Apple Picking!

Per our annual tradition, we took the kids to Oriole Springs apple orchard for some apple picking. The day couldn't have been more beautiful - 70s and sunny. We all had a blast! All three kids LOVE apple picking and at least 2 out of the 3 love eating apples!

 After apple picking, we stopped by Harvest Time Orchard for some good ol' Wisconsin summer sausage, colby cheese, and fresh doughnuts. Yum!
The kids liked seeing their little animal pen with goats, turkeys, and chickens.

Surprise for Daddy!

Making chocolate cookies to surprise Daddy at work.  He LOVES homemade chocolate chip cookies!

Painting Birdhouses

For a fun craft this week, we painted little wooden birdhouses.

Chicago Bears!

My good friend Erica invited me to the season opener of the Chicago Bears. The day was sunny and beautiful, and the Bears won! It was a truly awesome day!

Slow-Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

The season of soups is upon us!  Here is one we enjoy when Autumn comes around...

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
INGREDIENTS
1 Rotisserie chicken, meat removed from bone and shredded
1 15 oz. can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed
1 10 oz. can enchilada sauce
1 medium onion, diced
1 4 oz. can chopped green chile peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 14.5 oz. can chicken broth
1 - 2 cans black beans, rinsed
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 10 oz. package frozen corn
1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (or 1 tsp dried)
avocado
tortilla chips
colby jack cheese, shredded
sour cream

DIRECTIONS
Pull chicken off the bone and shred. Mash tomatoes with your hands in the can or in a bowl. (Do it while they are submerged in their juices so they don't splatter everywhere.) Place chicken, tomatoes and their juices, enchilada sauce, onion, green chiles, black beans and garlic into the slow cooker. Pour in water and chicken broth. Season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and a bay leaf. Stir in frozen corn and cilantro.
Cover and cook on LOW setting for 6 - 8 hours or on a HIgH setting for 3 - 4 hours.
Serve soup with sliced avocado, shredded cheese, and sour cream.

TIP for feeding little ones - For feeding youngsters that aren't ready for "soup", scoop out the chicken, beans, and corn with a slotted spoon and serve on a plate with the tortilla chips and some shredded cheese.

Waukegan Air Show

For the last few years, I've been tempted to take the kids to the Air & Water show downtown, but the question of where to park, the crowds, the safety, and the timing have have always stopped me.  Last week, some friends mentioned they were going to the Waukegan Air Show, so I looked into it, and we decided to check it out. And what was the verdict?   It was AWESOME! We will definitely go back next year. It is held at the Waukegan regional airport and you park right at the airport and walk a short way to the airfield. It is totally kid-friendly and is full of families. You have a great view of the planes in the air and can see them up pretty close in the parking lot.  I highly recommend it ...(although I do recommend that you go early and not try to go the hour before it starts. The traffic was pretty horrendous.) 

 

Recipe for Brussel Sprouts

Let me start this post by saying that vegetables are not my favorite foods. I have gotten much better over the years, but I still rarely even consider the "vegetarian item" on the menu and one of my least favorite party foods is the "raw veggie tray".  In my adulthood, I have discovered the wonderful marriage between vegetables and a roasting pan.  Roasted broccoli and sweet potatoes have become a huge favorite of mine. Well, I just recently added to my roast vegetable repertoire with one for roasted brussel sprouts with pancetta.  And before you turn up your nose, let me tell you that I don't like steamed or boiled brussel sprouts either. They always seemed like spawns of cabbage - another vegetable that I think smells like sweaty feet. But when you roast them with S&P, olive oil, garlic, and a little italian bacon - they morph into earthy-yumminess. I dare you to give it a try!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Garlic and Pancetta

Yield: Makes 4 servings Ingredients 1 lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered 2 oz pancetta, visible fat discarded and pancetta minced 1 garlic clove, minced 1/2 - 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil salt & Pepper Preheat oven to 425° - 450F. (The original recipe called for 450, but that just seemed a little too hot in my oven. )  Toss together Brussels sprouts, pancetta, garlic, oil, and salt and pepper to taste in an 11- by 7-inch baking pan and spread in 1 layer.  Roast in upper third of oven, stirring once halfway through roasting, until sprouts are brown on edges and tender, about 20 - 25 minutes total.  You have to be careful to cook them until browned a bit, but not too much where they really start to burn.   Serve warm.

Gone Fishin'...

I don't know if it is a good thing or a bad thing that we didn't catch anything. I'm not sure what we would have done if we'd actually caught a fish!

Lincoln Park Zoo Excursion

This trip was a few weeks ago, but just realized I never posted about it.  I took the kids to Lincoln Park Zoo on a gorgeous summer day.  It was so cool to stroll around the zoo and see the city skyline on such a beautiful day.

 Austin and his raffeys!

 

 Lunch at Sarkis by the Park! I used to go to the original Sarkis with my Dad when I was little!

 Haven't had "disaster sausage" in probably 20 years!

 

Tomato Pie and Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps

This is one of my favorite recipes to make when we have a bounty of garden fresh tomatoes.  It really only works with fresh seasonal tomatoes, so while they are still in season, try it out!
It's kind of like a caprese salad baked in a pie crust.

Summer Tomato Pie

Prebake a pie crust (from scratch or from the refrigerated Pillsbury pie crust in the red box.)
Layer slices of cheese (gruyere, baby swiss, or mozzarella, depending on your preference) about 2 layers thick into the crust.  Take 2 thin slices of vidalia onion and sprinkle it over the cheese. Layer slices of tomatoes sprinkled with salt and pepper. Sprinkle fresh chopped basil and parmesan cheese. Drizzle a few tablespoons of melted butter on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.


Here is another recipe I made this week that turned out pretty well.

Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps

*Makes 6 wraps*

INGREDIENTS:

 1 cup cooked rice, warm or at room temperature

 1 cup cooked, shredded chicken (from a rotisserie chicken)

 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

 1 green onion, finely sliced (white and green parts)

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

 juice of 1 lime

 1/2 tsp chili powder (optional - I think I would have liked it more without this)

 1 teaspoon ground cumin

 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

 2 cups shredded cheese (I used a combination of monterey jack and sharp cheddar)

 Sour cream

6 burrito-sized flour tortillas

DIRECTIONS:

 Mix rice together with chili powder, cumin and garlic salt in a bowl. Add remaining ingredients except for cheese and sour cream.  Dot a few dollops of sour cream on the tortillas. Sprinkle cheese over tortillas, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges, then arrange chicken and rice mixture down the center of each tortilla.  Roll stuffed tortillas, leaving edges open.

 

Add a bit of olive or vegetable oil to a large non-stick skillet and heat over medium heat for 1 minute. Arrange 2 wraps, seam-side down, in pan and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining wraps. Serve with guacamole or salsa.

First day of preschool

It has been a wonderful summer, but I think we are all more than ready for preschool to start.
Here are my big boys ready to start school!

First Day of School!

Caroline had her first day of first grade on Monday.  I can hardly believe she is old enough to attend school all day, to eat lunch at school every day, and to take the school bus! What happened to my little girl?  She had a great first week and is adjusting really well to her new school schedule. The adjustment seems to be harder for me and her brothers. I miss her during the day! The first few days, the boys kept asking "Where's Caroline?" It was really sweet. The boys miss her too!

 Off she goes...

 Home at last!