banana cream pie

So there's this little dessert shop in New York - Magnolia Bakery. Maybe you've heard of it?!

People go on and on about their cupcakes. But, I'll let you in on a little secret. The banana cream pie is where it's at.

They mix in fluffy whipped cream with their banana pudding so every bite is light and creamy and decadent. It's that sort of dessert where you have to close your eyes and enjoy every. single. bite.

We made a slight variation on the traditional recipe. Instead of vanilla wafer cookies, we used a salted chocolate cookie crust. The crust really complements the sweetness of the pudding.

The result was just as good as Magnolia's. It's helping me get through my winter blues - when will the snow and rain stop?

We used this recipe from the Momofuku cookbook - another dessert shop I adore in NYC. Try their corn cookies. Trust me.

creamy lemon pasta with spinach and chickpeas

My absolute favorite recipes are the most forgiving. The sort of recipes that you can leave the kitchen half way through, watch part of Homeland, and then get back to the cooking. These recipes never require a ton of ingredients and are reliably tasty.

Life is busy around these parts. I've been whipping up massive portions of pastas like this one, so I have dinner for a couple of days.

The citrus and goat cheese are bright and creamy and the spinach and chickpeas offer a bit of veggies and protein to get you through the day. This dish heats up beautifully, so you won't be dreading your leftovers.

creamy lemon pasta with spinach and chickpeas

12 oz dried pasta (I used a combination of pastas I had in the cupboard. Any short pasta will work).
1 can chickpeas
3 cups spinach
6 oz goat cheese
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt and pepper

Bring a pot of water up to boil. Generously salt the pepper. Boil your pasta according to the directions on the packaging.

On medium high heat, place the spinach in a pan with 2 tablespoons of water. Cover and let spinach wilt, about 3-5 minutes. Stir spinach and season with salt and pepper. Mix in goat cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, and chickpeas. Season to taste.

Drain pasta and mix with sauce.

blueberry thyme waffles

You know what's amazing? Waffles. You know what's even more amazing? When you slyly mention that waffles sound delicious and then 5 minutes later your husband is making you waffles from scratch.

Oh, Sundays.

This waffle recipe is delicious. It would satisfy any waffle lover. It somehow manages to be light and fluffy but toothsome at the same time. It's delicate but filling. And it holds up wonderful to toppings, which - let's be honest here - is half the reason that I love waffles.

Two fun facts for you:
Blueberries should always be cooked with thyme and black pepper. They need each other.
I have discovered the magic of making homemade whipped cream in a magic bullet blender. Easy breezy.

The combination of the waffle with savory blueberries and fluffy whipped cream? The perfect Sunday morning meal.

blueberry thyme topping
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 tablespoon jam (I used strawberry)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh thyme

Mix all ingredients in a pot and place over medium high heat. Cook for 10 minutes. Let rest for a few minutes before serving, in order to let the sauce thicken up slightly. 

dried cherry, gruyere, and brussel sprout salad

So the other night we ordered in dinner at work. One of my coworkers tossed a menu on my desk from a neighboring bowling alley. I was fairly skeptical, but she claimed that they took their food seriously and I would not be disappointed.

I was rather impressed. So much so, that I attempted to recreate my dinner just a few days later.

And that is how I ended up with a dried cherry, toasted almond, brussel sprout, and gruyere salad. So random. So good.

I ordered mine with a grilled salmon fillet. Even better.

cherry and gruyere brussel sprout salad
2 cups arugula
1 lb. brussel sprouts
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds
8 oz. gruyere, cubed
1/4 cup olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper

Place balsamic vinegar in a pot over high heat. Boil until reduced in half.

Bring a pot of water up to boil. Clean the brussel sprouts and peel off all the leaves. Place the leaves into the boiling water for about a minute. Remove the leaves and place in a bowl of ice water, to stop the cooking. Dry the brussel sprout leaves with a salad spinner or between paper towels.

Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, and salt and pepper.

Mix together the arugula, blanched brussel sprouts, cherries, almonds, and gruyere. Gently toss with dressing. Drizzle with reduced vinegar.

grapefruit meringue tart

This tart deserves a prize. I came home from a long week of work and Josh had made this tart. It was just sitting there in the kitchen, waiting to be eaten. So there’s that.

And I should point out that it’s delicious. The crust is unique – somewhere between shortbread and an English biscuit. It’s subtle and chewy and probably my new favorite crust. The grapefruit curd is just different enough from a typical lemon one, so it feels a bit special. And the meringue offers a touch of creaminess.

The tart is beautiful and not overbearingly sweet – you almost want to convince yourself that it’s okay to eat it for breakfast. Don’t worry, I maintained self-control  (well, this time).

Josh also whipped this up on Wednesday and we served leftovers to guests on Friday and they were still raving about it. We just stored it in the fridge with loose plastic wrap and let it warm up on the counter for about an hour before serving it.

grapefruit meringue tart

adapted from rachel khoo

Grapefruit curd:

1 grapefruit, zest and juice

1 egg plus, 1 egg yolk

3 ½ oz. sugar

Pinch of salt

1 heaping tsp flour

1 ¾ oz. soft butter, cubed

Measure 6 tablespoons of grapefruit juice into a pan and whisk with the zest, sugar, salt, and eggs over low heat. Slowly mix in the flour and whisk continuously. Once the curd is thick and has released a bubble or two, remove it from the heat and whisk in the butter, a cube at a time. Pour into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, placing it directly on top of the curd to prevent a skin forming. Refrigerate for at least an hour (best overnight).

Biscuit base:

2 ¾ oz butter, very soft but not melted

2 ¾ oz sugar

Generous pinch of salt

½ lemon, zest only

2 egg yolks

3 ½ oz flour

2 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch spring form pan. Cream together the butter and sugar with the salt and lemon zest until fluffy and pale in color. Add the egg yolks and continue to beat. Whisk the flour and baking powder together and then add to the creamed mixture and continue beating until the dough comes together as smooth paste. Put the dough into a piping bag (or a large Ziploc bag with the corner clipped off).

Pipe the dough in rings around the outside of the spring form pan, working your way in. Ensure the dough is spread evenly, use a knife to spread the mixture if necessary.

Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden, but not too dark.

Meringue:

3 ½ oz sugar

2 egg whites

Pinch of salt

½ tsp pepper

Put the sugar into a pan with 1 oz of water and place on high heat. Bring to 118C (measures on a sugar thermometer), which will take about 10 minutes. (To test without a thermometer, drop a tiny bit of sugar syrup into a bowl of very cold water. When it forms a soft sticky ball, it’s ready.

While waiting for the sugar syrup, start whisking the eggs whites with the salt. Whisk until a light froth forms, stopping before any soft peaks are formed.

Once the sugar syrup has hit 118C, beat the eggs whites at the same time as pouring the syrup onto them in a thin stream. Don’t pour the syrup over the whisk, but down the side of the bowl. Add the pepper and continue to whisk for 10 minutes or until the egg whites are glossy and stiff.

While waiting for the sugar syrup, start whisking the egg whites with

To assemble:

Spoon the curd onto the biscuit base, and then gently spread the meringue atop. Place under a broiler until browned, about 1-2 minutes.

avocado and soft-boiled egg toast

So in my mind, there's weekday breakfast and then there's weekend breakfast. Weekdays are for heating up baked oatmeal and drinking your coffee in the car. Weekends are a bit more leisurely; there's a few extra moments of thought put into my breakfast.

I have an absurd obsession with eggs. Love them. In any which way or form. What would my last meal be? Eggs. I'm not kidding.

One of my favorite forms of eggs is soft-boiled, and I finally came across a full proof recipe at Cooks Illustrated! The egg white is fully set and the yoke is still a bit gooey, but firmer than the yoke of a poached egg. Divine.

I also have a love for avocado. Growing up in California, we had avocados with every single dinner. I am not overexaggerating. Sliced avocado with sea salt or with balsamic vinegar. It's amazing. Try it.

Have you all been seeing the rage about avocado toast? Toasted up bread with mashed avocado, some mayo or olive oil, sea salt and pepper? It's all over Pinterest and the blogs.

Well I upped the ante with a bit of soft-boiled egg action. It did not disappoint. With some of my favorite coffee, it was a wonderful way to start my Sunday.

avocado and soft-boiled egg toast
adapted from hither and thither
1 slice of bread, toasted (we had wheat, but any type would work)
1/2 avocado
Olive oil
2 soft-boiled eggs
Salt and pepper

Bring 1/2 inch of water up to boil. Place your eggs in the pot (with the shells on). Reduce heat to medium, cover with a lid, and cook for 6 1/2 minutes. Remove eggs and run under cool water, to stop the cooking. Gently remove the shells.

Mash the avocado on top of the toast. You want it to be sort of chunky. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Sprinkle with a generous amount of salt and pepper. Set your eggs on top, crack into them so the yoke oozes a bit, and enjoy!

veggie taco night

Some nights I just get an undeniable craving for Mexican food. But with the recent bleak weather out in Chicago, I've also had an undeniable need to take shelter in my warm apartment.

Solution = taco night at home.

I adore tacos in all forms. I love simple street tacos (carne asada, onions, and cilantro - yes!), fried fish tacos, or swanky, fancy tacos on late-night bar menus. But when I'm at home, I sort of like to mess around with unique flavors. I mean everything tastes good wrapped up in a tortilla, right?

After lots of back and forth, I settled on soyrizo + sauteed onions and peppers + apple and radish salsa in a maple mustard vinaigrette + sliced avocado + greek yogurt with sriracha mixture. Besides being a tad bit on the messy side, the tacos were amazing! Perfect combination of spicy, tangy, crunchy, creamy. I would make these again and again.

veggie tacos
Tortillas (I recently discovered Mission's artisan tortillas - they are the best store-bought version I've ever found)
avocado, sliced
soyrizo
2-3 bell peppers (I used a variety of colors)
1 yellow onion
1 T olive oil
1/4 cup greek yogurt
1 T sriracha
1 granny Smith apple
7 red radishes, scrubbed clean
1 T dijon mustard
2 oz goat cheese
1/2 T red wine vinegar
1 T maple syrup
Salt and pepper

Slice the onion thinly and saute over medium heat in a pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and cook until onions begin to soften, approximately 5 minutes. Slice the bell peppers into thin strips, mix in with the onions, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the bell peppers soften, an additional 5 minutes.

Cook the soyrizo in a pan over medium heat until some of the moisture evaporates, approximately 5 minutes.

Cut the apple into thin sticks, about the size of matchsticks. Cut the radishes into thin rounds. Mix the apples and radishes with the mustard, goat cheese, vinegar, and maple syrup. Season with salt and pepper.

Mix the Greek yogurt with the Sriracha.

Serve it up as a taco bar with all of the toppings in separate bowls. 

baked oatmeal

You know what they say....breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Most of the time, I'm running out the door, coffee in one hand and granola bar or slice of toast in the other. I'm usually starving by about 10am.

I made a pan of baked oatmeal this past weekend. It's delicious and keeps me unbelievably full. I went with a pretty straightforward recipe, but I'm looking forward to changing it up (maybe some quinoa or steel cut oats?).

Every morning, I scooped out a portion into a bowl poured a bit of almond milk over it (you can use whatever milk suits you) and popped it in the microwave for about a minute. Sprinkle on some fruit (berries...bananas...oooh, pears would be delicious!) and you have yourself a quick and wholesome breakfast.

baked oatmeal
recipe via a kitchen cafe

3 cups rolled oats
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup oil
1 cup milk (I used almond milk)
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 cup flax seed
2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 13 inch round pan or a glass 9 x 12 dish.

Mix together syrup, oil, and eggs. Mix with remaining ingredients. Bake for 35 minutes in a round pan or 25 minutes in a 9 x 12 dish.

peanut butter jelly time

For all of you peanut butter and jelly lovers out there, this ones for you.

These cookies are just the right mix of salty/savory (peanut butter) and lovely sweet (jelly). They really are a match made in heaven.

We followed Miss Martha's recipe pretty closely and they turned out fabulous. We mistakenly left them out on a cakestand and managed to eat through a full batch in a weekend. Apparently New Year's resolutions do not exist in our house.

We also made this lovely concoction this past weekend and it was sinfully gorgeous. I - in my excitement - forgot to take a picture. So we shall be making them again shortly and posting here. Oh darn....

spicy sweet potatoes

These potatoes are ridiculous. Like my new favorite comfort food. Except they're totally healthy.

Warning: they have a kick to them. You know when you used to eat Flamin' Hot Spicy Cheetos and they were so spicy, but so addicting, so you just had to keep eating them? It's sort of like that.

By the way, if you still each Spicy Cheetos, I won't judge you.

Oh and this whole Greek yogurt and Sriracha combination? Phenomenal. I put it on everything. Tacos. Eggs. Do it...

spicy sweet potatoes
2 medium sweet potatoes, washed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Greek yogurt (I love Fage)
Sriracha

Thinly cut the sweet potatoes. Toss in a pan over medium heat with the oil, cumin, red pepper flakes, salt and  pepper. Cover the pan with a lid and cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 15 minutes. Stir frequently.

Serve with a large dollop of Greek yogurt and a generous drizzle of Sriracha. Have a glass of water nearby.

white bean, turkey, and swiss chard stew

I've determined the perfect answer to a long, cold day.

Soup.

I made white bean, turkey, and swiss chard stew to be exact. But, honestly, any and every soup is perfect. It warms the soul and fills you up. Oh and it's pretty inexpensive.

And I love that you make a giant batch of it and then make it stretch by adding a bit more meat and a bit more broth.

There shall be more soup. And I'm excited about it.

I mean, like seriously, how good does this and this and this look? Sunday shall be weekly "cook a soup" day.

white bean, turkey, and swiss chard stew
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 medium carrots, peeled
1 medium white onion
3 celery stalks
12 oz. shredded turkey, white and dark meat (chicken would be great too!)
1 can cannelini beans, rinsed
6 cups chicken stock
2 tablesoons worchestire sauce
10-12 dashes tobasco
3-4 oz. of shredded pecorino

1 bunch swiss chard, thoroughly cleaned and shredded, stalks removed
Juice of 1 lemon

Salt and pepper, to taste

Chop the onion, carrot, and celery into similarly sized pieces. Place the carrots over medium heat in a soup pot with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for approximately 3-4 minutes. Add in onion and celery. Season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook until the vegetables release liquid and the onions turn translucent in color. Add chicken stock, turkey, beans, worchestire sauce, tobasco, and pecorino. Season with salt and pepper. Let soup cook on medium low heat until it starts to slightly thicken, approximately 30 minutes. Stir every so often.

About 15 minutes before serving, mix in swiss chard and stir through the soup until the chard wilts. Add lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Service with slices of lemon and shredded pecorino.

jetting off to india

(image via la petit coterie)

I'm off to India for a business trip. I'm not all too familiar with Indian cuisine, but I'm lucky to have a friend who's been introducing me to some of her favorite dishes from home. I'm sort of obsessed with naan and chutneys and the dosas are fantastic. I know I have an abundance of new flavors awaiting me, and I'm looking forward to sharing them here.

pot pie crust

What is everyone's favorite part about a pot pie? That's right, the crust. If you answered something other than the crust, you are obviously confused.

I have discovered the mecca of crusts. This is undoubtedbly the finest pot pie crust recipe ever created. It comes from none other than my beloved Smitten Kitchen.

We've made swiss chard and pancetta pies. Leftover turkey pies. We've even eaten the crust straight up with cranberry sauce. (It was insanely good, you should try it).

We made a big batch of the dough, wrapped it up tight, and stored it in the freezer. It defrosts in the fridge in just a few hours.

Just a tip: when you use this crust, it's best to brush it with an egg wash (1 egg, whisked with 1 tablespoon water) to give it that beautiful golden color.

pot pie crust
makes 4 individual sized crusts
recipe from Smitten Kitchen

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon table salt
13 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced
6 tablespoons whole Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/4 cup ice water

In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Add the butter and, using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, cut them up and into the flour mixture until it resembles little pebbles. Keep breaking up the bits of butter until the texture is like uncooked couscous. In a small dish, whisk together the yogurt, vinegar, and water, and combine it with the butter-flour mixture. Using a flexible spatula, stir the wet and the dry together until a sticky dough forms. Using your hands, knead the dough a few times into one big ball. Pat it into a flattish ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and chill it in the fridge for 1 hour or up to 2 days. Or wrap tightly and freeze for several months.

spicy kale and goat cheese pesto

Kale is one of those winter vegetables that makes me forget that the world outside my (very heated) apartment doors is practically tundra-like. It's so vibrant and hearty and satisfying and versatile. I almost - almost - stop reminiscing about my summer tomatoes and berries.

This past weekend, Josh turned the traditional pesto recipe upside down. What was once basil-centric, is now filled with the depth and loveliness of kale. He paired it with goat cheese to give it a bit of creaminess and finished it with a dash of vinegar and a healthy dose of red pepper flakes.

It was divine.

We made enough to feed us for days because sometimes we get a little carried away with ourselves. But it heats up just splendidly.

spicy kale and goat cheese pesto
serves 4 
adapted from 101 Cookbooks

4 cloves garlic, peeled
3 small shallots, peeled
1 bunch kale, stalks removed and washed
1/3 cup olive oil
2 oz goat cheese
1/2 T white wine vinegar
Hefty pinch of red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper

Bring a pot of salted water up to a boil. Boil the garlic and shallots for approximately 2 minutes. Stir in the kale. After approximately 10 seconds, remove all ingredients with a slotted spoon directly into a food processor. Add in the oil, goat cheese, vinegar, and red pepper flakes. Pulse until fully mixed through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve over your favorite pasta. I enjoyed this with penne rigate.

shaved brussel sprout salad

Ok. I know I just shared a brussel sprout recipe with you last week. But this one is completely different, I swear. This is the sort of every-night-of-the-week recipe. Plus brussel sprouts are uber good for you.

I could (and have) eaten this salad with my hands. Don't ever make it ahead of time and leave it on your counter while preparing other dishes. You will finish this salad off as your own private appetizer. (I speak from experience). It's rather addicting.

shaved brussel sprout salad

2 pounds brussel sprouts, trimmed, cleaned, and cut into thin strips
1/2 cup roasted and salted shelled pistachios
1/2 cup shredded parmesan
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire
A healthy dash of salt and pepper

Whisk parmesan, olive oil, mustard, vinegar, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Toss with brussel sprouts and pistachios. Enjoy!

caramel apple cheesecake bars

Want some insight into my life at this very moment? I am sitting at my desk in leggings, thick socks, a thermal, and a beanie. It is cold.

You know it's cold when your husband runs the trash out in the morning and comes back in and nonchalantly mentions it's snowing outside. 

This Californian has no idea what's coming at her in the next few months of Chicago winter.

I should have something warm to give you. Perhaps a bread pudding or even a warm chocolate cake. 

But, no, I have chilled cheesecake bars. Hold on, hold on. These bars are insane. Soul-warming good. Josh fixed them up for Thanksgiving dinner, and we could not get enough. I think I caught all members of our house picking at the leftovers directly from the fridge this weekend. I'm not even embarrassed.

Make them this Holiday season. It's a refreshing break from sugar cookies. 

The apple topping is tossed in cinnamon and nutmeg and makes your house smell lovely and Holiday-ish. You will thank me. 

The recipe calls for caramel topping. You can totally buy it from the store. I whipped up a quick batch of Smitten Kitchen's homemade salted caramel sauce. I think it added a little somethin' somethin' to the bars. Just a tip.

caramel apple cheesecake bars

recipe from Miss Paula Dean

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup butter, softened

2 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 Granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 cup caramel topping

Streusel:

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup quick cooking oats

1/2 cup butter, softened.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bow, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender (or a fork) until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. 

Combine all streusel ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 1/2 cup sugar with an electric mixture until smooth. Then add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust.

Stir together apples, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle evenly with streusel topping. Bake 30 minutes, or until filling is set. Let cool approximately 30 minutes. Drizzle with caramel topping. Let bars set for an hour in the fridge. Cut and serve.

thanksgiving cocktails

With any family holiday, a bit of imbibing is necessary. I pulled together a few options that caught my eye over on the Pinterest boards. Whether you're looking for one to serve alongside appetizers, desserts, or even with dinner, look no further

(bon appetit's pomegranate-champagne punch)

(spoon fork bacon's spiced white wine sangria)

(saveur's bourbon chai)

balsamic brussel sprouts

Things have been wild around here. Just unreal. And by this, I mean totally non-stop, busy busy, on-to-the-next-thing on a list of 100 things.

That sort of wild.

But things are happening. Exciting things. Things I can't talk about just yet. But happy and fulfilling and all together just plain good things.

Something else good and wild? These brussel sprouts.

I adore Thanksgiving. I plan for it and and develop menus and scratch out those menus and rewrite menus. I just started brainstorming Thanksgiving yesterday. (I told you it's been wild). So I just know there are some of you out there without any clue of what to make for a side dish.

Make. This.

Roasted brussel sprouts + balsamic glaze + dried cranberries = candy. It's addicting really.

I learned the deep, dark secret to keeping brussel sprouts from getting bitter. It's rather straight forward, really. Don't let them get involved with water.

Now, if you're like me, and feel morally obligated to rinse fruit and vegetables, I just made sure to thoroughly dry the sprouts with a paper towel. And they were wonderful. Simply fantastic.

I made this for a pre-Thanksgiving potluck. I roasted up the sprouts in the afternoon and then wrapped them up once they cooled down. Josh (see I told you I would give you credit!) made the balsamic glaze. Right before we left, we reheated the sprouts in the oven (covered with foil) at 300 degrees for about 10 minutes. I tossed them with the glaze and stirred through the cranberries. And we were on our way.

brussel sprouts with balsamic and cranberries
recipe from The Pioneer Woman

3 lbs brussel sprouts
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt, pepper
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup dried cranberries.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Trim and clean brussel sprouts. Half the sprouts and rinse them in a colander.  Pat them thoroughly dry with paper towels. Toss sprouts with oil and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Place in a large baking dish and put in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until tender and browning. Stir sprouts every 10-15 minutes to ensure even cooking.

Mix balsamic vinegar and sugar and heat in a saucepan until it comes to a boil. Reduce heat to medium until the mixtures reduces in half, approximately 15 minutes.

Stir sprouts with balsamic glaze and cranberries.

hot dougs

(chicago dog)

Fun fact: I did not like hot dogs until I was in college.

I don't know how a person all of a sudden develops a liking for hot dogs. Moreover, I don't why a person doesn't like hot dogs to begin with. But that's me. I can be strange.

The hot dog is a point of contention in the Chicago area. There is an absolutely clear recipe for the Chicago dog, but no one can quite agree on who does it best. And then there's the gourmet dogs.

(spicy chicken sausage with duck cracklings and seaweed salad)

Hot Dougs has it all. All the traditional dogs at amazing prices ($3 and under) and then a long list of gourmet options. I had severe FOMO the entire time I deliberated over what to order. What if I made the wrong decision?

Ultimately, Josh and I agreed on the traditional Chicago dog, a spicy chicken dog with duck cracklings and seaweed salad, and the foie gras and sauternes duck sausage. They were all unbelievable.

(foie gras and sauternes duck sausage with truffle aioli and foie gras mousse)

The spicy chicken dog was my personal favorite because of the play on textures from the juicy chicken sausage and the crunchy duck cracklings. The foie gras sausage was unbelievably decadent and was an incredibly close second.

I'm dying to go back to try the "taco pork sausage with green chili mustard, elote relish, and queso asadero" or the "bruschetta, mushroom, and beer chicken sausage with pesto aioli, roma tomatoes and fresh mozzarella cheese."

the lakefront punch

I have discovered my absolute new favorite way of serving cocktails for a party. It's so simple. I've seen the Barefoot Contessa do it umpteen times, but it didn't click. Until now.

So you have your beer and your wine. And a carafe of water.

And then...drumroll please...you add a pitcher of a signature cocktail.

Genius. Pure genius.

Dream up a cocktail that most people will like (or just use our successful little recipe below) and then set out a pitcher and some pretty glasses. It's a serve-your-own type of situation.

It looks great on your table and all the work is done before your guests even arrive.

My sort of party.

The Lakefront Punch
makes 24 drinks

1 750 ml bottle of Rye Whiskey
4 oz Maraschino
15 oz lemon juice
Peel of 8 lemons
25-30 mint leaves
20 dashes Angostura bitters
10 dashes Peychaud bitters
2 cups of frozen mixed berries
1 375 ml bottle of sparkling wine

Puree the frozen mixed berries with the lemon juice. Place blended mixture through a sieve to remove all large pieces.

Muddle lemon peels with the Maraschino, mint leaves, and bitters. Mix in Whiskey and blended fruit mixture. Top with sparkling wine.