Friday, February 25, 2011

Because it's Friday

I am wearing jeans to work. Seriously one of the true joys in my life is getting to wear jeans.

I am enjoying my nicely heated office. It has been below freezing here for the past few days and our house is horribly cold.

I am going to make myself a martini the second I get home at 5pm.

Then, I'm making Huevos Rancheros for dinner!

After dinner my dear husband and I are going furniture scouting at St. Vinneys, Goodwill and the salvation army.

Due to our upcoming move and the massive decorating project I will soon be undertaking we find ourselves with some furniture needs. Most notably a couch. Our new house has both a living room and a family room and we have only a less than ideal futon. I HATE the futon but I have born it and will continue to. But even with the futon we need a couch for one of the two rooms. I would like to buy a new couch but before we make a decision we will do some bargain hunting and some shopping around. I am a little pessimistic about finding what I want used but we will see. I am also on the lookout for a TV sand of sorts and new bedside tables because I don't like the ones we have. We will also need a new coffee table because ours broke. Not that I should be surprised because it was purchased for 15 dollars at goodwill 3 years ago.

So here's to happy hunting and a fabulous Friday night!

Friday, February 18, 2011

Menu Friday

Long ago when I first started my blog I used to post my menu's each Friday. I have traditionally made my menu's on Friday so I could by groceries Friday or Saturday. I always enjoy reading what other's are cooking and thought I would start sharing mine again.

Some notes about this week. We will be moving in three weeks so I am trying to use up as much food as I can that is in the house and buy as little new food as possible. Because we are helping the Wilson's move this weekend and the James move next weekend I plan on doing our packing a little bit at a time on week nights. I also plan on going to the gym Monday, Thursday and Friday night. Given all of that this week is quick easy and cheap!!!

Sunday: Simple pork and beans with rice and collard greens
Monday: Tuna Melts, matchstick skillet fries and pickled beets
Tuesday: Braised Sausage and Lentils with fresh spinach
Wednesday: Huevos Rancheros with massa tortillas and green chilies
Thursday: Fried Pork chops, mashed potatoes and pickled beets
Friday: Black eyed peas and corn muffins

Matchstick skillet fries
This is a really easy way to get a french fry fix at home without the mess or calories of deep frying. Peel potatoes and cut into really thin fries. Heat olive oil in skillet, once smoking add potatoes. Toss with oil to coat and add salt, pepper and paprika or chili powder. Fry until browned and soft inside.

Braised Sausage and Lentils
This recipe used to be a stand by of mine. Brown sausage links in some olive oil. Add french lentils, chopped celery and carrots, chopped onion and garlic, on can of tomatoes and 2 cups of chicken broth. Add a bay leaf, some salt and pepper and some fresh or dried thyme. Bring to simmer, reduce and cover. Cook 20-30 minutes until lentils are cooked through. Add fresh spinach to wilt and serve.

Huevos Rancheros with Massa tortillas and green chilies
Huevos are such a staple for us. This variation is easy but a little nicer for dinner. Huevos are always tortillas topped with beans, then eggs, then salsa. In this variation it's no different. However, I make fresh tortillas from massa. Super easy, just mix massa flour with just enough water to bind into ball. Flatten balls out with palm to make tortilla. Dry fry in skillet. For this I'll just used heated canned black beans and store bought salsa.

Fried Pork Chops
This is simply pork chops dredged in beaten egg, then cornmeal then fried in a skillet. Yummy!

Black eyed peas
I love black eyed peas. The easiest quickest way to make them is to saute onion and garlic in olive oil. Add chili powder, cayenne, cumin, and dried peas. Add 2 cans tomatoes, chunk of salt pork, and 4 cups broth. Bring to boil, lower to simmer. Serve with corn bread.

What are you eating this week?

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Big News

Yes I have been rather a-wall lately but for good reason. I have news! We are buying a house and I am so freaking excited I can't stand it.

Isn't it darling. We are so in love with it.

We looked at many houses in our price range (which was pathetically low) and most of them were frighteningly ugly. But this one is just perfect. It is an amazing deal. It was built in 77' but is quite cute for a house built in the 70's. It has been very well maintained and has all new paint, carpet, and windows. It is small, 1200 square feet but has 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and good storage. And perhaps the best part, it has built in cook book shelves in the kitchen. We made an offer almost two weeks ago but between waiting for a response, then having an inspection, then renegotiating after the inspection it's just now confirmed. We are scheduled to close on March 11th which is only 22 days away!

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Dream couch

I have been dreaming for a new couch for years. It seems the anchor for decorating my home. A piece from which to build a collection, to craft a style and so on. It must be modern and stylish yet be durable. It should be able to with stand children and heavy use. It also much be flexible to new shifts in my decorating which I'm sure will occur over the long run since I love change.

Currently, our couch is a futon my in-laws bought for my husbands first apartment about 6 years ago. You can see a picture of it here. It once had a black cushion--horrible. But when we got married I bought this more neutral beige one and attempted to dress it up with some vibrant pillows.

This is the couch I dream of. Spotted this past December while Christmas shopping in Portland. It was at Crate and Barrel. The sales lady broke my heart when she told me it was being discontinued and they only had a few left. I hope to find a replica when I am ready to officially couch shop.




Isn't it beautiful. I envision it paired with yellow and white, with splashes of orange. I think to yellow side chairs would be a perfect accompaniment.

Friday, January 28, 2011

My own best of

In Eugene we have two newspapers, The Register Guard and the Eugene Weekly. Normally the Weekly hates* me and I'm, well, lets just say I am not crazy about them. But every year they release a best of Eugene issue with a restaurant guide which I do love. I was thinking about this the other day and decided I could and should write my own business friendly restaurant guide. Mine is a lunch guide because, I like most business people, eat out a lot for lunch, mostly for meetings but also sometimes because I forgot my lunch or had no food. So for all of you who live in Eugene...


Laura's Eugene Restaurant Guide for Lunch


The best take out lunch--Hong Kong
I eat here more than any other place. It's one of my favorite Chinese restaurants in Eugene and it's just a few blocks away. Lunch is $4.50-$5.50 and it's a lot of food. My favorite is Kung Pao Chicken. But on the dinner menu they have fabulous Ma Pa Tofu. It's a small family owned place, kind of a hole in the wall but they are very nice.


The best "I feel compelled to eat something healthy"--Cafe Yum
Cafe yum is sort of like Eugene's version of a peanut butter sandwich. It's always a good, stable option. Not too exciting but it does the trick. I usually only eat Cafe Yum when I feel the need to eat something healthy. They are famous for yum bowls, a bowl of brown rice, black beans, yum sauce, tomatoes, olives, Cheddar cheese, avocado and salsa. It is very Eugene.


The best comfort food lunch--Newman's fish market
Hands down! Newman's fish market is a mere one block from my office and they have the best fish and chips of my life. For 6 dollars you can have cod fish and chips to go. They also have halibut, salmon, shrimp, oysters and scallops. Plus they make their own tarter sauce. Delicious!


The best overall business meeting lunch spot--Ta Ra Rin
I have a lot of business lunch meetings. Usually I let the other person pick the restaurant but when I have to make the recommendation I always recommend Ta Ra Rin. Definitely one of the best Thai restaurants in town and just blocks from my office. They have my favorite Pad Thai and I also adore the Pad se ew. They have great atmosphere, quick and friendly service and reasonable prices.


The best hangover lunch--Brails Diner
I do not make a habit of being hungover. However, about once or twice a year, say the day after Halloween and St. Patricks day, I find myself wandering down to Brails for breakfast at lunch time. Brails is notorious in Eugene as the best hangover restaurant and I couldn't agree more. This is perhaps epitomized by one dish which consists of a mound of white rice, topped with two eggs over easy, a hamburger patty and a lot of gravy. Best cure ever! Corned beef hash is a close second.


The best celebration/birthday/long lunch with a friend lunch--La Officina
This is my second favorite Mexican restaurant in town and it is down the street from my office. This is my favorite place for a long lunch. All of the food is delicious and they make crazy good margaritas. The service is really nice but can be slow and the food takes a bit so again better for a long lunch. They make their own salsa trio that comes with chips. All delicious. Amazing Tacos al pastor and mole. They also serve Mexican style breakfast all day and on Saturday mornings.

The best wooing elected officials lunch--Davis'
In my job I have a lot of meetings with elected officials. My favorite place to take them to lunch when I need their vote on an issue is Davis'. It's a downtown institution. Traditional pub food taken up a notch, a cool yet elegant atmosphere, amazing drinks and all around foodie heaven. It's a little on the spendy side but worth it. My favorite lunch item is the white bean salad. It's a poached egg served on a bed of braised white beans and asparagus then drizzled with truffle oil. I hear the Mac and cheese is to die for it is full of homemade sausage.

The best lawyer lunch--Sushi ya
Since I handle public policy issues I often have to consult with our lawyer. He and I have become good friends over the years and he gives me loads of free legal advice as long as I buy him sushi. Good deal right. In my public policy tenure I have bought him a lot of sushi. But my favorite downtown sushi spot is Sushi Ya. It's good sushi, much better than the sushi station which I do not care for, and it's in a great location in the bottom of the Tiffany building. My favorite sushi restaurant in town is Mio, but that is on the other side of town and so not great for a working lunch.

The best romantic date lunch--Poppy's Anatolia's
When my husband and I have dates one of our favorite places is Poppy's Anatolia's. We have gone here to celebrate so many special occasions, when I got my first real job at the legislature, when he got into law school, when I finished his first year of law school, when I got hired at the HBA and for many birthday's and anniversaries. It's a quirky local place that has a menu of half Greek and half Indian. I prefer the Indian which comes with an array of homemade chutneys. Poppy's is conveniently located right across from the DAC in the heart of downtown and serves as a good lunch spot as well. For lunch I like to get dahl or vindaloo. Perfect for a really cold day.

The most exciting lunch--Ax Billy Grill
Without a doubt my favorite building, perhaps place, downtown is the DAC, the Downtown Athletic club. The building, originally called the Ax Billy Building, was built in the early 1900's. It had been abandoned when it was bought by a local developer in the 80's who restored it and turned it into a gorgeous state of the art athletic club. I have had a tour and it is amazing. The whole place looks like an F. Scott Fitzgerald novel with beautiful lounges, tiled ceilings, a gorgeous swimming pool and sauna, and locker rooms that are nicer than my house. The top floor of the DAC is ballrooms and a restaurant, the Ax Billy Grill. The restaurant has a wall of tall windows looking out to downtown. The food is delicious and being up there just makes you feel happy. I rarely get to have lunch here as it's kind of expensive. But when I do am definitely very excited!

The cheapest lunch--Riva Mexican fast food
From the nicest lunch downtown to the cheapest...You can't beat this fast food Mexican for a quick cheap lunch. It's not good but it's not bad and for 3.50 you can have a lunch to go in 5 minutes.

The best I miss college lunch--Cafe Sienna
Usually I don't miss college. But occasionally when a nostalgic mood hits me I walk a few extra blocks and meet my sister at cafe sienna for a good, cheap and massive Mexican breakfast. This was one of my favorite campus eats and it is still just as good. For 6 dollars you will have enough food for two meals, maybe three. Everything is fresh, spicy and quick. My favorite is eggs a la compesena. Scrambled eggs with jalapenos and tortilla chips served along side beans and tortillas.

The best overall lunch place--Cafe Zenon
Zenon is one of my favorite restaurants in Eugene. It has captivated my attention since I was a kid and my Dad would take me to desert after plays at the Hult Center. I used to dream of the day when I could eat an actual meal there whenever I want. Well, I wouldn't say I go whenever I want, but I do get occasional business lunches at my favorite local cafe. Zenon is perhaps most known for its ambiance. It's a small restaurant with murals on the back wall and old fashioned over sized globe street lights inside. It has a beautiful bar and is known for fabulous drinks. The menu changes each week with internationally and locally inspired dishes.

So there you have it. My guide to downtown eating. To the locals...what is your favorite place to eat in downtown/midtown Eugene?

*It is the liberal alternative newspaper and As a business lobbyist they view me as the devil incarnate, one who aides in others ability to rape and pillage the land and promotes scorched earth development

Quick dinner delight

Last night I through together a quick dinner which I loved. It continues my love affair with the incredible edible egg and was done in 25 minutes. I am going to call it Grits with Louisiana sausage and eggs
Isn't it colorful? Here is the recipe:
Grits with Louisiana Sausage and Eggs (serves 4)
8 eggs
4 links Louisiana hot sausage or andouille, chopped
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
1/2 cup salsa
1 can diced tomatoes
4 green onions
2 TB parsley
salt and pepper
grits*
butter
1 cup Cheddar cheese
In large skillet heat a little olive oil. Add chopped sausage, cook med a few minutes, add diced onion. Saute a few minutes. Once onion starts to soften add bell pepper and garlic. Cook another minute. Add can of tomatoes, salsa, salt and pepper. Let simmer until sauce begins to thicken. Once sauce is simmering, prepare grits to package instructions. Once sauce begins to thicken heat butter in second skillet. Add parsley and green onions to tomato mixture. Fry eggs to desired doneness. While eggs are cooking add butter and salt and cheese to grits. Divide grits among four dinner plates. Top with tomato sausage mixture. Top each plate with two eggs. Serve with hot sauce.
I also wanted to share pictures of our goose gumbo.
As I said I wasn't crazy about the goose. It wasn't bad it just wasn't something I would really crave. The gumbo however I really liked. I think it would be fabulous with chicken. Here's my recipe which is adapted from an Emeril Lagesse recipe for wild duck gumbo.
Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
whole chicken cut into pieces
1 TB each: cayenne, paprika, thyme, oregano
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup flour
1 onion chopped
2 celery stalks chopped
1 green bell pepper chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
4 links andouille sausage or Louisiana hot sausage
1 quart chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp Cayenne
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp salt
mix the four spices and rub mixture all over chicken. bake in 350 oven for one hour, set aside. chop all veggies and sausage before you start.
heat gumbo pot to medium add both oil and flour. cook stirring constantly with wooden spoon until you have a medium roux. The roux should be the color of peanut butter. This took about ten minutes. add chopped onion, celery, bell pepper and garlic. cook about 5 minutes more. add spices, bay leaves, sausage and chicken. cook a few more minutes. add broth, bring to boil and simmer 2 hours.
*We love grits. However, if you don't like grits this would be good over polenta or rice or even toast.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

This and that

Right now I am loving all Asian food, particularly noodles: pad Thai, pad se ew, pad ki mao, cold sesame noodles, pho, ramen, chicken udon noodle soup, cold buckwheat noodles with dipping sauce, chow mien---all delicious!

I am going through Gossip Girl withdrawals. I am waiting for the third season from the library but nine people are ahead of me and there is only one copy. Instead I have been watching the Office. I am waiting for Jim to propose to Pam. I just love Jim and Pam.

I use the library a ton! It saves me so much money. I check out books, and lots of DVD's, TV shows and movies. Plus it is two blocks from my office so it is really convenient. I pre-order what I want online then walk over and pick them up.

Last week my husband shot a goose. So last weekend I cooked the goose. I made gumbo out of it. Goose is very similar to beef--who knew? I should have taken a picture of Chris with the Goose, it was giant, but I didn't.

I recently joined a gym and I kind of love it. I was very reluctant about joining, it was Chris' idea, but now I look forward to going. I am taking zumba classes--it is really fun.

I am loving this book. Really I can hardly put it down.