Makin' Lemonade

I cheated today.  Today is National Chocolate Pecan Pie Day (and National Lemonade Day, but more on that later) and I am kind of over the dessert thing this week and was looking for some other way to celebrate.  So I'm not sure that what we had was *technically* Chocolate Pecan Pie, but it had chocolate, it had pecans, I say it counts.  It also had dates.  I've never cooked with dates before so this was a new experience.  You'll have to tell me when you see the pictures if my Chocolate Pecan Pie Cookie Bites count or not :)  For whatever it's worth, everyone here loved them.  And yet another odd food enjoyed by my twosome - dates!

As I said before it's also National Lemonade Day.  I of course had to make fresh squeezed lemonade for us.  Kristina, I have to tell you that I thought of you as I was making it.  I sat with six lemons on my counter last night pondering how I was going to get the most juice out of them as possible, some of the pulp but not all the seeds.  Suddenly it hit me - use your potato ricer!  I remember you had asked me awhile back if I liked my fun tool and if I used it on a regular basis.  Well, it works great on juicing lemons, lol!  (And yes, I adore it for making mashed potatoes)

I also wanted to try something a little more out there with lemonade and made lemonade pork chops.  I marinated them overnight in a combination of lemonade concentrate, soy sauce, garlic powder, seasoning salt and celery salt and then stuck them under my broiler.  Another hit here tonight!  This was something fun and different and I'll probably add it to my go to marinade list.

Completely unrelated to food, the kiddos and I headed to Northville today for a concert in the Square on Main Street.  Today we saw Zippity 2 Dads and they were great!  Two guys (Tagg and Sean) entertained kids and adults alike.  If you're familiar with the kids album by Bare Naked Ladies, they were very similar.  I loved it!  So much so that I snagged one of their CD's for us.  We enjoyed the concert and the beautiful weather before heading home to tackle clean sheets on all the beds (Noah and Kayla think taking sheets off the bed is a huge treat.  Who am I to argue) and the laundry.  We took a quick bike ride (Noah said tonight "Family bike rides are my favorite thing to do"), played outside and just finished up baths and are watching the Tigers game.

More pecans tomorrow, but in torte form (I told you I was about over the dessert thing...) and we're headed to Plymouth for the last lunch concert (we're seeing a juggler and magician!) of the season.  Definitely choked up thinking about this earlier, can't believe summer is almost over.  Then tomorrow night is the last Farmington Family concert at the Pavilion.  Should be a great day.  Until then... 

 My favorite twosome

 Zippity 2 Dads

 A gnome came to dinner

 Chocolate Pecan Pie Cookie Bites

 Fresh Squeezed Lemonade

Lemonade Pork Chops