Miscellany Monday

1. RetailMeNot.com  Do you shop online? Do you like to save money? Do you know about this website? If not, you should bookmark it right now. Before you make your next online purchase, check this site to see if there's a coupon code you can use for a discount or free shipping. I did a little early Christmas shopping this morning and saved 50% with a coupon code from RetailMeNot.com. I'd tell you where and on what, but some of my readers will be receiving what I purchased, and I'd hate to ruin the surprise. :)

2. Squash Season Continues  I'm still cooking my way through my collection of autumn squash. Tonight I'm trying a recipe for Sugar & Spice Acorn Squash that comes courtesy of Emeril & Food Network.

3. Urban Belly  After church on Sunday Travis & I went out to lunch with three couples from our small group at Harvest Chicago North. We enjoyed conversation and laughter over Urban Belly's delicious noodle bowls, rice, and dumplings (which we'd been wanting to try since seeing the restaurant on Food Network's Best Thing I Ever Ate). Travis and I shared an order of Asian Squash & Bacon dumplings and the Soba Noodle Bowl with Bay Scallops, Oyster Mushrooms, and Thai Basil Broth. If you live in Chicago, check out Urban Belly. Your belly--and your tastebuds--will thank you.

Miscellany Monday

(1) autumn stirrings

Yesterday the hubby and I visited Morton Arboretum to get our nature fix with some hiking. While there we browsed the gift shop, which was bursting with new fall decor items. I get giddy just thinking about the ever increasing proximity of autumn. At present I am also quite pleased with our new dining room table, acquired via Craigslist, which came with a matching Lazy Susan. The moment I spied a round precision-cut leaf place mat yesterday, I new they would be perfect companions. It went on the table the minute we got home. Never mind that it's still August, and that tomorrow the temps in Chicagoland will return to the 90s (see below). In this house, autumn is stirring.

(2) peak day alert

Dear ComEd,
Thank you for notifying me, once again, that tomorrow's low 90s temps will result in peak demand for electricity. I know you mean well, but rather than inspire me to greater energy conservation, your suggestion that I "set my thermostat to 78 degrees" inspires angst instead. I would love to have a thermostat. I would be delighted if it was 78 degrees in my apartment. Alas, I do not have a thermostat. I have a couple of circa-1982 wall-mounted air conditioning units that guzzle power and run constantly on the highest setting, which produces a modest output of moderately cool air that reduces the humidity tolerably but rarely gets it below 82 in here, which my landlord describes as "working great." So, thanks anyway for the notification.
Sincerely,
Sweating Suz

(3) banana bread

Sometimes I'll buy a bigger-than-necessary-for-two-people bunch of bananas, simply because I know the really ripe remnant will give me an excuse to make banana bread. And so, early this morning, I bustled around my kitchen and produced this delicious loaf of chocolate chip banana bread. Is it breakfast? Or is it dessert? Today: both. (My apologies for being too lazy to take it out of the bag for a pic. I should be starting dinner right now.)