Yay for the weekend!

I'm so happy the weekend is here! I am working from home today which is always nice on a Friday. The best part is I get to have lunch with my husby! We are trying a new place that I've wanted to try for a couple of months.

I'm really looking forward to this weekend. Tonight we are going to cook dinner, chill at home and just relax. Saturday we are going to get up and head to the Wheaton French Market and do our grocery shopping. I also have a hair appointment and a mani/pedi appointment! I'm looking forward to some pampering. Saturday night we don't have date night plans yet but I'm sure we'll come up with something!

Sunday is my sister Arla and her fiance Teddy's first bridal shower! My mom has been working so hard getting everything together this week, it's going to be really nice! I'm going to be the photographer at the shower so I will definitely have plenty of pictures to post!

I hope everyone has a great weekend and let's hope it's not a total rain out. I will be back with a full write-up and plenty of pictures on Sunday.

Thursday Thoughts...

1. We finally booked our flight for the San Francisco leg of our California trip! Even better it was all paid for with miles and we are even going first class both ways. Now we just need some hotel reservations!

2. I am getting my hair cut and colored and a mani/pedi on Saturday and I am really looking forward to it. Every girl needs some pampering, right?

3. I can't believe my sister's first wedding shower is this weekend, time is flying!! The wedding is right around the corner!

4. Can we please get some warmer weather sometime soon? I'm not liking the pattern we currently have of sunny weekdays and rainy weekends; its so not cool.

5. We are heading to Wheaton's French Market this weekend and I'm really looking forward to checking it out. It's one of the few farmers markets that is open this early.

6. This week is going much faster than last week, thank goodness!

7. It's amazing how getting out of the office for even a short period of time on a nice day can give you a total attitude adjustment.

8. I really hope that Verizon gets the iPhone. I want a new phone and Blackberry just isn't coming out with anything worth buying.

9. I am working from home tomorrow and that means I don't have to get up at 5 am, yes!!!

10. I will never cease to be amazed by how lucky my husband is; he has quite the horseshoe stuck up his rear!

April and May Goals

April Goals:
1. Weight loss goal - I wanted to be down 75lbs by May 1st but now I'm shooting for 80! Goal Met! I am currently down 83.5lbs!!
2. Workout at least 5 times a week. (I'm ramping it up!) Fail! Most weeks I was lucky for 3 nights a week.
3. Try 5 new recipes this month. (I'm loving this goal, it is really pushing us to try new things instead of always having the same old thing) Fail! We only tried 2 new things, Rosemary lamb chops, and Bulgogi
4. Have my Easter decorations down and Spring decor up by April 10. Goal Met!
5. Complete "our week in pictures" twice. (I have been an epic fail on this so far) Goal Met! I did it 3 times this month!

May Goals:
1. Weight loss goal - I would love to hit 90 by June 1!
2. Workout 4 times a week, I need to be realistic with everything going on, but I have to workout to keep losing weight.
3. Try 4 new recipes this month. This is all on Michael and his weekly picks!
4. Complete "our week in pictures" twice. I am really enjoying this!
5. Have our hotels booked for California trip

Things I'm loving: April

My Pedometer            

I have become obsessed with my new pedometer! I aim to hit 10,000 steps a day. On a normal day with just walking to and from work and walking around at work I usually hit around 7,000 steps. If I take a walk during lunch and do a walk at night I hit well above 10,000 steps. I just think it is a good gauge to keep track of my activity and calories burned. 

Summer deck set-up

We are loving having our outdoor space all set-up but now we just need some warmer temperatures so we can enjoy it more. We were having dinner outside every night and the past two weeks we haven't been able to use it. Come on spring, we want to dine al fresco! 

Chicago Blackhawks

We have hockey fever in our house right now! The Chicago Blackhawks just closed out the Predators in the first round after 6 very stressful games! Let's hope they can sail through the next round against those dirty Canucks!

9 By Design

 Michael and I are loving this new show 9 by Design on Bravo. The show centers around a husband and wife design team that renovate, redesign and sell properties in Manhattan. Oh and by the way they have 7 kids and move several times a year in and out of their design spaces! It is unbelievable the spaces they create and the chaos they live in. I am way too type A to live that way but it definitely makes for interesting TV!

Meeting a Big Milestone!

Hitting 75 pounds lost was a huge accomplishment and I'm still going strong!

Michael's Weekly Recipe Pick

Michael is not always an adventurous eater. His favorite foods are hamburgers and any kind of carb, he only likes pasta with red sauce and don't even try to put a vegetable on his plate! Many times I see a recipe that sounds really good to me and when I show him, I get the face a 5 year old kid makes when brussel sprouts are put in front of them! So, I decided that every week Michael is going to go through one of the more than 40 cookbooks we have but never use and pick out a recipe.

Last night was Michael's first pick. He chose Rosemary Lamb Chops with grill-roasted potatoes from Weber's Real Grilling Cookbook. It was delicious! Below are the instructions and step-by-step photo instructions.

Ingredients:

4 loin lamb chops about 4 ounces each

6 new potatoes about 1 1/2 inches in diameter, washed and quartered

1 tblsp chopped garlic

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tblsp finely chopped rosemary

2 tsp finely chopped thyme

1 tsp black pepper

Extra virgin olive oil

Serves 2

Make the seasoning. Chop fresh spices and add garlic, salt, and pepper. Drizzle potatoes with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and mix with half of the seasoning and mix. Brush both sides of lamb chops with olive oil and rub with remaining seasoning mix. You can cook immediately or let them marinate for a while.

Marinated potatoes and lamp chops ready to grill

Grill the potatoes over direct medium heat until tender, 10 to 15 minutes, turning occasionally.

After the potatoes have been cooking for 5 minutes, add the lamb chops to the grill. Grill the lamb for 5 minutes on each side for medium.

Enjoy!

Family Favorite Recipe: Dworianyn Bulgogi

Bulgogi was something I had never ate until I met Michael. It is a Korean beef barbecue dish and it is really good.  I had never made it before and wanted to try something new so I had Michael get the recipe from his Mom. We had Michael's parents along with Rich, Tif and Grandma over for Sunday dinner to try it out. It turned out great!

Here's the ingredients and step-by-step instructions for Bulgogi.

Ingredients:

4 lbs. sirloin tip beef
5 cloves smashed garlic
3 green onions chopped fine
3 tblsp sugar
5 tblsp cooking wine
10 tblsp Kikkoman soy sauce
1 1/2 tblsp sesame oil
3 tblsp sesame seeds

Directions:

Create marinade by combining garlic, green onions, sugar, soy sauce, cooking wine, sesame oil and sesame seeds

Slice beef into very thin strips

Add beef to marinade mixture and soak for 3 hours or even overnight

Grill beef for 3-5 minutes, it cooks fast!

Serve over white rice and enjoy!

Menu Planning Monday

Last week we only cooked 2 out of the 5 nights. Work was super crazy this week for both of us so cooking was not high on the list. This week should be better. 

Monday: Rosemary and thyme lamb chops with roasted potatoes from Weber's Real Grilling cookbook (finally, a new recipe!)

Tuesday: Homemade pizza

Wednesday: Hashbrown turkey

Thursday: Chicken pesto pasta

Friday: Take out

A rainy weekend recap

Well the weekend is almost over. It has been really nice, except for the weather. It feels like it has done nothing but rain these past few days. We had a very busy week so it was nice to have the weekend to do what we wanted. On Friday I got out of work and went grocery shopping so I didn't have to worry about it this weekend. We grabbed dinner with Rich and Ken and went to Costco to pick up a few things we needed for Sunday dinner. We came home and prepped the meat for Sunday so it could get marinating.

Michael slicing

Saturday we woke up and had breakfast and then headed down to my parents for the day. We needed to help them with some moving around the house. I also was helping my mom with the favors for my sister's bridal shower next weekend. Michael and my dad watched the hawks game while my mom and I were crafting away. We finished things out by going to dinner at one of our favorite places, Trattoria Tazza's. 

Today we woke up and went to breakfast and then we went to a morning movie. 

Michael wanted to see Kick Ass and for some dumb reason, I agreed. It was more like suck ass. Michael thought it was ok, it was definitely not what we were expecting. For being a comedy, it was really graphic and violent. Michael will now be going to Eclipse and Sex and the City 2 as payback! LOL

We also hosted Sunday dinner tonight for Michael's parents, Rich, Tif and Grandma. We made Bulgogi and it was really good. It is something Michael's parents have made for us several times so we thought it was our turn. It came out really well. We ordered some egg rolls and fried rice from one of our favorite Chinese places to make it an easy Sunday dinner. I am going to do a post on how to make Bulgogi this week.

 Fresh grilled bulgogi, yum!

We are going to spend the rest of the night relaxing with our DVR and getting ready for the week. I'm hoping for a less crazy week and also that it goes a lot faster! I hope all of you had a great weekend and have a speedy week ahead!

Hello Weekend!

I can't even begin to describe how happy I am that the week is over and the weekend is here! It has been such a long week. Work has been super nuts for both Michael and I and I feel like we've just been running like crazy. I'm looking forward to a low-key weekend and some down time. I mean I was too busy to blog everyday so you know I was busy!!! Not to worry, I have lots of planned blog posts in my head that I will be working on this weekend.

I am leaving work at 2 today so I'm gonna head home and then head to the grocery store and our cleaning lady came today so that means everything housework wise will be done! Tomorrow we are heading down to my parents to spend some time with them and work on some things for my sisters bridal shower and have dinner. On Sunday we are going to get breakfast, catch a movie, and then we are hosting Michael's family for Sunday dinner. We are making Bulgogi. It is a really good Korean beef dish that Michael's parents have been making for years. It is really good. I'm going to do a post on how to make it next week.

I will have a full weekend recap post on Sunday! I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Our week in pictures: 4/15 - 4/21

Thursday, April 15: I came home to some pretty tulips and a card from my husby. He's the best!

Friday, April 16: Fresh blueberry muffins for Michael. They are his favorite!

Saturday, April 17: Michael started painting the hallways this weekend.

Sunday, April 18: Baby Jacob's baby shower gift all ready to go!

 Monday, April 19: This is what happens when you leave growing sprouts outside overnight when it's still frosts at night, oops! Cucumber seeds take two this weekend!

Tuesday, April 20: Just another relaxing night in the Dworianyn house...

Wednesday, April 21: My Spring blocks might be coming down this weekend, crazy Michael!

Family Favorite Recipe: Dworianyn Blueberry Muffins

These are Michael's absolute favorite! I don't really like blueberries but everyone in Michael's family loves these. Michael and Rich can eat 3 of them at one sitting no problem. At one of our wedding showers we asked people to fill out recipe cards with their favorite recipe and what do you know I got the famous blueberry muffin recipe from Michael's Mom! I love to bake and these come together really easily and Michael says they taste just like his Mom's.

Ingredients

For Muffins:
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 egg
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 milk
2 cups blueberries

For Topping:
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup flour

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Cream together the white sugar, butter and egg. In another bowl sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Alternately add milk and flour mixtures to creamed mixture.

3. Add blueberries (fold in gently).

4. Put muffin mixture in paper lined muffing cups.

5. Mix together topping mixture until it forms a blended crumb mixture.

6. Sprinkle muffins with crumb topping.

7. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes.

8. Recipe yields 15-18 muffins.

Enjoy!

Menu Planning Monday

Another week of meals. Nothing new again this week. I blame Michael, he hasn't been in a very adventurous mood! So we have a lot of old favorites this week. Nothing wrong with the classics I guess!

Here's this weeks menu:

Sunday: Katsu Don
Monday: Chicken pesto pasta
Tuesday: Burger night
Wednesday: Spaghetti and turkey meatballs
Thursday: Meatball subs with leftover meatballs
Friday: Date night
Saturday: Out to dinner with my parents

Weekend Recap

Well another weekend is almost over. The weeks just seem to be flying by. April is almost over, it's crazy!

On Friday, I worked from home which is always nice. Friday afternoon I ran some errands and did some shopping for my sister's upcoming bachelorette party. I also made Michael some delicious blueberry muffins. They are his favorite. It's his mom's recipe.

Friday night we went out for a date night to Claim Jumper. We were just there last weekend but Michael really wanted to go again. They have really good food. We came home after dinner and we headed over to Rich and Tif's. Michael played poker with Rich, Ken and Tif's brother Brad. Tif and I just hung out and talked.

Saturday we got up and went to breakfast and then headed to Whole Foods to do our grocery shopping. After grocery shopping we headed home and Michael did some power washing in the garage to get rid of all the winter dirt and salt. I headed out to run some errands and do some shopping and Michael started prepping for painting in our hallways. It's a big project and he wants to get started. We have three stories so there are a lot of hallways to paint.

Michael starting to paint by the garage entrance

We were exhausted Saturday night after a day of running around and doing a bunch of projects around the house. We stayed in and made dinner. We had an appetizer night for dinner and made a few different types of appetizers for something different. It was really good. 

Today I got up and worked out and we went to breakfast. After breakfast I came home and got ready because I had my sister-in-law Tif's baby shower today! Baby Jacob will be here soon! I'm excited to be an aunt for the first time!

Tif and the Grandmas-to-be!

We along with Michael's Grandma bought baby Jacob his stroller.

Tif opening the stroller

Also, instead of getting cards they asked everyone to bring a book instead to start baby Jacob's library. I couldn't just get any old book so I made a photo book from Shutterfly. It was an A-Z book of all the things about baby Jacob and his family.

The cover

Inside pages of the book

After the shower I headed home and we are just going to relax the rest of the night. We are making Katsu Don for Sunday dinner and have lots of DVR shows to catch up on. I hope all of you had a great weekend! Let's hope this week goes by fast so we can enjoy another one!

Thursday Thoughts...

1. I am so excited that Tori and Dean is back for another season. It's a total guilty pleasure but it is one of our favorite shows!

2. So happy that Top Chef is back too. Another one of our favorite shows! (We hardly watch TV, can't you tell!!!)

3. I'm really happy we are actually having a beautiful Spring season and its not just going from 30-90 degrees in one week in typical Chicago fashion.

4. It's amazing how getting on the scale doesn't scare me anymore. I get really excited every morning when I step on to see the numbers go lower and lower. I'm officially over 80 pounds lost now!

5. I saw this in a magazine this week and it is unbelievable to me; convenience products have gotten out of control. Have people gotten so lazy that it has become difficult to measure spices to cook a meal?

6.This week is going by so slow. The days have gone by fast but the week is dragging on. Does that make sense? Thank God tomorrow is Friday!

7. There are so many good movies and books coming out next month. I have at least 5 books on pre-order for my Kindle and there are 3 great movies coming out in May we want to see.

8. We really need to get moving on planning our San Francisco leg of our California trip, we have no hotels or anything booked yet, oops!

9. Yesterday I came home to tulips and a card on the counter from Michael. It's all about the little things and he does so many special things for me; he is the best husby!

10. I have such an itch for baking, I don't know why, but I think I need to get in the kitchen this weekend and make something delicious for Michael and something I don't like very much!

Our week in pictures: 4/8 - 4/14

Holy cow, a week in pictures two weeks in a row! I think I'm finally in the groove of taking a picture everyday. I think it is a lot easier now that the weather is nicer since we are out and about more compared to when it's 10 below zero and dark at 4 pm. So here's this week's picture recap.

Thursday, April 8: One of my favorite days of the week, manicure day! It's pretty in pink this week!

Friday, April 9: Fresh sprouts! Our cucumber plants are growing and getting ready for the garden. Every day when we get home from work they are tilted toward the sliding glass doors.

Saturday, April 10: Wedding bridesmaid dress!

Sunday, April 11: Beer can chicken for Sunday dinner, yum!

Monday, April 12: Happy Birthday Mom! She sent me this picture of her all new outdoor oasis! She got an all new patio set for her birthday to go along with the gazebo we bought her!

Tuesday, April 13: Homemade pizza al fresco!

Wednesday, April 14: Michael is still having fun making me crazy re-arranging my blocks!!

Chicken Parmesan Paninis

These are one of Michael's favorite things that I make. They are really delicious and a great weeknight meal. I did a step-by-step photo tutorial of how these come together.

Ingredients:
1 pound boneless chicken tenderloins (breasts work fine too)
3/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning or oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup Your favorite pizza or pasta sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 loaf of vienna bread or 4 rolls

Makes 4 sandwiches

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine Italian breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, garlic powder and Italian seasoning in a large bowl for breading. Whisk 2 eggs or egg whites.

Pound chicken tenderloins on each side. Salt and pepper each side.

Dip chicken tenderloins in egg and then into the breadcrumb mixture. Place tenderloins on cookie sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Repeat until all tenderloins have been coated.

Bake chicken tenders for 8-10 minutes on each side. Cooking will be a little bit longer if using chicken breasts.

While the chicken is baking, I prepare the bread. Cut your vienna bread to size. Use the outside of the bread for the inside of the sandwich. Spread pizza or pasta sauce on both sides of bread.

After chicken is done cooking, place chicken on bread and spread with sauce and put shredded cheese on the chicken.

Spray panini pan with non-stick cooking spray. Place sandwiches into panini pani over medium/high heat on the stove top. Press with cover.

Flip after 5 minutes. Let sandwiches cook an additional 3-5 minutes and serve.

Enjoy!