Gourmetista

Blueberry Blintz

2011-02-13T12:18:00.000-06:00

There's just over a month left before my sister's baby shower and that means crunch time for testing brunch recipes. This morning I made Ina Garten's blueberry blintz recipe. It was easy to follow and I can even make the blueberry sauce the night before.

What's your favorite brunch recipe?

Fall Dinners

2010-10-03T19:22:00.000-05:00

As much as I tried to fight the end of summer, I'm doing my best to embrace fall. This weekend felt very fall-like in Chicago...cooler temps, a stronger breeze and lots of football on TV. I decided to make the most of it, thanks to all of the produce from this week's Green Grocer produce share box.

Drum roll please....

The final product includes green beans, acorn squash (prepared Paula Deen style) and an heirloom apple pie!

Legal Sea Foods

2010-09-29T13:51:00.000-05:00

I've spent a lot of time in the Boston area this summer and I quickly realized that Legal Sea Foods is my new favorite company. Here's why...

In July, I tried out LTK,which is the Legal Sea Foods test kitchen. It's pretty smart concept...they test out dishes with a concentrated group of diners who go into their dining experience knowing they're the guinea pigs.

I eagerly ordered the truffled lobster mac n cheese aka a heart attack in a bowl. Regardless of the calories involved, I thoroughly enjoyed the cheesy noodles and generous portions of lobster.They also have some great mix n match options. It's basically a "you call it" style dinner...you pick the seafood, you pick the sauces and you pick how they prepare it. I think this menu option only satisfies picky eaters, but provides inspiration for the chefs who are making the meals.

The menu at LTK changes every six weeks and if I lived any closer, I'd probably make it my business to eat there every 6 weeks!

Fast forward to September...I had a serious craving for one last lobster meal and there was no time to stop for lunch on the way to the airport. Despite the growing security line, we decided to make a quick stop at Legal C Bar in the Boston Logan airport. Their extensive menu was really impressive for an airport restaurant and they even marked the menu items that could be prepared the fastest.

I decided on the lobster bisque since my eyes were definitely bigger than my stomach and I'd already eaten a few rolls over the past week. I was a bit skeptical that a cup of bisque could satisfy my craving...but of course, Legal C exceeded my expectations. The bisque arrived quickly, was delicious and buttery, and they didn't skimp on the lobster portion. For a brief moment, I forgot I was in an airport!

Now here comes the best part...while we were eating, the security line kept growing and extended to the airline check-in desks. I grew a bit anxious that we'd miss our flight and started to pack up my stuff the second I licked my bisque bowl clean. Luckily, I overheard a server speaking to another customer about their first class security stamp. Whenever you eat at Legal C's, they stamp your boarding pass for first class security. I nearly jumped out of my seat, I was so excited! The server stamped our boarding passes and sure enough, we were able to enjoy the rest of our meal and go through the shorter, faster, first class security line.

Not only does Legal C have delicious, fresh food, they also make your travel experience a little bit easier!

Now that fall has arrived, I won't be making many trips back to Boston...but I'll be much more excited to spend time in Logan now that I know about Legal C's!

Daily Candy Wedding Tips

2010-08-09T11:11:00.001-05:00

I admit, this post isn't quite food related...wedding planning activities have started to fill my days and I have a lot more than food on my mind.

I'm a huge fan of Daily Candy and now that I spend my days thinking about color schemes, floral arrangements and honeymoon destinations, I've become addicted to Daily Candy Weddings. Today's email included wedding tips from wedding planner Shawn Rabideau. I love these tips because they're practical and totally blunt....Shawn doesn't dance around the truth, he tells it like it is!

And, hopefully he doesn't mind that I'm sharing her Daily Candy tips on my blog :) So here goes...

1. Proofread the invitation like you’ve never seen it before. A client once printed a phone number for her hotel that was actually the number to a porn site. Her auntie was mighty upset.
2. Take your official wedding undergarments and shoes to your first dress fitting. You don’t want to be surprised by visible panty line the day of.
3. You love your shoes, but they might not love you back. Break them in while you vacuum or dust. Just don’t mow the lawn in them.
4. Want Botox or another kind of facial treatment? Do it four to six weeks before the wedding. Looking surprised all day: You already did that at the engagement.
5. You might think that a spray tan is a great idea. Don’t do it. Or do and look like the 25th Annual Pumpkin Queen. Your choice.
6. Don’t let them see your groom sweat. Have him purchase or rent two (or more) identical tux shirts. If he gets clammy/soaked he can change.
7. Hotels were invented to prevent in-laws from staying with you on the wedding weekend. If they’re not willing to pay, include it in your budget. Nothing is less romantic than running into his pops in his BVDs at 2 a.m.
8. Don’t wash your hair! Sounds gross, but your hair’s natural oils will help your stylist. Plus, it will hold longer.
9. It’s imperative to assign seats for the rehearsal dinner (unless you’re doing cocktails). Leaving guests to decide where to sit always creates problems, fights, and hurt feelings.
10. Drink plenty of water and don’t forget to eat on your wedding day. (there's my food tip!!)

What other wedding advice do you have?

Sprinkles

2010-08-03T08:32:00.000-05:00

After months of anticipation, Sprinkles cupcakes opened in Chicago last week. The cupcake society was eager to grade these tasty treats, forgoing lunch to wait in line for our first box.

We taste tested the cinnamon, lemon, key lime, chocolate marshmallow and chocolate banana. We all agreed the cinnamon could be a breakfast treat, it tasted like a freshly baked doughnut with just the right amount of frosting. Same goes for the chocolate banana, which had a simple powdered sugar frosting. I thought the frosting was light enough for the banana cake, which had real bananas in it, though others were left craving a buttercream frosting. The lemon was a huge hit, as was the key lime. I'm not a huge fan of key lime, but this wasn't very "key-limey" as one of the members pointed out. The chocolate marshmallow fell flat with several members of the group, including myself. While I was the most excited for that one, it really missed the mark.

As Sweet Mandy B's loyalists, I think we were all surprised by how much we liked Sprinkles. Although I normally gravitate towards rich chocolate cupcakes, I liked the chocolate banana and cinnamon the best. I still think Sweet Mandy B's has the best standard cupcake, but I'd be willing to have a cupcake challenge with the dreamsicle cupcake against Sprinkles lemon cupcake.

Chicagoans, have you tried Sprinkles yet? What do you think?

Kefir, Flaxseed, Health Food, Oh My!

2010-06-14T19:23:00.001-05:00

I guess you could say I'm on somewhat of a health kick. It started with an intriguing conversation with my dermatologist, of all people, who is extremely dedicated to an organic diet. She peaked my interest and I jump-started my new diet with a subscription to the weekly produce box from Green Grocer in Chicago. While I don't always find a way to use everything in the produce box, I have made a goal to make at least two dinners with the ingredients. This has led to experiments with rhubarb, asparagus, kale, mushrooms and more. Even if I don't love the meals I make, it's great to be exposed to new fruits and veggies and learn how to incorporate them into my diet.

In the past few weeks, I have also had various conversations with friends and co-workers about healthy eating. Everyone seems to be interested in farmers markets and there are a lot of new health food trends, so it's been great to hear what others are eating!

I won't bore you with all of the new foods and drinks I'm trying...but I'll highlight a few :)

The first new item in my fridge is Kefir, which is a probiotic and basically a yogurt smoothie. I had read good things about it and found it at Trader Joe's, so I thought I'd give it a try. I love yogurt, so it's no surprise that TJ's Strawberry Kefir tasted great. It's somewhat filling and contains lots of vitamins and good bacteria that aid digestion, improve your immune system and curb cravings. I haven't cut yogurt out of my diet, but I do eat less of it now that I'm drinking Kefir. And, Kefir is perfect for smoothies...which leads me to my next new ingredient: flaxseed.

I discovered a recipe for homemade granola bars from the GOOP newsletter and the one ingredient I wasn't familiar with was flaxseed. I bought a bag of it and made some delicious granola, but I forgot to refrigerate the seeds and realized they were probably not so good after a few weeks. I also had a conversation with a friend about flaxseeds in smoothies...so I thought I'd give it another try. Since I was considering including flaxseed in my morning cereal and smoothies, I opted for the ground flaxseed meal, which is a little less crunchy and easier on the stomach. There are tons of nutritional advantages to flaxseed, including Omega-3 which is "good fat," antioxidants and fiber.

Last night, I made a smoothie with Kefir, a banana, a cup of strawberries and a spoonful of flaxseed meal. It tasted great and was the perfect after dinner snack (OK, I'll admit, I had part of a "cake shake" from Portillo's earlier in the day...so I was forced to skip a real dessert!!).

Hopefully adding these new foods to my diet will lead to a healthier summer, but I guess the true test will come at the end of the summer when I normally get my "summer cold!"

Are you eating anything new? Have any healthy recipes to share? I'd love to hear from you!

Hawks Win the Cup!

2010-06-10T22:25:00.000-05:00

Congrats to the Blackhawks!!! I can't think of a better cup to drink from than the Stanley Cup. Check out this video from the Chicago Tribune of the Hawks drinking some bubbly from the Cup.

If you're on Twitter, follow @WheresTheCup for the latest updates on the Cup's location. Let's hope the rain holds off for tomorrow's ticker tape parade!

Shout out to Nova Alumna!

2010-06-09T09:33:00.002-05:00

My Dad sent me an article from the Chronicle of Higher Education about a Nova alumna's recent food adventure and I couldn't wait to share it.

Lauren St. Clair Lynch, a recent Villanova grad, is eating her way though Philadelphia magazine's "239 Dishes You Must Eat Now" AND she is writing a blog about it. What an awesome idea! You can read part of the article here, though the Chronicle is subscription based so you can't read all of it.

A few highlights...

So far she's eaten about 100 of the dishes and has a schedule to keep up with what she needs to eat by the end of each week.

When Lauren isn't eating these delicious butter-based dishes, she tries to keep up with a vegan diet.

She draws the line at dishes made with baby animals, which is why you may notice some guest bloggers on her site, who have volunteered to help out by eating dishes like the lamb shoulder at Zahav.

Her goal is to finish the list by December 31, 2010.

Most importantly, has created a PayPal account to fund this project, so if you're willing to donate to a foodie-cause, click here.

Bon Appetit, Lauren!

POM Iced Coffee

2010-05-20T12:00:00.000-05:00

I have a love-hate relationship with coffee. I can't live without a little buzz, but sometimes I get a jolt from caffeine and I'm too awake!

Yesterday, while chatting with the produce guy at Treasure Island, he told me about POM's new coffee drink...which doesn't taste like pomegranate. POM Iced Coffee is a "healthy buzz" that includes natural antioxidants, organic cane sugar and shade grown beans.

Bottom line, this little drink packs a big punch and you can feel good drinking it too! Today I tried Vanilla, though there are a few other flavors too. Check it out at your local grocery store!

North Carolina Adventures

2010-05-20T10:00:00.001-05:00

Earlier this month, I went down to North Carolina to visit Courtney, Tom and baby Maggie!

We had a ton of great meals including Sunday brunch, a backyard BBQ with all of our favorite dishes and I had the opportunity to try out some of Court's new spots in the Raleigh-Durham area.

To kick things off, we had lunch at Nantucket Grill. Since I was in the South, I had to enjoy some Sweet Tea and ordered a house favorite, the Harbor Master. The sandwich was piled high with roast beef, provolone, lettuce, tomato and thousand island dressing. It was really delicious and definitely filling! But, as usual, we had to leave room for dessert :) Courtney and I split a HUGE piece of peanut butter and chocolate cake. I've never seen a cake with so many thin layers...and the slice was literally the size of a shoe box!

Later in the week, we visited A Southern Season...which is my new favorite store. It's kind of like Sur la Table mixed with a gourmet grocery store -- you can buy everything from fresh cookies, artisan cheeses, mixing bowls, place mats, dishes...you name it, they have it! I wish I lived closer so I could register there. They also have awesome gift baskets which I highly recommend. Plus, if you're lucky enough to live nearby, you can create your own gift basket with anything in the store.

After our stroll through Southern Season, we had dinner at Spice Street, which is kind of similar to the Spice Market in NYC. It's a bit of an exotic hideaway that you wouldn't expect to be located in a strip of stores. Since we wanted to try everything on the menu, we ordered a variety of apps and small plates to share. Some of the highlights were a platter with hummus, breads and veggies and a tomato tartin with yummy cheeses. While we dined, we were entertained by a belly dancer...which was definitely a surprise for a quiet little restaurant in the burbs! Nonetheless, we enjoyed our meal and a few glasses of Malbec.

My visit to NC was way too short...when the weather gets cooler (I love the heat, but not when it's over 100!), I'll have to return and try out a few more places! Until then....I'll just have to live vicariously through Courtney and Tom.

Fresh Flavor Fast

2010-04-26T07:00:00.001-05:00

I'm a huge fan of Martha's Great Food Fast, it's one of the few cookbooks in my kitchen with a completely broken spine, spills on nearly every page and earmarked pages so I don't forget where to find my favorite recipes. Let's just say it's in a similar condition to a well-loved children's book.

Recently, while buying a wedding shower gift, I came across Fresh Flavor Fast. Although I had no intention of buying anything for myself, I convinced myself that it was totally okay to break my "no shopping" rule for Martha.

Tonight, after a lot of deliberating, I decided to try a pork tenderloin recipe with apples and leeks. The pork was seasoned with olive oil, salt and pepper...which I was skeptical about. However, the apples and leeks were really packed with flavor. I sauteed them with an ingredient I'd never worked with before - fennel seeds. Once the apples were soft, I tossed them with honey and red wine vinegar. The result was a side dish with exactly what Martha promised -- really fresh flavor! I enjoyed the fennel seeds a lot more than I thought, they definitely added a burst of flavor and complimented the leeks nicely.

Here's a look at what's left on my plate...yum!! I can't wait to try more of the recipes.

Cafe des Architectes

2010-04-25T18:08:00.000-05:00

Last night, I joined two lovely ladies at Cafe des Architectes in the Sofitel. The restaurant boasts contemporary French cuisine and the decor most certainly reflects that. From my seat in the booth, I had a clear view of the restaurant and the wall of windows facing Chestnut St.

While the server didn't speak French...or really English for that matter...the menu had a diverse selection of French fare, including an a la carte menu or a prix fixe menu.

To start I had a spring salad with radishes, beets and artichokes. When the appetizers arrived, there was a distinct fresh aroma...everything smelled like it had just been picked from the garden. The salad tasted as good as it smelled, with lightly roasted veggies topped with a bed of spring greens. It had just a touch of dressing, which was perfect with the flavors of the vegetables.

For my entree, I had yukon gold gnocci with beans, mushrooms and teeny tiny shrimp. Again, the meal smelled delicious and tasted great too. The gnocci literally melted in my mouth and the shrimp were the perfect bite size accompaniment. I was left wishing there were more gnocchi on the plate, though the vegetables were light and flavorful. Towards the end of the dish, I did start to notice that the meal was extremely salty. The sauce itself was salty and the remaining shrimp were just too salty to finish. Overall, it was an excellent dish.

We ended the evening with a trio of French pastries, which were not exactly pastries. A plate of four small desserts arrived, including creme brule, chocolate mint cake, chocolate mouse and coconut cake. Along with our last sips of Sancere, it was the perfect way to end the evening.

Despite the extremely slow service, I was impressed by the delicious food and contemporary atmosphere. For a restaurant nestled inside a hotel, Cafe des Architectes did a good job of transporting guests from a lobby to a French cafe.

Calling all Raleigh Durham Foodies

2010-04-23T13:51:00.002-05:00

I'm heading down to Raleigh Durham next weekend and word on the street is that it's the "foodiest" area in the country! Any suggestions on where to dine?

Earth Day Cupcakes!

2010-04-23T13:30:00.000-05:00

Sugar Bliss Earth Day cupcakes were a huge hit!

The group agreed that the chocolate cupcakes were more moist, while the vanilla cupcakes were rated higher on flavor. The mini size is perfect for a mid-afternoon snack, though it's tough to just have one. We can't wait to try the other delicious flavors that Sugar Bliss has to offer.

Here's what the cupcakes looked like with their celebratory green and blue frosting. We even got a free tote bag with the purchase.

Want more info? Check out Sugar Bliss on Twitter and Facebook.

Chocolate Covered Gummy Bears and a BIG surprise!

2010-04-18T13:47:00.001-05:00

I've shared my love for chocolate covered gummy bears from Sweet Inspirations aka Nantucket Chocolatier. If you know me well, you know that this no exaggeration...I have a huge sweet tooth and a really hard time passing up anything involving chocolate. Earlier this month, I got a great surprise in a bag of chocolate covered gummy bears! Here's the note that I shared with the crew at Sweet Inspirations:

My fiance, Brinker, and I have enjoyed chocolate covered gummy bears for quite some time. Brinker grew up eating them & he introduced them to me on our first trip to Nantucket together. It's safe to say that I have been hooked ever since! We usually need a fix every few months, so I started ordering them for Valentine's Day and he started picking up a few bags each time he visited Nantucket. In late March, Brinker surprised me with a bag of gummy bears and a box of Coco the Whales. Little did I know that there was a 2nd bag of gummy bears, which would appear at a later date.

While we were on vacation, Brinker surprised me with the 2nd bag of gummy bears.I was so excited to see them, so I held out both hands so he could pour some out of the bag. He poured quite a few into my hands and soon they were spilling into my lap. I was perplexed as to why he kept pouring...because I'm usually the one that makes rules about rationing the gummy bears so they last as long as possible. The next thing I knew he was down on one knee and I thought maybe he was picking up the precious gummy bears that had fallen on the ground. however, a ring had fallen out of the bag, through my hands and into my lap...along with the pile of gummies.I was so shocked that a ring would come out of there that it took me a while to realize that he was proposing! And of course, once I said yes, I quickly got to work putting the uneaten gummy bears back into the bag.

I can't wait to visit the store this summer and look forward to many, many more bags of chocolate covered gummy bears!!!

MIA During March & Earth Day

2010-03-31T11:01:00.000-05:00

Once again, I've been totally MIA...between work and getting ready for vacation, I haven't had time to write. Of course, I have had time to eat, so here are a few quick updates....

Last week was Chef Week in Chicago...a really awesome follow up to Restaurant Week. It was a tough choice, but I dined at BOKA, which was so delicious! I also had a great meal at Mon Ami Gabi and finally signed up for the Lettuce Entertain You Frequent Diner Club. I can't wait to start eating points at foodlife.

I've been mourning the loss of Minnie's in Lincoln Park for the past few months, but thanks to Urban Daddy, I heard the space was transformed and is now Masu Izakaya. Masu's concept is pretty cool, it's Japanese pub food and you can even get your own personalized masu, aka a square sake cup. Kinda like mug clubs from the good old college days, your masu will be stored on the shelf of the bar and when you get the itch for a little sake, they'll have it waiting for you! Masu sounds like the peftect spot to unwind after a long day at work.

I also can't wait to try M Burger! You really can't beat a burger for $2.49...and their fries and shakes are the perfect companions. While it's really close to work, the line has been way too long for a lunch-break escape... especially on a warm, sunny day like today. I'll have to venture over on a Saturday when I have time to wait.

Lastly, I would be remiss if I didn't mention cupcakes in this post! Since Earth Day is just around the corner, I want to give Sugar Bliss a shout out for their Earth Day cupcakes!! The cupcakes will be both chocolate and vanilla with ocean blue and leafy green frosting...but place your orders now, because they're only available between April 16th - April 21st. These cupcakes aren't just about celebratory frosting...a portion of the proceeds will go to Friends of the Park www.fotp.org. To sweeten the deal, during those days, the first 10 customers to purchase 1 dozen mini cupcakes or 6 regular cupcakes at Sugar Bliss retail store receive a complimentary Sugar Bliss recycled bag! I will def be going early....

Hope everyone had a great March! I'm off to sunny places this weekend and will return with many delicious tales.

Cupcake Celebrations

2010-03-06T17:29:00.000-06:00

The Cupcake Society had a lot to celebrate in the past few weeks. And, let's be honest, the celebrations will continue now that we know how many cupcakes we can handle in one week. Below is the evidence of birthday celebrations with Sweet Mandy B's and More! In addition, check out the surprise that More sent our Grandmaster...24 cupcakes for being a Twitter fan!

Mid-Month Roundup

2010-02-16T12:56:00.001-06:00

February has been a busier month than I anticipated. I haven't had much time to write, but I have most certainly found time to eat!

Here's a quick roundup of where I've been and what I've had:

Ethiopian Diamond - A group of colleagues started an International Dinner Club and our first stop was a yummy Ethiopian restaurant in Rogers Park. I really enjoyed the meal because it was so contrary to what a normal after-work dinner is like. We sipped on traditional honey beer and shared a huge platter that was basically like a giant Lazy Susan covered in nearly everything on the menu. The best way to try out new food -- simply ask for an array of everything! Here's what one of the diners had to say:
"Ethiopian food is definitely a ‘get your hands dirty’ kind of meal! I think it’s a culture change, but a relationship builder. Typically, an after work dinner involves proper etiquette and half-heartfelt smiles. The night brought us literally closer as we reached over the table to grab a bite of the chicken with spinach using a piece of bread."
Meze - This new spot in the West Loop is sure to please! I heard there was a $3 tapas menu from 4-7 pm on weeknights and $15 pitchers of sangria, so I had to check it out. The sangria was excellent...and our waitress kindly didn't charge us more despite the fact that we ordered three pitchers and one or two of them were definitely ordered after 7 p.m. The tapas also exceeded my expectations. The menu ranged from sliders to quesadillas to Papas Bravas to Thai veggie wraps. Literally everything under the sun. The portions, even for the $3 menu, were large and the variety proved to be a crowd pleaser. I definitely recommend this spot for groups small or large.
Homemade Pizza Company - I discovered the BBQ Chicken pizza from Homemade Pizza Co and I had to rave about it. I normally don't love BBQ Chicken pizza..but this sauce was just right. It was a little more sweet than spicy and tasted delicious with the crust. Yum. I also love their salads, especially the one with walnuts and apples...and hey, they require no prep at all :)
Balsan - Last but certainly not least, Balsan, the casual restaurant in the Elysian Hotel. This place has great ambiance, great service and excellent food. I haven't licked my plate clean in quite a while and I literally couldn't get enough of the food here. The beet salad was definitely one of the best I've had and the portion size was huge. It featured roasted, quartered red and yellow beets, field greens and nuts. For my entree, I had the trout (random, I know) covered in a citrus glaze and citrus fruit. I don't think I've had trout in quiet a long time, if ever, but I'll be ordering this one again! I also recommend any of the desserts...and of course, a glass of wine to go along with them. After dinner, we checked out Bernard's, the bar within the hotel. Not to sound like Anchorman, but I felt like I was in a small library filled with leather-bound books. The plush chairs and cozy atmosphere make this the perfect spot to end the night.

Next up, The Publican, giving Eivissa a second chance and the International Dinner Club goes to Nuevo Leon. Stay tuned!

South Beach Restaurant Recommendations

2010-02-15T15:46:00.000-06:00

I'm heading to South Beach this April for a little R&R and could use some restaurant help! I'll be there for four dinners and four lunches, and my plan is to fill those days with good food.

Thus far, I've heard that Nemo is delicious for dinner and lunch at the Delano or the Raleigh are good bets. I also want to check out Miami's Design District...so I found this handy map, which may not point me in the direction of food, but will definitely help my shopping habit.

Have you been to South Beach? If so, I'd love to hear about your favorite spots to eat!

Helping Haiti, One Piece at a Time

2010-01-21T12:52:00.000-06:00

I wanted to post a quick shout out to Piece for their efforts to support those in Haiti. You can add a dollar to your bill and Piece will match your donation and send the funds to the Heartland Alliance.

I'm a firm believer in "every dollar counts" and I also think people are more inclined to add money to their bill because it's quick and easy...and pretty admirable that Piece will match the donations.

Of course, I wouldn't be posting about Piece unless I enjoyed their food too! I had a great meal last night...we were able to sit at the bar and watch basketball while enjoying Golden Arm beer and delicious mushroom/artichoke pizza. I have to say, I'm never disappointed in their pizza. I've tried white pizza, red pizza and every topping under the sun. The ingredients always taste fresh, not frozen and the extra slices make great lunches the next day!

Great food, award-winning beer and an effortless way to help those in Haiti...sounds like a great combo to me.

Wall Street Burger Shoppe

2010-01-20T15:57:00.000-06:00

New Yorkers...have you ever been to the Burger Shoppe? Word on the street, or on Gothamist, is that they have a new mac n' cheese burger! This sounds (and looks) too good to be true. I am definitely going to try it the next time I'm in New York.

(Sorry Gothamist, I had to snag your pic..it looks too good)

Turkey Chili

2010-01-17T19:00:00.000-06:00

I tried my hand at turkey chili this evening, creating my own concoction based loosely on a recipe and adding what looked good at the grocery store. I threw in white and red kidney beans and added some avocado slices on top. Since I'm not the biggest fan of spicy food, I stuck with green peppers and onions and added a just a little chili powder and cumin. I have to say, it turned out quite well! What's your favorite chili recipe?

A "Smart" Dessert

2010-01-14T20:03:00.000-06:00

After a few days of vacation, I realized I needed to end the week with some healthy meals. That doesn't mean I have to cut dessert out entirely though! I found Smart Ones signature sundaes at the grocery store and it was love at first sight.

The box includes two sundae cups and now I understand why they didn't include more. It's really hard to exercise self control once you taste these sundaes. The bottom is a cookie crust, which very closely resembles an Oreo. On top of that there is a hearty scoop of mint ice cream, covered in fudge and chocolate chips. For a healthy dessert, I was surprised at the consistency of the ice cream. It's not exactly like frozen yogurt, but it has a similar light texture. That was a welcome surprise, because a lot of low-fat ice creams can taste bland. The fudge and chocolate on top tasted rich too, definitely not the sugar-free chocolate taste I was expecting!

Preparing your sundae is a snap, all you have to do is pop it in the microwave on defrost for about 8 seconds. The ice cream stays cold and the chocolate warms up just enough!

The sundae is only 150 calories and 3 grams of fat...and while I don't normally count calories very closely, I think this is definitely the healthiest sundae I've ever eaten.

Water, water, everywhere

2010-01-06T11:16:00.002-06:00

I'm heading West this weekend for a few days of relaxation and skiing. To prepare for the altitude change, I started my hydration regimen today. Normally, I drink a lot of coffee and not so much water...so this is a change for the best! I'll be honest, I get lazy at work and don't like to make multiple trips to the kitchen for refills...so I got this cool Camelback water bottle from Uncle Dan's. It's easy to clean and keeps my water cold. However, I kind of have my eye on the SIGG water bottles because they are a lot more colorful and fun. What's your water bottle preference?

Everyday items aren't so ordinary afterall...

2010-01-05T13:12:00.000-06:00

As I've said before, I am a huge fan of Real Simple. The magazine and Web site offer tons of helpful tips, but my favorite thus far has been a list of creative ways you can use ordinary items you have around the house.

We all know a little clear nail polish can stop a run in your tights, but did you know that you can clean your keyboard with the sticky side of the post-it? Have you ever thought about "tethering" your stemware to your dishwasher with rubber bands, just to be safe? How about using salt to clean up the mess from a broken egg?

The list goes on and on! Check it out here.

While you're there, check out ten new uses for everyday things here. I am a big fan of using a few slices of lemon to loosen microwave grease and get food odors out, but I had no idea newspapers could help ripen a tomato!

Happy Reading :)

Cheese Curds and Spotted Cows

2010-01-04T22:40:00.000-06:00

I recently embarked on a journey to Milwaukee to watch Jay Wright lead the Nova boys to another victory over Marquette. While I was there, I thought I'd give my college friend from New York a taste of "regional" food. I insisted we order deep fried cheese curds and I can say without hesitation that she was skeptical.

Deep fried cheese curds are just like they sound... fresh curds of the best Wisconsin cheddar you can find, coated in batter and thrown in a fryer. Since our New Year's diets were clearly on hold while in Milwaukee, we decided to dip the curds in ranch dressing and wash them down with steins of beer.

The cheese curds were thoroughly enjoyed by all, so much so that a second basket was ordered. I think I successfully introduced my friend to Midwestern fare, proving that even cheeseheads can cook up an excellent lunch.

Here we are enjoying our Miller Lites and even a Spotted Cow from New Glarus Brewing Co in Wisconson!

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-30T08:56:00.000-06:00

I've been on somewhat of a hiatus for the past month...work has been extremely busy and I've tried to spend my free time with family and friends. The holidays flew by this year and I can't believe it's almost 2010! Do you have any New Year's Resolutions?

I am hoping to cook more, taking the time to explore my vast cookbook collection including my new Top Chef Quickfire book! I'm getting a jump start on NYE by making homemade sticky buns for breakfast from the Barefoot Contessa cookbook and attempting to make a long list of appetizers as well. If I'm really brave, I may even try to make sushi from the Quickfire book.

I'd also like to create a list of restaurants that I've never been to and check them off one by one throughout the year. I tried that this year, but always fell back on my old favorites and wasn't too adventurous. There are a lot of weddings and events in 2010, so it will be even more important to carve out time (and money!) to finesse my Gourmetista palette.

As always, I'd also like to have a routine that allows me to get more sleep and hit the gym more often. We'll see about that. Whatever your resolutions may be, I hope you have a happy and safe New Year's!

Nantucket Mussel Shell Wreath

2009-12-05T22:30:00.021-06:00

On Friday, I was surprised with an early Christmas present - a mussel shell wreath from Nantucket!

The life cycle of the mussel from Nantucket Sound to plate to wreath is pretty neat and very relevant to my blog, so I couldn't wait to share the story.

The mussels started their life in the waters around Nantucket and were dragged out over the summer. After they made a tasty dinner, their shells were discarded and dropped off with the very talented Jan. Even the mussels I dragged for over the summer ended up in the large collection of shells used for Jan's wreaths!

Below, you'll see the guys from Captain Tom's Charters pulling the mussel-covered anchor out of the water. Next, they were cooked up with some garlic and butter for a tasty dinner. Lastly, the shells were cleaned and Jan worked her magic...turning a bag of mussel shells into a fabulous wreath.

The pictures really don't do the wreath justice, but you can get the idea. The exterior part of the shells are very dark. However, the insides are each unique with shades of black and blue with a pearl-like shine. It's quite fitting that the wreath is made complete by the pearl at the top. It's absolutely gorgeous!

If you're interested in one, leave a comment.

Hamburgers and Fries

2009-11-29T17:49:00.003-06:00

This weekend I baked "Hamburgers and Fries" after seeing a few fun recipes online. It took a while to bake, cool, cut, frost and assemble, so I don't recommend rushing through this process.

The hamburger buns are tops of vanilla cupcakes, the burger is the middle of a chocolate cupcake and the fries are the middle of the vanilla cupcakes. I used Buttercup Bake Shop's vanilla buttercream frosting recipe and dyed it red for ketchup, green for lettuce and yellow for mustard. You can't quite see all of the ketchup and mustard in the pics...but it's there! I also dabbed a little frosting in between the layers of cake so they would stay together.

If you're interested in doing something like this, I recommend using the store-bought colored frosting. The color didn't take to my homemade frosting very well. And of course, I had a green-dye incident...but we won't get into that :)

Hopefully they're as tasty as they look!

Paperwhites

2009-11-22T16:58:00.003-06:00

We had a beautiful weekend in Chicago and I decided to go for a run right before the sun set. Unfortunately, I didn't get very far because I noticed a big box of bulbs when I ran past the flower shop. It seemed too go to be true - could the paperwhites have already arrived?

Luckily the store was open for a few more minutes, so after I confirmed that the bulbs were indeed paperwhites, I ran home to check out my vase selection. Somehow after describing the size of my vase, I ended up with a ginormous bag of soil and moss. If you live nearby, feel free to come on over because there is plenty of soil to go around!

Here's what my paperwhites look like now...hopefully by the time I have guests over for dinner in the next few weeks, they'll be in full bloom!

FH Style Thanksgiving

2009-11-19T13:59:00.005-06:00

Every year, I eagerly anticipate the Thanksgiving meal at work. Everyone brings in one of their favorite dishes and we supplement the already overflowing table with some traditional and non-traditional items like turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and pulled pork sandwiches!

This year, we feasted on shrimp rice-paper rolls, "party" potatoes, broccoli casserole and much, much more. Below are two pictures that show the remains of our Thanksgiving.

Don't worry, we dedicated another room to desserts which ranged from pies and breads to malt ball cake and glasses of milk.

Let the food coma begin!

Chicken Pot Pie Empanadas

2009-11-09T12:23:00.003-06:00

In case you don't receive Real Simple's daily emails, I had to pass this recipe for chicken pot pie empanadas along. It looks so delicious and pretty simple to assemble on a weeknight, which is clutch.

RS took the basic chicken pot pie recipe and gave it a little twist...turning the pie into an empanada. I am a big fan of this idea, because it means that you get a little more "crust, " which is my favorite part. You can also easily divide the meal into four parts, which means less mess when you're trying to serve.

So here's what Real Simple suggests:

Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 tablespoon flour
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 10-ounce box frozen peas and carrots
1 3- to 4-pound store-bought rotisserie chicken, meat shredded
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 refrigerated 9-inch pie crusts (from a 15-ounce package, such as Pillsbury)

Directions

Heat oven to 400° F.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Still stirring, slowly add the broth. Cook until thickened, about 3 minutes. Add the peas and carrots, chicken, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat.
Cut each pie crust in half to form 4 half-circles. Spoon the chicken mixture over the bottom half of each half-circle, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Using your fingers, wet the border with water. Fold the top of each crust over the chicken to form a quarter-circle. Press to seal. Make three 1-inch slits in each top crust.
Transfer to a baking sheet. Bake until golden, 15 to 18 minutes.

And, voila! Hope you enjoy this recipe.

Hungry Girl - Eggs in a Mug

2009-11-05T10:44:00.007-06:00

I absolutely love Hungry Girl's daily tips and tricks. A few weeks back, HG suggested a quick breakfast of egg beaters and laughing cow cheese...whipped up in minutes in the microwave.

Today' HG took Eggs in a Mug one step further, offering three different ways to jazz up the traditional eggs and cheese. The recipe below sounds really delicious and I can't wait to try it!

California Love Mug (less than 150 calories!)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped fresh spinach
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original)
2 tbsp. diced tomatoes
1 wedge The Laughing Cow Light Original Swiss cheese
2 tbsp. diced avocado

Directions:
Spray a large microwave-safe mug lightly with nonstick spray. Add spinach and mushrooms, and microwave for 1 - 2 minutes, until softened.

Blot any excess moisture from the veggies. Add egg substitute, tomatoes, and cheese wedge, breaking the cheese wedge into pieces as you add it. Microwave for 1 minute.

Stir gently, and then microwave for an additional 45 - 60 seconds, until scramble is just set.

Lightly stir, and allow to cool slightly. Top with avocado and eat up!

Recipes in Unassuming Places

2009-11-03T22:37:00.003-06:00

I hate to admit it, but I've secretly been reading my boyfriend's Men's Health magazine for the past few months. For the recipes.

I think they have some of the best recipes and food tips....and I'm sure there's a lot of other great stuff in there too, but I'm really not reading the magazine to gain insight on why men think the way they do.

I'm reading it for the easy recipes (unlike Bon Appetit's, which I've never had any success with) and really intriguing food information.

My favorite part of the magazine is the Eat Smart section, especially "Eat This? Try That!" Every month, they compare foods and dissect nutrition labels. I often find myself discreetly ripping the pages out of Men's Health and bringing them to the grocery store along with the delicious recipes.

As you can imagine, I was really excited tonight when I discovered Women's Health at the grocery store checkout.

No, I haven't been living under a rock...I was just too lazy to look for WH when MH was already on the coffee table.

Regardless, I was obviously thrilled to find out that WH has a similar format and excellent Eat Smart section.

I won't give all of the November turkey tips away...but two interesting "Eat This, Try That" ingredients were: "if you like carrots, try parsnips" and "if you like potatoes, try sunchokes."

Personally, I don't have much experience cooking with parsnips or sunchokes, but I'm willing to be adventurous. And, now that I have my own magazine to read each month, I won't have to be so secretive about ripping out the recipes!

What's the most unassuming place you've found recipes?

Wanchai Ferry Orange Chicken

2009-10-30T19:13:00.004-05:00

While cruising through the frozen food section at Dominick's last weekend, Wanchai Ferry entrees caught my eye. I like to keep a few things in the freezer for late nights when I need to make a quick dinner without stopping at the store on the way home.

Tonight, I tried the orange chicken, which the panda on the commercial promised would go from frozen bag of ingredients to complete meal in 14 minutes.

The process was shockingly simple. Start by browning the chicken in some oil, set it to the side...cook the veggies and sauce. While that's cooking, throw the rice in the microwave. 14 minutes later, combine everything and voila - a complete Chinese meal!

It was easy to make, but the real test was in the taste....would it taste like quality Chinese food? The answer, was yes! The rice was nicely cooked in 2.5 mins in the microwave. Not overly cooked or dried out. The chicken pieces were nicely breaded and the veggies tasted pretty fresh for being frozen.

The only downside was that this meal was intended for two...and I definitely ate more than one portion. I did find a solution though! Wanchai Ferry has meal suggestions on their site, including a yummy looking salad to accompany the orange chicken. If I really wanted to plan a meal around the orange chicken, they've made it foolproof.

I'm totally sold on Wanchai Ferry - it was affordable, easy to make and delicious. Check out all the other meals on their Web site, including this coupon here.

Crock Pot

2009-10-25T18:52:00.004-05:00

In my opinion, the crock pot is really an undervalued kitchen tool. It sits in many kitchens untouched and undiscovered.

Last year, I dug out my grandma's crock pot (pictured) and looked beyond it's dated pink design to make some effortless winter dishes.

I started simple with Trader Joe's Cabernet Beef Pot Roast. Since the roast is already seasoned, all I had to do was throw in some potatoes and veggies and turn on the crock pot. 4 hours later, I had a delicious meal.

Since then, I've found a few few other crock pot recipes (including the chicken tortilla soup I made tonight) and slowly discovered how easy it is to make good food with little effort!

What's your favorite crock pot recipe?

Garlic & Chili

2009-10-20T09:33:00.004-05:00

Last night, the girls and I decided we needed some "healthy" takeout. I thought this was probably an oxymoron, but I was hungry and Thai food was the fastest option available.

We ordered from Garlic and Chili on LaSalle and I have to admit, in the past I thought this place had the potential to be a little shady. It's a small storefront place with just enough room for the kitchen and a few tables for diners. I was comforted by the fact that we could see into the kitchen when we walked over to get our food...it's definitely a clean, well run place! So far so good.

I was even happier when I went to pay...the price was right for my pad thai, just under $9! However, I really wasn't sold on Garlic & Chili until we got home and opened up our takeout boxes.

I was immediately impressed by the generous dose of peanut crumbs and a big slice of lime on top. The pad thai was also really well seasoned - not too spicy, not too bland - and had just enough chicken and peanuts for my liking.

Normally, I order pad thai from Big Bowl and I end up picking at it because there's always just a tad too much chili. I don't think I'll be back there anytime soon...it's more expensive and a little too much for my palate.

The best part - I think this really was a healthy takeout option. The box wasn't greasy and I didn't feel like my meal was drowning in sauce. What met the eye was healthy looking and I didn't have that gross feeling that normally follows a big, unhealthy takeout dinner.

I can't believe I've walked by Garlic & Chili for two years without giving it a second thought. It's now on my go-to list of takeout places and I'm sure I'll be back soon!

Fall Feasts

2009-10-07T12:36:00.006-05:00

I know, I know...it's been quite a while since my last post. Wedding season and late summer/early fall travel got the best of me.

As you can imagine, I haven't had much time (or money) to dine out lately...but wanted to post a shout out to Frontera and Xoco!

If you haven't tried one or all of the Rick Bayless restaurants, you're missing out. My first piece of advice - patience. You're going to have to wait a while, but it's worth it. I have never invested so much time in a restaurant, but I can confidently say that after waiting 2 hours for dinner at Frontera, I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Keep in mind, I went the night after Rick won Top Chef Masters, so the place was a zoo. There was so much excitement in the air that I really felt like I was transported to another place during dinner. I was swept away by everything from the amazing artwork on the walls to the delicious guacamole to the general attitude of the other diners. Speaking of which...we immediately struck up conversation with the couple next to us because they arrived first, ordered the exact same things we did and literally licked their plates clean. I was a little nervous about my order because I had a hard time picking from the ten different things that I wanted...so their feedback was priceless!

For once in my life, I was too full for dessert. Maybe it was the margaritas during the two hour wait or the fact that I had guacamole and an appetizer before my huge meal...but I skipped dessert and vowed to make up for it by visiting Xoxo when it opened.

Last week, I did just that! While the wait wasn't exactly two hours, I did wait in line at Xoco too...and I'm sure I'll be doing it again soon. Xoco is more casual with a menu that makes you feel like you're picking up lunch or dinner from a really, really good Mexican street food vendor. I had a mushroom torta, guacamole and churros with a shot of chocolate, which I used as dipping sauce.

Just like Frontera, the food was unreal. The thing about both Xoco and Frontera is that the food is authentic - Rick knows what he's doing, he captures flavors and seasoning perfectly and creates an atmosphere that is full of excitement. People were genuinely happy to wait in line at both places because they knew the food was THAT good.

I think good food is hard to find and authentic food is even harder to find....so now my shout out has turned into a rant, but hopefully a convincing one! Next time you're in the mood for guacamole, Oaxacan mole and churros, you know where to go.

Also, be sure to follow Rick on Twitter!

Guest Gourmetista: Kate at MK

2009-08-21T10:27:00.003-05:00

Please welcome my first Guest Gourmetista, Kate Murphy!

Kate's an international traveler, skilled photographer, fellow PR gal and as you'll see below, she shares my love of great food too. I frequently visit Kate's blog to check out her latest adventures, though most of the time we sit on opposite sides of a wall on the 33rd floor of the Hancock. Kate went to MK last night & I was dying to hear what she thought.

Here's Kate's take on MK....

Ok, so I’m at least five years late to the MK party. But, as they say, it’s never too late to say you’re sorry. And I’m sorry I’ve missed out on MK since I moved back to Chicago in 2006.

First, the restaurant is stunning, though understatedly so – with the vaulted skylight changing the dining room dynamic as the evening light shifts from dusk to dark. It’s how I would want my house to look, and lends some credence to the “mom and pop” feel that the owners say is at their core.

We started with an amuse of heirloom tomatoes with basil and olive oil. Tomatoes that actually taste like tomatoes shouldn’t be so remarkable, and yet, it was.

For starters, I went with oysters, half served with cucumber and the other half served with a thinly sliced serrano chili – the perfect mix of heat and cool.

For the entrée, I went with the recommendation of your own Gourmetista, and had the white fish and lobster. The white fish was incredibly moist and had a perfectly crispy skin. The lobster, which initially seemed over the top, provided a sweet contrast to the cilantro-infused sauce.

We capped off the evening with a “Berry & Sunny” dessert of blueberry sorbet, sunflower seed streusel, yuzu foam and plumbs. It also had a hint of salt, which I always appreciate in a dessert. Apparently that wasn’t enough, because they sent out additional bites compliments of the pastry chef – raspberry brownies, lychee and a shortbread.

Service was tag teamed, which can sometimes spell disaster, but was pulled off effortlessly. No noticeable lulls and no rushed periods. Perfection. Which, for me, makes MK a definite must do for all who enjoy thoughtful contemporary American food, and proof that it’s never too late to try something new (even if it’s only new to you and about a dozen others who’ve been living under culinary rocks).

Beer, Peanuts...Dibs?

2009-08-21T08:57:00.004-05:00

Around the 7th inning of last night's Cubs vs. Dodgers game, I started to get antsy. The game had reached such a low that it was almost embarrassing to watch...but that's a whole different story.

My eyes started to wander as the camera panned the crowd looking for hot blonds and celebs. Clearly not even the cameramen were interested in the game anymore.

The camera stopped and right there on my boyfriend's ginormous HD TV, I saw a beautiful sight. Not a hot blond or a celeb, but a vendor carrying what appeared to be a life size Dibs box, filled with mini Dibs boxes.

Dibs at a baseball game, delivered right to your seat. What a novel idea. I always crave something sweet after my hot dog and peanuts, but the appeal of ice cream in an upside down baseball helmet wore off in about 7th grade. Dibs on the other hand are bite size and you could potentially share them. I say potentially because I highly doubt I would share, but the option is open for those generous people out there.

Dibs come in five flavors - my favorites being Drumstick and mint. Upon further research, I discovered that Dibs are also sold in snack bags. This may be the solution to my problem of losing track of how many Dibs I've eaten! Now if they'd only sell a multi-flavor value pack, then I'd really be in heaven.

As the Cubs/Wrigley negotiations continue to move forward, I'd just like to make one small request: please include Dibs on the menu next season.

Maybe a few wins too, but we can start with bite size steps...

World's Largest Cupcake

2009-08-16T16:08:00.004-05:00

Congratulations to Ryan Abood for setting a new Guinness record for the largest cupcake. This delicious triple vanilla cupcake weighed in at 1,224 pounds and was topped with sugary pink frosting.

Wondering how many calories are packed in this bad boy? The baker estimates 2 million calories...

Don't worry, you can't count calories on this one because each bite went to a good cause! Proceeds from each slice went to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure organization.

Congrats to Ryan!

(photo credits to AP)

Julie & Julia

2009-08-12T11:15:00.002-05:00

Anyone out there seen or read "Julie and Julia?" I overheard someone on the plane back from Boston say that she hated the movie but loved the book.

I normally fall into that category because I love to read books and part of the experience is imagining what the characters look like, etc. Most of the time, movies either don't match what I imagined or they are so different from the book that it's hard to watch.

Since I haven't read the book or seen the movie, let me know what you think! Should I read the book or just see the movie?

Nantucket Feasts

2009-08-11T19:18:00.003-05:00

I recently returned from a week-long vacation on Nantucket...aka seven days of eating like a Queen. Here's a little insight on my food tour...

We started the week off with a late dinner at Topper's at the Wauwinet Inn, which is right on the water. As you can imagine, the setting was beautiful and the restaurant itself is very elegant, with some great Nantucket touches. For example, I loved that they brought out the bread sticks (with recipe card enclosed) in a traditional Nantucket basket.

The food definitely exceeded my expectations. I started with an heirloom tomato salad with goat cheese ice cream. That's right, a tiny scoop of ice cream. The tomatoes tasted like they were picked that day (which they were!) and paired really nicely with the cheese.

The entree really takes the cake though. The special that night was Kobe beef steak on top of what I like to call a gourmet hash brown with onions. The meat literally melted in my mouth and it was cooked just the way I like it (aka not bleeding on the plate, but still rare/medium). Plus, the leftovers made for a great sandwich next day!

I also really appreciated the extra effort that the sommelier made. We ended up talking to him about the wine we had -- Hourglass Cab -- and he took the label off the bottle and pasted it into a greeting card for us to save.

Topper's was definitely an exceptional dining experience and I hope to return someday!

Moving right along...I won't go into as much detail on each place, but want to call out a few great spots from the deep sea to the local farm and everything in between:

- Oran Mor - really fresh seafood & unique use of local ingredients...great wine...delicious meal

-Black Eyed Susan's - definitely one of my faves, great place to go with friends, BYOB...great caesar salad & really good desserts

-LoLa 41 - great sushi, even better pork pot sticks and local baker provides freshly baked desserts

-Something Natural - best lunch spot ever, chocolate chip cookies that you must buy by the dozen, recently obsessed with the cheddar, chutney & avocado sandwich on homemade sourdough

-Bartlett's Farm - fresh from the farm, you can't go wrong at Bartlett's. Love their tomatoes and corn; fell in love with their giant whoopie pie last week (and even ate it for breakfast on Sunday...I didn't want it to go to waste! Also, had cantaloupe that was picked that morning...best I've ever had

-Fresh striper and blue fish caught on one of Captain Tom's boats (see pic up top!).

-Juice Bar is the place to be for ice cream in homemade waffle cones! I wish I could have gone back more than once for coffee and mint oreo in a waffle bowl.

Last but not least, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that I spent some serious cash on chocolate covered gummy bears at the Nantucket Chocolatier. Can't wait to break into those :)

If you're planning a trip to Nantucket, feel free to drop me a line...I'd be happy to recommend a place or two!

33 Club

2009-07-23T21:58:00.002-05:00

I don't really enjoy writing negative posts about restaurants, but this is unavoidable and perhaps shows I've learned a little too much about the restaurant business.

I just returned from a 2 hour dinner at the 33 Club, a new restaurant on Wells in Old Town. The owner is the same guy who opened Carnivale, so my expectations were high, within reason that we're early adopters and the restaurant just opened. But, there were a lot of random things I noticed that were kind of unrelated to how long they'd been open.

Here we go.....

We walked in at 7 and promptly got seated...so far so good, right??

But then we started this whole sitting trend...sitting, waiting, watching for our waiter.

The menu is one page and the font is HUGE. Maybe the large font was meant to conceal the fact that the menu is limited, which is fine for the first few weeks of a restaurant, but maybe don't make it so large that you could read it from 20 feet away.

We ordered drinks first and that was the one high point of the night. My drink was called the Ruby and it was heavenly - it contained red peach vodka, lime juice and peaches with a big peach slice on the rim of the glass. I didn't mind that it was a little sweet because every sip tasted like a bite of fresh peach, so delicious. That was pretty much where my happy experience ended.

Our drinks came pretty fast, but disappointment started to set in when we waited a solid 10 minutes for our apps. I had the bacon wrapped goat cheese stuffed dates. Kind of made me think of Cafe Ba Ba Reeba...bacon wrapped dates are by far my favorite item on their menu. And maybe they should stay there. The bacon/cheese/date part was great but they were in a sauce that I couldn't really decipher and I'll be honest, it didn't really jive with the dates. Overall though, the app was good.

After waiting another 15 minutes, the entrees arrived. My pork chop was decent, but I could have used a teeny bit more sauce on the side to infuse a little moisture into my meat! I haven't a clue what came with it on the side and at that point I didn't want to bother the waiter to ask. There were some little gnocchi/potato looking things which were really good...but the "cabbage" almost looked like shredded beets and the taste was so pungent that I couldn't take more than one bite.

Fast forward about 35 minutes or so...we're done with our meal and this is when I realize that the restaurant is REALLY crowded and our waiter is literally missing in action. So we sit for a while and take it all in, identifying other people who are doing the same. Waiting.

The dessert menu, when it finally arrived, looked good...but ordering yet another course was way too risky. We asked for the check and I decided to check out the bathroom.

On my way down the grand staircase in the middle of the restaurant, I encountered a bus boy carrying a tub of dirty plates and a huge container of ice. Really, is that the only staircase? Because the classiness of the staircase was just downgraded to tacky. I don't want to see what goes on behind the scenes, that's what a back staircase is for. I also don't need to hear the bus boys shouting at each other up and down the stairs. And while we're at it,why there weren't there more bus boys to help my poor waiter who kept running from the second floor to the basement to get wine? Not great planning.

I arrived at the bathroom on the main floor only to find out it's a single stall. Interesting choice since there isn't a bathroom upstairs and the dining rooms are both packed, as is the bar. I guess that would explain why there were only a few sheets of toilet paper left. That can be forgiven. But the size of the garbage can cannot be. It literally was the size of a brown paper lunch bag and was awkwardly positioned in the corner near the toilet not the sink. If I was planning a single stall bathroom that was guaranteed high traffic, I'd probably get a larger can. I'd probably add more stalls too...but apparently those are downstairs in the basement. I wonder how large the garbage can is down there?

Feeling awkward from the bathroom arrangements, I walked back up the stairs only to find that our waiter hadn't returned with our bill. It's not his fault, so I'm really not trying to rip on him...but whomever staffed this place should have thought about the logistics!!

Another 10 minutes later, we paid our bill...a little on the high side for a mediocre experience. For $28 I could have made my own pork chops with edible sides.

Since we were skipping dessert, I was banking on the fact that there would be candy or mints on the hostess table. On our way down, we did a quick walk by and it was empty. Nada. I mean, I'm not saying a mint would have erased the various transgressions and disappearing waiter, but it would have left me with a better taste in my mouth. No pun intended!

I'm not going to totally write 33 Club off , the atmosphere is great, but the food and service need some time. I'll give it 6 months or so and maybe try it again.

Until then, best of luck to everyone involved.

Starbucks Card Goes Mini

2009-07-23T08:30:00.004-05:00

I'm a big fan of Starbucks and I love having a Starbucks Card in order to keep track of my coffee spending. My coffee money is usually the change that sits in a jar on my dresser, converted by CoinStar into a Starbucks Card. Once the card gets a zero balance, it's time to start saving again.

This summer I haven't had time to hit up the CoinStar machine and somehow misplaced all of Starbucks Cards. So, today when I stopped in for a tall coffee with room, I was thrilled to see a new Starbucks Card at the counter. It's called the Mini and it fits right on your key chain, how cool is that! Now I don't have to worry about losing it. Plus, the Mini makes early morning or post-gym coffee runs even easier...you don't have to bring your wallet, just grab your keys. Amazing.

If you order online, you can get the mini with the key chain pictured for only $1.95. I think this makes a great gift for a friend or yourself. I'm definitely treating myself to a Mini this weekend...now I'll just have to exercise a little self control and try not to use it every day.

PS - Starbucks, thanks for letting me snag the Mini image from your Web site :)

La Madia

2009-07-17T11:11:00.002-05:00

I can't believe I haven't written about La Madia lately...maybe because I haven't been in a few weeks & was reminded of that when I got today's Glossed and Found email.

I visited La Madia only weeks after the grand opening and I've been back about five times since then for their pizza fondue, great wine selection and oh yeah...the amazing pizza.

But, I'll let G&F's pizza party video say it all...go to http://www.beautyoncall.com/gf/ and check it out!

Don't forget to stop by La Madia's Web site every now and then to see which recipes are posted. I love the fact that you can try out some of their most popular apps at home!

Cold Beer Here

2009-07-16T20:34:00.005-05:00

Everyone loves a cold beer. Even Obama!! Beers warm you up in the cold winter months (aka most of the year if you live in Chicago) and cool you down in the summer (aka August in Chicago).

I have to give a little disclaimer before I go on...75% of the time I choose wine over beer. However, I think I've refined my beer taste over the years, graduating from Natty Light kegs to some classier brews. Corona, Sunshine Wheat, Blue Moon and most recently, Shock Top are a few of my faves.

Enter the crazy world of social media: you never have to drink alone again!

A few months ago, a beer-loving friend of mine had a genius idea to create a Twitter handle dedicated to beer: www.twitter.com/thisbeer

It started with a few self portraits and has grown into quite the phenomenon. Friends, family and colleagues from across the country snap pictures of themselves enjoying a beer and send them to @thisbeer. He then reposts them for everyone to enjoy.

It's a fun way to check out different kinds of beers, see what's popular in different parts of the country and keep tabs on coworkers to make sure they're not having too much fun without you!

Next time you're having a cold beer, take a pic and send to @thisbeer on Twitter. You never know....big things come from small ideas and @thisbeer could be famous some day!

Birthday Eats & Treats: Belated are the best

2009-07-01T18:46:00.004-05:00

I really struggle with opening presents "on time" and usually end up convincing the gift giver to let me open the gift early. But, sometimes belated birthday gifts are the best kind because they're so unexpected!

Today, I got home and saw the brown key (aka package key) in my mailbox and assumed it was just another wedding shower gift for my sister. My mailroom lady mocks me because I do a lot of online shopping, so she was kind of surprised when I walked in and told her I wasn't sure why I had another package this week.

I'm pretty sure what happened next will scar the mailroom lady forever. She took out a small red square box with white writing and I shrieked (and probably lunged in her direction), HOPES? FOR ME? Normally I don't show that much enthusiasm for my mail and clearly she has never had Hope's Cookies. I explained that the box contained some of the best cookies ever, but at this point I don't really think she cared...

She quickly handed over the package and by the time I got in the elevator, the box was already open. Here's what remains, sorry I didn't take a picture before I ripped open the box! There are many cookies, each individually wrapped and safely contained in a bag to keep them fresh. I've already tested out the M&M and double chocolate...plan to dig in to a few more flavors after dinner.

Thanks Ber for a great belated bday present!

The Lost Girls - Britt G edition

2009-06-29T20:02:00.003-05:00

Grab a snack and take a seat for a non-food related post...

The Lost Girls is a Web site about three twenty-something girls trying to come to terms with the realization that it’s time to be adults, and for one year they decide to stop everything and travel. That was in 2006, and now they are all back in the U.S. working again, but have never given up their love for travel.

How did I find Lost Girls? My friend Brittany pitched them for a client and while the client info didn't quite fit, Brittany fit in quite well! In her 25 years, she's acquired quite an impressive array of passport stamps. So, they asked her to be a guest blogger and create a list of her top five fave places to travel.

Ironically, Britt is currently on vacation, so I thought I'd take matters into my own hands and spread the word about her debut in the blogosphere. You can check out her post here and make sure to check back soon to hear about her latest trip!

Bon voyage Britt...and next time, can I fit in your suitcase??

Birthday Eats & Treats - Les Nomades

2009-06-27T20:13:00.005-05:00

Dinner on my birthday was at a restaurant that really deserves a solo post - Les Nomades. It's tucked away on Ontario near St. Clair and almost looks like a cute little house with a garden out front. We ate in the first floor dining room, which was very cozy...and of course, I took the spot at the table so I could see all of the action (aka the servers when they came out with trays, so I could see all of the great food).

The menu is really impressive. I don't think I'm a picky eater, but oftentimes I'm only drawn to one or two items on a menu. This was not the case at Les Nomades, everything looked amazing.

We chose four courses, including dessert, accompanied by some great red wine. Here's what I had:

#1 Three preparations of salmon with shaved fennel salad, baby radish, preserved Meyer lemon. YUM. There was smoked salmon, poached and a combo of both...all three were excellent.

#2 Crispy farm egg, asparagus, morel mushroom, parmesan and Iberico ham. I could eat this every single day and never grow tired of it. The flavors and textures of this dish complimented one another really well. The egg was perfectly cooked and rolled in some bread crumbs and herbs...I have no clue how they did it, but I'd love to know.

#3 Veal tenderloin, wild mushroom ragoût, pommes purée, preserved lemon, sauce Périgueux. Lots of fancy French words all add up to three great preparations of veal. The plate was divided up and each piece of meat was siting on something different -- green beans, pommes puree, etc. By this time, I was getting pretty full...but I had to save some room for dessert.

#4 Warm flourless chocolate cake with liquid cassis ganache center and vanilla ice cream. This was absolutely delicious and I was really happy because they let me substitute coffee bean ice cream for the vanilla. The cake was warm from the oven and oozing with chocolate. It was extremely rich, so the ice cream was a nice light treat on the side.

You might think that's it, but it's not over yet! Next the server brought out a piece of carrot cake that said happy birthday AND a plate of mini desserts.

Overall, this was a five star dining experience. The food was amazing and the service was great. Case in point -- the restaurant was a little chilly and my server noticed my rubbing my arms to stay warm Next thing I knew, he was at my side presenting me with a pashmina. Seriously. You can't get any better than that!!

If you're looking for a special occasion restaurant, you can't go wrong with Les Nomades. They change the menu constantly, so hopefully I'll get to go back for my birthday next year and try out four new things. (hint, hint)

Birthday Eats & Treats

2009-06-27T19:49:00.005-05:00

This past week I celebrated my birthday and there is so much to share that I'm going to put it all in one post.

The celebrations began with a surprise party, hosted by my good friend Perfect Party Prep at our fave local bakery, Twisted Baker (formerly Twisted Sister Bakery). It was really the ultimate party - I had free reign in the bakery, which was rented out for the evening and filled with my family and friends. We got to enjoy some wine with every bakery treat: cupcakes, tarts, cookies and of course, birthday cake. After the party, we boxed up the leftovers for the guests...could it get any better!?

If you know someone who is a dessert fan, renting out a bakery for a private party is a must! The ladies at Twisted Baker were great and hopefully we're helping them start a new bakery party trend :)

Next up -- dinner with the girls at Eivissa, a new tapas place on Wells. The company was great, as were the desserts and sangria. But much to my surprise, I had mixed feelings on the small plates we had for dinner, they were kind of hit or miss. I really liked the meat/fish selections, but we only got a few bites of each since we split each plate by 5. I think this is a great place to get a glass of sangria and sit outside...but I may not be back for dinner anytime soon.

Today, I went to the Chopping Block for a cooking demonstration called "Let Them Eat Cupcakes." The class was a gift from my sister and fit in quite nicely with of my dessert themed birthday. It was kind of a bummer that we only got to watch, because more than once I was tempted to jump out of my seat to lick the bowl.

Our chefs made Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting, Lemon Coconut Cupcakes with Meringue and Fudge Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Ganache. By the time the Red Velvets came out of the oven, I was actually too full to eat them (shocking, I know). Luckily we got to take home a box with extra cupcakes for later.

My sister and I learned a lot about baking and I can't wait to try out some new tricks in the kitchen! I highly recommend classes at the Chopping Block, they're great gifts and so much fun. And, you get 15% off the tools used during class, so make sure you stop by the shop after class.

Sugar Bliss

2009-06-15T16:42:00.003-05:00

You may have noticed the link on the right hand side of my blog for Sugar Bliss, and hopefully by now you've clicked it! If not, check out Perfect Party Prep's review of these yummy, bite sized cupcakes. I can't wait to order them for the wedding shower I'm throwing next month.

Bonobos

2009-06-10T14:04:00.008-05:00

Bonobos may sound like a fun name for a restaurant, but in fact, this post is about something entirely different - clothes!

As my blog name states, I also dabble in the latest fashion trends every now and then...you have to be well-dressed when you eat at fun restaurants, right? So, since I post almost exclusively about food, I thought I'd switch things up a bit and tell you about a company that I wish I'd know about sooner - Bonobos. They reached out to me on Twitter when I griped about not being able to find the right size shorts for my well-dressed tablemate.

Bonobos makes pants, shorts, belts and t-shirts for men...and hopefully they'll expand their lineup soon! My fave pants so far are the Super Soakers, which are pants that may appear to be seersucker, but they've got a little extra flair. The pinwale cords also look really soft and comfy.

Make no mistake, this isn't just another clothing company...these ninjas are dedicated to a great customer experience and want guys to have clothes that aren't overpriced, that are designed to fit and made out of quality materials. I really like the fact that you can buy a few sizes to see what fits and send back the ones that don't fit at no cost. That makes the online ordering process a lot more customer friendly, and it makes gift-giving easier too!

And yes, you read correctly...they call this the ninja experience because Bonobos clothes are made by people who are the closest thing to real life ninjas - clever, efficient and awesome people. We could use a few more ninjas these days...

You find Bonobos on Twitter, visit their blog to learn more about the ninja experience or shop directly on their Web site. Bonus points go to the CEO for being a Cubs fan!!

Kids Cook-Off: Iron Chef Style

2009-06-03T14:47:00.006-05:00

I wish I still fit in the "kid" category, because this Sunday there is a kids Cook-Off at Kendall College! Kiddos ages 9-13 will compete in an Iron-Chef style competition to prepare the most healthy and delicious meal or snack with only a few ingredients.

The competition is hosted by CongAgra & Share Our Strength, and the goal is to teach kids about the importance of nutrition. I was pretty food-savvy even at age 9, although I usually enjoyed baking cakes more than whipping up a healthy snack(not much has changed). But, since I'm not eligible I'll share my healthy snack idea - ants on a log. All you need is celery, PB and raisins. I wonder what the judges would think....

I hope these kids create some tasty treats because kid chefs will be judged by Chef Michael Kornick, mk the restaurant and Chef Paul Kahan of Blackbird, Avec and Publican. Who knows, maybe they'll discover the next great Chicago chef on Sunday!

The event is free, but you have to pre-register here. You can also find more information on the importance of nutrition education and childhood hunger on the Share Our Strength site.

Good luck chefs!!

Party People

2009-06-03T09:38:00.007-05:00

I really like parties, so Chicago is a great place to be in the summer. You can pretty much plan a party around anything - Old Town Art Fair, Sheffield Garden Walk, my birthday, the fact that it's warm enough to be outside...really, anything.

My good friend Courtney loves to find a reason to pop some champagne and frequently plans parties. She's done it all...Super Bowl, Sunday dinners, birthdays, Christmas, BBQs, St. Paddy's...let's just say she knows how to throw a good celebration.

So here's a shout out for you to check out her new blog, appropriately titled "Celebrate."

Bring the Hope

2009-05-11T20:37:00.002-05:00

Grab a snack and take a second to read this non-food related post!

In February '08 my friend & colleague started a blog - http://bringthehope.typepad.com. The site was a place to share inspiration, a daily smile.

This year, a new site and company was born - http://www.bringthehope.com. It's all about optimism and messages of hope...spread both online and on t-shirts!

Even more good news - Bring the Hope is looking to hire 12 Hope Agents and they need our help to spread the word. Applicants can submit original messages of hope online between now and the end of August. Voters will decide which messages will be printed on T-shirts and which 12 people will get hired. Winners will split 25 percent of net profits between themselves and charities of their choice based on sales. Sounds like a pretty great job to me.

Check out www.bringthehope.com and the recent story on Inside Indiana Business by clicking here. And, most importantly...help us spread the word about Bring the Hope!

Hub 51, Carnivale, RL

2009-05-10T20:57:00.003-05:00

It's been a while since my last post, I sort of got busy and fell off the bandwagon. But, I'm back!

In an attempt to make up for lost time, here are not one but three excellent dining suggestions.

#1, if you haven't been to Hub51 yet, what are you waiting for? The menu has a little something for everyone or every taste bud that you decide to entertain. I recommend the guacamole and homemade chips, crunchy tuna sushi, fish tacos (that you assemble yourself, very cool) and the butterscotch pudding dessert. Yes, I did eat all of the above in one sitting and I survived. I also liked it so much that I went back again and ate the exact same things. Like I said, you can entertain a lot of different taste buds in one night! Hub is always packed, has a great atmosphere, and oh yeah - don't miss the excellent punch.

#2, I've posted on Carnivale before but I wanted to give it another shout out. Second dining experience was even better than the first. If you want a little mid-week getaway, stop by Carnivale for a margarita and some great food too.

#3, this past weekend, I joined the geriatric, early bird crowd at Ralph Lauren's RL restaurant. The outside seating area is always a great spot for Michigan Ave people watching, but the dining room is more of an older crowd. Regardless of the drastic age difference between myself and every other diner, I really enjoyed my meal. For starters we had a tuna carpaccio with some mixed greens. Sometimes tuna can taste a little, well, fishy. This tuna was packed with flavor and the greens and Parmesan complimented it nicely. Unfortunately, I had a little bit of steak envy. After two bites of the Steak Diane, I regretted my Caesar salad with steak. Don't get me wrong, my steak and salad were great. But they were nothing compared to Diane. That steak came with a show -- it was seasoned, flash fried and then went up in flames with brandy. Mine just appeared at the table, no show....and apparently I've been living under a rock, because I'd never seen the Diane show before. Much to my surprise, the steak lived up to my high expectations -- it was cooked to perfection with a great sauce that included my fave, mushrooms! Next time, I will know better and order the Steak Diane.

Until then, I'll be eating PB&J and waiting for the weather to warm up just a little bit more so I can enjoy some of my favorite outdoor dining spots.

Luck of the Irish

2009-03-10T16:49:00.006-05:00

The luck of the Irish is with us this month...and that means one of my favorite Chicago holidays is quickly approaching. A few highlights of March so far:

Shamrock shakes are available at McDonald's. Don't forget that you can combine flavors - i.e. half Shamrock, half chocolate = amazing

Graham Elliot Twittered yesterday that he's offering a shamrock shake intermezzo this week. Can't go wrong with that...

Butch McGuires has their decor up and ready for the weekend. A sample of last year's decor is included in this post. Enough said.

With St. Patty's day only a few days away, the search is on for some good Irish Soda bread. I'm not a fan of corned beef and cabbage, but the bread was always pretty yummy! Let me know if there are any good Chicago bakeries that can whip up Irish treats next week.

What's in Season?

2009-03-04T15:54:00.003-06:00

A food savvy coworker and I were recently talking about how it's a lot easier to prepare meals and menus in the summer, when our buying decisions are based on the farmers market selections.

Real Simple must have read our minds! Today they announced a new tool on their Web site called What's in Season? The tool displays seasonal fruits and veggies, and best of all, gives you tips on purchasing, preparation and relevant recipes. You can print out a one-page sheet for each season or click on each item to view information.

Just looking at the spring veggies and fruits gave me hope that warm weather is around the corner. I'll definitely use this helpful tool and hope you will too!

Carnivale

2009-03-01T20:13:00.002-06:00

I've heard coworkers and friends rave about Carnivale for at least 2 years and last week I finally got to try it out myself. I was inspired to go because of Chicago Restaurant Week, but ended up picking my own menu.

To start, I had a perfectly salted margarita, making me feel as if I was on vacation. My app was the restaurant week empanada with butternut squash, spinach and goat cheese. I could have eaten 10 of these for my meal. The flavor combination was amazing, if I could recreate it, I definitely would. There was a nice salad on the side with cucumbers, which was great...but I could have done without it if they wanted to give me just one more empanada!

I also tried the guac, with homemade chips. The guac had a little kick, aka a lot more jalapeno than I normally eat. I don't know if this guac can compete with my favorite from J Alexander's, but it's in the running, especially because of the chips. For a second I forgot I was in downtown Chicago....

My entree was Quinotto, which the very informed server told me was probably the healthiest thing to eat. It was basically a mold filled with tiny barley pieces and tons of veggies like mushrooms, brussel sprouts, tomatoes and onions. It was topped with goat cheese and accompanied by a mushroom sauce on the side. For something so healthy, it was pretty delicious!

For dessert, I had the fried donuts with chocolate and caramel dipping sauces. They were a little too good and since I didn't finish all 6 of them, I took home the leftovers to enjoy the next day.

The only bad thing about Carnivale was that I couldn't try more things on the menu. Lucky for me, Carnivale has a ton of gift certificate deals out there. If you're in the mood to spice things up at Carnivale, check out a site like Groupon or Chicago Half Off before you go.

Nantucket Chocolatier

2009-03-01T19:56:00.003-06:00

I have very little self control when it comes to chocolate. I'm usually done with Halloween candy within a week, same goes for Easter candy and basically chocolate in general. So, when I realized today that I've done an excellent job of rationing my Valentine's Day candy (i.e. there is 50% of it left), I figured it was worth talking about.

Nantucket Chocolatier aka Sweet Inspirations, is a charming little candy shop right in downtown Nantucket. They've been around just a few more years than I have and are still run by the same family that started the company.

A few of my favorite things include the famous "Coco the whale" chocolates. For Valentine's Day, Coco has a heart on her back and a pair of whales come in a cute heart shaped box. Pictured here are the traditional Cocos -- one dark and one milk chocolate.

My other big time favorite is the bag of chocolate covered gummy bears. These bears are perfectly coated in milk chocolate, so their bear shape is preserved. Other candy shops may try to imitate them, but I think the trick is that all of these gummies are clear...there aren't any fruit flavored bears. These little chocolate bears are so good that I could probably eat the entire bag in one day. But, this year I have carefully rationed the bears and still have at least half of my bag from Valentine's Day left. Woo hoo!

Thankfully, Nantucket Chocolatiers ships in the winter (can't ship when it's warm because the bears would melt) and they understand my chocolate addiction. They make extra big bags for me so I'll have enough bears to last the winter :) That's my kind of customer service.

Brown Paper Bag Asparagus

2009-02-23T21:45:00.005-06:00

After several questions about my asparagus in a brown paper bag, I thought I'd share the recipe. This is so easy and although it sounds strange, I promise the asparagus turns out delicious.

You need:

1 lb asparagus

1/2 lemon, thinly sliced

1 bay leaf

olive oil

salt & pepper

1 brown paper lunch bag (don't worry, it won't burn)

To prepare:

Preheat oven to 350. Wash asparagus and break off the ends where they naturally snap. Throw them in the bag; drizzle with olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Put the lemon slices and bay leaf in there and fold over the bag to close it. Place the bag on a baking sheet (laying on it's side)and drizzle with a little more olive oil. Bake for 20 minutes, give the bag a good shake and transfer to a platter.

This goes great with balsamic chicken and baby red potatoes, which can also be cooking in the oven at the same time! So voila, you have a great meal in no time.

Enjoy!

Chicago Style Hot Dog

2009-02-11T13:38:00.004-06:00

I've said it before and I'll probably say it again, but I'm really not the biggest fan of the Chicago Style hot dog. I've been harassed by friends and nearly kicked out of a hot dog spot for my order -- ketchup, pickle, celery salt.

Last night I was in an adventurous mood when I walked into America' Dog. I was kind of in a hurry since the Nova basketball game was already underway, so I took a risk and ordered the first thing on the menu -- Chicago Style jumbo dog (without tomatoes/peppers) and some curly fries.

This is a first for me, so I was a little skeptical. My dog was covered in mustard, relish, onion, pickle & celery salt. I tentatively took the first bite, thinking maybe I had made a huge mistake.

Much to my surprise, I actually really enjoyed my hot dog...onions and all.

While I was eating my dog, I noticed that my fries were disappearing at a really fast pace. These fries are curly and drenched in some sort of fried goodness. I guess they're a lot like Arby's "amazing curly" fries, which explains why people snatched them up so quickly.

Lesson learned: even if you've ordered the same thing for 20 years, it's never too late to try something new!

P.S. - America's Dog was voted Chicago's most popular hot dog AND they have a birthday club for hot dog lovers like me. If you haven't been to their Lincoln Park location, stop by soon.

Tilli's

2009-01-25T15:33:00.005-06:00

On Friday night, a few friends and I revisited an old favorite -- Tilli's. I haven't eaten there in over a year and had forgotten how good it was. The location is great, it's right on Halsted in Lincoln Park and is close to a few good bars. It's the perfect spot to grab dinner before going out.

At our table near the working fireplace, we shared the hummus platter with flat bread, olives, cucumbers and tomato slices. The veggies were fresh, which is always appreciated...because there is nothing worse than a soggy tomato slice with hummus.

My main course was chicken stuffed with goat cheese and herbs with a side of roasted mushrooms (big surprise!). The chicken was butterflied, which made it very tender and a great portion size. Before it arrived, I was questioning how much cheese would actually be in the chicken and let's just say I was not disappointed. The herbs and cheese literally oozed out of the meat when you cut through the chicken skin and by the end I was trying to scrape all of it off the plate with the last pieces of chicken. If you're a fan of goat cheese, you need to try this.

Lastly, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the vast array of cocktails at Tilli's. Between the group, we tried out a few of them and someone mentioned that it kind of felt like we were on vacation. When's the last time you ordered a Strawberry Blonde or a Mai Tai? It was kind of a nice escape from the bitter cold outside...

Vanilla Pancakes

2009-01-25T15:29:00.004-06:00

This morning I had a craving for pancakes, probably because I was spoiled with brunch at Perennial last week. Realizing I had no sugar in the kitchen, I decided to improvise and use Vanilla Sugar from the Spice House. The result, combined with a few mini-chocolate chips, was a deliciously fluffy pancake, packed with flavor.

If you find yourself in a similar situation, definitely check out what ingredients you have at home before heading out into the cold...even if you're like me and live across the street from the grocery store :)

Cookbooks

2009-01-03T16:25:00.003-06:00

Santa must have gotten the memo that I like to cook/bake because I got a new collection of great cookbooks for the holidays. Included in the mix are the Top Chef Cookbook, Martha's cooking school (aka a bible sized book of instructions with pictures), Ina Garten's new basics book and the Buttercup Bakeshop Cookbook.

With so many new cookbooks, I actually had to rearrange some of my kitchen cabinets to make room!

But, I think it was worth it. Last night, a few friends and I dined on the braised short ribs from Top Chef, Season 1 episode 12. We improvised a bit, but overall braising is pretty easy. It does, however, test my patience....it's similar to the feeling you get on a really long car ride. Is it ready yet??

We also had some butternut squash, which I made in a skillet for the first time. Normally I throw it in the oven, but instead I browned it and then let it steam for a few minutes. It was absolutely prefect. In addition, I made a very simple radicchio endive salad, and the meal was complete!

Of course, there was dessert...the easiest part of the meal. Trader Joe's fudge brownies - their boxed cake and brownie mixes are the best. I think everyone had three brownies, which is a testament to their deliciousness.

Up next, some breakfast treats from Buttercup cookbook and maybe some butternut squash soup with last nights leftovers.

MK

2008-12-16T17:06:00.006-06:00

Back around the time of the first Chicago snowfall, I had dinner at MK. This was my second experience at the restaurant and I didn't stray too far from my comfort zone...

Since I'm not so good at picking out wine, the sommelier was kind enough to bring out a few selections. We ended up with a Cabernet that had a strong strawberry flavor...it hit the spot and was within the budget - two excellent points to consider when picking out wine.

To start, I had the beet salad with blue cheese. It was just the right size and packed with the flavors of red and gold beets, cheese and nut oil. Last time I dined at MK, I had the Nantucket Bay scallops...they were divine. However, scallops are now from Maine and I'm not a big horseradish fan, so I had to take a pass.

My main course was the lobster and whitefish. I had this last time and absolutely loved it. Good lobster is hard to come by...especially when it's paired with well prepared/flavored whitefish. The only downside -- I found a few bones in my fish, which was odd.

Although the desserts at MK are to die for, I had to take a pass because the waiter brought out a complimentary bday dessert...I had completely forgotten that I told them it was a birthday celebration when I called. So, this was a nice surprise and just the right amount of sweet to end the night.

If you haven't been to MK, it's a great special occasion spot!

FEED Granola

2008-12-02T10:11:00.003-06:00

Check out Bring the Hope's post on FEED granola. This granola sounds absolutely delicious, but the post talks about their FEED Hope program. FEED gives back to local communities like ours...it's nice to see a company recognize their success and have the desire to share it.

If you're in Chicago, you can find this yummy granola at Jewel and Urban Fresh.

Chocolate Frosting

2008-12-01T22:29:00.003-06:00

Tomorrow I will embark on one of my favorite activities, making homemade chocolate frosting. I usually make a lot more than necessary in order to have copious amounts of leftovers to lick from the bowl.

I'm making a massive batch of chocolate cupcakes...so if you have a good cupcake recipe, send it my way. Otherwise, I may be stuck with the box of Betty Crocker fudge cake.

First Slice

2008-11-24T18:34:00.004-06:00

I just read about a great organization, First Slice, in this week's Time Out Chicago and thought it was worth sharing. First Slice was started in Chicago by two chefs and offers meal subscription plans for families or singletons.

Hmm, not having to cook dinner after work or clean the kitchen three times a week? Read on...

For singles, three three-course meals are provided each week for $35. But there's a catch! The subscription also pays for the same exact meal plan for a hungry Chicagoan.

Not only are you eating well, but you can guarantee that someone else is eating well too.

Sounds like a very fulfilling idea to me!

Top Chef New York

2008-11-12T12:16:00.002-06:00

The day has finally come, Top Chef season five starts tonight! I am counting down the hours until the show...and welcoming T.C. back into my Wednesday nights.

Keep an eye out for the contestant from Chicago, Radhika. She's the exec chef at Between Boutique and Cafe . Fun fact - she is one of the youngest female chefs of Eastern Indian descent. From the looks of the Web site, she can cook up some pretty exotic dishes.

Hope you can watch tonight!

Graham Elliot

2008-11-03T09:30:00.002-06:00

I recently tried Graham Elliot, which is described as refined dining that breaks the rules. Just my style.

I think the biggest hit of the night was the popcorn, which is served instead of bread. There's a seasonal flavor, which is currently a buttery garlic that's addictive and definitely a crowd pleaser. We finished our first basket and they quickly brought a second. When our meal came, it was really tough to part with the basket...no one wanted those last few kernels to go to waste.

The starters were also excellent -- the red wine risotto was a perfect portion of rich, bold flavor and the ceasar salad was really unique with huge crutons and a "deconstructed" presentation.

I also really like when waiters explain all of the meals as they place them on the table. Half the time I can't remember what was in my meal by the time it arrives and it's also fun to see what everyone else ordered.

My main course was maple glazed scallops with oatmeal and butternut squash. It was a great fall dish that combined some of my favorite flavors.

Dessert was a reconstructed snickers bar...fudge, peanuts, salted caramel and peanut nougat. It was a great dessert to share when all you need is a little bit of sweetness.

If you're looking for something new and different, Graham Elliot is the place to try.

Marche

2008-10-31T17:40:00.002-05:00

If you have a gourmet palate like moi and don't have a big budget to match, try Marche. On Mondays and Wednesdays, they have a prix fixe special -- $28.95 for an app, entree and dessert. And they mean ANYTHING on the menu. I had a nice pork chop that was $29 any other night of the week...and got to throw in an appetizer and dessert for free.

The atmosphere is colorful and fun, but not too loud and the French food is delicious. I recommend the beet salad to start...and the profiteroles to finish.

Hard to beat that kind of deal!

Store Bought Cake

2008-10-31T17:35:00.002-05:00

I have a passion for store bought cake that can't be explained. I'm not talking "bakery" cake...more along the lines of chain-grocery-store-bought-cake. Sheet cake with that sickeningly sweet icing..mmm.

Don't get me wrong - I love baking and cakes/cupcakes are on the top of my list...but I have a special place in my heart for store bought cake.

So, when I came across this blog, I had to share it. Cake Wrecks is an entire site dedicated to cakes gone wrong. Check out their Halloween selections...can the creators of these cakes even call themselves bakers? I'll let you be the judge.

Lou Mitchell's

2008-10-31T10:34:00.002-05:00

If you haven't been to Lou Mitchell's and you live in Chicago, we have a problem. This is a place you don't want to miss.

Lou's is located downtown near the Sears Tower and was featured on Top Chef Chicago this past year. It's a classic breakfast place with some great touches that make it memorable.

For example, ladies and their children receive Milk Duds upon arrival and everyone gets a donut hole while they wait. After your meal, you're treated to complimentary soft serve.

When I arrived a few Saturdays ago, there was a long line and I was immediately discouraged. However, the hostess quickly ushered us into the restaurant so we didn't have to stand in the cold. She had clearly done this before and reassured us we would be seated soon if we lined up in twos...I kind of felt like we were ants, lining up two by two.

Within ten minutes, I was seated with my coffee in hand and only a few minutes later my pancakes arrived. The food was heavenly and the old school diner atmosphere was a great change from my usual hip/trendy brunch spots.

I highly recommend Lou Mitchell's, it's a great place for tourists, families and Chicagoans alike.

Trader Joe's Pumpkin Bread

2008-10-20T14:55:00.002-05:00

I love the displays when you walk into Trader Joe's, they always have a good selection of cheap items that make easy, delicious meals. This weekend, the TJ's Pumpkin Bread Mix was front and center.

I have a very picky palate when it comes to pumpkin flavors, but this mix suits my fancy. All you have to do is add water, oil and eggs...and voila! For a little variation, I added mini-chocolate chips into the mix and on top of the bread. This bread won't last long...and I'll probably be back next weekend for more mix.

If you Google "Trader Joes Pumpkin Bread Mix," there are a lot of other suggestion... such as adding pumpkin butter and other yummy things into the mix.

I think this is a well spent $2.99

Starbuck's Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate

2008-10-15T14:12:00.002-05:00

Starbucks decided to torture me this fall by combining two things I love in one drink. How am I supposed to restrain myself?

Imagine the taste of my favorite caramel corn, fresh out of the popper at Garrett's. It's a little salty with a lot of sweet caramel flavor. Yum. If you've never been to Chicago to experience Garrett's, you're missing out...but that's another story.

Next up, chocolate...you can't go wrong with chocolate in anything. Starbuck's makes a Signature Hot Chocolate that has rich, full flavor -- a step up from my usual Swiss Miss.

Put those two together and you have Starbucks Salted Caramel Signature Hot Chocolate. It's topped off with whipped cream, caramel and sea salt.

Who knows how long this will last, so drink up!

Blueberry Pancakes

2008-10-08T12:16:00.002-05:00

Along with the squash mentioned below, I also made some chicken with a buttermilk coating. Since buttermilk is kind of random and I had to buy a large container, I did a little research on it's uses.

Good news -- buttermilk is used in a lot of recipes. Bad news -- I have a day job and can't sit at home baking cupcakes and whoopie pie.

Solution -- pancakes. I love breakfast for dinner and since yesterday was a gloomy day, I enjoyed some blueberry pancakes for dinner...and then again for breakfast today. A quick search on the Food Network Web site yielded a ton of pancake recipes, but I chose this one.

The recipe was simple to follow and most of the ingredients, minus the berries, were already in the cabinet. I have to say the batter was much better this morning because it had time to settle...but either way I enjoyed two yummy meals of pancakes and still have some buttermilk leftover for a weekend brunch.

Squash

2008-10-08T12:12:00.003-05:00

Since fall is in full swing, I've had to modify my farmer's market shopping list and add things like squash to the mix. I recently made a yummy acorn squash (it looked just like the picture right there, but that's not my squash). Paula Deen's totally healthy recipe included butter, brown sugar, salt and syrup. It's a really easy side dish that requires little effort and tastes great.

Next week I'll try butternut squash...anyone have a good recipe?

McDonald's

2008-09-29T16:51:00.002-05:00

I know what you're thinking, McDonald's is not gourmet. However, I disagree if you're talking about the McD's restaurant near the Oak Brook HQ. I am constantly amazed at how tasty the meals are...today my quarter pounder with cheese had sliced onions (not the blob of diced that you usually get), a thick slice of melted cheese and several pickles. The bun was a toasty perfection and for a split second I forgot that I was eating McDonald's. Thankfully I snapped out of it and remembered I had fries and an orange pop to consume too! Next time you're out in the Western burbs, check it out...

Restaurant News

2008-09-26T12:53:00.002-05:00

If you stalk the restaurant scene as much as I do, here is a Web site you can't live without. Appropriately named The Guide to the Good Life, this site provides an endless amount of lifestyle info, including Chicago restaurant news. I'll be checking back frequently as I hear Dale from Top Chef is set to open his new spot pretty soon!

Thanks to my very sage friend for this helpful recommendation.

Farmers Markets

2008-09-24T08:52:00.002-05:00

This summer, I became a regular at several farmers markets across the city. Not only did this habit support local farmers, it also encouraged me to eat more healthy meals. Ok ok, it also encouraged me to make more apple pie and peach cobbler...but I need dessert with every meal!

If you haven't visited one yet, don't worry...farmers market season isn't over yet! Check out this site for a list of the city's markets. And, if you're not sure what to make with all of your fresh ingredients, just ask! Many of the vendors have helpful cooking tips that they are more than willing to share.

More, More, More!!

2008-09-24T08:46:00.002-05:00

After months of anticipation, More Cupcakes has finally opened! Located (in)conveniently close to my office, More offers a myriad of cupcake options. On day one we had a little office outing over to More and by the time we left, they were wiped out of most flavors. I tried to be adventurous...but I think I'm more of a traditionalist. My favorites so far are the "more," which is like a gourmet hostess cupcake with a huge marshmallow center, and the salted caramel which oozes homemade caramel out of the center. The non-traditional flavors like maple and bacon, champagne and brie and apple cinnamon bacon have been a hit with others in the office. For now, I think I'll stick to satisfying my sweet tooth with the sugary selections.

Twin Cities

2008-09-05T11:29:00.003-05:00

I've spent the past week in the Twin Cities and thought I'd share some of my favorite dining spots. While I ate a lot of boxed lunches and takeout, I did find the time to visit a good restaurant in each of the Twin Cities and nearby Edina.

*In St. Paul, I visited Cossetta's Italian Market for one of the best cannoli's I've had in a while. And yes, I did eat my dessert first. My meal was excellent too -- mostacholi and garlic bread. The pasta tasted homemade and was drenched in cheese and sauce, which was definitely made with fresh ingredients. I was kind of bummed I couldn't take home frozen pasta and sauce from the market. The one thing I didn't try was the pizza, which you can smell from a mile away..maybe next time.

*In Edina, I had Mexican at Tejas. The waiter made guac at the table, which was good, but not great. I'm probably spoiled from J's and Adobo...but I just wasn't impressed with his skill. It's kind of a bummer to take a bite and realize you have a huge chunk of onion and garlic and a tiny bit of avacado on the chip. The main course made up for my dissapointment though. I had chicken tacos with avacado salsa. I was literally scooping up the beans and rice with my soft taco shell. Overall, this was a great break from the usual boxed lunch.

*In Minneapolis, I had a great meal at The View. We started off the meal with beef bites over a bed of fried onions strings. The portion size was perfect and the meat was cooked just long enough. Normally I don't love onions, but these were like mini onion rings and I couldn't get enough of them. Our main course was blackened fish tacos. YUM! These tacos were topped with some of my favorite ingredients including guac, sour cream and a spicy salsa. I was really impressed...I just hope they didn't catch my dinner across the street in Lake Calhoun.

Classics - Kraft Mac & Cheese

2008-08-24T22:02:00.003-05:00

I know I've talked about Kraft Mac & Cheese before...but I thought it deserved a solo post. At a bbq this weekend, a few boxes M&C were prepared for the kids table. Yet, every "adult" piled M&C onto their plate, almost defensively noting that the kids had plenty to eat and wouldn't even notice.

By the end of dinner, we all agreed that the M&C really made the meal...and maybe every bbq should serve it. I don't know what it is about the orange, buttery pasta that truly makes it the best, but it really is in a class of it's own.

Adobo Grill

2008-08-24T21:51:00.002-05:00

The weather was kind of cool today, which made me a little nervous that summer aka my guacamole season, was coming to an end. So, I decided to stop by Adobo Grill for dinner. I'll admit, I've been a little hesitant to go back after the whole tomato scare...but I think that's safely behind us.

The guac was excellent and I ate every bite, however it wasn't the highlight of my meal. Instead, it was an excellent mushroom soup. The bowl arrived dry with mushrooms, onions and cubes of cheese. I was a little perplexed until the server arrived again and poured the mushroom bisque from a pitcher onto the dry ingredients. I liked this technique because it not only ensured that the ingredients were fresh and not mushy, but he also didn't have to worry about spilling while putting the bowl at my place.

I was pretty satisfied with my visit, although it didn't include a margarita so I'll have to go back again soon!

Gourtmet Vaca

2008-08-01T11:04:00.002-05:00

I've been away from the blog for a while...which means I've been eating PB&J, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese and a lot of cereal. Don't get me wrong - I love all of those foods, but I usually eat them when I'm on a budget.

This was a very gourmet budget -- I'm heading to Nantucket tomorrow and will be dining out at 21 Federal, the Pearl, Black Eyed Susans and more...

I look forward to sharing my dining experiences next week!

Cupcake Heaven

2008-07-20T20:19:00.004-05:00

On Saturday, I ventured up to Southport to check out Southport Grocery for brunch. I am confident that I'll be going back there very soon.

My morning started with cupcake pancakes (did they create these with me in mind!?) which are made out of their vanilla cake batter and come with vanilla sugar butter and maple syrup. The waiter actually double checked if I wanted to give up my plate after he caught me trying to catch all of the crumbs onto my fork before he got to the table.

When I wasn't licking my own plate clean, I had a chance to try the grilled coffee cake and some tasty tater tots on my friends' plates. We all agreed that this was a completely satisfying meal, but we still needed a little something extra for later.

As you walk into line to pay your bill, it's impossible not to notice the bakery case. So I decided to try a few chocolate cupcakes. I'm pretty skeptical considering I've tried more than 4 cupcake bakeries in Chicago and I'm fairly picky.

Let's just say these cupcakes were heavenly. The chocolate cake was a perfect consistency, as was the thick vanilla frosting. I attribute that to the magic ingredient -- European style butter. Maybe I should start taste testing cupcakes in Europe...yumm

Chilly M&M

2008-07-16T21:09:00.002-05:00

Shout out to the M&M store for having volunteers passing out free M&M ice cream bars on Michigan Avenue today...a nice cold treat on one of the hottest days this summer. Hopefully my coworkers didn't notice my blue M&M stained lips :)

Goddess & Grocer

2008-07-15T16:49:00.002-05:00

One of my new favorite lunch spots is Goddess and Grocer and I just learned that they deliver!

G&G has an excellent selection of toppings for make-your-own salads and I've become obsessed with the Goddess dressing. It's a little lemony with some sesame and soy flavors...tastes great with every salad I've made. (Tip - they sell the dressing in the store, so you can keep a bottle at home or work and put as much or as little as you want on your salad)

They also have great sandwiches...specifically the magic mushroom panini. It includes two of my favorite ingredients: portobello mushrooms, melted brie. YUM.

A bonus is that G&G also has prepared food that's perfect to heat up for dinner. So, while you're getting your lunch you can pick up dinner, dessert and a bottle of wine. That's what I call one stop shopping.

Top Dogs

2008-07-02T16:00:00.001-05:00

Did you know that July is national hot dog month? I realize I just posted about hot dogs...but I want to make sure everyone knows about this glorious month.

If you're planning on grilling hot dogs this July, check out the Chicago Tribune's article on the best hot dogs in the supermarket.

BOKA

2008-07-02T15:26:00.003-05:00

Last week, I finally had my first and highly anticipated BOKA dinner. My expectations were high because Perennial was such a great experience and BOKA was definitely on par.

For one thing, they serve Flowers wine. It's my official special occassion wine...and it's kind of like heaven in a glass of red wine. Ironically, we drank their special blend called Perennial! I won't waste your time by describing how it tasted, just take my word for it -- they make really good wine.

Ok, back to BOKA. The tuna appetizer was scrumptious and I was kind of bummed that I had to share it. One part was mild and the other was spicy, so it was just enough spice for my taste. The only thing I didn't like was the quail egg...it kind of grossed me out. I never claimed I was mature enough to eat these fancy things!

I decided to do a comparison and try the trout at BOKA as well. It was cooked to perfection and I really liked the truffle emulsion. Hard to say which was better, so let's call it a tie between the two trouts.

Now onto the dessert --the chocolate cake had some sort of tea infusion and almost tasted smokey. However, there were chocolate covered cherries on the side and the combo of cake/cherry diffused the smokey flavor. My compliments to the chef.

Bottom line - try out BOKA.

Taxation without Representation

2008-07-02T14:08:00.002-05:00

The new 10.25% sales tax is really not helping me and my love for afternoon snacks. My small frozen yogurt at King Cafe just cost $4.35. That's almost the exact same price I paid for my salad at lunch yesterday. Doesn't anything come cheap anymore!?

Classics - Hot Dogs at Wrigley

2008-06-25T22:48:00.003-05:00

My definition of summer includes two very important things - Cubs and hot dogs. Tonight I got to experience both in the friendly confines...and the Cubs won, too! Check out the Food Network's instructions on how to make a Wrigley style hot dog.

I have to confess, I really prefer ketchup over mustard...I know, I know...it's very wrong. I blame my days at Vienna Beef in Hubbard Woods, nothing beat their dog with ketchup, celery salt and a pickle.

Reading, Writing & Eating - Chapter 1

2008-06-23T21:05:00.008-05:00

My fabulous roomies got me two books for my birthday so I could brush up on my skills - Will Write for Food & The Everything Blogging Book. Look forward to more exciting posts about what I learn along the way...

312 Chicago

2008-06-22T21:13:00.002-05:00

If you're looking for excellent Italian, check out 312 Chicago. I highly recommend their goat cheese ravioli with fava beans. This is a great spot if you work in the Loop or you're going to one of the nearby theatres.

new on the scene: Perennial

2008-06-22T21:01:00.002-05:00

Located just down the street from my house, Perennial recently opened and I'm already a huge fan. As many of you know, I've been watching the progress as the building was renovated and literally could not wait to go there once I saw the doors were open. Perennial is owned by the same guys that brought us BOKA & Landmark and they're definitely 3 for 3...and I'm not just saying that because we got a tour after dinner :)

I licked my plate of rainbow trout clean and even at the peas on the side! Maybe that's because they were on a delicious carrot puree with little bits of bacon and pea emulsion (aka foam...all these fancy terms are a bit much for me). The desserts were very creative -- my baileys and coffee was actually a little brownie with warm chocolate sauce next to a tiny scoop of coffee ice cream, alongside a pouf of baileys mousse. Yum.

Next up, BOKA.

Mmm Beer

2008-06-16T21:00:00.002-05:00

I'm not the biggest fan of beer, but New Belgium's Sunshine wheat beer was definitely made with me in mind. It's called Sunshine, enough said.

If you're wondering what it tastes like, I'm going to leave the description to the New Belgium experts: this beer swirls in the mouth with ripples of coriander and orange peel tartness, settling into a sea of honey and apple tones.

Twisted Sister

2008-06-16T20:25:00.002-05:00

While Sweet Mandy B's still holds the #1 place in my heart, I would be remiss if I didn't mention my latest addiction - Twisted Sister. Located at 1543 N. Wells, just above One Yellow Shoe, this bakery is the perfect Old Town addition. I love cupcakes and their banana chocolate chip cupcake with chocolate frosting really hits the spot. And, I can fool myself into thinking it's healthy...bananas are good for you right?? The mini cookies are also delicious and there are always samples at the counter!

I love the little things in life, so I really appreciate the "bib" around my individually boxed cupcake that keeps the frosting in place for my walk home :)

Classics: Funnel Cake

2008-06-16T09:39:00.002-05:00

Funnel cake has been one of my favorite treats since I discovered it at the Winnetka sidewalk sale many, many years ago. Luckily for me it was served at this weekend's Old Town Art Fair, so I didn't have to walk far to find it. Here's a shout out to the PA Dutch who really appreciate the many uses of a deep fryer!