now, that's good friday.

Okay, it's not actually Good Friday, but all Fridays are good in that they're the kick-off to the weekend. I'm so ready. Waking up this week has been really tough. I've snoozed for over an hour nearly every morning. It's just too hard to get up when it's dark outside, and kinda cool. That's perfect sleeping weather, and it's just sick and wrong to squander it. Of course, since I don't have to work tomorrow, I'm sure I'll be up at the cracka with no problem. That's how it works.

I just tracked down some spirit gum (necessary for affixing my chest hair for my Richard Simmons transformation), and I have the Bedazzler ready to do some serious bedazzlin' tonight/tomorrow. Now, I just need some pink tights. Actually, I wish I could find a whole-body pink leotard. That'd rock. Except when you have to pee, then it'd probably suck. Unless it came with an ass-flap like the old school longjohns. Anyone know any place in Pittsburgh that sells full-body leotards for chubby ladies at bargain basement prices?


I've also always secretly wanted to be Slim Goodbody for Halloween, and if I happened to find a full-body (with or without ass-flap) pink leotard this time, next year I could dress it up to be him. And, I could use the same wig as for Richard!


Just sayin'.

K. Thanks for the feedback yesterday on my quandary. I'm gonna let these go, and then next time I'll give up the goods about my meals out. I did have some good food yesterday. Mags and I went to lunch at Spice Island, and check it out--I actually got something other than java fried rice! I went for the fried tofu with chili-peanut sauce. Yum. And, at the farmers market I picked up some potato-n-cheese pierogies for dinner. Holy cow, those are so good! They're from Gosia's Pierogies in Latrobe. I signed up for their holiday list (they'll be taking holiday orders, and making a delivery to the 'Burgh some time in December). If you're interested in getting on their order list, check them here:

Gosia's Pierogies
Terry and Jan Smith-Rawecki
75 Pauline Drive
Latrobe, Pa 15650
724-205-9938
terrsmith@comcast.net

Or, just come to the Bloomfield farmers market on Thursdays. The farmers markets are going away soon! They end at Thanksgiving! And, so does my CSA! That's merely a few weeks away. It's so sad! It breaks my little heart! It makes me wish I were in Barbara Kingsolver's family, and I'd been farming and canning and storing all spring and summer so that I could reap the bounty of my labors with local foods all winter. Yinz guys should read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. Such a fantastic book!

K, folks. Have a fantastic weekend!

run, e-dawg, run

Did you guys know that E-dawg is a runner? She started a few months ago with a goal to run a half-marathon in Chicago, and has trained and raced relentlessly since. Even in the heat. Even when I (maybe, a little bit, somewhat hysterically) cautioned her not to, complete with charts and graphs. But, she persisted, and today she heads to Chicago. Sunday is the race. I'm vying to be Most Enthusiastic Fan--Pittsburgh Contingent, from afar. Good luck, E-dawg! You are a champ! Go, E-dawg! Go, E-dawg! Go, go, go, E-dawg!


In other news, I visited the Bloomfield Farmers Market for the first time yesterday. I didn't need anything except some apples for the herd, but I ended up coming out with tons of stuff (corn, beans, apples, grapes, tomatoes, basil, some free mango Rita's Italian Ice, some pierogies). It's a really nice market, and had some (seemingly) really small farms. I bought all my stuff from the little guys to encourage them to keep coming back. And, I had big plans of making up another batch of the Slow-Roasted Heirloom Tomato Sauce (from yesterday's post) to freeze (for the glorious taste of summer tomatoes in the dead of winter), but it was too hot to turn on my oven to 400 degrees for four or so hours. So, that's on the agenda for this weekend. Instead I ate some pirogies from the market. I forgot to note where they came from because I was drunk with the smells of frying onions. So freakin' good. Not, of course, "diet food", but still. Dang.


Also, I do "need" to go to the farmers market tomorrow, but only for mushrooms! I'm not allowed to buy anything else. Except rose jelly. I heard that Najat's will have homemade rose jelly this week. Okay, and maybe tortillas from Reyna. But, that's it! Well, maybe something from Cafe Richard...
Argh! I can't be trusted!

But, I do need to make a dish for a party a friend is having tomorrow evening (a Northside Mix-n-Mingle), and I need to make a dish on Sunday to take to Bobcat/Jess for when we meet up on Monday for Scrabble (and possibly another forthcoming food review!). And, I need to make some food for our bike ride/picnic on Sunday afternoon. So, I need to buy stuff, right?

A girl at work told me about a recipe she made last night--artichoke pesto with pasta (a Rachel Ray recipe). Sounds fantastic. And, I'm super-hungry. I want that Right Now. I might have to try that out this weekend. Maybe thickened with some yogurt (and cream cheese?) for a dip...? She didn't remember the exact recipe, but thought it was artichoke hearts, evoo, lemon zest, parsley and walnuts. I'm sure I can figure it out. Hmmm...

Anyhow, I hope you all have a lovely weekend. Cross your fingers that it doesn't rain on Sunday afternoon!