Chicago, here I come!

I'm going to Chicago!

A trip not planned. A friend called and asked me if I wanted to go and I said "Yesssssss!" I've always wanted to do something like this.

A good deal...

I'm a planner. And if I can plan something fun and get a good deal on it - then I am all over it.

Some local radio stations have deals that offer gift certificates at 50%. Check out ~

• Kelly's Krazy Deals
• 92.5 The Wolf's Howl of a Deal
• Mix100 Meals & Steals
• Kool 105 Real Deals

Another thing I look forward to every year is called 5280 Restaurant Week.

Denver Restaurant Week is a seven-day celebration of the culinary scene in Denver. For one week (February 21-27, 2009), participating restaurants will offer a multi-course dinner for the fixed price of $52.80 for two, or $26.40 for one (not including tax or gratuity).

I've had the opportunity to try out a few places I might not have otherwise thought of... Mizuna, Le Central & Kevin Taylors. One of my favorites was The Rialto, but sadly, they're not on this years list.

If you want to take advantage of this deal, I recommend you make a reservation as soon as possible. Make sure to give us a review too!

A mellow weekend...

It's not that it was a boring weekend - but I'm still condensing it all down to one blog anyway....

Friday -
Didn't do much. Came home after work and was supposed to start/finish reading my book for bookclub on Monday. Instead I played with my new iPhone and watched some tv programs that have been building up on my DVR.

Saturday -
Met up with my nephew Jess and his family at McDonalds for a quick lunch. Then we headed to the Museum of Nature and Science to see "Dinosaurs Alive" at the IMAX. I know, I just saw it last weekend with Darren. Here's the story - Josiah (my great-nephew), came over last week and said "Auntie, I want to go to the movies." So I asked him if he wanted to go see Bolt or Hotel for Dogs and he said "No, I want to see Dinosaurs." There ya go. He loved it. When it was ending he said "I want to see it again" and he was not happy that we couldn't.

In the evening, we went to the Mammoth vs Edmonton Rush game. It was early this week - started at 6pm, so no face painting this time. The game wasn't as bad as last week, but they still lost. It actually got really exciting in the last quarter - it was fun to see some defense - it just came too late. Bummer.

After the game, we went to the Denver Diner. I don't know why we torture ourselves. I had french toast. Not so good.

Sunday -
My friend Matthew invited me to church at The Rock. Saw lots-o-friends there. After service, we headed over for lunch at Ruby Tuesdays. I ordered the Jumbo Lump Crab Cake Burger and thought it was pretty good.

Mondo got ripped off. He ordered a Chicken Pot Pie with a Mozzarella & Tomato Salad. He ordered the add-on salad bar instead of soup because he figured the pot pie would be kind of like a soup. Turns out it was more like a salad. The veggies didn't appear to have been cooked in the sauce for any amount of time. AND, they substituted his mozzarella & tomato salad with broccoli and didn't even mention it to him. Not cool.

When we got home, we found that my cousins were visiting from Pueblo before they went to the Nuggets game. We played a few games of poker and watched a movie.

A nice and mellow weekend...

Darren's Dinner...

I love three day weekends.

Today I gave Darren the wheel and asked him what he wanted to do. He chose a movie "Paul Blart: Mall Cop" and a fondue dinner.

I wasn't excited about seeing "Mall Cop", but I love watching and hearing him laugh, and this movie made him laugh. I love thinking that my son is going to be 13 years old soon, and he's not too cool to laugh. Or too cool to go to a movie with his mom. It was great.

After the movie we went shopping for fondue stuff (again). He was in a really good mood and didn't even complain that we had to stop at three stores to get all the stuff!

I talk about these amazing fondue dinners, but Darren never gets to go for a couple reasons -
1 - Hot Oil
2 - They're usually meant to be for an adult night out
3 - Hot Oil

Lately it seems that even though kids aren't sitting at the table with us for our dinners, they are attending. And it hasn't hurt anyone to let them try a piece or two themselves. Of course, dessert is something fun for pretty much all ages. So, I thought - what the heck. I'll do a small one and I can keep an extra eye on him and help him out as much as he needs it. He loved it! He was a bit afraid of the oil at first (probably because I scared him about how dangerous it can be), but he was really careful. He even tried broccoli and zucchini, which if you know Darren at all - you know it's very unlike him to mess with veggies.

It was a great day with my kid!

Check out these tootsies!

You know what I love about Facebook? It's that I haven't just sent quick hello's to friends from high school, but I have actually got together with some!

Last month, my friend Claudia set up a Girls' Night Out for us. We attended a Spa Party at a place called MoonDance Botanicals in Denver where we were guided through a self-applied five step facial. Tonight we had a Foot Pampering Party. Again, only $15 per person (minimum 4 people) included self guided pedicure, wine, champagne, cheese and organic chocolate! Mikaela and Bianca joined us for a party of five.

I almost didn't go. I had a horrible headache this afternoon and knew I wouldn't be good company. I could hardly keep my eyes open from all the pressure. But I didn't want to cancel last minute, so I got ready and waited for Concetta to pick me up. I'm glad I did. Tonya put some Peppermint and Lavender essential oils in my soak and also gave me some to rub into my temples. I don't know if that's what did it, but my headache slowly started to go away.

The end result was amazing! Since about August or September, I hadn't been able to do much with my tootsies - the neuropathy from my chemotherapy made them extra sensitive and touching them hurt. Since it is finally subsiding, I was ready to soften them up. The shea butter cream was heavenly. Really nice. And I am definitely looking forward to our next party there!

If you are interested in setting something up, contact Tanya at MoonDance Botanicals. She is a real sweetheart. It's a great deal at $15/person - but in addition, she will give you 20% off any products you might want to purchase that day. And she does not pressure about sales at all!

MoonDance Botanicals
http://moondancebotanicals.com/about.html
601 Corona St
Denver, CO 80218
303-263-7275

Go NoRTH!

After our Pampering Feet Party, Claudia, Concetta and I decided to go out for dinner. Since this area is middle ground for us, we tried to think of somewhere close. Concetta mentioned a place called NoRTH, which was just a few minutes away in Cherry Creek.

We got there about 6:30pm which was good timing. It wasn't crowded at all (but it really got busy after we were seated). Concetta had been there before, but it was a first time for me and Claudia. I was excited because I love trying new places.

I don't think of myself as a snobby eater. I don't go places because they're known as a place to be seen at. NoRTH, I think - might be one of those kind of places. When I looked it up online, I saw it's part of the Bloom family, which is a restaurant I think of that way. BUT, I have to say - I really enjoyed the evening, the service was great and I LOVED the food!

At being seated, we were immediately served seasoned olives and sliced bread with a tomato seasoned butter. Yummy. I think I might try some of those olives for my wine tasting....

Appetizer: Claudia and Concetta each ordered the Tuscan Tomato Soup, Parmesan, Grilled Bread. I had a bite. It was a hearty, thick and well seasoned tomato soup. The portion wasn't tiny either - so if it sounds like something you might like to try, you might want to share. We also shared an order of Artichoke Hearts with Dijon & Balsamic which was so buttery and just melted in my mouth.

Dinner Plate: Claudia ordered Strozzapreti, Mushrooms, Spinach, Toasted Pine Nuts & Parmesan Cream. She offered me a bite and it was amazing! I loved my dish, but I am excited to go back and order this one. Concetta and I both ordered the Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin, Italian Potato & Asparagus, but I sub'd Wild Mushroom Orzo for the Italian Potatoes. Another melt-in-your-mouth offering.

Dessert: Nutella Cake: Chocolate Hazelnut Cake, Cabernet Caramel Chocolate Sauce, Fresh Berries, Toasted Hazelnuts. Like I need to tell you how good this was huh? But there was a funny story. We were all so stuffed, but really wanted to try the dessert, so we decided to share one. Concetta asked the server if she could cut us a little bit bigger piece since we were splitting three ways. She said that they were pre-cut, but she would work out something for us. So here come two desserts - one with a candle to celebrate my birthday! Haha, I rolled with it.

I will definitely be back!

NoRTH Cherry Creek
http://www.foxrestaurantconcepts.com/north.html
190 Clayton Ln
Denver, CO 80206
720-941-7700

Good Company!

We (my brother Mario & his wife and me) really like hosting fondue parties in the winter. And I have to say, we've got the plan down pretty good. Tonight it was us, a couple of couples who work with us at Sun, my brother Mondo and a friend from out of town, Eden - who came in last minute.

Karen made some homemade crusts for the kids to make their own individual pizzas to enjoy while the adults fondued. Eden asked what she could do to help out, so I gave her a recipe for a mixed drink and she kept the glasses full all night long.

After dinner and dessert, me, Mondo and Eden headed out to meet some friends for a movie. I only went to spend time with Eden cause I really had no interest in seeing "My Bloody Valentine". Thank goodness it was sold out. We made a stop at Bar Louie and Rock Bottom while we were there though. Neither impressed me much. Actually, I am lying. After the gigantic dinner we had, we ordered a pretzel and it was good. Two gigantic pretzels with and artichoke cheese dip was pretty yummy.

So, anyway - thought I would let ya know how we do the fondue parties :

• We extend the invitation to 8 adults. This works for several reasons. 1 - We have 8 fondue plates. 2 - Eight adults fit around the table nicely, and can share 4 pots easily. 3 - We have enough plugs for 4 pots. 4 - We can actually enjoy conversation with 8 people pretty easily. 5 - It's a good number to break up the food list with.
• We make a sign-up sheet for the following;
• Meats: Chicken Breasts, Beef, Large Raw Shrimp (cut into 2x2" pieces / peeled & deveined) - I only say "raw" because once, someone brought cooked shrimp.
• Veggies: Broccoli, Zucchini and Mushrooms.
  
• Dessert: Chocolate Chips, Heavy Whipping Cream, Strawberries, Rice Crispy Treats, Bananas.
• Sauces: Hoisan, Hot Mustard, Tempura, Kung Pao, Sirachi, Plum, Peanut Sauce.
  
• Peanut Oil & Tempura Batter
• Fondue Pots, Extension Cords, Sauce Cups, Tempura Batter Cups, Fondue Plates, Raw Food Plates, Straining Spoons.
• Wine! (I love Hogue Late Harvest Riesling)
• We don't do cheese usually because there's enough food without it and when we first started doing these dinners, they took a looooong time.
• If you want to do broth, cooking takes extra time. Look for a recipe that uses fresh herbs and spices instead of just using bouillon cubes.
• Other Veggies - asparagus, pearl onions, bell peppers, cauliflower.
• Other Dessert Items - caramel, pretzels, pineapple, pound cake (which I do not like and I do not put on the list, but everyone always asks for it - so maybe I will budge next time. We have never used a whole pound cake before and don't dip it right into the chocolate - it breaks off - ick!)
• Peanut Oil is more expensive, but is said to have a higher smoking point.

Well, if you've never had one and you decide to have a party - let me know how it goes!

A day with Darren...

I had a great day with Darren.

Today was his first day participating in the Pre-Collegiate Middle School Development Program sponsored by CU Denver. At 8:30 in the morning we met at the old St Cajetans church on the campus. The kids participated in ice-breaker events, starting with introductions around a large circle of 70+. Then going on to one on one conversations, group games including charades and a building challenge. Lunch was brought in at noon, when the kids moved out to the sunshine day to enjoy each other's company on the grounds.

Darren and I drove off ahead to the 2nd part of the day, which was going to an IMax movie at the Museum of Nature and Science - "Dinosaurs Alive!".

We finished up about 3pm and headed home. On the way, Darren read out loud from "The Little Prince". He really did a great job on his inflection. It was a kick to hear him read it, although he did turn to me and say "what's wrong with this author?". Haha! Same question I asked when I read it!

This is gonna be a great weekend...

It's Friday and I am ready to have a great weekend!

On my way home from work I stopped by the Far East Market on Federal & Evans to go to the Little Saigon Market. We're having a fondue dinner tomorrow night and it's the best place to pick up dipping sauces. I also love going there for ingredients to make Pho (Vietnamese Noodle Soup) - Rice Noodles, Green Onions, Mint, Bean Sprouts, Broth Mix.

I stopped at Sam's club for some steak and while I was there hopped into the liquor store and got stuff to make Italian Margaritas. They didn't have Sweet n Sour mix, so I got OJ instead. (On Saturday, the drink ended up way different than the Italian Margarita I was craving, but it still wasn't bad. We named it a "Fondue Fuzzy")

Anyway, I have lots of fun stuff planned over this long holiday weekend. Cheers!

Little Saigon Market
375 S Federal Blvd, Unit 104
Denver, CO 80219
303-937-8860

Memories...

I have a bad memory sometimes and oh, it really bugs me if I can't think of a name or a word that feels like it's at the tip of my tongue, and that's as far as it will ever get. I say the alphabet to myself to see if it will jog my memory. For names, it usually does, and I get all excited for a moment.

But there are memories that pop up without the help of the alphabet. Sometimes, when I am on my long drive home, alone with my own thoughts. The best are of the kids. My son, my nieces and nephews... and now my great nieces and nephew.

There was time, right after my nieces died that I had trouble thinking of specific memories of them and it broke my heart. I didn't understand why I couldn't remember things, knowing we spent so much loving time with each other. Then slowly, those memories would pop up into my mind and it would be like a gift from God. I think He was telling me, I only held it back because you couldn't have handled them all at once in your grief. And He was right.

So I decided that making memories is a part of a beautiful life and every now and then I will share them here. This is a favorite of my god daughter Leslie....

When she was about 5 years old, I took Leslie to the grocery store with me. She sat in the buggy while I pushed her up and down the aisles. I had a terrible headache that day and I stopped the cart and said "Gosh, I have a headache" as I rubbed my temples for a second and then continued shopping. The headache getting worse, made me stop again "Gee Leslie, I don't know what's wrong with me. I really have a bad headache. It really hurts". I felt as if I was going to cry sure that my head was about to explode.

My wicked god daughter, who was extremely quick and witty, immediately and dryly replied "I have a headache too and you don't see me whining about it."

Oh my God! I couldn't stop myself from laughing - which only added to the pain I was feeling and also brought on tears... but mostly out of joy.

Really? I said that?

Yesterday was Mondo's 29th birthday. We went to Carraba's for dinner to celebrate. The evening did not start out well...

6:00pm - Phoned in a call-ahead reservation for 11 at 7pm

6:45pm - Arrived and checked in. Told by hostess that we should have been told at the time our call-ahead reservation was accepted, that another larger party was already booked and we probably wouldn't be able to be sat for another half hour.

We asked if breaking up our table would make it faster. She replied no, it will still be about the same time. We said okay, we'll wait for the table.

7:25 - We're taken to two tables. And although you could argue that these tables were side by side, there was clearly a partition separating them.

I went back up to the hostess and told her that we didn't realize they were going to break us up. We were under the impression we had been waiting for so long because we were going to be seated together.

Here's where it started going bad...

The hostess replied "no, you said you would like to be seated at separate tables if it would be faster". "Yes, and I meant like it will take 15 minutes instead of a half hour faster.... but it wasn't faster, it's actually been longer than you said. And since we've waited this long, what we would rather do is continue to wait for the large table so we can sit together." She kept on saying how I said we wanted separate tables - which brought up another point in my mind that ticked me off. We've taken separate tables before in cases like this (and actually were seated faster) - but I've never been seated at separate tables that were so separate you couldn't see the other people in your party. It just wasn't going to work and I didn't understand why I had to ask three times to wait for the big table.

I was already writing a blog in my head. It makes me so mad when someone in a customer service type roll - like a restaurant hostess - would argue with a customer like that. It makes no sense.

But Mondo said "let it go".

Wait. It gets better....

It was Mondo's birthday, so I did let it go and we went on talking and waiting for the big table. Soon after, a woman named Kim (I think) stopped by and let us know she was a manager on duty and she heard there was a mix up with our tables.

I told her what happened and how not being told about the party when I called and waiting for the table was not the issue (I've worked in a restaurant before, and I know you have no control over how long a party sits at a table. I also know that the bigger the party, the more they might sit around and talk), but the argument from the hostess was a bit much on top of it. She acknowledged it as an error and offered to get our party an appetizer while we continued to wait.

That turned things around. I like that they took the initiative to better a situation that was giving me a bad taste in my mouth before I even sat down to eat.

At about 8pm, we were finally seated - together.

Our waitress was rockin'. She was extremely friendly and did everything right. And when Darren's order came out as bruschetta instead of shrimp scampi, she took it away without any issue and quickly had the correct dish made up for him. ....Which, he didn't like at all! Doh! So she brought him some noodles with butter, which made him happy. It was such good service in fact, that it didn't even bother me when she offered dessert mini's to us and then came back and said they were all out. Or that when she asked us if we wanted to try anything else and Darren ordered a regular dessert - and she came back and said they were all out of those too - didn't bother me.

So, the night didn't start out so well. But it was quickly fixed and made all the difference in the world. The family enjoyed the birthday dinner and had a good time. And their Customer Service Rating went way up in my book.

About the food...
Appetizer: Calamari (how can you complain about free food. The manager sent out a double order and it was great to have a munchie while we waited. Even my niece Aubrey tried some - way to go!)
Drink: Italian Margarita (I think they call it a Rabbarita or something like that). Very tasty, except I like them with sugar on the rim and it was served salted. Mondo had a Mojito (de uva?) - it was a grape Mojito and he liked it too.
Entree: I had the Spiedino di Mare which was good, although I'm not sure I would order it again. Mondo had the Pollo Rosa Maria, which I would order. Karen and my dad had the Lasagne and weren't very impressed. I never order lasagne out - homemade is too good :)

Carrabba's Italian Grill
http://www.carrabbas.com/
303-940-5620
7401 West 92nd Ave
Westminster, CO 80021

What's for breakfast?

When Mondo asked "What's for breakfast?" this morning, I said "How 'bout a quiche?" Food Network had a recipe for a Hash Brown Quiche that looked tasty and it's one of the recipes I wanted to test for a brunch I'm thinking of hosting soon.

I pretty much went by the recipe with a couple of modifications... I used fresh potatoes and bacon instead of ham (big chunky meaty pieces). I added sautéed mushrooms and instead of half and half, I just used a little bit of milk. I also used more eggs - since I didn't measure the ingredients, I need more filler. To cut down on cooking time - I lightly scrambled the egg mixture for a few minutes before filling the hash brown crusts. Since they were partially cooked, it only took 10 minutes instead of 30 minutes to set.

Sooooo goooood.....

Monster game face...

Tonight was the season home opener for the Colorado Mammoth. They got creamed. At one point the score was 11-1. Final was 14-5. uck.

But you know what? I still had a blast. My great nephew and niece came over when I started getting ready and they wanted me to paint their faces, so I did. My nephew kept making "monster game faces" and saying "Go Mammoth!". It was so freaking cute.

You know what else? Even though it was clear there wasn't a chance of a win, on the last goal the Mammoth made, the fans still stood up and cheered like as if they were winning the super bowl. And we were all on our feet for the last 90 seconds - as is custom - cheering our team on. There were some crazy fights in those last two minutes, and it got us all pumped up anyway. I love the Colorado Mammoth!

A dumb game...

I went to a Texas Hold'em party tonight and ended up sitting next to my friend's elderly neighbor, Katie. It seemed weird to me that her name was Katie. Doesn't that sound like a little girl name to you? She seemed so confused as she played, and kept on having to have the cards moved closer to her so that she could see what was on the board. Finally she said "This is such a dumb game." That was the funniest thing ever!

I didn't win. Out of about 44 people, I think I came in 12th. Better than I thought I would have - not good enough to come home with any $$$. But it was fun to mingle and I laughed a lot. That was worth it in itself.

Makes me happy!

It's Mammoth Season - and if you know me at all, you know this makes me HAPPY!

If you've never been to a game, you should definitely check one out! And if you have been to a game, then you know what I mean :) Tickets are a really good deal anyway - but they also have promotional nights.

Check out their
- Party Pack Nights – 4 tickets, 4 Coors or Pepsis, and 4 hot dogs for only $39
- Family Nights - 4 tickets, 4 Pepsis, and 4 hot dogs for only $39

Get your tickets at http://www.coloradomammoth.com

Who makes a T-Bone with a side of Fried Rice?

I do. That's who! I love rice. Probably my favorite side dish. You know, the one food item I could never get sick of...

We took a trip to Costco today and I got one of those ginormous packs of mushrooms (not fancy ones, the ones that my chef friend calls "white trash mushrooms" - she said it, not me - but man, I love those kinds of mushrooms!) and a gallon of soy sauce! I was sooooo ready for dinner when we got home - so, my mom cooked up the T-bone steaks and I sautéd some of the mushrooms with onion, steamed some asparagus and we rounded it out with fried rice. Yummm....


Not really a recipe for Shrimp Fried Rice
Something between frying and scrambling a couple of eggs. Don't overcook. Chop up and set aside. Sauté sliced mushrooms in butter and garlic for several minutes - until tender. Add peeled shrimp (cut into small pieces) and continue to sauté until pink. Set aside. Add oil to non-stick skillet and heat for a minute or two, add steamed rice (cold is okay - just break it up). Fold rice over itself in pan adding soy sauce as it warms. Add ginger, eggs, mushrooms and shrimp and continue to fold over itself til warm through. Add sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds.

I also usually add sautéd bean sprouts and carrots, but didn't have any at home.

False advertising...

We were just hanging out this afternoon and Darren asked me if I wanted to watch a movie. I said sure and so did my mom and dad. We planted ourselves comfortably on the couch and queued up "Bridge to Tarabithia". Mondo walked in and said, "Oh, this is such a sad movie." I didn't know he meant, "this is a freaking SAD movie!" OMG, I still have tears in my eyes.

I totally was not expecting it. I thought it was supposed to be a kid's fantasy movie. I could probably sue for false advertising if I remember the previews.

And if I wasn't such a cry-baby-Sally, it might be one of my favorites. Without giving it all away, I thought it had a lot of depth and understanding.

Baked Potato & Bacon Soup

I wanted to make breakfast this morning... but I didn't get up in time AND we didn't have the stuff to make it.

Mondo called and asked what the plan was and I said "How about lunch? Potato soup?" He said "okay". Which was cool, cause then I was able to tell my dad to go to the store and get stuff so I could make Mondo lunch (he'll do anything to get his boy to come over).

I have this recipe for a sausage potato soup that I LOVE! It's my favourite! And I saw Paula Deen making some cheese soup the other day on Food Network that looked pretty good... so, I decided to kinda mix-n-match to make some Baked Potato and Cheese Soup. I thought it was good, a little salty - but I can adjust that next time. I'm also gonna mix it up a bit to make Broccoli-Cheddar Soup sometime too I think.

Not really a recipe for Baked Potato & Bacon Soup
Sauté a finely diced onion and 4-5 stalks of chopped celery in about 3 Tbs of butter. Add about 1/4 cup flour and sauté a few minutes longer. Add 2 cans of chicken stock about 2 1/2 to 3 cups of water. Add about 4 baking potatoes (chopped into large cubes). Bring to a boil and simmer for 30-40 minutes. Add about 1 to 2 cups cooked bacon pieces and 1 to 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream. Add salt, pepper and cayenne to taste (remember, if you're eating with crackers - that will add salt). Continue simmering for 20 minutes. Add one cup of shredded cheddar cheese and stir until melted in. Serve garnished with green onions and oyster crackers. We didn't have any, but sour cream might be good too.

Not-really a recipe...

We went out to dinner (and it sucked - more to come with some restaurant reviews :) Anyway, when we got home, my mom was hungry. So, I put on some rice to steam (with my new rice cooker - yay) and made her some kung-pao beef.

Okay, it wasn't really cook-cooking 'cause the sauce was in a bottle... but I thought it was pretty good... enough that I wish I would have waited to eat at home! And - I can make fried rice this week too.

Not Really a Recipe for Kung Pao Beef
Slice beef into thin strips and lightly coat with cornstarch. Seer beef in a little bit of oil in a pan set on HI heat. Add diced carrots, celery, onion and bell peppers. Saute for 5 to 7 minutes. Add Lee Kum Kee Kung Pao Stir Fry Sauce and peanuts. Serve over steamed rice.

They're not really resolutions...

No, I've never been the one who makes a list of New Year's Resolutions. And this new year is no exception. But I have been thinking about some things I'd like to try to do this year...

Read more books... drink more H2O (yes, I need to actually work on this)... cook more... take some classes (dancing, cooking, sewing)... go somewhere (really, I didn't take any trips last year? yikes!)... have another amazing wine tasting party... find out what this "Habitat for Humanity" thing is all about...

Care to join me?