Winter Storm Q

This post is for our friends and family not in Kansas City. 

For over a week we've been hearing about and preparing for Winter Storm Q. It was a little hard to take this storm seriously when every other snow storm this winter has literally opened up around Kansas City and missed us. They treat the roads, we buy food in anticipation, and the snow misses us. It's how it's been all winter. And then Winter Storm Q came. Not only did it come, but it came with vengeance dumping over a foot of snow in Kansas City. We have around 14" in Overland Park. 

I stopped taking pictures at noon. It wasn't "pretty" anymore as people tried getting to their cars to make it to the grocery store and to work. I took Lily outside around 6 a.m. and it had just started coming down. She curled up in her chair for her morning nap and when she woke up she couldn't believe what she saw!

Around Noon we ventured outside. Poor Lilypoo was in shock. She just poked her head around the corner standing there staring at us (I'm sure she was cursing as well) not knowing what to do. With a lot of encouragement, we finally got her out. She loves the snow, but this was a bit much for her.

While we've enjoyed our last two "snow days", we now must try to make it to St. Louis for a wedding tomorrow. Wish us luck!

Go RED!

Friday was the American Heart Association's 10th Annual Go RED for Women day.

Heart disease has affected me indirectly in many ways over the course of my life. I've had multiple family members who have passed away due to heart attacks, J and I both have family members who have had successful bypass surgeries, I have a co-worker who luckily survived a "widow maker" heart attack, and my very best friend in the entire world has a 5-month old, Baby Benjamin, who was born with a heart condition. 

This year it was very important for me to support Go RED day.

I came in early to work to make an "I wear red" tag for myself. In doing that, I thought it would be a great idea to make them for the entire office since we were all wearing red to support our co-worker. I got them all designed and our color printer had crapped out, so I go out my trusty Crayola marker and began coloring 30 tags for everyone to write who they were wearing red for. 

We had a company meeting in the afternoon. As I looked around the room, I was taken back for a minute as I read everyone's tags..."I wear red for...my mother, my friends, my family, my co-worker, all the women in my life, my dad, my brother, my sister, my daughters, my sons..." the list went on and on.

I was completely moved by the interpretation of what Going RED meant to everyone...not just women. People honored those who have passed, those who have survived, and those who they're trying to be healthy for to raise awareness.

Garlic Jalapeno Quinoa

Many of you know I’ve recently been diagnosed with quite a few food allergies and sensitivities. One of the hardest things for me to give up has been gluten. I love wheat, I love bread, I love carbs. My friend Amy introduced me to a fabulous quinoa recipe that is absolutely delicious and it’s gluten free.

Here’s the recipe for Garlic Jalapeno Quinoa with Spinach, Corn & Feta Cheese (makes 4 – 5 servings)

Ingredients:

•          1 cup quinoa, rinsed well
•          1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced into rounds
•          1-2 jalapenos (depending on hot spicy you want it), finely diced & seeded
•          1-2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
•          ½ pound spinach leaves
•          ½ cup chopped cilantro
•          ¼ pound feta cheese
•          Fresh or frozen corn kernels (about 3 ears worth or approx. 2 cups)
•          Sea salt
•          Pepper
•          3 tablespoons of olive oil
•          1-2 teaspoons of ground cumin 

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add ½ teaspoon of sea salt, then quinoa. Stir, cover, and simmer on low heat until tender---approximately 15 minutes. Stir occasionally so it doesn’t stick to pan.

Warm olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the scallions and jalapenos and cook for approximately 2 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, corn and spinach, along with 2 tablespoons of water.

Cook until the spinach is wilted, stirring occasionally. Add cilantro, quinoa and feta cheese. Toss all ingredients together. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Amy also suggests using this mixture inside of roasted bell peppers! I can’t wait to try that! 

This recipe was so tasty, it literally had me dancing around the kitchen. Don't believe me? Ask J.

Requiem for Sandy Hook

Today I was shown a video on YouTube made by one of our clients. He spent 15 years living in Newtown, Connecticut and was very troubled by the recent events. He wrote this song in hopes it would help bring peace to those affected.

Resolution

Have you ever looked around your city and thought "Why have I never gone there before?" Whether it be a store, an entertainment venue or a restaurant?

I've caught myself asking that question multiple times over the last six months. There are so many awesome restaurants, big and small, fancy and casual, ranging from Ma and Pa Italian joints, to authentic Thai and Mexican restaurants, to nice steakhouses.

My New Year's resolution is to try new places in Kansas City this year! 

First one on the list...Grunauer. Grunauer offers authentic Austrian-German cuisine in the Kansas City Freight House District. From their website:

"Authentic Germanic cuisine is finally being offered in the heart of Kansas City. Chef Peter Grunauer, his son Nicholas, and long-time friend and Viennese restauranteur Klaus Piber have collaborated in order to open a namesake Viennese Gasthaus in the historic Freight House. The restaurant is the second iteration of the family's popular and long-lived restaurant of the same name in Vienna's artsy Neubau neighborhood, and they hope to bring much of the same inspired Austrian cooking, hospitality and atmosphere to downtown Kansas City."

For a look at Grunauer's menus, click here.

Simplistic table settings with fresh flowers.

SCHNITZEL SEMMEL
Breaded Pork Cutlet sandwich on house bread with pommes frites

ERDAPFEL GULASCH
A hearty stew of potatoes, bell peppers and sausages

APFEL STRUDEL MIT SCHLAG
Traditional apple strudel with marinated raisins and fresh whipped cream

MOHR IM HEMD
Flourless chocolate cake with hazlenuts, chocolate sauce and fresh whipped cream

I would not necessarily pick this restaurant if you want an intimate setting or if you have children. While the table settings and chandeliers suggest elegance, the dining room is very open with tables somewhat close together. I'm not sure how children would react with the menu options. In fact, I did not see a children's menu offered now that I think about it. Regardless of that, I'm not sure I'd want to take kiddos to a restaurant with white tablecloths and no where to really escape except for outside.

However, my co-worker and I enjoyed the food and service so much that we are hosting a client dinner here in August in the upstairs private loft.

Aside from their delicious food options, Grunauer offers Viennese Julius Meinl coffee selections. Check out the Wunderbar page.

I definitely recommend Grunauer!