Chicago Riverwalk

Another Sunday afternoon spent in the city. Ok, so this Sunday was not nearly as exciting (or extended) as the adventures of last Sunday, but it still included a new experience! This past weekend was the opening of one of the final parts of the Chicago Riverwalk Renovation.

When I think of a riverwalk I think of the one in San Antonio. The San Antonio Riverwalk is a site (sight??) to see! There are shops and restaurants right on the riverfront and it goes on for miles (or at least it feels like it). This Chicago Riverwalk is nothing like that...at least not yet. There are a few restaurants on the north side of the river and it only extends about half a mile, from what I can tell.

This outing was with a few good friends. Just a quick walk down to it with a stop at Trader Joe's on the way back. Oh, how I love being able to say that. I have yet to stop feeling thankful to God for this time in the city. To live in such an urban an environment for this time of my life is incredible. Particularly for me because I love getting to know where things are and how to get to them.

It's funny - a lot of my friends are stressing out this week over all that they have to do, and, while I do have a little less than they, I have had a lot of peace. I've been finishing assignments at a reasonable pace, not getting caught up in the stress. This is not unusual for me at the midway point of the semester. The craziness hasn't really slowed down, yet I have a much better handle on how classes are and what they require. I have developed a deeper interest in what I am studying, therefore making assignments easier because I am (at least a little bit) excited to complete them. Praise the Lord!

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to start brainstorming what my next sermon will be on for my preaching class...

- rl

Open House Chicago

This afternoon we ditched homework and went out for an annual Chicago event - Open House Chicago! I remember seeing the advertisements for this event my freshman year and yet today was the first time I actually got out there! And, believe it or not, we didn't end up at any homes. However, we did run around to a few really unique locations (the Lake Point Tower garden, Columbia Yacht Club, and Blackstone Renaissance Hotel Suite of Presidents - one which we literally ran to get to before it closed!) that would not have been possible without this event! These are just a few pictures from the afternoon. There were so many shots I wish I could have gotten, but our time crunch and a decent amount of other people present prevented me from doing so.

This post is yet another attempt to get back into blogging. I have recently been encouraged by some loved ones to start blogging again, so we'll see how this goes!

- rl

My First Dinner Rolls

On Saturday night, I made my first dinner rolls! I thought they would go well with our steak dinner, and they did! Thankfully, we had a few friends over, one of which is a baking master, so he was able to answer a few trivial questions I otherwise would have guessed on.

I used this recipe and loved it. Next time, I think I'll add slightly less flour because it tasted to me like there was a little too much. Also, I would love to find a nice honey butter mix to put on top of the rolls for right as they come out of the oven or something. Overall, the recipe was not too bad and I really look forward to getting to make them again soon!

Before I made these, I also mixed together the steak marinade. I used this recipe, which was a tad complicated, but I think my family liked it. Honestly, I could hardly tell because steak is not necessarily my favorite meat. I can never seem to spend less than a few minutes chewing on one bite. I'm much more of a chicken girl. (:

- rl

(Healthy?) Strawberry Oatmeal Bars

I was first drawn to this recipe because I was curious how strawberries and oatmeal would taste together. I read the instructions through a few times before gathering the ingredients and I wasn't sure whether or not I would add the glaze on top. They are advertised as 100 calories each, but that is only if you cut them into 16 squares (I did 9) and if you don't add the glaze (I ended up adding it). I went in expecting them to be 100 calorie breakfast bars, when in reality they're probably at least 200 calories and taste more like a dessert.

I was talking to a friend from school last night and when I mentioned all the cooking I've been doing (which is not particularly usual for me) she remembered me posting pictures of these bars and commented on how good they looked. She wasn't wrong. I think these look so, so tasty, but I was kind of disappointed by them. I'm not sure if I added too much glaze or something, but they are very squishy and fall apart easily. I think that I was confusing oatmeal and granola's unique consistencies. I have eaten the bars alone, but mostly have been adding it to my oatmeal each morning.

I may end up making these again sometime if someone mentions that they'd like to try them, but I don't necessarily see them as something I'll be craving in the future.

- rl

Banana Bread, Round Two

Less than a week after my first banana bread endeavor, I made a second loaf! I was looking forward to trying a different recipe shortly after making my first loaf, but was disappointed that it was a result of my first loaf growing mold after I had been gone a few days. Just as I was going to pull up Pinterest to look up a different recipe, my mom suggested I try one that had only a few ingredients that she had in one of her cookbooks. She couldn't find the exact recipe she was looking for, but we found another one and I started gathering the supplies.

This loaf felt very different from the start because of its use of Bisquick. Then, when I checked on it a few times while baking, I saw that it was huge, definitely bigger than the previous loaf, the bread starting to go over the sides of the pan, whereas the previous batch barely reached the top of the pan. Then, before even cutting into it, the removal of the bread showed how crumbly it was. This batch was definitely more dry than the previous one, which was disappointed because the moistness of the first batch was my favorite part. All in all, I don't think I'll be making this recipe again.

Today I am watching Building off the Grid: Big Sky Ranch and about to head into work for the first time in three weeks. I took the last two weeks of the semester off to finish up homework and get packed without that added stress, then the first week of summer so I could get some cleaning (and apparently an impromptu trip!!) out of the way. Now, however, it's back to work, which will be good for me. Having so much time off has been weird, but good.

- rl