Chicago Restaurant Week can be one of the most glorious - and indulgent - weeks of the year. If it's done right, you can get some incredible deals on lunches or dinners at restaurants you might not be able to afford otherwise.
I truly studied these menus to find the best of the best deals. You're better off first considering checking out new restaurants with menus that are really worth the cost. Here are a few highlights:
The inspiration behind this soup came from one of Trader Joe’s premade sauces – and somehow it really pulled these random ingredients together. It’s a hearty soup full of flavor. The lentils are meaty and delicious, while the swiss chard adds a buttery flavor a bit similar to spinach.
While these aren't necessarily the most traditional Thai ingredients, I thought the combination was delicious. You can always substitute spinach or other vegetables, too. My only regret is not adding some sort of noodle to this soup. The broth is so flavorful that it would be the perfect accompaniment for a noodle and tofu soup or a number of other combinations.
Continue reading " Thai Lentil and Swiss Chard Soup Recipe" »
Amaranth is one of the lesser-known grains out there, but that doesn’t make it any less amazing. It is an extremely small grain that looks a bit like quinoa but even more petite. Some use it for baking to add a bit of nutritional value and flavor – it’s also a great gluten-free alternative. It’s full of calcium, iron, protein and vitamin E. It does have some fat, but at least it's good fat.
The only way I've used amaranth is to pop it like popcorn and eating it with milk just like cereal. Most cereals are overly processed with tons of additives. Not only do I find that they aren’t filling enough, but I also eat way too much of them. That much sugar in the morning is not a good thing. Amaranth is perfect as a cereal because you can add as much sweetener or toppings as you like. The grain doesn’t have that much flavor on it’s own, but a few add-ins make all the difference.
Here’s how you pop amaranth. Turn your burner on medium heat, and put on your pot to preheat for a few minutes. Add your amaranth – just about 2 tablespoons because if you put in too much at once it won’t cook evenly. Cover immediately because it will really start popping all over the place. Since it burns easily, shake your pot around so it isn’t completely on the burner. The entire process should only take about 15 seconds.
It expands about 10 times when it's popped, so I found I only had to make about ¼ cup in total. I stirred in some turbinado sugar, cinnamon and vanilla and then topped mine with fresh blueberries. Add in your milk, and you’re good to go. It has a nice bit of a crunch and a nutty flavor. I’d recommend other toppings like dried fruits, sliced almonds or shaved coconut. You can find amaranth at your local Whole Foods or specialty foods store.
--Marly Schuman
Homemade burgers are a great way to make a little food go a long way. Even the most expensive ingredients can be stretched in a burger. Case in point is the salmon burger. I'm not talking about canned salmon. I mean fresh, Atlantic salmon. A pound of salmon is usually a serving for two people, but in this burger recipe it feeds four.
Even if you don't make these burgers, this barbeque hoisin sauce is one to add to your recipe book. It's sweet, strongly flavorful and just amazingly good. It really thickens upon standing, but you can still use the leftovers for a stir fry or as a dip for some Asian-inspired meatballs.
Continue reading "Salmon Burgers with Hoisin Barbeque Sauce" »
Ryan Poli's Tavernita opened just a few weeks ago to patrons hoping for the chic style of Mercadito, a bar dressed to impress and the flavors of Spain. Needless to say, guests haven't been disappointed.
The ambiance is sophisticated and trendy, and the food matches perfectly. The bigger problem is what to order. From crudos, to small plates and entree sized meals, there is almost as much to offer on the food menu as the drink menu. Here are four dishes worth the buzz.
Polenta is one of those dishes that is fancy, sophisticated and also extremely easy and cheap to make. There aren't many meals that fit into this category. You'll find polenta on the menu at fancy Italian restaurants, but why? Well, it's delicious, especially when it's made with plenty of cream and cheese. But you can make a lighter version at home that will cost you far less. Plus, a little bit goes a long way with this dish.
Serve your polenta as a main dish or as a side to grilled steak or chicken marsala. I topped mine with roasted acorn squash. Some balsamic roasted mushrooms or peppers would also make a great addition to the dish. Here are the basics.
Who doesn't love Nutella? I alway wish it was socially acceptable to eat it straight up. When I tried Ritter Sport's milk chocolate with whole hazelnuts, I found my answer. It has the essence of Nutella with that perfect crunch of hazelnuts. Chop it up and it makes one incredible cookie. Even if you don't have any on hand, making this cookie with regular chocolate chunks would still taste pretty incredible.
The perfect chocolate chunk cookie recipe isn't easy. I like mine crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside - and this recipe is exactly that. I used turbinado sugar instead of brown sugar, and it adds a nice crunchy texture inside the cookie. If you don't have any on hand, I'm sure regular brown sugar would do just fine.
Organic, free-range, cage-free, brown – there are an endless number of options for eggs at your local grocery store. How do you know which one is healthiest or safest to buy? For all other foods, it’s pretty cut and dry what it means to be organic vs. conventional. Eggs are not so simple. Until I did some extensive research, I personally had no idea what the difference was.
Like wheat bread, brown seemed like it had to be better for me in some way. All in all, there is no 100% for sure answer. If there were, they wouldn’t be selling 10 types of eggs at the supermarket. I’ve done some research on what studies have shown, how to decode the egg carton and what organic food guru Michael Pollan believes, and this is what I’ve gathered.
One of my favorite things about cooking is that certain ingredients can transcend seasons, cuisines and price barriers. They don't follow a strict recipe, yet they always taste delicious.
This chickpea and spinach "stew" is exactly one of those flexible recipes. I've actually never made it before, but I imagine that you could add in any number of ingredients and it would still taste great.
I did an Italian take on this dish by adding basil and garlic. Just by altering the spices and seasonings, you can change it up to have a more Mediterranean or Indian flair. Serve it with herbed chicken skewers and a side of hummus in the summer, or add some coriander or cumin and pair with basmati rice. Here's my version.
I've always thought that homemade anything tastes better, and I can usually feel better about eating something when I know exactly what's in it. Appetizers are easy enough to grab from the freezer aisle. Resist the urge. For your next Superbowl party, holiday gathering or dinner party, try your hand at this simple concept. Buy some frozen puff pastry dough, arm yourself with a few mini muffin tins, and you're ready to go.
I made a mushroom and caramelized onion version as well as spanikopita. Spanikopita can be a pain to perfectly fold in phyllo dough, so this method was much easier. These don't need to follow an exact recipe and can really follow your personal taste. With these proportions, I used all of my puff pastry and nearly all of my filling.
Continue reading "Easy Appetizer Bites Two Ways – Mushrooms & Spanakopita Recipes" »
Banana bread is one of those things you can have a dozen recipes for and never be satisfied. There is the classic chocolate chip banana bread, the hearty, whole-wheat oatmeal banana bread and the more decadent banana bread cupcakes.
But this recipe for cinnamon swirl banana bread is one I always go back too. It doesn't feel too unhealthy (or too healthy, for that matter), and it is very simple to make. The classic recipe makes a loaf, but I enjoy making banana muffins for easy sharing as a light dessert.
Muffins are the perfect snack or breakfast item - but if you don't choose your fruit carefully, you'll be out of luck (and out of season). My favorite thing about these jam muffins is that you can alter the recipe slightly depending on the time of year. And if you don't know what's in season, just use whatever is in your freezer! It's the perfect way to use up any bit of frozen fruit you have on hand.
I had some delicious, giant blueberries frozen from summer and some fresh pears lying around. I also was able to scrounge up just the right amount of leftover raspberry jam. No matter the combination, it always seems to work. These muffins are colorful and a bit lower in sugar than your normal muffin since the fruit sweetens them so much. If you don't like my combination, try out your own.
One of the few sandwiches that could take on the classic PB&J has to be that gooey fluffernutter sandwich. Somehow marshmallow fluff makes peanut butter that much more wonderful, and vice versa. It's easy to forget about this nostalgic combination. Yet, when you pass the fluff in the baking aisle of your grocery store, don't deny that pang of longing.
When I feel like a little fluffernutter without eating a whole meal, my go-to is the graham cracker fluffernutter. And this became my inspiration for this dessert.
It's a serious crowd pleaser and a major throwback. Kids love it and adults will be sneaking them until the plate is empty.
Continue reading "A Throwback Revamped - Fluffernutter Blondies with Graham Cracker Crust" »
Muffins, french toast, bagels...sometimes it can be challenging to find a satisfying breakfast that isn't too heavy. My personal go-to is pancakes. I tend to whip up breakfast before hitting the gym on the weekends, and these pancakes can really weigh me down. So, this time I opted for ricotta pancakes - mostly since I had some extra on hand.
Since these pancakes use very little flour, they are almost like eating little pan fried ricotta cheesecakes. If you are gluten-free, these pancakes would probably be a great breakfast choice since there is minimal flour to substitute. They aren't incredibly sweet, so the sauteed apples really help balance out the flavors.
Continue reading "Recipe - Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Caramelized Apples " »
For quite some time, the Slurping Turtle opening has been dangling in front of our faces. We came so close to those steaming bowls of housemade ramen weeks and even months ago. So when Takashi Yagihashi finally opened the doors to his new noodle hotspot, I couldn't wait long before stopping in to try it out.
After hearing wonderful things about Takashi's namesake restaurant in Bucktown, I set the bar pretty high. When you arrive at Slurping Turtle, you'll realize why the construction took so long. One long communal table flanks the center of the restaurant, while small booths circle the outer rim.
Continue reading "Slow and Steady Wins the Race at Takashi's Slurping Turtle" »
I've never understood why brussel sprouts have such a bad rap. They can be smoky, sweet and incredibly delicious. Then, I ate some raw. And defrosted. Then I realized what the rest of the world is afraid of. They're bitter, and if you microwave them your kitchen will smell like a mixture of feet and rotting garbage.
But if you make them right, brussel sprouts are pretty much the most amazing vegetable. Roasting them in the oven makes the individual leaves amazingly crispy, while the sprouts are soft and chewy. Plus, this vegetable just screams Thanksgiving and warm winter side. I've cooked my fair share of brussel sprouts in my day, and this is definitely my favorite recipe. When I served these at my Thanksgiving dinner, I converted a lot of brussel sprout haters - hopefully for good.
Continue reading "Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Capers and Shallots Recipe" »
It sounds pretty ridiculous, but soup is probably my favorite savory food. It’s my comfort food. It’s one of those dishes you don’t need a lot of money to enjoy, and yet you can always make it special with some unusual ingredients. Lobster, lentils and even tofu. I feel like I’ve run the gamut when it comes to soup.
When I ended up with tons and tons of leftover cooked sweet potatoes after Thanksgiving, the light bulb went off in my head. I had a fresh carton of vegetable stock in my pantry, and all the trimmings to make this one Thanksgiving leftover to remember. Even if you aren’t much of a cook, I’d say this soup is pretty difficult to mess up.
Continue reading "Thanksgiving Leftovers? Sweet Potato Bisque Recipe" »
Pears are one of the more neglected fruits. They are overshadowed by their seasonal counterpart, apples, are underappreciated in my opinion. They come in so many colors and varieties, and their uses are endless, from salads, to cakes, to breakfast items. I've always been a big fan of scones, but I've never had them with pear - because who would make a crazy thing like that? Mine turned out a bit too cakey for my liking. So, I'll give you some tips to get them a bit more biscuit-like.
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