Happy Birthday Mom!!

My Mom's birthday usually lands on one of the coldest days of the year and with all the holidays prior, we rarely get a chance to see her.  I had been thinking in my head of maybe having her and my Dad to visit for a birthday lunch when the same day Anna texted us about setting up a bowling date to celebrate. 

 

We had a great time this past Saturday afternoon bowling at JB's on 41.  We also had a theme which was that everyone had to wear a flannel shirt.  Erik is my favorite in this pic holding the ball outwards. 

Bowling alleys have really stepped up a bit since I was last in one (besides Landmark Lanes on the East side).  The couch we are sitting above is the actual seating in the lane with a coffee-like table in the middle of the couches for drinks.  No ashtrays and no self-scoring, everything is computerized.

Liam provided the entertainment again loving to clap for himself each time he would bowl.  He would turn around and run back to us, clapping and laughing, not even really watching his ball slowly roll down the lane and hit the pins (he had bumpers that came up for his turn, of course).  He was also great at cheering for other people too. 

 



 

For $15 a person, you can bowl for two hours and yes that includes the moist rental shoes.  (Google the bowling skit by Jim Gaffigan for a good laugh on bowling and rental shoes).  We bowled on the side that is dark for moonlight bowling and I think that gave my Dad and Tara a bit of a handicap since they both are usually good, my Dad especially.  My Mom was also surprisingly good and she said she hadn't bowled since before we were born.     

 

 

Prior to bowling I had my parents over for lunch for salad, soup and panini sandwiches.  A trio-course lunch I decided to do after my husband went for lunch at the Wisconsin Club one day last week (while I brown-bagged it) and said he had ordered the trio special.

 

This salad was inspired by an email from the Oilerie in Brookfield's newsletter that my Mom shared with me.  I combined arugula, spinach, red onion, blueberries, pomegranate seeds and cubed monterey jack cheese.  I was attracted to this salad as a way of using the pomegranate balsamic vinegar we got for Xmas.  For the dressing I combined the zest & juice from one orange, 1-2 tbsp honey, 3-4 tbsp pomegranate basalmic vinegar, 1/4 cup lime olive oil, salt & pepper (I don't use exact measurements for dressing as I'm constantly taste-testing and adding). 

 

For the panini, I made Turkey B.A.T.s - Turkey, bacon, avocado and tomato.  I mashed two avocados and added some greek yogurt, salt, pepper and lemon juice to create a spread.  That went on both sides of the ciabatta bread.  I then layered monterey jack cheese, tomato, turkey and bacon.   

As an aside, my co-worker brough guacamole last week and he/his wife had left all of the avocado pits in the guac so that it stays its intended bright green color. This is a tip I am going to start incorporating.

The soup was a vegetable soup with tomato, carrot, celery, potato, zucchini and macaroni noodles.  On the side you make a pistou (think pesto) with basil, garlic and parmesan that gets stirred into the soup prior to serving.

Today is my Mom's actual birthday and as one of our most faithful readers, we want to wish her a happy birthday.  You are the best, we love you!