Picnics Under the Moon

dinner and a movie

A few weeks ago, my friend Neelu (my great travel buddy from the NYC trip) invited me over for dinner and a movie. I try to eat healthy, but I don't really venture out too far. So I was extremely excited about the night's menu! First we made a cabbage and beet salad with a vinegar and honey dressing if I remember correctly - really good, crunchy and a nice sweet and sour flavor.

The main course was wild rice soup - wow! (Pictured in the book above; it disappeared too quickly for me to take a nice picture). We skipped the mushrooms, but added gnocchi. Both of us had multiple helpings. The soup recipe came from the Fresh Food Fast cookbook, full of healthy, quick and easy recipes. I can't wait to pick up a copy for myself!

And of course, there had to be dessert. We made popcorn with roasted almonds, walnuts and cashews in maple sauce. Heavenly!

We topped off the night with P.S. I Love You. Thanks for such a wonderful evening Neelu!

where did the time go?

 
Seriously? Where did it go? I'm leaving to visit my family for Christmas in one month from Thursday! I'm super excited, because this year I'll be able to go for the whole 18 days. I'll spend the first two weeks in Poland and the last four days in Dublin, Ireland, where my sister lives.

Every year, the closer it gets to my departure, the more excited I get about my mom's cooking. After all, it's the stuff I grew up eating, so I think I will always crave it. Even if Wade thinks some of it is weird... really weird. He loves potato pierogi of course. But who wouldn't love carbs wrapped in more carbs... I personally also really like a sweet version of pierogi with either sweet cheese (sort of like cheese blintzes) or with strawberries. That's and example of what Wade would consider weird. Some dishes I definitely agree are quite disgusting, I can't even stand the smell. I came across this article that describes some of the crazier foods way better than I ever could if you care to read about cow tongues and such (which I've actually eaten when I was younger). 

One thing Wade thought was crazy to eat was pickle soup (ok, I totally see how one would think that might be gross). But we picked up a container of home made pickle soup from Kasia's Deli one day and he loved it! My family always served it hot, but we ate it cold and it was really good that way too. If you're in Chicago, I'd definitely recommend stopping at Kasia's if you're feeling adventurous. If anything, the candy is really good (3bit is our favorite) - can't go wrong with candy.

I know it's still a little early, but I hope everyone will be able to spend this holiday season with their loved ones and enjoy some of their favorite dishes and maybe try some new ones too!

*Image of pierogi via Ordinary Recipes Made Gourmet.

tea time, meet happy hour

When I was in Boston, one of the people at my friend's birthday party brought a drink made with Firefly (a sweet tea infused vodka) and lemonade. It was delicious, but a tad on the sweet side. Tea infused vodka has been around for a while now, and I thought it would be a great gift for a friend or a party favor. IKEA has these great glass bottles that have been on all the blogs (apparently they are also constantly out of stock - I have to go to IKEA tonight so will take a look). Here's what you do:

1. Prep - Most recipes I have found call for one tablespoon loose tea per 750 ml of vodka. They also all call for medium quality vodka - no point in using high end vodka when you're adding something, right? You'll need a large jar (with lid) or pitcher that closes tightly enough to give the vodka a good shake, a funnel (for pouring into the bottles) and a coffee filter (to get the loose tea out).

2. Make - Add the vodka and tea to your jar/pitcher and give it a good shake, then let it sit. People recommend checking the taste periodically to make sure it's strong enough but not getting bitter. I've seen articles saying to check every 10 minutes and then I've seen some that tell you to leave the tea in the vodka overnight. A happy medium will probably work.

2. Bottle - Strain mixture to very clean glass bottles. Here's the fun part - make custom labels for your vodka tea! Here's what mine will look like...

There's space to write in what type of tea you used and the date it was made on. My photoshop skills are not crafty enough to show what that would look like. If you like it, you can download it here and print it out on label paper.

Need ideas for to do with your vodka? Make a teatini (via CHOW): 2 ounces black tea infused vodka, 1 1/2 ounces sweet vermouth, 3 dashes orange bitters, ice. Shake, strain and serve! Or a Moroccan Bazaar (via thedailygreen): 2 ounces mint tea infused vodka, 2 ounces limeade, juice from 1 lime, 3 mint leaves, minced, club soda. Shake everything but club soda with crushed ice. Pour on the rocks, top off with the club soda and add a mint sprig for garnish.

Enjoy!

I'll take an old fashioned

My friend Kristi emailed me the other day about Mud Puddle Books. They've acquired a vast collection of vintage cocktail books and are reproducing some of them. I love the cover designs, and with old school cocktails being all the rage nowadays, these would make a great birthday/housewarming/hostess gift!

the most beautiful girl ... with a kabob

Our back porch is finished as of exactly two weeks ago and last night we finally had time to use the grill for the first time... and we made kabobs! Well, Wade made them and of course they turned out fantastic.

Our meals always seem to turn into mini-feasts... nothing wrong with that though!

Oh, and as far as the title, kabobs made me think of this Flight of the Conchords song (around minute 2:08). Aimee, I know you saw them in concert, so you should enjoy this one!

hygge for the tummy

* We're having some technical issues, so I am posting this for Ola, our wonderful every other Tuesday guest blogger...

I remember my friend Kristin talking about how great it is to have a husband who likes to cook. Luckily, Wade does and I must say I totally agree with her. It's not that I don't like to cook. But sometimes (or... MANY times) when I come home after a long day at work, I don't want to spend time cooking if I can just make myself a quick sandwich. Or when I do cook, I need more preparation (decide what I want to make, write down the things I need to get, go to the store, spend 10 minutes looking for the right aisle, etc.). Wade, on the other hand, can just take a look at the contents of our pantry and fridge and then whip up something yummy from seemingly nothing. He's amazing at mixing flavors and combining ingredients to make some new delicious dishes.

Last night, Wade made pizza and some appetizers. And, you guessed it, everything was to die for! The appetizers were tomato slices and red and green peppers sprinkled with lemon pepper. We also had crackers with summer sausage and cheese (not pictured).

For the pizza, Wade used ground turkey, peppers, onions, cheese, tomatoes and store bought tabouleh salad.

 

Here is the creation before it went in the oven.

And here it is ready to eat! The flavor was perfect for summer -- really fresh and light. Thanks Wade!

(By the way, Wade took the above pictures himself and later surprised me with this idea for today's blog!)

"yum" doesn't even begin to describe it

Two words - Gerard Mulot.

les macarons

Christiana and I have spent most of our first days here getting acclimated to the time change and just wandering around and taking the city in. It's been wonderful! Yesterday, we decided to make a stop at Laduree for a mid afternoon treat. So cute!

We thought some wine was in order to celebrate the occasion...

Christiana ordered this chocolate fabulousness.

And I ordered this pistachio, strawberry, raspberry concoction. Everything was beyond perfect - the food, the company and the setting!

afternoon tea

I had a lovely afternoon tea (and of course some bubbly!) with my friends Kristi and Jessica at the Hotel Ivy yesterday - so hygge! There was a table full of older ladies next to us in full tea regalia - hats and all. I tried to get a photo without seeming intrusive, but it didn't happen...

Along with the beverages, we had a delicious assortment of finger foods. It was such a fun way to catch up and spend some time together. Jessica designed these lovely votives for us last fall, and just launched this gorgeous new pattern! And my friend Kristi is in the process of launching her own marketing and communications firm, so we had plenty to talk about and to celebrate! Thanks, ladies - let's do it again soon!

strawberry pie

We're having a barbeque at our friends' house and I whipped up this quick dessert. Get pre-made graham cracker crusts, then toss a package of cream cheese, half a stick of butter, 2 tablespoons of sour cream and 1/4 c of sugar in the mixer. Mix till smooth and slightly fluffy. Use a spatula to spread the cream mixture into the pie crust and refrigerate. Cut up a pint of strawberries and add some finely chopped mint and a couple teaspoons of sugar. Mix well and let sit in the fridge for at least an hour. Put the strawberries in the pie and you're done! Refrigerate till served. Yum!