Labor Day Weekend Recap

Well folks, I am finally back from my last trip of the year.  That is right.  Being 5.5 months pregnant, I won't take the risk to fly anymore, even though there are many events I want to go to.  It just isn't worth it.

I went out East, and spent time with friends and family.  My first stop was visiting one of my bffs and her husband and son.  My first time meeting the little dude.  He is a dead ringer for his dad, and just too cute.  We all went out on a grown up night, and got to catch up and she def talked to me about a lot of baby stuff.  So grateful, as I feel clueless and unprepared most days. We ate dinner at Bazins, which was excellent.  Then we found a tiny boutique that was moving, and I bought a bunch of stuff for the tiny human.  Made out like a bandit.  50% off everything. Woohoo!  We also went to Sweet City Desserts for a treat to go.  Such a wonderful day.  I left their house and went 30 mins west to my oldest brother's house.

Friday we went to Ford's Fish Shack for lunch.  So good.  I was in heaven.  We then went to Ritas for some ice, and then back home so we could get ready for some Friday Night Lights.  High School Football!  My niece, aka, mini-me's school was beating some serious butt until lightening made us evacuate the field.  Bummer.  We left after they called the game for weather.

Saturday I went to Alexandria to have brunch with my ILLINI ladies. I love and miss my college friends so much.  And it never ceases to amaze me that even 15 years after we have all met, we are close, and will drop anything/everything to help each other out.  We had brunch at Warehouse, which was incredible.  I will def come back whenever I am in VA.  It was that good.  We grabbed some cupcakes at Lavender Moon Cupcakery.  Highly recommend it.  I have had many a cupcake in my day, but this place was just wonderful.  After brunch I relaxed as the baby was wearing me out all day, and then had dinner and played Apples to Apples with the crazy family!

Post Cupcakes! And over 50 years of military experience.  Awesome ladies!

Sunday I drove to Annapolis for my friend's wedding.  What a whirlwind.  Brunch with my Navy gals, wedding ceremony, and reception.  Thank goodness I wore flats:)  I just can't get over how beautiful of a day it was.  I am so happy for my friend, and just find it amusing that our whole group found our "loves" so much later than most people.  Our husbands were worth the wait!

Alie, Me, Katie

Can't even describe how beautiful this is!!!

Love these ladies!

Me and Katie.  I met her 15 years ago, and we always pick up right where we left off!!

I flew back to Chicago Monday, and am glad to be home with the pups and my guy.  Now I just have to get my butt in gear and prep two more rooms in the house before baby comes!

Birthdays and Ballgames!

So my Chicago trip continues onto Birthdays and Ballgames!  You can read about part 2 here!

I took my guy to Hot Dougs for his birthday.  Lame?  Of course not?!  Who doesn't want some encased meats for their big day.  I had two hot dogs..yes, cheated on my diet.  But then again, I was in Chicago.  The 4 pounds gained was worth it.  I had a pear, wine, and fresh herb pork sausage hot dog with fig peach mayonnaise and jalapeno Havarti cheese.  Soo good.  Sooo sooo good.  We had to go again because this place shuts its doors for good in October.  Mike and I went a few years ago, so we had to go again!



Cheesing.  Waiting in line. 



Yum. 

For dinner I took him to Gather.  The food was incredible.  The service even better.  I had some great halibut..and really want to go back!  We had some time to kill before we met up with some friends for drinks, so I convinced him to go to a bistro for dessert.  We had some profiteroles with some Bordeaux.  So good.  Seriously, the night was a real treat.  After missing his birthday for a few years, it was the least I could do!  We then met some girl friends of mine at a bar.  Great end to a great night! 



Love these girls!

 

 

The next day, we met up with a group of friends from near and far to go to the Cubs game.  Cubs vs the Marlins.  Such a fun time sharing the game with my friends from high school and college.  The college girls flew in from VA to spend the weekend with me.  The high school gals came in from a far as well.  So blessed to have these girls in my life!

 

Go Cubs!



 

Jacksonville Weekend @ Home

My fiancé came to visit this weekend, and we had an amazing time!  The logistics were hairy because I was at sea, but luckily a friend of mine picked up Mike at the airport while we were entering port.  He then brought Mike to the ship, and we all took off to Seven Bridges Brewery.  I love their food and beer..especially any kind of mac and cheese they make.  Yumm.

The next morning, I took my guy to Mimi's Café for breakfast.  I love their muffins and mimosas.  I mean, who doesn't?  Then I dropped him off at the apartment so I could get a manicure and groceries.  I figured he wouldn't want to endure the "girly" part of the day, so he relaxed at home with Bella.  I may or may not be addicted to gel/no-chip manicures, since my job is a bit unforgiving on the hands.  The nails were almost out of standards with the Navy, so I had to get them trimmed down.  I then made him this for lunch, and we relaxed at home doing some much needed wedding planning.  After the relaxing afternoon planning fest, we went and got dolled up for date night.  I took him to Matthew's, and it was everything I expected and more!  We ordered foie gras, escargot, for appetizers, and I ordered gnocchi for my entrée, he ordered the grouper.  We shared a Mexican chocolate souffle.  I was so impressed by the ambiance, the service, and above all, the food. 

Sunday, we woke up late, and I made this.  I love this recipe, turns out he doesn't like baked oatmeal.  Lesson learned.  I will continue to make it for me, and make an alternative for him.  We then went to lunch at the North Beach Fish Camp.  I had some amazing Fish Tacos.  I can't wait to go back.  The location was great, and the food was even better.  We killed some time walking around, and then hit up the jetty's where we took  Engagement photos.  I can't wait to see how they turned out!  We went home, and I make him his favorite dinner.  I made him meatloaf, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, and steamed green beans.  I will post the meatloaf recipe soon!  We relaxed, and watched We're the Millers.  Hilarious.   

Monday, I had to work in the am:(  Luckily it was a quick pop in, and left to take him to sushi at Bento, and then to the airport. 

I am so happy we had a bit of a staycation this weekend.  We were able to enjoy time together, eat great food, and just have fun! 

Mimis Café.  Yum. 



Rent the Runway.  Dress for Date night!

Blueberry Oatmeal in the making

Oatmeal baby

Cocktails at North Beach Fish Camp



Amazing Fish Tacos!

Beach walk..

Sunday night dinner.  Yum!

Dinner Party How To

I love hosting guests for any occasion/meal.  I usually host brunch or dinner for anywhere from one other person to a crowd of 20.  Here are a few tips that I try to stick to, to make sure that I have repeat customers!

-Know your guests.  Know their allergies, loves, likes, etc.  I have a few friends with allergies, so I cater meals to their health concerns.  Making pasta for someone who has a gluten allergy can make the evening a nightmare, so I try to get gluten free ingredients, or just make a meal with protein! 
-Invite your guests early so you can get RSVPS, shop, etc.  I try to stick to Saturday/Sunday, as weekdays can be busy with work.  Plus if there are kids/babysitters in the mix, folks need to plan ahead.  Invite via phone, email, or written invite in the mail.
-Creating the menu.  I always stick to a theme.  For a Sunday evening meal, I might make a pot roast, and for a Sunday brunch, I may have an array of items to choose from buffet style.  Either way, I inform my guests of what I am making.  This way if they want to bring a dish or a dessert, they know what to pick up! 
-The day before the party, get the house ready for your guests. Clean, clean, clean.  Ensure all flatware is ready to go for your event!
-Prepare as much of the meal as possible in the morning. In between food preparation, you can focus on decorating the house, setting out flowers and making sure the dining area is clean and ready.  Set a tablescape.  Don't light candles, as the smell may mix with the food.  Light them after the food is done and people are done eating.  This way, your food smell will be the highlight!
-Start setting out appetizers and drinks just before guests begin to arrive. Turn on music to create background noise during the mingling portion of your party!
-Dessert.  I always have dessert that goes with the meal, whether it is a healthy option, or just plain indulgent.

Some recent meals I have made:

Sunday Dinner

• Pot Roast
• Mashed Potatoes
• Steamed Corn
• Crescent Rolls
• Apple Pie

Friday Dinner

• Baked Ziti
• Salad
• French Bead/EVOO/Spices (I use Delalo Spices for dipping)
• Gelato

Sunday Brunch

• Monkey Bread
• Breakfast Casserole
• Blueberry muffins
• Fresh Fruit
• Mimosas (I prefer Chandon champagne)
• Bloody Mary's (I prefer Mrs. T's mix)
  Coffee (assortment of Keurig coffees)

Weekend Travels

Well folks.  I went and travelled a LOT this weekend.  It will probably take a few posts, as I saw a lot of people, ate a great amount of food, and celebrated big events!

First off, I went to Leesburg, VA to visit family.  I had the best time!  We went to a place called Clyde's Farm for lunch.   It was amazing!  I don't remember the last time I had some amazing comfort food like the meal I had.  I had a pumpkin dip for a starter.  It was in a little pumpkin, with ginger snaps, apple slices, and walnuts.  Best idea ever!  I also had a fried green tomato sandwich for lunch.  Yum!  We walked around a Civil War battlefield, and grilled steaks that day as well.  I was literally only there for 24 hours, so it was a whirlwind visit.  But worth every minute to see my "mini mes", as we call my niece and nephew. 

Pumpkin Dip.  Such a cute idea!

Creepy Halloween Décor!

Gorgeous Flowers in the guest room.  I may or may not be in love with buying these vases at www.personalcreations.com!

Civil War Battlefield

Perspective.

Gorgeous Leaves!



I heart Fall!

 

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Weekend Recap

This weekend was for me.  I spent a lot of time at my apartment, organizing, cleaning, and relaxing. 

• Watched Hall Pass.  Hilarious.  Really.
• Cleaned the apartment.
• Did laundry and purged my closet for Goodwill
• Got a mani/pedi.  Which also has the funniest, Not rated for blogger story attached.  Yikes!
• Bought a gorgeous necklace from a local boutique
• Got some gelato, just because
• BBQd for my guy..

I am sure I am forgetting a ton of stuff.  Just trying to keep my head above water right now with packing and organizing.




Best. Gelato. Ever.



John Daly's.  MMM.  Summer Drink.

Staycation

I took about 10 days of leave so I could spend time with family before I move from Chicago.

The first day, we just hung out and went to the Ram to eat.
 

The second day, we got acquainted to the neighborhood, had lunch, and then went to the Cubs game. I re-enlisted one of my Sailors at Wrigley Field. First re-enlistment they have done. Thanks to the Cubs for allowing us to do this for her. I am not sure who had more fun that day! 

Me on the left, PO on the right.



Awesome pic taken from the field.


The third day we just hung out. Relaxed, and grilled on my rooftop. I also introduced my Mr. to my oldest brother and family. My oldest brother makes some mean bacon wrapped fillets. Yum!




I am pasty.  And this picture is awful.  But I did get some sun that day up on the rooftop!



The fourth day, we went to Navy Pier. It was a lot of fun! Billy Goat, Ferris Wheel, walked around, and went to Margaritaville. We went and met up with my middle brother and SIL for dinner afterwards. And enjoyed one heck of a storm that night.

Cheezborger, Chips, Empty Beer.  Yum.

Kind of an awesome ride.  Helluva view from the top, too!

Margarita on the pier.  End of a beautiful Chicago day!

The fifth day, we went to the Museum of Science and Industry. I love that museum. There is so much to see, and even though I have been there a million times, I can never get enough of the chick hatchery.

Oregon Trail??

Old time Berghoff.  I love this place.  Mmm..German food...beer..:)

The sixth day, we left Chicago, and embarked on our road trip...to be continued..

I'm Back!!

I just got back from my vacation.  It was part staycation, part visiting family.  We did so much, I'll have to post a few times about it, with pictures of course!

This first post will encompass all most of what I ate, and the motivation behind my workouts this next month er..year.

We went to many restaurants, and cooked a lot as well. 
Some of these include:

• Melrose Restaurant  Yummy diner goodness. Always good service.
• The Ram  Eh...so so.  Good fries. Really good fries.
• The Bagel  I can't believe this was my first visit here.  Can't wait to go back!! Pickles.  Yum.
• Wilde Can never say enough good things about this place.  Really.
• Pancake House Yum. 
• Billy Goat Cheezborger, chips, coke, beer.
• Bridget McNeills Can't ever get enough of their food. 
• Ruby Tuesdays.  List this mostly because the waitress was a hoot.  Literally. If I even told you the story, you wouldn't believe me. 

In terms of cooking, we bbq'd a lot.  Bacon wrapped fillets, orzo spinach salad, potato salad, more steaks, German potato salad, Sweetwater BBQ, coleslaw, etc.  Breakfast was southern food every day..grits (which I tried for the first time), bacon, sausage, biscuits and gravy, the list goes on. 

If you ever travel to the Lake of the Ozarks, or through the old Route 66, you must stop at Sweetwater BBQ.  A-m-a-z-i-n-g!  I have it every time I am there. 

I ate pretty healthy most of the time, salads, etc etc.  I am training for a half marathon, so I can't be too crazy!  Off to run!

Favorite Mexican/Latin American Restaurants in Chicago

So I figured if I wrote a post on making my own Mexican food..I would write about my favorite Mexican food haunts in the city..

Buena Vista  This little BYOB gem in Lakeview is perfect for a cheap night out.  There is a liquor store across the street, so you can pick up some Dos Equis or Margaritas, and head on over.  Never been disappointed with a trip here!

Cesars.  I can't say enough good things about this place.  I am sure I have written about this place before, because their slogan is "Killer Margaritas".  They are definitely killer, and I have never left this place without a satisfied appetite and a buzz.  Mondays are $5 everything for lunch..kind of awesome.

Cafe 28.  Much more ritzy than the other places.  Also more Cuban than any other food, but a great place for a girls night out or date night!

Taco and Burrito House.  Great for take out.  Some of the best enchiladas I have ever had.

La Taberna Tapatia.  I can barely pronounce the name, but I had a blast here.  Great food, even better drinks.  Strong Margaritas. 

Litos Empanadas.  This place has some of the best empanadas I have ever had.  I usually go here when I am running errands on a weekend.  Tried almost the entire menu, and would recommend all of it!

Uncle Julios Hacienda.  This place is huge, and I loved the food.  Only bad thing is if you park here, it is valet.   If you don't like being forced to valet, this is an issue. 

Holy cow that is a lot of restaurants.  But what can I say..who doesn't love some tacos and a margarita??

Mexican Food in Chicago

So I went on a long run today training for my race next weekend.  After I was done, I had a huge craving for Mexican food..not sure why :)  I went out to the Market Place Grocery Store on Diversey.  Kind of expensive with certain foods (Milk is $5 for a half gallon..yikes), so I only buy specialty kind of foods there. 
They have one thing I used to have all the time as a kid, Tom Tom Tomales.  My dad would go to the store featured here .  Sooo good!  I would suggest visiting the store if you want to buy in bulk.  Wonderful for party food.  Or for feeding 5 kids!

A few of my favorite Chicago Mexican Food brands:
Tom Tom Tomales
El Milagro Corn Chips/Tortillas, etc
Frontera (Rick Bayless) Wonderful Salsa and Chips

I will definitely have to add to this post soon.  I make a lot of homemade Mexican at home, but haven't in a while.  Need to get back on it now that the weather is getting nicer, and turning on the oven will be something of the past..I hope:)

DC Trip Good Eats

I had some amazing food in DC...makes me look forward to going back soon!

I went to the Logan Tavern Thursday night, and had some of the most amazing food ever.  Seriously.  I had fried green tomatoes for the first time, and had some Raspberry Lambic.  I love lambic, but it is something you can only have one bottle of.  It is so sweet, and is amazing!

The next great restaurant I went to was Old Ebbitt Grill.  Last time I was there was when I was in high school.  My oldest brother worked at the White House, and took my middle brother and I there.  Just as amazing as I remembered!  I had the Eggs Chesapeake, which is like Eggs Benedict, just with crab meat.  Yum!

The final place I went was Matchbox.  Good place to just sit down and chill after the Shamrock Fest.  I would definitely go back here!

Semi Homemade

I don't always have a lot of time to cook a homemade meal every night.  So enter Trader Joes/Whole Foods.  I love going there to buy a few go to items to make my life easier.

I went to Whole Foods to get some fish and came home with some coconut crusted mahi. I baked it for 15 minutes at 350.  Oh my goodness.  This was amazing.  I paired it with some cold orzo salad and steamed corn. 15-20 mintues for all of this.  Sign me up. 

Trying new Restaurants..

So I was able to venture out to two restaurants I haven't been to in quite some time this week.  I went to the Berghoff for lunch, great German food..and then Tuscany for dinner for some amazing Italian.  I tend to go to the same places..like my favorite BYOB sushi joint, so I wanted to go somewhere different.

Lets just say I would love to go back to both again soon!  I had some great schnitzel and lager at the Berghoff, and some amazing tortellini at Tuscany. 

And..thank goodness for Groupon, which made both dining experiences much cheaper!

Semi Homemade

I was at a friend's party last month, and I mentioned how I love Sandra Lee from the Food Network channel, but that she made feel..well..inadequate.  I mean, holy cow can she cook, host, etc.  I love to cook, but I definitely don't have the time, patience, know how, that she has!

I made my semi-homemade dinner tonight, and it turned out fantastic.  Trying to stick to my low GI diet, and eat much healthier.

Tonight's dinner was baked halibut, rice pilaf, and a garden salad with some Italian soda (indulgence :) 

I got some halibut from Whole Foods, and marinated it and baked it for 20 minutes.  I made the rice pilaf, and picked up a ready made salad from Whole Foods.  Just couldn't turn it down.  Kind of like the wine I bought there too!

My ingredients and splurge of the week!

Finished Product.  Halibut, rice pilaf, salad, Italian Soda

I have to say this semi-homemade adventure turned out great.  Looking forward to the rest of my recipes for the week..and my trip to 2 restaurants I have been dying  I mean really looking forward to going to!  Both are Groupons..and have been there before, but not for a long time:)

Mexican Chicken Soup

I found a recipe last night that I knew I had to make today.  Its cold outside, football is on tv, and a spicy soup on the crock pot sounded like a great idea.  And it was!!!

I altered the recipe greatly to make much healthier.

Mexican Chicken Soup
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken cut into 1/2 inch pieces (I used Perdue ready made chicken..tastes great!)
1 11oz can whole kernel corn ( I used lower sodium corn)
1 can condensed cream of potato soup
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
1 1 1/4 oz envelope taco seasoning mix
3 cups chicken broth (I used lower sodium/fat here too)

sour cream and pepper jack cheese optional

I combined the chicken, drained corn, potato soup, cilantro, and taco seasoning mix.  I then added the chicken broth to the crock pot.  I covered it, and cooked it on low heat for 4-6 hours or high heat for 2-3 hours. 

I put a teaspoon of sour cream and a bit of pepper jack cheese in mine for extra flavor. 

Will taste great paired with Mexican Cornbread

Prep time: 20 minutes, Cook time: 2-6 hours, Makes: 4-6 servings

**the original recipe called for a lot of sour cream and cheese, I put optional because I know everyone has different tastes!**  has less than 20 carbs per serving **$12.37 and $2.06 per serving

Ingredients..didn't add the chilis, it was spicy enough!!

Finished product.  Yumm!!

I have plenty left over.  Will be a great lunch tomorrow!!

Washington!!

I went to Washington State for a couple of days to visit my oldest brother and his family.  Love visiting and being Auntie Mega-Mega (nickname I got because S couldn't say Megan).  They live about 2 hours away from Seattle proper via car, a little closer via ferry.  My brother and I took the ferry one day to Pike Place Market, to look around and explore.  He hadn't taken the ferry or gone to Seattle yet, and we wanted to check it out before they went and had a few kids in tow. 

I never realized how rainy Washington was until I got there.  They always say, rain rain rain.  They were right.  I saw sunlight for a whole 10 minutes in 6 days.  How depressing. 

Here are a few great photos I took from that day!!



Start of the Ferry Ride



Love this Market..fresh seafood!



Market




Bought some salmon, crab, halibut..



Love this Raspberry Lambic

10 minutes of sunshine



Wine I bought to go with the halibut.  Yum!!