I will fully admit that I am a latent parade-phile. It must be me being incredibly shy as a kid and walking in Redding, CT's parade as a Girl Scout - I vividly remember wanting to break free of the line and run to higher ground towards "freedom."
So I've been avoiding parades like the plague...until we moved to Crystal Lake. They are practically unavoidable since the parade route is smack in front of our house. So...I've learned to embrace and even enjoy the parades. Hey, as long as I don't have to be in them, I can "safely" enjoy them from the sidelines, or in our case our front porch.
This year Larry and I decided to once again host a little BBQ after the parade. We thought we had a "brilliant" plan to set things up in the front yard and avoid the mosquitoes in the back. And our plan would have worked had we not made one MAJOR error - I'll get to that in a minute...
The plan was for my parents, Hope and Greg and their kids and Bill and June (family) to stop by after the parade if they could make it.
In the beginning of the parade a guy stopped by and asked us if he could leave his bike in our driveway during the parade. We didn't even give it a thought and said yes.
The parade came and went and we started to get ready for the BBQ.
Well, Mr. Bike Man returned for his bike and since it was really hot out, Larry and I thought it would be nice to ask if he wanted a beer.
Well.....1 hour later...alhough it felt like eternity...Mr. Bike Man was still there! He wasn't talking to anyone, just texted away to someone, not budging. We started to get a bit nervous and trying to figure out what to do. Even some of our guests thought he was a friend...we couldn't explain anything until he left, which wasn't happening.
So finally, we decided to pack up the food, as a hint, and that finally worked.
Note to self...it's nice to be nice...but maybe next time we need to set some parameters or give someone a to go drink!
Crystal Lake 4th of July Parade - July 2011
To Die For Carrot Cake
 |
| Completely worth the ridiculous amount of calories! |
Carrot Cake with Decorative Carrots
Note: This recipe is entirely soy-free.
Makes 1 two-layered cake. Prep Time: 35 minutes; extra to decorate. Cook Time: approximately 1 hour.
Ingredients
Cake:
4 eggs
3/4 cups Canola Oil
2 cups white sugar
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
3 cups grated carrots-
1 cup chopped pecans
Cream Cheese Frosting: 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
8 oz. package of cream cheese, softened
4 cups confectioner's sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 tsp. milk - I used fat free because that's what I had in the house, but if I had my druthers, I'd recommend whole milk for the extra richness.
1 cup chopped pecans - for when you frost the cake.
.
Instructions for the Cake:
- Preheat the oven 350°F. Grease with some butter and sprinkle with a little flower two 9" round cake pans. Note: You can use cooking spray, BUT, they all have soy. So if you are baking with a soy allergy in mind, PLEASE read all your food labels; it's amazing how many products have soy.
- Using my KitchenAid stand mixer (you can use a large bowl and hand mixer too), beat together the eggs, oil, white sugar and 2 teaspoons of vanilla. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add in carrots and mix for several minutes. Add in pecans and mix for several more minutes.
- Fold mixture evenly into the 2 cake pans.
- Bake in the pre-heated over for 40-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean. Note: I start checking for "doneness" after 30-35 minutes, depending on your oven.
- Let cool in pan and then turn over onto a cool surface/wire rack for further cooling.
- Using the stand mixer, combine the butter, cream cheese, confectioner's sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla and milk. Beat until mixture is smooth and creamy - I did this for awhile to get it pretty fluffy.
- To Frost the Cake: Once the cakes are cool. I placed one on a nice plate and frosted the top of it and then placed the second cake on top of it. I worked my worked my way around the cake and then smoothed out the frosting around the cake.
- Nuts: I literally took small handfuls of the nuts and "smooshed" them gently onto the side of the bottom cake layer - it adds a nice, elegant touch (and tasty too!) to the cake.
 |
| Cute and Yummy! |
- I made some extra frosting and then divide the mixture into 2 bowls using the stand mixture. In one bowl you will need to add green food coloring for the carrot leaves - I ended up putting quite a few drops to get the color I wanted. For the Carrots: Same thing, but instead add yellow and red food coloring.
- Using a round frosting tip for the carrot shape and a star tip for the leaves, I placed each frosting in a pastry bag with its corresponding tip.
- First I made the leaves and worked my way clock-wise around the top of the cake. You may want to try this on a plate first to practice - it seemed to me that it's a matter of the pressure and amount you squeeze out of the bag to achieve the perfect leaf.
- For the carrots, I used a round tip and started right under the base of the leaves. Start with a bit of a "bulb" and then pull down with the frosting to make a tail. Again practice makes perfect.
 |
| Ready to wow guests |
Enjoy!
Source: © 2011 May Family Recipes
Red Velvet Holiday Cupcakes...Yum! - December 2010
 |
| Red Velvet Cupcakes with Holly |
I got the design idea from an office neighbor (thanks Misty!) who brought in these beautiful chocolate cupcakes with "holly leaves" on top of them. Honestly, when I saw them, I was just giddy, because I knew I would have to try to make them. And a big thanks to Misty for lending me the very cool holly leaf gum press.
Here's my interpretation of them with a Red Velvet Cupcake - perfect for the holiday season!
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened - yikes, I know...these aren't exactly healthy...but they are worth it!
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1 bottle (1 ounce) McCormick® Red Food Color
2 teaspoons McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract
Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Set aside.
 |
| Mix the Dry Ingredients |
 |
| Beat in Eggs |
 |
| Add the Sour Cream |
 |
| Mix in the Red Food Coloring |
5. Spoon batter into 30 paper-lined muffin cups, filling each cup 2/3 full.
 |
| Be Careful to Not Fill Too High! |
 |
| Ready for Frosting |
Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting
Beat 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened, 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened, 2 tablespoons sour cream and 2 teaspoons McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract in large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in 1 box (16 ounces) confectioners' sugar until smooth.
Note: I used a frosting decorating bag - I sooo recommend this - it makes your cupcakes look pretty darn professional. This was my first try at it and after a few missteps, I was a cupcake decorating addict!
What you'll need:
- Green fondant
- Red fondant
- Edible sparkle dust
- Fondant roller
- Holly leaf cookie cutter/sugar press
1. For the holly leaves: Place the green fondant on a cookie sheet or hard, clean surface. Use a fondant roller to roll out the fondant to the desired thickness. Hint: don't make it too thin or the "leaf" will be to flimsy to work with and it may break.
2. For the berries: Do the same above with the red fondant and roll 3 little balls for each holly leaf.
 |
| Red Fondant (Rolled Out) |
 |
| Holly Berries |
4. Take a small amount of the frosting and put a it on the center of the holly leaf.
5. Place the berries on top of the frosting so that it is "glued" to the holly leaf.
6. Voila! Pretty realistic and festive holly leaves with berries!
 |
| Holly Leaves with Berries |
 |
| Cupcakes...Cupcakes...Cupcakes Everywhere...Oh My! |
So the final cupcake, I think came out pretty darn good...don't you think?
 |
| Festive Holiday Treat...Yum! |
Thanksgiving - 2010
 |
| Ready for the Big Feast! |
 |
| All Set and Ready for Company |
I cleaned the house the weekend before and shopped for food, and set the table, made the pumpkin pie, gravy stock, and stuffing on Wednesday - just reheated them up the next day!
 |
| Festive Fall Pumpkin Pie (need to use a crust protector next time, though) |
 |
| Cheese and Cracker Appetizer |
 |
| Use Leaf Cookie Cutters for a Fall-Inspired Look |
While the guys watched football....
 |
| Dad, Eric and Larry |
 |
| Mom and Ma |
 |
| Dad and Me |
The only "bad" thing that day was the temperature just tanked - it was frigid by the time everyone left - that's our lovely weather in Illinois!
It was just a lovely day.
Fall/Thanksgiving Decorating - 2010
 |
| Outside Fall Display...A Little Worse for the Wear |
Fall is my favorite season - hands down. I love the earthy colors, the sun (typically) is always shining, and when it gets a little brisk, you can put on a cozy sweater, stomp on the crackling leaves, smell the crisp air, just enjoying the outside.
 |
| Living Room |
At least the inside of the house is climate-controlled, so you get a better idea of what I did. To follow is a breakown of my fall decorating projects for the fall/Thanksgiving.
Living Room Mantle
 |
| Living Room Mantle |
Urns
 |
| Urn Display |
For this year, I have branches, Chinese Lanterns (real - love these!) and feathers. As I said, I really like to keep things natural looking/use natural pieces. I was hoping to find some new lanterns this year, but no one had real ones in the area, which was a pity, because fresh ones are very vibrant in their orange color - these are actually from a farmers market in Cambridge, WI, that I picked up a few seasons ago and just try to use until they disintegrate...
Wheat Swag
 |
| Black-Bearded Wheat Swag |
Voila!
Mantle Hurricanes
 |
| Glass Hurricane with Hazlenuts |
The candles are unscented Chapel candles by Tag, Ltd - love these! Tag sells to places like Crate & Barrel and we are very lucky in the Chicago area to have 2 Tag outlets! These candles are excellent: great slow burn, no drip, and a really nice glow.
For the fall/Thanksgiving, I usually add nuts - here I used hazlenuts. Nuts are inexpensive, natural and add a very warm touch to the display.
Front Door
 |
| Shaved Wood Wreath |
But since we were going to the Country Living Fair in Ohio in the fall, I thought maybe I'd find something new for the door. And I hit the jackpot, because this is perfect - its natural (wood shavings) and is a great warm and toasty rust. Plus it's great for both fall, Halloween and takes you right through Thanksgiving.
The wreath is from Nest (www.nestgr.com) in Grand Rapids, MI.
Thanksgiving Centerpiece and Table Setting
 |
| Thanksgiving Table Setting |
The table is our typical "formal" table. This year I also bought some chargers - gold from World Market. The tablecloth is from TJMAXX.
Flower Arrangement
 |
| Flowers in Pumpkin "Vase" |
So I used the non-rotten one and placed it on the living room end table for a little extra fall flair - crisis solved!
Halloween Table Centerpiece - 2010
 |
| Halloween Centerpiece |
I did manage to do a little something for the table, which I think came out quite nice for a quick attempt.
 |
| Crows Add a Little Drama |
- 1 large, glass hurricane vase (I found this at TJMAXX for $9.99!)
- Branches (found in our back yard)
- Additional dried items: I used dried echinachea centers that I pulled from our garden - they have a "spooky" feel to them - perfect for Halloween!
- Black beans - natural, inexpensive and again, great for Halloween!
- Black crows - I got from the Perfect Pear, in Crystal Lake - my fabulous go-to-spot for cottage-style decorating. (see my previous posts under "Local Favorites")
Crystal Lake 4th of July Parade - July 5, 2010
This year Crystal Lake's 4th of July Parade was amazing - just guessing, but it looked like a record crowd. The weather was perfect and the crowds came out. Larry and I enjoyed watching the parade on the front porch and lawn - front row seats!
Enjoy the photos!
Christmas 2009
Christmas was a wee-bit quiet this year: poor Larry developed bronchitis, which you know is something, because he never gets colds! On top of that the Chicago-area, in particular, Crystal Lake, got hit yet again with snow and ice. So we ended up missing the annual festivities at Brett and Carol’s and at Mom and Dad’s.
We improvised and had a lovely little celebration with Jack the Cat at home: opening our presents and watching It’s a Wonderful Life (albeit, with an obscene amount of commercials), having wine, cheese and snacks and avoiding the cold and snow.
Since we always do something for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, the cupboards were bare – not really a situation you want to be in on Christmas – you want the day to be special and all the stores are closed – so you are out of luck if you did not prepare ahead of time. Luckily Brett gave Mom and Dad leftovers of the Christmas Eve feast for Larry and me - a lobster stew and mussels – my favorite! The meal was fabulous (thanks Brett!) and we ended up having a very nice Christmas, feast and all!
We, of course, missed being there for the Vassallo Christmas, celebrating when you are under the weather is never fun and the snow continuing to fall (read “dump”) made the staying at home the logical choice.
On Saturday, December 26th, we did manage to get out for a couple of hours for the May Family Christmas. The snow kept coming, ALL DAY, which made for an interesting ride to and from the party – we were just slip, sliding away.
That evening, although the snow accumulation made it look suspiciously like a blizzard, we did manage to see Scott and Gwen (who were in from NJ) for our annual holiday get together. We opted to stay local for dinner and opted for Cucina Bella Due. (www.cucinabellaalgonquin.com/) in downtown Crystal Lake. We’ve actually been there before with Scott and thought we’d try it again – it’s pretty good – but I think Larry and I are partial to Mia Francesca’s (www.miafrancesca.com) in Dundee – which is just plain YUM! But I digress…
Anyway, the restaurant was nicely decorated for the holidays and the food and wine hit he spot, but due to the weather (read “ridiculous accumulation of snowfall”) it was just our group of 4 and one there group. I initially thought this would put a slight damper on our evening, but not with us! We get to chatting and all hell breaks loose! Honestly, we could be hanging out at a 7-Eleven with Scott and Gwen and still gave a great time, but having wine and good food to boot doesn’t hurt!
Turkey, Football & Great Conversation - November 27th
Thanksgiving always seems to come up on me, but this year I was prepared. You should have seen me…I was a planning/decorating/cooking/baking whirling dervish!
Unfortunately, after all the whirling I was doing, by the time the turkey was ready and I was actually ready to entertain, I was exhausted! Actually my downfall was due to me running around on Wednesday looking for water goblets – never found the right kind – and paid the price for running around like a chicken with its head cut off!
We had Mom and Dad V and our cousin Eric (who’s a senior at the University of Notre Dame) for the festivities. They arrived early so Mom and I could work on the food prep. Thankfully, there was football on and I could “kick” the guys out of the room – too many people/cooks in the kitchen and you’re asking for trouble! :)
Honestly, the day/evening was just perfect – great conversation and yummy food. Mom made green beans with onions, butternut squash, her wonderful cranberry relish, and fabulous apple and pumpkin pies. I made the turkey, gravy, stuffing, garlic mashed potatoes, mini pumpkin cheesecake and some quick appetizers.
Of course we always plan for leftovers, because the Vassallo side of the family (me too!) love to make sandwiches the next day with turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce.
Larry and I love to entertain (OK maybe I like it a little more than him, but I think Larry still loves it) and our little Thanksgiving was just a wonderful day at the May household. On top of that, you can’t beat the fact that we had a long weekend, which Larry and I used to head to Madison for Friday, Saturday and Sunday – what a great weekend!
A note about the centerpiece: This was very simple to do...found a fantastic vase at TJMaxx for just $10 (and it was huge!). I put some mixed nuts in the base and then placed a plastic cup filled with water in the center. Place the nuts around the cup to disguise the cup and fill the cup with flowers and twigs - very simple and I think pretty elegant. Voila!
Christmas in Wilmette & Hawthorn Woods
The festivities continued on Christmas Eve at Brett and Carol’s house in Wilmette. Brett once again outdid himself with a phenomenal meal: great appetizers (I need the salmon recipe!), soup, pasta and a Braciole to die for. I swear he needs to retire from being a doctor and become a full-time chef – he’s that good!
It was wonderful to get together with Brett and Carol and Charlie (8), Johnny (6) and Lydia (3), Mom and Dad, Michael and Penny (Carol’s parents), Fred (Carol’s uncle), and Bruce (Carol’s brother). We had a wonderful time eating, drinking and opening the Secret Santa gifts.
Larry and I stayed over at Mom and Dad’s and opened presents when we got back to Hawthorn Woods. Pretty late, but not as bad when Brett and I used to get poor Mom and Dad, and Granny up at 2:00 am – poor Granny!
Christmas day started with mass at St. Francis de Sales – Mom & Dad’s church. Fr. Ryan was great, albeit hoarse from all the Christmas masses he did!
The party continued when everyone (plus Ben, Bruce’s son) from Christmas Eve headed to Mom and Dad’s in Hawthorne Woods for a Christmas Day dinner. Mom always prepares a fabulous meal – antipasto and other yummy appetizers, pierogi, pork, Maltese stuffing, fresh cranberry sauce, and desserts! It was so good, that I think I “suffered” from “food-coma” afterwards!
It was so great to see the kids open their presents and just enjoy the day.
Not to be outdone by the holiday cds playing, Charlie, Johnny and Lydia serenaded the family:
For some reason I couldn't flip Charlie's and Lydia's video - so you'll have to turn your head. :)
What a great holiday!
Pre-Christmas with the “Sgwotts”
Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year, particularly because it revolves around family and friends. And one of our favorite traditions is when we see our friends Scott and Gwen who visit from New Jersey (Scott is originally from Palatine). Larry and I refer to them as the “Sgwotts” because every time I would say their names it came out as “Sgwott” - I tend to talk fast, must be the East Coast coming out. Well, the name stuck with Larry and I and we finally revealed to them recently our nickname for them – so it’s official now.
With the complete dumping of snow we had recently we were worried that their plane would be delayed or cancelled for December 19th...and sure enough it was. We were planning on getting together with them on the 20th and were keeping our fingers crossed that they would arrive on time.
Although the snow kept on coming, Scott and Gwen arrived at our house in Crystal Lake in, I swear, blizzard conditions. We hopped in the car and headed to Montarra in Algonquin (www.montarra.com). It’s a fabulous place with a very Chicago/edgy feel. The food and atmosphere are phenomenal. My one “gripe” if I were to have one would be the size of the portions: teeny. It’s one of the most expensive restaurants in the area and really worth going to…but could they just make the portions larger?!? OK, I’ll admit it…I’m a full-believer in leftovers. And dammit it…if I’m going to spend $27 on a steak I’d like a little leftover – is that so wrong?
That being said, we really enjoyed ourselves at dinner. But the snow was still coming down and we headed back to our house to open the wine, presents and just relax by the fire.
After the presents were opened we did what we typically do when we see each other – talk, and laugh, and talk – maybe throw in a bottle of wine or two (and the holiday beer that Lar and Scott were drinking) and laugh some more. Somehow Larry and Scott started to reminisce about years ago and we started to pull out the photo albums and boxes. Gwen and I always love to do this because we get to see all the great photos of Scott looking very “modelish” and Larry sporting some very fashionable hairstyles of the 80s – very “European!”
Before we knew it, it was 3:30am and we hit our limit. I’ll admit probably the latest I’ve stayed up in a while.
We woke up a little worse for the wear the next morning, although quickly recovered when we went to our favorite breakfast spot in Crystal Lake – Benedict’s La Strata; all I can say is “yum.”
After breakfast the “Sgwotts” were on their way – lots of family and friends to see while they were in town.
We can’t wait to see our travel buddies again in the spring – we’re planning a cruise of the Western Caribbean.
It’s December 21st and I am now in a mad-dash to finish my Christmas shopping and work on my holidays cards – somehow I managed to not get my act together again and I am in a complete state of stress. Why do I do this to myself??? Note to self: start preparing for the holidays in the fall so as to not have a nervous breakdown.
P.S. And just to prove that Jack the cat exits...also included above are a couple of holiday shots, including one of Santa Jackie (compliments of Scott & Gwen). More on Jack later...
LuminDynamics Christmas Party
Larry and I were very excited to attend the 2nd Annual LuminDynamics Christmas Party on December 13th. For those of you that don’t know, several years ago Dad started his own business out of the house, LuminDynamics (www.lumindynamics.com). It’s going very well and we are all very proud of him. But we decided last year that every business deserves to celebrate annually, so why not have a Christmas party! 
So we all got together this year at Heng Wing in Palatine for the festivities. Mom, Larry and I decided Dad needed some extra employees, so we gave ourselves titles! - Dad (CEO), Mom (“Vice President”), Larry (“IT Director”), Jill (“Vice President of Marketing”) and Piper (“Vice President of Entertainment & Security”). Piper, the family dog, couldn’t make it to the party because she was busy doing surveillance...er...sleeping.
The food was great and the company even better! This was my kind of Christmas party!
