Good Food Friday

I made the tastiest lasagna last week. It was a butternut squash lasagna and it was excellent. The sweetness of the squash made the whole lasagna....delectable. In fact I ate it every night this last week for dinner, trust me, this is worth making. Here is the recipe. Enjoy!

For squash filling
1 large onion, chopped
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
4 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
1 cup hazelnuts (4 oz), toasted, loose skins rubbed off with a kitchen towel, and coarsely chopped

For sauce
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 cups milk
1 bay leaf (not California)
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper

For assembling lasagne
1/2 lb fresh mozzarella, coarsely grated (2 cups)
1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (3 oz)
12 (7- by 3 1/2-inch) sheets no-boil lasagne (1/2 lb

Preparation
Make filling: Cook onion in butter in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 10 minutes. Add squash, garlic, salt, and white pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until squash is just tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in parsley, sage, and nuts. Cool filling.
Make sauce while squash cooks: Cook garlic in butter in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring, 1 minute. Whisk in flour and cook roux, whisking, 3 minutes. Add milk in a stream, whisking. Add bay leaf and bring to a boil, whisking constantly, then reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, 10 minutes. Whisk in salt and white pepper and remove from heat. Discard bay leaf. (Cover surface of sauce with wax paper if not using immediately.)
Assemble lasagne: Preheat oven to 425°F.
Toss cheeses together. Spread 1/2 cup sauce in a buttered 13- by 9- by 2-inch glass baking dish (or other shallow 3-quart baking dish) and cover with 3 pasta sheets, leaving spaces between sheets. Spread with 2/3 cup sauce and one third of filling, then sprinkle with a heaping 1/2 cup cheese. Repeat layering 2 more times, beginning with pasta sheets and ending with cheese. Top with remaining 3 pasta sheets, remaining sauce, and remaining cheese.

Tightly cover baking dish with buttered foil and bake lasagne in middle of oven 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake until golden and bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes more. Let lasagne stand 15 to
20 minutes before serving.

Cooks' note: • Filling and sauce can be made 1 day ahead and kept separately, covered and chilled. Bring to room temperature before assembling.

Rabbit Fur Coats

So around these parts, fur coats are the in thing to wear, well that and Baby Phat. But when one finally out grows Baby Phat (if ever) they don the ever hideous fur coat. Why I ask, why? Lets be honest, fur coats have a time and a place. So where are fur coats acceptable?

Are they acceptable at my gym? I think not.

There is a women there who wears her full length fur coat to the gym religiously. She walks in covered from head to toe in fur: fur hat, fur coat, and of course fur boots. She goes in the the aerobics room and sits down and starts stretching. Now if this were a real fur coat, do you think she would sit on a dirty hard wood floor. NO. And don't worry, there are others at the gym in fur coats.

Are fur coats acceptable at McDonald's? I hope not.

Do we really need to be working the drive through window with our fur coats on?

I think the one above also goes for any grocery store clerk gathering carts, bagging or stocking the shelves.

Can we wear fur coats to Borders? I guess you are getting warmer, but you're still pretty cool.

How about passing out advertisements for the local fur shop? Okay you are getting warmer.

And finally: If you work in a fur shop, you can wear a fur coat, I suppose -- but only because you got the pro-rate.

So the conclusion I have come to is.....(drum roll please)....... Fur coats--fake or real-- are acceptable:

• At the fur coat store


• A gala or ball


• Dinner with the President of the United States of America


• Weddings


• The Oscars


• a music video with 50 Cent

So there you have it, the do's and don'ts of fur coats.

Running Update

This week was a rough week. I took Thursday off (as part of my schedule) and still managed to get in 51 miles this week. Today was especially hard. I had to do my long run of 20 miles and I could barely walk afterward. You know the feeling (well maybe you don't), but your legs and feet ache, and I just want to lie down on the floor. But I still had my errands to run today, so I filled the bathtub with ice cold water and sat in it for about 10 minutes. And voila, I feel great and walked to the market.
So my fun fact for the week is- take a cold bath after a hard workout, it makes a HUGE difference. I too was skeptical, but my cousin Jill told me how she does it all the time, so last year, I started taking ice baths, and it speeds up my recovery 10 fold.

No Swimming

The Sunstein Sets in Chicago

What's the worst thing that could possibly happen to the University of Chicago Law School? Nope, not a hurricane. Gang violence? Nope. Give up? Well, here's the answer.

I Like You.... A Lot

Don't get confused y'all, I'm talking about my sweet hunk of a husband Bill.
So here's to you Bill, I like you a lot, and that is why I made you this.
I also like you a lot because you make me really yummy dinners. Ummmmm crab, "they're good little monsters."
I like you a lot because you spent a whole day searching the valley for crab forks, just for our first date. The list could go on, but suffice it to say, I like you....A Lot!

Happy (late) Valentine's Day Bill!

Running Update

Total mileage for this week 50.6. How did I feel this week, tired as usual, but not too bad. I'm excited I made it up to 50, unfortunately, I don't think I'll make it to 60 this year.

Check out this blog for recap of last years Boston- or at least scan the pictures, he does a great job describing the race.

Bill + Law School = Fat Bill

Bill's been working really hard at law school. He doesn't really have time to do anything but study. Working out, sleeping, spending time with his wife--these things have all been put aside for torts and contracts. But Bill has suffered for it. As you can see here, he's put on a little weight.

Running Update (With Pictures!)

This last week I did 45 miles, and it was a tough week. I had a long workout on Wednesday, that I had to skip 3 miles of because I just couldn't get moving, but I tacked on an extra mile here and there to make up for it.
Fun fact for the week: the women's marathon Olympic trials are being held on the Sunday before the normal Boston Marathon. It is going to be awesome.
Un-fun Fact: Your toes will look like this if you train for Boston.

Check it out

I just found this cute site- too bad the dress I want is sold out.

Ash Wednesday

So I guess I'm pretty naive, not that anyone is really surprised by that comment, but today was Ash Wednesday (just a reminder for all of you that live in Utah). Do we all know what Ash Wednesday is: it is the first day of Lent which occurs 40 days before Easter. So what happens on Ash Wednesday? Well the faithful go to Mass and a priest will mark the head of the worshiper with black ashes in the shape of a cross.
So this morning I came to work, and our high school student from a Jesuit high school comes in with this big black smudge across his forehead.
I said "Hey Paco (name changed in order to protect the student's identity) you've got black stuff all over your forehead."
Paco "It's Ash Wednesday......" (duh!)
Me "oh yeah...........just kidden ya"
So throughout the day, I saw various people with crosses of ash on their foreheads, and do you know what, now I feel like I'm not faithful. What a loser, no cross, then don't sit at our lunch table. I just want to shout "Hey..........I'm faithful, just in a different way.........I fasted last Sunday.........that is what faithful people do.........yeah, I'm still faithful......so there!"
Not that I'm going to go to Mass, because of course I'm not Catholic, but I'm ready to feel included again guys........ Is it normal Thursday yet?

Huckabee = YUCK

Disclaimer: If you are offended by the word hell, don't read this.

Huckabee--I hate you. Every time I think about you, I can only think bad Mormon words, you know, things like: stupid, idiot, moron, loser, brainless, dull, lame, obnoxious, ugly, ridiculous, and laughable. I think you are ridiculous for staying in, drop out, YOU CAN’T HACK IT. And Chuck Norris--what a joke. Listen to yourself Huckabee when you preach (and I'll say it when I see you in Boston): "THERE WILL BE NO BUTTER IN HELL!"

Huckabee=Yuck

Our New Camera

Well, we finally got our tax refund, hooray! And with it we bought something we've always wanted: a big, nice camera. We went with the Nikon D40x, which we thought was the best camera we could afford (Costco threw in another lens, SD card, battery, and case, too). Enjoy our new pictures. Don't worry, though, there will be plenty more to come.

Running Update

Our friend Britton told me that if any mileage is done before 7 AM, you get to triple it. So in accordance with this philosophy I ran a total of 142.5 miles. Felt pretty good this week. Bill thinks I have done more miles than are car has this year.
My fun fact for the week: I rotate through 3 pairs of running shoes during the week. I also have a pair of racing shoes which I love--and of course they are gold--the color of champions!

Prohib-Auction

So last night was the big auction at the law school. It was intense. It was called the Prohibition Auction- and all the people running the auction were dressed as flappers-it was pretty lame, but the auction couldn't have been better. It exceeded my expectations. But all money that was raised during the auction was donated to non profit-public interest law stuff. I really don't know. But to get the party started there was an open bar (they always have sodas too), loads of food and desserts, and more booze. The booze were an important part- have to get everyone liquored up so they will drop some big money- and it worked. First there was a silent auction- there were some pretty good thing going, I even made Bill put a bid down for me for this awesome picture of a llama watching TV with its owners, but unfortunately I was outbid (I'm still going to get it, just have to get it from the photographer). Some of the other things to bid on (and there were lots, these were just a couple that I thought were....well you'll see)
Unlimited coffee for a year from the Green Lounge Cafe- there were bids of $200 and more.
Swimming Lessons
Babysitting
A collection of Professor Epstein’s ties
Lesbian Movie night (can't forget the LGTBHQ club)
Mini golf with a professor: it was over $380 when I had last checked)
Art work, photography etc.

Last year a girl, who is in a wheel chair, auctioned off 15 minutes to pet her Seeing Eye dog- I wish she would have done it again, I would have bid big. (If the dog didn't have a sign that said "DO NOT PET" I wouldn't be so tempted)

Then there was the live auction, and I'll just list a few of my favorites and what they went for.
-Scotch appreciation night with Prof. Baird for 8 students, hors d'oeuvres and Wii- $2200
-A night of Monopoly with property Prof. Strahilevitz for 5- which includes beer and pizza- $1400- this was purchased by Mormon's!
-4 students get to have an afternoon at the zoo with Prof. Strauss and his daughters- $900
-Blackjack and dinner with Prof. Buss at her home for 6- $600
-3 students will watch the Bulls take on Cleveland Cavaliers with Prof. Henderson and dinner at Gibson’s before the game (one of the best steakhouses in the country) and cigars and drinks afterword- $2500
***-Relax into the soft fabric of Prof. Ronald Coase's chair. This was the chair he used while writing much of his Nobel Prize winning work. (Chair needed some repair work)- $800
-$2500 gift card to Neiman Marcus and lunch or dinner with CEO, Mr. Burton Tansky and General Counsel, Mr. Tony Bangs.- $3000
-2 lucky students will get to attend the 2008 NBA Draft in NYC- and other cool stuff- parties etc. $2700
These last two went for the most- and were also the very last up during the auction:
-Latham & Watkins Lavish & Wondrous Vacation- choose your own adventure: a cruise through the Mediterranean; South American Adventure; or an Asian Exploration. Two lucky winners will get to take the vacation of a lifetime! The cruise will take you through countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. The South American option includes an air pass to travel throughout South America for sixty days. The Asian option includes an air pass to travel up to twenty-three cities within the course of three weeks. - $7,000
And finally:
Le Miccine and Kirkland & Ellis invite you to live la dolce vita. Four guests will get a taste oft he week life during their week-long stay at Le Miccine, a small Tuscan wine estate owned by Clifford Weaver '69. The winning bidders will stay in the estate's guest apartment for one week (Sat-Sat) from July 2 through Aug. 30. The trip also comes with a private tour of the estate followed by a tasting of all the Le Miccine's wines. As if this wasn't enough, Kirkland & Ellis will provide a package that includes airfare to Italy and four nights lodging in Rome to round out your tour of Italy.- $14,500
(There was an older woman- whether it was an alumni or a mom, I'm not sure, but she won the package.)
It was a wild night and it smelled like beer. And people were highly intoxicated- as the night went on, the smell of beer got stronger and people's language was....a lot more colorful- lost of swearing. But they made a record amount of my from the both the silent auction and live auction, as well as a beard contest and raffle for a total of $64,000. And lots of things during the live action went for less than $500; I just chose to list a few of the big ones because they were way more exciting. And we spent a total of $1- on the beard contest.

The End