Last week we introduced a new cousin into the mix. Well, I gained a nephew, my kids gained a cousin. The day they were able to meet him, they both said on separate occasions that it was “The best day of their life”. Hello baby Leo, welcome!!!

What summer’s about!

Last week was my birthday.  I made reservations three months ago for a table of 10 at my favorite Chicago restaurant…Girl and the Goat.  Not a newbie to the place, I knew what to expect, but I absolutely loved sharing the meal with some of my favorite people in the world.  It was so much fun.  We sat Chef side, I got photos with her (crush) and she signed my menu.  Highlights of the meal for me were, as usual, the vegetables.  I can’t believe how she can make such mouth bursting flavors.  I also loved the meats, but I would go back for the veggies.  Oh, and the chocolate cake with pate (don’t knock it till you try it) was incredible.

My favorites:

•  sauteed green beans (fish sauce vinaigrette . cashews)
•   pan fried shishito peppers (parmesan . sesame . miso)
•   roasted cauliflower (pickled peppers . pine nuts . mint)

We also had:

• kohlrabi salad . (fennel . evalon . toasted almonds . blueberries . ginger dressing)
• roasted beets (green beans . white anchovy . avocado creme fraiche . bread crumb)
• wood grilled broccoli (rogue smokey bleu . spiced crispies)
• diver scallops (braised duck . marcona almond butter . green papaya . green almond nuoc cham
• Wood Fired Walter’s Chicken (yuzu harissa, fried pickles, brussel slaw, grilled naan)
• Crisp Braised Pork Shank (butternut-shiitake kimchee, buttermilk dressing)

Yuck.

Warm weather has ticks out earlier than normal this year

2 cherry peppers too many. Chicory coffee not my favorite. Commanders palace is amazing!!!

When we were hiking in Door County last week I chuckled when Aida told me that that this big hole was “the dark side of mother nature.”  Where did she get that?  I, unfortunately did experience the dark side of mother nature this morning.  In the middle of the night, I was having dreams about people throwing confetti on me.  I’d half wake up and take a little piece of it and throw it on the ground next to my bed.  At daylight, I woke from the daze with another little confetti bit on my arm.  I was alarmed to find a tick embedding itself into my arm.  I screamed and ran to the toilet to flush it.  I returned to bed to try to sleep a little more, only to find another tick crawling up my arm.  Okay, panic at this point.  I rouse the dark side of mother nature daughter out of the bed.  A couple of more ticks fall to my arms and I flush them.  I am now offiically heebee-jeebeeing.  The final tick falls from onto my back while I am making lunch.  Okay, that whole thing is disgusting.  I called Orkin (they’re coming Wednesday), we tick prevented the dogs, I stripped the beds and my skin is still crawling.  This is what the ticks looked like….