Another Foodie Film Fest

Mel and I got together for one last foodie film fest before school's out in another few weeks.  I brought my bacon and chive popovers.  See if you can find the well-dressed lady on a star background in the popover in the front row.  This little surprise piece of artwork was brought about by bacon and chives.

Adding a popover to crispy green beans with hints of smokey paprika...

...and garlic-thyme potato pieces...

...made today's lunch just incredible!

Mel had initially thought about making soup, but decided to switch gears and made this lovely lunch instead.  Just when I think the food at her house can't get any better, Mel comes up with something like this and it was just incredible!

We sat down with these gorgeous plates of food made from scratch and watched Food, Inc.  This is a must-see movie that's very thought provoking.  I've mentioned before that I like to know where my food comes from.  Watch this movie and you'll agree.

Cooking Class

My friend Tracy is one of the most giving people I know.  She always has a project going on, whether its organizing delivery of bottled water to those in Tennesssee whose lives have been upended by the recent flooding, or cooking meals at a Ronald McDonald House, or doing a breast cancer walk.  While there's always a "project du jour," Tracy's passion these last few years has been her annual White Sox tailgate party that raises hundreds of dollars for White Sox Charities as well as charities that benefit her home town of Sycamore.
Tonight Tracy joined me in my kitchen, and I taught her how to make Jamaican Jerk Chicken Salad, one of my all-time favorite meals.  This salad is under consideration as possible tailgate food.  We talked over what parts can be made ahead and how to tweak the recipe so it will hold up well in July heat.  Tracy doesn't cook hardly at all, so I taught her how to handle and trim raw chicken and showed her how to use a "big knife."
Even if it's decided that this recipe won't be used at the Tailgate party, I'm happy knowing I spent time with a good friend, and I was able to send her home with a fantastic recipe.

Mud Bath

It's been cold and rainy since Saturday, so soccer practice was iffy today. Mid-afternoon, an email came down from Strikers declaring Thatcher Woods was fit for practice, but it was very muddy. "You might want to bring a plastic bag for your child's cleats after practice" was the advice they gave.

Somehow, I don't think that those who wrote the email envisioned the Girls U14Navy/Pacific team would look like this when it was all said and done. I hardly recognized Erin as she walked to the car. All I could do was laugh. Erin's response to having practice on a day like today?

Best.Practice.Ever.

Skyping with Baird

Baird's in training this week in San Francisco.  We recently set up a Skype account at home so Erin could keep in touch with her Croatian friends.  Tonight we used it to connect with Baird.  It's so efficient to have everyone gathered around the computer and take turns talking about the day.  It reminded me a bit of being around the family dinner table.  The kids, especially Drew, were excited to have this time to connect.

Mother's Day

In the 15 years since I became a mom (has it really been that long?!), I've learned a few things:

*I did my best parenting before I had children
*I never knew how intense (for good and bad) my emotions could run

*I'm an imperfect parent raising imperfect children in an imperfect world...and so is everyone else

*There are fewer things in life that are more humbling than a child's love and adoration

I could go on and on, but suffice it to say that I love being a mom.  I wouldn't trade it for anything.

This is the special surprise Kelsey and Erin made for me last night:  the letter M (for Mom) baked in chocolate cake made from scratch with chocolate frosting, trimmed with purple frosting.  It was rich and delicious!

And as an added bonus, Erin scored her first goal of the spring season this afternoon!

Thanks, family, for being exactly who you are.  I wouldn't trade you or change you no matter what!

Collaborating on a Surprise

Kelsey and Erin kicked me out of the house for a few hours this evening in order to work on a Mother's Day surprise for me. Baird and I grabbed a quick bite to eat and hung out at Border's Bookstore for awhile until the girls called to say it was safe to come back home. This is what they presented me with when I walked thru the door:

It's the remnants of whatever it is they baked for me.  They called this a modern-day sculpture.  I'm not quite sure what to make of it, but I can tell you that they had a blast working together, and I can't wait 'til tomorrow to see what they made for me!

Hawks Cup

Erin played in the Hawks Cup Mother's Day Weekend Tournament in Oak Brook today.  Despite the bitter cold temperatures (42 degrees, cloudy, windy and rainy), she battled hard and hung tough.  Even tho I wore my winter coat, hat and gloves, I was absolutely chilled to the bone by the end of the second game.  I broke down and turned the heat on when we got home.