Delancey to Tandem

Poor Memorial Day.  I always think of it as a rainy holiday, at least in Chicago.  Well, I just Googled it and found this website on Climate Data for Chicago.   Finally, here's some substantial facts to back up my connection of weather and holiday...

Walla Walla!

Did I mention we went to Walla Walla with an expert?  Our good friend, Peter, grew up and went to college in Walla2.  Nothing better than saying "where to?" and knowing it was going to be great wine!

His friend works for the winery Cadaretta.  They cooked up a tour and tasting at the custom crush site.  That's fancy talk for warehouse where they crush the grapes then store and bottle the wine.

No Whining with Wine

Last weekend we took Z to Walla Walla, WA.  This has to be one of the coolest and yummiest untapped wine areas in the country!  It was Balloon Stampede weekend and we rented a huge house for the weekend with our PEPs friends.  Balloon Stampede is where 40+ hot air balloons launch one after another and float along for all to OOOH and AHH at all morning.  Mother Nature had other plans so not one balloon was launched.

Sausage, Spinach, and Leek Turnover

I have had a PILE of magazines next to my bed collecting dust.  Finally, I am taking time to read flip through them.  The night before Emily's birthday I stumbled on this recipe from Cooking Light.  They were coming over for dinner and I knew I must make them!

Lemme tell you they were really good and pretty doable on a weeknight if you buy ready-made crust.  I do think they are still fancy enough to make on the weekend too. Who am I kidding?  My weeknight food isn't much different from my weekend food.

Lentil Stew with Chicken Andouille Sausage

 
We left off that it was C's birthday and I made cupcakes.  My plan was to make one of his favorites for dinner and the cupcakes.  There was a last minute thing with work right around quitting time and the next thing I knew I was calling online ordering Papa Johns.  Yep, happy friggin' birthday sweetie.

Chocolate Malted Cupcakes

Last Tuesday was C's birthday.  We are pretty much the same age.  I'm three months older and sometimes those months can really drag.  For example, the three months I was 30 and he was still 29.  He naturally enjoys rubbing it in during that time.  Jerk Grrr.

Sunday Pizza: 05.01.2011

Rrrroar!!!  Meet Leif.  Don't you love him already?  Here he is making his first pizza.  When the kids make their pizzas it is usually a blur of dough, flour, and toppings.  I want to say I asked Leif what a lion says but the truth is I can't remember why he was making such an adorable face.  Who cares really?