Soprano Family Tiramisu

On Saturday this past weekend, Zachary and I had our friends Mike and Suzy over for some pool time and some Olympic celebrating as well as some good good good homemade Italian food.  Zachary is a self-taught  chef.  Hopefully one day, we will be able to open our own restaurant - his food is that amazing.  I love hosting at our apartment because it gives us a chance to use our fun toys - like our china and crystal and silver serving dishes!  So here is how I set up the table before the food was placed on it:

The real awesomeness though came from the food!  Zachary made our regular arugula and tomato salad and a bolognese sauce with gnocchi.  It was amazing.  So since we were doing Italian - I decided to try my first Tiramisu.  And what's the best place for a good recipe - of course from my Soprano Family Cookbook.

So below is the recipe for The Soprano's Tiramisu:
1 pound mascarpone
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons amaretto or Cognac
1 cup heavy cream
24 savoiardi (imported Italian ladyfingers)
1 cup brewed espresso, at room temperature
1/2 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate

In a large bowl, whisk together the mascarpone, sugar and amaretto until smooth.

In a chilled bowl with chilled beaters, whip the cream until soft peaks form.  Fold the cream into the mascarpone mixture.

Lightly dip half of the savoiardi in the espresso and arrange them in a single layer in the bottom of an 8-in square pan.  Spread half the mascarpone mixture over the savoiardi.  Sprinkle with half the chocolate.

Dip the remaining savoiardi in the espresso.  Top with the remaining mascarpone mixture, spreading it smooth.  Sprinkle with remaining chocolate.  Cover with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for several hours, or overnight, before serving.

***Some noted from my version:  1) I just used normal lady fingers.  2) I used cocoa powder instead of the chopped chocolate.

Salud!
xoxo Sarah

PS:  GO USA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How sweet it is to be loved by you...

This past Friday, Zachary and I and our good friends Don, Missy, Dan, and Mikie went to Ravinia to see who else but Mr. James Taylor!

It was such a great time with great food, great music, and great drinks!  Take a look below at our fun time...

PS:  Zachary made this amazing Tomato and Brie salad that is such a wonderful side dish for any summer meal!  I will post about that later in the summer I'm sure because I don't have any good pics of it - and I am sure it will be made again!

Happy Friends!

xoxo Sarah

What I do during the day...

So!  This is a little post for my family to see more so than anything else.  I have never gotten to take my family to my office before in Chicago, so I thought I would take some pics for you all to see! 

My building in Chicago!

My desk in our office - don't worry those GB packers are definitely represented!

Go Orange!

xoxo Sarah

Library Time!

Hey Guys!

Sorry I haven't posted about books and tea lately.  Books - I am posting now.  Tea is coming soon!  Wanted to finish off the tea we had at home before I bought some more to taste!

Ok on to the books...

I have read 4 books - or two books completely and tried another one - in the past few weeks.  With all the weddings going on, it has been hard to find time to read since we have been on the go go go!

First was Jodi Picoult's new book Lone Wolf.  She always writes about these intense societal issues that blow my mind!  The subject matter was heart-pulling - the plot though - kind of weird.  The story is about a family - parents who are divorced, mom remarried, and their two children.  It's about sustaining life after a terrible accident has happened.  The dad is a wolf biologist, and for part of his life, he goes and lives with wolves to see how they exist and live.  The daughter is just under the age of 18 and the son left the house when he was 18 - never to be heard from for 6 years until an accident happens that causes him to come home.  This story is intense, like most of her stories, but not the best I believe - even though I did cry like I normally do with her books.  If you are a fan of Picoult - you need to read it.  It's a fast read!

The second book, I tried to read, is P.D. James' novel Death at Pemberley.  By the way - the author is a female - which I didn't know!  She takes the characters from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth, and puts the characters into a murder mystery - after they were married of course!  Well, I have never read Pride and Prejudice so it was a little hard to get into this book - maybe another time for sure!

The third book is The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.  This is a crazy awesome book - a hard read yes - so it might take a while, but I believe definitely worth it!  It's about two individuals thrown into a game - the location of the game is the circus!  I can't give anymore details away - but there is drama, love, mystery, magic, fantasy...it's all there.

The fourth book is The Sweet Life in Paris: Adventures in the World's Most Glorious - and Perplexing- City, a memoir by David Lebovitz.  This details a comical, dry humorous way an American gets engulfed by Parisian food, culture, and life!  David is funny and witty and if anyone ever is going to be going to Paris and wants to be treated kindly and not like a tourist - you have to read this book.  Plus he throws some awesome recipes int here at the same time!  I follow David Lebovitz's blog on the right side of my blog - so make sure you check it out!  This book definitely made me want to go to Paris!

I'm already on my next book so I will be posting soon about some more great reads I find!

Keep Reading!
xoxo Sarah

PS:  Go USA!  First 2012 London Olympic play today when the women's US soccer team took on France!  We won 4-2!  Woo hoo!

Just When I Thought I Was Out, They Pull Me Back In...

This past Sunday, Zachary and I are started up our once a year watching of HBO's "The Sopranos" TV show.  This could possibly be the best TV show that was ever created for television.  I mean I love my Bravo shows like "Top Chef" and of course AMC's "Mad Men," but this show is the icing on the cake.  Maybe it's because I married into a part-Italian family?  Not sure - but I love everything about it.  The music, the characters, the drama, THE FOOD...  I even own the "Soprano Family Cookbook" (I will be using that for the first time this weekend...stay tuned!) and "The Sopranos" trivia game.

Even at our wedding, our good friend Mark Evans brought up "The Sopranos" when the song "Don't Stop Believing" was being played on the dance floor (that song is the final song played on the series finale).  

Do I want them to make "The Sopranos" the movie?  I would be first in line to buy tickets.  Do I wish I could name my children Christoper and Adriana?  Of course - but you have to pronounce it how they say it on the show - which I have to say I do a pretty great Adriana impression :)  

Anywho - my love for this Italian family drama is never-ending.  I love it - and will enjoy it with the likes of "The Godfather I," "The Godfather II," and of course "Goodfellas."

To celebrate - Zachary and I had a little antipasto lunch with some good Chianti on Sunday.  Take a look below!  

Do I love Italian food?  Yes.

Do I love being Polish?  Of course. 

Do I wish I was Italian?  Si.  And one day - my children will be and I can live vicariously though them.  But in the meantime - I will eat the food and "Salud" with good Italian wine!  So....

Salud!

xoxo Sarah

London 2012

Ok Ok Ok...

It's here.

First event - Women's soccer starts Wednesday.

Friday - The Opening Ceremony.

Who is excited????  I know I am!  And the fact that it is in London of all places?  How lucky am I?

What is your favorite event to watch at the Summer Olympics?  I would have to say mine would be Women's Soccer, Women's Gymnastics, and Swimming - a Tie for all 3.  But random event I like - might not be random to some of you - Diving.  I think that is one of the most interesting sports ever.

Source: HERE

 Stay tuned for more posts about The Olympics and what Zachary and I are doing to watch them!

USA USA!
xoxo Sarah

BBQ Grilled Steak Burgers

One thing I love, I think it's because of my mom, is hamburgers!  I can make a mean hamburger - Zachary likes my hamburgers too :)

So I found this recipe as well from Kraft's "Food and Family" magazine/Kraft website.  It's BBQ Grilled Steak Burgers!  Super easy and super yummy!  We didn't have any red peppers in the house, so I used yellow and green peppers instead :)

Click HERE for the recipe!

Did you notice the salad???  It's the arugula one I posted a few days ago! 

What do you think?  What do you love most on hamburgers?  Are you a simple burger fan or are you a cheeseburger fan or are you a fan of the guilty pleasure of Culver's Butterburgers?  I want to know - WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BURGER?

Yeah for Burgers!
xoxo Sarah