The Wild Fork - a review

Okay, maybe that shouldn't say that this is a review. It's more like me raving about good food and good service. And since I'm not an official restaurant/food critic, lets just call this what it is, me telling you about a place I like to eat. 

There, I feel better now.

The Wild Fork in Utica Square in Tulsa is my new favorite place to eat! We ate there once a week for three weeks in a row, which is odd because we don't normally go to T-town that often. It feels like we've been stuck on "Go" for several weeks. 

We went to see Blue Man Group a few weeks ago and chose The Wild Fork for our date night dinner. We like to try new places when we have a date night and this was our first trip to TWF. I was in a particularly randy state of mind and decided that the grilled salmon sounded yummy. Which is also odd because I NEVER eat seafood. Normally, I gag at the mere whiff of anything that smells even remotely fishy. I do make salmon patties (kind of like a crab cake) and hush puppies at home, but I have NEVER ordered seafood at a restaurant before in my life. Seriously, never. Well, except for the fried stuff at Long John Silvers. Anyhoo, I stepped out of my box and ordered the salmon with the fresh veggies. Let me tell you about the salmon - it's served with a tomato vinaigrette that reminded me of diced, marinated tomatoes, and a delicious herb tartar sauce. Tartar sauce is another food I don't normally eat, but this is delicious with fresh dill and chunks of pickle in it. We also had the crab cakes which are served with the tomato vinaigrette and jalapeño coleslaw. Oh my garsh, was it delish! The flavors all meshed so well. We also tried the Pinot Noir Poached Pear Salad. Oh, heavens, it was divine and the Roquefort cheese was so creamy and paired beautifully with the sweetness of the pears (which were red from the wine), the crunchiness of the walnuts and the bite of the balsamic dressing. D ordered the Center Cut Pork Rib Chop with caramelized apples and shallots. I didn't have any of it, so I can't really testify to how it tasted, but D said it was awesome! And since it was a date night we bellied up for dessert and split the Four Berry Pie. No words. Just no words. It was that good. It sounds like we had a lot of food, and it was more than we normally eat, but we split most of it, so we ate less than you think. And we both stayed under our daily calorie goals (and yes we had eaten other meals earlier in the day). 

The next week we had to buy D a new suit for his sister's wedding and since we were in Utica Square again, we went back to TWF. My mouth had been watering all week thinking about the salmon, so I ordered the lunch version. It was just as delicious as it was the week before. D had the Five Spice Catfish and he said it was some of the best catfish he's ever had. And he's had a lot of catfish!

The following week we had to pick up his suits after the store hemmed his pants. We considered eating at The Stonehorse Cafe, but TWF had us hooked. I had, of course, the salmon, this time with orzo pasta (I only had a couple of bites because pasta can be really calorie and carb heavy, but it tastes so good!). We had little man with us and we sat outside on the patio in the breeze, beneath the shade of the trees and it was a beautiful evening. Our waitress' name was Jasmine and she was an energetic little thing. She would slide on the concrete as she stepped up to your table. She did it at every table and I thought it was cute and funny. She looked like she really enjoys her job and she was very good at it. Ask for her when you visit!

If you've never been to Utica Square, I highly recommend that you go. It has a peaceful feeling to it; it's probably all of the trees and patio dining that add to that. And they have great shops - Coach, Pottery Barn, Williams-Sonoma (I could spend all day in that store), L'Occitane, Bath & Body Works, Starbucks, Gap, Joseph A. Banks, Saks and many more shops and restaurants. At Christmas they decorate with all white lights and it is beautiful and elegant and festive and it makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. And while you're there, drop into The Wild Fork. You won't regret it!

Here's a link to Utica Square and The Wild Fork:

www.uticasquare.com

www.wildfork.com

Accepting change

I had a breakthrough last week. 

I wore a pair of my pre-prego Wranglers! And I didn't even have to do the shimmy, shake and wiggle to get them on! 

Winning! 

Oh, but the story gets better. I went to Old Navy, looking for jeans, and I bought size 10's! I thought I was definitely a size 12, but after fitting into my Wranglers, I decided to try on a 10 and a 12. I put on the size 10's first, thinking that they would be uncomfortably tight, but I slipped those suckers right on! They fit so perfectly that I didn't even bother with the 12's! Whoo-hoo! High fives all around!

It's amazing what power that number on the tag of our clothes holds over some of us. Yes, I confess, it's a big deal to me. I don't care whether someone thinks that's ridiculous or not, I have felt that way for as long as I can remember. I have been a size 8 or 10 for most of my life. When I was heavy, I was a 12, and post-pregnancy I was squeezing into a 14 when I should have put on a 16. But, I just couldn't bring myself to pay money for something with the number 16 on it. I refused to accept that I was a size 16, certain that admitting such would ruin any self-worth I still had at that point. 

However, I'm learning to accept certain things. Things like being back at my pre-pregnancy weight, but having a waist that's 2 inches bigger than it used to be. I think the fat fell out of my tatas and into my middle. I'm also accepting the fact that I still have a kangaroo pouch and it seems to be here to stay. C'est la vie. And things like not being able to carve any time out of my day for vigorous exercise. I miss that, I really do. I love getting my sweat on and now, I just can't find the time or the energy. When I was a self-righteous twenty-something and moms would tell me that they just didn't have time to exercise, I would always think, "No, you just don't want it bad enough. You choose to not exercise." I still believe that to be partly true; you do have to want it and make a conscious effort, but I find myself saying, "I don't have time!" And it is completely true, not that I like admitting it. I'm hoping that as Rocco gets older, I will be able to find a little more time in my day. This is a fantasy of mine, please don't ruin it by telling me it will never happen. Just play along and tell me it will all work out. Thank you. Now give me a hug!

Becoming a parent changes everything in your life. Yes, I knew this before I got pregnant and no, I'm not complaining. You have to be prepared to give up everything that you call your own and put the needs if a tiny child first. And you still have to do it when you're tired or frustrated. I had this naive idea that I would still be able to get everything on my to-do list done each day. Apparently, I am not one of "those" women. My threshold for getting things done has dropped significantly in the last 4 1/2 months. Now, my daily to-do list is a weekly to-do list. And sometimes, what was on last week's to-do list, somehow sneaks onto this week's list. I don't even know how that happens. 

Along with my opinion about my body, my definition of having a clean house is changing as we have become overrun with swings and play gyms and junperoos and high chairs and bottles and baby food and more laundry. I did four loads of laundry last Friday and the fact that I actually got all of the clean clothes put away made me feel like I'd achieved success. If you have ever seen my OCD in action, you would know that accepting and living with all of that is a real fete for me. Those OCD tendencies of wanting to be completely and perfectly organized still try to sneak in, but I find their voices to be a little quieter and at the end of the day, as long as the dishes are clean and the trash isn't overflowing, I suppose I can live with the clutter. As long as we don't have company. And as long as we have a sweet, precious little boy who makes it all worth it. I wouldn't trade him for a perfectly clean house or size 8 jeans!

My favorite green beans

I have never really cared for fresh green beans. I grew up eating the canned variety and we would season them with bacon grease, butter, salt and pepper. Yes, I said bacon grease. But, in an effort to eat fresher, less processed foods, I decided to give fresh green beans my own spin. D and I don't like them sautéed in a pan and I don't like them to be crunchy when I bite into them. My solution? To roast them. Well, it's not roasting in the traditional sense where they're cooked at a low heat for a long period of time. But, it's super yummy!

Roasted Green Beans

• 1 bag of fresh beans (1-2 lb)
• Butter flavored cooking spray
• Lawry's seasoned salt
• Garlic powder

Spread the beans out in a single layer on a baking sheet. Spray with the cooking spray and then sprinkle the seasoned salt and garlic powder over the top. 

Pop them in the oven at 400° for 20-25 minutes. I like them fork tender and a little wrinkled. And if the ends are starting to get crispy, even better!

 

I made a chicken and vegetable stir-fry to go with the beans. 

Chicken & Vegetable Stir-Fry

• 1-2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 zucchini, chopped or sliced
• 1 yellow squash, chopped or sliced
• 1 orange bell pepper, chopped or sliced 
• 1/2 - 1 C red onion, chopped
• 15-20 grape tomatoes, halved
• Olive oil
• 1 Tbsp Minced garlic (be lazy & use the kind in a jar, it works just as well)
• Crushed chipotle peppers
• Garlic powder
• Lawry's seasoned salt
• Crushed rosemary
• Cracked black pepper
• Louisiana Hot Sauce

Use a fork to tenderize the chicken by poking a bazillion holes in them. Drizzle a little olive oil over the chicken then sprinkle with the chipotles, garlic powder, rosemary, and seasoned salt. Repeat on the other side. Heat a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Place the chicken in the pan, cooking 3-5 minutes on each side. The outside of the chicken will be browned and there will be no pink in the center. Set the chicken aside to rest.

 

Place the minced garlic in the bottom of the pan, add a little olive oil, if needed. Throw all of the veggies into the pan and stir well, making sure you coat them with the oil. Sprinkle with rosemary and cracked pepper. Cover and let them cook 8-10 minutes until they're tender, stirring occasionally. 

 

Meanwhile, cut the chicken into pieces, then toss it back in with the veggies; stir and cook a couple of minutes longer. 

 

Serve it all up!

 

I threw a few dashes of hot sauce on top of mine after I plated it. However, if everyone in your house likes hot sauce, you could add it when you toss the cut chicken in with the veggies and let it all marinate together. Yum, yum!

I feel the need ...... for speed!

Have you ever been walking (for exercise or health) and suddenly, you NEED to run.  You feel compelled and driven to suddenly bump it up and push your stroller a little faster.  Your muscles yearn for that soreness that you haven't felt in a while.  You want to feel your heart beat a little quicker and your breath to be a little harder to catch.  YOU HAVE TO RUN RIGHT NOW. RIGHT THIS SECOND.

Have you ever felt that way?

Last night I took Rocco to the park to walk and halfway through my first figure-8 lap, I'm telling you, something came over me and I felt like I could run for days!  I wanted to run.  I needed to run.  So, that's just what I did.

When I was growing up I hated to run.  I repeat, I HATED TO RUN.  After being a fitness instructor for 10 years, I look back and I realize why I hated it so much.  First, no one ever taught me how to run efficiently and comfortably; think less up and down movement and more forward motion.  Second, I never had a sports bra that was properly fitted.  I've been a D cup since I was 12; it's an issue.

After I had been teaching for about a year, I started running on the treadmill.  As with most gyms, there were mirrors everywhere.  I caught a glimpse of myself one day and thought, "Wow!  I really have bad form and look uncomfortable!"  And I was uncomfortable.  From that day forward, I started watching myself in the mirror and correcting my form.  For years, I only ran on a treadmill.  Every time I tried to run outside, for some reason I felt like I was going to heave and die. 

Until last year.

After my second miscarriage and A LOT of pounds gained and A LOT of emotional stress, I started running in the park.  I needed to feel free and the treadmill just wasn't doing it for me.  I needed to feel the sun's heat beat down on me and the wind wash over me and cleanse me of all that stress.  I was worried that I would have a slower pace than I did on the treadmill, but I didn't.  I ran just as fast, if not faster, when I ran at the park and I decided I would try to run a half marathon.  But, less than two months later I was pregnant again and that was the end of running for me.

Until yesterday.

What a freeing feeling it is to get that first little bit of running under my belt!  I felt like running a marathon, but I didn't want to overdo it, so I just did a few intervals so that I wouldn't feel like I'd been pushed through a pasta press later on.  I can't even express how amazing it felt to run.  And Rocco loved it, too.  He's so calm when we go for a walk, or even when we just sit outside.  He's going to be one of those boys that we just holler at at dark and he comes in in a ball of dirt and stink.

 

 

And we had another beautiful view of the rising moon.

So, who's ready for a run?

Talking about Christmas stockings in September?

Here it is the middle of September and I just realized that I don't have a Christmas stocking for Rocco! I know it isn't even Halloween yet, but I have to start planning this thing NOW! I want a personalized, hand-made stocking like the one my Grandma Betty made for me or the one D's Grandmother made for him. They're both oh, so precious! I wish these ladies were still here and still able to do this kind of project. I would love to have a handmade stocking from them for our little man. I guess the task will fall to me. I haven't done needlepoint since I was about 10 years old, but I do cross stitch. I've been working on a large pattern to hang in the nursery and I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel! I'll post pics when I'm done. But, I won't be able to finish it and a stocking by Christmas. So, I'm thinking of getting him a cheap stocking from the store for this year and work on the hand-made stocking for next year. Does that make me a bad mom? Should I have prepared better? I REALLY want him to have a stocking that is special, that was made with love just for him. So, here are some patterns that I'm looking at. Give me your vote!

http://www.123stitch.com/item/Dimensions-Checking-His-List-Stocking-Cross-Stitch-Kit/K8645

 

http://www.123stitch.com/item/Dimensions-Candy-Cane-Santa-Stocking-Cross-Stitch-Kit/K8778

http://www.123stitch.com/item/Dimensions-Snow-Bears-Christmas-Stocking-Cross-Stitch-Kit/K70-08902

http://www.123stitch.com/item/Dimensions-Christmas-Sled-Stocking-Cross-Stitch-Kit/K8819

http://www.123stitch.com/item/Heaven-And-Earth-Designs-Stocking-Little-Drummer-Boy-Cross-Stitch-Pattern/11-1257

http://www.123stitch.com/item/Dimensions-Holy-Night-Stocking-Cross-Stitch-Kit/K70-08838

http://www.123stitch.com/item/Bucilla-Chickadees-Christmas-Stocking-Felt-Applique-Kit/K86326

The last one is a felt applique. I've never done one of those, so I'm not sure how good it would look. ??? I love each of these patterns! I would say that I'd just make all of them, but that just sounds a little too cray-cray! Anyhoo, give me your vote and let me know which ones you like!

Our nightly walk

Our son absolutely LOVES to be outside. He and I sit on the back porch in the cool mornings or evenings and enjoy the peacefulness as we listen to the wind rustle the leaves on the trees and the tall grass across the fence while the birds chase and chirp at each other, singing or fighting, I'm not sure which. Rocco sits in his Boppy Seat and snuggles his blankie and chews on his hand while he gurgles and coos and we have a long conversation about our day. Since he loves to be outside, I also try to take him on a walk every day. Plus, it calms him down when he's fussy. But, loading him and the stroller up and going to town to walk is a little inconvenient sometimes. I'm lucky, though, because the good Lord blessed us with a place to walk right outside our own back door!

Did you ever read my post about our driveway? Remember how I said that years ago it was the bed for the railroad tracks? Well, that road runs the entire width of the property, it's only a small portion that we actually use for our driveway. So, I load up the little man in our off-road stroller, cross two cattle guards and off through the pasture we go!

This is the first cattle guard. The pipes are so far apart that I actually have to pick up the front of the stroller and slowly and carefully move it across. Rocco loves the bumpiness of it and just laughs and laughs!

Then we turn west and this is the view of our little "trail".

Then we come to the second cattle guard. Its pipes are much closer together and we cross it easily. And again, he laughs at the bumps.

Along the way we see things like this pretty flower. 

And this dead tree that Daddy & Papa need to go chop down. 

And we roll over some big, bumpy rocks. 

Then we have views like this. 

And this. 

And this. We also had a view of LOTS of cotey poo, but I didn't think you'd appreciate a photo of that.  You're welcome.

And the big ol' pump jack!

Then we turn south and go past the storage tanks and up the hill to this.

Then the road becomes a little less well traveled. 

And on this night the moon was already coming out. 

And someone else had gone out. This is my view of him from behind the "steering wheel".

And 30 minutes later when we got home and crossed the cattle guards again, the sky looked like this.

 

Beautiful and majestic.

Toilet paper and spiders

What is it about little things like spiders that make us lose our mind?

A few nights ago, just as I put Rocco in the tub for a bath, I saw a spider floating in the water. Ick. I didn't want to grab it with my bare hand, dead or not, so I looked around at what was handy that I could use. I decided that I would use a wad of toilet paper. Yes, yes I know that water disintegrates toilet paper. But, my thought was, if I grab it really fast, the toilet paper should stay together.

Stop laughing. 

My plan would have worked, except when I grabbed it, that spider came to life! And he started crawling off of the toilet paper (that was still holding its own) and onto my hand. Eek! It's at this point that my faculties left me and all I could think was, "Kill! Kill! Kill!" I tried to smash it with my free hand, but only succeeded in swatting it off of me and into the tub. And now it was crawling up the side of my baby's mesh sling! That's when Mama Bear came out as I tried to save my baby from getting bit by this awful thing. I tried to use the wet toilet paper to grab that dang spider, and that's when the toilet paper disintegrated. But, the best part, had to be the look of shock that I know came over my face. I could feel my mouth gape open and my eyes widen and I remember thinking, "How dare you fail me now!"

Stupid toilet paper. 

In the end, I had to use my bare hand to kill the spider. Then I had to scoop nasty bits of toilet paper out of the water. Ugh.