The Basement/Office top 15 songs of 2010

1 Lady Gaga - Beautiful, Dirty, Rich

2 Johnny Cash - Rock Island Line

3 The Killers - All These Things That I've Done

4 Barenaked Ladies - Falling For The First Time

4 Roxy Music - Prairie Rose

5 Kings of Leon - Slow Night, So Long

6 David Byrne - Perfect Hand

7 Sara Bareilles - King of Anything

8 John Mayer - Half of my Heart

9 Harry Nilsson - One

10 Brandi Carlile - Dreams

11 Barenaked Ladies - Baby Seat

12 Modest Mouse - Float On

13 Kings of Leon - Red Morning Light

14 The Hollies - Stay

15 Serena Ryder - Weak in the Knees

Roast Beef and Cheddar Panini-Style Sandwiches

This recipe serves two people.

8 thin slices Boarshead rare roast beef lunchmeat
4 slices Hoffmann's Super Sharp Cheese
2 Italian Panini rolls
2 TBSP light sour cream
2 TBSP Extra Hot Horseradish Mustard (inglehoffer is one brand to look for)

Heat the Foreman Grill

Slice the rolls in half. Put 1 slice of cheese on each side of the split rolls. Divide lunch meat between the rolls and close to make sandwiches. Put on the Foreman Grill and close the top firmly. Grill for 5 minutes.

Combine the mustard and the sour cream in a bowl - blend well.

When the sandwiches are done, remove from the Foreman Grill and cut in half. Serve each sandwich with 2 TBSP of the sour cream and mustard sauce on the side.

Top 10 Restaurants of 2010

10. Gest Omelettes, Redford - We've been going here for almost 20 years and we still love it. The breakfast may be the best in metro-Detroit. http://gest-omelettes.com/default.aspx
9. Slow's BBQ, Detroit - While we may not have actually gotten here in 2010, we meant to. So I'm putting it on the list because I've been pining for it. Yum, yum, yum. http://slowsbarbq.com/
8. Zingerman's Roadhouse, Ann Arbor - With at least 5 different kinds of mac 'n cheese on the menu, how can you go wrong? http://www.zingermansroadhouse.com/
7. La Bistecca, Plymouth - When you absolutely need a steak, this place is simply the best. The service and wine are also very, very good. http://www.labistecca.net/
6. Table 5, Northville - The food is great and the service is outstanding. We've been here a couple times and never been disappointed. http://table5.net/
5. Giovanni's, Detroit - Classic Italian, wonderful decor, and just a tremendous experience. This restaurant has been a favorite for years. http://www.giovannisristorante.com/
4. Conor O'Neills, Ann Arbor - The best place to go before a show at The Ark. Harp on tap (my perennial dining companion prefers a Black and Tan), good appetizers and soccer on the many televisions. http://www.conoroneills.com/annarbor/
3. West End Grill, Ann Arbor - Everything about this restaurant is excellent. Food, service, wine list. The overall experience is not to be missed. http://www.westendgrillannarbor.com/
2. Aubree's Pizza, Ypsilanti - The pizza is amazing. The hummus appetizer may be the best I've ever had. And there is 2-Hearted Ale on tap. http://www.aubrees.com/
1. Beezy's Cafe, Ypsilanti - You simply must try the egg salad on rye bread. Have a Faygo Rock 'n Rye also.
http://www.beezyscafe.com/

Hot Fudge and Peppermint Stick Ice Cream

Hot fudge sundaes may not be your traditional Christmas dessert, but if you haven't tried hot fudge poured over peppermint stick ice cream (available only seasonally in our area), you don't know what you are missing. And I learned how to make my Mom's hot fudge sauce Christmas Eve night (at the age of 42) and I am willing to share.... Here goes:

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup mini marshmallows
1/2 cup non-fat evaporated milk.


Melt all three ingredients over low heat, stirring frequently until smooth. Poor while warm over the ice cream of your choice. Eat. Go back for seconds. Yum!

Running in December in MIchigan

Winter arrived early in Michigan this year. Early as in blizzard conditions and single digit lows even before the official start of winter this Tuesday. There are a lot of my fellow Michiganders who love winter for the beauty of the snow on the pine trees or because they are avid skiers. Then there are those who hate the winter because of the treacherous roads. And then there is me. I love some aspects of winter. The brisk feel of the breeze on your face. Michigan Hockey. Red Wings Hockey. The way my backyard looks. Fires in the fireplace. Playoff football. Cats sleeping on your lap. My awesome new Quebec Nordiques toque. Then there is the downside. Three hour round trip commutes. Slippery roads. A lack of fresh, local produce (I refuse to eat any wooden tomatoes that arrive on my salad).

But for me, the real definition of winter comes down to running. Can I run outside? And not just because of the occasional thunderstorm. But am I forced onto the treadmill at Lifetime to maintain my fitness for multiple days on end due to exceptionally cold weather or unsafe footing? That's winter. And it happened this year even before Christmas. I have to bribe myself to get on the treadmill with a mental "You only have to go three miles." Even the high-tech treadmills at Lifetime have no appeal. Bundling up with three layers of high-tech fabric and braving the elements is infinitely preferable to running like cattle on a row of treadmills at the gym. I experimented this week. Tuesday on the treadmill. Saturday outside in layers. Saturday was the hands-down winner. So I will go to Lifetime and get on the treadmill (and in a way be grateful I have that option). But my heart is outside, bundled up, feeling the breeze. And hoping for an early spring.

Cavatappi with White Beans and Chard

This serves two generously and is a good way to use hardy greens such as chard or kale.

2 cups dry cavatappi
2 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups canned great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups Swiss chard, rinsed, dried and torn into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup pasta water, reserved
2-3 tbsp pine nuts, toasted
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp Romano Italian seasoning
Italian bread crumbs
grated Parmesan cheese

Cook the pasta according to package directions in salted water, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta after it is cooked, but try to time it so the pasta is still warm when the chard and bean mixture is finished.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet. Add garlic, and stir over medium-low heat for about a minute until you can start to smell the garlic. Add the beans. Season with salt, pepper, and Romano Italian seasoning. Continue to stir occasionally as the beans heat through for about 5 minutes. Add the chard and the pasta water and cook for another 1-2 minutes.

Stir the bean and chard mix into the pasta. Let sit for about a minute before serving. Top with pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs and serve.

Best Song of September

My Perennial Dining Companion asked me to go with him to the Lady Gaga Monsters Ball show at the Palace over Labor Day weekend. I agreed (he watches me play hockey and soccer on occasion - I figured paybacks, etc.). I started listening to his Lady Gaga CDs so I would at least know some songs at the concert. Woo hoo! Awesome stuff. Boys, Boys, Boys from The Fame CD might be my song of September. The concert was amazing, disturbing, and the best people-watching venue of all time.

Best Hummus Ever - Aubree's Saloon in Ypsi

Who knew? When my perennial dining companion and I didn't feel like waiting for half an hour to get in at Sidetrack in Ypsi following the Michigan Hockey Team's Alumni game, we ventured across the street to Aubree's Saloon and were pleasantly surprised by the atmosphere, the menu, and the beer selection.

But I digress. The evening started at Yost. We ventured into Ann Arbor after work Friday night to check out the Michigan Hockey Alumni game. The game was well attended (both by returning alumni and fans). Seeing Porter and Kolarik in action together again was well worth the trip.

On to the food.... Like I said, Sidetrack was packed and we decided to go to Aubree's. I was a little nervous but we were so impressed! I am obsessed with hummus and these little cucumbers I buy at the Donahee Farm stall at the Ann Arbor farmer's market. I could eat that daily (and usually do). So my perennial dining companion ordered hummus as an appetizer and I have to say it was the best hummus I have ever had. And that's not the Short's Huma Lupa Licious talking. Yes! There was craft IPA on tap! Not to mention the Tuscon Sun Pizza with artichokes and garlic butter crust. Yum! Check this place out (we will definitely be back). www.aubrees.com.

Summer Food Heaven

I am in food heaven. My new favorite lunch is these beautiful little cucumbers I get at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market from Donahee Farms and hummus. I could eat that for months without getting tired of it. Dinner can be as simple as sauteed onions, hot peppers, and garlic mixed in with blanched (peeled) fresh tomatoes on Holiday Market Italian bakery bread. Or a Caprese salad (tomatoes, fresh mozarella, basil leaves drizzled with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper). And the blueberries. The raspberries. The sweet corn. Green beans so fresh they snap as you trim the ends. Homemade gazpacho, salsa and pesto. Today I froze bag after bag of blueberries so I can mix them with yogurt for breakfast in January. But I can't think of January yet. There are too many tomatoes to eat. With basil. Or not.

Great Weekend in Detroit

Detroit had a huge win this weekend with its excellent hosting of the Frozen Four, the division 1 college hockey tournament's finale. The weather was beautiful (upper sixties and sunny) and the crowds in good spirits. The city looked clean and healthy. The Tigers had their home opener on Friday in between the semi-finals on Thursday night and the finals on Saturday night as well as a game Saturday afternoon, adding to the festive atmosphere (the Tigers swept the Cleveland Indians this weekend). My perennial dining companion and I had tickets to the Frozen Four and were thrilled to be part of the event. Wearing our Michigan gear, we had numerous "Go Blue" exchanges with other fans. The whole event was like being part of the UN of College Hockey. While RIT, Miami (OH), Wisconsin and Boston College were the four participants, we saw jerseys from Maine, Minnesota, Air Force, Alaska, Denver, Northern Michigan, Lake State and numerous others. The actual games were all blow outs (yes, Michigan should have been there and hopefully will reach the Frozen Four next year to provide some better competition for the dynasty of Boston College) but I could not have asked for a better overall event.

Before the Saturday game we meant to go to Angelina's Bistro, but it was too busy for us to be seated. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise as we made our way to Cliff Bell's, a jazz bar and restaurant on Park Avenue. It was my first time there, but my perennial dining companion had been there before a concert before. I love this place. Ambitious but successful food coupled with a great bartender (and Oberon on tap - YUM!) and you can't go wrong. We will be back and you should visit (http://www.cliffbells.com/). I had the Wild Mushroom Potpie and my perennial dining companion had the steak and eggs. Tremendous food and a great atmosphere.

Grand Slam Weekend for Detroit! Go Tigers!

Red Pepper and Mushroom Pasta

Unwilling to stop at the grocery store on the way home and mindful of all the ingredients needing to be used already in my refrigerator, I tried to make something tasty, fairly healthy and clear out the refrigerator as well. Here's the solution I came up with, but I bet you could work some substitutions in as well. It makes two very generous servings.

1 red bell pepper diced
4-5 mushrooms, sliced thin
1 clove garlic minced
3-4 tbsp olive oil, divided
salt and pepper
1 cup canned great northern beans or cannellini beans
8 oz whole wheat fusilli pasta
freshly grated parmesan cheese
2-3 tbsp toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup pesto


Heat the water for the pasta (salt the water a bit) and prepare according to package directions

While the pasta is cooking, heat 2-3 tbsp of olive oil in a medium skillet. Saute red bell pepper, mushrooms and garlic until soft over medium-low heat (about 10 minutes). Drain and rinse the beans and add to the mixture for the last 2 minutes to heat through.

Drain the pasta and mix in the pesto. Add 1-2 tbsp olive oil if needed for better blending (will depend on the thickness of the pesto). Toss the pasta with the vegetable mixture and serve topped with parmesan cheese and toasted pine nuts.


Note: I toast pine nuts on a cookie sheet in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes. Shake the pan a couple times while the pine nuts are in the oven and keep an eye on them to make sure they don't burn. Also, you can buy prepared pesto, but I make my own during the spring and summer and freeze.

CCHA

Congrats to the U of M hockey team for winning the CCHA championship as a 7 seed. Great job boys!

Awesome weekend for food, music, and hockey!

What a terrific weekend! First, and probably most important, U of M swept Michigan State to advance to the CCHA finals this weekend. Go Blue! Go Louie Caporusso and Steve Kampfer and Carl Hagelin and Matt Rust and Luke Glendening and David Wohlberg and Shawn Hunwick and the rest of the Michigan Wolverines!

Second, what an awesome show at The Ark. Band of Heathens, out of Austin, TX., delivered an outstanding concert. Part jam band, part alt country poster child, this band transported me to Nashville, one of my favorite cities, where I could picture myself with a cowboy hat and a beer just having a great time. Well done, Heathens. Visit the Heathens at http://www.bandofheathens.com. For dinner before the show, we visited the Jolly Pumpkin and sat upstairs for the first time. Great food. I had the chick pea panini and a Bam Biere, my perennial dining companion had the Asian Salad. Great service and excellent food. The Bam Biere is not to be missed. http://www.jollypumpkin.com/.

Sunday brought our first visit to Bill's. Amazing coney dogs and root beer. Summer is coming. It is! Yummy!

Welcome, Calista!

I wasn't sure I was ready for another kitty so soon after losing Phoebe, but my perennial dining companion said a lot of kitties were waiting for homes in shelters and I agreed. Welcome, Calista!

Great CCHA playoff weekend for U of M

Welcome back, Louie Caporusso. A hat trick from Caporusso, two goals from Sweden's Carl Hagelin and a fine fourth effort by back up goalie, Shawn Hunwick, lead Michigan's hockey team to a 6-0 victory over Lake Superior State and a sweep of the series. Michigan advances to the second round in the CCHA playoffs. Let's hope senior Chris Summers returns to the ice for next weekend's series against Michigan State. Let's Go Blue!

The Cats Part - Saying Goodbye to Phoebe

My perennial dining companion found Phoebe at the Capital Area Humane Society in November of 1998. She flopped in her cage to let him rub her belly and he knew she was the kitty for us. Phoebe’s ride home from the Capital Area Humane Society was legendary. She chewed through the cardboard carrier they gave my perennial dining companion to transport her home and he played a gentle game of “whack a mole” with her all the way from Lansing to Farmington Hills. 12 years later, Phoebe was still flopping for belly rubs and surprising us with her determination.

Phoebe was the quintessential cat. Small and striped, she could hear a tuna can open while asleep on another floor of the house. Feisty and determined, she could open folding doors with one paw. Our constant basement companion, Phoebe, the sports kitty, survived many important sporting events in the basement, including 2 Detroit Stanley Cups, Michigan’s victory over Florida in the Capital One Bowl in 2008, and the Detroit Tigers World Series Appearance in 2006.

When Phoebe was diagnosed with Chronic Renal Failure in November, she amazed us with her determination to survive and to thrive despite her failing kidneys. Phoebe never gave up. A bad day would lead to a series of good days. She never quit giving head butts, belly flops and love to her family. Over the last week, our little fighter kitty lost the battle of wills with her body and we had to say goodbye. We were lucky to have her as part of our lives and she will be sorely missed.

Week Off at Home

What an awesome week off with my perennial dining companion. We saw great hockey (both at Yost and the Olympic hockey on TV) , ate amazingly good omelettes at Gest in Redford (http://gestomelettes.com/menu1a.htm) , got to see my Mom and Dutch and have great food at the Red Cedar Grill (see previous post). I had a good, fun sports night tonight (ties in both hockey and soccer - plus I scored the goal to tie in the soccer game so we didn't lose with 24 seconds left). My CRF kitty, Phoebe, didn't die despite a crash. And we experienced the worst weather week in Michigan this winter, but we didn't have to commute. My perennial dining companion was well-prepared for his Finance final (MSU Executive MBA program). I read several excellent books by Louise Penny (The Inspector Gamache Series). All good stuff. Now I just need to fit in some French Toast at Angelo's and I will be all set for awhile..... The batteries are recharged - look out world!

Senior Day - U of M Hockey

Tonight we said goodbye and thank you to the University of Michigan hockey team's graduating class of 2010. They went out in style following a 4-0 victory over Notre Dame. We will miss the steadiness of Chris Summers, the captain, at the blue line and Brian Lebler as a consistent, solid wing. I will miss watching Steve Kampfer skate (and shoot). This class saw much success and helped continue the traditions of this amazing program. Thank you and best of luck.

Red Cedar Grill

We celebrated my dad's birthday a little late this year. His birthday is in February and it is not unusual between our U of M hockey tickets and the Michigan weather to get together after the fact. My mom, dad, perennial dining companion and I enjoyed a wonderful dinner at The Red Cedar Grill (http://redcedargrill.com/) this week. I had the macaroni and cheese with chicken, my mom had the brick chicken and both my husband and perennial dining companion had the house sirloin. The entrees were tasty, the Manhattans tasty (for the men in our party) and the Short's IPA I had was quite tasty (after I get over my initial disappointment that there were no Bell's brews on tap, I was please to discover a more than adequate substitute). The desserts (either a skillet cake or a toll house bar topped with vanilla ice cream and hot fudge) were amazingly decadent. A great evening for sure.

Happy and Sad in Northville

It is with a true sadness of spirit I discovered Little Italy is closed due to a building fire in August. I hope they return. Truly wonderful food in a charming atmosphere.

That said, we discovered a new gem tonight in downtown Northville, Table 5 (http://table5.net/). The food, atmosphere and service were all excellent. I had the the flat iron steak and wedge salad and my perennial dining companion enjoyed the carrot soup and the fresh catch of the day which was grouper over soba noodles. The food was outstanding and we will be back, hopefully with guests.

Ann Arbor Folk Festival and The Bad Plus

The headliners at the Ann Arbor Folk Festival, a 2-Day annual event in late January as a fundraiser for The Ark (www.theark.org), are always fabulous. But, beyond the fundraising, it is the discovery of new music and bands that makes the event so worthwhile. All the bands were good, but there were two that struck as "keepers". The first, Hoots and Hellmouth (http://hootsandhellmouth.com/ ) was electrifying. High-energy to the extreme, this band played with a precision and skill and passion that had the entire audience enthralled. Perhaps best described as "punk grass", this band brought down the house Friday night and was asked back on Saturday. We will be back to see them in April at The Ark. The second band we especially enjoyed, The Hot Club of Cowtown, played only on Saturday. Another energetic and extremely talented band, this trio brought the crowd to its feet with their brand of Texas swing and charm. We will be back to see this band at The Ark in April as well. Visit their website http://hotclubofcowtown.com/.

We also were lucky enough to see The Bad Plus, http://www.thebadplus.com/, at The Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre in Ann Arbor. This progressive jazz trio (piano, bass and drums) gave a fantastic musical performance the likes of which I can honestly say I've never heard before. Not afraid to get outside the comfort zone of the audience, the band entertained us both with their music and their interaction with each other. See them if you can.

After The Bad Plus concert, we ventured into Ypsilanti to eat at one of my favorite places, Sidetrack. (http://www.sidetrackbarandgrill.com/). I ordered the black bean tacos (the black bean chunks are hand rolled and beyond tasty) and my perennial dining companion had the lake perch and fries. 2 Hearted Ale is on tap (as well as many other beers including quite a few local varieties) which is always a plus. Great music plus great food equals a great evening.

Enhanced Ramen Soup

This recipe is almost too embarrassingly easy to publish, but it took 10 minutes and my perennial dining companion loved it. I also feel compelled to ask you to not make this if you are on a low-sodium diet. But here goes:

5 button mushrooms, sliced thin
1 tbsp butter
1 green onion, diced
2 packages ramen chicken flavored noodles
soy sauce if desired

Prepare the noodles according to the package directions. While the noodles are cooking, saute the mushroom in the butter until soft. This takes about 5 minutes. Stir the mushrooms into the chicken noodle mixture. Top with diced green onions. Add a little soy sauce if desired.

Most Played Songs of 2009

1 Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky - Promenade 21
2 Harry Nilsson - Rainmaker (Mono Single Version) 18
3 Wilco - One Wing 17
4 Wilco - Wilco (the Song) 16
5 Harry Nilsson - Good Old Desk 13
6 Harry Nilsson - The Puppy Song 12
7 Charlie Robison - Beautiful Day 11
7 The Hollies - Stay 11
9 The Hollies - Stop Stop Stop 10
9 The Fred Banana Combo - She Loves You 10
11 Wilco - Pot Kettle Black 9
11 Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky - Tuileries 9
11 Buckcherry - Crazy Bitch 9
11 The Hard Lessons - Love Gone Cold 9
15 Harry Nilsson - Rainmaker 8