Birthday Eats

Yesterday, March 30, was my 28th birthday. So to celebrate, with the help of my cousin, Becky, who is in town visiting from New York City, I made sure I ate a lot of good food and drank some good beer.

Breakfast was frozen waffles with peanut butter and real maple syrup and a clementine. Sadly, I don't have a picture. Guess I was too hungry!

For a mid-morning snack, Becky and I split a garlic pretzel we got at Auntie Annie's while doing some shopping.

Later, for lunch, we met my uncle at a great Milwaukee restaurant, Beans & Barley. Much of their menu is healthy, vegetarian, and often vegan, fare. I had the TLT, which came recommended by my friend Lisa. The TLT is made up of tempeh, lettuce and tomato with mayo on whole wheat bread. It came with a side of cold couscous with almonds in it.

Then Becky and I went on the Lakefront Brewery tour, where we got to sample lots of tasty Lakefront brews.

Afterwards, because we had a free drink coupon from the brewery tour, we went to Wicked Hop where we met Nate for another beer. We also took advantage of the bar's happy hour, half-price appetizers and ordered some nachos.

Later, when we got home, I popped the spinach pie I had made the night before in the oven. Spinach pie is really, truly one of my most favorite foods. I've had it a lot (including in Greece!), but this recipe my mom gave me is probably my favorite. The phyllo gets nice and flaky and it's good and buttery! The recipe is below.

After dinner, we finished the day off with some Mexican Hot Chocolate Cupcakes I made, also the night before. They're super tasty with a hint of spice. Mine weren't quite as pretty as what you see on the link (where the recipe is), but they were very tasty! For the frosting, I used about a 1/4 cup whipped cream cheese. There is no amount given under the ingredients list.

All in all, it was definitely a tasty day!

Spinach Pie (I'm pretty sure this recipe came from a Betty Crocker cookbook)

10 oz. fresh spinach, chopped or torn up

6 oz. feta, crumbled

1 cup small curd cottage cheese

1 small onion, chopped

2 teas. dry dill weed

3 eggs beaten

1 tbs. butter, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 roll phyllo dough

1. Put spinach in large skillet, cover with a bit of water and cook for about 3 minutes or until wilted. Drain.

2. Mix spinach, feta, cottage, onion and dill; stir into eggs.

3. Brush bottom of a 13x9 pan with 1 tbs. butter.

4. Unfold layers of phyllo dough.

5. Lay 1 layer of phyllo on bottom of pan, brush top with more butter, and layer with 10 sheets of phyllo.

6. Spread spinach mixture over phyllo layer.

7. With rest of phyllo, layer piece by piece, topping each one with butter.

8. Cut into pieces; bake at 350 for 35 minutes, and let stand 10 minutes before serving.