No Recipe Here

Hello blog of mine.  My name is Emily.  I used to come around here often. Long time no see.  

I come to my blog site at least once a week.  I parooze what is going on with the other food blogs that I follow, get some inspiration for recipes, and I find myself in awe of how often I used to be able to blog.  At first, every other day or so, then a solid 2-3 times a week, and now...well....we know how my posting productivity has been lately.  I miss it.  I often get the question "are you going to blog anymore" or "when is the last time you posted".  My response is usually "I've been busy" but I think we are all busy in life, so I don't know if that is a valid excuse.  I also follow that up with "I've been cooking, just not taking pictures throughout the whole process".

I like the documentation that blogging allows for.  Not only does it let me show-off what I've been cooking, and give my readers some ideas for things to make in the kitchen, but it is also a diary of sorts that documents what is going on in my life and it makes for a great keepsake.  I don't know which direction I want to take the blog from here, but I want to keep those 2 things prevalent - food and highlights of what's going on these days.

Who knew that all it would take would be for Andy to turn on "Meet the Press"on this fine Sunday morning, and here I steer straight for the blog.  I'll have you know it is 11:00 am on Sunday morning and Heidi Swanson's Cabbage and Bean Soup has already been made and Rick Bayless' Pork and Tomatillos Stew with Pickled Jalapenos is already going in the crock pot.  See?  I cook.  I promise.

Andy and I are on a new routine when it comes to food and grocery shopping.  When I lived on my own, I often ran into the grocery store about 3-4 times a week and that store was almost always Whole Foods.  I'll admit that I spent WAY too much money there because absolutely everything always looked good.   I could not walk out of there without a container of the Yellowfin Tuna salad and some really nice block of cheese.  I would workout at the gym, swing by the store, and whip up something quick for dinner.  I would pick a slightly time-intesive meal to make on the weekend and would call it a week.  I could get by on apple/peanut butter for lunch or even some oatmeal with banana and peanut butter.  Buying lunch at work was never an option, and that still holds true.

It is not possible for Andy to get by on apple and peanut butter for lunch, so I've learned to cook while making enough to have leftovers.  GASP.  Eat the same thing twice?  Never used to happen.  But that isn't very practical these days.  These days, I spend the week paging through cookbooks, browsing the food blogs, and making a list of everything that will be on the menu for the week (lunches included).  

I make a big list: groceries on one side and meals to make, what day to make them, and what page to find them in what cookbook on the other side.  My 2 go-to cookbooks these days are Heidi Swanson's "Super Natural Every Day" and "Giada's Kitchen".  I like them both because they 1. don't have a mile long list of ingredients for the dishes and 2. they are all relatively easy and quick to make.

And get this.....we grocery shop on Friday night....at Jewel.  I mean is that exciting or what?  And this is the only time we go to store during the week.  And I'll have you know that Jewel is very busy on a Friday night in the city.  I'm not the only one with this plan.  My weekend is much more relaxing knowing the grocery shopping is already done - Andy can confirm this to be true.

In other news....you might have missed the fact that I had a little surgery.  Things are on the up and up and I'm making progress each day.  Haven't quite ditched the crutches yet, but I'm hoping to do that soon.  This new "compression" style implant in my leg, should be longer lasting than the one I previously had, which is awesome news.  Thank you Dr. Gitelis for fixing me.

I had a lot of time at home while being laid up after surgery and spent time making my own gift tags for presents this year....

And to top it off, we got a really great family photo in the Fall of 2011.

Oh....and Andy finished Ironman Wisconsin in September.  I made a video about the day here.

So there you have it.  We shall see where we go from here.

Herbed Chickpea Patties

Wow. July 6th. The last time I have blogged. Busy would be an understatement. A lot can happen in 41 days. I will do by best to be short, sweet, and to the point.

This past weekend was the Xsport Fitness Rock 'n' Roll 1/2 Marathon benefiting the American Cancer Society. It was a fun, inspirational, and exhausting weekend. The alarm clock was set for 1:45am on race morning. At what time does one go to bed when they have to get up at 1:45 in the morning? Good question. It was an early day, but so worth the reward of seeing our 190 runners cross the finish line. I even got to see one of my favorite DetermiNation athletes - Kristin McQueen. Kristin is hoping to raise $70,000 this year for the 70,000 young adults that are diagnosed with cancer each year. Go big or go home McQueen.

Then, there was the move. Moving is exhausting. The packing, the unpacking, the moving of boxes (or more like dragging across the floor), the changing of addresses on every piece of mail that comes, the going through closets and drawers, and the logistics behind it all, is just a lot of work. I gave away multiple bags of clothes, and could probably have given away more, and tried to de-clutter as much as possible. Overall, I think I succeeded.

I've been living in the downtown area ever since I moved to Chicago, first on the 32nd floor in the Gold Coast neighborhood and then the 11th floor Streeterville. For this move, I've headed north to the Lakeview neighborhood. The commute is just a bit longer, but everything else is just oh so much better.

I can bike to the gym, which is just .8 miles away from the apartment. I have the cutest Starbucks just around the block that has the best outdoor patio with tons of shaded, outdoor seating. I'm just steps from the brown line, not that I take the brown line, but if I need to take the el, it is right there. There are neighborhood restaurants, bars, and cute stores to shop and browse through. It is steps from Wrigley Field. So far, I love everything about the area.

Then, there was a trip out to Seattle for the Seattle Rock 'n' Roll Marathon and 1/2 Marathon. I was out there to work, but was able to get a little bit of sightseeing in. I had never been to Seattle before and would like to go to take more time to explore the city. Of course, visiting the flagship Starbucks was on my to-do list, as well as walking through Pike's Place Market. The Starbucks was smaller than I was envisioning it, and was almost a bit touristy. If I lived in the city, I think I would avoid that Starbucks at all cost.

The fish market was also smaller than I envisioned. I didn't get to see any flying fish, but I also didn't stick around that long to see it happen. If I had been near a grill, I would have been one happy camper shopping here.

The Herbed Chickpea Patties that I'm talking about below, is a dish that Andy and I have made multiple times already. It's actually one of Andy's top requested dishes for the week. It is healthy, easy to put together, and utilizes quite a few seasonal ingredients. There are quite a few staples on the grocery list on a weekly basis, and chickpeas are definitely one of those staples. I easily come out of the store with at least 4 cans of chickpeas for just a week of recipes.

This recipe does require the use of a food processor, but other than that, it quickly comes together. It's a great summer meal, that is meat free, and oh so good. Give it a try.

Herbed Chickpea Patties

adapted from "A year in a vegetarian kitchen" by Jack Bishop

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1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves

1/2 cup packed fresh parsley leaves

1 medium garlic clove, peeled

2 cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained

2 teaspoons ground cumin

Salt and pepper

1 medium head of romaine lettuce, chopped

2 tomatoes, cored and chopped

1 medium cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, and chopped

1 tablespoon tahini

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

5 tablespoons olive oil

Put the cilantro, parsley, and garlic in a food processor and process until finely ground. Add the chickpeas, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste and process until the mixture forms a coarse puree. Adjust the seasonings, adding salt and pepper to taste. Shape the mixture into 4 large patties.

Put the lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumber in a large bowl. Whisk the tahini, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of oil and salt and pepper to taste together in a small bowl. Set the salad and dressing aside separately.

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the remaining oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the chickpea patties and cook until golden brown on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Turn the patties and drizzle the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil around the edges of the pan. Continue cooking until the patties are golden brown on the second side, about 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, toss the salad with the tahini dressing. Divide the salad among four individual plates. Top each portion of salad with 2 patties. Serve immediately.

Macaroni Salad

6 days. It's been a busy, relaxing, productive, and not so productive mini vacation from work. If only there were 6 day vacations built into every month, one could get a lot done.

Celebrating the big 2-9: I don't like to do much for my birthday. I don't like to make a big deal about it and I don't necessarily love the attention that the big day brings. I do however, like to do a few small things to celebrate and make it a special day, and that is what I did this year. There was a Wednesday night pre-birthday dinner at Cafe 28 with the family. The next day, Mom and I got pedicures, had lunch sitting outside in the sun, drank coffee (it's really what we do best), and we did some shopping without actually buying anything.

Mom and Dad: Is there something you want for your birthday?

Me: Not really. I don't need anything.

Mom and Dad: Are you sure?

Me: Well, maybe there is something I want.

Mom and Dad: What is it?

Me: A bike.

So yes. As of next Tuesday or Wednesday (it's been ordered), I am the proud new owner of a hybrid bike. A bike that can be ridden outside. Down by the lake. Through the neighborhoods. A bike that can get you outside to exercise and get some fresh air. A bike that I will ride very carefully and not fall off (I promise Mom).

The birthday ended with a dinner at Topolobampo. Andy and I made reservations 3 months prior, and to say the least, my expectations were ridiculously high. We both decided to ditch the vegetarian gig and just blow it out of the water. We each got the 5 course tasting menu. Here is how most of the discussion went that night.....

Me: Is this not the best meal you have ever had?

Andy: Yea, it's really good.

(5 minutes later)

Me: Oh my god. This is just the best meal I've ever had.

Andy: I'm glad you like it so much.

(5 minutes later)

Me: I just cannot get over how good this food is.

Andy: Yes, honey, it's really good.

(5 minutes later)

Me: This is my new special occasion restaurant. This is so good. My expectations have been exceeded.

So needless to say, Rick Bayless, you did not disappoint. It was amazing, over the top, good. I can't believe I was lucky enough to eat there. Surely a 29th birthday I will never forget.

A few days at Snow Lake: On Friday morning, a group of us headed to Snow Lake, Indiana to celebrate Lindsay's bachelorette party. A quick 2 days of friends, sun, relaxation, and fun. You can't beat a relaxing view like this.

4th of July: For the 4th, Andy and I were headed over to Ben and Anne's for a cookout. And just like all normal 4th of July barbecues that you might be used to attending, this one was completely meat free. No ribs, pork chops, burgers, or barbecue at this house. Instead, we did homemade hummus with homemade pita chips, baked beans, an avocado lettuce salad (I brought this), a macaroni salad (talking about it here) and veggie burgers. Thanks Ben and Anne for going along. They didn't disappoint and suggested we go above and beyond and do a taste test of 3 different veggie burgers.

Over the past week, this macaroni salad seemed to be popping up everywhere in the food blog world. Heidi Swanson. Amanda and Merril on Food 52. Emily Phillips on The View from the 32nd Floor. Oh wait, that's me. I was talking with Mom about what to take and she recommended this Macaroni Salad. I know what you are thinking. Macaroni Salad. Eh. Ick. No thank you. It sounds like a bowl of elbow noodles, drenched in mayo, without much flavor at all. I'm right there with you.

This recipe is far from your typical picnic macaroni salad. Ingredients include, green onions, lemon zest, olive oil, arugula, and a heavy turn of the pepper mill. It's fresh. It's simple. It keeps well when sitting out on the counter for awhile. It can be made the day before. It's relatively inexpensive. And. It's good.

Macaroni Salad

adapted from Heidi Swanson

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1 pound elbow macaroni

1/4 cup olive oil

4 cups thinly sliced green onions

3 medium garlic cloves, chopped

salt and black pepper

zest and juice of one lemon

1/3 cup grated Parmesan

4 handfuls arugula

1 apple, diced

Cook the macaroni in a large pot of well salted water per package instructions. Set aside at least 1/2 cup pasta water. Drain pasta.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet until hot. Add most of the green onions, all of the garlic, and a pinch of salt. Cook until the onions soften, and the garlic begins to take on some color, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for a couple of minutes.

Use a hand blender or food processor to puree the green onion mixture along with 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, zest of the lemon, half of the lemon juice, and the reserved pasta water. Puree and taste. Stir in the Parmesan.

Combine the macaroni with the green onion sauce in a large bowl. Toss well. Add the arugula and most of the apple and toss again. Taste, and add more pepper, salt or lemon juice if needed. Serve topped with the remaining apple and green onion.

Sweet Corn Ice Cream w/Corn Cake

Sorry Dad, but you are making an appearance on the blog today in honor of the Father's Day weekend - I knew you would really appreciate the publicity. Andy and I headed out to Crystal Lake to play 9 holes of golf with Mom and Dad. Mom made about 22 different tee times, as I couldn't quite pinpoint a time for our arrival. Apparently, lots of people leave the city on a Sunday afternoon, head out to the suburbs, thus creating quite a bit of traffic.

I haven't played golf in oh....15 years maybe. Putt putt doesn't really count, and unless you count the Friday afternoon at the driving range this past week, I golf just about as often as I read a good classic novel. Rarely. When I hit them, I hit them good. When I don't swing too well, it shows. I suppose all golfers feel that way though. If everyone always hits them good, it wouldn't be much of a sport. If only my scores in Wii Golf would carry over, I'd be set. I was happy to chip and putt a few balls every so often throughout the 9 holes, but driving the golf cart, and enjoying the company of the afternoon is what I was there for.

As usual, Dad did most of the cooking, despite it being a day for him. We wouldn't have it any other way. We had grilled hamburgers, grilled talapia for Andy and I, cucumber/tomato/feta salad, and potato wedges. A wonderful home-cooked meal.

As I start to pack-up the apartment once again, it is time to analyze the items that I have in my kitchen. What do I keep and what could I do without? What am I using and what was a fad that has since passed? One thing that is a stand-by for sure is the food processor. How can one make sweet corn ice cream without the assistance of a food processor? It stays. The spiral vegetable peeler? Well, that is in the questionable pile. If I haven't used it in the past year, it goes. The same will hold true for my closet, which is why you may see me wearing sandals that I haven't worn in the past year. If I get a wear in now, they can surely make the trip to the new place. I'm glad I can make my own rules for these sorts of things.

But this ice cream. It's odd, I know. You may think you don't like it, but you will.

Me: So....what did you think of the ice cream?

Andy: It tastes like vanilla.

Well, there you have it folks. No matter what flavor of crazy ice cream I make, it always seems to taste like vanilla. I need to work on that. So it is a subtle corn flavor. Maybe the freshness of the corn has something to do with it? I don't know, but it sure is fun trying different flavors of ice cream. Thanks Rick Bayless for the recipe. I'll be dining at Topolobampo on Thursday, so this dish just might be on the menu.

Sweet Corn Ice Cream

adapted from Rick Bayless

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3 ears fresh sweet corn

1 1/2 cups half-and-half
4 egg yolks
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/3 cups heavy cream
1/3 cup evaporated milk

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon,

2 tablespoon orange liqueur
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Set up a 4-quart saucepan, filled halfway with water, into which you can nestle a 3-quart stainless steel bowl. Bring the pot of water to a boil over high heat while you're preparing the custard base.

Husk the corn and pull off all the silk. Cut the kernels from the ears and measure 2 cups. Scoop into a blender and add the half-and-half. Blend until smooth. In the 3-quart stainless steel bowl, stir together the egg yolks and sugar until thoroughly combined. Add the corn mixture and whisk to combine thoroughly. Reduce the temperature under the pot of boiling water to maintain a gentle simmer.

Set the bowl of custard base over the simmering water and whisk frequently, until the mixture thickens noticeably, about 20 minutes. The custard is sufficiently cooked when it reaches 180 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. Pour the base through a medium-mesh strainer into another bowl.

Fill a large bowl halfway with ice. Nestle the custard into the ice and whisk regularly until completely cool. Refrigerate if not using immediately.

Stir the heavy cream, evaporated milk, cinnamon, orange liqueur and lime juice into the base. Freeze in an ice cream freezer according to the manufacturer's directions. Scrape into a freezer container and freeze for several hours to firm.

Gingerbread Scones

This 5-day weekend of mine is slowly coming to a close. How does that happen? A birthday celebration on Thursday and Friday with Mom, a trip to Milwaukee with Andy for a wedding and then the Cardinals/Brewers game the next day, and finally a day for just plain catching up.

Thursday: Mom and I are really good at fluffing away the day when spending it together in the city. We always claim that the day goes too quickly. In honor of Mom's birthday, I thought we would spend the day in the new neighborhood and get acquainted with some of the local things going on in and around Southport. I've driven by the apartment so many times since officially renting it, that I'm convinced the neighbors think there is a new neighborhood stalker. I just like driving by it. Last week at 8pm, I was sort of in the area and thought, I wonder what's going on at the apartment at 8pm on a Wednesday - so why not drive by, right?

Instead of doing the normal Starbucks routine, we thought a trip to Julius Meinl would be fun. I ordered an Americano. What a perfect presentation. I hesitated pulling out the camera to take a picture, as we had already made a scene picking a table and ordering from the counter, so I didn't want to draw any more attention to our table - but took the picture anyway. I mean, when am I ever going to see these people again? Oh wait......

A couple of weeks ago, Andy and I had lunch on a Friday afternoon at Southport Grocery - which is also in the new neighborhood. You know who lunches on Friday here? Young mothers, with one of their other girlfriends, and their very young babies. Despite the presence of young children (I'm sure they'll eventually grow on me), I loved it and knew it would make a great lunch spot for Mom and I. I'm already a big fan of the beet salad with fresh goat cheese and the bruschetta with eggs and fresh tomato sauce.

I was also lucky enough to spend a weekend at home in Crystal Lake at the very beginning of June. It doesn't happen to often, and it was just so nice to be at home for longer than 3-4 hours at a time. Chloe can't contain her excitement to have me home, spending some time in the kitchen - as you can obviously tell.

I decided to wake up and make breakfast for the 3 of us while at home on Sunday. Mom warned me that there weren't too many options in the pantry, so I took that into consideration when picking a recipe. This scone doesn't contain any nuts or pieces of dried fruit - which means that if you have the normal pantry staples + molasses, you should be able to whip these up without a trip to the grocery store.

Mom makes jet-fuel strength coffee. I always credit my love of strong coffee to her. These Gingerbread scones are wonderful - and guess what - they go perfectly with a strong cup of coffee. The 3 of us sat at the island in the kitchen, reading the paper, drinking coffee, and eating scones. You can't ask for a better Sunday morning.

They come together very easily. Since I seem to be making scones on a regular basis, I've decided to ditch the step of rolling them out and cutting them into triangles. While it might look just a bit fancier, it is much easier (and faster) to drop them onto the baking sheet. Give these a whirl!

Gingerbread Scones

adapted from Epicurious.com

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2 cups flour

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cloves

6 tablespoons butter, chilled and cut into cubes

1/3 cup milk

2 eggs

4 tablespoons molasses

1 tablespoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 375. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Blend first 6 ingredients in a food processor. Add butter and process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add milk, eggs, molasses and vanilla to the processor and mix until combined and dough forms. Drop scones into 1/4 cup piles and flatten into round disc on the baking sheet.

Bake for 25 minutes. Serve warm.

Stout Cupcakes with Stout Glaze

Apartment hunting. Moving. Going through closets. Pairing down what I have. Loving an apartment, only to find out it has already been rented. Thinking you are looking at the apartment of your dreams, only to find that the pictures don't accurately describe the actual product. Who enjoys any of that? As much as I love looking at apartments online, and thinking about what could be, it is somewhat overwhelming with all of the possibilities that are out there. On a typical night, I could easily email 15 people asking to see an apartment that they are currently listing. I can't tell you how many times, realtors respond and say they can show me a place, and I think to myself, what in the world was this apartment like? Did it have everything I am looking for? Was it in the area I want? It is quite often a blind showing with me crossing my fingers behind my back, hoping it is something I am interested in.

I initially moved to Chicago in 2007 and spent 2 years living on the 32nd floor. For the past 2 years, I've spent my time on the 11th floor. And yet again, I find myself getting ready to pack up the boxes again and moving to a different location. It is exciting. I can't wait. I'm giddy. On August 1st, I will be reporting to you from the first floor of a walkup apartment. I will give more details once they are finalized. The view isn't what it was on the 32nd floor, I'll give you that, but in my mind, the view out the front window doesn't matter.

When looking at a new apartment, the key item for me, outside of a garage parking spot and in unit laundry, of course, but ultimately, I'm eyeing up the kitchen space. How many cabinets are there? Can it hold all of the pots and pans I have accumulated over the past 4 years? I've decided that the new place can withstand the Le Creuset pots that I have on hand, but the gigantic, 18 inch diameter cake carrier? It might have to go. I'm going to make a pile at some point. 1 pile will have everything I use on a regular basis, and the other pile will be "do I really need this". I'll see what makes the cut.

I'm not a big cupcake person. I'm actually not a cake person either. I don't really like cookies or brownies, and unless you are serving ice cream or creme brulee, I probably won't bite at ordering dessert. Andy and I have been frequenting Annette's Ice Cream in the Lincoln Park area. I love their homemade flavors of ice cream. Favorites right now include Anniversary ice cream with M&M's, and Banana Pudding ice cream with oreo topping. The line is always long, but nothing beats walking down the block, standing in line for a scoop of ice cream, and eating the ice cream before it melts on the way home.

Birthdays are the exception to cupcakes and cakes. And by exception, I do mean, that I am willing to bake either of those options in my kitchen. You won't find me baking a cake on a random Sunday afternoon. Instead, you will find me at Annette's, waiting in line for my scoop of ice cream. But the birthday bell rings and I decided to make cupcakes for Miss Kacy's birthday. I do own Martha Stewart's Cupcakes book and thought it would be an ideal resource to find a recipe. If you know Kacy, you know she has an aversion to Guinness. So I thought, why not make stout cupcakes?! An obvious decision, right?

As cheesy, corny, and over-the-top boring that Martha Stewart can be, she does have great ideas and great recipes. Every cookie and cupcake that I have made from her cookbooks have been winners. And this does not disappoint. The cupcakes are moist, molasses flavored, and not overly sweet. I like them because there is not a thick frosting on top of the cupcake. The stout glaze is just the right amount of sweet for the cake. A real winner.

Stout Cupcakes with Stout Glaze

adapted from Martha Stewart's "Cupcakes"

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3 3/4 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon blus 1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1 3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 1/4 cups vegetable oil

1 1/4 cups molasses

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 whole eggs plus 1 egg yolk

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon orange zest

1 1/4 cups Guinness, poured and settled

Preheat oven to 350. Grease muffin tin or line with paper. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. With a mixer, on medium low speed, beat oil, molasses, brown sugar, eggs, zest, and stout until combined. Reduce speed to low and gradually add flour mixture until combined.

Pour batter, filling each 3/4 full. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Place onto wire racks to cool completely.

Glaze Ingredients

2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup Guinness, poured and settled

Whisk together the powdered sugar and Guinness. Pour over cooled cupcakes.

Homemade Banana Ice Cream

There is something amazing about a 3-day weekend. Does the world not seem more manageable with 3 days to spend away from your normal everyday work routine? Gosh. I just love it. The weather here in Chicago can't really seem to make up its mind....which let's be honest....that isn't unusual. Semi-nice day on Friday. Humid, cloudy and rainy on Saturday. Dark as night, cold, and pouring down rain on Sunday. 90 degrees, gorgeous, and sunny on Monday. Make up your mind Chicago. Somehow, one nice day in every so often around here, makes all the other not so nice days completely worth it.

Saturday: For the past 4 years, Memorial Day means event weekend for our DetermiNation team at the Soldier Field 10 Miler. Runners love it because they can finish on the 50 yard line at Soldier Field. I love it because it is an event without an expo and one that it is not overwhelmingly stressful. I can take time to enjoy the excitement of race morning, take time to chat with committee members who are running or volunteering for the day, and chat with our runners to learn why they are running for our organization. I love the folks at Fleet Feet who put on the race, and all in all, it makes for a great start to the weekend.

Saturday night, Andy and I ventured out to see Hangover 2 on opening weekend. I live in what you could call a touristy area, and often avoid hanging around some of the locations within walking distance to my apartment - the movie theater now being one of them. I've learned my lesson. Don't go to this movie theater on opening weekend on a Saturday night for a popular movie....especially on a cold and rainy day when there is nothing else in the world to do. After waiting 20 minutes in line to get 1 bucket of popcorn and 2 drinks, I declared aloud that "we are never coming back here". I do believe the workers there were popping the popcorn 1 kernel at a time, and freshly carbonating the Diet Coke for each individual customer. That has to be the answer. Why else would one wait in line for 20 minutes with 6 people in front of them?

Sunday: As if seeing Kristin McQueen (pictured center above) once over the weekend wasn't enough, we decided to venture out to downtown Naperville to do dinner and a movie. Girls choice, we picked Bridesmaids. Funny movie in parts. A little slow in the middle, but overall a good see. Not great, but good. I spent all week on Yelp for downtown Naperville looking at restaurant reviews. By the time Sunday night arrived, I could easily rattle off all the non-chain restaurants, how many reviews they received, what they were known for, and highlights of the menu. I think I have a sickness in over-analyzing dinner options. I'll say that Naperville has a lot to offer, despite being outside of the Chicago city limits. And to top off the night, we stopped and got ice cream at Cookie Dough Creations. The name says it all. They serve their ice cream with a scoop of cookie dough on top. Genius? I do believe so.

Monday: Andy and I decided to follow suit from last year's Memorial Day weekend and have lunch while sitting outside at Rosebud in Little Italy. I like the idea of tradition. Last year's Memorial Day weekend was perfect, so I aimed to have this one be just the same. What's not to like about tradition? There is a great little Italian deli that is located in that area (I believe I've mentioned it many times before), and they always have amazing basil plants lining the street for sale. Have lunch, grab some basil, and call it a great day.

Me: Oh no. I don't see the basil plants outside. Maybe the basil isn't out yet.

Andy: It just might be inside. Is it open?

Me: (looking at the sign on the door that says "Closed for Memorial Day"). It's closed. Didn't we do this last year?

Andy: I think we were here on a Sunday.

Me: (defeated) Oh.

So we had to resort to plan B, which slightly throws off the tradition, but it is the thought that counts. We ended up getting the basil from Whole Foods, the small bag of soil too. Sorry to let you down on this one Dad. Potting soil from Whole Foods and not from Countryside or Home Depot, wouldn't be your first choice I know, but it was convenient.

The phrase "it doesn't get much better than this" came out of my mouth today when describing the weekend. It truly is the little things in life. And I'm lucky to have such wonderful days sometimes.

This recipe is perfect for the Memorial Day weekend - homemade banana ice cream. It's hot. You are outside at picnics and bbq's. Nothing ends the weekend like a great scoop of ice cream. There is nothing fancy or out of the ordinary about this recipe. I had some ripe bananas laying around, and thought a banana ice cream would be the perfect remedy. The recipe is from a generic ice cream maker recipe book. I swapped out some of the white sugar for brown sugar, as I believe it gives the dish more flavor, I added more vanilla, and added some cinnamon. This ice cream tasted like you are biting into a warm slice of banana bread. So good. Let your bananas ripen, and make this treat for the summer.

Homemade Banana Ice Cream

adapted from this website

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2 cups milk

2 cups heavy cream

2 eggs, beaten 3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 bananas, pureed or mashed into a paste

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 teaspoons cinnamon

In a saucepan, combine the milk, cream, eggs, sugar and salt. Cook and stir over low heat until mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon. Refrigerate the mixture until cool. Combine the cooled custard with the bananas, vanilla and cinnamon. Pour into freezer container. Freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions.