Finally! It's Here!

For the past couple of months we've been without a dishwasher.  We've all chipped in, doing our fair share of dishes.  We've had some good conversations over a sink full of suds.  I think I speak for everyone, however, when I say that we're all pretty sick of it.  My handyman hubby gave up his entire Saturday, and I was thrilled to pieces to see the new dishwasher installed when I returned home from work this evening. 

Those little blue lights mean it's working!  My dishpan hands are so thrilled!  Thanks Baird!

When I sit on my deck and look up in the summertime, this is what I see:

Given what the forestry guys told me last month, I'm not going to have this view forever.  I wanted to be sure I chronicled it just in case it's gone next year.

Good Food for Good Friends

Back in the day when I first met Mel, she invited me to her house for lunch.  I had no idea at the time that I was being invited to dine with a fantastic chef.  She served me this amazing tuna wrap.  It had incredible, complex flavors in it.  As I was eating this unbelievable wrap I thought, "I can't ever have this woman over to my house for lunch.  I don't have anything to serve her that can even come close to this!"

It took me almost six months, but I finally found a recipe I felt was worthy of the meal I'd eaten at Mel's.  It was an Indian inspired pork chop with mango relish.  I gathered my courage and invited Mel for lunch, and our foodie friendship was underway.

Over the years, I've often made this recipe when a friend needs a meal, especially in the summer time.  Today a friend was in need, so I came to the rescue with this fabulous meal.  I served it to my family too.  Erin has declared it to be her new favorite meal, and has requested it for her birthday (just eight months away).

Here's the recipe:

Grilled Pork Chops with Mango Relish

2 Tbs. plain yogurt

2 tsp. honey

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. white wine vinegar

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground tumeric

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (or more, to taste)

1/2 tsp. grated fresh gingerroot

4 boneless pork chops (4 oz. each)

Mango Relish

1 large mango, peeled and diced

3/4 cup chopped red onion

3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

4 tsp. chopped jalapeno (or more, to taste)

juice of half a lime

salt to taste (probably 1/8 to 1/4  tsp. )

For pork chops, mix spices until well combined; add yogurt and honey and stir until well blended.  In a large resealable plastic bag, add pork chops and seasonings.  Refrigerate at least 2 hours.  Meanwhile, combine relish ingredients in a bowl.  Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour; refrigerate until serving.

Drain and discard marinade.  Place pork chops on greased rack and grill over medium heat 3-4" from the heat for 6-10 minutes on each side.  Serve with mango relish and Hawaiian bread.

White Sox Meet and Greet

Erin and Drew don't always see eye-to-eye on things, but one thing they always agree on:  rooting for the White Sox.  Drew recently came back from the Dark Side and has embraced the South Siders once again, and Erin and I are thrilled he's rooting for our team.  Today I got the kids up early so we could get to the zoo right when it opened - it was Sox Day at the Zoo.  We were first in line to get autographs from Daniel Hudson and Andruw Jones. 

Thank God for Friends

Drew and SiMi are both home this week with nothing but each other to entertain themselves. No set plans. No camps. No day trips. Both are stuck with moms who are working from home. Their plans this week include bouncing between houses whenever the mood strikes. Suddenly, for Drew, everything that was humdrum last week is now fun again, because there's a friend to share it with. For now at least, the cries of boredom have been stiffled.  Drew couldn't be happier, and neither could I!  TGFF:  Thank God For Friends!

High School (Summer) Musical

This afternoon we attended OPRF's summer musical.  We saw several former Irving students in the performance, and wow, they've come a long way since their elementary after-school theater days!

Still Celebrating

These Coke cans are now available in the Chicagoland area.  Even tho the White Sox are on a roll and leading their division, the MLB trade deadline looms large, and the Bears are on the brink of reporting for camp, we still can't get over the Black Hawks!

Learning from Legends

Our friend JW won a day of football training with some of the 1985 Bears.  Boys ages 6-20 were eligible.  Since JW's only child is an eight-month-old girl, she thought of Drew.  Early this morning we headed out to Northern Illinois University in DeKalb so Drew could participate in a few hours of drills led by men who, in my opinion, were the best ever at their positions when they played the game.

Yes, Drew caught the pass that was thrown to him by Reggie Phillips, who in 1985, as a rookie cornerback, returned a 28-yard interception for a touchdown in the Super Bowl.

Afterward, the kids were allowed to get autographs from the players.  When Drew approached Emery Moorehead for an autograph, he said to Drew, "I remember you!  You're Speedy Gonzales!"  That's because Drew was first in line for every single drill, all morning long.

Drew walked away with a hatful of autographs and an unforgettable experience.  Thanks, JW - what a special treat!

China Town Loot

I spent a chunk of today in China Town with a couple of friends.  I was on a mission to find several ingredients for a special meal I'm planning next month, centered on a "street food from Singapore" theme.  Here's my loot.  I can't wait to use all this stuff!

Boredom Sets In

There comes a point in every summer where those lazy days begin to get a bit tiresome and the days become tedious.  The pool is no longer exciting, bike rides seem mundane, and the library's summer reading program has come to an end.  The very suggestion of a zoo trip is met with, "Oh, please Mom!  Not again!"

While Kelsey's still in summer school, and doesn't even feel like summer's begun, this is a long week for Drew.  It seems like every single one of his friends is either on vacation or in camp this week, and poor Drew is just about dying of boredom (or so he says).

This afternoon I found Drew lying on the floor talking to Garfield.  While I think an active imagination is a good thing, clearly, the boy needs to get out more.  I hope he likes what's coming up on Friday!

Gina's

One of our favorite destinations on a hot summer evening is Gina's.  There's simply nothing quite as refreshing when the heat index pushes 100.  We discovered this place back in 1990 when we first moved to Oak Park, and we've been frequent patrons ever since.  Gina's the sweet Italian lady who runs the place.  She makes all the ice herself, and there's real chunks of fruit in each flavor.  Tonight she had peach.  It was simply to die for. 

One of the really fun elements of Gina's is all the pictures hanging up on the wall.  Look at the wall behind us.  Those are all pictures of Gina's customers.  There's shots baseball teams, brownie troops and families.  It's so much fun to find the pictures of our family that have been posted thru out the years.  Thanks, Gina, for all the years of friendship and sweet treats!

Side Show

Les, the skink who made a bold move to domesticate himself last year, has survived almost a full year under our care.  About every third day or so, at least one member of the 5 Ring Circus walks over to Suburban Pet City to get Les a dozen live crickets.  Suburban Pet City is an independent pet store and supply center in Oak Park.  If you're sick of the puppy mill places with employees who don't know anything about animals, this place is a welcome respite.  It's become a fun summer ritual to walk over there with a child or two.  If you have the good fortune to be helped by Dave while you're there, all the better.

This evening Baird, Drew and I took a walk over to the pet store to buy crickets for Les.  An added bonus was the side show of a green parrot who was hanging out at check out, and decided to get to know Drew a bit better.

Celebrating a Mom-to-Be

This afternoon I had the privilege of attending Miss Megan's baby shower.  Drew was ring bearer in her wedding last spring.  The theme was classic children's books, and the food was centered around the book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar.  Congrats, Miss Megan.  I know you're going to make a great mom!

Bounty from the Farmer's Market

It's impossible to fully experience summertime in Oak Park without visiting the Farmer's Market on Saturday morning.  I love the sense of community I feel when visiting!  No matter what time we go to the market, we always run into people we know.  After Baird and I greeted several people we knew, Drew ran into a buddy he played soccer with this spring.

When the Farmer's Market first opens in May, the pickings are a bit slim.  By mid-July, however, the bounty is huge and varied.

When I'm planning meals for the week in the summer time, Saturday usually reads, "Farmer's Market Surprise."  This meal is almost always vegetarian, and includes whatever we picked up earlier that morning.  Large portions of the meal are grilled, and we often dine outside on the deck.

Tonight's menu:

Sweet Corn on the Cob

Hint-of-Lemon Green Beans

Peppery Grilled Eggplant

Classic Bruschetta

Grilled Portobellos with Sliced Garlic

Fresh Mixed Berries

It's My Birthday!

I spent a quiet day with my family for my birthday.  After being gone for the past four days, it was a wonderful gift.  The kids each presented me with presents funded with their own money.  Kelsey and Drew appealed to my sweet tooth and gave me favorite candy.  Erin gave me two pieces of pottery she worked on in art class this spring.

I opened cards from family and friends...and read the more than 100 birthday wishes that arrived via Facebook.  It was a perfect way to spend the first full day back with my family.

Back Together

Conference ended this afternoon.  I rejoined Baird and the kids, and we all went to the Art Institute.  Since it's free on Thursdays, the line to get in was well over a block long, but the place is so huge it didn't feel crowded.

Kelsey especially enjoyed the outing.  As we wondered around, Kelsey remarked that she recognized some of the pieces from her World History class this past year...and wished she'd paid a bit more attention.

After some classic culture, we headed to Hard Rock Cafe for current culture and dinner. 

It's great to have the 5 Ring Circus back together again!

Scenes from National Conference

Play Time

After being dolphin trainer for a day, Erin's learned how to catch the eye of the dolphins and play with them.  Today she spent several hours at the zoo.  She went to the dolphin show and then hung out in the underwater viewing area for awhile, playing with each dolphin as it swam by.  She was so effective in engaging the dolphins that other people stopped to watch.  I think she's well on her way to reaching her goal of being a dolphin trainer.

The Walking Tour

I mentioned yesterday about being in a larger cluster in my Pampered Chef business.  A lot of the out-of-towners only get to Chicago for Conference.  They are often so busy attending meetings and running to and from the hotel that they don't stop and see Chicago.  Our schedule was a little different this year, so we have more evenings free.  With tonight being a free night, I sponsored a walking tour.  We swung by Garrett's for some popcorn (how can you not?!) to cure the munchies while we walked.  Next stop:  the giant eyeball.

Until today I'd only read about the eyeball, I'd not seen it up close.  Frankly, it's as big and ugly as you've heard.  I'm a little surprised it hasn't shown up in any Visine commercials.

Next up:  "The Gardens."  I know that each little garden nook has its own name and personality, but I tend to refer to the whole stretch on the south side of Michigan Avenue, from about 10th Street, north to Millennium Park, as "The Gardens."  

If you've never taken the time to really explore this stretch of the City, please put it at the top of your Summer To Do List. Allow a few hours to meander among the colors and admire the sculptures. Slow down and count the butterflies. Take your shoes off and wade in the water at Crown Fountain. Stand under The Bean and take pictures. Stroll over to Buckingham Fountain as the sun heads to bed, and watch it slip behind the sky scrapers. Then turn north and watch the lights of the city twinkle to life at dusk.

I've lived in Chicagoland since 1986, and I've never gotten over how beautiful the city is.  I just love sharing it with people who don't live around here, because they also get excited about it.  If you live here, don't blow it off just because it's close - it's a world class place.

The Best of the Best

When I started my Pampered Chef business, I had the good fortune to land in Patti Mocerino's cluster and Nancy Jo Ryan's downline.  For those who don't speak Pampered Chef, that means I'm in the presence of greatness whenever our larger group gets together.  Nancy Jo has had the top selling sales organization within the company, 21 years straight.  Patti's cluster is always in the company's top 15.  Tonight's the first night of The Pampered Chef's national convention, so I'm staying downtown with about 6,000 other sales consultants for the next four days.  This evening we spent about 90 minutes learning from Ferial Yan who, over the past 18 years, has sold $2.3 million in Pampered Chef products.  She holds the record for highest career sales.  She's also 70% deaf.  She's amazing.

It's going to be a fun week, and I can't wait to network, learn, and be inspired.  Oh, and we're planning on partying a bit on the side too!

Tailgating for a Cause

This afternoon was another attempt to tailgate before a White Sox game, and this time, the weather cooperated.  Every year my friend Tracy puts on this spectacular event to raise funds for the Chicago White Sox Charities.  The food was great, and the raffle prizes were, as always, creatively named and true treasures for Sox fans:  items like a Bobby Jenks autographed jersey...a bat signed by Joe Crede...a perfect game package from Mark Buehrle.

And added bonus was getting to reconnect with another friend from college, Amy.  We hadn't seen each other since we graduated back in the day.  Tracy was kind enough to seat us together, and we spent the game catching up on our lives.

Thanks, Tracy, for another great event!

Family Visit at the Zoo

When people ask about my extended family, eventually the following phrases work their way into the conversation:

"I grew up in Iowa"

"My entire family still lives there"
"I'm the only one who left and didn't return"

We are usually the ones who travel to connect with our relatives in Iowa.  I've mentioned before about how much I enjoy those trips back home.  That being said, I get so excited when my parents or my siblings come to visit me, I'm almost giddy.  Today we were thrilled to meet my little brother and his family at the zoo.  Baby Lyd has grown up so much since we last saw her!

Thanks, little bro, for making this zoo trip extra special!  It was so great to see you again!

Flash Back

When Drew was much younger, he loved playing with his Thomas the Tank Engine trains and track.  He and SiMi spent countless hours at each other's houses, setting up elaborate passageways and inventing endless stories about their trains.

This afternoon, we brought J home with us after hanging out at the pool (J is a family friend who sort of acts as the little brother Drew's never going to have).  J found the old track pieces and started setting it up.  Drew helped him.  It brought back a lot of sweet memories for me!

Gushing about Gremolata

One of the things I love about being married to Baird is that he appreciates a strong, bold flavor at mealtime.  Whether it's a balsamic vinegar-based marinade for grilled steak-and-potato shish kabob or traditional cucumber salad spiked with serrano peppers, I know I'll get a hearty "Wow! That was fantastic!" instead of just "Thanks for dinner" when I crank up the seasonings.

Gremolata is one of those garnishes that lends some outright pizzaz to a dish.  Traditional gremolata was born in Italy and sprinkled over osso buco (veal shank and veggies served with risoto).  The basic ingredients are minced parlsey, lemon and garlic. I don't serve veal at home, but I've found that gremolata goes really well with chicken.

I love gremolata for its simplicity.  With just a few common ingredients, I can seriously up the ante in the flavor of my dish.

The other thing I love about gremolata is that I can use just about any fresh herb in my garden and it works.  Thyme gremolata is amazing.  So is rosemarry.  This evening I adapted a recipe from Cooking Light and made mint gremolata with pine nuts.  Yes.  I am aware that by adding pine nuts to my gremolata, I'm on a slippery slope toward pesto.  I don't care.  I absolutely love pine nuts, especially when they're toasted, chopped up, and thrown in with fresh herbs from my garden, who are also hanging out with lemon and garlic.
 

Here's the recipe:

3/4 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves

1/4 cup fresh parsley

1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted (divided)

2 tsp. grated lemon rind

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 tsp. kosher salt, or to taste

Toast pine nuts until fragrant and slightly browned.  Measure out 2 Tbs. of pine nuts; cool and set aside for use in gremolata.  Snack on the rest of the nuts.

Place mint, parsley, 2 Tbs. pine nuts, lemon rind and garlic in food processor; process just until combined.  Add olive oil and salt; process to combine.  Cover and set aside at room temperature until chicken is ready for garnish.  Sparingly spoon over chicken.  Remember:  this is a garnish, and a little goes a long way.

I served my gremolata over grilled citrus chicken.  For the chicken, I mixed fresh lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper, and then lightly coated the meat.  I made jasmine rice to go with it, and honestly, the gremolata complemented the slightly sweet flavor of the rice quite well.  Slapping some fresh spinach and watermellon on the table kept the meal from looking washed out.
Yum.  I'm so glad there's leftovers for lunch tomorrow!

Linguistics

Conversation with Drew usually involves sports, in one form or another.  Usually he's sharing a statistic or his take on a recent trade.  Sometimes he'll bring up a team's current streak ("Sox have won 11 straight, Mom.  You know, that hasn't happened since before you were born" or "The Cubs have 12 errors in their last 9 games.  No wonder they're not winning.").  On the way home from the pool this afternoon, Drew was able to work sports into a conversation about language:

Drew:  Mom, did you know I'm quadlingual?
Me:  No, really?
Drew:  Yea.  I speak English, Pokemon, Sports, and Japanese.  But I'm not fluent in Japanese yet, so I guess that makes me trilingual-and-a-half.  Or something like that.

Pool Time

Every summer for the past 13 years, the 5 Ring Circus has had pool passes.  Since we live just a couple of blocks from Rehm Pool, we're usually there several days a week, for an hour or two, weather permitting.  I realized that, like 4 Square, hanging out at the pool is something that is done so frequently, I sort of take it for granted, and I have next to no pictures showing where our summer afternoons are often spent.  Today I decided to take my camera to memorialize our pool days.

Another reason I love Oak Park and Rehm Pool: within 30 minutes of arriving at the pool today, Drew ran into 17 people he knew.  I reconnected with several people I hadn't seen in awhile.  That sense of community is priceless!