Fresh Tart

Well, no empanadas after all. In fact, I experienced temporary Food Disorientation as our plans shifted from mmm Latin/Caribbean (El Meson - too busy), to mmm Japanese (Fuji-Ya - too busy), finally settling upon mmm Greek (It's Greek to Me - where were just able to slide in). Despite the cold and bluster, Lake & Lyndale was hoppin'!

And so were we - in fact, we were flat out running - as John, Stacey, Nathan, and I dashed from the crowded, warm (!) Flanders Gallery, over ice and through evil, bitterly cold wind, and tumbled into the marvelously crowded, warm (!) It's Greek to Me. Whew. As we slowly thawed - gingerly peeling off layer after layer of wool, fur, and fleece - we ordered a veritable feast of plates to share... Melitzanosalata (eggplant spread), kopanisti (spicy feta cheese spread), spanikopita (spinach pie), moussaka (beef and eggplant pie), gyro with tsitsiki, mountains of warm pita bread, and heavenly galaktoboureko (custard in phyllo drizzled with honey) to finish. Opa. Uff. Major, garlicky, warm (!) fullness. Delicious meal, excellent service, It's Greek to Me is a jewel - and on a cold Minnesota night, as warm as Greece itself! (OK, maybe not quite, but we take what we can get this time of year and cherish the heck out of it...)

John kindly retrieved the car so that Stacey, Nathan, and I could just slide right on in, ahhh. Nice husband, thanks honey! After safely delivering Stace to her snug home, we made our way here to ours, rolled our ridiculously full selves in piles of thick blankets, and called 'er a night.

And so today? Sunny, crisp (-12 F), and breezy (windchill -25 F). Ah, Minnesota. What can I say? I could pretend that I'm heading out for a walk today, but in reality - no friggin' way! Definitely more of an eek-out-some-exercise-downstairs-then-read-by-the-fire kind of day. Followed by a feast of Greek leftovers! (In fact, Nathan and I already hit the pita, eggplant spread, and gyro pretty hard for a late, savory breakfast. Nice!) I may even whip up a late-afternoon batch of easy, delicious Greek Egg Lemon soup to add some warmth to the offerings. It is most definitely a Soup Sunday.

And tonight, some hijinxing with my minxes, Always Warm, Always Fresh! I'm quite sure we can convince The Coreman to throw a coupla logs on the fire for us chicas. Sip some red, giggle with my girls, I can handle that. The only downside is that I have to leave my house! Thank goodness for heated car seats, one of the best inventions evar, evar, evar. Warm Buns, Happy Heart!

Back to school! And Tuesday Morning Coffee with Suz and Kim! As always, great to catch up with my minxes, sip some joe, and cackle and laugh my butt off. All good, baby, all good.

I got around to roasting our chicken rather on the late side last night - John and I didn't eat until almost 10 pm! Woops. Worth the wait however, for buttery, crispy chicken, with killer pan juices. The classic Julia Child recipe, can't be beat. (Recipe posted in comments, below.)

Tonight, one of Nathan's favorites, a back-to-school special pork tenderloin on the grill, withwarm bread and olive tapenade spread. Definitely a Hellenic feel, although not nearly as fabulously as last week's Susie Birthday Dinner at It's Greek to Me. Just Suz, Kim, and me, on the patio, sharing spanikopita, eggplant spread, flaming kasseri cheese, gyro, Greek salad, and fries. A real, rockin' Greek birthday feast for my dearest Jewtheran friend. Opa, Suz! Woo hoo!