Entries from June 13th, 2011

Food From Jen’s 40 Years

June 16th, 2011 · No Comments

Bucking the Reid family tradition of having elaborate games at 40th birthday parties (see Brian, Jill, Chad), Jen opted for a food and drink extravaganza in the backyard. Chad and Jen chose 4 different periods of Jen’s life and prepared food and drinks from each of those phases. What an awesome idea! Luckily the weather cooperated, because there were probably 30+ people there to celebrate with Jen. It was a little chilly, but overall good. I had so much fun stuffing my face on all of Jen’s favorite food and drinks! Plus, so many of our good friends were there. And it was sunny. Sunny! What a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon/night.

Here’s what we had:

First course: Belgium, where Jen was born
Food: Cheese plate
Drinks: Leffe & Jupiler beer, white wine, or gimlets

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Second course: Newport, where Jen grew up
Food: Grilled shrimp, steamed clams & mussels
Drinks: Sam Adams Summer Ale, white wine, or more gimlets

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Third course: Virginia, where Jen went to college
Food: Assorted chips. Premade guacamole, salsa and taco dip.
Drinks: Cheap beer – Bud Light, MGD, cheap red wine, or more gimlets

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Fourth Course: Chicago, where Jen lives now
Food: Grilled sausages (assorted from Paulina Meat Market), baked beans
Drinks: Goose Island Summertime, red wine, or more gimlets

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Fifth Course: Kristin’s Homemade Cake

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Surprise Sixth Course, courtesy of beer. .. much beer.

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Logan Square Farmers Market 2011

June 15th, 2011 · No Comments

The first weekend of the Logan Square Farmers Market was the weekend I was in Wisconsin, so I missed it… but I made up for it this past Saturday. It’s still early in the season and this has been such a cold wet year. There were a lot of strawberries and tomatoes, lettuce and potted plants.. but not a ton of produce yet. I ended up getting more prepared foods than produce.

Also, at the River Valley Kitchens stand, they accept credit cards with one of those Square iPhone add-ons. I’ve seen them online, but not in person. Seconds after he ran my card I got this receipt texted to me:

Here’s everything I got: Rare Bird strawberry rhubarb preserves ($9), River Valley Kitchens 5-Cheese Garlic Spread ($8), River Valley Kitchens cherry vanilla granola ($6), Crumb olive focaccia bun ($3), Crumb asparagus feta ricotta bun ($3), Golden Rise sourdough ($7), Brockway Farms lettuce ($3), Lyons Fruit Farm strawberries ($6).

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Green Mill

June 14th, 2011 · No Comments

Ross and his girlfriend Chelsea were in town this weekend. We met up with them at Ribfest, where it was rainy and only about 50 degrees outside. When Ross flew in on Wednesday for work it was 97 degrees. He didn’t even pack a coat. Little did he know how fickle Chicago weather is!

We wandered around Ribfest for a while, drank some beer. Dallas and I stopped to talk to Josh at the Smoke Daddy booth. We also shared some kalbi ribs (and both agreed that when we make them they are better!). To use up some tickets and get out of the rain we had some corndogs and onion rings.

We then met up with some other friends – Todd, Brian, Sara, Brett – at Corner 41, which was kind of a mistake. It was nice to get out of the rain, but the bar had pretty much run out of beer. We bought their last 5 Coors Lights and they were all warm. I hate Coors Light, but I put it on ice and it actually was not that bad. Honestly, it tasted like water.

Chelsea used to live in Chicago and wanted to take Ross to the Green Mill, Chicago’s historic jazz club. I’d never been there and also wanted to go, so I tagged along. It was pretty cool, even if you’re not that into jazz, you should go once. That night’s jazz quartet consisted of drums, bass, and two saxophone’s. The band was called Mike Reed’s People, Places & Things.

We only stayed for a drink and one set, but it was enough to get a feel for the place. Ross and Chelsea went back to their downtown hotel and I went back to Logan Square where I met up with Dallas for a late night beer and slice of pizza at Boiler Room.

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New Weber Grill

June 14th, 2011 · 1 Comment

Dallas and I love to grill out for dinner and have people over for barbecues but our old grill has been on the fritz for quite a while. Last year we only grilled one time. We invited a bunch of people over and went to light it up and it was not happening. So, just in time for grilling season this year, we got a new grill. And, lucky for us, Chris works at Weber and was able to get us quite a discount. Last weekend we spent about 4 hungover hours assembling this beast and dismantling our old one. Can’t wait to light it up!

Also, it’s hard to see in this photo, but we got a new stain on our deck. It looks really nice!

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John’s Going Away Party

June 13th, 2011 · No Comments


John, Rachelle, Dallas


Katie, [?], Lisa, John, Nancy, Kim, Catherine, Rachelle

Dallas’s friend John is moving to New York this week. On Friday Dave and Catherine hosted a going away party for him. I brought Brooklyn Summer Ale to the party in honor of the move. Dave smoked a ton of meats for dinner – salmon, shrimp, chicken. I talked to John a lot about New York. He seems all set up. He’ll do well.. and we’ll have one more person to visit when we go to New York!

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