Again, no sooner had I blinked, and the weekend had gone. Fortunately, it was filled with many happy moments, good company, and delicious food.
Much of Saturday was spent driving. After the 2 1/2 hour drive down to Lindenhurst, we only got to chat with Dave’s dad Barry for about half an hour before it was time to get dressed up and head down to Chicago…another hour and a half of driving.
My $14 thrift store dress!
As usual, there were detours and mismarked signs all over, and Dave and I spent about twenty minutes walking around Chicago before finding the wedding hall.
Perfect timing! We walked in just as Jacqui and Terry were exchanging vows. I was so glad we hadn’t missed the most important part of their day. They were both beaming, and it was easy to see how happy they were.
Even though I barely knew anyone there, it was one of the best weddings I have ever been to. Sinatra crooned during the cocktail hour (open bar–yippee!), the hall itself was unique and gorgeous, the food wonderful, and the company delightful.
Dave and I didn’t intend to stay long, but we ended up talking so some incredibly cool people at our table and didn’t leave until the reception ended at midnight. I even got Dave to dance TWO songs with me.
It was pouring out when we left, and we were soaked when we finally found the garage we had parked in.
I was running back with a shawl over my head, which Dave said made me look like a nun. It didn’t help much (obviously), but I didn’t mind. We definitely needed the rain.
I was exhausted and a bit woozy when my head hit the pillow at about 1:30am. But, strangely, I woke up at 8:30am and decided to sweat my one-too-many gin and tonics out with a run. The trail had changed a lot since the last time I used it. It was clearly being worked on, and I kept passing signs saying “Construction area. No public access.”
I interpreted these as “Warrior Dash Training Trail.” I ran through mud, over rocks, and up a hill. The trail was short, and I was back in about 25 minutes, but it was definitely good exercise. When I got back, it was time to start cookin’!
First, I whipped up some Spicy Red Pepper Hummus for a lunch snack.
Chick peas, tahini, lemon juice, minced garlic, roasted red peppers, cumin, pepper, and cholula. Almost all of it got eaten, so it must not have been too bad. 🙂
I spent most of my energy that afternoon working on the cake and helping Dave with the naan bread.
Brownie layer bottom, two layers of banana cake, covered in chocolate frosting and sprinkles.
Dave prepped all the grill food: brussel sprouts, red and sweet potatoes, and a beautiful sockeye salmon.
We spent the afternoon outside with Dave’s family drinking Summer Punch and catching up on everything that had happened since Christmas.
It was so good to see everyone again! I was very glad that we were able to make it down for Father’s Day since Dave couldn’t be with his mom on Mother’s Day.
Summer afternoons, cocktails, and grilling were made to go together.
We pulled the salmon at 131 degrees (per Alton), and kept it at 135 on Barry’s smoker.
Dave and I generally roast our brussel sprouts on skewers, but we used a grill basket for these after the potatoes were cooked and they turned out almost as delicious. Not quite as crunchy, but still fantastic.
Then, one of my favorites….naan!
Bread is one of my weaknesses, and grilled naan has a special kind of power over me. It was seasoned with rosemary and garlic–a perfect combination.
It truly was a superb dinner. I had more of everything after this plate; it was simply too good to pass up, even though I knew there was more to come—cake!
Delicious. I was terribly full after this, but it’s not every day you celebrate Father’s Day and a birthday!
Birthday Sock Monkey agreed.
We capped off Sunday evening with a lovely bonfire.
I slept in this morning and decided it was a rest day. We had coffee and freshly made biscuits this morning (by Barry) before showering and making the trek back to Green Bay.
And so begins another week.
Designs on Dinner 