Hazy, Hot & Humid

It's August 13 and we're finally having some summer-like weather. It's about time!! I put on my tunes and left for my run at 6:20 AM (1 hour and 35 minutes after my alarm went off ... I was so-o-o-o-o-o tired) and it was sticky. I was planning on a 5 mile tempo run but my legs were feeling heavy so I didn't know how it would go. But I wasn't going to give up on it before I even got started. So I headed down to County 22 and then 2nd St SW for a 2-mile warmup. Then ... I was off. First mile: 7:26. Slower than I'd wanted, but that was OK. Mile 2: 7:14. Decent. Mile 3: 7:02. Guess I was finally warmed up! Mile 4: 6:43. Hmmmm...where did THAT come from? I was feeling tired at this point. Mile 5: 6:59. Totally ready to stop. On my cooldown I saw a guy riding a bike with a backpack on and talking on a cell phone. Hmmm... As he got closer I realized I knew him. Bruce Johnson (my friend Kay's husband), pulmonology guy at the Clinic. He didn't have a free hand to wave ... Thank goodness he didn't try! :-) Made my way home around the bottom of the hill for 10.99 miles. Pooped. But a good workout and I was dripping wet and continued to drip for probably 10 minutes after I got home. Haven't had many sticky, sweaty mornings this summer. Last Sunday at the MDRA 15K is the only one that comes to mind. Oh ... and Grandma's marathon. :-) Tomorrow: Swim.

Rochester Half Marathon course update from Dave Morrill: "I spoke with the gas company at a construction meeting last Wednesday and Neil Klausen assured me they will have the trail open by the 22nd." (This is referring to the area around Soldier's Field Golf Course.)

Today Ted's niece Sarah stopped by for a visit. Home is Anchorage, but she's starting her third year of medical school in California. She's a gem. You couldn't find a nicer person.



We talked triathlons, marathons (she does both), cooking clubs, book clubs (we've read many of the same books--The Kite Runner, Reading Lolita in Tehran, Memoirs of a Geisha, Plain Truth, My Sister's Keeper, ...). A very nice visit.

For dinner I made caramelized onion and goat cheese stuffed chicken breasts. This is the filling:


I didn't get a photo of the finished chicken, except in this photo. Arghhh!! (I just had a half piece so you don't get the full effect.) And that's black raspberry jam on my biscuit, made with berries from the local bike paths.


It had a sauce made with the pan drippings and some white wine and chicken broth. Very tasty. Made some orzo for a side.

And a spinach salad (I think I've posted the recipe--spinach, red onion, toasted pecans, sliced peaches, Parmesan cheese and a fat-free raspberry vinaigrette dressing). So simple, but good.

And Angel Biscuits. These are REALLY good. (From Cooking Light)

1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1/2 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
5 cups all-purpose flour (about 22 1/2 ounces)
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups low-fat buttermilk
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon butter, melted

Dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup warm water in a small bowl, and let stand for 5 minutes.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add yeast mixture and buttermilk to flour mixture; stir just until moist. Cover and chill 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 450°.

Turn the dough out onto a heavily floured surface; knead lightly 5 times. Roll dough to a 1/2-inch thickness; cut with a 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter. Place the biscuits on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Brush the melted butter over the biscuit tops. (I omitted this.) Bake at 450° for 12 minutes or until golden.

Thank you Matt for rolling and cutting them for me. :-) Such a good kid. Very willing to help.

Eric's been wanting Raspberry Streusel Muffins, so I decided to make them for him this evening. He was very happy. The recipe is in my recipe blog.

Tomorrow I'm making dinner for my friend Margo who had both hips replaced two weeks ago. She requested a tofu dish, so I'm making Soy-Glazed Tofu (it's got sesame seeds and oil in it too) and rice noodles tossed with snow peas, peppers and carrots and a few other things. The Tofu is from the latest issue of Cooking Light. She's a very good cook ... I am intimidated at the thought of bringing a meal for her family.

You know summer is winding down when the Vikings have their first pre-season game (tomorrow--Friday). We're all on the edge of our seats ... will it be Tarvaris or Sage at QB??? Only time will tell.

Well, I guess it's been a foodie kind of post today. Some days are like that.

Quote for the day: "Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." --Abraham Lincoln

¡Adios!