Training weekend

This past weekend our rowing group had coach Carlos Dinares in from Seattle to do some intensive training. And it was intensive! My main takeaway was: stop being weak. Stop hiding behind my pretty okay technique and actually put some power into that sh*t. Since then, I've really felt it in my upper body, which I think must mean that I'm working harder. I knew that I had been slacking, I just really needed something to get me back to pushing myself again.

Here's a video of Fran and I AFTER a little work. Better on the strong finishes, I personally still need to work on getting more "bite" on the catch, as Carlos says. But this was only the first day, so it was decent progress!

Present!

Ok. All right. Ok.

I'm here. I'm here!

Next come the good ideas.

In an effort to NOT make "get back to blogging!" one of my New Year's resolutions, I'm getting back to it now. Plus, I just joined Twitter and I'm kind of enjoying it, so I feel like I should keep up with my other digital communications.

I've been so enjoying the lead-up to the holidays! My classes are over and work is slowing down, so I've been able to be in the house doing fun holiday-ish things like cooking and decorating and crafting so much more often than I normally can. Also, we got a ridiculous new TV somehow. (Brian: Let's just walk around Best Buy for fun! Me: Cool, I need a new bluetooth thingy for my phone. Brian: Omg, look at this amazing tv! Whhhaaat? It's 60% off? No interest for three years?! Me: Do it. Fill out whatever papers are necessary and meet me at West Elm.) So I've been able to watch episodes of 30 Rock and Glee while I make crafts and stew. ;)

There. Those random thoughts weren't so hard to type out. Boring, but not difficult. Welcome back to me.

Po! Len! Ta!

YUM.

Upon hearing that Brian had both a) lots of work at the office, and b) plans to see Predator with a friend, I promptly came home and whipped myself up a LOVELY meal of organic broccolini and grilled polenta (stovetop instead of real grill, out of propane, sadly) topped with pesto, tomato, and parmesan. Also, last week we got a Groupon for a poopload of great California wines for like, 70% off the original price of $poopload. Chilled sauvignon blanc? Don't mind if I do!

Sal and I lounged around and enjoyed the summery evening, and the polenta was so damn good that I got right back up and grilled myself another piece, this time attempting to make it a "dessert polenta." I must say, my strawberry polentacake adventure was not half bad!

For more tales of culinary adventure, check out my sis's blog for the play-by-play on this weekend's Great Hotdog Cookoff!

Dad's day

So, in an effort to reach BOTH of our respective patriarchs at the SAME TIME, Brian and I hosted a Father's Day gathering, which was just us, our parents, and Brian's sister and brother in-law. And. It. Was. Lovely!

It was exactly the kick in the pants that we needed to clean up our stupid house (which, I commented to Brian last week, was "starting to look like one of those places they take kids away from permanently"), organize our deck for summer awesomeness, and get ourselves actually cooking some lovely seasonal food!

I had a fantastic time at the farmer's market (complete with sunburn), buying all the veggies, cheese, and flowers to craft our celebration. This was followed by a trip to Holzkopf's meat market, also known as My New Favorite Deli. Now, I generally leave the meatrotica to my sis, the significantly more accomplished and knowledgeable chef and sausagephile. But this time (apart from a phone consultation with said sister on appropriate kebab quantities), it was aaaallll moi. I got me some lamb sausages, shrimp, and pork kebabs, and no shortage of friendly Chicago guidance from the most neatly dressed butcher I've ever met. As I paid for my purchases, he asked "first time here?" When I said yes, a customer next to me added, "you'll be back." I will indeed.

I WISH I had taken photos of the party that ensued...our newly arranged deck, the colorful food, and of course, Sal resting under the table praying frantically for kebab spills. (He just got groomed! He is the softest!) Alas, I was too busy scarfing kebabs, my mom's salad, and my sister in-law's ridiculously yummy semifreddo. And accentuating the party mood with tunes from my iphone, which would also have been my camera, had I thought of it. In summary, I was too busy putting on a badass bbq to deal with documenting it.

But never fear! The 4th of July and my birthday are soon to be celebrated!

Happy summer, yo.

Oh Mr. Sun!

Spring is almost here, and I am trying my best to crawl out of my little hole of overwhelming winterness...I think, along the way somewhere, I took a wrong turn and hit spring allergies or something. Anyway, this past week getting motivated for anything has been tough. I really want to start blogging again, however, so in an effort to get something posted, I'll just point you to my sister's newish blog. She started it a few months ago, and it's provided me with almost-daily foodie hilarity. Check it out here.

Enjoy. (ah-choo.)

Letting myself go...

...and it has been delicious!

Here are the things I've made in the past week or so:

- Roasted brussels sprouts with pancetta.  Oh. My. Word.  These are so delicious, I made them twice.  And the first time I forgot the butter/lemon juice, and it was so great that I didn't add it the second time!  In fact, I believe that butter on the pure deliciosity of brussels with pancetta it would be overkill.  That's right, Bobby Flay, you overdid it this time, says me.  This brings me much closer to my sub-goal of cooking more, which is not always having to follow a recipe!  

- Carrot-turnip-ginger soup.  Okay, so maybe I got a little overconfident with the no-recipe thing, and I just "threw" in a few root veggies and stock, not exactly paying attention to the proportions of ginger to other ingredients.  I thought it was a little too much ginger (although Brian was into it), and it was nothing that couldn't be covered up with a generous handful of parmesan.  Better the next day, and I'm still eating it!  

- Basic quiche.  Had some friends over for brunch yesterday and I went back to an old standard (ok I've made it once before but it was deeeelish), compliments of RealSimple.  It's all about the gruyere, baby.  And yes, I am OKAY with frozen pie crusts in the tins.  That's a new sub-goal: pastry and pie crusts.  But in the meantime, I will not be ashamed!

- And finally, Homemade Oatmeal Cream Pies.  Also so good I made them twice, once regular size, once mini.  So so bad, and so soooooooooo good. 

It's blurry cause I couldn't wait to eat them.

Back to BK.

My sister Annie and her doggie Lorenzo are moving to Brooklyn.  I feel like she just moved back!  Waaah.  I'm excited for her though, since she got a sweet new job and what sounds like an amazing apartment.  And it means I get to visit New York more!

Now that her job will be all interesting and stuff, does that mean less foodie blog posts from her?  I hope not!  That would mean I need to actually post more myself...

Snort.

(Just kidding-- I'm making an effort! I swear!)