the arugula files

Grilled Cheese and Pepper Jelly Sandwich With Eli and Misty's Hot Pepper Jelly

I love me some pepper jelly. When I don't make my own, I pick some up from Spring Valley Farm and Orchard, the first veggie stand at the Dupont Farmers Market.   Recently, I had a brilliant idea: add pepper jelly to grilled cheese.  Forget about peanut butter and chocolate.  Instead consider the combination of cheese and pepper jelly, fried, on a sandwich.  It's madness, or as Sophia Grace would say, "it's brilliant." 

That is all.

Olio, An Olive Oil Tasting Room (Plus Planning Josie's Nursery)

Since I knew I would spend a lot of time in Josie's nursery --sitting, singing, soothing--I required a comfortable chair.  The problem with nursery gliders are that most of them are dumpy and unattractive.   I wanted a pretty chair that could serve as starship baby, a command center I could sit in comfortably for hours.  After what seemed like an eternity shopping around, I finally found one I liked at Pink and Brown, "an organic trendy children's boutique"  in Old Town Alexandria. Those are not fake quotes. As in, their words, not mine.  The store is absurd.  I say absurd, not because of their tagline (which is absurd), but because the store is absurdly expensive.   But also, they sell absurdly cute things, like onsies so tiny a medium sized pear would complain it was too tight.   

Wait, why am I talking about baby stuff again?  I'm getting to the food part, soon, I swear.  

Penne with Gorgonzola, Spinach, Walnuts, and Proscuitto (My Last Supper and Then Jillian)

The smorgasbord is over.  It's been a 39 days since I gave birth.  And after 9 months of gaining weight--a whopping 45 pounds--the jig is up.  Yes, that's right.  Forty.  Five.  Pounds.  Surprise!  That's what happens when you lay in bed and eat a steady diet of pasta with butter and cheese.

Post birth, my friends and family spoiled us, dropping off dish after dish.  They just kept coming.  Not wanting to offend anyone I ate every delicious bite.  I. had. to. eat. it. all.  I just had to.  Not to mention there was no time to cook.  No time to shower.  No time to [insert any adult related activity here].  

Despite the family and friends cook for you diet, about 25 pounds of my weight gain just disappeared...slid off or out of my body.  The remaining twenty? No so much. I can see that it wants to hang around.  Literally. It's time to get back to moderation and some exercise.  But, before I make like Jennifer Hudson, how about a some creamy pasta, a so-called last supper?  In other famous last diet words: I'll start tomorrow!