Entries Tagged as 'halle'

Glenn’s Diner

February 4th, 2012 · No Comments

Back in November or December I realized that I hadn’t been to Glenn’s Diner for a long time, so I emailled some friends who we usually go there with – Jen, Chad, Kristin, Brian, Jill – and tried to arrange a date. It all got lost in the holidays, but in January we rescheduled. This week we made or visit.

We tried to think back to when the last time we were at Glenn’s and it was June 2010 for Jen’s birthday! One and a half years ago! Such a shame because I love Glenn’s. The seafood is always so fresh and delicious. I had scallops with a mushroom, bacon sherry cream sauce. ZOMG. So delicious. And Glenn’s doesn’t skimp. I had six huge seared sea scallops. YUM. Dallas, Chad and Jen got the all-you-can-eat shrimp, which is a Thursday night special.

What a fun night to hang out with everyone. And Halle and Quinn were our constant sources of entertainment, of course. Can’t wait to go back!

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White Russian Cupcakes

January 13th, 2012 · 4 Comments

I made these cupcakes quite some time ago now. Back when we had dinner at Danny and Caroline’s house in October. After the success of the Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes, I was all ready to make some more boozy cupcakes!

These cupcakes had Kahlua and Vodka in the cupcake and Kahlua in the frosting.

For the topping, I put some bittersweet chocolate into my nut grinder and sprinkled it. It didn’t turn out exactly like I’d expected, but it still tasted good. Good. But not great. I love the Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes. They’re so rich and decadent and are always a hit at the party. These are more mild tasting, which some people may like, but I definitely wished I’d just stuck with what I knew was good.

Oh, and for the kids, Quinn and Halle, and for Caroline, who is pregnant, I made a few cupcakes without any liquor in them.

White Russian Cupcakes
From: Baked Perfection

White Russian Cupcakes
cupcake recipe adapted from How to Eat a Cupcake, Buttercream recipe from Baked Perfection

makes 12 cupcakes

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 large egg and 1 egg white
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
1/8 cup Vodka
1/4 cup Kahlua, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a separate bowl or in a stand mixer, beat together the sugar and butter until combined. Add egg and egg white, one at a time. Then add the vanilla, Vodka, and 1/8 cup of Kahlua. Gradually add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk in two additions, ending with the flour mixture.

Bake 17 -20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a cupcakes comes out clean. While the cupcakes are still warm, brush the tops with the remaining 1/8 cup Kahlua. Remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

Kahlua Buttercream
recipe from Baked Perfection

1 stick of butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
pinch of salt
3 – 4 tablespoons Kahlua

Beat butter until creamy. Add salt. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, beating until combined. Add Kahlua 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach desired consistency.

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Danny & Caroline’s Baby Shower

January 8th, 2012 · No Comments


The clothesline before everyone added their onesies.


Danny & Caroline


Caroline


“There is a Revolution Brewing in my diaper.” We got this onesie for the baby.


Wine for Caroline from Cousin. He also got Danny some beer! They’ll probably need it!


The clothesline after everyone added their onesies.

This past weekend Trent and Loden hosted a baby shower for Danny and Caroline. This was my second shower I went to for these guys. There was one around Christmas with Danny and Dallas’s family and was girls only, but this shower was more like a party with a bunch of friends that just happened to have some baby things. Loden had the cutest onesie decorations. She ironed on letters to spell out “B-A-B-Y H-A-R-A” and strung them up along the banister along with a bunch of blue balloons. Trent had a ton of beer and Loden set up a make-your-own-margarita stand and a a taco bar for dinner. Kristin brought guac and I brought cupcakes (more on that later). Everything was so delicious!


Doesn’t quite fit Cousin.

For a fun activity, Loden got a bunch of onesies and some fabric pens and paint and everyone at the party decorated a onesie for the baby. After a couple drinks these turned out pretty great. Mine is kind of an inside joke. At Caroline’s family baby shower I got her a bunch of Green Bay Packers baby things, much to Danny’s dismay. Caroline said that these things went missing and later on realized they were in the garage, where Danny said he “accidentally” “dropped” them. Um. Yeh.


Sugar Bear


Much excitement with two dogs, a turtle and a two-year old kid!

Halle was the only kid at the party and it was fun to hang out with her. Lately she is very shy when she first arrives, clinging onto Jill’s legs, but within about a half hour, she’s lively and talkative and not shy at all. Tent and Loden have two dogs, Charlie and Winston, and a turtle Sugar Bear. Halle has a big dog at home, Vegas, so she was really into the turtle. Like really into it. When Loden took him out of the tank and let him run around for a while, Halle just about lost her mind. It was so cute!!!

It was fun to spend time with everyone and see Trent & Loden’s new(ish) place. We also watched some football. Lions lost. HAHA, Ed. Nice to see Danny and Caroline again. They’re just about exactly one month out from becoming parents. Can you believe it?!? Caroline looks tiny! Before we knew it, it was 1 a.m. and we were still hanging out and talking. Time to go! Hopefully we’ll get to see Danny and Caroline again soon, but maybe not before the baby? We’ll see…

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Jen and Chad’s Annual New Years Eve Party

January 1st, 2012 · No Comments


Quinn & His honeys, Bridget & Maggie


Jerry, Chad, Brian


Dallas & Rachelle


Jill and Jen’s mom, Nancy/Nana


Quinn modeling the hat he made


Brian & Halle (she was distracted by the kids behind me!)


Cousin & Kristin


Catie with daughters Bridget & Tess


Jen’s parents, Terry/Cappy and Nancy/Nana, with the kids in the play room.


Fitz, Cousin, Kristin


Quinn, all set to ring in the new year!


Jen, Kristin, Loden


Ed, Cousin, Trent, Chad, Brian, Dallas


Jill getting in on the fun!

This was the 7th year in a row that we have gone to Jen and Chad’s house for New Years Eve. As has become the tradition the last few years we went to this party early and then went to a second party later. It was fun to see everyone, visit with friends, eat and drink, and play with the kids. I made Irish Car Bomb cupcakes for the parties and Dallas make ahi poke, which reminded everyone of Hawaii.


2010
2009
2008

2007
2006
2005

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Limey’s Going Away Dinner (That Danny Cooked)

October 26th, 2011 · No Comments

   
   
   
   
   
   

On Sunday Danny invited a bunch of friends over to his house for football and dinner. This was one of Limey’s going away events. We couldn’t just have one party for him when we heard he has to leave, we had to throw a whole series!

During the games Danny made dumplings and flatbreads. One of the dumplings was filled with short ribs and the other had potatoes and bacon and a side aioli that made it taste just like a loaded baked spud. So delicious! There were three kinds of flatbreads – a Mediterranean one with a kalamata olive tampanade and feta, one with roasted tomatoes and pesto, and one with sausage and caramelized onions. These were all delicious too, but I especially liked the Mediterranean one.

There were Bears fans, Packers fans and one lonely Cowboys fan at the party and everyone’s team won, so everyone was happy. Although, I would have been happier if the Bears had lost. The weather was nice enough, so we were outside for a while. Quinn and Halle provided the entertainment for the party. I’m not sure Danny and Caroline’s dogs, Maggie & Duff, knew what to make of them, but they better figure it out because they’ll have a baby in the house in just a few months!

For dinner Danny made shrimp and grits. This was the second time I’ve had his shrimp and grits and it’s so delicious. The grits are so rich and creamy. I don’t know how he does it. Actually, I do, but I don’t like to think about it (cream, cream, cream!). Danny also made macaroni and cheese for the kids, which was a big hit with both the kids and the adults.

For dessert, I brought over White Russian cupcakes. I thought they combined two of Limey’s loves: Booze & Sweets. They turned out alright, but not as awesome as I’d hoped. Not as awesome as the Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes I’ve made (here, here). Danny also made beignets with chocolate sauce.

Somehow we rolled ourselves out of there at the end of the night! I’m not sad about saying goodbye to Limey yet because he’ll be here for a while and we have at least one more goodbye party to go to.

It should also be noted that it took us 12 whole minutes to get to Danny & Caroline’s house in Oak Park from our house. I think their house seems far because it’s not even in Chicago, but we live so far west, it’s so fast and easy.

Finally, I almost forgot, Quinn made us this Halloween decoration. It’s a drawing of a scarecrow. I think he has glasses? What a nerdy scarecrow. He told me that I had to hang it by our stairs, but I have it on the fridge:

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