(Note: I wasn’t joking about dusting it off. Clearly, it had been biding it’s time. Still delicious, though!)

Bobby arrived home with fantastic news: he was officially promoted at work! Considering the fact that he truly enjoys his job – and works hard at it, if I do say so myself – he was thrilled. I could not be prouder of or happier for him, and decided the night could not go by without a proper champagne toast.

A blog toast is in order, too. Congratulations to my husband. Your dedication and passion for what you do brings a huge smile to my face. You truly inspire me to work hard every day!

Even if I don’t always abide by your 6:00 a.m. wake-up calls. Hey, I have to draw the line somewhere.

Abrazos,

Actually, I had never been to a fondue restaurant until Sunday night. My friend Lauren recently spotted a Groupon for Geja’s Cafe, a Lincoln Park area restaurant known not only for their amorous atmosphere (which we found amusing) but also their amazingly melted foods.

Unfortunately, the dim lighting left me with some very orange pictures, so we’re getting a little creative with the sepia tint. After perusing the menu, I decided on the Cheese and Chocolate Fondue dinner, which includes a Geja’s salad to start. It was perfectly light with lettuce, cucumbers and Italian-style dressing. No better way to ease into a waterfall of cheese and chocolate.

Then it was time for the cheese portion of the meal. Geja’s cheese fondue is an imported Gruyere blended with white wine, Kirsch cherry brandy, and spices. In a word, it was mouthwatering.

For dipping, we were given a basket of red and golden apple wedges and sweet grapes, plus French, pumpernickel and pretzel breads. My favorites were by far the apple wedges and the pretzel breads. They paired perfectly with the gooey cheese.

Our waitress also brought out a plate of raw veggies for me: broccoli, onion, potatoes and mushrooms. When Lauren’s entree came out (she went with one of the meat platters on the menu), I was also given a choice of red, green and yellow peppers. Delish!

We happily munched and chatted for well over two hours. Lauren also enjoyed a glass of prosecco.

Then it was time for the main event: flaming chocolate fondue!

The flame is thanks to the orange liqueur that is mixed in with the chocolate. It gave the whole thing quite a kick, that’s for sure! This fondue was served with strawberries, apples, banana, pineapple, graham cracker crumbs, pound cake, rice krispies and marshmallows for roasting.

My favorites were the fruits and the pound cake. The extra sweetness from the rice krispies and marshmallows was a bit too much, even for this sweet tooth. But I’ll never turn down chocolate with fruit or cake – they make perfect pairs.

We left with happy and full bellies, pausing to take a slightly awkward picture near the front door.

I definitely will be making a return trip to Geja’s – it would be a great place to bring Bobby!

Thanks for scoping out the Groupon, Lauren.

Do you use daily deal sites to check out new restaurants? If so, which have you tried?

Abrazos,

We’ve had a very low key weekend here, which has been wonderful. I’ve gotten caught up on a few projects and accomplished a few must-do chores, while also getting in some R&R. One of the highlights, as always, has been the meals — in particular the photos that go along with said meals. My mother- and father-in-law, Barb and John, gave me a 50mm camera lens for Christmas, and I’ve been experimenting.

On Friday night, we made minestrone soup, adding in some chicken sausage for extra protein.

I tried my hand at manually focusing. What do you think? Can you tell what I used as my guide?

If you guessed the noodle that is sticking up from the rest of the soup, you got it.

For some additional veg, we roasted Brussels sprouts sprinkled with chili seasoning and olive oil in the oven. Fifteen minutes at 400 degrees, and they were perfect to taste…and photograph. My focus was on the sprout toward the back, in the center.

Wine was also a must. I love how the glass pops while the rest of the background is blurred.

Our movie choice for the snowy evening was The English Patient. Overall, I’d call it interesting, but not necessarily a movie I’d want to watch again.

The next morning, we tried out a 50mm breakfast: French toast and bacon!

I used this recipe for Vanilla French Toast with Fresh Berries from my Whole Foods recipe app. It was incredible – we could taste the vanilla with every bite. Combined with the maple syrup drizzle and blackberries, we were two very happy diners.

The turkey bacon was amazing and incredibly easy. Just sizzle in a pan for 7-10 minutes and voila!

On the menu for dinner Saturday was a familiar favorite: fajitas!

This time we used skirt steak to switch up the flavor. It was incredible with the fajita spices. Tomatoes, red peppers, spinach, cheese and Greek yogurt “sour cream” rounded out the inside. Flatout Bread wrapped everything up in a pretty package.

So what do you think? Am I still an amateur with a 50mm lens? If you have any general tips on how to use it most effectively, I’d love to hear from you.

Big thanks to Barb and John for the fantastic gift!

Tonight I’m looking forward to fondue with a friend. It will help take my mind off the Packers…

Question: What books have you been loving lately?

I’m always looking for new or interesting reads. I’ve got a review coming up this week for you, too!

Abrazos,

I encourage you to take a moment to read the below and share your thoughts.

Source

Here are the key points of the article:

• The definition of what it means to have autism is being reassessed, and the results could significantly narrow the criteria for diagnosis.
• The changes could especially affect people who are high functioning or who have Asperger syndrome, not only emotionally, but also financially in terms of access to funding and state-backed services.
• The analysis comes as a result of combing through a 1993 study of 372 children and adults who were among the highest functioning. With the proposed autism spectrum diagnosis now under review, only 45 percent of these people would qualify (though the authors admit that these numbers might be slightly exaggerated).
• Researchers say the focus would be on diagnosing more “classically autistic” children, who have the severest cases on the spectrum.

Don’t get me wrong. I can understand wanting to analyze past studies in an attempt to understand why the statistics have skyrocketed in recent years. But using past studies as a way to more narrowly define autism for future generations, thereby making the statistics look more favorable while failing to deal with the real issue? That doesn’t sit well with me.

There are many reasons to be upset with this article that are not limited to the fact that my brother is considered high functioning and could very well be negatively affected by the outcome of this proposal. We are talking about excluding people from getting the aid they need and making them question who they really are – that’s a hard battle for any individual to go through.

All for the sake of what Dr. Volkmar, the author of the analysis on this new proposal, claims would “end the autism surge” and “nip” the skyrocketing rates of diagnosis “in the bud.”

Sure, you would nip those numbers in the bud, Dr. Volkmar, and save a bit of cash while doing so. But at the cost of exclusion? I think that is a recipe for disaster.

Here’s an idea: let’s continue to search for proof as to why there ARE skyrocketing rates rather than trying to cover our tracks by making it so that kids don’t get diagnosed in the first place.

Also, I didn’t know there even was such a thing as “classically autistic.” Don’t insult the intelligence of the families and individuals who know what autism looks like. Kids and adults with autism are as diverse and unique as the snowflakes that are falling outside my window right now.

It’s called a spectrum for a reason.

Rant over, but I would love for you to read the article and share your thoughts.

Abrazos,

We are back after a wonderful long weekend in Minnesota! Bobby and I left last Thursday afternoon for a trip to visit his parents. Our three favorite Kansans were there, too: Susan, Adam and baby Claire!

It was truly fantastic to see Claire again. Though I follow all of her adventures on Susan’s blog, it was fun to see in person just how much she’s grown. Her personality is as bubbly as it is endearing.

Claire has started eating a few solid foods, and I had the chance to attempt an applesauce tasting. We were a little unsure at first, but eventually Claire decided to give it a try and found she liked it a lot!

I imagine her thought process went something like this:

“What is this stuff?”

“I’m not sure…”

“Well, maybe…”

“OK, I’ll try it!”

After the first full bite, she was hooked. Who can blame her? I love a good jar of applesauce.

Speaking of solid food, my mother-in-law Barb put together quite a few feasts for us. Highlights included this chili, served with a piece of homemade olive, oat and whole wheat bread (recipe here).

A Thanksgiving-esque meal of turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans, stuffing and plenty of gravy.

Bowls of fresh fruit salad.

And of course, the sweets. There was plenty of pumpkin and banana bread…

…as well as plates full of Christmas cookies, bars, chocolates and fudges. Needless to say, we ate well.

Between bouts of eating and playing games, there was plenty of quality time with our niece. Claire is starting to get the hang of sitting up on her own. I’m sure it will happen any day now!

She also enjoys reading. I Love You, Stinky Face is a particular favorite, though as you can see from this picture, she is also a fan of The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Good taste.

We channeled our inner frog and practiced strengthening our standing legs, too.

We even watched the Packers game together. Claire and I were so optimistic when we took this photo.

Sadly, my beloved Packers had an unusual (read: really bad) game, and will not be going to the Super Bowl this year. I was bummed, but it helped to have a smiling face and adorable laugh to cheer me up.

Too soon, we had to say goodbye, but Uncle Bobby and I are looking forward to seeing Claire and her mom and dad again very soon.

We couldn’t leave Minnesota without going skating! Bobby had been playing ice hockey all weekend, but on Monday it was my turn to get out and stumble glide along the ice. His parents came with us, and we had a great time getting a bit of exercise while enjoying a sunny winter day.

I don’t think I’ll be winning awards any time soon, but perhaps an “A” for effort.

What is one of your favorite “winter” activities?

Skating…sledding…sitting on the couch with a mug of hot chocolate. Whatever it is, I’d like to know!

Abrazos,

Coinciding with the launch of the Blonde Roast is some new packaging for all Starbucks coffees, both in grocery stores and in Starbucks themselves. You can see what I’m talking about above – the new packaging is organized by roast into Blonde, Medium and Dark. Starbucks is hoping that this will allow customers to more easily find their favorite varieties by taste and intensity. Below is a brief break down of how everything is now categorized:

• Starbucks Blonde Roast coffees are lighter-bodied with mellow, subtle and soft flavors. Offerings include: Starbucks Veranda Blend, Starbucks Willow Blend and Starbucks Decaf Willow Blend.
• Starbucks Medium Roast coffees are medium-bodied with balanced, rich and smooth flavors. Offerings include: Breakfast Blend, Guatemala Antigua, Kenya, Pike Place Roast, Starbucks Iced Coffee Blend, House Blend and Organic Yukon Blend.
• Starbucks Dark Roast coffees feature a fuller body and robust, bold flavors. Offerings include: Sumatra, Komodo Dragon Blend, Caffè Verona, Gold Coast Blend – Morning Joe Edition, Espresso Roast, Italian Roast and French Roast.

Upon arriving, we were informed that we’d be participating in a tasting to determine which roast we loved the most. Similar tastings will be going on at Starbucks locations across the country today through Saturday (check out more details here).

We were specifically trying out the Starbucks Veranda Blend. Essentially, any Blonde Roast coffee is characterized by a shorter roast time, which is evidenced by the lighter coloring of the coffee beans.

You might also notice that the brewed coffee is a bit lighter than the others – though this picture doesn’t do it justice. The Blonde Roast is in the top left corner, the Medium Roast is in the top right and the Dark Roast is out front.

We were asked to start by smelling the Medium Roast – Pike Place – and the Dark Roast – Fair Trade Certified Italian – in order to compare the two. I found the Medium to have a nutty aroma, while the Dark had a more roasted, fiery smell, which made sense!

We then went on to smell the Medium and Blonde Roasts for comparison. The nuttiness was definitely there for both, in my opinion, but the Blonde somehow seemed just a bit lighter. The same was definitely true when the tasting began.

What was most interesting to me is that I always drink coffee with milk of some kind, so this was my first opportunity to try and compare several different varieties straight up. Here were my thoughts:

• Blonde Roast: Very smooth, light taste. I could actually see myself drinking it without cream.
• Medium Roast: Slightly more flavorful, but also more acidic.
• Dark Roast: Most robust flavor, and also much smoother than the Medium.

Once we had tried the coffees individually, we were given a chance to try each with a food pairing.

The Blond Roast pairs best with foods that highlight its sweetness. We were each given a petite vanilla bean scone, which, by the way, are absolutely amazing in their own right.

I thought this food and coffee pairing was a winner. Truly, I never imagined that I’d be able to easily sip black coffee, but with the scone bringing out more of the flavor and smoothness of the Blonde Roast, I had no trouble.

Next up was the Medium Roast, which paired with Starbucks new Chicken Sausage Breakfast Wrap.

The wrap itself was amazing. It’s whole wheat and filled with egg, chicken sausage, fire-roasted zucchini, red peppers, yellow peppers and mushrooms, all for 300 calories. It also helped make the Medium Roast less acidic and, by my standards, more drinkable.

The last pairing was for the Dark Roast. Our guide told us that this blend pairs well with the nuttiness of a whole grain bagel. Just as with the Medium Roast, I still found that the coffee itself was not something I could see myself drinking black (unless I trained myself to get used to it), but it was definitely bolder and richer after taking a bite of the bagel.

Coffee and food are just a match made in heaven.

At the end of the tasting, we were given three stickers to choose from, thereby declaring our love.

It should come as no surprised based on my commentary – and the title of this post – which one I chose.

I am mellow. And very glad that I was introduced to the Blonde Roast. Now I’ll know exactly what to ask for next time I’m at a Starbucks.

In other words, later today.

It’s true! Even though the weather outside looks exactly like the snow that recently inhabited my blog’s homepage – Chicago is in the midst of finally embracing winter – Bobby and I will be venturing out to the airport later this afternoon, and you know I’ll be needing coffee to defrost once I get there.

Where are we headed? You’ll soon see! Let’s just say that cuteness is about to ensue.

Are you a Starbucks fan? If so, do you have a favorite blend?

Abrazos,

I’m not certain on the odds of having three people (two of whom are brothers, the other two father and son) with the same birthday in one family, but it’s a very fun coincidence. That said, the first January 11th birthday was waaaay back in 1952. Now that math, I can handle. It means that a certain special someone is having an extra special celebration. Papa Bender turns the big 6-0 today!

PB has lived a very full and exciting life, from his days playing trombone at Bay View High School in Milwaukee to graduating from Marquette University and pursuing a job at an accounting firm, where he would eventually meet a certain foxy female named Joyce.

I feel very fortunate that a few years after that meeting, I came into the picture.

We’ve had a lot of great memories and experiences together, both with a moustache…

…and without. From Girl Scout sock hops to Father Daughter dances, he’s been there for every step.

One of the best lessons he’s instilled in me is to approach every endeavor by “starting fast” and “finishing strong.” It’s why I jump into a new project full of passion and excitement, and why I make sure to keep the enthusiasm going until the end. I did this with every new semester in high school, every new quarter in college and now, every new business client and campaign.

It’s a handy piece of advice to have in the kitchen, too.

I truly wish that I could be celebrating the big 6-0 with PB in person, but I am there in spirit and looking forward to seeing what the next 60 years will bring. It has been an amazing journey, and I am the luckiest girl in the world to call him Dad.

Happy 60th Birthday, Papa Bender! Your family loves you very, very much.

Abrazos,

What started as an apartment-wide issue transformed into a apartment-specific issue as of Monday morning, and the technician can’t come out until Wednesday. It wouldn’t be so bad if I didn’t work from home and need the Internet to run a business…and to blog.

Without the web, plenty of movie watching and cooking ensued!

We kicked things off with some delicious fajitas. The master chopper was hard at work preparing all of the ingredients. If you’ve ever wondered who makes all those veggies look so presentable, look no further. Let’s just say that chopping and I do not always get along.

That said, sign me up for heating, stirring, sautéing, flipping and adding in seasoning any day. Together, Bobby and I created some very delicious chicken fajitas, complete with yellow peppers, spinach, Greek yogurt “sour cream,” salsa and cheese.

We served them up in Flatout wraps with a side of black beans.

Then proceeded to watch The Green Mile, which is a very intense but very good movie.

On Saturday night, we brought out this amazing linguine veggie pasta from Decio.

They are an Arizona-based company, though you can order them online. I would definitely recommend it. The great thing about this pasta, which comes in a variety of fun veggies, is that you do not need any sauce to enjoy it. You literally cook it for 2-4 minutes in boiling water, drain it and add a bit of olive oil with salt. The result is phenomenal!

We served up our red pepper linguine with tilapia filets we picked up on sale at Whole Foods.

I rubbed them with a bit of leftover fajita spices, then cooked them in olive oil with chopped mushrooms. It took less than 10 minutes for this entire meal to be made, and it was delicious!

It was like having three “mini meals” in one – the pasta, the tilapia and, if desired, the two combined.

Following this dinner, we watched Blue Valentine, which I found to be really sad and would not necessarily recommend. The acting was great and it got plenty of five-star reviews, but I just kept hoping for a certain ending the whole time. Maybe I’ve watched too many cheesy movies…

All in all, it was a fantastic weekend without access to email or Facebook. Though I was happy to hear upon returning to the online world that Gina had a beautiful baby girl and Meghann got engaged, among other things. Congratulations to both of you!

So tell me, what was the highlight of your weekend? I’m eager to get caught up.

Abrazos,

I am finally back in Chicago after a wonderful (almost) two weeks with family. As always, it was bittersweet to say goodbye to Arizona, wildlife and sunsets included. I miss it already.

We enjoyed some delicious meals during the final days of the trip. On New Year’s Eve, we made our own pizzas using whole wheat crust from Whole Foods. Mine was topped with red pepper, yellow pepper, spinach, pepperoni, mushrooms, black olives and a three cheese blend.

The next night, Papa Bender put together an assortment of pastas, giving us a sampling of each. The first one was an olive oil sauce made with grilled calamari and chives. The second was a meat-based tomato sauce, blended in the Vita-Mix. Both were delicious!

And on the last night of the trip, Mama Bender made pork chops.

She decided not to stuff them this time, but they still tasted great brushed with barbecue sauce.

On the side, we had a potato vegetable medley and corn.

Oh, and of course, wine was also served. You didn’t think I would forget that, now, did you?

Bearboat Pinot Noir. Sometimes on sale at World Market. A definite must-try.

Then there was the chocolate old-fashioned soda.

“Healthier” Chocolate Old-Fashioned Soda

Ingredients (makes one fantastic soda):

• 2 tablespoons organic chocolate syrup
• 4 scoops organic vanilla ice cream
• 1/2 bottle chocolate soda (made with real cane sugar, such as Coco Fizz)
• Additional whipped cream, optional

Directions:

Add the chocolate syrup and ice cream to a glass (any will do, but the float glass featured above is a fun option), then pour in the chocolate soda until it fizzes near the top. Keep pouring until you’ve gone through roughly half the bottle. Add extra whipped cream, if you’d like! This soda isn’t really healthy, but you can definitely feel a bit healthier about using mainly organic ingredients.

Let me know if you try the recipe – I promise you won’t be disappointed!

Looking forward to a relaxing weekend ahead, filled with reading, writing and cooking.

What are your plans for the first full weekend of 2012?

Abrazos,

I had heard about her work before, but hadn’t pursued the books further until I read Diana’s cover story in the January issue of Writer’s Digest. She was so real and inspiring that I asked for copies of the 600+ page tomes for Christmas, and was delighted to receive her first two books, Outlander and Dragonfly in Amber, from my friend Sam.

I finished the first one within two weeks and am halfway through the second, which should give you an idea of my opinion thus far! Today, I’m sharing my review of Outlander with all of you.

In Short

Diana has explained that when she originally wrote Outlander, it was more for practice (her eyes only) than for the expectation of being published. As a result, this book fits a wide variety of genres: historical fiction, romance, paranormal, action…and on and on. Her ability to portray historical characters is outstanding, and even though I will caution that there are some very explicit scenes (see the section below for more on this subject), the story feels authentic and heartfelt. It certainly made me wish, not for the first time, that time travel was real!

The Details

Outlander’s main character is a woman by the name of Claire Randall, who is extremely intelligent and equally fiery in her words and actions. I think my appreciation for her personality and passion contributed a lot to my enjoyment of the book. In the beginning, Claire, an Englishwoman who worked as a nurse during WWII, is traveling in the Scottish Highlands with her husband, Frank. The year is 1946, and Claire and Frank are on a second honeymoon, having been separated by the war. Without giving too much away, Claire ultimately finds herself exploring alone one day and comes to a circle of stones (think Stonehenge). Thinking nothing of it, she walks through a cleft in one of the stones and finds she has somehow traveled back in time – to 1743.

From there, the story picks up at an astonishing pace despite its length. There are twists and turns everywhere – not the least of which involves Claire meeting a young man by the name of James Fraser. You can read the entire plot summary in Diana Gabaldon’s words here.

Note: I do want to warn those of you who are particularly sensitive to violent or graphic scenes because there are a lot of them in this book. There were certainly parts of the book that I did not agree with personally, especially as a female. I did take into account, however, the time the book was meant to be written in. Though it does not justify some of the scenes and character actions, it does give the book a sense of historical accuracy. It’s definitely not meant to be a light read, but will leave you with that feeling of, “Wow, I bet that really could have happened.”

When I finished the first one, I eagerly began the second, and have found that so far it has been just as engaging and enlightening – but for different reasons. Diana has said she wants each book to be able to stand on its own (though she does recommend reading in order, if possible), and I think she does a brilliant job of achieving this goal.

Have I convinced you yet? Diana Gabaldon has built quite a fan base for herself, and I encourage you to pick up a copy of Outlander and see for yourself what the hype is about! She doesn’t disappoint.

***

Have you read any books in the Outlander series? If so, which was your favorite?

Abrazos,