On the right is a serving of white rice topped with a dish of spicy shrimp & corn/cilantro relish. On the left is a creamy slaw with lime & cilantro. Yum!
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Spicy Shrimp & Creamy Slaw
Tonight's dinner was created from two separate issues of Cooking Light.
On the right is a serving of white rice topped with a dish of spicy shrimp & corn/cilantro relish. On the left is a creamy slaw with lime & cilantro. Yum!
On the right is a serving of white rice topped with a dish of spicy shrimp & corn/cilantro relish. On the left is a creamy slaw with lime & cilantro. Yum!
Boston Playgroup!!!
I took Otis to his first Boston Terrier playgroup today! I was a bit nervous & hesitant to take him - but, I figured I needed to work on my over-protectiveness and work on socializing him with other dogs. There were about 40-45 dogs there - crazy!
All in all, it went pretty well. Otis met a few dogs that he really liked to play with - namely one little guy named Vinny. Unfortunately, he didn't get along so well with Vinny's brother, Luigi, and they got into a bit of a scuffle. It was good to see, however, that Otis wasn't the only dog to try humping others (Stewart won this prize!) and he wasn't the most misbehaved of the bunch (one crazy little barking dog won that prize!)
The funniest part of the experience was that I often couldn't pick Otis out of the crowd - they all looked the same! I quickly learned to look for his long tail - and then I could easily spot him. :)
Here are some pics - they by no means do any justice to portray the chaotic good time that all the dogs & owners had.
All in all, it went pretty well. Otis met a few dogs that he really liked to play with - namely one little guy named Vinny. Unfortunately, he didn't get along so well with Vinny's brother, Luigi, and they got into a bit of a scuffle. It was good to see, however, that Otis wasn't the only dog to try humping others (Stewart won this prize!) and he wasn't the most misbehaved of the bunch (one crazy little barking dog won that prize!)
The funniest part of the experience was that I often couldn't pick Otis out of the crowd - they all looked the same! I quickly learned to look for his long tail - and then I could easily spot him. :)
Here are some pics - they by no means do any justice to portray the chaotic good time that all the dogs & owners had.
It's the little things
I got this pillow on our trip to IKEA the other day and I am in love with it (if one could love a pillow). When I saw it, I just had to have it!
The colors coordinate with my sun room perfectly, and the embroidery of the continents goes perfectly with my little globe theme.
The colors coordinate with my sun room perfectly, and the embroidery of the continents goes perfectly with my little globe theme.
A Second Attempt
I managed to kill the housewarming houseplant that I received from Mom & Dad. So, I had to replace her with this new plant (below). Let's hope she makes it longer than the first one!
Legoland, Lingonberries & Lou
My favorite kiddos came to visit Chicago on Saturday. Since I've lived in Chicago, we've made it a tradition for Jenna, Adam, Matt & Katie to visit to celebrate Jenna's birthday. So far, for each visit we've found some pretty fun things to do and I get to be a tourist in my own town - which I love!
This time, we ventured out to Schaumburg so that we could check out Legoland! But first, we had to make a stop at IKEA. I make it a point to not go there often because I often want to bring the whole store home with me. :) We all managed to find a few things that we needed - I got some new lamps for the dining room & a few other accessories. We made a pit stop in the cafe to have lunch - and of course I just had to have the Swedish meatballs with potatoes & lingonberries. Yum!
Next up it was Legoland. I must say - this place was pretty cool - for both kids & adults. There was one section where there were replicas of various Chicago buildings - Sears Tower, Hancock Building, Water Tower Place, Buckingham Fountain, you name it - it was there! The museum also featured a jungle, a 4D theatre, a "factory", a workshop and a huge play area. The kids had a blast - especially in the play area where they build a huge tower out of over-sized legos - the best part being that they built the tower around Adam, so he was stuck in side. He loved it - what a silly kid!
After Legoland, we needed some refueling - so it was off to Lou Malnati's for some classic Chicago deep dish pizza. Yum! And finally, it was back to home for an evening walk with Otis & some birthday cupcakes!
Adam showing off his book (called "Otis"), alongside the real Otis.
This time, we ventured out to Schaumburg so that we could check out Legoland! But first, we had to make a stop at IKEA. I make it a point to not go there often because I often want to bring the whole store home with me. :) We all managed to find a few things that we needed - I got some new lamps for the dining room & a few other accessories. We made a pit stop in the cafe to have lunch - and of course I just had to have the Swedish meatballs with potatoes & lingonberries. Yum!
Next up it was Legoland. I must say - this place was pretty cool - for both kids & adults. There was one section where there were replicas of various Chicago buildings - Sears Tower, Hancock Building, Water Tower Place, Buckingham Fountain, you name it - it was there! The museum also featured a jungle, a 4D theatre, a "factory", a workshop and a huge play area. The kids had a blast - especially in the play area where they build a huge tower out of over-sized legos - the best part being that they built the tower around Adam, so he was stuck in side. He loved it - what a silly kid!
After Legoland, we needed some refueling - so it was off to Lou Malnati's for some classic Chicago deep dish pizza. Yum! And finally, it was back to home for an evening walk with Otis & some birthday cupcakes!
Jenna opening her gifts - new jewelry, trinket boxes & "Jenna Bucks" for Girls Shopping Day!
Adam showing off his book (called "Otis"), alongside the real Otis. He looks sad because Otis wouldn't pose for the photo. :)
Chicago buildings @ Legoland
The kids posing @ Legoland - it was the "night" scene by the Chicago buildings
Buckingham Fountain - among other Chicago landmarks
Chicago buildings @ Legoland
The kids posing @ Legoland - it was the "night" scene by the Chicago buildings
Buckingham Fountain - among other Chicago landmarksSunday, February 21, 2010
Viva la Revolution!
Revolution Brewery recently opened up in Logan Square. I think this place is quickly going to become one of my favorite neighborhood haunts.
How can you go wrong with bacon-fat popcorn and amazing craft brews?
Dave and I spent the afternoon at Revolution last Saturday. We each had a flight of their six home brews and shared a bowl of their amazing popcorn and a flat bread pizza. And of course, we had to try a few other beers, too! I'm darn glad that it's only a 10 min walk home!
How can you go wrong with bacon-fat popcorn and amazing craft brews?
Dave and I spent the afternoon at Revolution last Saturday. We each had a flight of their six home brews and shared a bowl of their amazing popcorn and a flat bread pizza. And of course, we had to try a few other beers, too! I'm darn glad that it's only a 10 min walk home!
Sunday Night Fried Rice
I love Cooking Light magazine - in every issue, I easily find a handful of recipes that I want to prepare.
Tonight, I tried out a recipe for spicy chicken fried rice. It was a simple recipe of bell pepper, onion, chicken, brown rice, water chestnuts & peanuts. A marinade of soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, crushed red pepper, garlic & ginger added a great flavor.
Tonight, I tried out a recipe for spicy chicken fried rice. It was a simple recipe of bell pepper, onion, chicken, brown rice, water chestnuts & peanuts. A marinade of soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, crushed red pepper, garlic & ginger added a great flavor.
The Proof is in the Pudding
I had made a batch of homemade rolls that were quickly going stale on me.....so I looked for some recipes to use them up. A girl can only make so many croutons, so I decided to try my hand at bread pudding.
It actually turned out pretty good! The extra amaretto that I added probably helped a bit!
It actually turned out pretty good! The extra amaretto that I added probably helped a bit!
Taking Stock
Today, I made a fresh batch of homemade chicken stock. I love to do this in the winter, as I tend to make lots of soups & risotto dishes that use chicken stock as a base. This batch should last me until warmer weather!....and if not, then I need to either need to get out of dodge or eat less soup! :)
Hermit's Night In
Last night, I had the option of going out for an acquaintance's birthday or staying in, watching the Olympics & making dinner. Being a hermit won. What can I say - on a cold winter night, it's pretty easy for me to choose a night in.
I started out with a little salad of mixed greens, grapes, blackberries, orange, croutons (homemade!) and balsamic syrup.
The main dish was baked chicken with a glaze of honey mustard & sambal and a side of roasted asparagus.
I started out with a little salad of mixed greens, grapes, blackberries, orange, croutons (homemade!) and balsamic syrup.
The main dish was baked chicken with a glaze of honey mustard & sambal and a side of roasted asparagus.
One-Pot Pasta Supper
I found this recipe in the Sunday paper - it called for pasta, tomato sauce, tuna, capers and olives. While I probably won't make this recipe again, I could appreciate that I had all of the ingredients in my pantry. It made a nice dinner (and leftovers) for a cold Sunday evening.
Turkey Tortilla Soup
I've been reading the Soup & Bread blog and a recent recipe for Tortilla Soup caught my eye. I still had some leftover turkey in the freezer, so substituted this for the typical chicken.
This soup was so simple and wonderful. The topping of tortilla chips, sour cream, avocado, cilantro & lime made the dish extra special. (And this was a nice dinner after a day full of beer drinking at Revolution). :)
This soup was so simple and wonderful. The topping of tortilla chips, sour cream, avocado, cilantro & lime made the dish extra special. (And this was a nice dinner after a day full of beer drinking at Revolution). :)
Weekend Breakfast Love
I love the weekends for many reasons..... one of which is that I have the time to make a "real breakfast" (a.k.a. something other than a granola bar and coffee on the go!)
Here are some recent weekend breakfast creations:
Fage Yogurt Parfait with Blackberries, Cranberries & Granola
Here are some recent weekend breakfast creations:
Scrambled Eggs with Turkey, Asparagus & Feta
Banana Muffins
Tortilla filled with Scrambled Eggs, Turkey & Spinach
Fage Yogurt Parfait with Blackberries, Cranberries & Granola
Lunch Lady Land
For the past year or so, I've been in the routine of bringing salad to lunch each day. I try to mix it up so that I don't get bored with the same 'ol same 'ol....
This past week, I jazzed it up a bit by trying out a recipe from one of my magazines for a turkey, couscous, cranberry & nut salad. The pasta salad was yummy & especially on top of a bed of spinach.
This past week, I jazzed it up a bit by trying out a recipe from one of my magazines for a turkey, couscous, cranberry & nut salad. The pasta salad was yummy & especially on top of a bed of spinach.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Shepard's Pie - not just for the Irish anymore
The other night, I tried out a recipe for Italian Shepard's Pie. It was pretty yummy!
As the name implies, it is an Italian-take on traditional Shepard's Pie. Instead of the mashed potato topping, this recipe calls for a parmesan-biscuit like topping and instead of the meat & veggie filling, this filling was a scrumptious mixture of pasta sauce, browned ground beef, oregano, and parsley.
As the name implies, it is an Italian-take on traditional Shepard's Pie. Instead of the mashed potato topping, this recipe calls for a parmesan-biscuit like topping and instead of the meat & veggie filling, this filling was a scrumptious mixture of pasta sauce, browned ground beef, oregano, and parsley.
Welcome Home!
When I returned from Colorado - Otis was ready to great me with open arms (err, paws) and a sign of love. Thanks, Mom!
Red Curry Lentil Soup
The winter weather makes me crave a nice big pot of soup.
A month or so ago, I purchased a new cookbook perfect for these winter cravings - "Soup & Bread: A Cookbook." The book is full of wonderful recipes - many of them are vegetarian and use beans & lentils as a base. I haven't had much experience cooking with (or eating) lentils, but I'm beginning to love them.
Yesterday's creation was a spicy Red Curry Lentil Soup! It was rich & hearty (but not too heavy) and had a nice kick of spice. To contrast & cool the spice, I topped it with a dollop of sour cream (added after I took my photo) and a bit of cilantro.
On the side, you'll see one of my homemade dinner rolls. I made them look "fancy" by forming them in a knot-shape and topping them with toasted sesame seeds. Yum!
I'm looking forward to pulling these leftovers out of the freezer on another cold day.
A month or so ago, I purchased a new cookbook perfect for these winter cravings - "Soup & Bread: A Cookbook." The book is full of wonderful recipes - many of them are vegetarian and use beans & lentils as a base. I haven't had much experience cooking with (or eating) lentils, but I'm beginning to love them.
Yesterday's creation was a spicy Red Curry Lentil Soup! It was rich & hearty (but not too heavy) and had a nice kick of spice. To contrast & cool the spice, I topped it with a dollop of sour cream (added after I took my photo) and a bit of cilantro.
On the side, you'll see one of my homemade dinner rolls. I made them look "fancy" by forming them in a knot-shape and topping them with toasted sesame seeds. Yum!
I'm looking forward to pulling these leftovers out of the freezer on another cold day.
"Teamwork" or "Having Fun with Mannequins"
Last Tuesday we had another floor walk with our EVP, John. In typical RTW fashion, the team was completely unprepared and unorganized.
Tiffany and I offered to help out Christina & Jane (the CRB team) set their floor to the desired layout. We moved various tables (one, two and ten times), we arranged shelves and displays and we un-dressed and re-dressed various mannequins.
These photos pretty much sum up my sentiments about the night. :)
Tiffany and I offered to help out Christina & Jane (the CRB team) set their floor to the desired layout. We moved various tables (one, two and ten times), we arranged shelves and displays and we un-dressed and re-dressed various mannequins.
These photos pretty much sum up my sentiments about the night. :)
Colorado!!!
Our much awaited weekend in Colorado was upon us! Hard to believe that we'd been planning this trip for the better part of six months.
Chrissy graciously offered our group the use of the Beidler's Keystone condo and Nicole helped to prepare all of our essential supplies in Colorado! Our group of 10 was cozy for the weekend in the 3 bed, 2 bath condo - often a bit too cozy, but all in all, it was a great trip.
I took snowboarding lessons on the first day - it was fun, but my fear of speed and falling got the best of me. Bruises on my arms, butt and knees became my badges of honor. The rest of the weekend was spent lounging & relaxing, drinking & eating, sightseeing & laughing. Some highlights included - going to the top of a mountain via the high-speed gondola, venturing through Red Rocks, enjoying a spa day and battling it out in an intense euchre tournament.
Fun times had by all.
Here's to hoping I can return to Colorado again sometime soon (and maybe next time during the summer so that I can enjoy some hiking instead of snowboarding.)
Chrissy graciously offered our group the use of the Beidler's Keystone condo and Nicole helped to prepare all of our essential supplies in Colorado! Our group of 10 was cozy for the weekend in the 3 bed, 2 bath condo - often a bit too cozy, but all in all, it was a great trip.
I took snowboarding lessons on the first day - it was fun, but my fear of speed and falling got the best of me. Bruises on my arms, butt and knees became my badges of honor. The rest of the weekend was spent lounging & relaxing, drinking & eating, sightseeing & laughing. Some highlights included - going to the top of a mountain via the high-speed gondola, venturing through Red Rocks, enjoying a spa day and battling it out in an intense euchre tournament.
Fun times had by all.
Here's to hoping I can return to Colorado again sometime soon (and maybe next time during the summer so that I can enjoy some hiking instead of snowboarding.)
February - the month of love!
This year, my office is displaying the "King Charles the Great" calendar - aka the dooce calendar featuring Chuck and Coco. All of the photos are pretty clean with the exception of February. Nearly everyone that comes into my office has done a double-take when they see the photo.
To have a bit more fun with it, Cheryl & I have decided to personalize the photos. I didn't leave this up for very long (as I am sure this could be grounds for some pretty serious repercussions). But, luckily, Tom thought it was pretty funny.
To have a bit more fun with it, Cheryl & I have decided to personalize the photos. I didn't leave this up for very long (as I am sure this could be grounds for some pretty serious repercussions). But, luckily, Tom thought it was pretty funny.
Shrimp Fra Diavolo
Mom & Dad offered to watch Otis while I was away for my weekend trip in Colorado. They came over the evening before I departed and I made them dinner.
Once we made it through the fiasco of "stale" pasta & retrieved a much fresher and "not stale" package (I won't put any more details because the visual image still grosses me out) - we enjoyed a fabulous dinner of leftover leek & potato soup, shrimp fra diavolo and crescent rolls.
The shrimp fra diavolo was divine - a great combination of tomato, shrimp and spicy red pepper.
Once we made it through the fiasco of "stale" pasta & retrieved a much fresher and "not stale" package (I won't put any more details because the visual image still grosses me out) - we enjoyed a fabulous dinner of leftover leek & potato soup, shrimp fra diavolo and crescent rolls.
The shrimp fra diavolo was divine - a great combination of tomato, shrimp and spicy red pepper.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
