A Fun and Productive Weekend in SF

Let me first start by saying how great it was to spend some time with my family. Not every mom is willing to say yes to doing a 5k at 8am on a Sunday morning while her daughter runs a half marathon. I was proud of my mom for completing her 5k, although she ended up lost on the 5k route so her time was recorded properly. The best part of the race was the end when I saw my mom cheering me enthusiastically at the finish line. We ate breakfast with my Aunt Tina afterwards. My Dad has been a great help with wedding planning. We went to Chinatown to a print shop that's probably been there for 50 yeas, and found our invitations - sorry that will have to be a surprise! It was very nice to have my Dad help me choose. After my half, Dad and I went food shopping and then enjoyed the most best meal ever, hot pot, or in other words, kind of like Chinese fondue, perfect on a cold day. It was better than a meal at any fancy restaurant. We talked, we laughed, we ate. The perfect ending to a great day. Mom found a fantastic make-up artist too. It's all coming together!

Run with the Jets Review:

Pros:
Flat course
Small intimate race
8am start time
Free parking and lots of it
Food offering was decent, bagels (which were super soft and chewy), cookies, bananas, and lots of free drinks, water, flavored water, coconut water
Chiropractor providing complimentary stretching for runners
Clearly marked mile markers

Cons:
Scenery, wire cables, sewage smells every now and then, saw a few planes, but it was foggy and tough to see
Narrow running path, you'll always be running near or next to someone, so if you're next to a couple of chatty cathys like me, bring headsets
Volunteers weren't helpful with information - I asked if there was bag check, the volunteer didn't speak English , but speaking the language should probably be a requirement if you're at the info table. At a water station, I asked where the next bathroom stop was, she didn't know or did she intend to find out was the tone.
No gear check
Couldn't hear the announcer at the start of the race, we still didn't know when the 5k runners were supposed to start
1 porto potty at the 4 mile mark - there should have b
For the 5k, lack of volunteers for the slower racers so some weren't exactly sure where to go
Medals were a flimsy
For such a small race, it would have been great to announce the race finishers' names as they end

A lonely road - a view of my course at the 9 mile mark.

The end of a 13.1 mile journey. Happy as a clam.

Now let's eat!

Me at my makeover - nice lashes, wish they were real.



Love my new purse - what a find.

Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu

Every now and then I make a recipe that Eddie raves about. He has approved this dish to be on our regular rotation! It's so easy and healthy. We paired it with a light Caesar salad. Eddie prefers this with no sauce, but you can easily serve this with a cream of chicken soup as a topping. Enjoy!
               

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded to 1/2 inch thickness

6 string cheese or slices of low fat Sargento Mozzarella Cheese                                                

18 slices of thin sliced ham deli meat

1 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs (panko crispy Italian is my favorite)                                                 

Cooking spray 

1/2 tsp salt (optional-mix with bread crumbs)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Lay out the pounded chicken breasts on a clean surface. Place 3 slices of ham on each piece, then one stick or slice of cheese. Roll the chicken up around the cheese and ham, and secure with toothpicks. Spray the chicken with cooking spray, then roll in bread crumbs. Place in a shallow baking dish.
3. Bake for 40 minutes in the preheated oven.

The Grill Master General

Who knew Eddie had a gift for grilling? We broke in the new grill with some hot dogs and drumsticks. Next up, maybe ribs. I had some leftover ground turkey so I made dumplings for the first time without Dad. It was nice to have Eddie wrap a few even though I teased him for overstuffing them. Wish our family was here to enjoy the good food and fun. We have some great trips to look forward to, but somehow they just seem so far away at the moment. To pass the time, I've signed up for my 7th half marathon - Run with the Jets when I visit my family in a couple of weeks. What's exciting about this is that my mom will be walking the 5k so we'll both celebrate with medals! Here's to a eating well this week!



Grill Master General in motion.



Olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder. 45 min on the grill on med-hi heat.
Drumsticks were crispy and tasty.


Easy Dumpling Recipe

• One 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach
• thawed 1/2 pound ground chicken or turkey
• 1 scallion, finely minced
• 2 teaspoons ginger finely minced
• 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or sherry
• 2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Squeeze out all excess liquid from thawed spinach. In a bowl, mix together spinach, chicken, scallion, ginger, rice wine, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt and pepper. Wrap with potsticker wrappers. Boil for 10-15 minutes or until they float.