Chicago Foodies

Salmon Burgers with Hoisin Barbeque Sauce

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. 

How to Make Polenta

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. 

Chickpea and Spinach Stew Recipe

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. 

Easy Appetizer Bites Two Ways – Mushrooms & Spanakopita Recipes

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. 

Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread Recipe

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. 

Any Season Jam Muffins Recipe

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. 

A Throwback Revamped - Fluffernutter Blondies with Graham Cracker Crust

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. 

Chocolate Covered Shortbread Two Ways

Traditional Christmas cookies aren't exactly my thing. If you're making them for a large number of people, it can be a pain to try to cut out each one and decorate them all. Last year, I came across a shortbread cookie recipe that turned out so well I decided to make it again this year with a little variety. The best part about these is you really can top them with anything you like, from candy, to nuts, to something a little less traditonal like pretzels. My personal favorite is the peppermint. If you can't decide, just double the recipe like I did and make two varieties, or go half and half. 

The Food Americans Googled, from Pizza Hut to Cream Cheese Frosting

Google Zeitgeist, the annual project that proves just how banal Americans are by revealing our fastest-rising Google terms of the year, has released its 2011 findings. When we weren't searching for Rebecca Black songs or planking photos, Americans Googled recipes and restaurants that paint a portrait of what foods America wants to order and cook. Hint: it's not kale.

Recipe - Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Caramelized Apples

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. 

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Capers and Shallots Recipe

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.  

Thanksgiving Leftovers? Sweet Potato Bisque 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. 

Whole Wheat Pear Ginger Scone 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. 

Pumpkin Waffles – Breakfast Recipe for One

Pretty much every weekend I wake up craving a ridiculous restaurant-style brunch minus the restaurant-style wait and prices. The hottest brunch spots have every flavor pancake and waffle under the sun (red velvet, birthday cake, carrot cake) with some out of this world toppings to boot. My only problem is that I always make too much and never eat the leftovers during the week. Here's my take on my own restaurant breakfast for one. 

Spaghetti Squash, Swiss Chard and White Bean Gratin Recipe

Cooking is a learning experience. This sounds obvious, but the trial and error in the kitchen is especially important if you are a vegetarian. I've never been satisfied eating the same things over and over. It's easy for us to get into that rut of buying the same foods every time we go to the grocery store. In fall, my rut is squash. I could end up eating it for every meal. 

I decided to change it up a bit by making something with all of this squash I had on my hands. I had a recipe for a spaghetti squash gratin from awhile back, so I decided to tweak it and then change it into a lasagna. If I had to go back in time, I would'nt have layered the ingredients and would have stuck with the gratin. Plus, the bread crumbs I added on top really were'nt necessary, so I left them out. Here's the revised recipe: 

Sweet 'N Salty Snack Mix Recipe

Sometimes all you need is a little something sweet. You don’t want to put effort into baking something but you don’t want to resort to store bought sweets either. And you have tons of leftover Halloween candy. What to do…

Fortunately for me – and my office – I had such a predicament just last night. And I knew exactly how to fix it. When you have a sweet and salty craving, just make a snack mix, which basically means a combination of random snack foods you have lying around.

I personally have a weakness for caramel corn but it isn’t the healthiest (or most accessible) item. So, instead I whipped up my own creation. You can do the same with whatever you have in your cabinets. Here’s my recipe:

Recipe - Pumpkin & Peanut Butter Granola

Nothing says fall like a steaming pumpkin latte, or a slice of pumpkin bread. Best yet, pumpkin pie! Pumpkins are everywhere. They're seasonal, delicious and full of beta carotene, antioxidants and fiber. They're also low in calories and fat. They're good for you.

But many people limit this fall treat to indulgent desserts. Get your fill of pumpkin with this healthy pumpkin granola recipe. It combines pumpkin and peanut butter, an unexpected combination that really works. It's nutty, perfectly spiced and dangerously addictive. I adjusted the recipe based on my tastes, and you can do the same. It's pretty hard to mess up.

Recipe - Southwest Quinoa Salad

Quinoa is one of the most versatile foods out there. You can make it into a breakfast bowl, create a unique salad or use it as a rice substitute. For those of you who have never heard of this nutritious seed, quinoa (keen-wah) is extremely high in protein, low in calories and easy to prepare...meaning there's a good chance I'll be sharing more quinoa recipes in the near future. It's also an incredible choice for vegetarians and vegans looking for a filling meal.

This one is just so easy that I can't stop making it. If you can impress your coworkers with canned ingredients, why not keep at it?

Southwest Quinoa Salad

1 1/2 cups uncooked quinoa
1 can black beans
1 can corn
1 tomato, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1 lime
Bunch of cilantro
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

 

Feel free to add any other ingredients you like - avocado, red peppers and grated pepperjack cheese would all be great additions.

Recipe– Grilled Lamb Kebabs, Veggies, Yogurt Sauce, etc.

I've been cooking on the grill every week for the past month or so and the protein I come back to is lamb, specifically ground lamb. Here is the first of a couple of really simple recipes that are flamably fun on the grill, especially since the fat content of the lamb I get must be really freakin high. No wonder it's super cheap!

Lamb Kebabs and Grilled Veggies

1/2 lb raw lamb per person
wood skewers
2 shallots or 1 yellow onion diced fine
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Cooking with Beer

Summer is right around the corner. Surely, cookouts and beer drinking will come up. Here is an appetizer and dinner combo that incorporates beer as an ingredient. Enjoy!