“And I feel fiiiiiine”
Hope everybody had a fun weekend! Here’s the recap:
**FRIDAY**
On Friday my Dad called to see if we would be interested in tickets to an REM concert that night… um, heck yeah we would! We like REM and the Old 97′s were opening for them, so that made it even more exciting 
The concert was fun- the 97′s played a great set (as always!) and REM sounded good live. Here’s Michael Stipe doing the robot:
I wasn’t nuts about the stuff off their newest album, but they played a lot of great classics, too.
**SATURDAY**
Brian left for his firm golf retreat and I babysat in the morning. Chloe and I took a looooong nap, then went to lunch with my mom (just me, not Chloe). I got the baking itch and decided to try a recipe I’d been eyeing in the Giada cookbook: Amaretti Torta. I’m obsessed with these little amaretto cookies from World Market so I knew I’d love the cake:
The recipe entails adding ground chocolate chips and amaretto cookies to the batter (eggs, milk, flour and Grand Marnier) and folding in whipped egg whites. Here’s the mis en place:
After baking, you spread a thin layer of orange marmalade on top and then sprinkle with more crumbled cookies:
This torte is AMAZING. The combination of chocolate, almond and orange works so well together, and the egg whites keep it from being too heavy. I had a taste right away. I mean, to make sure that it wasn’t poisonous.
**SUNDAY**
Around 9 I headed out for the big 20-miler. It didn’t feel as tough as last week, but still sucked big time. I hit a wall around mile 12 and felt like there was NO WAY I could finish the final eight. But I did. With lots of walk breaks. My final time was 3:20, and I had some Clif Shot Bloks at 45 and 90 minutes, and then these Luna Sport Moon chews at 2:10 (the Pomegranate flavor- really good!). I’m not super happy with the time, but I’m running the DRC Half Marathon next Sunday so I’ll be able to get a better idea of my projected race time for the full marathon.
After Brian got home, we grabbed lunch at Freebirds- chicken bird bowl (mmm)- and then ran some errands, including buying a pretty sweet Halloween costume for the pug. Get excited. We put it on her today and she just stood in one spot and wouldn’t move for like 10 minutes. Then she tried to come visit us and got stuck between the couch and the coffee table… it’s a wide costume.
Speaking of pug costumes, I know I’ve posted that photo of Miss Chloe in the giraffe costume. Our local magazine, The Advocate, requested pet photos about a month ago and I just had to send in that shot. Lo and behold, a new issue arrived on our doorstep on Saturday…
And just look what was inside!
Aww, the little celebri-pug.
More baking today- for some reason I’ve been in the mood to bake bread, which I’ve only tried in class. Bread kind of freaks me out, so I’ve never made it at home. I decided on a Honey Wheat Bread from the Williams-Sonoma Baking cookbook. Not bad, eh?
And for dinner, soup sounded really good so I made yet another recipe from the Giada cookbook: Hearty Tomato Soup with Lemon and Rosemary. It’s super simple. Just saute onions and carrots in butter, add some white beans, tomatoes and herbs, and simmer 30 minutes. Then puree and top with creme fraiche (which I did not have, so used a mixture of Fage and mascarpone with lemon zest instead). I stirred some tempered half and half into the soup to make it creamy. And what goes best with tomato soup?? Grilled cheese, duh. So Brian whipped up some grilled colby jack on whole wheat bread with sweet pickle slices. Perfect.
Off to do some studying! Thanks for bearing with my long and rambling post
SURVEY TIME!
What are your Halloween plans?
We’re handing out candy on Friday night- although last year we only had a few trick or treaters (sad), and then heading to a party on Saturday night. I loooove Halloween.
ah, chloe was featured! how cute!!!!
and the bread looks great! i’m afraid to cook yeast breads because of a bad experience my first time..i suppose i should try it again!
and the dinner looks great! i love to use super super sharp cheddar cheese in my grilled sandwiches!
My halloween plans are a party w/ my best friend…There’s supposed to be lot of drinking but I doubt I’ll partake because i’m not much of a drinker…she shall see. should be fun tho!! have fun passing out candy! i used to do that scare all the little kiddies! hehe!
Well…miss chloe. I am going to have to cut you out and put you on the fridge. As far as Halloween goes…I seem to remember that you did have one fantastic flower trick or treater last year… remember it is all about the quality of trick or treaters… Up for a visit this year from Mickey and Minney Mouse?
Wow Chloe! What a gorgeous little puglet.
CONGRATS on your 20 miler! Even if you weren’t thrilled with your time. THat’s such an accomplishment.
We’re going to a party – I think. I kinda want to stay home but that’s the homebody in me talking and I have to shush her.
Miss Chloe is a STAR!!!! I can’t wait to see her in the new costume.
Your pug is a celebrity! Woo!
Glad you made it through the 20 miler – even if the finish wasn’t as great as you had hoped – that’s still amazing, Heather! You’re doing really great!
I am so proud of little Chloe, she is sooo adorable. And you, you and your super baking, you should like do that for a living or something (oh wait). My Halloween plans are the same as yours except since I will be hosting the party on Saturday I will probably spend Friday night and all day Saturday stressing about everything being perfect – that Chad he is such a lucky man.
oh my gosh! Your baby is famous- how awesome
All of the baking looks so good. Giada is just the best, I need to get more of her cookbooks. I also <3 williams sonoma. I may need to try that bread!
Wow. I just noticed that the post starts with REM and later has the cover of the Advocate with the title “Losing Our Religion”.
The two are not directly related, as the article discusses neighborhood church attendance, but the title was undoubtedly influenced by the REM song.
Odd coincidence.
The soup was very good.
Amazing torte. Drool.
So cool about your celebrity pug. I want one. My pugs are losers and dropped out of pug high school.
I have two parties to go to on Friday night, but will probably just go to one of them. My costume is still a little bit up in the air – it depends on if I can get the hubby to dress up with me.
Good job on the 20. I know you are disappointed but at least you didn’t give up and still finished. Good for you.
That tomato soup looks delish. I might have to put that on the menu for later in the week. I know this is SUCH a dumb question but what exactly is creme fraiche? I have heard of it but have never really known what it is.
ooh, i was wondering how that tart was
i think i caught that episode… love that chloe is now a celebrity!!!
umm, halloween’s not my favorite, i think i grew out of dressing up awhile ago…
Well, we already knew Chloe was a celebrity, this just confirms it. Too cute!
I’m so glad I bought that cookbook when it was 50% off. That torte looks amazing. You had me at chocolate chips.
What a fun weekend! I am loving the torta and the wheat bread – you have some amazing culinary skill
Oh wow, Chloe is FAMOUS!! How cool is that?!
My friend and I might be dressing up this Friday…and carving pumpkins!