Monthly Meal Wrap Up for April

I checked out a bunch of cookbooks from the library again and this month I made a couple things from Katie Lee's Endless Summer Cookbook. The biggest success were these healthy banana oat muffins!

Who knew that spelt flour bakes so nicely? I'm super glad this recipe gave me the excuse to buy some, and now I'm going to use it instead of whole wheat. We also made her recipe for a creamy chipotle sauce to use in lieu of our usual cilantro lime sauce on fish tacos and is was delicious. 
We also tried this Mexican Lasagna recipe from The Kitchn. It was tasty, but I'd use almost half the suggested noodles next time.

I happened to catch Trisha Yearwood's show on Food Network and decided to try her Pork Medallions recipe which we'd definitely make again! 

I didn't catch what the 'ginger sauce' was or where to find it, so I used Trader Joe's Soyaki for both the Teriyaki and ginger sauce the recipe calls for and it turned out great.
Speaking of Trader Joe's... ZOMG, the cauliflower gnocchi is TO DIE FOR - that is, if you are a fan of gnocchi. 

I do enjoy cauliflower, but if it's not your thing, I'd still try them. They taste like perfect pillowy gnocchi, with the added bonus of more fiber and veggies! As per the advice from the peeps at Trader Joe's List, I just sauteed them from frozen instead of steaming them in water per the package directions and they come out great. I've been heating them up with some sauteed onion, garlic and butternut squash.
And last, but not least, we went on our first Spring Break family vacation in April! Since this focus of this trip was sightseeing and family fun, I didn't delve too deep into foodie mode like our previous trips. However, we did enjoy some fun local eats. On advice from a San Diegan friend, we hit up Mona Lisa Pizza in Little Italy which was so adorable, so reminiscent of little family owned Chicago eateries, and delicious comfort food: chicken Parmesan, stuffed shells, lasagna, garlic bread and of course, the kids (and adults) loved the pizza!

Another recommendation that was a hit for brunch: Breakfast Republic. My kids were over the moon for the pancake trio with choices like cinnamon roll, Oreo cookie and strawberry cheesecake.

I cannot resist eggs Benedict and their mushroom and pesto version with SPINACH HOLLANDAISE was to die for. Plus you can upgrade your potatoes with Brussels sprouts!

At the end of our trip, we decided to take the kids out for a 'fancy' dinner. Since they both eat steak at home, we decided on Ruth's Chris as they actually have a kid size steak on the kid's menu. Although, in the future we'll probably have to order the eleven year old the adult size portion! They were so adorably striving to act like grownups in the 'fancy' restaurant, and the looks on their faces when their virgin daiquiris arrived were priceless. Of course, that's a picture I didn't take! They discovered the allure of virgin drinks at the pool and asked if they could order one at the restaurant. Ruth's Chris has a slightly elevated presentation compared to the pool bar, and I think my kids now have slightly elevated expectations for our next restaurant adventures!

Monthly Meal Wrap Up - February and March (with lots of love for new Trader Joe's products)

It has been quite awhile since I checked in on the meal front! Y'all, I'm just having a hard time finding stuff worth writing home about. I've tried a few new cookbooks and one or two new recipes in the last two months, but nothing that we'll be adding to the regular rotation. With the exception of this recipe I found from Delish for Goddess Bowls - SO GOOD. 

I was getting real tired of stir fry sauces for chicken/veggies/rice and this was a perfect way to change things up. However... 

This new product from Trader Joe's is deeeeelicious and perfect to throw over rice with some snow peas and chicken for an easy and tasty dinner.
They are on FIRE with awesome new products right now. Seriously, it's not just my bias of having a big brother who is a longtime TJ's Captain. (Related: my favorite TJs items can be found here and here.) They have really stepped up with healthier options for the grab and go salads. I mean, they are usually tasty - but often have a leeeetle too much saturated fat in the dressings and such for my liking. This corn and quinoa salad is light, refreshing AND satisfying.

But the new Banh Mi noodle bowl has MY WHOLE HEART. I literally texted my brother pleading with him to make sure they never ever discontinue it - I limit myself to two a week for lunch, for now...

Oh, hey, yeah - I had that trip to Nashville for some girl time last month!

Not too many pictures of my food were taken, but I can vouch for the lovely cocktails and gnocchi at Jonathan Waxman's Adele's 

and the best thing I ate in Nashville was the whipped feta with honey and pita bread at Butcher and Bee.

ZOMG. It tasted heavenly. I might try and replicate - will report back.
Locally, I had a few fun coffee adventures: finally checking out the Starbucks Roastery, where I tried the tasty Shakerato Bianco (which was basically espresso on ice served with a wee pitcher of sweet cream) 

and the 85 Degree Bakery's sea salt coffee. Drooooool. 

I'm really thankful that cold coffee season is almost in full swing, since I think that's my preferred delivery method. Also coming up in soon? The first family spring break vacation! Hopefully will have some fun new food finds to share from sunny San Diego.

Everyday Life and Menu Plan (Plus Chicago eats!) 5.23.17

I'm a little late on my usual menu planning because I spent most of yesterday getting groceries in the house, doing laundry and just enjoyed being ALONE while the kids were at school. Don't get me wrong, we had the most wonderful trip with them and I'll likely put a photo dump post up soon. But, I need to charge my introvert batteries. In the interim, I shall do a food photo dump! 

Our first night we ate at one of our favorite Chicago steak chains, Wildfire. It's been so long since I had my beloved peppercorn filet and I devoured the spinach and kale salad, which is definitely a new-to-me addition to the menu, and an excellent one. They also have a great kids menu, and it was a perfect welcome home dinner.

On our second day in the city, we just ate lunch at the aquarium and then hit up Granite City Brewery near our hotel, of which there are none in our neck of the woods and I wish there were - it's similar to Wildfire in that it has a nice atmosphere, great food selections (and beer) for adults, while having a robust kids menu. Sadly I didn't take pictures, but my pulled pork waffle and black cherry old fashioned were delicious.

The next day was full of crisscrossing the suburbs, and when in my husband's hometown, it's a MUST to visit Lake Forest Food and Wine. They've moved locations since our last visit, and it's kind of tucked away - but worth seeking out. Their Italian sub is the absolute best, and I also love the turkey and havarti on sourdough. 

Afterwards, the other must do is a trip to Sweets for a little something - usually a dark chocolate ladybug (their name for a turtle) and the kids got chocolate covered pretzel rods and a chocolate covered Twinkie! 

To cap off our suburban eating, it's always easy to find our absolute must when going home: PORTILLOS. I got the Italian beef, and my husband and kids devoured their Vienna beef hot dogs.

As if that wasn't enough indulgence, there was an Oberweis nearby and we went for milkshakes: the best in the WORLD - not hyperbole.

The last day was filled with a trip to the mall to walk and stretch our legs after a day in the car, because it was really chilly and rainy. But we did hit up Garrett popcorn for some Chicago mix before heading to the wedding. The kids were impressed: caramel corn AND cheese popcorn?! And, yes, it's a shame we didn't eat pizza on this trip. However, we do regularly get our favorite (Lou Malnati's) shipped to us and the only other place that was easy to get to with the kids was Giordano's and I'm not the biggest fan. Hopefully when we return, we'll have time to take the kids to Pequod's or Uno's or even our favorite late night delivery joint, Chicago's Pizza. So, yep, last night we had pizza at home!

• Monday - Pizza
• Tuesday - Curried Chicken with Coconut Lime Rice (from the ATK book One-Pan Wonders)
• Wednesday - Buffalo Turkey Burgers with Blue Cheese Slaw (trying this Skinnytaste recipe)
• Thursday - Chicken with Artichokes, Tomato and Mozzarella with Brown Rice (an old Emeril favorite)
• Friday - Fish Tacos with Cilantro Lime Crema (a Cooking Light staple)
• Saturday - Rigatoni Arrabbiata
• Sunday - Avocado Pine Nut Salad with Grilled Chicken (from Recipe Girl)

As always, I'm linking up with Org Junkie, and now Beth Fish Reads weekend cooking - be sure to check out all the great weekly food inspiration!

Another San Diego Weekend!

Time for a memory preserving photo dump post! (And, yes, it's mostly of FOOD.) When I learned that I earned another Hot Chocolate Ambassador trip, it was an easy call to choose another visit to sunny San Diego. We had such a lovely time last year and there were a few repeat destinations, as well as a few new ones. 

On our first day, we strolled the Embarcadero and ate amazing tacos at Puesto.

Also, the Mercado margarita was TOP NOTCH. 

Although, at $16, it had better be! After our stroll, we did some required pool sitting 

and then headed out to dinner at Roy's. We enjoyed a Roy's traditional Mai Tai the last time we were in San Diego, but hadn't enjoyed the food since our Chicago days. 

We decided on not renting a car again, and utilized some great coupons for newbie rideshare users. So on Saturday, we got a Lyft to La Jolla (Use code CROOKED for $10 your first THREE rides!) and spent the day strolling and communing with seals and sea lions.

This was so much fun. We rested our tired feet from all the walking at Karl Strauss Brewing and had some tasty beers and I ate a lovely seared tuna salad.

After taking a Lyft back downtown, we walked over to Little Italy to check out the Saturday farmers market. Alas, it was all being packed up as we arrived, so we consoled ourselves with tasty cocktails at Underbelly - my whiskey drink was named after Totoro! The ramen looked amazing, too.

Saturday night we made a return visit to La Puerta for their humongous burritos. This time I got 'California style' and it had FRENCH FRIES inside! I was thankful for the digestive walk back to the hotel.

We slept LATE on Sunday after all the walking we did in La Jolla and Little Italy (nearly 7 miles worth) and visited Old Town for a late lunch and some shopping.

Churros from Coyote Cafe filled with dulce de leche. Yummmm.

We also found the most AMAZING store of rocks and minerals behind the restaurant that we missed on our last visit (SA Imports), and bought all sorts of awesome treasure for our kids.
Our last dinner was an impulse decision to go into one of the MANY Italian restaurants in Little Italy and Bencotto did not disappoint.

Lo and behold, what was on the tv that night as we packed up?

A perfect ending to another perfect trip. Stay classy San Diego!

Every year I earn one of these trips, I feel so very thankful and fortunate. It has given my husband and I the opportunity and impetus to start taking vacations together again, even though it's a pain living so far from family that can watch our kids. But, now that we have the logistics of this yearly Spring tradition figured out, I'm hopeful that we (and my sister in law) can continue it for some years to come - whether it's part of my Hot Chocolate Ambassadorship or not. As always, I'm so grateful for their generous program and for everyone who visits my little space on the internet!

Denver and Beaver Creek Getaway

Oh, man. Trying to sum up an amazing trip like this is very, very, hard. Suffice it to say, these are (and will always be) my people, and my family. Yes, this girls weekend kicked off with a few hours spent with my ridiculously awesome nieces, nephew, sister in law and my big brother.

My face is slightly puffy from crying, because we hadn't seen each other in a very, very, long time. Also, I was operating on about four hours of sleep. My flight was at 6:30, and the security lines at SeaTac are notoriously awful (we waited for over an hour for our San Diego trip), so I set my alarm for 3:30AM to get parked and shuttled over to the airport on time.  Oof!

After spending quality time with my brother and his family, I headed back to the airport to await the other two gals flying in from Chicago and for our Denver girl to pick us up. And we didn't stop talking for three whole days.

Seriously, you'd think I'd crash early after so little sleep the night before. Nope. Stayed up talking until 2AM. Again, oof! 

This tasty Five Spice Old Fashioned kept me going. Linger in Denver is a seriously yummy restaurant.

On Friday we headed out towards Beaver Creek, with a stop in Vail for lunch at Mountain Standard.

And we had a fabulous time checking out all of the shops, our favorite (which also had an outpost in Beaver Creek) was a lovely boutique called Frinje. We probably spent an hour in there trying on clothes, sunglasses and jewelry. But the only jewelry I went home with was this AMAZING kitty ring that I gave to my daughter, though I may borrow it from time to time...

It was unseasonably chilly and rainy (which was fine by this Seattle girl), but still beautiful. Vail reminded me of our local little mountain getaway in Leavenworth (where I was last summer, actually), but on STEROIDS. 

Now that I think about it, a lot of things about the Denver and surrounding area reminded me of home: the mountains, the microbreweries, the hiking, lots of active-lifestyle folks, marijuana stores... Anyway! Once we got checked in at the fantastic Park Hyatt in Beaver Creek, I headed straight to bed for a power nap while the rest of the group hit the hot tubs. I woke up to my friends informing me that they were treating me to a belated birthday dinner! First we hit up Revolution for some complimentary apps (fresh tortillas with different dipping sauces - YUM.) and cocktails. 

The 'Up in Smoke' was delicious: marinated and grilled pineapple infused cachaca with lime. Then we had amazing Mai Tais at our dinner destination: Hooked. 

You guys. This dinner was an experience we won't forget! Even my one friend who is not all that into fish took one for the team and had fun with it. We did the 'you call it' option where you decide on the type of fish you want to eat and they choose one fish that can feed your entire party and it's prepared in as many ways as possible. 

For us, that was a 3 1/2 pound fish prepared SEVEN different ways, including sashimi, nigiri, a roll, ceviche, a filet and two ways (chimichurri and a ponzu like sauce) on the bone. DUDE. Plus we'd eaten TWO appetizers, an amazing fried shrimp and a poke trio. So full, but so happy!

The next day we walked off some of our huge meal with a little hike behind the resort. It was then that I realized, oh yeah - altitude. Like Bend, but worse! 

But it wasn't too strenuous of a hike and it provided some lovely views as well as evidence of the sun returning in full force.

So after a margarita lunch at the Coyote Cafe (their exclusive 'Old Soul' margarita was super tasty), we had pool time! I should take this moment to say that the Park Hyatt thinks of everything and was just a lovely place to stay. I guess you get what you pay for! The waiter at the pool came by asking if we'd like complimentary otter pops, there were toys and goggles available for use and everyone was just so very friendly.

There was also an art show going on the weekend we were there, which was awesome and now I want one of these crazy expensive lounge chairs that were for sale for my backyard...

The last night we ate tapas at Metropolitan and ended the evening with 'black and blue' Manhattans (containing smashed blueberries and blackberries), s'mores and my first game of Cards Against Humanity at the bar in our hotel. 

Now I get it! And I want to play more! We closed out the bar and got to see the bride from the wedding taking place on the property saunter in, so that's always a fun time. Surprisingly, we all felt pretty good the next day and were able to go for another hike before hitting the showers and the road to the airport.

Aspens really are beautiful and I learned that a grove of them is the largest living organism on the planet. So cool!

Saying goodbye is really hard, but even when we go years without getting together, I know we are just as close as ever. I love you guys. Let's not wait three years for our next shenanigans, though, ok?