"homeless kit"

last june i came up with the idea of always having a "homeless kit" in my trunk just in case i ran across someone who was in need i could supply them with some of the basics.  well since last year the homeless kit has evolved.  it now includes: a reusable bag, socks, underwear, ensure, water, powerade, granola bars, a t-shirt and soap.

if you'd like one to distribute, just let me know i have plenty to share! 

i'm still not 100% sold on the name "homeless kit" so i'm taking suggestions.

house number makeover

while i love our house, from the inside out it is full of gold everything.  from the fixtures to the doorknobs to the house numbers.  so little by little i'm trying to get rid of it all. i searched for new house numbers and just couldn't find anything i loved so instead i got a can of spray paint for $4 or $5 and was thrilled with the results.

below is the step by step process i followed:

remove the house numbers

sand them all down

wash with soap and water

now you're ready to paint

spray paint away

here is the spray paint i used, in oil rubbed bronze of course

leave to dry

don't forget to paint the screws

the final product...they look brand new

weekly menu posting

jared asked for a week of repeat recipes, which doesn't excite me too much because i just love trying out new recipes but with it being restaurant week and all, i happily obliged.

sunday: black bean burgers with cilantro lime rice and homemade gauc and salsa -- pretty simple and quick meal that makes our menu often.  to make things even better we got to enjoy it outside on the deck.

monday: steak salad with bacon, crispy potatoes and blue cheese dressing --  well this was supposed to be on the menu tonight but we had leftover steak for lunch and  i just wasn't feeling steak again so instead we had a fridge full of leftovers that got put to good use. but if you're looking for a different way to have steak, i would recommend this recipe, it was one of my favs.

tuesday: chipotle-honey-glazed chicken wings with toasted sesame seeds and green onion and sweet corn -- i stumbled upon this recipe a few years ago in one of bobby flay's cookbooks and was in love.  these wings are sticky, spicy and sweet, i just love them. as far as the sweet corn goes, i'm going to try something new by baking it.

wednesday: picnic dinner with chicken salad, cheese, salt and vinegar chips and fruit -- we're hitting up our first i cubs game of the season so instead of eating out before, i'm going to pack a picnic for us to enjoy before the game. and i do have to say, i make a mean chicken salad.

thursday: cafe di scala -- i can't wait for another trip to cafe di scala, everything on their menu is simple but elegant. oh and you have to get their tiramisu!

friday: 801chophouse -- we have a special occasion to celebrate, my parent's 30th wedding anniversary.  i've said it before and i'll say it again, 801 deserves all the hype it receives.  hands down they serve the best steak i've ever had...i can't even think of anything that has even come close. their grand marnier souffle is also worth the splurge, it is served with three decadent sauces. 

saturday: jethro's bbq -- my dad is busy working on a home project for me so to repay him, we will treat him to his favorite restaurant in town.

whoa, talk about a week of eating out. i can't think of any other week where i've gotten to eat at four of my top ten restaurant picks in one week.  looking forward to a week of good food and family.

biscuit cutters

my mom bought me a set of biscuit cutters awhile back and i couldn't wait to use them. well turns out it was finally time to use them and they were no where to be found. ugh, what a let down so i was stuck using a glass once again. 

fast forward to the other night, i am chatting away on the phone and jared is switching out the drinking water filter. all at once i hear water spraying everywhere so i quickly end my conversation and go check out the situation. 

jared asks me to get some towels so i run over and grab all the towels i can find.  well at the bottom of the drawer, sure enough there are my biscuit cutters.  i am so thrilled i grab them and show jared "look my biscuit cutters!"

his response to me "seriously stacy, we have a flooding issue."

oops, apparently he wasn't as excited as me. 

the good news, the water eventually stopped, the flood got cleaned up and my biscuit cutters have been found!

weekly menu posting

better late than never...here is the menu for this week:

sunday: grilled chicken and peaches with green beans and orzo -- we didn't get to eat this last week so it got moved to sunday.  oh my goodness, this recipe was super easy, quick, healthy and delicious...i would highly recommend it.

monday: eat-your-plate taco salad with black beans and grilled corn -- i try to cook at least one meatless meal a week, so this was it.  we still got in our protein with the black beans and had plenty of leftovers for lunch.

tuesday: buffalo chicken rolls with carrots and celery and skinny blue cheese dressing -- these buffalo chicken rolls were one of the best things i've had in a long time and to make it even better, they are only 100 calories a roll.  this recipe will definitely have to make a repeat appearance.

wednesday: chicken enchilada pizza -- my good friend kate shared this recipe with me last week and i knew it had to make my menu asap.  fyi, if you're looking for a perfect pizza crust, i would recommend the fresh pizza dough from trader joe's, it is by far the best i've had.

thursday: the cheese shop -- after work happy hour with kate and nic, hoping to find the delicious manchego cheese that we had at leslie's bachelorette party.

friday: alba -- restaurant week is here!  first stop is my all-time favorite, alba.  my fingers are crossed they have the sweet corn soup, it is so good i want to lick the bowl.

saturday: flank steak with balsamic bbq and fresh corn casserole with red bell peppers and jalapenos -- pretty pumped for this evening, sounds like a perfect summer evening meal to me. 

weekly menu posting

sunday: peppercorn-blue cheese burgers with grilled sweet potatoes with rosemary butter sauce -- this is a slight deviation of what we were supposed to have last tuesday but it didn't happen because i forgot to set out the hamburger and i couldn't find cherries anywhere.

monday: bacon, peach and arugula sandwiches with baked zucchini chips -- definitely a variation of your traditional BLT but given peaches are in season, i'm sure it will be delicious.

tuesday: fish tacos with a watermelon salsa and black beans -- i've never made fish tacos or watermelon salsa before, pretty excited to try something new out.  if you haven't been to whole foods yet, the fish alone is worth the trip and it is reasonably priced.

wednesday: grilled chicken and peaches with green beans and orzo -- another recipe where i can take advantage of the great peaches. i can't wait until my green beans are ready and i can use those in lots of different recipes, but they aren't quite there yet. 

thursday: broken lasagna with zucchini-tomato sauce -- this dish was on the cover of food network magazine last month and looked so beautiful that it just had to make my menu.  i haven't made a ton of zucchini before and it tends to turn out mushy, so i'm hoping this will be different since it is in the sauce.

friday/saturday: home -- we're headed home this weekend for our class reunion so it will be a weekend full of home cooking.