March a Month of Birthdays

Just a few shots from the night out at Thirsty Vine.
Personally - I thought it was too much chocolate. There. I said it out loud. I hate to throw stuff away (as everyone knows) and next time, when we do the chocolate fondue I say we do for only 2 or 3 at most. Always good to want more...
But here's some pics to enjoy

Soup - Black Bean & Peppers

Done over two days due to my schedule, not cause must be done that way.
Could use canned black beans, but did this with dried.

Day one:
in small crockpot - add
4 cups water.
1.5 cups dried black beans - Rinse & add
Put on high, stir occasionally until you go to bed. Then stir again in morning.
(Forget to turn down to low, but do add another cup of water in morning.)

Heat in saute pan -
2 tablespoon olive oil
add 1 cup sweet onion, sliced
cook 2 to 3 minutes, add
4 to 6 crushed garlic cloves (or to taste)
3 banana peppers (red) (mildly hot), sliced in rings
2 hot cherry peppers (red)
1 jalepeno pepper (red)
saute for a few minutes, until starting to soften.
Add 3 to 5 fresh tomatoes, cut into slices (I used 4 plum, one larger heirloom)
add 2 baby eggplant, peeled & cut into rounds.

Put into heat proof container into refrigerator until black beans are ready.

Day two:
heat in soup pan -
dash of olive oil (to coat bottom), then add
tomato/pepper mixture
Stir black beans vigorously - to mash up about half of them in crock - add to soup pan.
add vegetable broth to crock pot, stir around to rinse last of black beans - then add to soup pot.
(I used Orrington Farms soup Base and 3 cups of water)

Mix all together in soup pan until heated through.

Wine & Tuscany - Happy B-day Susanne!

So we got together for a gathering - Susanne's birthday being the 19th, we used that as an excuse.
I asked Michael for a theme - he pulled out his cookbooks and I liked the idea of Tuscan cooking - remembering 'Under the Tuscan Sun' (book version) which was all about cooking and food as well as beautiful Tuscany. (different from the movie which luckily I saw first - I enjoyed it, but they didn't jibe very well together)

Menu and Attendees:
Joules:
appetizer tray of cucumber slices, Lupini beans, capers & bocconcini
Fava Beans with sage & tomato
Polenta with vegetables and prosciutto - served with pesto
Peach dessert - made up recipe

Giardelli Superior fudge brownies

Kathy/Ken/Andrew
Asiago cheese dip with crusty bread

Strange:
Spinach & Artichoke dip with bread
Homemade Hummus & veggies (moosewood cookbook version Plus upgrades by Strange)

Michael/Cari/Martin
Braised Chicken with Mushrooms
Carrots
Spaghetti w/ walnuts, garlic & olive oil

Jorie/Mark/Lucas/Sophia:
Nutello fried ravioli
Bruschetta

Susanne/Elizabeth
Maricka

Wines:
Rhubarb - village vintner
Eric the Red - Galena
Spring Fling - Illinois River Winery
Porto Cocoa - village vintner
Catawba - Illinois river Winery
Tocay??
Meritage
Pinot Grigio - by that family of directors/actors

Had it on the upper patio - strung lights, lit torches and oil lamps
Kids playing on the lower patio - indians and blocks
Turtles - in turtle town

Just a relaxing evening of eating, a little music, a lot of laughter.

Tues Jan 6

Tried for Garfield Park Conservatory, but delay due to lovely weather on 290 -
so headed to Dick's sporting goods,
Lunch at Sweet Tomatoes
Quick Visit to IKEA
REI
saw The Day the Earth Stood Still at Meadowdale
said yo to Cari & Michael, Strange & Jim
realized I'd left my wallet at the movies -ran back & found it
went to Wild Orchid for Thai.

Mon Jan 5, 09

Train down
Field Museum
- Inca Exhibit
- Sue
- Footsteps of the Crow

Chipotle for lunch
Garretts popcorn for dinner :D
delay on the 6:25 express, but made it home by 8pm-ish

Sun Jan 4 2008

Cari dragged us off shopping to Menards & Lowes.
Pita got to be the Sherpa - lugging about the Heavy shelves Cari needed...