Chocolate Cherry Valentine’s Day Cookies

adminBlogging, Chocolate Cherry Valentine's Day Cookies, love, Ramshackle Glam, Recipe, Uncategorized%s Comments

I’ve recently starting crushing on the blog Ramshackle Glam– it’s stylish, smart, domestic goddess-y and super, super creative in a way that doesn’t make me feel bad about myself on days when I’m not wearing matching socks, I lost the keys, I ate takeout yet again or I can’t drum up a creative thought to save my life (hey, happens to the best of us).  She’s super relate-able and her posts are just delightful and inspiring.

Sidebar: I read a to-be-unnamed post on a to-be-unnamed blog the other day where the author made her own graham crackers from scratch.  After a post showing me how to “beach curl” my hair.   What the wha?!  Um, I buy my graham crackers at the grocery store because the fine people at the graham cracker factory do a very nice job themselves and since it’s -6 degrees outside, I just pray my hair doesn’t freeze off my head.

Anyways.

When Ramshackle Glam posted a recipe for Chocolate Cherry Valentine’s Day Cookies, I couldn’t wait to make them for this weekend.  True to her word, they are soooooo good!

Click here for the recipe and glorious little photo guide to this Heart Day keeper!  Enjoy and please share any recipes you are loving on these days- I’m looking to whip up a feast this weekend!

The Bloggess’ Christmas Miracle

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The Bloggess and the Christmas Gift Card Miracle of 2010.

Part of why I love blogging is because sometimes, I feel like my words aren’t just going out into the infinite abyss.

Sometimes, there’s a connection.

The Bloggess proves that sometimes words hit people.  In a big, big way.  And make big, big waves.

My little heart grew 3 sizes reading this article.

I’m going to go find a Kleenex now.

 

Cookies, Wine, Love, and Girlfriends

adminbaking, chocolate covered pretzels, cookie baking, girlfriends, love, Oreo Balls, tofu lasagna, Uncategorized, wine%s Comments

Last night was one of those “I don’t want to be anywhere else or with anyone else in the world right now” kind of nights.

I’ve been feeling lately like my female friendships are the things that go by the wayside when work/life gets hectic and busy, which is way super lame, I know.  But last night, we made being together a priority and I can truly say that I haven’t felt that whole, that content in quite a while.

Tofu lasagna, 6 bottles of wine, 6 different kinds of cookies and the girls that definitely make up a part of my “home team”…I can’t think of a better way to spend a Saturday night.

Cooking Lesson Learned: melt chocolate in the microwave.  Doing it on the store without a double boiler makes for chocolate that closely resembles hummus.  Super gross and inedible.

Life Lesson Learned:  girlfriends are one of the best gifts in the world, not only just at Christmas.  Get together, drink wine, and bake more often.

Cookie Roundup:

Chocolate Covered Pretzels, Peanut Butter cookies w/ Kisses, Chocolate Covered Oreo Balls, Wreaths, Almond Balls, and Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yes, Indeed.

adminfaith, Family, historical chicago, love, Macy's, Marshall Field's, State Street, State Street windows, tradition, Uncategorized%s Comments

“Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.  He exists as certainly as love, generosity and devotion exist.”

No “G Family Christmas Kickoff” would be complete without heading to State Street to check out the holiday windows at Marshall Field’s, errr, Macy’s so Papa G, my step-mom, Ryan and I bundled up on Sunday morning to see what the theme was this year.

The theme this year is the famous editorial that appeared in The Sun in 1987 answering a letter titled “Is There a Santa Claus?”.  I have always loved the “Yes, Virginia…” response because it speaks so beautifully to the necessity of belief in the unseen, in faith.

And after all, isn’t that what this time of year is about?  Faith in love, faith in family, faith that a Savior was going to arrive in Bethlehem, just as promised?

I’m so happy I was able to share this holiday tradition with my family, people I always have faith in.

 

Fingers Crossed

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There is a good chance that Luna Bell, Ryan and I will not be homeless come July 1.  I saw my 18th and 19th apartments yesterday and loved, loved, loved both of them.  After several pros and cons lists, we made a decision.  I’m waiting until papers are signed and it’s official but I thought you would be happy to know that I most likely won’t be begging to live on your couch in 2 weeks.

And b y couch, I mean couches.  And by couches, I mean all 5 of yours, Corey Lambert.

Lovie Dovie Day and Dirk’s Fish

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Busy weekend.  Ryan had a 2 day conference and I had a work event.  Since there would not be much downtime, I figured I’d get some good girlfriend brownie points and take care of Valentine’s Day.  “Honey, don’t worry about making plans, I’ll just do it.”  Which was super nice of me…until Friday night when I realized that no plans had been actioned.  I frantically texted my friend, who is referred to as Married Mike in Corey’s blog, asking where he gets fish to make sushi.  “Dirk’s Fish on Clybourn” was Married Mike’s reply.  So, after a call to Dirk at 5pm on Saturday making sure there was still fish,  I sprinted to Dirk’s Fish to put a Valentine’s date together.

Dirk’s Fish was fantastic.  Sushi grade fish, live lobster and crab, every kind of fish soup you can imagine and really, really nice fish connoisseurs that were very helpful as I explained my plight.  They set me up with this:

Yes, including that scaly guy on the right.  He was turned into sea bass I could roll into sushi right before my eyes.  With some tuna, salmon, sea bass, seaweed wrap, mango, cucumber, wasabi and pickled ginger in my hot little hands, I thanked Dirk for saving Valentine’s Day and sprinted home.

A few hours and a bottle of champagne later, Ryan and I had created this:

Dirk’s Fish has cooking classes that I definitely want to check out but for an in-home attempt, I don’t think we did too bad.

High Five of the Day: All of the amazing runners that showed up in frigid temps to run the 5k on Saturday!  With over 60 people and tons of goodies from Keihl’s, The Goddess and the Grocer, Element Bar, Vita Coco, Starbucks and Farmer Tom, the event was a huge success.  And super fun! Thanks to all the runners and a HUGE thanks to my friends who ran–I am so grateful for your support!

Still snowing…

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It’s still snowing.  While it isn’t what the East Coast is getting slammed with, for a city with bare sidewalks yesterday, it is still something.  I took this picture while I was walking to 7/11.  I felt it was too snowy to venture to the gym but felt it was completely necessary to walk almost the same distance to get this:

I love Diet Coke and am perfectly willing to go out in a snowstorm for it.  And look!  Valentine’s cans!  Love and Diet Coke–a match made in heaven.

Here’s how Luna Bell feels about the snow:

She doesn’t want to talk about it.