Name: Falesco Vitiano Umbria 2009 Vineyard/Winemaker: Falesco Origin: Umbria, Italy Varietal: Merlot Pairs with: lamb... or beef stew (like we had!) When I drank it: Oscar night with pot stew What my friend Erin thought (after cleansing her palate): Nice bouquet, nice medium mouth-feel, tastes goooood. Very drinkable. What the minemaker says: Deep ruby-red in color with sensual aromas of blackberry, tobacco and vanilla, which carry through on the palate into a lingering finish. Approximate cost: $15.99 Where to buy: Wine.com, Saratoga Wine Exchange, Buy.com Continue reading

With all the glitz and glamour of the Oscars, I wanted to make a dish that would perfectly complement the dazzling gowns on tv and our pink sparkling wine in tall crystal flutes. Beef and barley stew. Perfect, right? Actually, it was perfect for the chilly Chicago night, the slow-cooker convenience of having everything ready to go, and because sparkling wine goes with everything, it became the fanciest pot roast ever. Slow-Cooker Beef and Barley Source: Food Network Magazine Makes 4 fat-person servings Total time: 8 hours, 15 minutes Ingredients 1 1/4 pounds boneless beef chuck (in one piece) 1... Continue reading

I've met far too many people in my adult life who don't like mushrooms. Don't like mushrooms?!? I wouldn't want to live in a world without mushrooms! In honor of my love of mushrooms, here's a recipe that puts these fungi in the spotlight. Chicken with Kale and Wild Mushrooms Adapted from Food & Wine Makes 4 servings Total time: 45 minutes Ingredients 1 pound kale, tough stems discarded, leaves cut into 2-inch pieces 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons unsalted butter, softened 1 tablespoon plus 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil Four 6-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, lightly pounded... Continue reading

Husband and I were lucky enough to get seats at the hottest ticket in town last Friday night. And by lucky, I mean we spent the Saturday before stalking Next's Facebook page, and Husband's quick clicking got us into the "waiting room" for tickets. Six hours later, and we had our seats at the revival of El Bulli, the famed Spanish restaurant that closed before we had a chance to get there. Now, thanks to Chef Grant Achatz and the rest of the staff at Next, we not only got to experience one menu at El Bulli, but over 20... Continue reading

Anyone who knows me knows that I love a sampler. Specifically, I love getting to try a lot of different things, especially when it comes to food. If you weren't aware, the classy version of the sampler is a flight. And up until now, I've only had flights of wine and cheese (and actually tacos, if you can believe that). Sono Wood Fired, a pizzeria in Lincoln Park, takes the idea of flights across their menu. Because I'm such a lucky duck, I was invited to dinner where Chef John treated me and a group of other Chicago-area food-focused social... Continue reading

My knowledge of Chicago's north side is limited to the Edens expressway and the magnificient Inovasi restaurant that we ate at once upon a time. The chef (John Des Rosiers) at said restaurant recently opened two take-away, prepared food locations, called Wisma. I asked Husband (who travels north for work) to bring dinner home multiple times, but my request was never fulfilled. Lucky for me, the food came to me when Wisma opened a new location in the French Market. Now I can walk by their selection of salads, soups, sandwiches, and full entrees every day and drool. It didn't... Continue reading

Did you miss me? I am very aware that it's been about a month since my last post, and I'm very sorry. However, I'm pretty sure my dad is the only one who's been crushed by my hiatus. I know that you're dying to know what I've been doing since late December. Here it is: 1. We took a trip to St. Lucia. The food was so uninspiring that I worked out every day and took to a much healthier diet. 2. Husband and I have been glued to our workplaces since our return from the trip though I've also... Continue reading

Happy New Year (almost)! I wanted to wrap up 2011 like I did last year with a year in review, featuring the top posts of the year. These are the top posts by page views, posted in 2011 and viewed in 2011. Behold... 9. Restaurant Martin Stein: Vienna (88 views) 7. (tie) Morel Mushroom and Black Forest Ham Creme on Toast (89 views) 7. (tie) Extra Dessert Delights Key Lime Pie (89 views) 6. The Bad Apple (103 views) 5. Restaurant Walter Bauer: Vienna (118 views) 4. Pretzel M&Ms Cookie Bars (131 views) 3. Turkey Taco Salad (135 views) 2.... Continue reading

I know that a calzone with lots of cheese isn't the healthiest option available, but darn, it's so good, warm, and gooey. And for once, Husband thinks that I made something great for dinner. Let's just say that the spinach in this chicken, artichoke, and spinach calzone (with lots and lots of cheese) makes it ok? Chicken, Artichoke, and Spinach Calzone Source: Cook's Country Total time: 40 minutes Makes 4 servings Ingredients 1 rotisserie chicken, skin discarded, meat shredded into bite-size pieces 9 ounces frozen artichoke hearts, thawed, patted dry and chopped 2 ounces (2cups) baby spinach 6 ounces low-moisture... Continue reading

Husband and I are lucky enough to have the freedom and frequent flier miles to take quick weekend trips when we're not working or feeling too attached to our cats. Such was the case a few weekends ago when we had the opportunity to visit my father-in-law out in LA. After a fun day of sightseeing and a Kings/Canadiens hockey game, we geared up for a schmancy dinner at Providence, which received two Michelin stars in 2009. They have a killer-looking tasting menu, but being on Pacific time and starting dinner at 9:30 pm, meant that Husband and I would... Continue reading

I live and work in the city of Chicago, and one of the things I love most about living here is that I can get to work using public transportation, meaning I get to read, listen to music, or tweet all the way to work without fear of crashing a car. The only drawback is the walk to the train and from the train each morning and evening. In the spring, summer, and fall, the walk is certainly welcome, but in the winter? Not so much. After fighting the wind and stepping into work in the morning or home at... Continue reading

The fun thing about this blog is that I can post some really awesome looking food, and because it looks good, you probably assume that it tasted good. Not always the case. And then, once in awhile I make something that looks less than ideal, but it's absolutely delicious. This Turkey Chow Fun fits into that latter category. Close your eyes, take a bite, and you won't be disappointed. Turkey and Vegetable Chow Fun Source: Food Network Magazine Total time: 35 minutes Makes 4 servings Ingredients Kosher salt 12 ounces wide rice noodles, pappardelle or fettuccine 2 teaspoons toasted sesame... Continue reading

Our final meal together for the girls' wine-tasting weekend was brunch back in San Francisco at Foreign Cinema. This restaurant also shows movies on the concrete walls at night, but since we were there on a sunny Sunday morning, it was just a relaxed, high-ceilinged sight to see. One thing to note about this place is that they encourage the early-day imbibing (aka day-drinking) because their drink list seems to be longer than their food list! A few of us couldn't help but try the fellini. We also couldn't turn down their homemade Pop-Tarts. The five of us split the... Continue reading

Anyone whose been to an In-N-Out Burger knows that the beauty of the quick-service chain is in its simplicity; there's very few things on the menu (hamburger, cheeseburger, double-double, fries, shakes). And it's all quite tasty. Some of the ladies on our wine country trip had never been to one (gasp!), so we had to swing by on our way out of the city. Even though I think that their burgers are really some of the best (best fast food, for sure), I haven't been down with hamburgers for some time now so my local friend clued me into the... Continue reading

I'm beginning a three-part series highlighting some Bay Area restaurants that I was lucky enough to chow down at during a recent wine-tasting, bachelorette-partying, friend-reunioning weekend. After a really intense day of touring the area wineries in Sonoma (and a four-hour couch break watching wedding movies), the five of us headed out to The Girl and the Fig in downtown Sonoma. We love wine, but after drinking it all day, we needed a little reprieve so we tried out their inventive cocktails, specifically the apple spice (jameson whiskey, durban muscat de beaumes-de-venise, grand marnier, lemon juice, muddled apple)... And the... Continue reading

Another day, another yummy Food Network Magazine recipe. I happen to like roast chicken because they are really quite easy. If you have a little extra cooking time (not time you'll actually be doing anything), I think a whole chicken is an excellent option. You do have to tuck the wings behind its head, but I believe that you can do it - just ignore that cracking sound. I served this beauty on top of a polenta square and with a little salad on the side. Herb-Roasted Chicken Source: Food Network Magazine Makes 6-8 servings Total time: 1 hour, 45... Continue reading

Husband and I have been having some really good luck with our dinners from Food Network Magazine. There's a section of quick dinners that generally have a reasonable number of ingredients and aren't bad mood-inducing when you have to come home and cook after a long day at the office. We also found that cooking does take less time when we do it together (especially if Husband chops the veggies). Cantonese Chicken and Mushrooms Source: Food Network Magazine Makes 4 servings Total time: 25 minutes Ingredients 1 1/4 pounds chicken tenders or skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2-inch... Continue reading

As I was reviewing photos from the lovely afternoon tea at Lockwood in the Palmer House Hilton, I giggled when I saw that I took zero photos of the tea. I took no photos of tea at a tea. What is wrong with me? Nothing. Because the best part of a tea is the scones, sandwiches, and pastries, not the tea, of course! I wasn't planning on trying out another of Chicago's many afternoon tea offerings, but Groupon has a way of pressuring me into doing things that I wouldn't normally do. "Two for one tea? How could I say... Continue reading

This recipe gives you a double dose of dinner. First, make the ground turkey-based ragu and use it as a pasta topping. Then take the leftovers and make these de-licious stuffed peppers the next night. And no one will complain about leftovers. Quick Ragu Source: Food Network Magazine Total time: 35 minutes Makes 4 servings Ingredients 1/2 onion 1 stalk celery, cut into 4 pieces 1 small carrot, cut into 4 pieces 1 clove garlic 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 pound ground veal or turkey Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 1 28-ounce can... Continue reading

I was one of the many folks who bought the $10 for $20 at Whole Foods last month because it was like $10 of free groceries! Well, free, organic, and pretty expensive groceries. There isn't a Whole Foods close to work or home (in the city, we think a mile is pretty far), so I made a special trip to get ingredients for a special salmon dinner for me and Husband. I made friendly with the fishmonger who skinned my salmon. I got some asparagus to roast, a sweet potato and a pack of arugula to make a little salad.... Continue reading

One of Husband's anniversary gifts was a meal that we cooked together after picking out the recipes and shopping for the ingredients (now that I write it down, it's a little less cool than when I thought through it). Our main course was scallops, which despite all our cooking, we've never made at home, just eaten at every restaurant in town. I was a little nervous after making an investment in the "good" ones at the quality seafood shop, but it was really easy and really fast. If you aren't allergic to shellfish or are a vegetarian, I highly encourage... Continue reading

When Husband's parents were in town, we packed our days with lots of stuff, but since we're sort of known as the foodies in the family, there's a lot of pressure to go to cool places to eat. Our best idea was to not just eat but also cook our own food at The Chopping Block. We're starting to feel like regulars at The Chopping Block, but this was the first time that we've taken a grilling class, which at their Lincoln Square location, takes place on their covered patio in the back. There's enough grilling and chopping space to... Continue reading

For those of us who do not have children and don't get home from work until after the Trick or Treating time span has passed, we are probably (sadly) without candy. Never fear, I will knock you over with nostalgia and sugar in one KO punch. Rice. Krispies. Treats. I haven't made these since my mom "helped" me by smooshing my tiny hand down in the pan to even out the layer of treats. Even back then, I remember thinking that it was easy yet super gross. Rice Krispies Treats Source: RiceKrispies.com Total Time: 30 minutes 12 Servings Ingredients 3... Continue reading