marathon, but sad I wasn't part of the race. It was so much fun to hang out with my running buddies Nancy and Laryssa and to see my college roomie Debbie. We got down Thursday night and then walked around on Friday. Here are some pics!
Friday night, we went to dinner at Atlantic Grill in NYC on the Upper East Side. It's one of Debbie's favorite restaurants and the food was soooo good. Debs and I split sushi and Tuna.
On Saturday, we went to the marathon Expo then met up with Laryssa's aunt and uncle in Union Square and hit this chain restaurant. Another great restaurant choice!Now let's talk about the marathon! The girls woke up bright and early to get to the start line at Staten Island. Around 8, I got moving so I could get over to Queens. The elite women started at 9:15 and I knew I wanted to see them and find a good spot to watch. Just after 10:30, the elite women raced by me. Paula Radcliffe was in the lead group but she couldn't hold on. I was watching right around mile 13.5. Right past the halfway point.
The elite men came around shortly after and the lead group included both Ryan Hall and Meb Keflezighi. Meb (guy in white back left) ended up winning.

Then I waited close to another hour (the elite runners got a head start) before seeing my friends run down the bridge in their tutus and magic wands! I jumped in with them for a half mile while giving water and Advil and obviously taking pictures. Then I quickly jumped on the train to make it over to mile 17. Unfortunately I got to 83rd and 1st and the crowds were four rows deep so just as I popped my head over the crowd, I saw the pink tutus but couldn't get to them in time. So I decided to head towards Central Park. When I got there, I had no idea what mile marker I was at, but knew I was somewhere between 23 and 24. I waited there for 15 minutes then saw the 3:50 pace group and five minutes later, saw Laryssa! She looked so happy- you would have never guessed she had just run 23 miles! She ended up finishing in 3:54! Amazing!!! (She even still had her magic wand!!)I jumped in with Laryssa for a half mile to take pictures and then stopped to look for Nancy. A few minutes later, I spotted the tutu! I ran with Nancy almost until the finish line (when I was kicked off course). Of course, I got some great photos - running while taking pictures isn't easy! Look she is running so fast you can barely see her!
That looks like a half smile right?
And here the girls are at the end of the race! They both set PR's. Laryssa ran 3:54 and Nancy ran 4:10. So proud of both of these girls and can't wait to run a marathon with them!

CONGRATULATIONS NANCY AND LARYSSA!!! GREAT JOB : )

Okay, Monday we drove home and Monday night, I got cooking. I missed the kitchen! I decided to make a Grilled Fish Sandwich with Cabbage Slaw and Corn and Shrimp Chowder and of course, some Kale Chips!

Grilled Fish Sandwich with Cabbage Slaw

Ingredients:
2 cups shredded cabbage
1/2 onion, diced
3 tablespoons of mayonaisse
2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
lots of s & p
EVOO for sauting
1.5 pounds of cod
yummy rolls

Instructions:
In a bowl, toss cabbage with the first four ingredients together and season with salt and pepper. Heat skillet to medium-high heat and season fish with salt and pepper and place in hot skillet with a little EVOO. Grill fish for 3 minutes on each side and transfer to a plate. Dress the rolls with the cabbage slaw then add the fish and enjoy!

and Corn and Shrimp Chowder
Ingredients:
4 ears of corn
4 slices of bacon
1 medium onion, chopped
1 baking potato
2 tablespoon of flour
1 cup of cream
2 cups of skim milk
2 cups of broth
1 cup of water
1/2 teaspoon of cumin, mustard powder and lots of salt and pepper
1/2 pound of shrimp
1/4 cup of seafood stuffing
1/2 cup of kale

Stand corn in shallow bowl and use a sharp knife to cut off kernels into bowl. Add potato and onion into soup pot and cook for 3 minutes. Add flour and cook for one minute then add all the liquids except the water. Add the seasonings and bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender. Add corn, shrimp, seafood stuffing and kale and cook for 5 minutes more. If the soup is too thick, add in water to thin out a bit. Then season with salt and pepper and top with bacon slices.

I thought about using the immersien blender for this, but decided it tasted good chunky! Nice hearty dinner.

Workouts for the week:
Monday- off
Tuesday- 25 min eliptical, lift legs
Wednesday- Physical Therapy
Thursday- Muscle Conditioning
Friday- eliptical, lift legs
Saturday- spinning