Too much is not enough

I've been plugging away at the training program lately, fitting in runs every-which-way. Friday afternoon I decided to try a go-round the neighborhood where I work, enticed by flat land and wide sidewalks. I mapped out 11 miles and giddily set out into 60 degrees and sunshine.

I'd run more than half of the route before as a six-mile loop, but I added a couple of less-familiar areas. As it turns out, I ran out of sidewalk pretty quickly after five miles. Normally I'd forge ahead, ever the reckless adventurer, but rush hour on a busy road meant I'd have to fight for space the whole way. Not for pedestrians. I know when I'm beat. I turned around and threw in a few short blocks to try to make it to magic number 11, but by then the concrete sidewalks had taken their toll and my shins were screaming. Asphalt is so much kinder, I'm realizing.

It wasn't ideal, but I finished the last couple of miles on Sunday, tacking them onto another run.

Today I had the sort of day that demanded I run well, because nothing else was going right. After work, on the way to the gym, my thoughts were my enemy. I almost scratched the 7 miles, 3 fast, but I couldn't think of an excuse that would allow me to live with myself. I slogged through the slow miles and burned up tread on the fast ones. The last fast quarter, when I realized I was going to make it, I felt a sense of power and control that I wish I could bottle and sell. For the cool-down mile I cranked up my music and zoned out to U2's "Numb."

It was perfect.

Braised Red Cabbage with Apples

Can these guys be pals?

Nothing like a good braise in the winter, and this one's fast.

Some overcautious ordering of barbecue for a party a couple of weeks ago has left us with piles of pulled pork. We did barbecue nachos for the big game on Sunday, but there are still a couple of pounds left. I froze some, but I racked my brain for a flavor combo that did not involve Mexican or Southern influences. Enter eastern Europe: Braised red cabbage with apples. I had intended to serve some cabbage shredded along with the other nacho fixin’s, but a countertop already burgeoning convinced me it wouldn’t be necessary.

I adapted the recipe from this one based on what I had in the pantry at the time. The result was pretty sweet: the vinegar is needed at the end for balance, but it still was a little sweet for my taste. The apple flavor rocked.

Next time I might use vegetable stock instead of apple juice or cider. It was great with the pork and some cornbread—there’s your Southern influence. It’s inescapable.

Mayhap I needed a larger pot? Naaah.

Braised Red Cabbage with Apples

adapted from Epicurious
makes 4-6 side dish servings

1 tbsp butter
½ white onion, large dice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Granny Smith apple, cored, large dice with skin on
1 2-pound head red cabbage, chopped into 1.5-inch pieces
½ c apple juice
2 tbsp red wine vinegar (use apple cider vinegar if you have it)
Salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in a large heavy saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Add onion and garlic; let brown 2-3 minutes. Add apple, cabbage, and apple juice. Heat to boiling, and lower the heat and let simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Add vinegar, and cook 2-3 minutes to let most of the liquid evaporate. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Apple: "I'm melting.... Melting!!"

Blitzkrieg Bop

The Steelers are in the Superbowl again, and that means the party is at our place. I haven’t yet been able to convince my black-and-gold husband to host a party when it’s not Pittsburgh vying for the trophy, so I have to make the most of it when the opportunity arises—a surprising second time in 4 years.

I’m more interested in the game now than I was then, so I’m keeping it simple: A nacho bar with
Pork barbecue from Martin’s
Slow-cooked black beans
Sauteed mushrooms
Sour cream
Queso, kept warm in a fondue pot
Shredded hard cheeses
Diced onion
Cilantro
Chopped Romaine lettuce
Roasted peppers
Guacamole
Salsas
Vinegar-based barbecue sauces

The only trick will be keeping everything out of reach of the dog. She loves company and already knows something's up today.