Benefits, Beers, and Bacon

And then it was Sunday.
Why do the weekends always seem to escape us?

In the midst of spring trying to make an appearance in Missoula, a little rain doesn't scare my friend Jory (an Oregon native) and I from running a 5k. Our biggest obstacle seemed to be the smell that the Noodle Express truck was creating just before the finish line. Rain, running, and teriyaki sauce do not mix.

Luckily, the clouds lifted just and time and a couple hundred people came out to run, walk, and support the Okon and Capen families in memory their loved ones. I was happy to run with coworkers and alongside one of my best friends which only reminded me of how fragile life can be and to make the most of the time you have with the ones you love most.

After you run a race, that justifies any beer drinking you may do later that day...right? Which leads me to the important milestone that was made on Saturday. After 7 years on and off in Missoula, my friend Jory FINALLY enjoyed her first beer actually at the Kettlehouse taproom. Next stop, KH North.

Given that I start my buckled down training for the Spartan Race in two days, I decided to treat myself with a recipe I had been eyeing for the last month. Spicy Beer Candied Bacon. Yes, it was one of the best things I have made. Ever. Try it, you won't regret it. I modified it to fit my personal tastes and throw in some Montana flare. The multiple fights with my testy smoke alarm were still worth every strip. Enjoy!

Spicy Beer Candied Bacon:

Ingredients:
1 pound thick cut bacon
1/2 cup brown sugar
2-3 tablespoons Bayern Face Plant beer (any dark beer will work)
2 tablespoons Sriracha, because it is the best. (but any hot sauce will work)

Method:
Preheat the oven to 400.
In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, beer, and hot sauce.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place a rack that is the same size or smaller than the baking sheet on the sheet.
Lay the bacon on rack. It will shrink when it cooks so don't worry about it overlapping.
Place in preheated oven and cook for 10 minutes
Remove from oven. Using a spoon or brush to paint the bacon with the sauce on both sides.
Return to the oven and cook for 10 minutes.
Repeat this process until the sauce is gone and the bacon is golden and crisp. I had to repeat the process about 5 times. Every oven is different. You wouldn't want your bacon to be burnt and hard.
Remove from the oven and allow the bacon to cool for 1 hour.

Store the bacon in an air-tight container or eat it all at once, my lips are sealed.

DC: City Life (Almost) Persuaded

Reasons I love cities:
1) Food. Everywhere. And it's delicious.
2) Public transportation and the ability to walk everywhere.
3) Culture.
4) Fashion. Style. Business Attire.

I love it all.

So Washington D.C. is great. The history of the city, the monuments, memorials, and museums are all so moving and fantastic. This was my second trip to D.C. During the first trip, ten years ago, I was able to visit all of the main monuments and exhibits. This trip was meant for exploring, spending time with friends and family, and most importantly: eating.

Day One:
D.C. has a matrix of great running and biking trails. I hit the trail right across from my hotel that ran along the Potomac. It was a beautiful morning and along the way I ran into the St. Patrick's Day Half Marathon. Even though I was missing the annual Run For the Luck of It 5k with my friends back in Missoula, this view made up for it:

After the run, my mom and I made our way downtown. Accidentally getting off on the wrong Metro stop, we decided to swing by the White House. Eventually we made our way to the beautiful National Botanical Gardens.

Later that night, I was lucky enough to be able to meet up with one of my best friends from college, Katie. After a reunion of IPA's and Irish car bombs to celebrate us and an early St. Patty's Day, it was like we had never been apart.

Day 2:
Mom and I decided to journey across the bridge into Georgetown for breakfast. I highly recommend Kafe Leopold to anyone traveling to the D.C. area. My mom loves to make macarons, the French style colored cookies. The bakery they are normally sold at was closed and we were redirected to the most adorable tea house, Lady Camellia. Delicious (and inexpensive) macarons in a one-room restaurant that made me feel like I was in Alice and Wonderland.

That night we had reservations at Zaytinya in Chinatown. I had been waiting to visit this restaurant for years. Zaytinya is a tapas restaurant with Turkish, Lebanese, and Greek influences. I was prepared to gorge myself. I was hooked from the moment the server handed me the menu.

My mom and I ordered the following to share:
Drinks:
3 PM in Istanbul (Lemon lavender mint tea infused vodka, rhubarb liqueur, vanilla syrup,
lime juice, grapefruit juice)
Appetizer:
Butternut Squash Hummus
Main Course:
Roasted Asparagus with pine nuts and chives
Crispy Brussels Sprouts in a garlic yogurt
Sauteed Shrimp with dill, mustard, and lemon juice
Salmon with cilantro, pine nuts, and ginger sauce
Dessert
Zeus Nightcap - a vodka drink with apricots
Turkish Coffee - my first time, wish included!
Greek Yogurt and Apricots - muscat soaked apricots, vanilla yogurt cream, apricot sorbet, and pistachio powder.
I sacrificed my lactose intolerance for this dessert. It was divine. Simple and delicious.

The main event of the trip was to attend and awards ceremony for my dad. He was receiving a high honor award and I was thrilled that he wanted to include us. After the ceremony was rescheduled due to weather (the federal government in the city apparently doesn't handle a few inches of snow with plowed roads as well as we do in Montana), we were finally able to give recognition to my dad and his colleagues for all of their great work.

The trip was fantastic. Every time I travel to the East Coast, I get a breath of fresh (city) air. I like to take in the culture, people, and adventure cities have to offer. I love fresh seafood, boat shoes, and watching the Georgetown rowing team do time trials in the Potomac. After five days it was time to return to the mountains. Spring is just around the corner but ski season isn't over just yet... Until next time.

Spring Begins - First Sunburn of the Year

The Northwest has seen some serious swings in weather in the last two weeks. One Friday, the entire city of Missoula shuts down due to a blizzard, a week later, the snow is basically gone, the sun is shining, and the Chacos emerge from the closet. In a last minute decision to go skiing Saturday, I decided to bring out my shell instead of my mid-winter jacket. Risky decision.

However, within minutes of sitting on the chairlift. We had our gloves off, arm and leg vents open, and our beers were starting to warm up. I was nervous that the heat wave was going to ruin all of the snow on the steep back side of Discovery. I was pleasantly surprised. My friend Lindsey and I were able to find fresh snow for the first half of the day that hadn't turned to ice or mashed potatoes. Success.

At lunch we headed to the car to shed some layers. You would have thought it was May by the way everyone was hanging out, grilling in the parking lot, and wearing t-shirts.

The second half of the day we had to work a little harder to complete turns. Given we had a time constraint, we decided to head home a little early to visit the Philipsburg Brewing Company which neither of us had been to. After a Rye Ale and a Double Red (which were both great) we made our way back to Missoula. Spring is upon us.

Sunday morning I decided to have a gathering at my house with some girlfriends for breakfast. I'm heading out of town this week and there's no better way to decrease the food in the fridge and catch up with your friends. Besides, I had a Costco sized bottle of champagne that wasn't going to drink itself.

Sometimes the easiest thing to make when you have a kitchen sink of ingredients is a quiche. My dad always gives me homemade breakfast sausage that I have trouble using up given that I live alone, but it's so flavorful and lean that this was a perfect opportunity to use it. So here you have it:

Crustless Sausage Quiche:
Ingredients:
1 cup sausage cooked and crumbled (any type, give or take 1 cup)
1 cup red peppers (roasted)
1 clove roasted, minced garlic (optional)
5 eggs
1 1/2 c milk
1 1/2 cups grated cheese (I used sharp white cheddar and some herbed goat cheese)
1 tsp basil, oregano, or Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to season
Cooking spray

Method:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 
Grease deep dish pie pan with cooking spray. In a mixing bowl, whisk eggs and milk together. Season with salt, pepper, and herbs of choice. Layer the sausage, cheese, red pepper, and garlic in the pie pan and pour the milk and egg mixture on top. Bake for 40-50 minutes until the center is firm. Remove from the oven and let the quiche set for 5 minutes. There may be some residual liquid from the peppers in the bottom of the dish, don't worry. Drain the best you can and serve.

Overall it was a great weekend with great people, all of which made the "spring ahead" loss of an hour all the more tolerable.