The Frugal Foodies

Candied Yams - Thanksgiving Side Dish

2010-11-24T10:21:00.000-05:00

Last month the girls and I had a Southern themed supper club. Having spent a majority of my adolescence south of the Mason-Dixon line I felt a ping of pressure to produce an amazing side dish. I called my friend Elizabeth and ask her for one of her favorite recipes. She told me about their family's (actually someone their family has known for a very long time) candied yams recipe. Once she read off the 5 ingredient list and her mom emailed me the recipe, I knew this was a) going to be utterly delicious and b) I would have to share this with all my lovely foodie readers (I think there are five of you still out there...).

I am going to apologize now for the sugar/butter content of this recipe - just trust me, it's worth it!

Ingredients

1-2 yams (you can use sweet potatoes, and yes, I know they are not the same) sliced 3/4 - 1 inch thick
3/4 cup white corn syrup (Karo brand works great)
1/2 cup sugar
2-3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Get a large pot of water going on the stove. Once the water has started to bubble add in your sliced yams/sweet potatoes. Cook until you can barely pierce a fork through them. We want them BARELY cooked. About 3-4 minutes. Drain the potatoes.

Assemble slices in one layer in a pyrex baking dish. Try to avoid overlap and focus on one layer (use another baking dish if you have to).

Evenly sprinkle sugar over potatoes. Then drizzle with corn syrup (I already apologized for all the sugar right?).

Top with dots of butter and finish off with a drizzle of vanilla (you could also use nutmeg for a different flavor profile).

Place dish on the middle rack in the oven and cook until bubbling, about 30 minutes or so. Remove from oven and let cool for about 5 minutes. Try not to eat all the candied yams.

Bam! You are done! You now have a delicious side dish to bring to Thanksgiving that will add to the indulgence of the day :)

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone and their families!

Simple Spice Rub

2010-11-16T09:23:00.000-05:00

I often get asked - "what should I make for dinner tonight?" and in conjunction with my new task (still taking advice on names "taking advice from the top"?) I have decided to really try and make recipes that can be used multiple ways.

So tonight when I was trying to figure out what I would make for Dory and I tonight, I thought why not try my favorite spice rub on pork.

Basically this is the greatest rub of all time. I've tried it on chicken, steak and recently I found out it works on pork too!!

Ingredients

Chili powder
Cumin
Paprika

Directions

Mix equal parts chili powder and cumin, then just a hint of paprika

Rub it all over whatever protein that you like and cook the way your normally would. It's smoky, spicy without over powering the protein. It's a great rub for every meal!

Sweet Leaf Tea

2010-10-27T09:35:00.001-04:00

I received an email a while back from my new friend Monica, at Sweet Leaf Teas about sending me some samples for their Citrus and Lemon Iced Teas. While I am not a huge iced tea fan, I did live a majority of my life in the South and understand what constitutes a good iced tea :) Upon receiving her email I immediately went to their website to do a little background research on the brand...

Wow! Being in the digital industry, websites are a huge deal for me and I was really impressed with theirs. Playful, yet clear navigation, led me throughout all the sections of the site and I learned all about their tea flavors and history. Yes, I'm a complete dork. I'll summarize the history very quickly: in 1998 Clayton decided that he wanted to make a tea like his Granny's (hence the bottle design) and by 2002 they had sold 10,000 at Austin City Limits (ironically this year at Lollapalooza was my first taste of Sweet Leaf).

Anywayssss, my teas arrived and I was excited to dive in. I let the 100% organic citrus tea cool off in the fridge and then took my first sip. What I immediately notice was how incredibly refreshing it was AND there was zero aftertaste. A while back I tried the Lipton citrus teas and all I could think about was that horrific aftertaste like something died in the bottle. Ugh. Anyways, my point is this citrus tea had none of that. It was crisp, cool and refreshing! The Lemon tea was equally as refreshing, however if I had my pick I would definitely choose the citrus.

If you see Sweet Leaf definitely give it a try, they have a ton of different flavors, less calories and more flavor than soda. Best part is that they only use natural ingredients (none of this aspartame junk). If your aren't sure your store has Sweet Leaf use this handy dandy drink finder.

Gapers Block

2010-10-26T10:53:00.000-04:00

Well dear followers as you may have noticed I have dropped off blogging for a bit. Recently, I have started blogging for a Chicago food blog - Drive Thru. Drive Thru is the dedicated food section of the larger Gapers Block site, a phenomenal resource for all of Chicagoland. I am completely thrilled and honored to be apart of their team! It's a lot of work trying to balance both (which I am learning as I go), but I am so lucky to have this opportunity. So bare with me as I embark on this journey and check out Drive Thru! There's great stories, pictures, recipes everything you would want to know about Chicago and food :)

The Southern

2010-10-13T09:46:00.000-04:00

To start last week off right, my cousin, co-worker and I headed over to Wicker Park to check out the unveiling of The Southern's new fall cocktails and free appetizers.

Being that it was a lovely fall night, I knew that several drinks were in order. Upon first glance at the menu I became very nervous. Here's a fun fact: I don't drink whiskey/bourbon. Haven't since 2005 and for good reason. The dark demon makes me mean and, oh, very drunk. Needless to say I try to avoid at all costs. However, there was something about this night that made me want to throw caution to the wind and say hi to my nemesis.

I figured if I am going to do this, I might as well start off with the most intimidating of all the whiskey drinks: The Souther Apple Pie. Sure the name is cute, but it's an oxymoron. This house infused apple pie bourbon is served neat in a snifter glass. Generally when a cocktail is presented, I drink it rather quickly. This would not be wise with the Southern Apple Pie. Definitely meant to be sipped on and enjoyed leisurely, the SAP was sweet and very fragrant. I am shocked to say this, but I really liked it! Despite the fact that I ordered it first, this is definitely an after-dinner drink. One that I will be having again...

Beef Skewers

While I was sipping on my bourbon, the manager Evan, was passing by with a tray of appetizers. The first pass consisted of a beef skewer with a djion aioli. The meat was cooked perfectly and you can't go wrong with a slightly spicy mustard and combining it will a fatty mayo. You just can't. We only got one skewer and this was lucky as I definitely could have eaten them all.

Sassy Sasparilla

Next, we ordered the Sasparilla. Described as a "spicy root beer" this drink did not disappoint in the sass department. While I personally wouldn't describe the galliano, kahlua, cola, soda water, lime and rhubarb bitter drink as "spicy," it definitely had a lot of kick and flavor, begging me to question: where's the alcohol? Drinks like this are deliciously dangerous. Kind of like a classier long island ice tea, but much, much better.

And like clockwork, the second round of appetizers passed us by at the same time. Chef Cary Taylor apparently has some strong feelings about chicken wings and doesn't like their lack of meat. So he took the idea of a chicken wing and apply it to a drumstick. A drumstrick-wing if I may. I grabbed the largest drumstick they had and went to town. While I can appreciate dark meat, I am more of a white meat gal and found the drumstick slightly overwhelming. After one I swear I was kind of full (which is shocking). The flavor was great, but for someone like me who likes to nibble on a lot of different things it was just a tad too much. With all that being said: this is the perfect appetizers for the gents. Fact: guys love wings. Fact: guys will love these "wings."

Texas Mocha

By now we've been drinking and eating for a little over two hours and it's time to move on to another cocktail. To round out the evening we went with the Mississippi Milk and the Texas Mocha, both slightly more decadent drinks. The Mississippi Milk is a combination of house infused pecan vodka and oh-so-delicious cream. The pecan flavor came through along with the unmistakable slight burn of vodka. Again, this is a drink meant to be sipped. The cream was a lovely balance to the sharp vodka taste and the pecan flavor reminded me of my Texas days (the Pecan is the state tree!). Additionally, we also tried the Texas Mocha, a concoction of coffee, tequila, kahila mocha, grand marnier, and whipped cream. Tequila is another one of those liquors that has done me wrong in the past that I am not sure I can get over, but the combination of tequila with the coffee and whipped cream was just delightful. I would happily end or start my day with this drink :)

Being southern and going to The Southern was a wonderful experience. The staff is incredibly patient and helpful. What I appreciated the most was the time and energy put into each drink and entrée. There is so much thought behind each drink and dish that you can taste the love put into it.

If you are over in Wicker Park definitely take the time to stop by and grab a drink and little bit to eat. Southern or not, everyone can appreciate good food.

The Southern
1840 West North Ave
Chicago, IL 60622

Tallulah's

2010-09-17T05:41:00.000-04:00

It's 9 o'clock on a Saturday and I am with my Dad, uncle, and two couples of family friends nestled in a quaint wine shop sipping on Spanish wine while we wait for our table to open up next door at a bustling bistro. My family knows me, and they know me well. If there is one thing I like to do when I go to visit them it's eat and drink. While I have nothing against the friendly chain restaurant (and really, I don't), I do enjoy trying out new places and seeing where the locals dine. Having lived in New York and now Chicago, oh, and writing a food blog, a lot people think I'm a food snob. I'm not going to deny it - I am just a little bit. However, I am never rude about trying new places, especially when someone else is picking up the tab (thanks Dad!). So when my uncle suggested Tallulah's Wine Bar and Bistro in Birmingham, Michigan, I won't lie I was a little apprehensive.

Ah, yes, sipping on wine. After waiting 30 minutes in Tallulah too, the wine store next door, we were seated at a long table tucked behind the door, with a perfect view of the whole restaurant. The whole restaurant being the other 20 tables there. This was not a large place. Exclusivity. I love it.

Starving we ordered the fresh cheese plate, caesar salad and several other items immediately. While we wait, I had a chance to really dissect the menu. I was so please when I read that Tallulah supports its local Michigan farmers in every opportunity it can. From the vegetables to the meats, cheese etc. The rating just keeps on rising in my book.

The cheese plate arrives and it's madness. Bread is flying, cheese is spread. The cheese was so creamy and light it kept reminding me of a alloute cheese. I kept tearing and spread. Tear, spread. I then moved on was able to taste a little of the caesar salad. The fresh parmesan and white anchovies were a knock out. So salty and delicious.

For our entrees, my dad and I ended up splitting the whole trout with crispy pancetta, watercress, fennel and grapefruit. What I love most about ordering fresh trout is being able to enjoy the whole fish, especially the cheeks. Cheeks are one of those things that you constantly hear people talk about as being one of the best parts of the fish and now I understand why. They're so fatty and succulent. Trout as a whole is a rather light fish, but the cheeks have the consistently of something like salmon. Being several glasses of wine deep - this is what I remember.

After two hours of dining, the restaurant clears and we all sit back and sigh, looking at the devastation we've left on the table. Every plate was clean and everyone was happy.

Thanks to my Dad and Uncle Steve for a great night! If you are in the Birmingham, Michigan area Tallulah is definitely a place worth stopping by!

Tallulah's
155 South Bates Street
Birmingham, MI 48009

Naked Nuggets

2010-08-25T10:15:00.000-04:00

Not too long ago I was approached by someone who represents Naked Nuggets, an all white meat grilled chicken nugget. Completely intrigued by the name and the idea, I wanted to find out more about their product. Naked Nuggets is the brainchild of New York Chefs, Eric and Bruce Bromberg of Blue Ribbon (a restaurant that changed my perception on food after tasting a sweet bread for the first time). As a father to three children, Eric realized that the "nuggets" of yore just weren't cutting in terms of nutrition and, um, they're disgusting...what part of a chicken does a nugget come from? Oh right, there is no "nugget" meat, its everything left over on a chicken, breaded, then fried. If you really want to be grossed out - check out this clip from Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution where he makes chicken nuggets and the kids STILL EAT IT. Totally gross.

Anyways, after reviewing their website and reading more about their story I was sold. However, there still was the whole matter of how it tastes...I asked my friend Gabrielle to send me some samples so I could make an educated comment on this product. I have to admit - I was excited. These are really the kind of brands that I like to get behind. Honest people trying to make a change to better their children's lives.

A few days later my nuggets arrive. I opened the packet and examined the first nugget. I was impressed to see the real grill marks on the nugget. I mean it looks like it actually hit a grill. On the back, the directions say you can either heat in the microwave or sautee in a pan. I decided to do both.

I microwaved a couple of nuggets for about a minute or so. I pulled them out of the microwave and dove right in. I can still remember taking that first bite and thinking this is really moist, I'm shocked! Seasoned with white pepper, garlic powder, basil, marjoram salt and pepper the nuggets could stand on their own. They don't need to added sugar from ketchup or bbq sauce. I, however, am hot sauce freak and tossed them with that and it was out of this world. The skillet nuggets were great as well. Took a little longer, and didn't really impact the flavor. Whenever I am in a rush I just microwave them.

With only 110 calories and 2 grams of fat for SEVEN nuggets, you can get a meal full of 20 grams of protein. And the best part: this really isn't just for kids. I live alone, I have no children, and I find myself tossing the Naked Nuggets in with stir frys and pasta for a little added protein. It's quick, it's easy and I swear - they really are good!

My friends at Naked Nuggets want to extend an offer to all of you dear Foodies, for a bag of Naked Nuggets. The person who best comments on how you would incorporate into your food routine will win!

I know this sounds like they put me up to writing this, but I swear everything written here is a reflection of my own opinion. I truly admire these chefs for not waiting for someone else to figure out a way for children to eat healthy (and ok, me too).

Check out their Twitter and Facebook pages or go to their website for more information

Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinders

2010-08-13T10:28:00.003-04:00

Chicago is known for pizza. We have deep dish, New York has thin slice. This is nothing new, right? What I am going to tell you may blow your mind - there is something new. Something so new I didn't understand how or what to make of it. Pizza pot pie...

Before you start to jump to conclusions, let me explain. Tucked away on Clark street near Dickens, Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinders has taken the tradition deep dish and turned it upside down - literally. I'm not sure how this concept of a pizza pot pie came to be and to be honest - I don't care, all I know is that ever since I have moved here I have wanted to try it. So when my friend Sara called and invited me to dinner with her lovely family, I agreed without hesitation.

Walking into a pseudo-beerhall with exposed wood on the walls and beams, you feel like you've just been transported to somewhere in a small Italian village. The hostess greets you and ask how many are in your party, you tell him and he tells you a time and you're done. There's no pen, no paper, no way to peek to see how many people are in front of you, this guy just knows. You are not to question, just simply sit there and wait.

Seated at the bar, we survey every dish that passes us. Huge salads, bread so big it spills over the plate, and bowls of dough covering something delicious. That has to be it - that has to be the pot pie!

Mediterranean Bread

After about 30 minutes were seated. Sara and her boyfriend Patrick are on it - we'll have the Mediterranean bread, and the small Country French salad, oh and a couple more glasses of wine and beers. Our server returns with a circle of bread that would make a large pizza look like a personal pan. This bread is HUGE, flat and covered in Italian seasonings. Hands start flying, bread is torn, we are happy. The outside of the bread is deceptive. You take a bite and think - yeah, I mean, this is good. As you start tearing away and making your way towards then center, you realize you've been a fool - this is the gold mine. Soft, full of butter, and seasonings - this is the jackpot. When I return, my strategy will be to go straight for the middle and save the outside for the gargantuan salad...

Speaking of which, the small Country French salad could seriously feed six people. Really. Six. This thing was the biggest salad I have ever see. It's a small salad on steroids. Packed with onions, peppers, tomatoes, olives, cucumbers, artichoke hearts, and topped with fresh Farmer's cheese this salad is pretty hard to beat. Our server suggested combining the sour cream garlic, sweet and sour poppyseed, and Italian dressing together. Is this place a food laboratory or a restaurant?! While I looked him like, you're obviously drinking in the back, I complied. There is something to be said for taking advice. Out of this world. Really, really good salad. I took some of the bread and sopped up the dressing and honestly I was in heaven. Everything was SO GOOD and we hadn't even come to the main event yet!

The "small" salad

Luckily, our server returned shortly with the pizza pot pies or else he would have seen me face first licking the bottom of the salad plate. We ordered two, one pound pies and as he approached our table I could smell, the tomatoes, sausage, cheese and mushrooms. They were begging to be devoured. He takes the dough bowl covering the "insides" and in some magical hand motions, flips the insides so that you are left with a hot bowl of pizza pot pie. I would love to be able to go into more detail as to how he did this, but I was so intoxication by the smell of the meat I missed it.

Small pizza - taken from their
website because I was
inhaling my food

Biting in, I died. I kept waiting for someone to tell me this wasn't real and to find my totem (side note: mine would be a knife that wouldn't cut food...). Cheese, meat, bread, sauce, mushrooms. I don't know what else to say. Everything came together and were in perfect harmony together. It's truly an experience.

I ate my 1/3 lb of pizza and sighed. It's over. I came, I saw, I devoured.

Bravo Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinders. Sure Chicago deep dish is a great tradition, but the next time I have friends coming in town and want something "Chicago" I am undoubtedly taking them here instead.

Oh by the way, the oven grinders are sandwiches, but let's be honest, after what you just read are you going to order a sandwich? I don't think so...

Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinders
2121 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60614

Vote for Stephanie Izard and Common Threads

2010-08-12T12:09:00.000-04:00

Everyone take a moment and visit Mezzetta's Celebrity Chef Sandwich Charity Challenge and vote for Chicago's own Stephanie Izard (and winner of Top Chef) to benefit my buddy Art Smith's charity Common Threads. Common Threads educates low income children to prepare wholesome and healthy food - this is a GREAT organization!

There are seven chefs and sandwich recipes, all of which look amazing. What a great contest! Go vote NOW!

Slow’s Bar BQ

2010-08-02T13:19:00.001-04:00

Chic. Barbeque. Detroit. No these are not all antonyms, but words used to describe my dining experience this past weekend while in Michigan for my brother's show and family reunion. I try and keep up with the happenings of Detroit, not only because a majority of my family still lives there, but because I was born there and it breaks my heart to come back to visit and witness the devastation that city is suffering…I read an article not too long ago about a man named Phil Cooley, who started this barbeque restaurant in downtown Detroit. Always one to support local initiatives, when the subject of dinner was discussed with me and 8 other boys/men, Slow's Bar BQ seemed perfect.

Brisket Enchiladas (photo credit: Slow's)

We loaded up the band, my dad and uncle then headed downtown to Detroit's Corktown neighborhood. Situated on a corner facing the old Detroit train depot, Slow's is a beacon of light in an otherwise desolate part of the neighborhood. It reminds me of how the Meatpacking District must have looked after the first time someone decided to create a trendy restaurant among the abandon warehouses…

The first thing you will notice is the massive door (made from the timber of the old place) and the smell of slow roasted meat. Just thinking about it makes me hungry. Walking in were told an 90 minute wait, however seeing all the happy faces and a plethora of local craft beers, we decided to wait it out. A full 90 minutes and 3 beers later (Oberon's for me!), we're sat right outside of the patio. Extremely hungry, we told the waitress "one of every appetizer…now please!" Within 10 minutes our food came out:

BBQ Wings
Fried Catfish
Brisket Enchiladas
Split pea and okra fritters

Like wolves that had just made their first big kill, we attacked this food. Despite being rock stars and famished, the boys were nice enough to share with me. Far and away the enchiladas were the winners for me. The corn tortilla, despite being covered in sauce, still retained some of it's crunchy texture, and the flavor of the brisket came through nicely. This is how enchiladas were meant to be. The wings had a great smoke, the catfish was a great snack and perfect for sharing, the split pea and orka fritters were tasty too, but at the end of that round of food I was longing for more enchiladas.

Carolina Pulled Pork (photo credit: Slow's)

Next came the entrees. I ordered the Carolina pulled pork, my brother order the St. Louis Sparerib, and my dad the Jambalaya with sides of mac and cheese, cornbread and sweet potato mash. I tell ya – I was 2 for 2 this dinner. My pork was so tender and had a nice "bark" on the outside. You could still taste the smoke and see the pink smoke rings. Armed with 5 different styles of bbq sauce, I was all over this dish. As you know dear foodies, I love Carolina BBQ, and this sauce at Slow's was pretty darn good for being so far north. It was not as vinegar-y as I like it, but still great. The apple bbq sauce was OUTSTANDING. I am notorious for having a sweet tooth and this definitely fulfilled my needs. The spicy, was semi-spicy, and good on it's own, but when you combined it with the apple bbq sauce. Shut up. Just shut up. It was SO good. Highly recommend! The ribs were great – tender, but not falling off the bone. They were dry and definitely needed some sauce, but I enjoyed them. The Jambalaya was…ok…it's wasn't bad, but when everything else is so good it just left me (and my dad) wanting more. The mac and cheese, sweet potato mash, fries, cornbread and all the other sides were delicious! Mac and cheese was definitely the star though.

St. Louis Spareribs (photo credit: Slow's)

I can say without a doubt, that this will be my go-to place when I visit Detroit again, and I will make a reservation – don't want to wait that long again. Aside from the delicious food (and probably the best bbq you will get out of the South), I love Phil's initiative to make Detroit better, not only through his efforts to clean up parks, but through food. It's amazing what he's already done and if you are in Detroit I would encourage you to stop by Slow's and enjoy some good BBQ.

Slow's Bar BQ
2138 Michigan Avenue
Detroit, MI 48216-1305
(313) 962-9828

Flirty Cupcakes

2010-07-12T10:04:00.000-04:00

I want to tell everyone a story. It's filled with adventure, love and of course, a hero. Our story begins like so many others; one day I was glancing at my Twitter feed when I noticed a re-tweet about a "flirty cupcake." Intrigued, I clicked on the link and was taken to a Facebook page where there are different times and locations scheduled around Chicago. I'm no genius, but I quickly ascertained that we were dealing with some sort of traveling cupcake machine...SOLD.

Street food is nothing new to me, but in Chicago, Mayor Daley would prefer that we not have street vendors so it's been a while since I've had the pleasure of stumbling along say, a Mr. Softee...so you can understand my compulsiveness checking out the list of times and locations and the disappointment in realizing none are near me for a couple of days. Tragedy of all tragedies.

For several days I stalk the Facebook and Twitter sites for any indication that Flirty Cupcakes and their trusted van, Big Blue will be headed my way. Nothing. Nothing in a 5 block radius. I am beginning to think that maybe the Flirty Cupcake and I just aren't meant to be.

Then one hot summer day, my co-worker Emily tells me the good news - Big Blue will be by our office around 3pm! Alarms set, bags packed and 2 hours to go! I will finally have my cupcake! Then as if the universe is really trying to tell me to stick to my diet, we see the update that Big Blue is out of cupcakes and they will return first thing tomorrow. Hope, sorrow, extreme feelings of loss. I can't describe the pain of that moment.

So we waited...and at 10:55am the next day, we head out the door. It's time.

As we walk up the stairs onto Illinois street, I am taken back at what can only be described as a batman mobile for cupcakes. Well actually, what a batman mobile would be like if all it did was eat cupcakes, either way this thing was awesome. Big Blue is in fact blue with pink accents everywhere. There's a large contraption at the top which I assume cools the van down so the cupcakes can maintain a constant temperature.

They have quite a variety of choices, but eyes go straight for my favorite - red velvet with cream cheese icing. This will be the ultimate test, because after spending a decent amount of time down South, I learned what a proper red velvet cake and cream cheese icing should taste like (not to mention it's my best friends favorite and I need to do right by my Elizabeth). With cute names like "Devil in Disguise," "McDreamy," and "The Curious George" etc. it definitely takes a minute to register all the deliciousness that could be had.

Headed back with my "Devil in Disguise" I am ready to indulge (before lunch nonetheless). I sit down at my desk and bask in the glory that is the cupcake. First thing I notice - strong proportions of frosting to cake. It seems like cupcake shops clobber on frosting like they never want to see me in a bathing suit. Next I notice that the wrapper is almost translucent; no complaints from me - this just means the cake is moist. I take my first bite. White noise. This is good. This is really good.

The cake is so moist its almost hard to believe, the icing is a little hot from our trek back the office, but it is the RIGHT proportion of cream cheese to butter and sugar and not so sugary that you can feel the sugar crystals (you know what I am talking about - where the icing is almost crunchy/gritty). In general the proportions are just right, cupcakes now seem like they could be enough for three people, I can happily say that this cupcake was perfect for little ole me. And, yes, the cupcake is the hero in this story :)

So if you are in Chicago, follow Flirty Cupcakes on Twitter and Facebook - their dedicated team updates constantly throughout the day letting you know their positions. You won't be disappointed!!

Berry Yogurt Bars

2010-07-06T10:19:00.000-04:00

What is this delicious thing you are looking at? Well considering it was over 100 degrees yesterday in Chicago it was a little piece of heaven, but on all other days it's merely a double berry frozen yogurt bar. Refreshing, healthy, and easy to make!! I am telling you - this month's Everyday Food was rocking! This recipe was straight forward and definitely delivered on flavor. I deviated a bit, but hey, that's what recipes are for :)

Ingredients (for 6 molds)

1 cup of strawberries
1 cup of blueberries (or really any berry - I used black raspberries that I bought from Farmer's Market)
1 1/4 cup low-fat plain yogurt
3 tablespoons sugar
1 lemon or lime (optional)
Popsicle molds (I bought mine at Bed, Bath and Beyond)

Directions

Prepare yourself: this is going to be easy and fairly painless. If you can puree and pour you are going to be good to go.

First add your cup of strawberries and 1 tablespoon of sugar to a food processor and blend until smooth (about a minute). Pour into bowl.

Next add your blueberries to the food processor, with a tablespoon of sugar and a little lemon or lime juice and zest. This is optional, but I really think it adds a little kick. Blend until smooth and pour into separate bowl.

In a separate bowl (I know lots of bowls going on) add a tablespoon of sugar to your 1 and 1/4 cup of yogurt.

Next pour your mixtures into the popsicle molds, alternating between berries and yogurt. You want to get anywhere between 3 and 5 layers.

Once all the layers have been added, take a skewer or knife and swirl and mix the layers.

Place in freezer for several hours until frozen.

I made this recipe and a whim and can honestly say it's the perfect summer treat to escape the heat and all things considered incredibly healthier than ice cream and has the same effect. The Everyday Food recipe estimates that each of these bars has a measly 56 calories and about 2 grams of fat. When you compare that to a cup of ice cream, the numbers can be as high from 400 calories and 16 grams of fat.

The frozen yogurt has such a nice cooling effect and the hint of sugar to the berries gives me all the sweet I need (and trust me I have a SWEET tooth).

I hope you enjoy these as much as I have!!

Soba Noodle Stir Fry

2010-07-02T11:29:00.000-04:00

I live alone, and I like living alone and because I live alone, I often talk to myself or make comments on how awesome I am. This is actually probably why I live alone, but that doesn't matter. The night I made this meal, you would have thought that Food Network was there filming me. I was describing textures, flavors, complexity all to myself, but you know what? I really don't care - this meal was just that awesome.

I've been out of my kitchen for a while now and am slowly starting to get back in it. After a night of yoga in the park, I knew that I needed something hearty. Luckily I went on a random shopping trip earlier in the week and bought a bunch of Asian ingredients. I knew they would come together but I didn't know how...

After a brief search on my Whole Foods app it appeared that a stir fry would be the way to go.

Ingredients (this should make enough for two!)

Soba noodles
1 carrot
mushrooms
2 tbsp scallions
1 tbsp ginger
1-2 garlic cloves chopped
1/4 c. Hoisin sauce
1tbsp Soy sauce
vegetable oil
any other veggies you would like to include

Directions

First off let's get our pans ready to go - fill a sauce pan with water and bring to a boil. Also add a tablespoon of vegetable oil to a large skillet or wok and apply medium heat.

Next chop up the ginger and garlic into a fine chop and slice the scallions into 1/8 pieces. Julienne the carrot and thinly slice mushrooms and onions.

Add the ginger, garlic and scallions to the skillet. Cook until fragrant (and trust me you will know - we're working with some seriously good smelling stuff). Once the ginger, garlic and scallions are smelling good (about a minute or two) add the mushrooms and onions.

Hopefully by now your water is boiling - add enough Soba noodles for two. I generally take a pretty good handful and drop them in. Remember we are going to add to our stir fry so only cook the noodles for about five minutes (set a timer! overcooked noodles will taste like mush).

So just to recap: we have our noodles in the pot, and the skillet is full of onions, mushrooms, garlic, ginger and scallions.

Once the mushrooms and onions have cooked for about 5 minutes, then add the carrots. I found that by adding the carrots too early, they lose all their crunch.

Hopefully by now you have removed your noodles from the water and rinsed with cold water to stop the cooking. In a medium skillet add a touch of oil and set on medium high heat. Once the oil is able to easily slide from side to side, add the Soba noodles. We are just going to cook until they are lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Once the noodles are browned, add the larger stir fry mixture.

In a small sauce bowl, combine the Hoisin and soy sauce. By now your noodles and veggies should be in one skillet, add the sauce to this mixture.

Stir constantly on medium low heat.

Plate and serve!!!

There you go! Veggie stir fry! I've made this many times and whats great is you can really use whatever vegetables you have on hand, anything can go in this. This night I paired with a the honey-soy glaze that I love and it was just AMAZING. Healthy, fresh and light - I couldn't ask for much more :)

Happy Eating!

Garlic Scapes

2010-06-30T10:21:00.000-04:00

Ahhh, garlic scapes. This ingredient is one of the main reasons I love coming to the Green City Market; they have such a delight assortment of vegetables, fruits, and cheeses that I have never seen or heard of before. Naturally when my eyes set on what appeared to be a very large scallion, I had to inquire, what is that thing? A sign and a polite - it's a garlic scape - from the farmer led me to the obvious conclusion, oh, a garlic scape.

I often feel pressure at the farmers market to buy things, especially when I show a hint of interest. Not because the farmers themselves are pressuring me, but because I feel like I should be trying new foods all the time. That morning was no different. After noticing the "scapes" for weeks I decided to bite the bullet and buy them. Despite my purchase I still didn't have any clue how to use them or what they were...

After a brief bit of research (and help from my friend Megan) I found that the garlic scapes are actually the green things that grow out of the bulb of garlic. They are often cut so that the growth can focus on the bulb below. The green stalks eventually produce a flower and is why garlic is known as the "stinking rose."

Ok so now we know what the scapes are - still what do we do with them? Luckily Megan sent me this Serious Eats recipe for garlic scapes pesto which is copied verbatim below:

Ingredients

4 to 5 garlic scapes, roughly chopped

Large handful basil leaves

1/4 cup almonds, toasted in a dry skillet until slightly browned

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 pound linguine or other pasta

Procedure

1. Combine the garlic scapes, basil, and half the oil in a small food processor or blender. Process or blend until the leaves and scapes are finely chopped, then add the nuts and remaining oil. Process or blend until nicely pureed.

2. Remove to a bowl and stir in the cheese. If necessary, add more olive oil to create a loose paste. Season with more salt if needed.

3. In the meantime, bring a large pot of salty water to boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water, and toss with the pesto. If necessary, add some of the pasta water to create a creamy texture. Serve with more grated Parmesan cheese.

It's not a far cry from this pesto recipe involving walnuts. It was so creamy, and the garlic is much milder than regular cloves. Whenever I see garlic stalks I will definitely make the the purchase again!

Skinny Cow Cups

2010-06-13T07:04:00.000-04:00

This past weekend I signed up to attend The Perfect Cup free event with my friend Sara sponsored by Skinny Cow. I didn't know much about the event, but I knew that there would be the following:

1) Free Booze

2) Free Ice Cream

3) Bra fittings (perfect cup - get it?)

Regardless of why we were really there I was obviously more focused on #1 and #2.

I have to be honest, I was mostly excited about the cocktail when we first walked in. I have had Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches in the past and while tasty they never really did that much for me. Signature cocktails and I have a lot more in common and this was a great one; lavender infused lemonade with sparkling wine. Don't mind if I do...Needless to say I briskly made my way through both my drink tickets. Next step: ice cream bar!

Walking up there was a display showcasing the five flavors of skinny cow's "perfect cups." Each of these cups have less than 150 calories and 4g or less of fat. Not too shabby if you ask me! They offered the following flavors:

Chocolate Fudge Brownie
Dulce de Leche
Strawberry Cheesecake
Carmel Cone
Cookies 'N Cream

Nothing too left field, but some big hitters in there. I went for Strawberry Cheesecake and Sara opted for Dulce de Leche. I have to say, I was kind of impressed! The ice cream was very creamy and the strawberry preserves were tasty and not overboard sweet. I didn't get to try Sara's but she said she enjoyed it although it was a little rich.

Would I buy these again? Yes, especially because they are sold individually. I wouldn't eat too many though considering the only ingredient I really recognized was skim milk, but hey, for 150 calories I may just put all of that aside and enjoy the delicious ice cream.

As if this event wasn't wonderful enough. The beautiful super model Veronica Webb was a guest MC! I actually got to meet and talk with her and she caught me googling her...model fail.

I love Chicago.

Top Chef Masters with A Top Chef Master

2010-06-10T10:10:00.000-04:00

I can't believe that I am about to write this post; everything from tonight seems so surreal. Tonight I watched Top Chef Masters with Chef Marcus Sammuelsson (of Aquavit in NYC) one of the five chefs chosen to compete in tonights episode, at the rooftop bar of the fabulous Affinia Hotel in Chicago.

I heard about this event courtesy of one of Chicago's best food blogs 312 Dining Diva. Immediately I knew I had to invite my cousin and fellow foodie, Dory, to come along. Naturally, she was in, along with her foodie friend Amy. So tonight we met up with very little expectations; at the most we were hoping to get Chef Marcus to sign a cookbook...ah, naivety you keep me young...

We arrive at the Affinia hotel and take the elevator straight to the top to C-view, the sky bar for the Marcus Sammuelsson restaurant downstairs in the hotel, C-house. We head outside to the beautiful patio and sit a long table that stetches nearly half the porch. Looking around I can't believe I am here. The view is unreal, the weather is perfect (70 with a soft breeze) and I know the food is going to be amazing.

We start off cautiously with couple of cocktails (I got the Yes Chef!) and a plate of three cured meats, a special running on Top Chef nights for $10. To start we had:

- Salmon - "pastarmi" style

- Guanciale - cured pork jowel

- Jamon Serrano - dry-cured Spanish ham

This was served with grainy mustard and grilled french bread. Out of all three, I think my favorite would have to be the Guanciale. There was such a nice blend of fat and meat that it made each bite melt in my mouth. Before I knew it I had consumed about half the portion and had to be put in cured meat time-out. The salmon was in a close a second. So light and delicate, I easily could have eaten half. the Jamon Serrano was delicious as well, but compared to the other two, this one was my least favorite. While a nice blend of fat and meat, I felt like I had the flavors before. I loved them, but again, the other two were just amazing.

For dinner we ordered:

- Mini Yellowfin Tacos

- Lobster Club

- Bacon and onion jam flatbread

Thinking about these make my mouth water. The tacos were in fact mini, I dare say even bit size! I didn't order them but was completely happy with the one I sampled. Light, fresh and clean are all the adjectives that come to mind. This would be a great dish to share among a group. The lobster club was about as decadent as they come. Lobster, bacon, mayonnaise - what's not to like? And that's exactly the sentiment I had. It was so delicious and creamy I easily could have eaten the whole thing, but alas it was not my main meal; I ordered the flatbread. When it arrived in front of me I instantly smelled the bacon. Ah, sweet, sweet, bacon. Cheese, bacon, pears, and onions are never a bad combo and this was no different. The flatbread itself was a great balance between crispy and chewy.

So you would think the food and atmosphere would be enough right? You would be wrong. To top this evening off, we watched the episode in which Marcus is featured with him all night. It was truly an amazing experience to watch someone on TV while they are standing (and yes, he was standing right next to me) during the show.

Chef Marcus was so kind, fielding our questions, signing our cookbooks and in general, just hanging out. He was completely unpretentious and inviting (much like the food at C-view) and created a memorable night for me. I wrote on a napkin my blog, so Marcus if you are reading - thanks for making my night!

It's going to be hard to top this one, but I have a lot of big foodie events coming up so stay tuned!!

She and Him - Millennium Park

2010-06-10T09:57:00.000-04:00

Mr. Charles Shaw (some of you may know him as $2 Chuck), pretzel roll, brie, sausage and my good friend Sara (she has a blog and it's awesome) made for an absolutely amazing Monday night in Chicago.

DMK Burger Bar

2010-05-18T05:00:00.001-04:00

Truffle parmesan fries, blue cheese/onion straw burger, olive tapenade/tzaziki lamb burger. Heaven? Close enough (well to me at least). These delectable items can be found at one of Chicago's new burger joints - DMK Burger Bar.

What started as the love child between David Morton and Michael Kornick (DMK - get it?) has turned into Lakeview's premiere gastropub/burger joint. Boasting 14 different burgers (eight meat and six "others"), this place has been on my radar for quite some time. The timing was perfect when my dad was recently in town and we wanted to check out someplace to new eat. Normally I have an ongoing list of places where we should go, but this time around I got a little busy and didn't plan. We started walking around my neighborhood when I remembered - DMK...

As luck we have it we were about a block away when the idea stuck me and so we went. Always hungry and ready for a good meal, we dove right into the menu and started with the caesar and wedge salads. The presentation of these were great; the caesar had fresh anchovies strewn across the top of the crisp romaine (pictured) and the wedge, large crumbles of blue. If I know I am going to be indulging in something as decadent as a burger, I like to get a salad to start in hopes of filling up my tummy a little bit before diving into the deep end of meat and cheese. These salads did their best to curve my hunger - I didn't even finish mine! Had we known the sheer mass of both salads we could have easily gone with one.

On to the next round: burgers. DMK Burgers offers only grass fed beef, which is great because cattle are suppose to eat grass. Seems simple enough yet a lot of grocery stores, restaurants (even high end ones) still use corn fed beef. Cows are designed to eat grass - not corn. Got it? Good. I could go on forever about my position on industrial farming, but thats for a separate post. ANYWAYS, burgers. We ordered:

1) The roasted hatch green chile, fried farm egg, sonoma jack, fresh bacon turkey burger (also known as #4)
2) Sheep's milk feta, olive tapenade, greek salad, tzaziki grass feed lamb burger (aka #11)
3) Chili rubbed onion strings, blue cheese, spicy chipotle burger (aka #2)

Coupled with our three orders of fries, sweet potato with lemon tabasco aioli, parmesan truffle cream, and amish blue and smoked bacon, this meal was a total knock out. The first burger was a great mixture of salt, sweet and spice from the bacon, egg and chiles. The lamb burger actually felt very light; the cucumbers from the greek salad and the brininess of the olive tapenade was a great background for the lamb. Then there was the onion strings/blue cheese burger. My burger. I have to be honest I normally don't go for the blue cheese burgers because I often feel that the cheese overwhelms the flavor of the beef, however this burger balanced all the flavors very well. The spice from the ketchup and the chili in the onion strings played right into the tang and pungent flavors of the blue cheese. All three burgers were dynamite and packed with great flavors - cooked perfectly too!

Not only was the food great, but the bar offers a unique selection of beers and homemade sodas. Being that it was a Monday I got the blood orange soda and I couldn't have been happier. Refreshing, sweet and unique this soda definitely hit the spot for me. I can definitely see craft sodas becoming a trend in the culinary world. When I go back (and I will go back) I want to try the Allagash, white wheat ale. Several people were drinking it and it looked mighty tasty.

For about $8 a burger, $2-$5 for fries and $5-$14 for beer you can get a gourmet burger in a great atmosphere. I am just looking for someone who wants to indulge with me again!

DMK Burger Bar
2954 N. Sheffield
Chicago, IL 60657

Two Year Anniversary :)

2010-05-12T06:53:00.002-04:00

Well Dear Foodies, if you can believe it today marks my two year anniversary of when I decided to start this little ole food blog. Blogging has allowed me to meet some incredible people/culinary icons including Art Smith, Marcus Sammuelsson and recently Dean Fearing. It's also lead me to some of the greatest meals (Prune, The Bristol, Extra Virgin, Craft) of my life with some of my best friends in the entire world. I wouldn't take back all the calories, spell or grammatical errors in the world for it (despite the fact it physically pains my mother - sorry Mom!) :)

I want to thank my five dedicated followers for putting up with my harassment over reading the latest post, or blasting it all over you facebook and gmail statuses. I probably don't say it enough but it means the world to me!

The only way I really know to celebrate is to head to the first outdoor Green City Market in Lincoln Park and take lots of pictures.

Thank you all so much for reading and happy eating!

Much Love,

Renee

Also special birthday shout out to Baby Beth who turns 25 today!!!!! WAHOO!!

Stone Ridge Creamery

2010-05-05T11:04:00.000-04:00

I'm in love. One of those loves where you can just find no faults, everything is perfect and when your together all is right in the world. That's how I feel every time I eat a bowl of Double Berry Cheesecake from Stone Ridge Creamery.

The ice cream has a bit of marscapone in it which creates the most rich, yet light texture (honestly more so like cheesecake than ice cream), inter-weaved with blackberry and strawberry preserves. To top it off, throughout this wonderful creamy paradise are little tiny bits of graham cracker.

If you see this in your grocery store take my advice and BUY IT NOW!!

Beer Margaritas

2010-05-05T08:30:00.001-04:00

So this recipe is from an Websuite party from the good ole college days and recently from a now infamous Dos de Mayo party. I think everyone can agree - they are amazing.

I normally do not do margaritas, but these are so light and the beer really cuts into the tequila so I don't instantly get a headache...

Ingredients

1 (12oz.) can frozen limeade concentrate
Tequila
Sprite/Soda Water
Beer (preferable a Corona, Tecate etc.)
Ice
Lime slices (for garnish)

Directions

In a pitcher empty limeade. Using the can as a guide fill with tequila, then empty into pitcher. Add the bottle of beer and stir till the limeade till dissolved. Pour over ice, top off with soda water or sprite and garnish with a lime.

If you don't like margaritas, I promise these will change your mind.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

2010-04-13T05:00:00.000-04:00

I know what you are thinking: she's finally lost it, brussel sprouts? Brussel sprouts...but look at that picture. They don't look that bad do they?

Well I'd like to think that I haven't lost it all, but rather I've taken an ingredient that gets a bad rep and turned it into something I think is pretty darn good (and not to mention incredibly easy!) So come on, let's all get crazy and make brussel sprouts!

Ingredients:

- Brussel sprouts (Trader Joe's has a great selection)
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Butter
- Salt

Directions (Cook time - 20 minutes):

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Clean your brussel sprouts then halve down the middle. Add the brussel sprouts to a shallow roasting pan and dizzle with EVOO, then season with salt. Place brussel sprouts face down and put the dish in the oven.

After 10 minutes of cooking lightly toss (at this point your brussel sprouts should be browned on the bottom). Return to the oven and cook for 5 more minutes, then add 1/2 tablespoon of broken up butter and spread over the brussel sprouts. Cook for 5 more minutes and remove from oven.

Trust me, this recipe is a keeper. I have cooked this multiple times in the past week and can't seem to get enough of these little guys!

Simple Salmon Recipe

2010-04-06T10:31:00.000-04:00

This is one of my go to recipes. It's simple, healthy and only requires three ingredients!

Ingredients (serves two)

2 6-8oz salmon filets (with the skin on, you don't have to but I think it adds a lot of flavor)
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup djion mustard

Directions
First, set your oven to broil and heat a skillet to medium and lightly coat the pan in a little extra virgin olive oil.
In a bowl mixture together orange juice and djion mustard.
Salt and pepper salmon filets. Place the filets in the skillet skin side down. After about two minutes flip, then remove after two minutes. We are not fully cooking the salmon here, just trying to get the skin crispy and some nice color.
Remove salmon and start brushing on the orange juice/mustard mixture.
Once coated (I like to get the sides and everything) place in the oven for about 5-7 minutes.
Salmon is easy to over cook, so make sure you are watching. Once done the salmon should have a nice crust from the mustard on top and a flaky tenderness.
Serve with your favorite vegetable (green beans are great!) and you have a healthy dinner that is ready to go in about 20 minutes!

Help Me Win The Moleskine Passed Down Contest!

2010-03-31T17:22:00.000-04:00

Dear Foodies,

I recently submitted my Sweet Potato Soup recipe inspired by my mother's love for soups, and my love for sweet potatoes, to the Moleskine Passed Down Recipe contest. If you like this recipe, it would be GREAT if you could go here and write a nice comment for yours truly. The announce a winner soon so the more comments, ratings the better.

Much love,

The Frugal Foodies

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2010-03-17T10:45:00.000-04:00

Ah, St. Patrick's day. For some it means the celebration of St. Patrick, for other it means debauchery, and for my Mother it means her favorite day has arrived. She has been sending me email updates about this day since March 18th, 2009.

In honor of my dear mother Auddie, here are some great traditional Irish recipes taken from Irelandseye.com:

Potato Soup - The basis of a good soup - especially a simple soup such as this - is a good stock.
Apple Jelly - This well-flavoured jelly is very easy to make and will keep -if given a chance.
Beef in Guinness - The Guinness in this recipe has the same function as the wine in Coq Au Vin.

Boxty - Boxty is a traditional potato dish, celebrated in the rhyme.

Whether it's with Guiness or a potato I am wishing everyone a very safe and happy St. Patrick's day.

May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of his hand.

Moleskin Recipe Journal

2010-03-16T11:03:00.003-04:00

I can honestly say I haven't been this excited in a long time; Moleskin has introduced their new "recipe journal" and it looks beautiful. Granted I can't really find more information than what is shown in the video, but it looks like there are conversion charts, different sections for different recipes, not to mention the cover features different cooking utensils. I currently use a moleskin to house all my recipes, but it's a mess and I really looking forward to organizing this!

Thanks to Megan and the heads up about this amazing find. I intend to purchase one soon, if not today :)

UPDATE: I found a template of the notebook pages, and now I am even MORE excited!

The basics are: Recipe, Ingredients, Preparation. On the side the notebook features: difficulty, serving size, cooking and prep times, wine parings, notes and overall rating.

I seriously can not handle the excitement. I may have to run to boarders during lunch to pick one of these bad boys up. WINE PAIRING?! They really thought of everything!

Hansen's Natural Blueberry and Pomegranate Soda

2010-03-11T12:03:00.000-05:00

When I ate at the Meatloaf Bakery I just so happen to stumble in on Tuesday and therefore received a free soda. I hesitated and debated for a moment whether or not I wanted to indulge in a little sweetness. Luckily I followed my instincts and moved forward with the Hansen's Natural Blueberry Pomegranate soda.

Walking back I studied the back of the can (yes, after purchase) and was very pleased to see that Hansen's uses cane sugar. Granted everything else is likely artificial, but at least it has real sugar.

If you see Hansen's I would definitely try it. I mixed it with a little vodka for a night cap and it was a great success!

The Bristol - Chicago

2010-03-10T10:16:00.000-05:00

Every now and again I eat a meal that reminds me of why I love food and The Bristol in Chicago's Wicker Park was one of those experiences. A self-proclaimed "neighborhood eatery and bar" The Bristol offers local, Mediterranean inspired cuisine at reasonable prices. With a menu that changes daily (they print the date on each menu and I know this because I stole one to accurately write this post) there is something for everyone.

Jef and I met up with my Dad and headed to Wicker Park. Upon walking in I already knew that this was going to be a great experience; a large chalkboard displays the menu and daily specials, a long bar lined with liquor and a friendly hostess that immediately greets us. We are seated quickly (quite a feat, normally they are packed!), ordered a cocktail (the sparkling batida if you must know), and based on recommendations from my friend Kori the monkey bread with dill dipping sauce and the duck fat fries with house ketchup and aioli. Kori is good. Really good. Dear foodies you may not know this but I have a problem when it comes to the following:

Bread, in any sort of capacity so long as it's freshly baked (we're not talking about white sandwich bread - don't insult me)
Duck fat - if you haven't had it, then you don't know, and if you have had it, then you know why I have a problem controlling myself in it's presence

The soft monkey bread pulled apart so easily and the dill dipping sauce was the perfect complement to the sea salt that was lightly sprinkled on top. I am not embarrassed to admit that I ate 75% of this appetizer. Then the fries. Much like the meatloaf from the Meatloaf Bakery, I looked up 5 minutes later and was confused about what just happened. I know there were fries on the plate, but now they are all gone...weird. We also got scotch olives with pork sausage and lemon (pictured above), but I am not a huge olive fan so I can't really say. They seemed tasty to me and Jef and my Dad liked them enough to eat them all, so take that for what it's worth.

After the first round of appetizers, or bar snacks as they call them, we decided that we just aren't ready for the main courses and would like to sample a couple more things. That's right appetizers round two. This time we decided to go with the pretzel crusted smelt with mustard hollandaise and the raviolo with ricotta, egg yolk and brown butter. I have never had smelt before and when the server informed us that you are suppose to eat this tiny fish whole, even I was a little nervous. One bite in and all anxiety was gone. It was the most bizarre and delicious combination I have had in a while. Obviously pretzels and mustard go together, but this little fish really took everything up a notch. It's a really interesting pairing and if you have never had smelt, I would suggest it. The ravilo with egg yolk, was good, not great, but definitely good. The pasta was a little too thick for me and overall it was a little rich after everything we had just eaten. I know that my heart rate officially slowed with every bite.

Moderately full and ready for the next round, our entrees of chicken with mustard spatzle and crunchy salad (pictured top) and head on prawns a la plancha, anchovy butter and tarragon appeared just in time. I ordered the chicken which is unusual for me, but I just thought that everything had been so good, I imagine the chicken would be no different and I was correct. The chicken was perfectly moist, the spatzle was so different I found myself eating that more than the chicken. Spatzle is a type of egg noodle that is commonly found in German cuisine (thanks wikipedia...) and offered a unique texture and flavor to the dish. Jef ordered the chicken as well and actually thought that the whole roaster that I make was better (aw), but I am awesome so this is no surprise. My dad ordered the pawns and inhaled them before I could try so I can't say with certainty that they were good, but he really left me not evidence that they shouldn't be.

For dessert we ordered the cookie plate and it was delightful. Going again, I would probably be more adventurous but honestly we were so full we each just wanted a little something to nibble on.

The Bistol is up there with one of my favorite eats in the city. A small, well crafted menu, with a knowledge staff and a chef that obviously cares about the quality and integrity of every dish that he serves. My Dad was so impressed that he said he would gladly take clients there over other restaurants in Chicago. I mean people, it was good.

You can follow The Bristol on twitter here for daily specials and updates.

Thanks to Kori for a great recommendation and The Bristol for a fabulous meal. I will be back!

The Bristol

2152 N. Damon

Chicago, IL 60647

Meatloaf Bakery

2010-03-03T11:37:00.001-05:00

Photo Credits: TheMeatloafBakery.com

I know you are reading the title of this post and thinking that I've officially lost my mind and may need to hire an editor. No, dear foodies, that is not a typo. In my delightful neighborhood of Lincoln Park there is a bakery that is taking meatloaf to the next level by creating "cupcakes" or "meatcakes" as I like to call them. The Meatloaf Bakery (MLB) is located at the end of my street and has been gaining attention since it opened. Coupled with the idea that meatloaf is delicious and definitely does not have to be in loaf form, owner and founder Cynthia created these delectable treats to resemble something we all love - dessert!

After passing by the store front many times, I finally committed to giving the MLB a try. Upon walking in I am greeted by two members of the charming staff who were heating up samples - talk about timing! They are patient with me as I ask a million questions about each individual meatloaf, and help to guide me towards the loaf that was right for me. Currently they offer 8 varieties:

The Mother Loaf - beef, pork and veal mixed with herbs and seasonings then topped with their Yukon Smashers and served with demi-glaze on the side
Herb Turkey Loaf - lean ground turkey mixed with spices, garlic, red pepper and herbs, sprinkled with parmesan and topped with herbed bread dressing and cranberry sauce on the side
A Wing and A Prayer Loaf - ground chicken mixed with hot sauce, bleu cheese and celery make this a one stop wing shop. Topped with bleu cheese and served with ranch dressing
Loaf-A-Roma - beef and Italian sausage combined with mozzarella cheese, sun dried tomatoes, basil and splash of red wine topped with angel hair pasta
Omega-3 Loaf - Alaskan salmon mixed with lemon, dill and parsley topped with wasabi mashed potatoes and served with lemon-dill yogurt.
No Buns About It Burger Loaf - beef, bacon, cheddar, onions, mustard, ketchup, pickles, topped with cheesy taters and served with special sauce
El Loafo Del Fuego - ground pork mixed with chorizo, green olives, almonds, garlic and a touch of sherry, topped with garlic spuds and served with a sherry mushroom sauce
Yentil Lentil Loaf - lentils with brown rice, with veggies and cheese. Topped with bell peppers and served with cous cous.

While all of them looked delicious, I had to focus and order just one. I opted for the Herb Turkey loaf, because, yeah, I like Thanksgiving and I like it more than once a year. The kind staff packed up my purchase and I even got a free drink (free drinks on Tuesdays!) and I raced home to re-heat my "meatcake."

The MLB provides reheating instructions with two different routes - the microwave or the oven. Ah, yes, the classic struggle between patience and hunger. I was so hungry, but I knew that the oven would offer a more delicious treat. So I decided to ride it out and let my meatloaf warm in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

When the buzzer finally went off, I removed my beautiful meatcake from it's tray, set the table and then tried to figure out where I would start. I didn't want to dive right in because I would knock the dressing off the top, but I was hungry and this was war, patience was losing. So yes, I took my fork cut through the dressing straight through the meat, then assembled a fork full, dipped in cranberry sauce and then sighed. Ah, sweet, sweet, Thanksgiving. I have missed you.

This meatloaf was not only juicy (and were talking ground turkey here!), but the dressing was the perfect blend of herbs and had a nice crust on the top from the oven. The sauce was sweet but not overbearing.

I have no idea what came over me next, but let me put it this way - I'm glad I live alone. Before I knew it my fork was on a rampage shoveling this masterpiece into my mouth and I didn't try to stop it. Ten minutes later I looked at my clean plate and was proud of what I accomplished (maybe a little ashamed too, I mean, you would think I had never seen food before).

Either way, this is my new favorite local shop. Friendly staff, innovative entrees, and most importantly fabulous food. This is a great place for a quick meal or to take people in from out of town to show a different side of Chicago.

Vote for the MLB on Time Out Chicago's Eat Out Awards! They definitely deserve to win Best Specialty Shop. Click here to vote!

The Meatloaf Bakery
2464 N. Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60614

200th Post

2010-03-01T05:45:00.000-05:00

Well Foodies, I can't believe it but today is my 200th post. It's hard to believe that I started this blog in May 2008 as a way to chronicle my grazing through New York City and 199 posts later here we are...

I am not the type of person that really sticks to things that I am ambivalent about so I am happy to say that if I get nothing else out of this experience at least I have found something that I am truly passionate about: food.

I know for some people food is the last thing on their mind and they simply eat to survive. Well friends, I am the exact opposite of that. I love food more than a lot of things. I love the idea of creating something that is good for the mind, body and soul. Nothing else can bring people together like a great meal. Some of the best times I have had in my life have been with good friends over dinner.

So moving forward I promise to keep writing posts about my culinary adventures and new great finds from all over so long as you keep reading. Well, even if you don't I will likely keep writing as this blog serves as a great cookbook (just tonight I looked up one of my favorite recipes: white bean stew)

In honor of the 200th post, I've created a slide show of my favorite pictures :)

Po Restaurant

2010-02-23T11:36:00.000-05:00

What I love about my real job is that it affords me the luxury of living in one of my favorite cities and visiting my all-time favorite city, New York. Not to mention the fact that some of my co-workers are serious foodies and give me great suggestions of new places to try like Po (thanks Megan!). Po is a quaint little place in the heart, and I mean heart, of the West Village. Tucked away on the adorable Cornelia street this tiny eatery boasts fresh Italian cuisine. According to their website most of their ingredients are hand delivered to the restaurant from the surrounding shops. With such greats as Murray's Cheese, Amy's Bread etc. near by, you know you are in for a treat.

I was meeting my two dear friends and serious foodies, Maggie and Brad. Before trying out a new restaurant I always feel a tinge of pressure - what if it's not good? Do I pretend I hate it so I don't look like a fool or take it down in flames with me? Lucky for me this was not a problem at Po.

I was greeted by a warm host who offered to take my bag and my jacket immediately (a big deal in the North, especially for me because I hate feeling bulky and bad service). I walked quickly to the back of the restaurant where Maggie and Brad has already ordered the white bean bruschetta. The creamy white beans and the tang of the fruity olive oil was a big hit with my taste buds. Not to mention the bread was chewy and delicious.

After several minutes of debate we all decided on our main courses. All three of us opted for something different:

Renee: Pappardelle with duck confit ragu
Maggie: Porcini Crusted Cod, borlotti beans, kale and Sweet red pepper vinaigrette
Brad: Braised Short Rib soft polenta and sweet carrots

Honestly, everything was perfection. I am a big fan of a salty and sweet combination and my pasta was giving me just that. The salty duck with the sweet pasta made for a very rich and hearty dish. I was full about half way through, but it was so good I pushed through the pain and finished the entire dish. There really is nothing better than fresh, homemade pasta. Maggie's porcini cod echoed the same flavors of salty and sweet, with the salty porcinis on the sweet cod mixed with bitter kale and sweet red pepper vinaigrette. Brad's braised short rib dish was a very full and robust dish. The meat was sincerely sliding off the bones and was so tender no knife was needed. The polenta was so creamy and meshed perfectly with the meat. For me the carrots were a nice side note, but definitely not the star.

Probably the best part of the meal was receiving the check and having sticker shock - but in a good way. For all three of us to eat this fabulous meal with appetizers, entrees, and several glasses of wine was about $40 a person; unheard of by New York standards. Po will be my new go-to restaurant when people ask me for amazing Italian in the city.

31 Cornelia Street

New York, NY 10014

Green City Market

2010-02-18T13:39:00.002-05:00

For me, I always associated farmer's markets with spring, summer and fall; so basically just not winter. When I moved to Chicago I was so excited to try out the Green City Market. Having heard so much about it and seen the bounty of produce on shows such as Top Chef, I knew this would not be a regular's farmer's market. However, I moved in the middle of fall with a swift (and I do mean SWIFT) transition into winter, I feared that I would not be able to taste fresh produce for a while. So you can imagine my pure delight when I learned that the Green City Market extends through all seasons and in fact provides an inside facility near my apartment in the winter!! Just pure elation.

Over the past few weeks, I have purchased a wide variety of root vegetables, breads, meats, poultry. Tried cheeses from all over the Midwest and had the delight of meeting the proud farmers and producers of these great products. While it is only every two week the Green City Market is often the highlight of most of my weekends.

The market goes beyond just a traditional produce stand; it offers chef demos, recipes, scholarships and volunteering efforts etc. Check out their entire list of programs here.

If you are in Chicago, this is one event that should not be missed. Even if you are here on vacation - it's a great way to taste the local produce and learn more about the Midwest.

Their logo reads "Fresh. Local. Delicious." I couldn't agree more. For dates, locations etc. check out their website here. You can also follow them on twitter here or look at their pretty pictures on Flickr.

Happy Birthday DAD!!!

2010-02-17T10:44:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday to my dear OLD Dad :) He turns 51 one today and just got a great report on his health and we couldn't be happier!

Food Reviews by My Cousin

2010-02-17T10:32:00.000-05:00

Check out the video below featuring my lovely cousin Dory, dishing about three delicious recipes. She has a great expressive face and not very good at lying, so you know these products are good :)

Enjoy!

Valentine's Day Revisited

2010-02-12T11:03:00.002-05:00

Valentine's Day is one of those days that I am ambivalent about. Single or in a relationship who cares? All I know is that on this day that everyone feels they need to be flamboyant about their love I would rather stay in and be with people I care about. With that said I have pulled some recipes (old and new) that I think will go perfectly on this day and at the end a special dessert that will put you in a food coma :)

Starters:

Truffled Mushroom Bruschetta - this recipe is still one of my favorites and a definite crowd pleaser. While this is a little heavier, it's a perfect start to any meal.
Ricotta and Honey Toast - this recipe is essentially a lighter version of the one above. They both involve ricotta (one of my favorites) and toast, however this will start you off more on the sweet than the savory side.

Entrees:

Butternut Squash Ravioli - the brown butter sauce over the smooth, light raviolis still makes my mouth water. This is staple in my kitchen when I have guests over or in from out of town. It's fairly easy and always delivers.
The Perfect Sirloin - while this isn't the most "exciting" thing that I have to offer, it's incredible good. The technique and flavors are simple, but when you have a good cut of meat you don't need any more. I love this recipe!

Dessert

So this is a recipe that I was inspired to create by something I saw in Bon Appetit. Thier recipe look good and intense. I wanted to take is down a bit and just concentrate on the flavors. After one successful attempt I created the blackberry jam and lemon ice cream masterpiece...

Ingredients:

1 lemon
1 pint of vanilla ice cream
1 container of blackberries
1 cup watter
1 cup sugar
Graham crackers (optional)

Directions:

Listen. This is pretty straight forward and bottom line, look at those ingredients. Can you really mess this up? If you can I would like to know because everything on that list is sheer heaven. Sugar, ice cream, blackberries - COME ON!

Let the ice cream become soft and transfer to a bowl. Add the zest and juice of one lemon to the ice cream and mix together. Place the ice cream back in the freezer.

On the stove add one cup of water and one cup of sugar. Keep stirring the mixture until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add in your container of blackberries (after rinsing of course) and then bring the entire mixture to a boil.

Once the mixture has started to boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, stirring every few minutes or so until the "jam" has reached your desired consistency (I like to let mine simmer for an hour).

After your delicious meal, take a scoop of ice cream and a hefty spoonful of our blackberry mixture and create a sundae. Crumble graham crackers on top and there you have it - the dessert that is so good you won't be able to move afterwards.

No matter what you do, I hope you have a wonderful weekend with whoever you spend it with :)

Lito's Empanadas

2010-02-08T22:57:00.000-05:00

I recently ventured out into the blustery cold and tried this local neighborhood eatery, Lito's Empanadas. Not knowing much about empanadas I knew I would be up for an adventure (they kind of reminded me of big deep fried dumplings or a really awesome hot pocket - so what's not to like?).

Walking into Lito's I was pleasantly surprised at how clean and open the restaurant was. It reminded me of the little shops in New York that are just barely big enough to hold 10 people (this Caracas Arepas) with a counter in the front and clear shot to the kitchen in the back.

After speaking with the kind person taking my order I decided to try three of their most popular items:

BBQ Chicken - slow cooked chicken with potatoes
Beef - ground beef, olives, raisins, potatoes, tomato, onion
Chicken champion - chicken, and cheese, with sauteed mushrooms, tomatoes and onions

In order for me to fairly review this I had do some research about this little treat - I mean sure it tasted good but is that how it's suppose to taste? Empanadas started in the Spain/Portugal region but their influence has spread across Europe and South America. Empanadas come from the Spanish verb empanar meaning "to wrap" so an empanda is a filling wrapped in bread or dough (look at us learning!) Each region has their own personalized fillings and essentially use the dough and technique as a blank canvas.The empandas I had were from the Colombian, and feature the staples of ground beef, shredded chicken and potatoes.

Through my learnings a empanada should have a light, flaky crust and should proportionate to the fillings. Lito's did just this. The BBQ chicken was very sweet and tangy and when combine with the Lito's homemade hot sauce it was as an amazing combination (I love spicy and sweet!). I will have to say that the beef was the least favorite of the three. I felt like the filling kept falling out and it was too much beef to the other components. Don't get me wrong - it was good and I ate it, I think I would have liked a little more potato and onion. Finally, the champion chicken, and what a champion it was. The cheese, the mushrooms, the tomatoes, all of it just blended so well leaving my tummy so full and happy.

Lito's makes all of their empanadas daily so you know you are getting a top quality product. Even better - one empanada will run you about $2.50, I mean, can you beat that? I ordered three and still had left overs for a little snack. If you are ever in the Lincoln Park area I would definitely suggest you check it out.

Lito's Empanada
2566 N. Clark
Chicago, IL 60614

How to Roast a Chicken

2010-01-31T23:39:00.000-05:00

As you can tell from this picture above, my chicken turned out perfect. I normally wait and post the final pictures of meal at the end of the posts, but I just couldn't. Look at that thing, it's just beautiful!

Here's the deal: I was nervous. Roasting a chicken just seems like a big, big ordeal. So many questions arose - what if I overcook it? What if I undercook it? How long should this bird take? What do I do with afterwards? [Please read: I am roasting this chicken on a Friday night and ruining it would really make me a loser]

Luckily, I had my Tom to guide me. Although I don't write about it all the time - my Tom Collichio cookbook is an integral component in almost everything I cook. His book is filled with great techniques that allow me to be creative while understanding the process. The recipe for this chicken I took very literally from his Think Like a Chef cookbook, but now that I understand the steps I have already been brainstorming more creative approaches.

Let's get down to it. Here is how you roast a chicken:

Ingredients (serves 4):

a 3lb roasting chicken
2 sprigs of thyme
2 sprigs of rosemary
butter
salt
pepper
shallots peeled and halved (optional - but they are mega delicious in this recipe)

Directions

Firstly, if your grocery store offers it, I would spring for the extra bucks and try to get a free range organic chicken. There's lots of reasons behind this, but just trust me - its worth it.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and then place your chicken on a cutting board and remove the inards (I have bought chickens where this is already done and some where they keep the inards inside the chicken - just remove them). Next wash your chicken under cool water then pat dry absorbing all excess moisture.

If you have very sharp scissors, cut the first joint of the wing. Tom advises this and I am guessing the logic is - it's not really adding anything and can burn, thusly it's out. Also trim an excess fat around the "butt" of the bird.

Once you chicken is dry and the front wing removed, heavily salt and pepper your bird. Go ahead and salt and pepper the cavity too. Then add your thyme and rosemary to the birds cavity.

After this Tom advises to truss the bird. I am going to be honest. Didn't do it. Didn't even try. I did not have butchers string and to be honest seemed like a lot of work. If you would like to truss your bird here's a video, but if you don't want to, and as you can see I didn't, it's fine. It's not going to ruin everything.

Now your bird is salted, peppered and stuff with rosemary and thyme. Next we need to heat an oven-proof skillet on medium heat with some olive oil. Once the oil slides easily across the pan, it's time to turn our bird on her side and start this cooking process. Do this on both sides for 7 minutes.

Once the bird has been seared on both sides, lay the bird flat so that the breasts are face up, add the shallots to the pan then transfer to the oven.

After 20 minutes, add in about two tablespoons of butter to the pan (or more if you want - I really love butter) then let chicken roast for another 30 minutes basting about every ten minutes or so.

Once the breasts reach a temperature of 160 degrees shes ready. Remove from the oven and cover the chicken with aluminum foil for 10 more minutes. Remove from the pan and serve with a sprinkle of sea salt. Viola!! Roasted chicken.

This recipe provides the most moist and delicious chicken I have had in my life. I know what you are thinking - do I only feel this way because I made it? Sure, but other people really enjoyed it too, so unless you are calling my friends liars - this is a great recipe.

Not to mention it's extremely cost effective. A 3lb chicken should not cost you more than ten dollars and will serve four - can't beat that!

I will be testing out some new variations on this recipe and of course will let you know if I find one I really like.

First Supper Club

2010-01-27T16:26:00.000-05:00

Recently a group of five girls and I have all gathered to share in our love for food and created a supper club! What is a supper club you might ask? A supper club is simply a club where girls (sorry no boys!) gather together to share food, recipes, tips anything that you can think of related to food. Our club consisted of five founding memebrs: Kim, Mandy, Christine, Sara and myself. For this inaugural meeting we decided the theme was "signature dish" meaning that you should bring a dish that is your signature.

Everything about the night was just wonderful. Kim started the night off with roasted garlic and honey butter that we were to spread on a french loaf. At first I was thought - garlic and honey...hmm interesting combination, but then I tried it. For 24 years I have been a fool for not doing this all the time. It's so simple, yet sincerely delicious. This is going to be a staple at any dinner party that I have.

Next we moved onto the entree and sides. Despite the fact that I thought of the theme "signature dish" I went out on a limb and tried something completely new: djion-sage crusted pork loin with a dried fruit red wine sauce. Um. It was heavenly (see recipe here). I was really proud of this recipe since I took initiative and combined several different flavor profiles that I thought would work. Christine made this spicy and sweet corn casserole that literally left me eating the crumbs off my plate (not to mention that I have hoarding the left-overs) and Sara made a delicious pasta salad with onions, olives and feta that was light and refreshing.

For dessert we essentially had homemade Frosty's and they were AWESOME. I have never been able to figure out what makes a restaurant milkshake better than the ones at home and Mandy provided the answer: malted milk.

This was a great success and I am very excited for the next meeting. I will post the recipes to these delicious treats described soon!

Djion Sage Crusted Pork Loin with Red Wine Sauce

2010-01-26T00:30:00.001-05:00

This recipe comes as a combination of several recipes into one. Here are things I know:
1. Djion and pork just go together
2. Sage is one of my favorite herbs
3. I like dried fruit and wine

Knowing all of these things and looking through some recipes I was inspired to create a djion sage crust with a dried fruit red wine sauce. The combination was delicious and everyone cleaned their plate (always a good sign!)

Ingredients

1-2 lb pork loin
1/4 - 1/2 cup djion mustard
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tbsp fresh chopped sage
1 cup dried fruits such as cranberries
2 oranges
2 cups red wine (I used a Cabernet Sauvignon - which was sweet but good)
1/2 cup sugar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl mix the mustard, white wine vinegar and chopped sage then set aside.

On a cutting board salt and pepper your pork. Heat a skillet with some olive oil on medium heat. Sear the pork on one side for about 5-7 minutes, then on the other side for 5-7 minutes. Once both sides are seared, turn off the heat on the stove top and take our mustard mixture and coat both sides. Really lay it on there - it's not going to hurt anything.

Place in oven for 20 -25 minutes or until internal temperature is 140 degrees (this will give you medium).

About ten minutes before the pork is finished cooking, add the wine, juice and zest of both oranges, dried fruit and sugar to a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Once the mixture has started to boil, then reduce to low heat. Occasionally stir the sauce and once it is reduced to about half of when it started remove from the heat.

By that time your pork should be done. Remove it from the oven and let it stand for ten minutes. I am bolding this because its so important to not cut into the meat to early as you will release vital juices that will make the meat tender and moist.

After the pork has rested slice and spoon sauce over pork.

This recipe, is easy, cost efficient (this loin feed 5 people easily with left overs for about $3 a serving) and most importantly delicious. I would highly recommend if you are cooking for a large group.

Fun Fact: How to stop water from boiling over!

2010-01-20T10:04:00.000-05:00

So here is a little tip that my grandma taught me: to stop water from boiling over when cooking pasta, add just a little drizzle of oil (olive, vegetable, whatever). This will a) keep the pasta from sticking together (a huge pet peeve of mine) and b) create density in the water so it will not create a mess on your stove. Furthermore, it allows you to keep you boiling water on high heat thus reducing cooking time.

I've read some message boards that disagree with me wholeheartedly (something about adding extra calories - it's less than a teaspoon and then is drained, so, um, get a life) but I have been using this tip forever and have never had any issues.

Have you done this before? What did you think about it?

George's Ocean Terrace - La Jolla, CA

2010-01-12T05:23:00.000-05:00

This previous week I ventured out to Pasadena, California to support my alma mater, Alabama, in their quest for the National Championship. Luckily for me not only did they win their 13th title, but the Tide took me to one of the most beautiful places I have been - Oceanside, CA. 30 minutes north of San Diego this delightful little beach town provided the perfect background to all around great vacation. I was reunited with my former roommate Leah, and once the foodies were back together, good eating ensued. We started off with spicy shrimp and macaroni and cheese and then ended the trip with fresh guacamole and fajitas, but in between our two amazing meals, we went south to eat in La Jolla at George's Ocean Terrace.

Immediately George's Terrace will take your breathe away. Situated on top of a bluff, the restaurant looks north, over the Pacific. The sun had just set and the stars were peaking their way out. Honestly, I don't think I could have asked for much more...until the mussels passed me by...

Thirsty and starving this crew of 10 got down to business. My lovely date, Elizabeth (and college roommate!), and I split everything we ordered to maximize our options. We/Leah started out with:

Charcuterie plate with la quercia prosciutto, pecorino cheese, fig mustard and grilled bread
Seared raw tuna with soba noodles and a wasabi soy vinaigrette
Mussels baked in their natural juices and butter served with grilled bread

The charcuterie plate was my favorite. The prosciutto was paper thin and an excelled blend of creamy fat and meat. The fig mustard was sweet and tangy and once you put it all on top of the grilled bread. It's over. The pecorino was fine, but in my opinion not really necessary. The raw tuna was tasty, but I feel like the proportion of soba noodles to tuna was off. Soba > Tuna. There were so many noodles and not enough pieces of fish that I was confused about what the focus of the dish was. Should I eat the noodles or the fish? It was fine, but in the end didn't come together for me. However, I thought the mussels were great! Smokey, fresh, tender, all the things you look for in a good mussels dish. Leah said she thought they were a bit bland, and I can see that, if there were a little bit of spice I would not have complained.

For the main course Elizabeth and I again split our meals:

Grilled swordfish with braised leeks, roasted fingerling potatoes and romesco sauce
Niman ranch pork chop with panchetta roasted brussel sprouts, soft polenta, honey-molasses glazed apples

The majority of the table ordered the swordfish and seemed to really enjoy it. I will agree with them, the dish was certainly light and pleasant. Was is the greatest swordfish dish I have ever had? No. Would I order it again? Sure. The romesco sauce was really the star of this dish. It was very flavorful and fresh and created a lot of depth for the swordfish. If you tried the swordfish on it's own, it was pretty bland, however with the sauce it was delightful and added not only flavor but color to the plate. Fingerlings are my favorite potato and again, nothing was wrong with them, but they were quite literally just roasted fingerlings, no herbs or any additional flavor. A little garlic and those would have been dynamite.

The pork dish was actually the opposite, where the protein was ok, but the other components were outstanding. The panchetta roasted brussel sprouts are making my mouth water as we speak. Fork tender and packed with flavor, these could have converted the most holy of brussel sprout haters. The polenta was so soft and really sucked up all of the honey-molasses goodness that was seaping down from the apples. The apples were stellar if you ate them with the pork. Then the pork. Honestly? It was a little tough. Maybe it's because we were using butter knives, but even still it was chewy. I rarely order pork, but when I do, I want it to be succulent. I am not afraid of the fat so I would cut a piece with fat to try and rejuvenate some moisture, but sigh, nothing. The pork was slightly tough and dry. Going back, I would probably choose something different.

Overall, the atmosphere is worth it alone. Normally when you have a view this good the food suffers worse than one can imagine, however the food here was delightful and reasonably affordable. The steaks looked the best out of all the plates and next time that what I am ordering. Sincerely, I would go back in a heartbeat and recommend to people in the La Jolla/San Diego area.

Georges was a great find! Perfect for large groups or a date :)

Also - Thanks to Leah and Carson for their stellar photog skills!

George's

1250 Prospect Street

La Jolla, CA 92307

Spicy Sweet Potato Soup

2010-01-05T06:53:00.002-05:00

As part of my New Years resolution to eat healthier, I have been on a real soup binge. Soups are a great way to incorporate vegetables into your diet and making your own is much better than reheating something from a can (remember canned soup were among the top 10 WORST foods to eat!)

Straight up: this soup takes a while, however I find in the end its so much more rewarding to create something truly healthy, and delicious for yourself. If I can make it after a long day of work and gym, so can you!

Ingredients:

1 medium onion diced
1 medium carrot in 1/2 inch cubes
1-2 stalks of celery diced
2 medium sized sweet potatoes
About 2-3 cups chicken broth
2 tbsp of brown sugar (this will really be to taste)
2 tsps of cayenne pepper
2 tbsp heavy cream (this is 100% optional - mine was a little too spicy tonight so it had to be added :) )
EVOO
1/2 tbsp butter

Directions

This is going to be a little lengthy but its not hard, so just stay with me. Firstly, get a medium size sauce pan going on medium heat. Add in a drizzle of EVOO and add about 1/2 tbsp of butter. The olive oil and butter is a great combo. The oil prevents the butter from burning while the two distinct flavors just mingle together.

Next, add your onion and lightly salt and pepper (don't need to go overboard on seasoning now). We are just going to "sweat" the onions. After about 5 minutes its time to add our diced celery and carrots. Basically we are forming a mirepoix which will become the flavor base for our soup. That is really all a soup is, chapter, after chapter of flavor building, until you reach the end and the story is complete :)

Stir the mirepoix every couple of minutes to make sure there is no burning or sticking to the sauce pan (remember we are still on medium heat). In the meantime, peel, quarter and slice the sweet potatoes into 1/2 cubes. Take into account that we are attempting to cook these pieces on a similar time schedule. Once the potatoes are cubed add to the pot. Fill up the pot with just enough chicken broth so that it barely covers the tops of the potatoes. Add in your brown sugar and cayenne pepper and mix with soup. Bring the mixure to a boil. Once the mixture is boiling, reduce to a simmer and cover for about 30 minutes.

In the meantime, clean your kitchen, load the dishwasher, fold your laundry, drink a glass of wine, there is no need to stand by the pot and watch the soup cook. It may be time consuming, but that doesn't mean you can't do anything else while you wait!

After 30 minutes, open the lid and smell the fruits of your labor. Try your broth. Is it too sweet? Too spicy? At this point its not too late to change the flavor profile, so adjust as you see fit.

Take your soup in batches and puree in either a blender or a food processor. Once the mixture (however now its really looking like soup!) is done blending place over a sieve and into a separate bowl or sauce pan. Sieve? What's a sieve? A sieve is basically a strainer that we are going to use to help our soup become velvet. If you like your soups more like a stew, then simple finish pureeing and return to the pot! Viola! However, if you are like me and love a smooth, creamy soup there's just one more step...

Once you have the puree poured in the sieve over a bowl, let the liquid seep through. Eventually this will leave you with a mess of potatoes, carrots, celery and onion...take a wooden spoon and push the contents from the sieve through to the bowl. Once the content have been pushed through you are left with a velvet like concoction that will make your mouth water. I am not going to lie, this is very time consuming and may not be for everyone. I hate it. I hate it so much. However, now that I have started to use this technique there is no way that I can go back. I just love the texture that it brings! Repeat the sieve process until all the puree is gone.

Return the strained mixture to the sauce pan and reheat on medium-low heat. If you feel like it, here is your chance to add your cream, if not, dinner is served!

I hope you will enjoy this recipe as much as I have. It's so tasty!

Will any of you be trying this? How do you feel about sweet potato soup? Let me know!

New Years Resolutions

2010-01-04T21:58:00.000-05:00

I hope that everyone had a very happy New Years! In the spirit of the season I have a couple of resolutions that I want to make publicly so I can make sure that I keep up with them.

1) This could be the most important: I want to eat better. When I say better, I don't mean cutting fat or calories, but I mean eating better quality of ingredients. Organic butter, turkey with no nitrates, pure olive oil, things that just make sense...
2) I would like to follow through and cook at least one recipe per month from my Tom Collichio book. It's been a challenge, not because the book is hard, but because I have been having so much fun creating my own recipes
3) Lastly, I want to make sure that you dear foodies, always have some delightful and inspiring to read. I can't express how much joy I feel when I get comments or emails from people who have tried my recipes or learned something from the blog, it makes all the time and sacrifice worth it :)

Moving forward into 2010 I hope to live a healthy, fulfilled life, with family and friends always near :)

What are some of your resolutions for the upcoming year?

Top 10 Worst Foods - Get 'em in while you can!!

2009-12-30T12:20:00.000-05:00

With New Years around the corner, if you're anything like me, you are planning to start a diet. FYI, I eat. I eat a lot and while I never claimed to be a nutritionist I would like to imagine that I know which foods are good and bad for me. This video below breaks down the top 10 worst foods for you and what makes them so...most of them are pretty obvious once she says them, but definitely makes you think! #8 just breaks my heart and #4 was a total surprise!

If that was just a little too much for you to watch, I've listed below the 10 items she mentions:

10. Fried catfish (fish has very little nutrients, and then is fried)

9. Canned soup (almost half of the daily sodium in 1 cup)

8. Bacon (basically just fried salt, fat and nitrates - but soooo good)

7. Fast food hamburgers (duh - they have lots of calories, fat and sugar)

6. Store bought goods - little debbies, ding dongs etc. (high in fat, trans fat, sugar, calories - death in a plastic wrap)

5. Classic potato chip (addictive, high in fat, calories and sodium)

4. Hot dogs and LUNCH MEAT (?) (high in sodium, nitrates)

3. French fries (some places use a 'paste' to create a fry - ewwww)

2. Donuts (high in fat, calories etc.)

1. Soda (sugar, caffeine, preservatives and sodium)

Basically everything she is saying make sense, but I hate to hear it. 2010 is the year to get healthy! What are your New Years resolutions? Does it involve food? Tell me about it!

Mushroom Ravioli with White Truffle Oil

2009-12-28T12:05:00.000-05:00

Ok so let's talk about this. First off, I must give full credit to Leah for everything that I am about to describe. My very own aspiring chef and roommate cooked me one the best home-cooked meals I have ever had.

Last night Leah prepared homemade mushroom and shallot ravioli which we finished off with olive oil, salt and pepper, parmesan cheese and a drizzle of the ever so luxurious white truffle oil. The best part -- this recipe only takes about 30 minutes!

Ingredients:

1 packet cremini, shitake, portabello mushrooms (really any kind you like)
1 package wonton wrappers or papers
1 tbsp butter
2 shallots finely diced
1/4 cup heavy cream
2-3 sprigs thyme, leaves removed and chopped (just a little sprinkle if dried)
2 tbsp white wine
2 tbsp mascarpone
1/4 cup grated Parmesan (or more :) )
Salt and Black Pepper
1 egg (for egg wash which is egg and splash of water to act as glue to hold ravioli together)
Olive oil
White truffle oil (optional but SOOOO worth it)

Directions

Finely dice the shallots and add them to a warm pan of melted butter (medium to medium high heat.) While the shallots are cooking, dice up the mushrooms and add them to the shallots when they are clear. Let everything cook for a minute or two then add in the wine (maybe have a glass while you are cooking...)

Let that mixture cook and reduce for a minute then add in the cream and thyme (again just sprinkle if you are using dried thyme.) Reduce until the mixture is thick and then remove from heat.

Once removed from heat add in mascarpone and parmesan, then season to taste (and try not to keep "tasting"; its tough, but you will need the filling...)

When the mixture becomes cool add a teaspoon to your wonton wrapper (becareful to not overfill because it becomes a mess) and with your egg wash brush the edges and fold over to make little raviolis.

If you are really fast you could have your large pot of salt water boiling while you are making your raviolis but don't feel pressured. Either way bring a large pot of salt water to boil. Allow the raviolis to cook for 1-2 minutes so they are al dente.

Put those suckers on a plate and sprinkle (or cover if you're like me) with parmesan, drizzle of olive oil, and a slight drizzle of truffle oil.

If that's not the best ravioli you have ever had then I will just have to make it for you. I guarantee you won't find a better recipe.

Many thanks to Leah and her divine culinary skills!

Prochuttio, Mushroom Flatbread Pizza

2009-12-17T13:00:00.000-05:00

When I get a craving, I get a craving. I mean, I need to eat whatever it is that I want about 50 times over until I am finally satisfied. This craving lately has been pizza. However, as you remember last week I said I am trying to eat healthier so instead of going and buying a slice (which is about as easy as hailing a cab in NYC) I decided that I would make my own. This way I can be assured of the quality of ingredients measure out the calories etc. I am not saying that this pizza is healthy (it's not...not at all), but at least I know whats going on...

So this was inspired by a dish that I had at Pipa, the mushroom coca, which is really a flatbread, but I went with tortilla because they are easy.

So here we go:

Ingredients (these are complete approximations) for 1:

6 slices of fresh mozzarella or 1/2 cup shredded
1/4 cup mushrooms (sliced about 1/8 inch thick)
2 thinly sliced pieces of prochuttio
1/2 large tortilla or 1 small tortilla
Olive Oil
White truffle oil (completely optionally, but if you haven't noticed I use it A LOT)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Basically you are going to build this like a normal pizza except there is no sauce. Place your sliced mozzarella across the tortilla. Sprinkle mushrooms over top.

Place directly on the over rack for 10 minutes. If you are using fresh mozzarella its wise to place a cookie sheet below the tortilla as the liquid is cooked out of the mozzarella it will start to leak and cause your oven to smoke (not that I would know or anything...).

After about ten minutes, when the cheese has spread out, but isn't quite brown yet, pull out oven rack and place prochuttio on top and place back in oven for about 3-5 more minutes.

Once the cheese is brown and the prochuttio is cooked to your liking (I like mine a little crispy, but still tender) remove from oven.

Drizzle with olive oil and white truffle oil and there you have it, an extremely elegant pizza :)

Steak Sandwich - How to Make the Most out of Leftovers

2009-12-10T11:53:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I wrote about the perfect sirloin that I cooked for Jef's birthday and today I want to talk about how to take steak leftovers and make a completely new and delicious meal out of them.

First off, there are a couple of things that I like to keep on deck at all times, one of them being onions. I use onions in almost everything that I cook, so having them on available is a must! Secondly, I am a big fan of dijon mustard. There are so many things that you can make with dijon aside from using just a spread (salad dressings, flavoring in soups etc.) and it's extremely useful to have around. Without further adieu here is the recipe for the best steak sandwich ever!

Ingredients:

1/2 onion
Dijon mustard
left over steak
butter
french bread (really any good, crusty bread will do)
EV olive oil
cheese (optional and really anything will work)

Directions:

First off, turn your oven to the broil setting. You would rather have the oven waiting on you, then you waiting on the oven...

Next, in a pan on medium heat, add enough oil to coat the pan. Once hot, add in the onion then salt and pepper. While the onions are cooking take out your steak and cut thin slices (about 1/8 in thick). You want them to be thin enough to chew through in one bite, and not so thick that you pull the entire piece of meat out when you sink your teeth in.

Slice your bread and then butter the inside. Place inside oven for about 2 minutes, just enough so that the edges are brown and the butter is melted. Remove from oven and spread dijon.

Add your steak to the pan with the onions, tossing generously (remember we don't want to overcook our perfectly cooked steak, just want to warm up the fat enough so that it will melt in our mouths). I had some left over mushrooms, so I added them in at this step too.

After about two minutes, remove the mixture from the stove and place inside the bread. Here you can add cheese if you want.

Return the entire sandwich to the oven for one last warming. After two/three minutes or until cheese is melted remove from oven and ENJOY.

This has long been a favorite dish of mine and it's really making use of left over steak, something I know a lot of people have issues with. What's the most creative way you use left overs? Let me know! thefrugalfoodies@gmail.com

The PERFECT Sirloin

2009-12-09T14:06:00.000-05:00

As I quickly updated yesterday, Jef's birthday was this past Monday and we had quite a feast! I took several recipes from the cookbook I received for my birthday, Think Like a Chef, by Tom Collichio. My favorite dish of the evening was the main course protein - the thick, tender, cooked to perfect, sirloin.

To start, I went to the butcher at my local grocery store and asked for a 14 ounce sirloin NOT cut. Apparently the purpose of this is to get one loin in which you will cut into two so that the portions are the same. So simple, yet brilliant!

Once home, I let the meat sit out, so that it would come to room temperature (this allows the meat to cook more evenly.) Then I really just followed the instructions! My interpretation is below...

Ingredients:

14 oz. Sirloin
Kosher salt
Fresh pepper
2-4 sprigs of thyme or rosemary
2 tbsps butter
Olive oil

Directions

First, heat a skillet on medium heat and add enough olive oil to coat the pan. Tom emphasizes that the oil should not sputter, but simply shimmer in the heat. While the pan is heating, pat dry the sirloin (I used a paper towel and was SHOCKED at the excess moisture), then cut the meat into two even portions, add salt and pepper.

Once the oil appears to have a shimmer add the steaks to the sautee pan. Leave the steak down for three (3) minutes then flip to the other side for three (3) minutes. After both sides are seared, then flip the steaks on their outsides for two (2) minutes each. If you are nervous like I was, set a timer!

After these first four initial flips, add the two tablespoons on butter and sprigs of thyme or rosemary (I used thyme and thought it worked out great!) Let the butter cook down for a minute or two creating a brown butter sauce, then repeat the pattern once more (2 minutes on each sides) generously coating with the brown butter sauce.

Remove the steaks and let them rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Bam you are done! You don't need a grill or a grill pan to make a delicious steak. Using simple techniques and ingredients you can create something quite tasty. That Tom is on to something :)

The rest of the meal was accompanied by purple mashed potatoes, mushrooms with thyme, garlic and shallot, french onion soup and of course cake!

Jef's Birthday Dinner

2009-12-08T15:07:00.000-05:00

This previous Monday it was Jef's birthday so I wanted to prepare a special meal. Instead of re-writing it here, I am going to paste a chat that I had with two girlfriends of mine. It pretty much explains everything and yes, this is really what we talked about...

The menu went something like this

French Onion Soup with Emthenal Cheese

Pan seared sirloin

Mushrooms

Mashed potatoes

which

doesn't sound that exciting

but just you wait...

so I got home at 5:30 yesterday

and having already prepped my onions yesterday

I started my soup

so with a couple tablespoons of butter and oil

I let those cook down for an hour

till they were sweet and tender

then I deglazed the onions with some Apple Cider Vinegar

to give it a little tang

after about 3 minutes, i added in the garlic and the beef and

chicken stock

then let it cook for 30 minutes

I removed it from the stove and set aside

While the onions were reducing

I baked a cake

which isnt that impressive because it was from a box

but just FYI

I did it

now here is where I am going to toot my own culinary whistle

I had the mushrooms, potatoes, and steak all going at the same time

Phase 2:

I got the water going for the mashed potatoes

these arent your average mashed potatoes

I bought purple potatoes from the farmers market

I cleaned and peeling them and added them to boil water

in the meantime I prepped my steak

So while those are boiling

I cut my 16oz. sirloin in 2 (in my cookbook it says that you should ask the butcher for a loin that isnt cut so you get even steaks)

I seasoned with kosher salt and pepper

and then added to a pan with olive oil on medium heat

every 3/2 minutes

I turned sides

even on the side, sides

after each 4 sides had been cooked

I added 2 tbsps of butter and 2 sprigs of thyme

I let the butter reduce till it was brown butter

then after i flipped I spooned the brown butter over each side

meanwhile

I quartered my mushrooms and added them to a pan with olive oil

seasoned with salt and pepper and let cook for 2 minutes

then I removed them from the heat and added in shallot, garlic and thyme

oh and more butter

then I added in the mushrooms again and let them all cook

remember I am still basting my steaks

so its crazy right now

finally my potatoes are done

I strain them and put them back in the hot sauce pan

to get all the extra water out

then put them in the food processor with heavy cream and butter

sea salt and pepper

and i pureed till those suckers were smooth

before I knew it, it was time to put the soup back in the oven to melt the cheese

10 minutes later everything was on the table

If I ever have time to update this blog, I will write out the recipes (they were from my new Tom Collichio Cookbook!)

Dijon Dill Cream Sauce

2009-11-23T15:30:00.002-05:00

You would have thought that the secret ingredient in my apartment last night was dill. I have a compulsion when I buy fresh herbs to use them immediately and in as many dishes as possible. A fresh herb is a terrible thing to waste :)

Inspired by an episode I saw on 30 minute meals, this dijon dill sauce is a great compliment to any salmon dish, and it's incredibly easy to make. With only four ingredients and about 5 minutes, there is no reason why you can't try this sauce tonight :)

Ingredients (for TWO people - that's right didn't cook this one just for me!):

1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon for dijon mustard (that may be a lot for some people, but I love dijon mustard)
1-2 tablespoons of freshly chopped dill
2 teaspoons of capers

Directions

Pretty straight forward - mix together in a bowl and chill before serving on top of fish :)

This is the perfect partner for the lemon-dill salmon I posted earlier in the month. With our meal I made some smashed potatoes, very similar to the potato salad from this summer and some pan roast mushrooms. The creamy, cool, sauce was a nice compliment to the buttery fish and the addition of the capers added a salty bite.

I will be making this sauce over and over again.

Lemon Dill Salmon

2009-11-13T08:00:00.000-05:00

So in an effort to take off some of those dreaded holiday pounds I am going to attempt to eat better this week, which basically to me means staying away from all the fried foods (what sinfully tempters they are though...)

Anyways in true Frugal Foodies fashion this recipe is super easy and can be executed extremely quick. We're talking 15 minutes or less.

Ingredients (for 1)

1 Salmon filet (5-6oz)
1 lemon
1 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh dill (if using dried dill, use less)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper

Directions
Set the oven to broil.
Coarsely chop dill. Take lemon and slice into 1/8 in slices (you'll need about 6). Place three lemon slices on the cookie sheet and sprinkle with some of the chopped dill.
Salt and pepper salmon filet and pat dill into salmon. Drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil then place the remaining three lemon slices on top.
Place in the oven for about 5-7 to minutes until flaky.
I served it with some shallots, mushrooms and green beans that I quickly sauteed in a little bit of butter and wine.
This was a quick and healthy recipe that can be created in about 15 minutes, not to mention it looks pretty too :)

Happy Birthday to ME :)

2009-10-22T12:14:00.000-04:00

(photo credit here)

Well, it's here, today is my birthday!! Jef got me a WONDERFUL present, Tom Colicchio's Think Like a Chef (it's one of two parts, the other part is in transit but apparently somehow correlates to this gift).

What I already love about this "cookbook" is its not just a list of recipes, but instead teaches you the process of how to make things delicious. When I was first starting to get into cooking, I would often follow a recipe verbatim and it would turn out good. However, if I tried any sort of variation on the dish that is where I would run into trouble (mostly if I tried to switch proteins). It's here that I understood in order to make a dish successful you have to understand how to cook each component perfectly.

Much like Julie and Julia, I have decided that I am going to cook through Tom's entire cookbook. Renee and Tom doesn't have quite the same ring so I am still working on a name (Lessons from the Top (?)), but I will say this, I can't remember the last time I was so excited to embark on a project!! I will be starting in about two weeks when I am moved into my new apartment and have my kitchen set up. So be looking for posts then!

Thanks to everyone who has continued to read my little ole blog :) This will be 180th post! Can you believe it?!

Smoke Daddy's

2009-10-20T11:21:00.001-04:00

I can't say it enough, I love barbeque. I love everything about it, the sauce, the smoke, the fat, everything. So when my new friend Sara suggested that we go to Smoke Daddy's for dinner on our first friend date, I happily agreed. Located in Wicker Park, an area to the northwest of Chicago, this bbq joint was relatively easy to get to. I have a hard time navigating around my new city (praise for Google Maps!) so being able to easily get to this place was a big plus!

Upon entering the bar/restaurant you could smell the smoke down the street; this is always a good sign. Once inside the place was decorated just in time for Halloween, complete with cobwebs and fake spiders. We sit down and automatically I am happy as my eyes focus on the different bbq sauces at the end of the table. As I start to peruse the menu, I am sticker shocked but for a much better reason, the prices here are extremely reasonable! BBQ places can sometimes run on the more expensive side (shocking, I know), I'm assuming for all the labor that must be put into a delicious meal, however most of the sandwiches here run from $8.50-$11 and include one side, combo platters and ribs range from $11.95 to $24.95 which come with two sides- not too bad for a mountain of food!

I opt for the pulled pork sandwich with macaroni and cheese (more on this later) and a side of cornbread, which I asked be sent out immediately as I was starving and Sara went with the burger, Carolina style (which includes coleslaw on the burger).

The cornbread arrived and I knew I was in for a treat. It was about 2 - 2 1/2 inches thick and about 2 inches wide, piping hot and screaming for some butter! Never one to deny my food anything it wants, I added a heaping amount of butter and took a bite into the crunchy outer layer then just sat in silence as the sweet, spicy cornbread melted in my mouth. That's right, melted. I have no doubt that this cornbread was made in a cast iron skillet as it had that crunchy bottom texture that can only be achieved through cast iron. Furthermore, they added jalapeños, which as my loyal readers know, I love nothing more than a good spicy/sweet combo.

Satisfied and ready for more, our food came out quickly and we dove right in. Much like the lobster roll in New Hampshire, Smoke Daddy's understands the importance of a well buttered roll. It can provide the right amount of texture that will make or break a dish. This bun was on point. The bbq was smokey and tender, although being from the South we like ours a little more chopped and with some more fat, but honestly I really cant complain, it was tasty! Sara's burger was cooked to perfection (medium rare) and the coleslaw added a tangy crunch that I wasn't prepared to like, but did! Then I moved on to the mac and cheese...

I should preface this whole next paragraph by saying - this is why we went to Smoke Daddy's...

The mac and cheese came out in a little pot and was topped with bread crumbs. Bread crumbs you might ask? Yes, bread crumbs. Listen, I too was skeptical, but if there is one thing I know from all my dining experiences is trust the kitchen. Don't alter orders, eat it as is and you will be happy. So that's what I did, I stuck my fork in and hoped for the best (I didn't want to upset Sara). Let me say this, you have probably never heard me order mac and cheese before on this blog and that is for good reason, I just don't like it from restaurants...I've worked in the food industry and know that most places let it sit and get dried out...I am not interested in that at all. So when I ordered this I was expecting the worst. However, I found that Smoke Daddy's did a nice job of balancing the cream and the cheese and it made for a delicious side dish. The bread crumbs offered a contrast in texture that can be needed when eating noodles. Overall, it was very successful!

If you are looking for reasonably priced barbeque, and good drink specials (Miller light bottles were $2 on Wednesday) I would suggest Smoke Daddy's!

Smoke Daddy's
1804 W. Division
Chicago, IL 60622

Made the Move to Chicago!

2009-10-15T10:31:00.001-04:00

(Photo Credit: Phil Velasquez. click here)

Some of you may have noticed my tweets or facebook statuses mostly discuss Chicago now. Well good reason, I moved! I loved New York and will always love New York, and despite my move I doubt that there is any greater city, but for me it was just time. I spent two years there and wouldn't take back a second of them. However, I have a lot of family in Michigan and Jef is in Chicago, not to mention I can keep my day job, so for me it was a logical next move!

I am SO excited to see what the city has to offer. As you have read, I've been several times before, but now I really ready to emerse myself in the culinary scene. I've already had some big hits!

So Foodies, I hope you will stay with me through this journey and still enjoy reading about all of my culinary adventures. I promise there will still be restaurants, recipes and product reviews!

My first Chicago-based post should be coming soon, but until then, check out the poll on the right side about Top Chef :)

Beach Plum

2009-10-14T12:50:00.001-04:00

Dear Foodies, you may have noticed I have been a traveling fool lately. This past weekend my travels took me to Portsmouth, New Hampshire. That's right New Hampshire. While I guess I have never given much thought to this New England state, I will say that I enjoyed my stay there more than I have a lot of places. The people, the homes, the beach, overall I don't know how anyone could not like this place. Despite the brisk weather (I mean it was October) people were still out walking and running along the beach, riding bikes, exercising more than most places I have seen. I am assuming this is to counteract the amount of lobster rolls that are consumed, which brings me to the subject of the this post: the Beach Plum's lobstah roll.

The Beach Plum is located along a winding stretch of Ocean Boulevard in North Hampton, New Hampshire just south of Portsmouth. Nestled between huge beach houses along the beach, this stand (specializing in ice cream) was still pretty packed with orders despite the 40 degree weather. I was with my new friend Rachel (who writes a fabulous interior design blog here) and we were hungry. Having wandered around aimlessly for three hours in search of bikes (long story, click on the here for the full story) we both decided it was lobster roll time!!

For those of you who may not know, a lobster roll is a New England treat comprised of lobster that dressed in mayo and served on a buttered hot dog bun. Some people may chose to add scallions, celery, tomato or lettuce. I would like to think of myself as a traditionalist when it comes to new food; I want it just as it was originally intended.

So we ordered our rolls and when they were ready for pick up I think I can honestly say that both of our mouths dropped open. There must have been at least 6 oz. of lobster on this sandwich. I mean, the thing was heavy to pick up! Served with chips and a pickle, we were racing home to try this treat.

Propped up at the dining table, we quickly opened our plastic boxes and dug in. While I am not a HUGE fan of lobster, I was very impressed with the tenderness of the lobster served here. The butter from the roll added a sweetness to the sandwich that was necessary in all bites. The mayo was just a side note and definitely did not overpower the lobster (something I have experienced in lobster rolls prior to this). Overall, this roll was one for my books.

The weekend in New Hampshire was great. The wedding we were attending was full of great people, many I like to think of as new friends. We all had such a good time there are talks about going back next year just for fun!

If you are ever in the NH area, the Beach Plum is a must stop. Very friendly staff, beautiful views and great food - doesn't get much better!

Beach Plum
17 Ocean Blvd.
North Hampton, NH 03862

Public

2009-10-08T14:32:00.003-04:00

Let me preface this review by saying that it was my last Friday night in New York and I really wanted to have a special night out and eat someplace I had never eaten. So I met up with my friend Maggie and we were all set to go to La Esquina. Upon my arrival I received several furious texts from Maggie telling me how rude the staff was and that there was no way we were going to eat there on my last Friday. I quickly agreed and we headed east, further into NoLita (North of Little Italy). It's here that we came across Public. I had eaten at Public for brunch and had a fabulous time so I knew dinner would be just as delightful.

We walk into the converted warehouse space (which we later learned everything in the restaurant is meant for public use, thus why they give you pencils and soap) and are greeted by the hostess. Now, showing up on a Friday night without a reservation is about as Taboo as it comes in the New York dining scene, however I just knew that I would be lucky this night. We charm the hostess who finally agrees to seat us, but ONLY because it's my last night.

Starving we ordered bread immediately and sipped on delicious cocktails. The server came back and it was go time. We ordered:

Cauliflower and gorgonzola soup with pickled bosc pear relish and annatto oil
Spiced Berkshire pork loin, warm guindilla chili and spaetzle salad, chamomile poached apricots and pistachio nuts
Australian barramundi with vanilla celeriac puree, braised garlic greens, verjus and muscat grape sauce

The cauliflower soup was so smooth and velvety that I had a hard time believe that it was cauliflower at all. It seem utterly impossible that someone could get cauliflower that smooth. The pear relish and annaotto oil gave the dish depth and the gorgonzola was ever so subtle in the background. A beautiful start.

Our entrees came out a little later than we would have liked (I mean we were starving), but sincerely they were worth it. Maggie ordered the pot and let me just say it had so many flavors it was hard to nail down which on I liked the most, the spicy/sweet thing is always a big hit with me. I ordered the barramundi. I love a good crispy skin on a fish, and I firmly believe that you have to have good crispy skin to have a truly amazing fish. There, I said it. Anyways, the crispy, salty skin contrasted against the smooth, sweet vanilla celeriac puree was a dream. I cleaned my plate in about five minutes.

I loved everything about our evening; the staff, the food and most of all the company. We finished our night we a free glass of champagne and headed out for my last night out on the town.

This really was the perfect meal to end on J

Public

210 Elizabeth Street

New York, NY 10012

Sausages with White Beans in Tomato Sauce via Bon Appetit

2009-09-23T08:49:00.000-04:00

Perfect for the first day of fall, the Bon Appetit newsletter highlighted several Oktobestfest, and easy Italian recipes. Upon looking, I was immediately floored to cook this delicious recipe: sausages with white beans in tomato sauce.

I followed the instructions almost to a tee and it turned out beautifully. Hearty, rich and protein heavy, this was a simple recipe that can be execute by the most novice of chefs. I would highly, highly recommend on a blustery fall day :)

I changed up the recipe for portions and also I did not have the 1/2 cup of reserved cooking liquid, but it was still great.

Ingredients (for two! Jackie ate with me :) )

2 tbsp olive oil
1 can white beans
4 links of sweet Italian sausage (although this was a lot for two people - going back I would use two)
1 can plum tomatoes in juice
1 large fresh sage sprigs
1 cup water

Directions

Heat oil in a large pot (can be skillet, but I liked using a pot). Saute garlic until browned, about 2 minutes.

Add in sausage. I removed the casings and simply crumbled. To remove the casing just run your knife down the side of the link and pull back the casing. Saute the sausage for about 5 minutes until its brown.

Add in the tomatoes and sage. Let this simmer on low heat for five minutes.

Next add in the white beans and water, then place lid on and let the mixture simmer for 30 minutes.

If your stew is too runny, take off the lid and turn up the heat. If you mixture is looking too dry add in 1/4 cup water.

Honestly, the consistency for me was perfect.

This will be one of my go-to recipes for the fall. Not only is it completely filling, but for the entire meal including bread the total came out to about $10, which will serve about 3 people (we had enough left overs for another person).

Fette Sau

2009-09-18T09:03:00.001-04:00

Now I have lived in the South for a long time and experienced all different kinds of BBQ. As you know from my previous posts, I'm not afraid to travel for barbecue that I know to be good. Take Lexington Barbecue for example - I drove an hour and half outside of Charlotte for 30 minutes of eating and I wouldn't take back one second of it. Bottom line: I love good food, especially barbecue, and will travel for it. This brings me to the subject of this post: Fette Sau.

I am not saying Williamsburg is far from Manhattan - it's not. It's just a mental distance that I had to cross. Fette Sau (which means "fat pig" in German) is only one stop off of the L line at Bedford and it's worth the whole 10 minutes that it will take someone from Union Square to get there...

Tucked in the back of an alley and only illuminated by a bright pink neon sign, Fetta Sau's inconspicuous nature is only the beginning of it's charm. Once home to an old body shop, this bbq eatery automatically kept rising in my books when I walked in and noticed the wall of liquor (mostly bourbons) and cuts of meat painted on the walls. The smell of smoke and meat fill the air and I was automatically turned into a vicious carnivore ready to attack my kill - or someone else's kill rather (all of their meat is lovingly raised). Instead of being rash, John, a wonderful friend of mine, sat down at the bar to check out all the different types of bourbons that we could sip on. The bartender informed us that they only server liquors from the northern hemisphere and despite my protest they were unable to make a hot totty, mainly because they don't have access to hot water or a stove. That's right, everything cooked at Fette Sau is slowly roasted. I put my anger aside and realized that this was a great thing - no stove in a restaurant - classic.

After consulting with our bartender we mustered the strength and stood in line, mentally prepared for our order:

1/4 lb pork belly
1/2 lb pulled pork
4 pork ribs
Medium baked beans
German potato salad

Everything is weighed and priced per pound, which actually is great thing since you are able to mix and match pieces of meat and truly customize your order. Feeling confident we sat outside at our picnic table and then accessed each potential bbq sauce, because no matter how good your bbq is, sauce will always make it better. Just like Goldy Locks we had to try all three to find one that was juuuuuusssst right. The first sauce was clearly a North Carolina style sauce and definitely vinegar based, the second one was ketchup based and a little sweet, and the third one was so spicy! Instead of picking one we put the vinegar on the pulled pork and mixed the ketchup based and spicy bbq together. Perfection.

Now for the good stuff: how did it taste?! Well the pulled pork was juicy, tender and the right mix of meat and fat. Had a nice smoky flavor and would have been perfect on a sandwich. The ribs literally fell off the bone. I mean one bit and the meat was just dangling there! Pink lined the edges showing just how long those suckers had sat in a smoker. The care that went into the ribs was evident in every bite. Outstanding! Then the pork belly. Oh the pork belly. So rich, it would melt in your mouth. On either side of the meat were two large layers of fat that just soaked up the sauce, the smoke, everything. Honestly, I only had two bites, but trust me I savored every last second of them.

Unfortunately, the baked beans were a complete miss for me. The flavor was almost there, but there was too much brown sugar and too much sauce. I like my beans with a little more bacon and not as much sauce. I mean they were fine, but based on the caliber of dishes that I just described, I think you can agree, that more was to be expected. However, the German potato salad was a nice refreshing treat from all the heavy meats. With grainy mustard, sweet valdalia onions and tangy vinegar these were a hit!

While not an everyday sort of meal this was one for the record books. Delicious food, amazing atmosphere knowledge staff and reasonable prices make this a trip worth taking!

Fette Sau

354 Metropolian Avenue

Brooklyn, NY 11211

Solvay Cares Scholarship

2009-09-15T08:44:00.003-04:00

It's that time of year again, the Solvay Cares Scholarship is here! This scholarship is creatively focused and recognizes the achievments of students with Cystic Fibrosis or CF. It's a great cause and they need your help to decide the winner of a $17,000 scholarship.

Check out this video montage of all their work and click here to vote for your favorite student!!

Clinton Street Bakery

2009-09-14T23:35:00.001-04:00

It's 2:30 on a Sunday and I am thinking to myself, the time has come; Clinton Street Bakery once and for all - you will MINE. This immensely popular bakery has been on my list for some time (I feel like I say that a lot, but sincerely you should see this list...) and when my best friend Jessica came in town it provided the perfect opportunity to head down to the Lower East side and see if we could grab a sear at this famous brunch spot. Despite the fact that it was 2:30 in the afternoon we still had to wait for a seat, but at that point I was just happy to know that temporary bliss was only thirty minutes away.

Brunch is a hard thing to sell to people - I mean how different can pancakes, bacon and eggs really be? When I kept telling Jessica "It's ok, just a little while longer this place is suppose to be great...I know your tired, but I heard the pancakes are out of this world...I promise it's worth it!" It better be worth it.

Walking in, you think you are in store for just another classic diner/bakery. There is a lot of hustle and bustle and beautiful glass cases displaying the different scones and muffins. Lucky for us we were sat near a window and were greeted quickly.

Knowing that I would die if I did not get something immediately, Jessica and I quickly scanned the menu and decided that scones and biscuits were necessary ASAP. Our lovely se rver returned with a mixed berry scone, butter and raspberry jam. Unfortunately there are no pictures because it was inhaled. I am 99% sure there is crack mixed in with the dough. Salty and sweet with a nice a soft, flaky crust, this scone was made for eating.

Quickly after that our main meal arrives...

Blueberry pancakes with warm maple butter
Sugar cured bacon
Cheese grits

Jessica got something else, but let's be honest, I was focused on me. Me, me, me. My grits must have been prepared by a Southern; creamy, fluffy and bursting with cheddar cheese. The trick with grits it that you have to find the right balance between stirring often enough and not over stirring to the point where they become gummy. These were pretty damn close to being perfect, they congealed a little quickly, but maybe I was just savoring Jessica's pancakes too much. I'm going to be honest, it's not that the pancakes themselves were that great, its that the warm maple butter is simply out of this world. This for sure has crack in it, because there was nothing left in that little ramekin by the time Jessica and I called it quits.

The sugar cured bacon. Hmm. Here's the thing. I really wanted this to be good. Really, I did. I have a sick problem with the whole salty/sweet thing. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't. This time it didn't work for me. The sugar coating was so thick that it completely overwhelmed the saltiness of the bacon, which is the best part about the bacon. The sugar disabled the ability for the fat to melt in my mouth, which is the second reason that bacon rocks. I understand the notion behind it, but for me, I would rather just eat the regular bacon. Still points for originality.

Would I go there again and wait for 2 hours to eat? Probably not. However, I was more than happy waiting 30 minutes for a meal that I considered one of the better brunches in the city, if not just for that maple-butter-syrup-cracklaced-dipping sauce.

Clinton Street Baking Company

4 Clinton Street

New York, NY 10002

Pumpkin Fluff by Leah - Repost!

2009-09-10T13:45:00.000-04:00

Talk about welcoming Fall with open arms, this pumpkin fluff has affirmed my belief that all things Fall are incredible.

I came home yesterday to find this delicious orange treat staring at me softly whispering "EAT ME NOW" and so with a ginger snap I dove in. I couldn't stop. I made myself sick. No big deal, it was totally worth it.

If you too want to be seduced by this delectable treat

Ingredients

Approx. 16 oz. canned Pumpkin
Lg. container of cream cheese
fresh nutmeg
pumpkin pie spice
cinnamon
lg. box of vanilla pudding mixture
whipped cream

Directions
Mix canned pumpkin and cream cheese, then add vanilla pudding mixture.
Add spices to taste and then fold in whipped cream. Everything is just to taste, if you like more spice, add more spice, if you want it to be lighter, add more whipped cream. You can't go wrong.
Serve cold with thin ginger snaps and watch out, I guarantee you will put a dent in it without even noticing.
I received a digital camera for my Bday so pictures will be coming soon and who knows, potentially a video. The Frugal Foodies are getting crazy!!
Happy Fall Everyone!!

Upcoming Posts

2009-09-02T10:18:00.004-04:00

I know, I know I've been away...these past few weeks have been tough on me and my sanity...I've moved for the second time and am still not done (3 more to go...) However, I have been eating out a ton :)
Some of the thing on my list to write:

Corner Bistro
Lemon ice cream and Blackberry jam
Lemon Dill salmon
Clinton Street Bakery (SOO YUM!)

I am a lot better about updating my twitter account so if you are not already follow me on there: Twitter.com/TheFFs

I promise to start strong next week!!! Don't hate me dear readers!!

No Reservations - Montana?

2009-08-24T11:30:00.002-04:00

I'm a little confused by this one myself, but I am excited to see what the mountains of Montana have to offer on this week's No Reservations. Check out a clip below that highlights some of the experiences Tony has this week:

Flounder "Picatta"

2009-08-18T10:04:00.004-04:00

Since I have been running around like a nomad, I decided that last night I needed to cook myself dinner and better yet, a healthy dinner; eating out has really made the calories and dollars start to add up...

I had several friends and family friends in town this past weekend and the lovely, Dr. and Mrs. Jutras took me out in Little Italy for some food by my people. I ordered the chicken picatta and almost ate the whole plate. Served with pasta and bread I knew this wasn't the healthiest of meals, but the flavors were so clean and fresh, I kept thinking how delightful this would be with my farmer's market fresh caught flounder (which I have later learned is overfished - go figure...) so I committed to making this delightful dish this week.

Cooking in a new place is always an experience. I had all my ingredients ready to go, but for some reason I was nervous. I told myself just to calm down and let everything happen organically and let me tell you, this was one of the finest meals I have created!

Ingredients (for one, as per usual)

1 filet of any white fish (tilapia, flounder, sole etc.)
1 tbsp capers
1 lemon
1 shallot
butter

Directions

Heat a skillet on medium heat and add enough butter to coat the pan - make sure butter does not brown! Salt and pepper your fish filet and add to the pan. Cook on each side for about a minute and a half (don't want it to be completely done cooking yet). Remove from pan and set aside.

Add shallots to pan (add more butter if necessary) and cook until they are clear, about 3-4 minutes (depending on how finely chopped), then add in capers and squeeze the juice of half a lemon. This will "de-glaze" the pan and be sure to move everything around and get all the good stuff off the bottom of the pan.

Add the fish back in the pan and let everything cook together for another 1-2 minutes. If you like more lemon, now is the time to add it.

The salty, briny-ness from the capers, mixed with the sweetness of the butter and shallots really makes for a dynamite dinner. Serve along some pasta tossed lightly in olive oil or with a side a green beans, really this will go with just about anything!

I am going to re-create again so I can take pictures, but this is definitely a favorite in my book!

mmmmmmm Thailand

2009-08-17T13:28:00.002-04:00

Tony does it again, this week traveling to Thailand. I love some thai food, although admittedly I keep my choices PG. No frog here, but for some reason this man makes me want to try new things. Check it out!

Top Chef Master

2009-08-13T10:51:00.001-04:00

So this was interesting...I thought last night's episode was really a true challenge - to see how these chef can lead in the kitchen. I dont want to give too much away, but what did everyone think of the episode last night??? Twists and turns around every corner huh?!

Easy Potato Salad

2009-08-12T10:09:00.004-04:00

This recipe was completely inspired by the new potatoes that Dory and I had from Prune. Light, fresh, clean dill and tangy mustard really make this one a WINNER. Not to mention it includes no mayo so it's lighter on the waistline :) Get ready to impress your friends:

Ingredients:

red potatoes (I like to get 2-3 per person depending on size)
djion mustard (something like grey poupon)
olive oil
fresh dill
fresh thyme
finely diced shallots (1 big one or two small ones)
salt and pepper

Directions:

Place potatoes in pot with salted water before you start boiling (this will make them cook more evenly). Bring water to a boil and let potatoes cook till you can easily stab a fork through them (20-25) minutes.

Once potatoes are cooked, drain them and place in fridge. This can be done way ahead of time since you need the potatoes to be cold.

Once potatoes are cooled, cut into chunks (should be about 8 per potato, or more if they are larger) and place in a big bowl. Then, drizzle with some olive oil, sprinkle salt, pepper and toss in shallots. Once everything is added then add fresh dill and thyme to taste. I like a lot of dill. Finally, add in mustard to taste, I would say a spoonful at minimum and toss all together.

Place back in fridge until ready to serve. It's out of this world!! TRUST ME!!

Stay Connected!!

2009-08-06T11:30:00.003-04:00

So I've added a couple of things to the Frugal Foodies recently in attempts to help everyone stay connected to your food lifeline - me!

You can become a "fan" on Facebook here

You can follow me on Twiter here

You can share any post that your little heart desires by clicking on the "share this" link a the bottom of each post!

I encourage everyone to write on the Facebook wall, "@" me on Twitter, like my great friends Dell and Marcy, and comment on here! I generally get back to everyone because all five people reading this are pretty vocal, but I love to chat with anyone!

Crazy Couple of Weeks...

2009-08-05T23:28:00.003-04:00

So things have been nuts around my place(s) for the last couple of weeks. I have been slowly moving from one apartment to another one (on foot) which leaves me very little time to cook/write. I will say that I have been to some GREAT places lately (most notably Prune)and am going to Chicago this weekend for Lollapalooza and may possibly eat at Table 52 with my buddy Art Smith. Maybe. I'm poor so probably not, but dare to dream right?

Stay with my foodies I promise to deliver delicious recipes and reviews soon!!

Walnut Pesto

2009-08-05T14:04:00.000-04:00

So as of last week I had never made pesto before. Straight up, I was scared. I was scared of the food processor. I mean how can anything that moves that fast be okay? I feel like once you turn it on you're done, there's no turning back, once it's in the processor it shall be fused together and become one forever -- whether you like it or not...

Acknowledging this fear, and being pushed by my desire for some delicious pesto, I decided to make some walnut pesto, using the food processor.

Ingredients (approximates of course, makes about 1 1/2 - 2 cups)

2 cups basil

1/2 cup walnuts (more if you like a nutter pesto)

2-3 garlic cloves

2/3 cup shredded parmesean cheese

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (approximately 1/3 cup)

Salt (to taste)

Directions

Ok not kidding this couldn't be easier. Basically you coarsely chop the walnuts and the garlic.

Then, you throw the basil, walnuts, garlic, parmesean and salt in the food processor. This may be the ONLY hard part, once the food processor is turned on, through the top SLOWLY start to add in the olive oil.

Overall, this process should take a minute, maybe a minute in a half.

Once its over you are left with delicious and nutritious walnut basil pesto. Slather this on a tortilla with some mozzarella cheese and there you go - pesto pizza (more on that later...)

Julie and Julia - Sneak Preview Review

2009-07-29T00:29:00.006-04:00

That's right! I saw it! Totally jealous? Well you should be. My new roommate, Betsy, invited me along to join her for the sneak preview and I knew going in I was probably going to like it...A LOT! And I did - it's just enchanting.

Without giving too much away, I will just talk about the characters. I immediately identified with

Julie on every level possible (aside from job maybe, she really hates her and I like my day job). I know it doesn't seem like blogging can be stressful, but it is a bizarre feeling to spend so

much time on something and then

wonder if anyone ever reads it. Not to mention it is very narcissistic...I know I force people to read, and if you are reading this now, you were probably lured in by a catchy "status" update on Twitter or Facebook :)

Anyways, I also fell in love with Julia Child, or the Julia Child that Meryl Strep portrays. She was just a delight on screen and really embodied the essence of the Julia Child I have in my mind.

In the end, this movie for me is less about the food, but more about doing what truly makes you happy. For these women it was finding joy through cooking and sharing their experiences with an audience, something I can completely relate with :)

Foodlovers and non-foodlovers alike will love this film. Just be sure to go after dinner - it made me starving!!

Check out the trailer here

Prune

2009-07-27T21:48:00.010-04:00

This past weekend my cousin came in town, and since she too is a foodie, we picked several restaurants that she has heard/I have wanted to eat at. One of these was Prune. This east village eatery has been on my list for almost a year now and despite varying reviews, I still wanted to eat there. Known for it's "Unpretentious American home cooking with eccentric, multicultural influences" Prune has one of the interesting menus I have come across in a long time. Bone marrow, lamb shank, sweetbreads with bacon and capers, oh my!

I had no idea what to expect walking up to Prune, but I wasn't anticipating a 20 person dining room,

with a beautiful old door, glass front windows, and a clear view straight into the kitchen. Our table wasn't ready so Dory and I went to the bar and had our first drink of the night, a "fresca", a grapefruit concoction that really tasted like the soft drink Fresca. After waiting for our table for 25 minutes (I was not pleased at this point), we were seated near the front. My frustration was completely eliminated when our server presented us immediately with fried chickpeas. These crunchy, salty, creamy popable bites were devoured in seconds. Literally, seconds. Things that small and delicious are dangerous.

For our appetizer we ordered buttered brown bread with spanish goat cheese and salted red onion and thyme (pictured top left). The portion size was just perfect. Large enough to subside the hunger pains, but not too big that I was so full I couldn't eat my entree. The cheese was so soft and when you added the salted onion, it was the perfect creamy crunch. Something

so simple, and yet so good.

Our entrees continued to impress. Dory ordered the lamb shank with braised romano beans and myer lemon (pictured right). A) Look at that thing. It looks like something out of midevil times. It was the biggest hunk of meat I have seen in my life. B) Once the cool metal fork touch the meat it immediately fell apart. The mix of dark meat and fat reminded me of a duck leg (I know, I know - it's lamb). Ahhh, so tender and delicious. I ate as much of hers as I did my own. Since we knew that the lamb was going to be a little heavy, I opted for the grilled swordfish with corn, bacon and arugula (pictured below). To me swordfish has a great texture; it's light, but not flaky and is really cuts more like a tuna steak than anything else. The corn, bacon and arugula mixture was of course delicious (hello, it has bacon in it). Lastly, for a side we ordered some new potatoes that were so good, I had to ask for the ingredients (which I replicated at home - check back for recipe) - a mixture of fresh herbs and mustard that was the perfect compliment to our meals.

We laughed as we sipped on sparkling wine and rose. I always say the meal can be great, but it's who you dine with that matters and I had great company :) I know that some people (eh hem, Marcy) have has poor experiences at Prune, but I would definitely go back.

Prune
54 East 1st Street

New York, NY 10003

No Reservations - Rust Belt

2009-07-27T09:58:00.003-04:00

This week Tony is back in the US and taking us through several cities, one of which I know particularly well , Detroit. Throw away your preconceived notions of Detroit, and understand that there is a rich culture there with delicious food and warm people. Granted I haven't seen the episode yet, but I hope he exploits Detroit's good qualities :) Here is a preview of his stop in Baltimore!

Also if you are interested, here is what Tony has to say about this episode.

Sunsets in Chicago and New York

2009-07-21T23:35:00.003-04:00

Every now and again I like to divert from food and just show some good ole pictures of the seasons. Recently I went to Chicago and we were lucky enough to get great weather thoughout the entire weekend. Here are some of my favorite summer sunsets in my two favorite cities:

Centro Vinoteca

2009-07-21T06:19:00.003-04:00

So something big happened last weekend. I ventured into a culinary zone that I have never been to before: I ate pork belly. Now before I get too far ahead of myself, let me go through the whole evening's events:

It all started with this little neighborhood Italian joint that has been on my list for a while, especially since Top Chef contestant Leah Cohen took over from Mario Batalli's right hand woman Anne Burrel. So when the proverbial question arose of "where should be eat tonight?" Centro Vinoteca came to the forefront.

Kerry and I went early on a Friday night, ya know around 8, and were promptly seated at the center bar, a place where I am comfortable. The bartender was very informative and let us (me) try a couple of wines from their extensive wine list before making my final selection.

Never ones to skip directly to the entrees, Kerry and I ordered two "piccolinis" or small plates. I

started with BLT which was pancetta, frisee, and tomato confit. It was salty from from the pancetta and sweet from the tomato. Honestly, it was the perfect bar snack. I could have eaten a couple of them and been satisfied for the whole night. Kerry ordered fried zucchini balls with a marinara dipping sauce. They were incredibly light and not greasy. I would order these over mozzarella sticks any day.

After chowing down on our appetizers, we both decided to order the specials of the night:

Spaghetti alla chittara with funghmisty and shaved parmigano
Seared pork belly served with mustard greens, onion puree, grilled pulnot and a pulnot chutney

Let's just say that once Kerry reached the end of her pasta, she replied with "I just don't want to

eat the last bite" I mean this was really, really good pasta. Our bartender/server told us that the pasta was all handmade, and the mushrooms were fresh. All ingredients that make for a delicious pasta dish. Then there was my pork belly (pictured right). It was so crispy that it was almost hard to break though the top layer. The meat was just succulent. Honestly, it was so rich that I had a hard time censoring myself. I knew I needed to slow down, but I really didn't want to. Then there was the pulnot (?)...I am still not sure that this is even the right fruit, but it was a cross between a plum and a tomato the perfect sweet/tangy contrast to the fatty pork belly. It really was so well balanced. I learned from our bartender/server that the belly is set in a brine for two days, then it's pressed, then seared as a whole, and then shaped and seared before serving...all that preparation was well worth it.

We really must have looked like we enjoyed ourselves because at one point the server started to stare at what we thought was the food and Kerry asked him: "Why do you keep staring at the food?" he replied "I just haven't seen people enjoy food like this in a long time..."

The evening ended with a deliciously light and effervecent desert wine name Brachetto and a molten chocolate cake. Can you ask for much more?!

I am actually disappointed that I have never been there before now. Hopefully I will be going back soon!!

Centro Vinoteca

74 Seventh Ave. South
New York, NY 10014

No Reservations - Australia

2009-07-20T07:16:00.000-04:00

It's back. Tony is back and better than ever traveling all around and for this episode he takes us to Australia...I have never been but Australia is at the top of my list right behind Europe because I think the culture is so interesting, its like a hybrid of things I do not understand...

Anyways here's a clip of Tony chowing down on some delicious seafood:

A Lovely Sunday Night

2009-07-13T21:08:00.010-04:00

This weekend my roommate Kerry and I decided to have a lovely Sunday night dinner. The weather was perfect and there was no better night to dine on our terrace. So we prepare a delightful menu that had us wobbling back to the living room to watch Harry Potter.

We started off with a delightful Waldorf salad, courtesy of Mr. Emeril Lagasse. Here is recipe taken directly from the Food Network:

Ingredients

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/3 to 1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/4 cup grated yellow onion
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch cayenne
2 cups diced sweet red apples, such as Gala or Jonathan (2 to 3 medium apples)
1 cup thinly sliced celery
1/2 cup red seedless grapes, halved
1/2 cup walnut pieces, broken
1 head Bibb lettuce, cored and leaves separated

Directions

In a bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and vinegar. Slowly add 1/3 cup buttermilk, whisking to thicken. Add the blue cheese, onion, salt,

pepper, and cayenne, and whisk well to combine, adding

more buttermilk, as desired. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the

apples, celery, grapes, and walnuts. Add the dressing, to taste, and toss well.

Arrange the lettuce leaves on 6 salad plates. Top with the tossed salad and serve.

That little kick of Cayenne really does wonders! I mean this salad is a keeper. Word to the wise...go easy on the onion, between that and the bleu cheese its a pretty potent dressing...

For our next course I made an incredible Italian sausage,mushroom, onion and vodka sauce pasta. On Saturday the kind people from Bertolli were out in Union Square handing out their new90 second vodka sauce. Never one to turn down

anything free, I graciously took it. In fact I got one for Kerry too, so really we had two (and we needed it).

I started out by first going to Chelsea Market and going into their delightful Italian market for some fresh spicy sausage, and homemade pasta.

When I got home I chopped the onion and sliced the mushrooms and threw it all in a cast iron skillet with some olive oil, butter and oregano. Let that cook for a little bit (10 minutes or so), then I threw in the sausage and let that all meld togeth for about 5 minutes. Dumped the sauce into the skillet. Let that all cook together for a while and boom. Done. Tossed the cooked pasta and we had out meal.

It really was the perfect end to a great weekend!

A New Frugal Foodies Segment

2009-07-10T13:06:00.003-04:00

Dearest Foodies, I would like introduce a new segment on the Frugal Foodies which is dedicated soley to YOUR funny food expereinces. There are so many potential ways that dining, cooking and or merely eating where things can go ary so I open the forum up to you. Email me your story at thefrugalfoodies@gmail.com and I will be more than happy to post.

For our first story, Frugal Foodies reader Melanie write about her expeirence that we have titled "A little too Frugal, a lot less Foodie"

Here is her story:

"I was having waffles the morning of 4th of july and there wasn't enough syrup so i put it in the microwave (you know, to thin it out and get more) and when i took it out of the microwave and opened the bottle, it exploded in my face and now i have a huge scab right in the middle of my cheek!!!!!!!!!!!"

Art Smith: The Nicest Chef - EVER

2009-07-08T05:13:00.001-04:00

Foodies, this was a big moment for me: I had the extreme pleasure of meeting Chef Art Smith in Chicago. You may know him as the two time James Beard winner or Oprah's personal chef for 10 years or dear friend of the Obama's, but I like to think of him as one of my top 3 picks for Top Chef Masters.

We met at a rooftop party that overlooked the beautiful Grant Park and Chicago skyline and after a new friend and I mustered up the courage to go and speak with him, I was all but overwhelmed at his warm spirit and genuine interest in our lives. We annoyed him with all our questions about Iron Chef and Top Chef, since he has been contest and judge on both shows, but he did his due diligence and kept mum. He was good Bravo and Food Network - didn't spill about anything! I promise!

He suggested we go to Urban Belly in Chicago and because of the July fourth holiday they were closed all weekend :( On my next venture to back to the second city I am going to make it a point to eat there.

I am still in awe as how truly nice he was and what a TREMENDOUS honor it was to meet him!

Leah is officially a Chef!

2009-07-01T05:02:00.000-04:00

So I am SO proud to say that Leah graduated from the French Culinary Institute yesterday!!! She is officially a chef complete with a tall hat and everything :) I have sampled many of her dishes and can confirm that they are beyond delicious. She will be leaving me tomorrow something that I am completely not ready to deal with so I won't...

In the slide show are some of her culinary masterpieces. Enjoy!!

NYC Restaurant is HERE!!

2009-06-30T12:49:00.003-04:00

Today is the first day that you can begin to make reservations for Restaurant Week. I am all over this: Cafe Boulud (which apparently offers the pre fixed lunch every Tuesday - Saturday for $24, but no matter...) The website is really nice and offers you the ability to browse by cuisine, time of meal (lunch, dinner etc.) or neighborhood!

Check it out here! I am hoping to go to Mesa Grill as well :)

Stanton Social

2009-06-29T06:22:00.002-04:00

Sleek and sexy, oozing with ambiance, The Stanton Social is a port for all trendy people on the Lower East Side. I have wanted to eat at Stanton Social ever since I moved to New York, but for whatever reason have never been able to make an appearance...so when a group of friends from college came in town, my good friend Cole suggested that we all go here and I was ECSTATIC. It was truly what I like to call a "dining night," lots of different items stretched out over three hours, with great people.

As we walked into the restaurant we were quickly ushered upstairs to the bar where the rest of our party was waiting. Lined with mirrors all over the walls, in a dimly lite room, I felt

like I was somewhere I shouldn't have been -- and I liked it. Crowed on a Thursday, I hung back and sipped on some water while I waited for those glorious words "your table is ready." Sure enough 15 minutes later we ventured back down the steep staircase and were sat at the first table in the front by the windows; this would later prove to be a mistake on their part.

We were fortunate enough to have such a large group that we were able to select items from the menu and create our own pre-fixed menu. Let me tell you, this was one of the best calls I have seen in all my dining experience. I later learned that Cole and Leah hand-picked the items on the menu, I will say that 9 out of 11 were homeruns. With only two being lackluster, Stanton Social is ranking high in my Frugal Foodie book.

For our first course we had:

Nori Spice Tuna Tartare Roll
Chipotle Grilled Shrimp - tomatillo and feta relish
Dry Rubbed & Charred Chicken Wings - chipotle, molasses & bourbon glaze, bleu cheese fondue

I will just spare everyone the guessing game - the tuna was out of this world. Had this been at the end of the meal and I was a little tipsy, I gladly would have eaten the entire plate. I mean, it was that good. The shrimp however, was a TOTAL

miss for me. I am not a huge crustaceans fan, but still even people at the table who love shrimp, thought that the shrimp were tough. Maybe it was an off night, but I would not order that again from anywhere. Wings, totally different story. Smoky, crispy, charred, heat. All things that make for an incredible wing were there, I didn't really care for the bleu cheese fondue, it kind of settled by

the time it got to me and was cold so I didn't see or care for the fondue part, but either way it wasn't really necessary, the wings were perfect on their own.

Quickly after I devoured all that came the next round:

Beef Carpaccio - pickled shallot, fried capers, wholegrain mustard-creme fraiche

I am happy to say that some people would not touch the raw meat. This was great for me. I could easily eat that everyday and must learn how to fry capers. In my opinion, that is what made this dish go from delicious to extraordinary. The salty, sweetness that is capers, combined with a deep crunch, just changed the game. I mean it was really, really nicely done. I dare say it rivals Craft.

After having seconds on that course, the kind wait staff at Stanton Social realized it might be a

good idea to wait a second before bringing the third course and I thank them for that. I might have died if they kept the food coming so quickly. Eventually, the third course came and I was back in action:

Kobe Beef Burgers with bbq sauce
Rhode Island Lobster Roll
Braised Short Rib Soft Tacos - tomato, red onion, cilantro & smoked paprika relish, 'refried' cranberry beans
Frites with red chile mayo
Grilled Asparagus - lemon oil & smoked sea salt

Um. Seriously. My mouth is watering as I write this. Let's just get this out the way - no one liked

the lobster roll. It was a traditionally Northeastern lobster roll and being that our entire table was Southern, it just did nothing for us, at least not on my end. The lobster was fine and tender, but really the celery was just way too overpowering. Not good. However, the Kobe sliders and short rib tacos more than made up for that. The burgers were cooked medium and so juicy I probably went through about 5 napkins just from having one. Soft, sweet onions on top with a tangy bbq sauce made these stand out from any other sliders that I have had. And then the short ribs. I have been on a real short kick lately as you might have read in my STK post. These were just as tender, and packed with flavor. I think everyone agreed that the sliders and tacos were their favorites of the night.

The frites were great, the asparagus forgettable, but the night was not over yet. We still had dessert...

Warm Doughnuts - caramel, chocolate and raspberry dipping sauce
Cookies

The doughnuts were light and fluffy, more like a little beignet that you dip in the respective sauces. I thought it was a fun interactive treat and a nice way to end the night. The cookies were great too, the provided a wide variety and were good for a group - the key lime cookie in particular.

This was a great, great, night filled with lots of laughs and great food. I think this was the perfect atmosphere for groups and I would highly recommend going there with any big party.

Stanton Social

99 Stanton St.

New York, NY 10002