Lists, Lists, Lists - Songs I can't stop listening to, 2011 style

Again, the end of 2011 leaves me in the mood to make lists.  Here are listed the songs I keep coming back to this year, not necessarily the most played, but my favorite.  Some may be older than I am....

Life is a Highway - Tom Cochrane.   This may be my life's anthem and the greatest song ever.
http://www.tomcochrane.com

Soldier - Ingrid Michaelson. This song makes me feel, even at my age, that I can accomplish anything
http://www.ingridmichaelson.com

You and Me - Elizabeth and the Catapault.  Just love the groove.
http://www.elizabethandthecatapult.com

Rainmaker - Harry Nillson.  For the days when Life is a Highway is not the best song ever, this song is. 
http://www.harrynilsson.com

 Dyamite - Taio Cruz.  Because every time I hear it I think of hockey (either playing or spectating).
http://www.taiocruzmusic.co.uk

One Step Away - Ratt.  Because I am true to my roots.  And Ratt was a damn fine band.
http://www.therattpack.com

Without Me - Eminem.  A little because he is from Detroit.  But mostly, because I dare you not to dance.  Seriously.  At least if you are over 18.
http://www.eminem.com/splash

What's Victoria's Secret? - Rick Springfield.  For too many reasons to name. 
http://www.rickspringfield.com

Beautiful, Dirty, Rich - Lady Gaga.   Again, I dare you not to dance.
http://www.ladygaga.com

Walking in Memphis - Mark Cohn.  Because we saw him in concert at The Ark this year and he is as funny as he is talented.
http://marccohn.net

Seven Nation Army - The White Stripes. Because it has the best bass riff ever and because Michigan beat Notre Dame at football.
http://www.whitestripes.com

Tonight, Tonight - Hot Chelle Rae.  See Taio Cruz.  And The White Stripes.  This song was also played at the greatest dance party ever (aka the Post-Game Celebration at Michigan Stadium after the 2011 Notre Dame Game).
http://www.hotchellerae.com/us/home

Radio Nowhere - Bruce Springsteen.   No good reason - just that this song always sounds like a good idea.  And it always rocks.
http://www.brucespringsteen.net/news/index.html


I'll get the top-played songs of 2011 out soon.  But I wanted to get this list of the songs I loved in 2011 out as well. 

Lists, Lists, Lists - Where I Loved Eating in 2011

There is something about the end of the calendar year that lends itself to lists - so expect to see quite a few in my blog over the course of the next few days. 

Here's my list for where I loved to eat in 2011.  We did some traveling this year, but I'm going to constrain my list to Southeastern Michigan (aka the best place on earth). 

Logan, Ann Arbor. I love this restaurant.  The food, the wine, the experience.  Make a reservation and take your time - this restaurant is meant to be neither a quick nor an inexpensive meal but it is so worth both the time and the money.   http://logan-restaurant.com/

Giovanni's, Detroit.  Again, I love this restaurant.  Hands down, the best Italian food in the area.  Use the valet parking and make reservations, but absolutely visit.  http://www.giovannisristorante.com/

Afternoon Delight, Ann Arbor.  Yum!  Breakfast after the farmers market on Saturday mornings.  You can't beat it in Ann Arbor!  http://www.afternoondelightcafe.com/

Beezy's Cafe, Ypsilanti.   Best egg salad sandwich anywhere, ever.  Breakfast is also amazing (try the French toast or the chorizo scramble).  Faygo in bottles as well.  Love the vibe of this restaurant.  http://www.beezyscafe.com/


West End Grill, Ann Arbor.  Very, very good food and excellent wine.  http://www.westendgrillannarbor.com/

Tony's Coney, Canton.  Unfortunately, out of business but it was the best Coney Island restaurant I've eaten in (ever) and I miss it, so I'm including it.


Bill's Hot Dog Stand, Ypsilanti.  Just go, get 2 coney dogs with onions and root beer (during the time of the year Bill's is open) and enjoy.  Life is short.  Eat here a few times a year.  Bill's doesn't have a website, so I'm including a link to their reviews on Yelp.  http://www.yelp.com/biz/bills-drive-in-ypsilanti

Conor O'Neill's, Ann Arbor.  Or maybe I just love drinking here.  I always get the Ploughman's Sandwich and it is good, but I love Harp on tap.  And the maps of Ireland all over the establishment.  http://www.conoroneills.com/annarbor/

Bode's Corned Beef House, Plymouth.  I never deviate.  Scrambled eggs, corned beef hash, rye toast, and coffee.  http://www.bodehouse.com/

Taqueria Lupita, Detroit.  Perfect, authentic tacos.  http://www.taquerialupitari.com/

Best Lasagna Ever

No, seriously.  I don't know what quirk of fate made this lasagna different than all the other lasagnas I've produced over the years, but it was different.  And it was good.  This recipe takes some time because you will make the sauce from scratch, but it is worth the effort and really, it isn't that much work to put together - it just takes about 4 hours.This recipe makes an 8 x 8 pan's worth of lasagna.

For the Sauce:

1 yellow onion, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground sirloin
1 14.5 ounce can tomato sauce
1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
1 6 ounce can tomato paste
3/4 cup water
1 tsp dried basil
1.5 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp dried oregano
dash salt and a few grinds of pepper

Brown the meat in a big pot and drain.  Return the pot to the heat and add the onion and garlic and continue to cook until they are soft.  Add the tomato sauce, paste, water and seasonings and simmer 2 hours over low heat.  I turn off the heat and let the sauce cool for a few minutes before I assemble the lasagna.



Heat your oven to 350.

For the Lasagna:

6 no-boil Lasagna noodles
2 turkey Italian sausages, cooked through and sliced into 1/2 inch thick pieces
4 cups fresh spinach - rinsed, spun dry, and chopped (remove the thick stems first)
1 container ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1 cup shredded parmesan
2 cups shredded mozzerella

Spray an 8 by 8 cooking pan with non-stick cooking spray.  I put a piece of aluminum foil on my pan and  then spray it - it makes the clean up much easier.

Mix the cheeses and eggs together in a bowl.

Begin layering the Lasagna:

Sauce
2 noodles (side by side)
Cheese
Spinach
Sauce
2 Noodles
Cheese
Italian Sausage
2 Noodles
Sauce

Cover pan with foil and bake for about 60-70 minutes and until the Lasagna is completely heated.

Let stand for a few minutes before serving.

Post Title IX Musings - The You Throw Like a Girl Edition

I was jostled out of a happy place tonight watching Michigan's hockey team at Yost.  And it wasn't because we lost (rather messily) to Northeastern.  It was because of the jeering of the 30-something guy sitting behind me.  Let me explain.

At hockey games there are two intermissions.    A lot of times there is entertainment during the intermissions to keep the fans engaged - like games or "skill" competitions.  Fans are selected to compete in these games. One common event at Yost in an intermission is the tricycle race.  Two fans are selected to race tricycles to one end of the rink and back.  Tonight's competitors were students - a young man and woman who finished the race fairly closely, although the young man did prevail.  The crowd is usually fairly enthusiastic in cheering the participants on - how awkward it must be to try to propel a bicycle on the ice, after all.

The man behind me heckled the winner. "You beat a girl!"   More than once.  As in, your victory was meaningless because your competition was unworthy.

Seriously?  In 2011?   By a 30-something educated person?    In a for-fun competition with non-athletes?  Involving tricycles?  A girl is unworthy competition?  And it is acceptable to shout this in a crowd?   That the thought even occurred to the heckler in the first place is stunning.  

I'm not talking about weight lifting or professional or college sports, I'm  talking about a recreational game played for fun as an interlude at a sporting event.  And I'm speaking as someone who finished ahead of a heck of a lot of men at the 5K I ran Thursday morning.   Not that I'd thought about my recent race that way before tonight.

And silly me, for thinking in 2011, we had finally moved beyond "you throw like a girl" or "you run like a girl" and assuming that doing either of these two things "like a girl" was synonymous to doing them poorly.

My post-Title IX complacency was jostled tonight by someone younger than I.   And to the heckler in my section, I say  the following:  Please lace up your running shoes, sir, and let's go a few miles.  You can eat my dust. 

Spinach Lentil Salad

This week's CSA goodies  inspire creativity once again!  Having been informed by my perennial dining companion that his daily lunch salad needs a little more diversity of ingredients, I used up a few odds and ends and came up with a keeper.  This recipe feeds two, generously, in my house.  I did put a lot more spinach in my bowl than my PDC's, however.

Salad:

 1 cup cooked lentils (see note below)
 4-5 radishes, well rinsed and diced
 1/4 cup red onion, diced
 4 smallish carrots, peeled and chopped
 4 cups baby spinach leaves, rinsed and spun dry and chopped (remove any thick stems)
 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled (plus a little more for topping, optional)

Dressing:

1/4 cup good quality balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup  good quality olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
few grinds of black pepper


Combine the salad ingredients and toss.   Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a separate bowl and stir into the salad ingredients.   Refrigerate for at least one hour.  Divide the salad into two bowls and top with additional feta crumbles if desired.

Lentil Note:

I used Bob's Red Mill brown lentils, rinsed and picked over, if you use a half cup of dried lentils and 1.5 cups of chicken broth when cooking, you will be in good shape.  I made the lentils and then let them cool in a separate bowl while I prepared the rest of the salad ingredients.

Running in November in Michigan

I am normally a morning runner.  There is something tremendously satisfying about kicking off your morning with a run (topped perhaps only by kicking it off with a hockey clinic).   A morning run starts the day with fresh possibilities, allowing time for planning and reflection.  And even if all you plan out is your outfit for work that day, having that thirty to forty-five minutes to zen out  while  pounding the pavement is priceless.    Best of all, it is done.  Nothing in the day that comes after your run can take it away. That good running feeling lasts the whole day and makes it better.

That said, I don't like to run in the rain.  Especially if there isn't a soccer ball involved.  But I hate missing a run.  Especially in November when I know my days of running outside in Michigan are numbered.  And so this morning, despite the relatively warm temperatures, I went to work in the rain without my run, only to watch the sky brighten throughout the day.  And an idea took hold.

I arrived home about 6:30, and quickly changed into running gear (shorts and a t-shirt as it was over 60 degrees out) before I could talk myself out of it.  After all, the house needed cleaning,  the cats missed me,   I had email to answer, lunches to assemble,  and a hockey bag to pack for my Wednesday morning clinic.  But nothing could deter me.  I was going to have at least one more sixty degree run this year. And it was going to be tonight.

What an awesome run it was!  Summer bugs still chirping and calling yet I could smell fall in the  leaves on the ground and hear them crunch under my feet.  The air warm with a breeze out of the south on my skin.  Perfection.  

And I know winter is coming.  But it isn't here yet.  And I will hold onto this run as long as I can, until spring if need be.  And whisper a quiet thank you for the beautiful day we had today.

Team Sports and Life

Life would be better if we all played team sports as adults.   There is the obvious reason - physical activity is good for the body and the spirit.   And a lot of folks who don't like to run,  walk or go to the gym will show up once a week to chase a ball or a puck and have a great time doing it.  There's the psychological benefit - almost everyone I know who plays a team sport as an adult talks about how awesome it is to lose all your worries and cares for the hour you are on the field or the ice or the court.  Not to mention, as we get older it is harder to fit time in to see our friends. Playing a sport with your girlfriends is a great way to guarantee seeing each other once a week.  And it keeps us young in body and in spirit.

Team sports remind us of the things we learned as kids. Many of the life lessons we learn in grade school are emphasized by playing sports.  And when we move into adulthood, we lose the daily or weekly reminders of these important rules.  The intangibles.   The following life rules we learned as children but sometimes forget as adults:

1.  Play nice.  You never know when the player on the other team will end up playing with you.
2.  Pass the ball.  That's the nice thing about being part of team.  You don't have to win by yourself.
3.  Back up your teammate.  Every one makes a mistake from time to time.  If you back up your team mate, odds are good she'll back you up as well.
4.  Keep your head up.  It's easier to see what's coming if you are looking for it.
5.  Keep your stick on the ice.  It's hard to score if you aren't ready.
6.  Pump up your team.  At least half the battle is mental.  If you think you can win, you CAN win.
7.  A team is greater than the sum of its parts.  Find a place for everyone and play to their skills.  Everyone has something of value to contribute and the best teams find a way to get the most from all of their players.
8.   There's a reason they play the whole game.  The team that scores first doesn't always win.  The game winner can't always be predicted ahead of time.  And, if you do lose, it is better if you win the second half.  Plus, few things in life feel better than a come from behind victory.
9.  Sports give you a (well-deserved) excuse for beer and pizza.  In my case, at least tonight, a Dark Horse Crooked Tree IPA (yum).

And that brings us to the most important factor in the equation.  Life is short.  Have fun. And very few things are more fun than playing a game.  Kicking a ball.  Shooting a puck.  Laughing with friends.  Cheering each other on.  And celebrating life.

Brussel Sprouts - a Yummy Vegetable?

Wow!  Yum!  Who knew?  I only regret the 42 years I had no idea how yummy a brussel sprout could be.  Try this recipe and you will be a convert as well....  I didn't even use the cheese.

http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/goldencrusted-brussels-sprouts-recipe.html

Thank you CSA box for pushing me out of my comfort zone, once again!

The Last of the Raspberries

I just ate the last spoonful of raspberries from the quart I bought in Ann Arbor at the Farmers Market last Saturday.  And I am sad.  I wanted to hold those last berries on my tongue forever.  While I know it has been fall for a month now, somehow summer just ended today.  And it wasn't with my last outdoor soccer game, or Labor Day Weekend, or the start of football or the Tigers' season ending.  Although all of those things were a little bit of the end of summer.   It was the last, beautiful raspberries that turned the page on the season and landed me squarely into autumn.

And as much as I love fall in Michigan with the football and hockey and sweaters and apples and colorful trees and brisk air, I'm still never ready for summer to end.  A holdover from childhood when the end of summer means the beginning of the school year?  Perhaps.

But more than that, recently I have just wanted to stop time and freeze moments forever.  Time goes by way too fast these days.  And very rarely do I stop to savor the good stuff in life, as I'm too much in a hurry to get the next thing done.

But I savored those raspberries. And now I'm going out in my backyard to sit in the sunshine with my fifteen year old cat and watch the leaves fall off my oak tree, grateful we are both still here to enjoy the day.

Thank you, Tigers!

I am thankful I am just now saying goodbye to the Tigers in mid-October, when the leaves have started to fall in earnest and the air has a definite chill.  What a great season by a terrific team!  Justin Verlander, possibly the  AL MVP and Cy Young award winner, making every game he pitched an event.  Miguel Cabrera, making every at bat a possibility. 

And then there was  the post season and the thrill of victory in beating the Yankees.  Then came the Rangers and we saw Alex Avila, Victor Martinez and Delmon Young, playing through pain.  Brandon Inge, playing his heart out. And in game six of the series, despite losing by a landslide, the Tigers never gave up.  And when Cabrera homered in the 8th inning, his last at bat of the season, allowing me to ask one more time  "Why do they keep pitching to him?", I was at peace.   They had done their best. 

And now it is over.  And I will miss it.  I love the "every day-ness" of baseball.

Thank you Justin Verlander, for one of the most amazing seasons by any pitcher, ever.  Thank you Austin Jackson, for making some of the most spectacular catches in center field I've seen this season.  Thank you, Alex Avila, for the terrific regular season and for playing through the pain in the post season.  You block stray pitches like no other catcher.  Thank you Victor Martinez and Delmon Young - your bats gave us life in the post season.  Thank you Don Kelly and Ryan Raburn and Ramon Santiago - you came through when it counted and propped us up when we needed you.  Thank you Miguel Cabrera, possibly the best hitter in baseball, but so much more than that. I  will never forget your face after the 3-2-3 double play in game 2 of the Rangers series.  What a competitor!  Thank you, Joaquin Benoit and Jose Valverde and Doug Fister for your outstanding pitching efforts.  Who knew, except perhaps Dave Dombrowski, how key the additions of Doug Fister and Delmon Young would be to the Tigers?  And thank you, Brandon Inge, for being the athlete that you are and playing your game until the end of the series - rock on!

But what will I miss the most?  Sitting in my office at home after work and listening to Dan Dickerson and Jim Price, the voices of the Tigers as they describe every play, every detail of the game so clearly I can picture it.   I know where Brandon Inge is lined up at third.  I know if the infield is at double play depth.  I understand the pitches, the strike zone, and the calls.  Thank you, gentlemen, for another outstanding season.    And I look forward to next season.  We'll get 'em next year.  And I can't wait!

Bring on the Rangers

And on and on and on and on.....  Don't stop believin' Tigers' fans.   Go Tigers!

Baseball - Just Sayin'

Dan Dickerson and Jim Price + MLB Game Day > TBS.  Let's go Tigers!

The Perfect Food - Bruschetta

For the Tomato/Basil Mixture:

3-4 small crisp tomatoes, small dice
1 clove garlic, minced
15-20 basil leaves, chopped or snipped into small pieces
1 - 2 tbsp good balsamic vinegar
2-3 tbsp good olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt

For the Garlic Toasts:

1/3 French baguette, sliced into 1/2 inch thick rounds
1 clove garlic

Set your oven to 350.  Place your baguette slices on a cookie sheet and rub the garlic on each slice.  I like to toast that garlic with the baguette slices and eat it with the bruschetta.  It's like a little bonus.  Toast the slices in the oven for 15 minutes or so until you can smell the garlic.

Meanwhile, combine the top  six ingredients and stir.  I like to let the tomato mixture mesh for at least 15 minutes before serving on top of the baguette slices.  Each bite is a little taste of summer.  Enjoy!

Fandom - What does it mean? The Let's Go Tigers Edition.

I am a fan. A believer.  A homer. Where I come from, my team can always win.  Michigan Hockey and Football.  The Detroit  Tigers. The Detroit Red Wings.  The US Women's National Soccer Team.  The players on my team are "the good guys" or "the good girls".  And in most cases, they can do no wrong.  And if you aren't on the same page, you are not a fan.  You are a tag along. A Johnny-come-lately.  A fair weather friend.

As the Detroit Tigers enter the post-season, all you Doubting Thomas-types, keep it to yourselves.

Let's go Tigers!  Let's rock October. And if you don't believe we can do it, stay home. And keep quiet. The rest of us will be cheering our hearts out.

Michigan - Notre Dame. Football. Under the Lights. The Go Blue Edition.

Some things are priceless.  Thanks to the generous gift of tickets from my parents, we were at the game last night.   I am still bouncing.  I want to hug the stadium. I want to dance in the streets.  I have never before experienced the collective force of will of over 114,000 fans cheering their team on to victory.  Even when Michigan was down, and some would presume out, the fans hung in there.  From when Michigan couldn't seem to get a first down in the first quarter,  to when they let Notre Dame take the lead with a score late in the 4th quarter, the fans didn't give up.   And they didn't leave.  There was no filing out when, with 30 seconds left in the game, the Wolverines regrouped for one last possession.  And for their faith, the fans were rewarded with a win.  A victory for the story books.  A legendary win.

The closest I can come with my experience last night, as far as the level of fan euphoria goes, was at Yost Ice Arena.   Carl Hagelin, one of the most amazing players the Michigan Ice Hockey team has ever seen,  scored on Senior Night with seconds to go in the third period last spring to tie a game and send it to overtime, only to score the game winner in overtime.   I feared for the bleachers at Yost that night as we jumped up and down.  But that said,  I have never experienced this.   The crowd of about 6,500 went nuts that night at Yost.  But 114,000 fans willing a team on to victory at the Big House?  Seriously, folks.  Texas A&M has nothing on the 12th man at the Big House. Give us the title.  A Seven Nation Army couldn't hold us back.

Nor, for that matter,  could Notre Dame.  A combination of sheer force of will of the crowd that was  under the lights for the first time at Michigan Stadium, Jordan Kovacs on defense, Denard Robinson at QB, and Notre Dame shooting themselves in the foot one time after another led to an amazing comeback victory.

Even after the victory, the crowd didn't leave.   We would have danced all night.  What a great game, boys.  And way to Go Blue, fans.  I wouldn't have been any place else last night.  And neither would you.

Hiding Greens Part 2 - Pasta Sauce Anyone?

My ingredient tonight is chard. Having been on vacation last week, we received a make up CSA share this week in addition to our regular share, and so welcomed two small bunches of chard into the house. Chard is a beautiful dark leafy green with colorful stems. I like chard. But, again, how to use it week after week and what to do with it so that my perennial dining companion doesn't mind. Especially when he is working late all week so I'm packing not only lunch but dinner for him the night before and whatever I make must travel and store well. So I raided my refrigerator, pantry and freezer and found, as with most things culinary in life, pasta is an answer! And a tasty one to boot!

3 large tomatoes
2 Italian Sausage links
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup good tasting red wine
1 cup great northern beans (from a can or jar, rinsed and drained)
1 small bunch chard, rinsed, dried, thick stems removed and chopped
1/2 pound pasta of your choice ( I used cavatappi)
freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional


Heat a large pot of water to a boil. Core the tomatoes and put an X in the base of them with a knife and boil 2 minutes. Transfer tomatoes to a cold bowl of water and let them cool.

Bring another pot of water to a boil for your pasta.

Spray a large skillet with non-stick cooking spray. "Uncase" the sausage links and discard the casing so the sausage is loose and break the sausage up with spoon in the skillet as it cooks.

Add the onions and garlic after the sausage is cooked through. When they are softened, add the wine and stir - scraping the bottom of the skillet to deglaze the pan a little.

Take the tomatoes out of the water, remove and discard the skins, and add the tomatoes to the skillet (breaking them into pieces with a spoon as well). Add the beans. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer.

Cook your pasta according to package directions. When you start to cook the pasta, also stir the chard into the tomato/sausage mixture in the skillet.

Drain the pasta when it is done and serve the sauce over top of the pasta. Garnish with Parmesan cheese if desired.

Dinner for 1? Stir fry made simple.

I am a huge fan of using up odds and ends left over in my refrigerator. I consider it be fun (even after a long Monday at work) to see what you can come up with that uses left over ingredients yet yields a tasty result. Even more challenging is that my perennial dining companion was working late so I was cooking for one.

Here's what I had: leftover rice and coconut milk from a Thai chicken recipe I had made yesterday and a variety of CSA veggies needing to be used plus a pantry full of staples. The answer - stir fry. Here goes:

Saute together for about 10 minutes (or until veggies are softened but not smushy) in a small amount of oil:

1 leek or green onion, cleaned and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup green beans in 1 inch-sized pieces
2 very small summer squash, diced
2 small carrots, peeled and diced

Meanwhile, mix together:

2 tbsp peanut butter
1/4 cup coconut milk
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp fish sauce
1/4 tsp red hot pepper flakes
dash garlic powder

And heat left over rice (thoroughly) in a microwave

Mix the peanut butter mixture in with the veggies and heat through. Pour over rice and stir to combine.

Dinner is served.

Welcome Home Inge!

This may be my first baseball post.

I am 43 years old. Which means I was born in 1968. And yes, I do have a 43 year old stuffed tiger on my desk that my dad bought for me in the fall of 1968 when the Tigers won the World Series. And yes, I was 6 months old at that time.

I grew up with baseball. If you were to play me a recording of Al Kaline and Ernie Harwell calling a Tiger game and let me smell the grilling of burgers and the faint smell of Pabst Blue Ribbon, I would know it was Saturday night in the summer of my childhood, which was a very good place. And I can tell you where I was when Kirk Gibson hit a home run in the 1984 World Series. And I wear number 3 on the soccer field because I loved Alan Trammell. And thanks to my dad, I never go to the ball park without buying a scorecard and keeping score. And yes, I know how to keep score.

Brandon Inge has been my favorite Detroit Tiger for years. That is, ever since Bobby Higginson last jogged half-sideways out of left field and back to the Tiger's dugout for the last time. And don't get me going on Bobby Higginson - we may never again see his equal at gunning a man out from left field (Delmon Young, prove me wrong).... But Brandon has been my Tiger for years. And when he doesn't play I have to admit I care a little (but just a little ) less about my beloved Tigers. And few things in baseball are as exciting as watching Brandon Inge stand off third base - you just never know what will happen - and odds are good that if something does happen it will be an excellent play.

To Brandon's credit, he could have quit this summer when the Tigers offered to release him. But the man has the heart and the soul of an athlete. And he went to AAA. And he worked his butt off. And he came back tonight and at his first at bat hit a home run into the stands in left field. And almost hit another home run during his second at bat that went deep into center field and ended in a ground rule double and generated an RBI. And the crowd went nuts as well they should.

Welcome back Brandon Inge! Poetic justice tonight? Perhaps. But way to rock the house on your return! And thanks for making the season more exciting for Tiger fans everywhere - we are cheering for you and the rest of our Tigers. I know I am not alone in thinking our chances for cheering the Tigers on in October just improved exponentially.

Great night, great baseball in the D.

U of M Alumni Game

I had time to sneak into the University of Michigan alumni hockey game at Yost tonight. Yes, the new scoreboard was a draw - it is beautiful and the ice looked perfect - smooth and cold. But there is something to be said for the nostalgia of a homecoming game at what has to be one of the most storied arenas in the game of hockey. And it is hard to pass up a chance to see some favorite players return to the ice they once called home.

I just have to say how amazing it was to see Red Berenson skating with his former players. And doing a pretty darned good job of keeping up. He is an amazing example of "age is relative". Way to go Red! And how good it was to see recent graduates Tim Miller, Billy Sauer and Mark Mitera back on their "home ice".

But most of all, the spirit of the game was so much fun. One of the things I really enjoy about playing rec hockey is how many of the players smile the whole time they are on the ice. Not something you see during most professional or college games. But tonight, at a completely voluntary game, smiles were abundant. Welcome home, Wolverines. And the fans in the stands had a blast watching you enjoy the game.

The Gotta use the CSA Box Tuscan Bean Soup Recipe

First of all, let me say I love my CSA. Organic, fresh produce that varies weekly from a local farm - you can't beat it. But, the dark leafy greens continue to perplex me. They are good for me. I even like them. But what to do with them when they show up in my CSA box week after week. More to the point, what to do with them week after week that my perennial dining companion will want to enjoy as dinner. It is like a home kitchen Iron Chef competition - only I am the only contestant. Your ingredient is Kale.

I also have from the CSA these beautiful Tongue of Fire shelling beans, leeks, potatoes, carrots, and garlic. I picked up tomatoes at the farmer's market. Add ham and chicken broth and the answer is easy. The answer is soup!

1 quart chicken broth (I use organic - if I don't have some stock in the freezer)
1 leek, cleaned and chopped, white part only
1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped fine
4 small carrots, peeled and diced
3 cups shelled beans like Tongue of Fire - if you don't have them use 2 cans of great northern beans. Either way, rinse the beans.
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups kale, rinsed and chopped
1-2 cups diced ham
2 tomatoes - blanched, peeled and diced or 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp thyme
1 bay leaf

Grated Parmesan cheese for serving, optional

Heat the broth and add the leek, carrots, garlic and spices. Simmer for five minutes or so. Add the beans and potatoes and simmer for about 30 more minutes. Test the beans and potatoes to see if they are tender (fresh beans will take longer). If they are close add the tomatoes (see note at the end). Simmer 5 more minutes and then add the kale. Cook until the kale has turned bright green and has shrunk a bit (3-4 more minutes). Taste for seasoning, remove the bay leaf. top with cheese if desired and enjoy. This serves about 4.

Note:

To make the tomatoes, heat water to a boil. Cut the core out of each tomato and make an x with your knife in the bottom of the tomato (be careful). Drop each tomato into the boiling water for about a minute, then remove and soak in cold water for five minutes or so. When they have cooled, peel the skin off and dice them. I don't worry about the seeds but you could seed them if you prefer.

Salsa!!!

In my book, salsa rates exclamation points. A good salsa wakes up the tongue, leaving a lingering memory of heat. Fresh salsa is like a little bit of July in every bite. Tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, cilantro and garlic are all available locally now. Add a little lime juice (I'm in Michigan, limes are never available locally here) and you are good to go. Some things, like salsa, taste so much better fresh than prepackaged, that once you have experienced them fresh, you may never go back. And it is so easy, why not make your own? My salsa is more of a sauce. Process it a little less if you like yours chunkier.

2 good sized tomatoes, chopped
1/3 cup chopped onion
2-3 tbsp cilantro, chopped
1-3 jalapenos, chopped (depending on how spicy you like your salsa)
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tbsp lime juice
Dash salt

In a food processor, combine all the ingredients. Process until you can still see green for the cilantro and jalapenos but the consistency is saucy rather than chunky. Refrigerate for several hours before serving - this keeps a few days in the refrigerator.

FIFA Women's World Cup starts Sunday

Yes, I admit it. I want to be Abby Wambach when I grow up. So what if she is a decade younger than I am, six inches taller, and one of the world's top athletes? And why not? The FIFA Women's World Cup starts Sunday and I can't think of a more exciting place to be right now than in Germany watching the games. But of course, I am not there. I am in Michigan about to play in my own team's soccer tournament this weekend. And that's the beauty of it. While my team will be lucky to have 10 mildly interested fans, the women in Germany will be playing to packed stadiums and TV audiences around the world. And rightly so. So go Team USA! And go Team Centurions! We know which team is more likely to win. But I think mine will have just as much fun.

Check out the Women's World Cup schedule and other information on FIFA's website:

http://www.fifa.com/womensworldcup/

Grieving Ducks

Wednesday morning, the day of the massive rainstorm in Michigan, I was out running my normal run, and had to pause in sympathy as I saw three male mallard ducks surrounding a dead female mallard in a grassy area next to a busy road. I can only assume she'd been run over by a car and somehow got to the grass. I felt such sympathy for those ducks as they surrounded their friend.

For those of you not in Michigan, we had torrential rains starting mid-morning on Wednesday through Thursday night. My rain gauge measured three and a half inches. Roads and basements were flooded.

My next run was Friday afternoon. As I got closer to the spot where I had seen the mourning ducks and their dead friend, I actually grew anxious. Would the poor female mallard's body have been washed away in the deluge or would she still be there? As I grew closer, I almost started to cry. Not only was the female mallard's body still there, but one male mallard remained at her side, keeping vigil for whatever duck reasons he might have.

What amazing loyalty through hell, or at least high water, for that duck to have remained at the dead duck's side. And it makes me question how much different, really, is the rest of the animal planet from the human race.

Rest in peace, lady duck.

Best Sandwich Ever

Hummus. Cucumbers. Pita Bread. There is nothing else like it. I almost cried I was so happy when I saw the baby cucumbers at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market a few weeks ago and I've been buying them weekly ever since. I could eat this sandwich every day.

Hummus
Cucumbers - rinsed and thinly sliced
Pita Bread

Spinach -rinsed, spun dry, and chopped
Mushrooms -rinsed and thinly sliced
Red Bell peppers - rinsed and thinly sliced

You can make the hummus yourself or use store bought. Just halve the pita (you could toast it a bit if you like), spread hummus on either side, and layer thinly sliced cucumbers in the middle. You could switch it up a bit by adding a combination of spinach, mushrooms and red bell peppers.

Hummus:

1 14 oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/3 cup water
splash lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
2-3 tbsp tahini
3-4 tbsp olive oil

In a food processor, blend the salt, olive oil, and garlic. Add the chickpeas and blend. Add the lemon juice and tahini and blend. Add the water a little bit at a time (you may not need it all or you may need a little more than 1/3 cup) until your hummus looks spreadable but not too fluffy. Refrigerate for a couple hours before using.

First Pesto of the Year!

All right. You've got me. I made it with spinach and garlic scapes and not basil (the spinach and scapes both came from Saturday's Farmers' Market in Ann Arbor). It is mid-May, after all, not June. But yum, yum, yum. Serve it with a side of asparagus and you have a tasty, healthy meal made with Michigan-grown veggies. This serves two in my house.

8 ounces whole grain fusilli pasta (any curvy pasta will do) prepared per the package instructions
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese plus more for serving
3 cups spinach (rinse it and spin it dry, then tear the leaves into smallish pieces, disgarding the thick stems)
1/2 cup garlic scapes, diced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup walnuts, toasted
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1 cup great northern beans, rinsed (optional)


Toast 1/4 cup walnuts and 1/4 cup pine nuts on a baking sheet in a 350 degree over for about 20 minutes. You can boil water for the pasta at the same time. Reserve a little bit of the pasta water just in case.

To make the pesto, combine the spinach, olive oil, scapes, and sea salt in a food processor. You want it to come up with a good chop, but not mush. Add the walnuts and about 1/3 of the pine nuts and the cheese. Blend well.

Drain the pasta. Toss with pesto and the great northern beans if desired ( I like to add a little protein). Serve topped with additional parmesan and pine nuts.

Whole Bowl of Wrong

Forgive me for my ignorance on this, but I don't understand how North Dakota finished ahead of Michigan in the USCHO poll dated April 11. Seriously, folks? Michigan smothered North Dakota defensively in their only meeting this season in the NCAA Frozen Four Semi Final to win a tight 2-0 game and then lost in championship game in OT to the number 1 team in the nation, the University of Minnesota at Duluth. Only to come in 3rd in the post-tournament poll? Mind-boggling.

http://www.uscho.com/rankings/d-i-mens-poll/

Datsyuk

Pavel Datsyuk is the best player in hockey.

Hockey - The M Go Blue Goodbye Frozen Four Edition

Where to begin....

There was the euphoria when Michigan beat an excellent North Dakota team Thursday night - goaltender Shawn Hunwick stopping a phenomenal 40 shots on goal to lead his team to a 2-0 victory. The Sioux had the advantage in the polls and in attendance - I'm not sure how many folks were left in the state of North Dakota this last weekend but I'm pretty sure many were in Minneapolis. Way to represent, Sioux! And way to grind it out Michigan - I realized the whole third period was played like a giant penalty kill to protect a one goal lead. Brilliant strategy and it paid off with a return to the championship game!

There was the heartbreak of losing in overtime in the championship game to the University of Minnesota at Duluth. And the pride in the Michigan team that fought so hard through injuries and penalties and a hostile fan environment only to lose in OT. There was some great stuff in that game. Ben Winnett's goal. The "grind line" of Rohrkemper, Moffatt and DeBlois was tremendous. Hagelin and Rust were amazing defensively as they helped kill penalty after penalty. And Shawn Hunwick once again proved he was the best goaltender in college hockey. Thank you, boys, for the wild ride to the NCAA championship game.

It is the bittersweet nature of college sports that you watch the players develop into a fantastic team and then they graduate and move on to other things. I'm proud to be a Wolverine hockey fan. Hagelin, Rust, Vaughan, Caporusso, Winnett, and Langlais - we will miss you. I'm sure we'll see you in other uniforms playing for professional teams - and we will cheer you on! That said, I will miss the student section holding up the Swedish flag after the fastest player on the ice breaks through the neutral zone to score. And I am not sure if I will ever watch a 5-3 penalty kill with the same sense of expectation again.

We may not get 'em next year but I know we will be in it. With a goaltender like Shawn Hunwick, I'm not sure how we couldn't be. I look forward to seeing what Pateryn, Bennett, Glendenning, Brown, Lynch, Merrill, Burlon and the rest of the boys can do next year.

In the meantime, football is coming.

Soba Noodles with Peanut Sauce and Broccoli

There are probably 200 recipes to make some variation of soba noodles with broccoli in peanut sauce. Today, faced with limited ingredients and a craving for peanut butter, I created my own variation. This recipe serves three generously in my house.

1 package soba noodles
2 cups broccoli, chopped (I include some stalks)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp sugar
3-4 tbsp soy sauce
2-3 shakes red pepper flakes
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
2 tbsp vegetable oil

Cook the soba noodles according to package directions. Add the broccoli to the cooking noodles for the last minute of cooking time (make sure the water keeps boiling). Drain and return to pot.

While the noodles are cooking, combine all the other ingredients (except the broccoli) in a medium size bowl and whisk together until well blended. Pour over drained noodles and broccoli and mix gently but well. Enjoy now, or cool and refrigerate for the next day.

Lunch at Nico and Vali

My perennial dining companion actually had time to go to lunch today (the start of a new set of classes at Michigan State means a little more free time) so we headed into Plymouth to look at the ice sculptures, pick up some bird food (frigid temperatures mean hungry birds) and have lunch at Nico and Vali in downtown Plymouth. Yum! I had a chicken panini with pesto, provolone and red peppers. My perennial dining companion had a sausage panini with hot peppers. Sandwiches come with house-made chips. We both brought half a sandwich home. Friendly service, terrific food, and convenient location. We will be back and next time I will leave room for something from the dessert case - wow did it look good! Check out Nico and Vali at http://www.nicoandvali.com/.

Hockey - The Ultimate 5 on 3 Go Blue Edition

Hockey has a fairly unique way of handling penalties, being slightly similar perhaps only to soccer. In football, you lose yards or give yards up to your opponent if a penalty is called on your team. In basketball, the other team gets the ball or gets to shoot free throws. If you get enough penalties (or fouls as they call them), a player may be removed from the game but other players can still play and both teams keep the same number of players on the court.

In hockey, however, usually the player getting the penalty gets a time out and has to sit in the penalty box out of the play for a number of minutes depending on the severity of the penalty. The player's team has to play short a person for the time of the penalty. This creates a separate sort of "mini-game" for the time of the penalty for both the team on the power play (with more players on the ice) and the team on the penalty kill (down one or more players). The idea, obviously, is that when you have more players on the ice than the other team does, you should be able to score - an obvious disincentive to cross-checking your opponent. The goal of the team with fewer players is simply to "kill" the penalty by shutting down the offense of the other team.

With the University of Michigan, however, being on the penalty kill is not necessarily a disadvantage. You might be able to say they play better on the penalty kill than the power play, but that's not my topic for discussion today. I have never seen a team execute a penalty kill better than Michigan over the last two years (this means college hockey, pro hockey, semi-pro hockey, etc.). Even when in a 5-3 situation where Michigan has three skaters against five opposing skaters, Michigan has the ability to control the game and the puck. Smart play, skilled players, and the backing of the home crowd all contribute Michigan's penalty kill. It may be the most exciting thing in hockey watching your team kill a 5-3 penalty and we witnessed a great one tonight against the University of Alaska at Fairbanks. Go Blue!

Cats, Cats,Cats

Itty Bitty

Izabella (left) and Callie

Last dinner at eve

Whether you are a fan of Facebook and other forms of social media or not, we would never have known eve, one of our favorite restaurants, was closing at the end of this week if not for Facebook. I happened to be on Facebook when eve posted that the restaurant was closing. My perennial dining companion immediately made us reservations for Wednesday via Open Table. When he checked back a day or so later, there were no reservations available.

We arrived Wednesday night and were seating on time and the restaurant was just buzzing and completely filled. We love the space eve occupied, brick walls, high ceilings. We each had a glass of Malbec and split the conch fritter appetizer and enjoyed the fresh bread, which came with three different butters. I ordered the flank steak, which was served with portabella ravioli and was perfect. My perennial dining companion had the scallops which was served with rice and shredded brussel sprouts. Regrettably, neither of us had room for dessert but the meal was wonderful. The service, as always, was tremendous.

We will miss eve, but look forward to checking out Eve Aranoff's new restaurant in Ann Arbor, Frita Batidos, very soon.

New Favorite Song of 2011

You and Me. Elizabeth and the Catapult. Great stuff. Check it out - http://www.elizabethandthecatapult.com/

2011 - The New Year - A Time for Resolutions?

I am not completely a believer in only doing things when they are expected (how awesome is that random gift received when it is not Christmas, a birthday, or an anniversary, after all). But there is something about the New Year that lends itself to resolutions for self-improvement like no other time of the year. That whole fresh start, clean slate thing, I guess. So here goes....

I resolve not to neglect my blog no matter how busy and hectic my life gets.

I resolve to keep my head in every game I play, and to keep my head up while I play as well.

I resolve to finish learning the fundamentals of hockey (that includes the elusive pivot to my right) so I can focus on bringing all of my game to the next level.

I resolve to draw from my freezer as often as possible when preparing meals to make the most of the organic produce I have stored there.

I resolve every day to get the hardest thing I need to do that day done and over with first if possible. That makes the rest of the day so much easier.

I resolve to slow down and enjoy life as much as possible. This may be the toughest resolution to keep -even tougher than the right pivot. I am both Type A and an Aries and we don't slow down for much.

We'll see how I do come June. Check back. Hopefully there will be quite a few updates between then and now.