Home again

A week ago Friday, as the nurse practitioner wrote me my third prescription for an antibiotic to kill the strep I’ve had since Memorial Day, she asked, “do you have a lot of stress in your life?”

“I have two small children,” I answered in the affirmative.

“Get some rest,” she advised.

Perfect timing, as we were headed home to my parents. We spent last week surrounded by my family in Ohio – my parents and my two sisters and their husbands and kids. Jeremy drove us out, flew back to Chicago for work, and rejoined us Friday.

It was a week of summer vacation, through and through. Bikes and chalk littered the driveway. Sandals of various sizes and colors were piled by the garage door. Nana was generous in doling out the Popsicles, and there was always a friend to play with.

We came back Saturday night, and our condo seemed foreign to me. We had some work done to the walls and things were out of place.

I spent much of Sunday pulling our place and things back together. By Sunday night, Jeremy and I had the condo back in shape and I declared it fajita night. I used a tequila lime marinade for the chicken, inspired by my friends who had served us something similar a few days beforehand.

Tequila lime chicken
From Barefoot Contessa Family Style: Easy Ideas and Recipes That Make Everyone Feel Like Family
1/2 cup gold tequila
1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (5 to 6 limes)
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (2 oranges)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon minced fresh jalapeno pepper (1 pepper seeded) (I omitted this!)
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic (3 cloves)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 whole (6 split) boneless chicken breasts, skin on

Combine the tequila, lime juice, orange juice, chili powder, jalapeno pepper, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken breasts. Refrigerate overnight.

Heat a grill with coals and brush the rack with oil to prevent the chicken from sticking. Remove the chicken breasts from the marinade, sprinkle well with salt and pepper, and grill them skin-side down for about 5 minutes, until nicely browned. Turn the chicken and cook for another 10 minutes, until just cooked through. Remove from the grill to a plate. Cover tightly and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Daddy's day

While Jeremy was feted with handmade cards, brownies, gifts and a new coffee mug this morning, I think his greatest Father's Day present was mine - 24 hours of no nagging. No returns, no exchanges.

The man was resolute - he wanted to go to Chinatown for Father's Day with our friends Emily and Steve. They readily agreed, bringing along their baby boy, and we headed to Cai in Chinatown. I'm always happy when we can spend time exploring Chicago's diverse neighborhoods. And eating dim sum.

After lunch, I was vying for a trip to Evanston - a walk around our alma mater is a nice Sunday activity. But Jeremy had other designs. We headed to 31st Beach in Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood.

We love it and will be back - this park area was recently renovated with a dream playground, complete with a sprinkle park; a harbor; clean bathrooms; a turn-around for dropping off beach supplies and eager children; and spectacular views of downtown. Parking is paid but it is in a garage so your car stays cool. And Jeremy checked out the beach. "No broken glass," he proclaimed. Our standards have been lowered after years of city beach trips.

So Daddy knows best today. I'm glad we followed his lead and tried something new.

One more Father's Day treat, extending into tomorrow. Our favorite lemon poppy seed muffins are cooling on the counter. And if you've got some play dates this week, like we do, try The Baby Grands on Pandora. Happy week ahead, gentle readers.