Weekly Dish

The third week in January has crept up on me and looking back on last week, I realize 2011 has been good thus far! A bit of a pre-mature statement maybe, seeing as the winter weather has just started, but with a VPN enabled laptop, I say bring on the weather! When you're able to work from home, a whole new perspective creeps in...and going into the office, well, that's just creepy. Two work from home days (thank you mother nature), yoga with miss Jess, make your own taco night with M & J, plus a happy hour with my work people (the not-so-creepy ones), last week was quite all right.

So, rear view mirroring it, last week flew by and while work filled my days, my nights were spent with substance. It went a little something like this...

Starting with a 2 1/2 mile run on Monday, my appetite for meat grew ferociously...chops to be exact.

This delightfully simple recipe made my night. And when we noticed we didn't have pork chops, we hacked up a pork loin into 1/4 inch slices and did it up. Improvising at its finest. These babies were coated in salt, pepper & paprika, then browned on both sides. Once cooked, they were smothered in a Dijon sauce that wouldn't quit - it was tangy, creamy goodness. Sided with long grain rice mixed with chopped almonds...a Monday night worthy of a Thursday.

Tuesday promised Zen, with the weekly Yoga session I've been having with Jess. Despite the downward facing dog with an actual dog in your face, we practiced beautifully. I can't speak for her, but our Yoga nights help propel my motion forward (and listening to Sting instrumentals doesn't hurt either). Thank you Trudie Styler. I'm still not sure how you're able to put your head on the ground from a standing position.

I spent Wednesday working from home due to Tuesday's snow (see Brad in shorts, shoveling, below). This proved useful for prepping that night's dinner party dish early, allowing for a quickie at the gym...and by quickie, I mean only 2 miles. And to be honest, that was a stretch! How the hell am I ever going to run Broad Street!

After surviving my embarrassing run, we returned home to prepare for make your own taco night with Meg & Justin. Using the extremely adorable polka dotted bowls I received for Christmas (I love being an adult, getting excited by glass wear with as much zest as a Cabbage Patch doll once had), we put all fixins out and prepared the filling: black beans & rice with lime & garlic shrimp, for the vegetarian and chicken & peppers for us carnivores. Word to the wise...never use Trader Joe's no-defrost necessary chicken. I do not mean to speak ill of this sacred store, but we followed all cooking instructions, following the 'no thawing necessary' note, and it took an hour and a half to cook. No thawing my ass!

But, despite having to start the meal pre-main course, the night turned out extremely well. Talk turned wedding (on my que, actually) as they are 6 months from their wedding date. Calm, Cool, Collected and Matter-of-Fact, Meg answered questions and discussed their magical date. I, on the other hand, admitted to my wedding jitters...for the wedding I hadn't even planned yet. More wine please!

Happy Hour followed suite on Thursday and my work chums and I headed to the Brick House, where the waitresses wore mid-driffs and the beer towers were shotty. A fun night indeed.

Friday, happy Friday, with Chicken Rollatini and huge glasses of Coppala. Perfect end to the week.

Looking out the window currently, I'm having deja vu of last Tuesday's snow, although I could do without the freezing rain. It was a beautiful winter night, one filled with snowy craziness outside and comfort food inside.



So, a slight glance back at the week in meals. What better way to spend a week, but filled with good food, wine and wintry weather?