Gluten-Free, Low-Lactose, Creamy Tomato Basil Soup – Nailed It!

In the last couple years, I have been obsessed with making soup.  See, as I mentioned in my last post, due to my allergy to celery, I am unable to eat most pre-made soups.  They either have big chunks of celery, use celery seed or salt, and/or use chicken stock (also made with celery of some sort).  For a long time, I just went without soup, but now I have a hand blender and I am not afraid to use it!  J

This isn’t my first attempt at making a gluten-free, low-lactose, creamy tomato basil soup, but this was certainly the best, and I only had to make small modifications!  I found that it didn’t need any salt or pepper either.  It was so good, I wanted to bust out some French bread and Irish butter, but you know… that totally defeats the point of modifying to gluten-free and low-lactose.  Ha.

 

 

 

 

I switched out the Coconut Creamer for the Creamed Coconut at the last minute... so it got X'd out!  I also decided that it didn't really need any salt or pepper.

This should be where the big X is in the picture above.  :)

(Serves 5)

 

* 5 medium tomatoes (or 5-8 tomatoes on the vine), peeled, seeded, and diced.

* 5 cups tomato juice
* 14 – 15 fresh basil leaves

* 3 Tablespoons of Creamed Coconut

* ½ cup Ghee (Clarified butter, lower on lactose)
* Salt & Pepper to taste.  (I didn’t end up using any.)



1. Place tomatoes and juice in a stock pot over medium heat.  Simmer for 30 minutes.
2. Add basil leaves, and puree mixture.  (Puree longer if you would like a more smooth texture, puree less for a more thick texture.)
3. Return pureed mixture to medium heat, add creamed coconut and ghee.
4. Season with salt and pepper as needed.
5. Heat until ghee has melted (Do Not Boil).

(see original recipe here!)

 

The Creamed Coconut adds a little bit of grit to the texture, but seriously, I made it without and ended up adding it in later because it really enhanced the flavor of the soup!  If you try this recipe and modify it even further, let me know how it turns out.  J

Food Allergies, And The Gluten-Free "Movement," Oh My!

Who doesn’t remember the movie “Mrs. Doubtfire”?  A family film about a couple divorcing, the dad attempting to spend more time with his children by dressing in drag and posing as a housekeeper/nanny, who learns how to be the man he wasn’t when Sally Field decided to leave him.  Then the dreamy Pierce Brosnan comes in the picture, and Robin Williams/Mrs. Doubtfire tries to sabotage the budding relationship between him and his ex-wife… Do you remember the scene in the restaurant when Mrs. Doubtfire makes her way into the kitchen and dumps pepper on Pierce’s dinner after he specifically states that he is allergic to it, and then later causes the guy to choke on his shrimp, using the Heimlich maneuver to save him?  It’s a funny scene, but it is a completely inaccurate Hollywood portrayal of the seriousness of food allergies.

Where do I start?  I haven’t always had food allergies, but they reared their ugly head in 2001 when I was at a restaurant, celebrating a friend’s confirmation.  As a Native Californian, avocado was basically a part of my regular diet.  Whether it was enjoying a couple of slices on a sandwich, in a salad, or just cutting the darn thing in half and eating it with a spoon, avocado was never anything I had to avoid.   While my friend was celebrating a milestone in her life, my life took its own unexpected twist, creating my own milestone that forever changed my diet and the way I look at food.

After eating half of the turkey sandwich (with 2 slices of fresh avocado) and taking the rest to go, I said goodbye to my friends and started to drive home.  Before I even left the restaurant, I noticed that I started to get a little tickle in my throat.  I didn’t think much of it at first.  The restaurant was only a hop, skip, and a jump away from my home (4.21 miles, to be exact – Thanks MapQuest!), but on the way to my house, I noticed that the tickle was getting worse and that it felt like one of my contacts was becoming aggravated.  Needless to say, those six minutes it took to drive home seemed like forever as I started becoming more and more uncomfortable.  When I came home, I went directly to the bathroom to take my contacts out and switch to glasses.  To my surprise, when I looked in the mirror, I found that the whites of my eyes had bubbled up like speed bumps.  It was at that moment that I KNEW something was very wrong.  Thankfully, my mom was home, and she was able to drive me over to the ER immediately.  By the time we made the even shorter drive to the ER, the tickle in my throat seemed to be swelling and breathing was becoming more difficult.  Long story short, we discovered that I was having anaphylaxis, and had we waited even another ten minutes to get to the ER, I could have died!

Since the avocado incident, I have also developed other allergies to foods that I have been able to eat in the past (i.e. cucumbers, strawberries, celery, etc.).  Since 2001, I have had to read labels like crazy (celery is used in pre-made chicken stock and most soups!) and worry about cross-contamination (my last allergy related ER visit was due to cucumber cross-contamination). 

This brings me to the latest craze in the “gluten-free” way of life.  I hear a lot of people going on a gluten-free diet in order to lose weight, and as a way to just get healthy.  While a gluten-free diet can help some lose weight, and there are healthy benefits, I worry that people don’t realize why gluten-free is important to those who suffer from real diseases, allergies, and sensitivites.  To the typical person who doesn’t suffer from any food-related ailments, simply taking the wheat bread (or in my case, avocado) off the sandwich is sufficient.  If you’re just following a gluten-free diet to drop some weight, the fact that your lunch meat touched the offending food won’t matter a bit.  To those of us who have these problems, even just a trace can cause some type of reaction, whether it is mild, or extreme (think of my experience with avocado).

I say all of that to say this:  Please take people’s dietary needs seriously.  Know that if someone tells you that they can’t have gluten, sugar, avocados, etc. due to an allergy, it’s not because the person is a “picky eater” or just trying to be difficult.  If you work in a restaurant, if you accidentally put the avocado in my salad, please do not be offended when I ask you to toss it out and start over.  While you choose to go on a gluten-free diet to lose those extra pounds, keep in mind that there are some people who don’t have that choice and do it out of necessity.

Last but not least, while he has not been diagnosed, we are pretty certain that Tim has a gluten sensitivity.  So, in support of him, I’ll be trying out new gluten-free recipes and working on converting some of our favorites meals to gluten-free as well.  Check back for the recipes that turn out tasty, and if you have any suggestions or recipes, leave me a comment!  J

Tall Ship Windy in the Windy City

Reminds me of the song from "Calamity Jane" with Doris Day and Howard Keel {swoon}... "Just flew in from the windy city, the windy city is mighty purdy..." and mighty purdy she is, folks.  My friend Shari and I purchased a Groupon for a trip on the Tall Ship Windy at the beginning of the summer and we finally got around to using the darn thing, eight days before it expired!  It was the first, official day of fall, mind you, but here in Chicago, fall could easily be confused for a So. Cal. winter.  Layers, my friends, always layers!!  It was a great day spent at Navy Pier (a must for any tourist) and a lovely view of the skyline from Lake Michigan!

So, I wanted to do a quick post and share some of our photos for the day.  I am also writing to let you know that "My Illinoisy Life" is now officially under construction!!  Big changes are coming and I think you're gonna love it.  I'm hoping the "renovations" will be done sooner than later, so keep checking back!!  :) :)

<3 simply stunning <3

Beautiful day for sailing!

Chicago, Amy, and a glass of wine!

Shari, aka "Captain"

the "dime pier"

Love Navy Pier!

Authors' Night!



Jen Lancaster, her newest memoir, "Jeneration X," and Amy

I almost talked myself out of going to see Jen Lancaster after the last [pathetic] attempt, but I decided to go to an event in Lake Zurich tonight anyway, and I am so glad I did.  Jennifer Weiner, Stacey Ballis, and Sarah Pekkanen were there as well!  Talk about a group of intelligent, hilarious, and classy women!  I love their books, and despite the crazy heat (the building didn't have a lick of air conditioning - no worries, I took pictures anyway) it was a fun event! 


Franzia boxed Chardonnay, and my new autographed books!

Jen Lancaster, Sarah Pekkanen, Jennifer Weiner, & Stacey Ballis.

This is my third (and least embarrassing) time seeing Jen Lancaster, but my first for the other three authors!  Jennifer Weiner bought cupcakes for the crowd of 400+ and was so gracious to all of her fans!

Thank you Swirlz Cupcakes!

Clockwise:  Chocolate Chip, Chocolate, Peach Cobbler, & Red Velvet!  YUM!!

It was a lovely evening and I am so excited to read my new books!!!  I think my most favorite thing abot this group of ladies is that they are so personable and seem to really enjoy interacting with their fans.  After the last time I met Jen Lancaster and acted like a total boob, it's almost bittersweet that she didn't remember who I was.  Ha.  Regardless, they are all very kind, and I am still excited to read their works and go to events they hold in the area.

Amy, Stacey Ballis, and her newest book "Off The Menu."

Jennifer Weiner, her book "Best Friends Forever" and Amy.

Amy, Sarah Pekkanen, and her book "Skipping A Beat."

Last, but not least, as much as I loved the featured authors, my favorite interaction was with the author Eleanor Brown (The Weird Sisters) who offered to take my picture with Sarah & Stacey.  I haven't read her book yet, but I plan to.  She was so friendly and fun, I can only imagine that her writing reflects her personality.  Besides, she keeps company with some of my favorite authors, how could she go wrong?

Eleanor Brown & Amy.

Did I mention that I even won an actual door prize?  Seriously, I got it while standing in a doorway because I was one of the last people standing in line for Jen Lancaster.  I wouldn't be a true fan if I didn't get it autographed as well, right?  :)

Jennifer Weiner swag bag!

Chicago's Best #1

Chicago's Best is a great TV show that takes a look at some of the great restaurants in the Chicagoland area.  I usually catch the shows and make a list of all the places I would like to try.  Last week or so they did the Finger Foods episode and hit Coach's Corner in Elk Grove Village, which happens to be a few miles away from me.  Now, see... this weekend has been a special weekend for me, because I was actually off from work.  Yesterday I had a girly day of breakfast with Shari from FindingAWeigh.com, lunch with Lauren, and then shopping, a stop at Caribou Coffee, and a pedicure.  Sundays are usually spent cleaning and doing homework, but feeling inspired by such a splendid Saturday, I decided to try something new and check off a stop from my Chicago bucket list.

Coach's Corner is a great little Sports Bar & Grill, especially if you actually like sports.  They have TVs all over the place, playing different sports at the same time, so sports fans don't miss a thing.  The walls are decorated with all sorts of sports memorabilia and I was surprised at all the old Wheaties boxes with pictures of Michael Jordan that they had on the shelves.  It had a great ambiance and even greater beer specials (small pitcher of draft Miller High Life for $3.50).  Check out some of the food we ordered, and the clip from Chicago's Best: http://www.cltv.com/blogs/chicagos-best/wgntv-chicagos-best-finger-foods-coaches-corner-20120118,0,913449.story

Coach's Corner - 152 Biesterfield Rd., Elk Grove Village, IL 60007

Cheesesticks!!

Cod Platter, baked beans, fries [ Me ] 

Meatball Slammers & Cheesy Tots [ Tim ]

Chocolate Chip Pizzookie!!



Explore. Dream. Discover.

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do.  So throw off the bowlines.  Sail away from the safe harbor.  Catch the trade wind in your sails.  Explore.  Dream.  Discover."  ~ Mark Twain



Chicago's Theater District



My annual resolution is to not make resolutions.  I hate to set myself up to fail and generally go into the next year with a "let's see how this is gonna go" attitude.  Going into 2011, I decided I would see how long I could go without drinking soda (specifically, Diet Coke... you Diet Coke addicts know how hard this is).  I am happy to report that I made it almost all they way through 2011 without having any (except the sip of Sprite that was erroneously brought to me instead of a glass of water.) but I did choose to have a Diet Coke on Christmas Eve as a mini-celebration/reward for having stuck to my guns!  Thanks to my goal, I drank a lot more water last year... but I probably drank more wine too.  Nah, the wine was probably about the same.  :)

I decided to take on 2012 in the same way, only this time I have made a couple more goals for myself:

• Finish paying off all my bills.
• Be on the path to buying a home.
• See Celine Dion in concert.
• Cook more, eat out less.
• Desserts on Saturdays & special occasions only.
• Find a type of exercise that I will enjoy and commit to.  While I am searching, I am going to continue walking my dog, and when all else fails, I am putting the TV on the '90's channel and having a dance party in my living room.  (Hippo thinks this is a fun game and ends up jumping along.)
• See more places in Chicago, and keep this blog interesting.  Thankfully, my friend Shari, is moving out here in a couple of weeks, and I know she'll love to go out exploring with me!
• Find more ways to help others.
• Get as many classes taken care of so that I can be even closer to graduating!

Mark Twain said it.  Twenty years from now, I don't want to regret what I didn't do.  I want to be able to look back on all the fun I had and choices I made, and even lessons learned.  This is going to be a great year because I have great perspective.

I hope you all have a very happy and prosperous 2012!!

Prayers for Philip

I have been a terrible blogger as of late.  We get busy and forget about certain things that we love to do or sometimes lose touch with friends without ever meaning to.  There are all sorts of ways that we are reminded about how precious life is, but sometimes it takes a tragedy to really make you stop and think.  This blog post is more important than a [semi] young woman's gallivanting around the city.  This is dedicated to my friends Teresa, Allan, and Tori... but mainly to Philip.

I think a hero is an ordinary individual who finds strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.  - Christopher Reeve

Philip (17-years-old) was just diagnosed with Neuroplastic Adenocarcinoma (a type of cancer, recently determined to have originated from his colon and affected his liver and lymph nodes) which is very rare for a person of his young age.  There were no early warning signs, but he suddenly began having symptoms last week that could have easily been mistaken for the flu or some type of stomach virus.  As one could only imagine, it came as quite a shock to Philip and his family.  The plan is to treat the cancer aggressively and immediately.  He will begin chemotherapy treatment on Tuesday, September 20th.

I am asking everyone I know to pray for Philip and his family.  Pray for recovery, wisdom, health, and strength.  To check on Philip's progress or to make much needed donations for the upcoming medical treatments, please check Philip's CaringBridge website. by clicking on the link. 

The family is also holding a yard sale tomorrow at 8:00 a.m. in Prosper, Texas to raise funds.  Please email me for additional info.

Thank you everyone for reading this and for sending your thoughts and prayers to Philip and his family. 

Much love,

Amy

Polska

One of the best things about Chicago in the summertime is probably all of the festivals that start popping up.  Take any one of the major cultures here, your favorite kind of music, hobby, or food, add "fest" on the end and you now have something to do over the weekend.  Chicagoans really know how to make the most of the nice weather, and really pack in a lot of activities that are available in the city and surrounding suburbs. 

Since moving to the midwest, I have learned that Chicago has a large Polish community.  I figured this out when I saw a marquee outside of a Walgreens that I only understood to be a language I had never seen before.  It's interesting to me, because I've never really been exposed to the Polish culture before.  I'm even surprised by how many people I hear speaking Polish regularly, and that I can actually recognize the language and the accent.  I suppose this is one of the my favorite parts about having lived in different states... learning about and appreciating what makes us different, but ultimately very much like each other.



Maggie D. YouTube Video



With that said, it was easy to decide that Polish Fest would be my first stop in my "Fest Quest" (yeah, I just came up with that right now).  The biggest part of the experience that I was looking forward to was hearing the music and tasting the food!  On one side of the park, there was a band that played covers of music by the Black Eyed Peas, Sugarland, and Lifehouse.  On the other side, the Polish stage was in full swing.  I was there to hear Maggie D.  (As great as she was, I'm sad to say that I missed Polish Elvis.  THAT would have been awesome!!)  The singer had a great stage presence, and although I couldn't understand a word, I enjoyed the music and watching people dance and sing along.

Next up?  The food.  Of course, I had to try everything.  What you can't see in the bottom right hand corner of the menu is: "All orders include applesauce and sour cream."  After seeing the menu, and reading this little excerpt, I wasn't quite sure what I was supposed to be doing with the applesauce and sour cream, so I ended up trying a bite of everything with the applesauce and/or sour cream and then without.  It's not exactly ketchup (or if you're me... ranch dressing), but I'm not scared.  The food was delicious!  I had the best time experiencing the culture and enjoying the atmosphere, although I was pretty bummed to miss seeing the Pierogi eating contest.  Those things are so filling, it's hard to imagine that the winning number would have been very high.  :)  Anyway, I can't wait until the next festival.  Enjoy the pics, and just try not to get hungry just looking at them!



I missed out on the Shish Kabobs this time!



These ladies were so fast.



Polish Sausage, Rye Bread, & Sauerkraut, Cheese Blintz (with apple sauce and sour cream), Pierogi (one Sauerkraut, one Potato, & one Meat), Stuffed Cabbage, Potato Pancake, more Sausage & Sauerkraut and yes, more applesauce and sourcream.

You can't go to Polish Fest and not have the Polish beer!  (I still can't remember how to pronounce it.)



May, In Review

I haven't blogged in a while, but it's only because I haven't done very much this month.  After my failed book signing experience, I only embarked on a couple mini adventures.  I decided I would just recap toward the end and hope that June would bring more opportunities (fingers crossed)!

I hardly go to the movies any more, what with movies On Demand, Netflix and being able to watch stuff online, but I made it out to see two movies this month.  First on the list, Something Borrowed, based on the book of the same title, written by Emily Giffin.  I haven't actually read this book yet, but when my book club set up the get-together, I thought it would be fun.  I thought it was a pretty cute movie.  I love Kate Hudson and Ginnifer Goodwin, plus the guy who played Dex is suuuuuuuuper cute! 

After the movie, a few of us went to a Chinese/Thai place called Big Bowl (I thought it was going to be a bowling alley, oops!) for dinner and drinks and discussion.  It was a lovely evening!



The very next week, the ladies of the "Reading Between The Wines" book club got together for our first official meeting to discuss our May book, The Kitchen Daughter, by Jael McHenry at the lovely L'Eiffel Bistrot & Creperie.  As far as the book is concerned, I thought it came from a very interesting perspective (of a young woman with Asperger's Syndrom) and was well-written in a way, that I felt the anxiety that the main character felt at times throughout the book.  Although it isn't my favorite book, it was a great first pick for the group. 

L'Eiffel is a great place too.  It's a little pricey but it has great French food and also has live music on Thursdays.  I've been there before and can't wait to go back (probably for Bastille Day in July).  I had a fabulous salad with endive, fresh mozzarella, duck and a balsamic vinaigrette, a cheese plate for dessert and some lovely (buttery) wine.  I felt so fancy.

Last week, I was able to meet up with my friend Courtney and her sister Veronica, and we caught the evening showing of Bridesmaids at Hollywood Blvd. movie theater.  The movie was hilarious and I have to agree with my friend Lisa, Melissa Murphy totally stole the movie.  She probably got the most laughs from the audience.  We mainly wen to Hollywood Blvd. because I had free tickets for two.  This place is one of the newer variety of movie theaters whose shtick is to have a full menu and bar that is available during the movie.  I think it's an awesome idea, but the two times I have been there, I have left wishing I had just gone to a traditional theater instead.  The seating consists of uncomfortable office chairs and the food leaves much to be desired.  It was still great to get out with the girls, so I can't complain too much.

Last, but certainly not least, I started school at College of DuPage on Monday, May 23rd.  I am taking two classes (Intro to Business 1100 and Psychology 1100) four nights a week.  I am definitely going to be busy for the next seven weeks, but I just really want to knock this school stuff out as quickly as I can.  I wish i had done this when I was younger, but I can only go forward from here!

Summer will be here soon (at least, I hope) and I am really excited for some of the plans I have up my sleeve.  I plan to get out to the city a bunch, getting out with more of my girlfriends, and having visitors.  My friend, Shari at Finding A Weigh is coming out on July 31st and I am hoping to have my step-daughter, Aly here for a visit before school starts again in the fall.  I am very blessed and have plenty to look forward to.  Cheers!  :)

Epic Fan Fail

I was so frustrated by the way my latest adventure turned out, I couldn't even blog about it when I got home last night.  After a few bites of Black Tie Mousse Cake (from Olive Garden) and a good night's sleep... well, I'm still a little bummed out, but at least I can laugh about it now.

One of my favorite authors is Jen Lancaster.  I have read four out of five of her memoirs and am always telling people about her, to the point that I buy extra books and give them out to those I think would also enjoy her.  My three most recent converts have been my friends Shannon and Jill, as well as my sister Andrea.  In addition to reading her books, I've friended her on Facebook, follow her on Twitter, and have her blog listed in my favorites (and linked to this page).  It's easy to read her writing and feel like you're besties with her.  I love this about her writing, but in the same way... I almost feel like more of a stalker than a fan. 

As soon as Ms. Lancaster poster her 2011 Book Tour schedule, I checked to see when she'd be in Chicago.  Saturday, May 7th.  Perfect.  I wrote it on a post-it note, and it's been on my fridge ever since.

I called Barnes & Noble and learned that in order to get any book signed, I would have to provide a receipt showing that my Jen Lancaster books were purchased at a B&N.  They would be giving numbered wristbands to those who had the applicable receipts, indicating that we had been verified as well as giving a number to know what group was able to line up (almost like a boarding pass) for autographs and photos. 

I wasn't sure how crowded it would be, so I made sure to go to B&N on Friday to purchase Ms. Lancaster's new book (and first novel), If You Were Here for me and the memoir, Bright Lights, Big Ass for Shannon (shhhh, don't tell her, I still have to ship it).  Saturday would be a time squeeze, because I had to work until 3:30 p.m. and would need to change clothes and freshen up before making the drive out to Chicago's Lincoln Park for the event, especially since I wasn't sure how the traffic would be. 
            

(Side note:  Traffic reports on the radio do me no good at this point.  Chicagoans like to call their freeways & tollways by nicknames like "The Kennedy," "Dan Ryan," "Ike," etc. and report traffic in the same fashion.  I have no idea which number goes by which nickname, so I never know where the traffic is.  I just add more time to my travel plan, just in case.  Side note to the side note: I still give directions like a Californian, i.e. "the 88" or "the 355" which is cause for teasing in both Texas AND Illinois.) 

After a couple glitches in my "get ready & go" plan, and fearing that I was going to be super late, I was surprised to arrive at the B&N at exactly 6:00 p.m.  I had just enough time to prove my purchase, receive my wristband and head upstairs to... a HUGE crowd. 

Because I was only "on time," I didn't have any other choice but to stand in the back of this crowd.  After a brief introduction, Ms. Lancaster came out and greeted the crowd and began reading an excerpt from the new book.  Only problem?  I was so far away that I couldn't actually see her (although if I stood on my tippy toes and stretched real high, I could see the sunglasses on top of her head) and even though she had a microphone, I couldn't hear everything she was saying.  It was even more frustrating when people started asking questions (I couldn't hear these people at all) and then I could only hear part of her answer.  If anything I was bummed I hadn't made it earlier to get a better spot (and wondering why B&N didn't have special rooms for these types of events). 

After the question & answer period, we were able to get in line based on the number on our wristband (I was 102).  None of my friends were able to go with me, so I stood in line by myself, playing "Words With Friends" on my cell phone, listening to conversations of those around me and checking out the books along the way as the line wrapped around shelf after shelf.  About half-way through the line, I noticed that the battery had signifcantly gone down in the time that I had been there.  I stopped playing to save some battery life for the photo opportunity ahead. 

As I get nearer to the front of the line, I start getting really nervous.  The last time I went to one of Jen Lancaster's book signings, I had Jill with me.  Jill broke the ice and made it easier for me to actually speak to the author like a normal person.  Without Jill there, I was afraid I'd sound like a bumbling idiot.  I started making a mental checklist of things I could say or talk about to A.) sound intelligent and/or witty, B.) avoid sounding creepy by gushing about how excited I am to be there and telling her how much I lover her books, Facebook posts, Tweets, Blog, etc. and how Lake Forest is near where my brother lives, so we should meet up and have lunch and wine and how she and Jill and I can be besties and C.) avoid crying at all costs.  I'm almost to the table where Ms. Lancaster is sitting, signing books, and I see that her husband Fletch is sitting with her, signing books as well.  Fletch may not write the books, but he is a constant source of humor in Ms. Lancaster's writing, so his being there only adds to my excitement and nervousness.

By the time my books are handed over to be autographed, I am shaking with nerves.  (I have also been waiting in a line by myself for over an hour so not only have I had way too much time to think about anything and everything that could go wrong, now I'm hungry too.)  I started to tell Jen and Fletch about how I've converted several of my friends into Jen Lancaster fans, but I say something more like "I've told my friends, and I've... like... you know... Ohhh... I can't think of the word... um... told them to read."  Hearing myself speak only increases the shakiness and I realize there's no coming back.  Thankfully, Ms. Lancaster is very gracious and kind and talks to me instead.  She tells me that Brights Lights, Big Ass is her favorite of her memoirs and that she hates her first memoir, Bitter Is The New Black, because it is a painful reminder of her layoff in 2001.  Fletch laughs and tells me he's never even read the book.  I say a couple other lame, not particularly intelligent or witty things and then decide to get my picture taken and dash. 

I grab the cell phone (a Samsung Epic) and instantly forget how to bring up the camera capability.  I keep bringing up the gallery instead.  At this point, I'm shaky and nervous and I see the long line of people waiting for me to vacate the area so that they can get their books signed and pictures taken as well.  I try to make a joke about how I should learn to use the phone, and quickly decide that I need to shut up.  I finally figure it out and hand the phone to the B&N rep to take my picture, quickly go to stand behind Jen & Fletch, put on a smile and then hear "the phone just said 'low battery' and went back to the main menu."  I run back over to the B&N rep, try it a few more times and get the same error!!!  ARRRGGGHHHH!!  I thanked Jen and Fletch for signing my books and am mentally telling myself not to cry.  Jen felt bad about the camera thing, so she leaned into Fletch and smiled so I could take a mental picture instead.  (Thanks, Jen... I appreciated this later, lol).  I made it to my car before bursting into tears.

It wasn't a terrible experience, and it certainly wasn't something to cry over, but I get that way past a certain point of frustration.  I have the new book.  I got to speak with the author and her husband.  They both signed my books and I had my picture taken with her at the last event.  In the end, everything worked out fine, it just didn't go exactly as I had hoped.  Not everyone can be funny, intelligent and witty all the time while remembering how to use a camera phone, right?  Um.. Right!  OK, I feel better.  Will I go to another book signing event in the future?  Yes, but I am never EVER going alone again.  :)

Jen Lancaster & Amy - LifeBEAT event @ Borders Oak Park - December 1, 2010

Mambo Italiano

I hate to admit it, but I've never been someone who has enjoyed fruits or vegetables.  To me, most fruit is too sweet and most vegetables are too bitter and just all out... gross.  Much to my chagrin, I'm what you would call a "picky eater."  I am one of those people you hate to go through a drive-thru with because I am always adding this, and subtracting that.  Onions?  No.  Extra mustard?  Yes.  Ketchup?  No.  Lettuce?  No.  Mayo?  Absolutely NOT!  Have I always been this way?  I'm not sure, but I'm pretty sure the answer is an overwhelming "Yes!"

One thing I remember my mother telling me as a child was that I should keep trying foods I don't like, as my tastes may change as I become an adult.  She told me how she hated avocados after eating them way too often, but then later tried them as an adult and found that she liked them all over again.  This is one thing I have carried with me over the years.  I may be a "picky eater," but I pride myself on being willing to try (most) new things.  My only problem is that I developed weird food allergies after I turned twenty and I have to be very label-conscious with my food decisions (now I'm even less fun to have at a drive-thru), especially when it comes to fruits and vegetables (turns out most of my food allergies stem from my environmental allergies).  I am now an adventurous food-taster, of sorts, equipped with an Epi-pen and Benedryl at all times!

Several months ago, I experienced Chicago's Greek Town for the first time.  If you're itching for Greek food, this is certainly the place to be!  The menu contained some items I was familiar with (I heart Baklava!) and some that I had never heard of at all.  Being the cavalier, yet cautious food taster that I am, I ordered a combination platter with all sorts of Greekiness on one plate.  I found that I don't care for Dolmathakia/Dolmades (grape leaves stuffed with meat and rice), but I was a HUGE fan of Spanakopita (phyllo pastry with spinach and feta cheese) and Moussaka (a casserole made with eggplant, meat, and a creamy sauce).  Out of everything that I tried, I was most concerned about the eggplant.  If you've never tried it (and you have the same aversions to fruits and veggies as I do), eggplant can be very intimidating! To me, eggplants have always looked like dark plum-colored boobs... with stems.  Not very appetizing if you ask me.  I was surprised to discover that the actual inside of the eggplant is white and has seeds!  I'd never really thought about the inside before, but I guess I always assumed that the innards of an eggplant would have a purpleish tone as well.  Joke's on me.

For the last couple months I have been thinking about the eggplant, wondering what I could possible do with it, and also wondering if I actually like the flavor or if I was just distracted by all the other Moussaka goodness.  Do I like eggplant?  Does it taste as bitter as I have always heard that it is?  Gosh darn it, I am figuring this out tonight! 

The only other dish I know that has eggplant is the estimed "Egglant Parmesan."  After weeks of considering it, I decided to just make it and try the darn thing already.  I left work and headed directly to Meijer (like a Super Walmart, for those of you who don't have a Meijer [pronouned Meyer] in your neck of the woods) and purchased all the ingredients for this dish.  I looked up tons of recipes online and it started to seem like it was going to be way too much work.  Thanks to food.com, I was able to find a simplified recipe.  It took a while, but I ended up with the following results:

Aside from the big chunks of onion and tomato in the sauce (I know, picky, picky!), I thought it was actually pretty good.  I would have been happy with the fried eggplant alone, but the tomato sauce (Prego's Chunky Garden sauce) and the parmesan and mozarella cheeses really added to the flavor.  I am quite pleased with myself and am excited to let my mother know that I tried eggplant again and that I realized that I actually do like it!  Kudos to you, adult taste-buds... maybe I'll become a better drive-thru companion before we know it!

Happy Easter!

The weather has been dreary and cold the last week or so, but the sun finally came out again today for Easter.  The sunshine and the warmer weather was just the cap to the fabulous day!  I started out by making the early service at a local church I've been wanting to check out, and then enjoying a lovely Easter brunch at Emmett's Ale House in downtown Downers Grove.  It was a great spread of traditional brunch fare: bacon, sausage, Eggs Benedict (my favorite!), lox and bagels, salad, croissants, shrimp cocktail, pork tenderloin, spring veggies, pastries and of course, champagne and mimosas!  The food was great and it made me feel all Eastery and fancy!  :) 

Afterwards, I picked up my dog, Hippo, and made the trek to my brother's house.  The rest of the day was spent with family, more food, and lounging on the couch, watching movies.

It may not have been an "adventure," per se, but it couldn't have been a more perfect day!

Happy Easter, everyone!

Reading Between The Wines

For the last few years, I have considered joining or starting a book club.  I love to read, and I know plenty of people who do as well, but I never knew where to start.  I'm not sure if it was a lack of gumption, know-how or courage, but I've pretty much gone book-clubless all this time.  With my new found resolve to get out more, I finally decided to put the wheels into motion. 

After a couple Google searches, I remember my previous roommate, Rebecca, had used the website, meetup.com to find a photography group in our area.  If it worked for her, it could work for me, right?  Right!  I pulled up the site, and after entering "book club" and "Downers Grove, IL," I had a list of local book clubs ripe for the pickin'. 

A quick scan of list confirms that I will be able to find a book club meeting in my area... it also draws my attention to a title called "Reading between the wines."  To be honest, I'm already sold on the group... but I figure I should check out the information before committing my time (and so as not to seem too eager).  Imagine my surprise and happiness when I read the information and the group leader indicates that she loves "chick-lit," is not all that into fantasy, vampires, werewolves, etc., AND enjoys a nice glass of wine?  Yes!  I am joining this group for sure!  The kicker?  Tonight we met at Anna Shea Chocolates!  What is Anna Shea Chocolates, you ask?  Only the most adorable chocolate/cupcake/gelato/wine lounge there is!  I've been a giddy little girl since I found this group and have been excited ALL day, gearing up for this evening's meeting!  It was a little bit of a drive, and the weather wasn't as nice as I blogged that it was going to be, but it was worth it!  The wine was great, the chocolate was great and I really think I am going to enjoy myself in this group!  We seem to have the same taste in genres and when I mentioned that Jen Lancaster has an upcoming book signing in May, they already knew who she was!

The books that are up for consideration at this point are:  Mennonite In A Little Black Dress by Rhoda Janzen, The Four Mrs. Bradwells by Meg Waite Clayton, Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin, and The Kitchen Daughter by Jael McHenry.  I'm excited to find out what collective group has decided on.  I hoping to make some friends in this group and hoping that it leads to even more adventures.  If you have any book suggestions, please let me know.  I'd be happy to pass them along.  :)

Sweat & The City

I have a feeling that livingsocial.com and groupon.com are going to get constant "shout outs" on this page.  Thanks to these daily emails, I am constantly finding new things to try in Chicago and the Western Suburbs!  My first purchase?  A two-month, unlimited pass to... wait for it... BIKRAM YOGA!  What?!?  I suppose it's not the first activity one might think of when considering what the "Windy City" has to offer, but at $30.00, how could I possibly pass this up?  Now, I've never tried Bikram Yoga (or regular yoga, for that matter) and if you know me, I'm not all that in to sports or exercise... or sweating, but I'm desperate to find some type of fitness activity that can keep me motivated (livingsocial.com, you had me at $30.00/unlimited). 

I already know that Bikram Yoga is considered to be the "hot" yoga, but not much more than that.  My next step is to find out a little bit more about this program, and of course, consult a friend who has actually tried it.  After reading about the class on the website, I learn that I will be taught to manueuver through 26 yoga poses in a heated environment, for 90 minutes.  In all honesty, I'm a little concerned about the heat, but after considering all those times I've been to Las Vegas in the summer and the fact that I briefly lived in Texas, I'm starting to feel a little more confident.  Next point of reference?  My friend, Melissa.  I shoot her a quick text to get her opinion: 

Amy: Hey!  U did bikram yoga, right?  Did u like it?

Melissa:  Hey hun!!  I LOVED it!!  At first you love/hate it, but then it turns into just love.  It's challenging, but you can see yourself improve if you take it regularly.  It helps any other workout you do, and you sweat out all the toxins in your body & burn about 700 and something calories.  =)  and that's my txt informercial for Bikram.  Heehee.

Yeah, I basically signed up for the class after Melissa's sparkly review.  How could I not?

I arrived at the Bikram studio thirty minutes early, just as the web site instructed.  Upon check in, I was given a run down of the facility and instructions for the class.  Shoes off at the door, bag and personal items in the locker room, and then off to the classroom with my yoga mat, towels and bottle of water.  You would figure that since I have already done some research, I would have already anticipated that class was being held on the sun!  My goodness, it really is HOT in that room!  I'm pretty sure that I broke a sweat just unrolling my yoga mat.  Not only am I already sweating, but since I prefer to be early to anything, I spend about 20 minutes in the classroom before the class even starts.  I'm watching the people as they filter in and I notice that after they set up their area, they lay down on their mats, facing the back of the room.  I'm not sure why they're doing this, but who am I to question the process?  I, of course, imitate my classmates and lie down as well.  So far, I'm pretty sure I can handle this.

What seems like hours later (but has probably only been about 10 or 15 minutes) I am doing a pose where I'm bent over, grabbing my heels and trying to be as flat against my body as possible.  I am super hot, but I am really concentrating on keeping my balance, breathing properly, and not thinking about hot I am.     That's when I notice that even my legs are sweating!  Wow!  By the end of the class, my clothes are completely soaked.  I am quite certain that I have never sweat so much in my entire life!

All in all, it was actually a great class.  I had to sit down a couple times (mostly to refocus on the yoga and to stop thinking how super hot I was), but I got through most of the poses like a Bikram Yoga CHAMP!  I look forward to going back (I really am) and getting better.  (By the way, I totally stopped at Whole Foods on the way home.  Something about spending $6.00 on turkey meatballs just made me feel even healthier.)

My Illinoisy Life

I guess I never really appreciated nice weather until experiencing months and months of below freezing conditions.  I eventually stopped thinking about the temperature based on degrees, but rather on how many layers of clothes I have to put on before leaving my apartment.  (I cursed my dog every time I had to take him out to do his business, and often wondered if I could successfully train him to use the toilet like the human he thinks he is.)  I have also come to appreciate all those scarves my mother has knitted for me over the years!!  I am happy to report that that the temperature is finally on the rise, and the sun is again honoring us with its presence.  In Chicago, spring is not only marked by the new plant growth or melting of the snow, but the throng of people doing anything and everything that frees them from their hibernation.  I have decided to join the ranks of the spring-fevered!  I have decided to get out and about and make the most of this beautiful (above 50 degree) weather!!  I am hoping this blog encourages me to keep up with my adventures and inspire me to keep thinking bigger and better! 

(Special thanks to the creative Mike R. who came up with my blog title.  Who knows how long these adventures would have been put off without your help!)  :)