I’ve got to repeat that mantra the next time I don’t want to bike to the gym. I was freezing (obviously!) and didn’t want to venture into the mid-30* weather, but my car was just as cold, and I remembered that the last time I biked there in the cold I was so glad I did, so I bundled up in a scarf, gloves, extra pants and my Land’s End jacket and off I went. And it was SO beautiful!!! Biking there is so much more than environmentally friendly. It’s like I’m working for my workout. And I watched the most beautiful sunset on my way home!! (While there I spent 40 minutes on the elliptical in the nice heat). It was a nice workout, and I’m glad I waited until the afternoon because I could enjoy my time more.
After my shower (finally!) we headed over to Karen’s for the husband’s birthday dinner. Last year I cooked him BBQ Chicken and it’s our tradition to cook each other a requested meal on our birthdays. But we’ve been so busy this week, and tomorrow (his real b-day) he’s going to be at work when I get up and asleep when I get home, so Karen (his mother) cooked! It was a wonderful dinner (and as she would say in a strong southern accent “A fattening dinner!” 🙂 )
We shared a bottle of the best pinot ever: Mark West. I had two half glasses to equal a full glass, one while we put the finishing touches on dinner and the second with.
On the menu: Chicken Parm (traditional, breaded and sauteed with cheese, sauce and parsley) served over Whole Wheat Pasta, Spinach Salad with Walnuts, Craisins + Homemade Dressing and GH Country French Bread, toasted with EVOO.
That giant slice of bread with the birthday boy’s!
I ate all of my salad + bread and about 1/3 of the chicken + pasta (and I have the rest to have as leftovers!)
It’s not a birthday without dessert! We had Brownie Pillow Cookies from Fresh Market served over B&J Cookie Dough Ice Cream –
And some sugared peanuts, which I had about 3 small handfuls of and probably didn’t need –
Tomorrow is my extra long day – 8-8. I don’t have a break for dinner and my original plan was to have lunch at EarthFare and pack a dinner, but I realized I didn’t even have time to eat it AND I wouldn’t have a way to refrigerate it so my options would be limited. So my new plan is to have lunch at EF with my friends and then have a substantial snack (LaraBar + apple?) around 5pm inbetween my classes and have a small thrown-together dinner when I get home around 8:30 (the husband will be in bed). We’ve eaten at 8:30 lots of times, so I should be OK as long as I have a bigger snack.
Goodnight moon!
Sam says
haha we have the same birthday
Maggie says
What a great birthday dinner! That dessert looks delicious 🙂 Soft cookies are the best.
Victoria says
That dinner looks wonderful! And it’s even better that someone else made it. Good luck tomorrow!
Anna says
Happy Birthday to the husband!! January 14th is the best day ever to be born….it’s my birthday too! 🙂
Oh She Glows says
Wow what a great birthday dinner!! Yum 🙂 Those pillow cookies look great- what’s in them?
Good luck with your long day tomorrow. Sounds like you have a great game plan already.
Angela
www.ohsheglows.com
Amanda says
Wow and yum!
zestycook says
WOW – Cook for me Kath! Happy Birthday Matt
sarah says
mmm the chicken parm looks amazing!
your plan for tomorrow’s eats sound good 🙂
woo for biking to the gym – I HATE being cold, I don’t think I would have done it! lol
haya (living and learning) says
that is hardly a fattening dinner! i mean, maybe a little, but it’s still pretty healthy, with the whole wheat pasta and that big salad.
brownie pillow is a divine sounding name for a cookie. i want one. right now! i bet they were fantastic with ice cream. a perfect birthday meal.
Bridget says
That brownie pillow cookies looks awesome! Happy almost birthday to the husband!
Nicole says
Happy Birthday, Matt! It looks like a great night.
Marisa says
Wowza, that looks terrific. You had me captivated by the brownie pillow cookies and sugared peanuts!!! YUM!
Mel says
Happy early Birthday to Matt! Your birthday meal makes me jealous! It all looks amazing!
Rachel says
Those brownie pillow cookies are AMAZING! I really like the almond ones too.
K says
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MATT!!
Your plan for tomorrow sounds great – why must school get in the way of our delish eats?!
Lee says
I want a brownie pillow. *runs to fresh market*
Stephanie says
His birthday dinner looks fit for a birthday, and 100% delicious. Yuuum.
That cookie/brownie looks insane. I’d like one right now. 🙂 Happy birthday to your husband!
Meg says
Brownie pillow cookies! YUM!
Dinner looks delicious!
Julie says
Love beautiful sunsets, huh? Almost makes the cold worth it, but not quite! Your dinner looks great!
SH says
Your mother-in-law looks like a really good cook! What a nice birthday meal!
Sara says
Wow, the birthday boy’s dinner looks fabulous! Happy birthday to the husband.
Raspberry Runner says
what a great looking dinner!! and good choice on the cookie dough ice cream!
carolyn says
Kath,
Just had to tell you that I roasted up some broccoli tonight and drizzled it with the Williams Sonoma balsamic that you mentioned last month. Fabulous! I am already planning to make more tomorrow night!
Thanks for all your great food ideas!!!!
Andrea (Andrea's Eats) says
Dinner looks great! Happy Birthday to the Husband!
jenner says
hey Anna, Happy Birthday, it’s my birthday too!! Whooooo Jan 14th’ers!!!!
mmm Kath, you absolutely must try the almond pillow cookie if you haven’t already!
HangryPants says
Happy Birthday, Matt. Love the chicken parm. Enjoy the leftovers.
Jenn says
Oh my gosh, that whole meal has me literally DROOLING! Being pregnant and perpetually hungry does not combine well with reading food blogs!
Happy birthday to the husband 🙂
ashley (sweet & natural) says
Whoa! Brownie pillow cookies?! Is that a cookie filled with a brownie?! Incredible!
theoddbod says
that meal looks amazing. wow!
Sarah (lovINmytummy) says
That looks like an amazing birthday spread! Hope your hubs loved eating it as much as I loved drooling over it!
Marianne says
Looks like the birthday dinner was success, and that cookie looks amazing!
Have a good day tomorrow, even if it is long.
Leah says
Looks fabulous!! What was the salad dressing made of? I’m always looking for new recipes!
Lara says
Happy Birthday Matt! There’s nothing like Mom’s homemade food–looks delicious!
seelee live (for the love of peanut butter) says
happy bday MATT!!!!! what a cute din din, real chicken parm for a real woman!! love it 🙂
Fancy says
Ryan Seacrest said that same quote (your post title) on American Idol last night 🙂
Katie says
YUMMY! What a delicious dinner! It all looks wonderful.
thepinkpeppercorn says
mmm! Nice birthday dinner!!
Sarah says
Karen looks like a fab cook? What was so unhealthy about the dinner though…was the chicken fried? It looks relatively healthy and delicious.
JENNA says
karen seems like such an awesome cook!! Everything she makes you looks really good! I lover her veggie lasagna recipe!!
Kath says
carolyn ,
Glad to hear it!
Leah ,
A mix of aged balsamic, olive oil, mustard, salt, pepper, and garlic.
Sarah ,
Yes, the chicken was breaded and fried in a big puddle of butter and oil – and topped with lots of cheese. Not horrible, not, but not low-fat either.
K
Andrea (Off Her Cork) says
Oh that dinner looks amazing! YUM!
Elina says
Oh man, handfuls of nuts is totally my weakness.
What a beautiful dinner your mil made! It looks better than a restaurant meal!! Great job on just eating a little bit. You’re so good about portion control… I wish I was this good!
Ally says
Ugh, am I the only one that really does not care for that Mark West Pinot? I feel like it’s the house pinot everywhere I go and I’ve had it a couple times and just not liked it much at all. Do you think I’ve just ended up having it from a bottle that was open too long? I definitely prefer the Mirassou pinot as a pretty comparable option.
I love, love, love the Ponzi Williamette Valley Pinot Noir. It’s my favorite wine right now. It’s a slightly higher price point but so worth it to me.
Hilary says
Oh my gosh that cookie looks heavenly!!!
Missy (Missy Maintains) says
Dinners looks amazing! I love chicken parm! And the cookie!
www.missymaintains.blogspot.com
The Duo Dishes says
That cookie looks to die for. Just die.
runjess says
Looks like a great birthday celebration. Love the dessert.
Greta says
I used to ride horses up in Mark West! It’s such a beautiful area of the wine country, I’m glad to hear that their pinot is tasty.
Meredith says
What a great birthday dinner! Happy birthday Matt!
supermom says
So, I know that those cookies aren’t exactly health food, but could you share that recipe. They look too good.
Kath says
supermom ,
As I said in the post, the cookies are from Fresh Market, so I don’t have a recipe.
Kath