I just love Red Chard. And I have urban organics to thank. Urban Organics is this organic vegetable delivery service. They send fresh veggies in a box once a week. You can’t really choose what they send, it’s just what’s in season. I had never tried red chard before. Well let me tell ya, it’s not only a healthy green leafy veggie, but it’s also delicious. Just sautee it with a little garlic and extra virgin olive oil, or if you prefer, cook it in a pan with bacon. Mmm bacon. Actually bacon makes everything better. But red chard doesn’t need to be better. It’s good just as it is. Some people also cook the stalks of the Red Chard, but I just throw them out. Anyway it’s really yummy.

So my hubby surprised me and took me out to Le Refuge Inn on city island, for a very romantic, very french dinner. I tried escargot for the first time and it was delicious. The wine was amazing, and the food was great. It was also a very relaxing experience and a quiet dining room in an old restored victorian home.

So the partying continues tonight at Blaggards Pub, 8 W 38th St. Come on down!!! My birthday is a week long extravaganza baby!

I just want to thank everyone who came out for my birthday barbecue! Although all week the weather reports said rain, it was a gorgeous sunny day. And a big shout out to Spence for travelling all the way on the subway from Brighton Beach to the Bronx! That is true friendship! I made a pitcher of cosmos as my friend Fred suggests in his Fred’s At the Bar series. Two of those and I was really high flying.

There were three generations all getting along brillantly, Jess nearly ran over a tree, sibling rivalries, fake tattoos, glorious chicken burgers, and even the neighbors came by. And now I have tons of alcohol left. So I have to have another party!

I’ve written about Wendy’s crazy weight watcher’s cards site here before, and now there is a cult following cropping up. People are actually making these bizarre and often frightening recipes and posting the images at the flickr MAKE THE MACKEREL! area. I love how they’re finding weird vintage objects to put in the background as well. I wonder how many people are actually eating their creations.

There is nothing more comforting than a grilled cheese sandwich. It really takes you back to lazy Sundays of your youth. The texture of gooeyness and crispness is just amazing. Well everyone’s favorite perfectionist Martha Stewart has the recipe for a perfect grilled cheese. The key is to make sure the outside of the bread does not get too burnt, and has a golden color with a little brown in it. And to make sure the cheese fully melts. I like to cover my grilled cheese with a pan top to ensure that it melts well. You really have to watch it while it’s cooking too.

I used to cook the bread on both sides but my friend Roxanne said that’s a bit of overkill. We used to make grilled cheese all the time when we were both poor making 20 grand salaries a year and it was so pleasant and simple and fun. I make quite a bit more than that now, but I don’t feel like I’m that much more happy because of the money.