A Canadian Christmas Getaway (Part One)

December 31, 2012January 1, 2013 / Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 2 Comments

After spending the holidays with my family (which goes by waaay too fast), B and I had planned a little winter getaway. We had thrown around a few tropical ideas – returning to the British Virgin Islands, Hawaii, the Bahamas, and even Florida – but we ended up somehow in the complete opposite direction: Canada! B had never been to Montreal, a beautiful city just a few hours away from my parents – and I had never been to Toronto, “on the way” home from Montreal – so it was a perfect, easy trip to plan.

Montreal

B and I got to Montreal just before dinnertime and checked into our hotel in Old Montreal. How cute! Everything was in French and very charming. And of course B had found us the perfect hotel, just a few steps away from the Notre Dame Cathedral. We had plans to walk around and then meet one of his coworkers (Who is from Montreal) for drinks. After bundling up and going outside, it became apparent there wasn’t going to be MUCH walking around – I was frozen! We made it a few blocks, hit a coffee shop and decided to just sit inside for most of the time before meeting up with B’s coworker at Gaspar Taverne.

cathedral 2

in front of the Notre Dame Cathedral

The Taverne Gaspar was cute – we were greeted with a “Bon Soir” as we walked in and then an immediate “Hello – English?” as we both looked slight confused. Our bartender asked where we were from and began to immediately teach us some French phrases that would come in handy. B’s coworker and her friends arrived and we enjoyed a drink with them before heading off to find someplace close (Brr!) for dinner. Dinner was also in Old Montreal, as we opted for a place that served baguettes with brie and chicken, and poutine.

Inside Taverne Gaspar

Poutine. Aka fries with gravy, cheese and bacon.

Practiically the only drink I could pronounce on the menu

Practically the only drink I could pronounce on the menu

The next morning we woke up to snow. And not just a little snow – a blizzard! That day, the day we were supposed to walk around Old Montreal and downtown turned into the largest snowfall Montreal had ever had in 24 hours – yes, a record-breaking 50 cm or something like that. Needless to say we probably didn’t walk as much around as we would’ve liked. We walked a few blocks and grabbed crepes for breakfast (YUM!), checked out the indoor market in Old Montreal, and then trudged along a few more miles toward the downtown area to find the underground mall that Montreal is known for. We spent most of the afternoon walking around the snowy streets and moving back toward the underground city/mall (called RÉSO). While it wasn’t ideal (we would’ve gotten way more siteseeing done if it hadn’t been snowing so much), it was a fun way to spend our day in the city. A few blisters later, B and I grabbed an easy lunch – a baguette and some fois gras and then a three course dinner at a prix fixe French restaurant. Fun fact – the waiter called us “King-makers” when he heard we were from Ohio – because “we’re the ones that choose the king [President] in the U.S.!”

Crepes for breakfast!

2nd course of our french dinner

obligatory love photo (in the snow)

The morning next we strolled, slightly easier because the snow had stopped and the streets were somewhat plowed) through Old Montreal one last time and visited their indoor market and a maple shop before heading out to Toronto!

record-breaking snowfall!

Part two of this blog post is here.

Crock Pot Veggie Casserole

December 22, 2012December 22, 2012 / Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 3 Comments

I love my crock pot, and I’m always looking for new recipes other than stews, soups and heavy beef/chicken dishes. Well – I definitely found one, and it’s a keeper! When perusing the Internet a few months ago, I came across this recipe for a Vegetable Casserole in the slow cooker. Since B has what he likes to call a “meat tooth,” I hardly ever make vegetarian recipes and had put it aside. So, this week when I was home in NY, when my mom told me she had never used her crock pot and was looking for a recipe to try, I knew exactly what to suggest!

We made this recipe. It was delicious and filling – and my whole family (mom, dad and brother) really enjoyed it. Although my dad did end up grilling some chicken to eat with it, but it’d definitely be filling enough (in my opinion) on its own.

Crock Pot Veggie Casserole

(slightly adapted from Better Homes & Gardens)

Here’s what you need:

2 15.5-ounce cans cannellini beans
2 15.5-ounce cans chickpeas
1/4
c basil pesto (I used homemade, but you can certainly buy it at the store)
1 medium onion, chopped
4
cloves garlic, diced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1
16-ounce package refrigerated cooked plain polenta cut in 1/2-inch-thick slices – we used this Sundried Tomato Garlic Polenta and only used 2 cloves of garlic, above
1 l
arge tomato, thinly sliced
1
8-ounce package finely shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (2 cups)
2
cups fresh spinach
1
cup torn radicchio

Here’s what you do:

Rinse and drain chickpeas and beans. In large bowl combine beans, 2 tablespoons of the pesto, diced onion, garlic, oregano and basil.
In your large crock pot, layer half of bean mixture, half of the sliced polenta, and half of cheese. Add remaining beans and polenta.
Cover; cook on low heat setting 4 to 6 hours or on high heat setting 2 to 2-1/2 hours.
Add tomato, remaining cheese, spinach, and radicchio. Combine remaining pesto with 1 tablespoon water. Drizzle pesto mixture on casserole.
Enjoy! Serve alone, or as a side dish to a meat item (such as grilled chicken) if you prefer.

vegetarian crockpot casserole

labeled 2 bean mixture

labeled 3 first layer

vegetarian crock pot casserole

labeled 5 final layer
slow cooker veggie casserole

Wordless Wednesday: Christmas Music

December 19, 2012January 8, 2013 / Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / Leave a comment

I’m officially on winter vacation! Despite a few loose ends from work I’m tying up, I’m back home in New York trying to work as little as possible, spend as much time with family and friends, and get into the holiday spirit. To help get in the mood for Christmas (while it’s 40 degrees out), I’m sharing some of my favorite holiday tunes for today’s (semi)Wordless Wednesday post. Warning – these may not be the traditional tunes you listen to year in and out. A playlist with a few of these songs, and some more, can be found here.

All I Want for Christmas Is You (Love Actually version … my favorite!)

One of my favorites from The Nutcracker – Pas De Deux

Michael Buble – Baby Please Come Home

Last Christmas (The Glee version … only version worth listening to in my opinion)

Straight No Chaser – 12 Days of Christmas

Blues Traveler – Christmas

Transiberian Orchestra – Christmas Eve in Sarajevo (Carol of the Bells) (one of B’s favorite Christmas songs)

March of the Wooden Soldiers (from one of my dad’s favorite Christmas movies, Babes in Toyland)

Baby It’s Cold Outside (Colbie Caillat and Gavin DeGraw)

It Feels Like Christmas (from the Muppet Christmas Carol)

The Chieftains – Il Est Ne (we would listen to this album each year when putting up our tree… I swear hearing this song makes me smell pine needles!)

Weezer – We Wish You a Merry Christmas

EPMBBKMVRRZB

Even more holiday fun in the CLE!

December 18, 2012December 19, 2012 / Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / Leave a comment

I’m officially off to celebrate the holidays and get some rest after a few super crazy busy weeks – but before I jet off to New York, I wanted to share with you a few other ways I’ve been celebrating the holiday time in Cleveland.

The Tremont Santa Shuffle

This past weekend, B, a few friends, and I participated in the Santa Shuffle – the annual running of the Santas and bar crawl in Tremont. What a great event! It was my first year doing it (B had to convince me – I told him a 1-mile fun run wasn’t a race and I’d rather run a real Santa Race) and I think we’ll definitely be participating again in the future. Now that I live downtown, I hardly make it to the neighboring areas, including Tremont – so it was great to check out a ton of the local bars, enjoy a few cocktails with some Santas, and dress up in our holiday best.

20121215_160212 20121215_164332 great holiday sweaters and sweater vests

Decorating!

I love everything about Christmas decorations. And now, with Pinterest, I have even more decorating ideas (that I don’t actually do) at my fingertips. B and I aren’t allowed a real tree in our apartment, and since I head to NY so soon, we decided just to put up a few decorations this year. SO, when B’s parents invited us over for their annual tree decorating evening, I immediately said yes. Decorating a tree, plus tons of yummy appetizers for our dinner? I was in. And this is my first year in B’s Christmas family photo – check it out:

carney family

Playing Dress Up

Just because you don’t have an ugly sweater party to go to this year (or you’re missing it because of your travel schedules), doesn’t mean you shouldn’t find an excuse to parade around in it one Saturday … whether it’s in a bar crawl, or just for when you’re sitting around your fire, it’s one great way to get in the mood for the holiday spirit.

Holiday Happy Hours, Parties and Tweetups

The past few weeks have included a holiday happy hour/bar crawl through Ohio City with B’s coworkers, more than a handful of holiday themed happy hours and parties, and even a recent tweetup. There may be too many to share details with you, but here are a few shots of my faves.

Cari and me at the Channel 5 Meet & Tweet at Hodges

BC alumni at our holiday party at one of my fave restaurants – TAZA!

Enjoying A Surprise Lunchtime Performance

Last week, B decided to meet me for lunch and we headed over to the Ameritrust Rotunda on E 9th and Euclid to check out not only the gorgeous building, but also some holiday music. Are you around tomorrow for lunch? If so, I encourage you to check out what they’re calling Circle In The City. B and I caught a great Christmas Brass Quintet featuring musicians of The Cleveland Orchestra. Not only was the music great, but it was so cool to see the inside of a building I walk by nearly every day. It’s beautiful – definitely a hidden Cleveland gem! They also had food trucks outside on 9^th and Euclid serving up some food for those visiting.

Ameritrust Rotunda

Holiday Traditions

For the past few years, B and I make sure to take the time to enjoy a quiet meal on our couch and watch Love Actually. This year has been so much busier than usual that we almost didn’t get there – but B made sure we did! Even after a night of a holiday happy hour and a different holiday party (we made both!), he found time to make us pepperoni bread and queue up Love Actually.

Despite all the hustle and bustle, and nonstop rush and craziness of this time of year – I love it more and more each year! What’s your favorite thing about the holidays? Do you have any holiday traditions you just can’t miss?

Microwave Potato Chips!

December 11, 2012December 11, 2012 / Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / Leave a comment

This weekend, B and I were sitting around, a little hungry but not wanting to eat much after a late lunch, and I got an idea. I’d make something with that potato we’d had sitting around for a week. Baked potato? Nahh, didn’t want to wait. Wasabi mashed potatoes? Sounded good, but I didn’t feel like going to that much effort for just one potato. Then it hit me – I would make my own potato chips – in the microwave – just like I’d seen all over Pinterest a few months ago.

I admit I was skeptical that it would work and that they would actually taste good — but they came out perfect. Even B was really surprised at the crunchy, salty goodness I had created. Next time I’m trying more fun combinations – spicy, sweet, vinegar, and more!

Potato Chips in the Microwave

Potato Chips – in the Microwave

Here’s what you need:

1 baking (russet) potato
Salt, to taste
Pam or another spray type oil
Other flavors for seasoning, optional – we tried Parmesan cheese and oregano

Here’s what you do:

Clean and dry the potato.
Slice the potato into paper thin potato-chip like slices. Key words here are paper thin.
Spray a small plate with Pam.
Arrange the potato slices evenly across the Pam-sprayed plate. Sprinkle salt (or Parmesan and oregano … or other seasoning!) evenly throughout slices
Microwave chips for about 6-8 minutes. I nuked mine for about 2 minutes, checked on them, 2 minutes more, and then another 2-4 minutes, checking often. Chips will be golden brown when done – be careful not to overcook (they’ll taste burnt) or undercook (they’ll just be mushy gummy messes) slices.
Cool – and then enjoy!

Slice the potatoes really thin ..

microwave them for 6-8 minutes

homemade microwave chips

A wonderful Cleveland holiday

December 9, 2012December 10, 2012 / Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / Leave a comment

I love the holidays. The lights everywhere. The baked goods. The cookies. The music. The Christmas Ale. The overall warmth and jolliness that everyone seems to espouse (especially after a few cookies and Christmas Ale!). And even though it’s not even the middle of December yet, I’m already in full blown holiday spirit!

Cleveland public square at night - all lit up

Cleveland during the holiday times is great. Public Square is lit up and there’s so much going on! In addition to a few holiday parties (not mentioned below), here’s how I’ve been celebrating – with 15 days left until Christmas!

Baking … and more baking!

Yes, as if I need an excuse for baking … but so far this year I’ve made Oatmeal Scotchies, Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies and Cherry Almond Chocolate Kisses. When I get back to NY, I’ll likely make some more – probably some lemon bars, thumbprint jam cookies, peanut blossoms, Tuxedo Cookies, and much much more.

Some of the holiday cookies we baked for our office potluck/cookie exchange party

Some of the holiday cookies baked for our office potluck/cookie exchange party

Rocking it at the Cleveland Rocks! Awards

Each year, before the holidays, the Cleveland PRSA Chapter celebrates the best in the year’s programs and invites local PR pros to celebrate as well. This year, projects I worked on won several awards, including Best in Show! Plus, the Silent Auction I helped coordinate garnered a record number of funds to support the chapter’s scholarship fund. It was a great night and definitely wonderful to celebrate with my other coworkers and friends in the business.

Coworkers Goofing Off At Our Photo Booth at the Awards

Best In Show winners with our award – a guitar!

Enjoying the Cleveland Orchestra’s Holiday Performance

Each year, the Cleveland Orchestra puts on a performance for St. Ignatius as a fundraiser for student scholarships during the holidays – and it’s amazing! They play holiday concerts during the entire holiday season for the public, but I love the Ignatius concert tradition. We get dinner in Little Italy with B’s entire family (parents, siblings, aunt, uncles, grandma, cousin, etc.), then enjoy a performance in Severance Hall by the Cleveland Orchestra. It’s a great way to get in the holiday spirit – and I love it!

third row at the Cleveland Orchestra!

Watching A Christmas Carol at Playhouse Square

This weekend, B and I got tickets (THANKS CHRIS!) to see A Christmas Carol, put on by Great Lakes Theater. We made the evening into a date, and got drinks with his brother and parents before, saw the show, and then enjoyed dinner at Cowell & Hubbard. It was a great way to spend a wintry evening – the show was great (although it made me really want to watch A Muppet Christmas Carol) and dinner was awesome. We enjoyed some beef ceviche, escargot, fois gras donuts and seafood dumplings — all food that I don’t normally order.

Escargot, beef ceviche, seafood dumplings and fois gras doughnuts @ Cowell & Hubbard

Giving Back with Caring Cubs

This weekend, B and I took ourniece and nephew to the zoo! Not only were we there to see some of the animals, but we were there for a Caring Cubs event. Caring Cubs is an organization I became introduced to through Bridge Builders- they hold monthly events for young children, ages 2 to 7, designed to teach various lessons of social responsibility. We took Oliver and Sofia to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, brought some new and gently used toys that were in turn donated to the Department of Child and Family Services, and then got to enjoy an animal show plus tour of the zoo afterwords. We finished up the afternoon in Little Italy, enjoying some pizza and dessert at some of our favorites – Mama Santas and Presti’s.

Caring Cubs collected more than 500 toys!

sofia touching armadillo

zooo with children

hmm … which cookies to choose?

What about you? What have you been doing to get into the holiday spirit?

A holiday baking favorite – Oatmeal Scotchies!

December 4, 2012December 4, 2012 / Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 1 Comment

It’s December 4! Do you know what that means? Not only is it exactly THREE WEEKS UNTIL CHRISTMAS (can you tell I’m excited?) … but it’s also National Cookie Day!

That’s right, National Cookie Day. Who makes up these bizarre holidays? Who knows. Do I care? Not if it means I can celebrate with baking and eating cookies!

In honor of the holiday, I’m sharing with you a recipe that we make every year at Christmas – Oatmeal Scotchies (or Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies).

butterscotch oatmeal cookies

Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies

Here’s what you need:

3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs (as usual, I used 1/2 cup Egg Beaters)
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups quick-cooking or regular rolled oats , uncooked
1-3/4 cups (one traditional 11 oz. pkg.) Butterscotch Chips

Here’s what you do:

Preheat your oven to 370 degrees. Grease cookie sheets. I used Pam.
In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugars.
Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract.
Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt — slowly stir into the creamed mixture. Beat until well blended.
Fold in oats and butterscotch chips and mix well. Drop by heaping teaspoons onto your cooking sheets.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. If you prefer your cookies chewy, cook around 8. For crunchier cookies you may need 10-11 minutes.
Cool on wire racks.

butterscotch oatmeal cookies cooling off

Enjoy! For some extra deliciousness, add a few chocolate chips to the batter when you have a little left and share those with your chocolate lover friends.