Friday Cocktail, Spiced Nuts, Goat Cheese with Honey and a Long Run

Happy Friday, Folks.  A cocktail will be in order this evening after a hectic work week.  I would have more than one if I could but I have 12 miles to knock out tomorrow morning.  Since last weekend my run had shades of the Bataan Death March, I am hoping to make it through this one with toenails intact, knees in place, nausea kept at bay and sustained energy levels so the last two miles are not of me practically walking, like last weekend.  I had a Christopher McCandless moment before I headed out for said run and did not bring any fluids or food/ gels/ sports beans with me.  P.S. My iPod ran out of juice right around mile 7.  So, poster child of prepared I was not.

So what got me to the end of that run?  Food, of course.  Specifically, thoughts of the Oak Park Farmers Market Doughnuts that are served, usually warm, until 1pm every Saturday through the summer and early fall.  I have a deep infatuation with those doughnuts and they were going to be my prize for finishing strong.  Unfortunately, they never even made it to my lips since I was in the doughnut line for all of three minutes before, out of nowhere, I started sweating profusely, my head started spinning and I felt like I was going to dry heave since there was absolutely nothing in my stomach.  I bent over, put my hands on my knees and tried to look normal.  Unfortunately, I looked like some rookie college kid who spent the last night drinking and just happened by the doughnut stand on the walk of shame.  I realized that if I did not get out of that line, the scene would go from bad to scenes out of "The Hangover".

I sat down on a curb in an alley and put my head between my legs praying that my body would pull itself together enough so I could get back to my car.  A few minutes later, the sweating and nausea went away enough for me to walk the two very long blocks to my car.  I got in, drove home, went to my bedroom without a shower and fell asleep for 3 hours.  The End.

Spiced Mix Nuts Inspired by The Union Square Cafe in New York City
Yield:  Approximately 3 Cups

Ingredients:
1 1/4 pounds mixed nuts, unsalted
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
4 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons melted butter

Method:
1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2.  Place the nuts on a parchment lined baking sheet and roast for about 10 minutes.
3.  While nuts are roasting, melt the better in a medium sized skillet until slightly brown, about 3 minutes on medium heat.
4.  Add in the rosemary, cayenne, sugar and salt and stir together with a wooden spoon.
5.  Remove nuts from the oven and put in a medium sized bowl.  Add in the butter mixture and stir until combined.
6.  Serve nuts warm with a side of goat cheese drizzled with honey.

Classic Cosmopolitan
Yield: 1 cocktail

Ingredients:
30 ml Skinnygirl tangerine vodka (You can also use absolute citron but Skinnygirl has less calories)
10 Cointreau liquor
10 ml fresh lime juice
20 ml cranberry juice
Handful of ice cubes

1.  Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously
2.  Pour ingredients into a chilled martini glass
3.  Serve immediately