Steak with Crispy Polenta

Sure, I know, I've only been doing this blog thing a month and already I'm falling down on the job. But in my defense, I'm getting my butt kicked at work so I haven't been getting home early enough to cook most nights. But this one was totally worth the extra time!

1 (1-pound) flank steak, trimmed
1/2 teaspoon ancho or regular chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (16-ounce) tube fat-free polenta, cut into 12 slices
1 1/2 cups fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 tablespoons chopped, fresh cilantro

Spray a nonstick ridged grill pan with nonstick spray and set over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the steak with the chili powder and salt. Place the steak on the pan and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the side of the steak registers 146 degrees for medium-rare, about 5 minutes on each side. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let stand 5 minutes. Cut on a diagnonal into 16 slices.

Meanwhile, spray the broiler rack with nonstick spray and preheat the broiler. Arrange the slides of polenta on the rach and broil 5 inches from the heat until crispy and heated through, about 2 minutes on each side.

Spray a medium nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and st over medium heat. Add the corn, bell pepper, onion, and jalapeno pepper. Cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the cilantro.

Place 3 slices of polenta on each of 4 plates and top evenly with the steak. Spoon the corn mixture on top.

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cooking and Assembly time: 20 mins
WW Points: 6

Excuse me ma'am, did you just move me with your ass?

My weekday mornings typically start peacefully with a leisurely metro ride to work. The 35 minute ride easily lends itself to a quick cat nap or several chapters of whatever book I happen to be reading. Normally, I revel in my commute. I silently yet smuggly pity all those haggard souls who are forced behind the wheel only to sit in DC's infamous bumper to bumper traffic quietly wondering when the person behind them is actually going to crawl up the back bumper of their car. For this among many other reasons, I typically revere the ease and tranquility of the metro. Worship it even.

But then there are days like today.

Getting on at the end of the line means I nearly always get a seat - a beautiful and coveted thing. This morning was no different. I took my seat in Vienna, pulled out my latest favorite book and settled in to enjoy an uneventful ride. Two stops later my bliss was rudely interrupted by the I'm sure kindly, but nonetheless annoying, man who takes it upon himself to share the word of God with metro riders through the joyful art of song. Except he's totally tone deaf and he makes me want to rip my own ears off. But taking the metro in the afternoon means that you learn to tune out crying toddlers and obnoxious teenagers, so I tilt my head still further down and pray silently to go deaf.

Two more stops and the piece de resistance! A woman gets on the train and proceeds to the seat next to me. I'm in the inside seat and by some miracle we've made it four stops without the train completely filling up. She gives me the "is this seat taken" smile and I slide my coat off the part of the adjacent seat it was overlapping. And then she sits down. Except it's not a "sit" so much as a slide into the seat and in doing so she actually moves me with her ass. I swear. One minute I'm sitting comfortably in my seat, the next I'm pressed against the window like one of those creepy kids you see at the zoo trying to be one with the animals. The kicker here, and I know this is going to sound sizist, but trust me, that's not what I'm going for, is that the woman sitting next to me doesn't really need more than her seat. She's just rude and completely lacks any self-awareness as to the space she's taking up. I make it another two stops like this before I realize that if I stay here any longer I might be compelled to commit an act of violence that involves my book and the side of her head. So I excuse myself to stand.

No sooner do I stand up than a woman gets on with a small child in a stroller. I don't know exactly how old, I'm not great at the age guessing game. Old enough to be a stroller and young enough to still be spitting up. Which he then goes about doing. Spits up right at my feet. Thankfully, and this is the tiny silver-lining to this whole black cloud of a ride, not actually on my feet. Now I have irrationally angry written all over my face, but I try to bite it back because the mother looks mortified. And she really shouldn't. Babies are babies and there's not much you can do about that as a parent. As an innocent bystander, however, I can move myself the hell down the train away from the rotting stench of curdling milk. But by then it's in my nostrils and I can't seem to shake it no matter how many passengers I put between us. And then, like some gift from God, the driver announces my stop and the doors open, ending my hell and torment.

So the next time I get all smug about the tranquility of my commute when compared to the average driver or worse say something arrogant about how by using public transit I'm doing my part for the environment, remind me of my commute this morning. And then don't be surprised to hear me say, "Can someone drive me to the car dealership?"

Quick Margherita Pizza

B Post!

This one isn't as healthy as the previous posts, but it's perfectly delicious. Also, this isn't really a recipe so much as a set of loose instructions for creating your own delicious pizza.

11 oz. pre-made white or whole wheat pizza dough (we get ours at Whole Foods and it lasts a couple days in the fridge)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 pouch pre-made Boboli sauce (we've tried making our own and a number of other pre-made and for the time and ease, this one is the best)
4-5 oz fresh, whole milk mozzarella, sliced
10-15 fresh basil leafs (this is a "to taste" thing)

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Roll out your pizza dough to approximately 12" in diameter. Dock pizza dough with docker or fork. Brush lightly with olive oil. Place crust on pizza stone (round baking sheet will work if you don't have stone) and place on the bottom rack of the oven. Bake for four minutes. Remove crust from the oven. Cover evenly with pizza sauce and mozzarella. Replace in the oven on bottom rack until crust is brown and cheese is bubbly and lightly browned (about eight minutes). Remove from oven and place fresh basil leaves evenly on top of pizza. Slice and eat immediately!

Grilled Lamb Burgers in Pita

We've been looking for recipes that fall into the "quick and easy" category since we're both working and busy. This recipe is the perfect blend of quick and delicious. And the best part? It's a Weight Watchers Recipe! B was surprised to learn this was courtesy of WW, since he can usually tell by his tastebuds when we're eating these lower fat options. (And it's a stock photo, I don't get credit for the beautiful presentation!)

3/4 pound lean ground lamb loin
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint (if you don't have mint you can use fresh basil or a third the amount of dried basil)
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1 and 1/3 cup chopped romaine lettuce
1 small bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
1/3 cup plain fat-free greek yogurt
4 (6-in) whole wheat pitas, warmed

Gently mix the lamb, onion, mint (or basil) coriander, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Shape mixture into 4 patties, each about a 1/2 inch thick.

Spray the grill rack with nonstick spray; preheat the grill to medium-high or prepare a medium-hot fire. Place the patties on the rack and grill, turning once, until and instant-read thermometer inserted into the side of each patty registers 145 degrees for medium, about 10 minutes.
Divide the lettuce, bell pepper, lamb patties, and yogurt among the pita breads and serve at once.
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cooking and Assembly time: 15 mins
WW Points: 6

Veggie Caponata Toasted Sandwiches

Spring is here and that means even more fresh fruits and veggies. In honor of the season, I made Veggie Caponata Toasted Sandwiches for dinner tonight. This is a recipe I adapted from one of my fav Food Network Chef's, Giada di Laurentiis, only my version is a little lighter and healthier.

2 Tbsps olive oil
1 medium onion, rough chopped
2 red, yellow or orange bell peppers, rough chopped
2 zucchini, rough chopped
1 stalk celery, rough chopped
2 tsps salt, divided
1 14 oz. can of crushed, fire roasted tomatoes
2 tsps red wine vinegar
1/4 cup aged balsamic vinegar
5 oz. fresh, whole milk mozzarella
1 baguette, cut into four pieces and split to create sandwich rolls

Heat olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and add onion, peppers, zucchini, celery and one tsp salt to skillet. Cook for five minutes, stirring occassionally. Preheat your broiler for use. Add canned tomatoes, remaining salt and red wine vinegar to vegetable mixture. Cook, stirring occassionally, for 15-20 minutes until vegetable mixture has reduced by half and all veggies are cooked through but not mushy. In the last five minutes of the vegetable cooking, brush balsamic vinegar on the inside of the split baguettes, both top and bottom, and slice mozzarella. Spread the bottom half of the sandwich roll thick with vegetable mixture. Place on broiler safe pan and top with one fourth of the fresh mozzarella. Repeat for remaining three sandwiches. Place opposite half of sandwich rolls on broiler pan as well. Broil for one minute or until mozzarella is melted and top half of sandwich roll is brown. Remove from broiler, assemble and enjoy!

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 25 mins
WW Points: 8

RED is a relationship

I've known that Red is Hockey since I could talk, my dad saw to that. I experienced it first hand when I was 6. I even got to see them scrape the octopus off the ice. For those of you that don't know what I'm talking about, you've never experienced a game inside the Joe. Red is hockey - Detroit Red Wings hockey. And to me there's just no other kind. Now I've been asked to share the color with another team - our very own Washington Capitals (their slogan, no surprises here, is "Red is Caps Hockey").

Our friend Michelle scored free Skybox seats to Friday night's game against the Buffalo Sabres and invited B and I along. We had a great time cheering on the Caps and goofing off with some of our favorite people (as evidenced by the pics below). After the game, B made the tongue-in-cheek suggestion that we become Caps "super fans." Not that I've ever been crazy enough about any sports team to be classified as a "super fan", but I have always had my loyalties. That is until we moved here. Don't get me wrong, I will always, always tune in to see my alma mater play. There is NOTHING like University of Michigan football, complete with the incredible victories and crushing disappointments. But I've been living in the DC area for nearly five years now and, when it comes to professional sports teams, I can't seem to form an attachment.

My reticence to get "involved" with a sports team, I'm certain, stems from the fact that I've been silently repeating the mantra "we're moving back to Chicago" in my head since I stepped out of the U-haul the day we moved here. But let's be honest, that's not happening any time soon. So I might as well settle in and find myself a team with whom I can have a committed relationship.

With that in mind, I've decided to start "dating" the Washington Capitals as the DC team with whom I'll share my loyalty. Unless they're playing the Red Wings...please permit me that infidelity.

(Below: The view of the ice from our Skybox; Michelle and Gustavo "prom posing" in front of the ice)

Jumping on the bandwagon...

While I don't claim to have Alyce's blogging wit or Sarah's persistence at posting, I've decided it's still time to try my luck at the blogging thing. With so many of our friends and family in distant locales, this seemed the best way to share the moments in our lives with the people we love and, with a little more luck, entice them to visit with the food and cooking posts!

And no, Jules, this will not become a cat blog...