April | 2015 | Home Is Where The Haggis Is

Monthly Archives: April 2015
- Wine On Wednesday – Solo Wine Bar
  
  Posted at 6:30 am by Lisa Cavallari
  
  Apr 29th
  This post has been in que for quite some time. My only explanation is that my pictures, for lack of a better word, suck. I wanted to draw more customers in rather than scare them away with my bad lighting and blurry photos. Beyond the pictures that you see, you should know that every Wednesday here in Elgin, Solo offers what they call “Wine Down Wednesdays.” For $10 you get to sample 6-8 wines. They also include wonderful flat breads with salty prosciutto and peppery arugula and goat cheese puffs. The apps and wine change each week.
  
  If you get a chance to talk to the owner and if he happens to also be pouring the wine that evening (lucky you!) then you should ask him any questions you have about the wine. He is extremely knowledgable and eager to talk about his passion for wine. Of course, his French accent might deter your ability to focus on exactly what he is saying the entire time. It’s all good! Keep drinking and smiling and asking more questions.
  
  Let me know what you think of Solo if you go and heck, let me know! I’d love to go with you.
  
  Solo
  
  13 Douglas Ave, Elgin, IL
  
  http://www.soloelgin.com
  
  Cheers my dears!
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  Posted in Wine | Tagged Solo Wine Bar, Solo Wine Down Wednesday
- 5 Ingredient Grilled Lemon Chicken
  
  Posted at 6:00 am by Lisa Cavallari
  
  Apr 28th
  Okay, I admit I love lemons and this recipe definitely calls for a few of them. This recipe is our family’s favorite in the summer because it’s easy and extremely versatile. You can prepare the marinade the night before or even a few hours prior to when you plan to grill. I can guarantee that this will keep you out of the kitchen allowing you to relax a little while the kids play out in the backyard.
  Grilled Lemon Chicken
  - Servings: 4
  - Time: inactive 3-12hrs
  - Difficulty: easy
  - Print
  Ingredients
  
  4 freshly squeezed lemons
  
  1/4 cup olive oil
  
  2 tsp Kosher salt
  
  1 tsp pepper
  
  1 Tbl minced thyme leaves (optional)
  
  2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
  
  Directions
  
  1. Whisk together all ingredients except the chicken in a large ceramic or glass bowl. Place chicken breasts in bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Store in refrigerator for 3 hours or up to overnight.
  
  2. Heat grill and cook for about 10 minutes on each side until cooked through. Remove chicken from grill and allow to rest for 5 minutes before cutting.
  You can serve this plain, skewer it to make shish kabob or toss it atop some pasta.
  
  Eat and enjoy!
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  Posted in Cooking
- Wine On Wednesday – Apothic Crush
  
  Posted at 7:00 am by Lisa Cavallari
  
  Apr 22nd
  Book club met last Sunday and there were two wines that stood out. Actually, this book club is really turning into a wine club in disguise. No arguments here. Since the weather has turned chilly, I’ll start with the red this week. I’ve mentioned Apothic Red before, but have you tried another wine from this family called Apothic Crush? I am certainly crushing on this one! It’s a blend of Petite Sirah and Pinot Noir. You can taste lots of juicy red fruits with some salty caramel and chocolate which gives it a very smooth finish. This wine is a limited release so buy it while you still can. It sells for about $8.99 at Binny’s and Woodman’s.
  
  Instead of providing just the tasting notes, I am attaching a new rating to each wine. This doesn’t mean much since everyone is different and my impression is less than expert. Still, I think it would help so that you can see how enthusiastic or disenchanted you might be over each wine. I gave this wine 🍷🍷🍷🍷 .
  
  So here’s a breakdown for each rating:
  
  🍷 – wouldn’t try this wine again
  
  🍷🍷 – drink one glass and switch to something else
  
  🍷🍷🍷 – overall fairly good taste, but lacking a smooth finish or something might be slightly off
  
  🍷🍷🍷🍷- exceptionally smooth and consistent after drinking more than one glass
  
  Cheers my dears!
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  Posted in Wine | Tagged Apothic Crush
- Supply List When Sickness Strikes
  
  Posted at 7:00 am by Lisa Cavallari
  
  Apr 20th
  Batten down the hatches because your child (or entire family) has a fever, a cough or worse, vomiting and diarrhea. We’ve all been there: sleep-deprived, trying to keep ourselves healthy and prevent the spread of disease in the house of the unwashed. (Not literally, but it can feel that way!) Running out to buy more supplies is simply out of the question. Even if you don’t have kids, the last thing you feel like doing when you or your spouse is sick is driving to the store. Here is a list of items that you can stockpile while you are healthy and avoid any additional discomfort when the inevitable flu or cold is bound to occur. This list is not entirely comprehensive so please let me know if there is anything you and your family prefer to keep on hand.
  
  For Your Sick Ones
  - Their own wastebasket or bucket
  - Lots of plastic garbage bags
  - 2 thermometers (1 for upstairs and another for downstairs)
  - Plastic fitted sheet to put on their bed
  - Plastic tablecloths for the couch and to line the floor near the wastebasket
  - A tray to carry drinks and meds
  - Cough drops
  - Tissues
  - Ibuprofen or Acetaminophen (check expiration date)
  - Pepto Bismol
  - Frozen Pedialyte pops (in the store they are not frozen and take up to 48 hours to finally freeze so by then it’s too late)
  - Saltine or Club crackers
  - Ginger Ale
  - Chicken soup
  - Vapor Rub
  - Johnson and Johnson Vapor Bath
  - Humidifier (one for each child)
  - Otoscope (if ear infections are common in your household)
  For Your Home
  - Lots of paper towels
  - Disinfecting spray
  - Laundry detergent
  - Plastic gloves (your hands will be raw from washing them so much)
  - Air purifier
  Tips When You’re In The Thick Of It
  - Section off sick and healthy areas. It will make disinfecting much easier. I allow the child who is sick to be in her room or in the family room with one bathroom that is only hers to use until she is no longer contagious.
  - Keep a notepad and pen handy to write down their temperature, how many times they vomited, etc. It helps keep track of it all when your brain turns to mush and the nurse on the phone needs specifics.
  - This gem is from a mom who said she saved their old crib mattress and lets her child sleep on that instead of her bed. It’s lower to the ground and if they are vomiting, there is less chance for missing the bucket. Good one C!
  - Open the windows. Even if it’s arctic cold, letting some fresh air into the house for a few minutes can help clear the stale air.
  - If you are battling this on your own because your husband is out of town or works late, take up any kind offers from other moms to pick things up while they are out. They really DO want to help and YOU really should not feel guilty for asking them to grab whatever it is you need. It is amazing how moms will band together in times of need and pretty neat to witness. I admit that I need to be better about accepting help myself so this is something to work on.
  - Try to grab a nap or put your feet up if your little one is napping. If that isn’t possible, and believe me I have been there, then delegate some duties to your husband when he gets home so that you can rest.
  - For the children who are healthy and want to play it can be hard to keep them entertained and quiet. Try to have a new book, DVD or game on hand so they can have fun without relying on you to come up with something new to do.
  - Take a deep breath and remember that this too shall pass. It is stressful and heart-breaking to see your child so sick and helpless. If you’ve been going nonstop all day, treat yourself to a hot shower and a glass of wine when the hubby gets home. You’ve earned it!
  This post was inspired by the extreme episode of vomiting my oldest experienced last week. Plastic became my new best friend and I don’t think I’ve done that much laundry since she was a baby. She was vomiting about every 15 minutes for 12 hours straight and, at one point, it became projectile. Through her tears she said, “Mom, it was like a fountain coming out of me!” The famous scene from The Exorcist now has nothing on us. Luckily, our doctor finally prescribed some Zofran and that settled her stomach.
  
  Be prepared and stay strong out there everyone.
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  Posted in Health, Kids | Tagged Preparing For The Flu, Sick Supply List, Stockpiling For Flu Season
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