I don’t know what it is about the Food and Wine Chef Showcase in Chicago that makes me smile, it just does. Not just any smile, but a smile that makes my cheeks hurt. It is the kind of smile that resonates through your whole body and makes you put a spring in your step. …
Give Thanks for Lists
It is two weeks before Thanksgiving…that means it is time for a list! I love making lists more than any normal person should. I make lists for food, contents of the fridge and people who make me mad. (I also hold grudges but that is another blog. PS Dave G., you are no longer on …
Duck Fat Pumpkin Pie Crust
I can’t believe it is already November. It is one of the busiest months of the year with the election tomorrow, Food and Wine Chef Showcase and CHILL next week. (And for those of you who have asked which Presidential candidate I am supporting….I can only give you a hint…it is a man.) November is …
Meet Jack Sprat
“Jack Sprat could eat no fat. His wife could eat no lean. And so between them both, you see, They licked the platter clean.” No other nursery rhyme could fit my household better. My husband is not a picky eater by any means. He is quite adventurous when it comes to food and cooking for …
Halloween Hooch
Boo! Eeeek! Halloween is next week and I’m receiving requests for some “spirits” to celebrate the day of the dead. Now those of you who REALLY know me, know I am a scaredy cat. I still believe there is a monster in my closet and that there is someone under the bed trying to grab …
Dragon Ranch Moonshine & BBQ: A Foodie Fun Day
A little fun fact to start off your week…In Chinese astrology, the dragon is the only animal of the zodiac year that is fiction based. So it makes sense that Dragon Ranch Moonshine and BBQ which opened this year seemed too good to be true. (Now the fun fact makes more sense doesn’t it??)Located in Chicago …
Stone Soup
One of my favorite folk tales is called Stone Soup. Every nationality seems to have their own version of the story but the moral is always the same. Do you know the story? A group of hungry travelers comes to a town with nothing more than a pot for a possession. The Village People snub …
Chili-y Tilapia
Confession: I’m a cheater. I am not the kind of cheater who betrays their husband. Or someone who memorizes all of the answers in a trivia game before it is played with friends. (Hmmm, who do I know that DOES do that?) I cheat some nights cooking dinner. I think most home cooks are guilty …
Almost Kevin Potato, Sausage and Kale Soup
As a child of divorce, you get used to some of the quirks that come from a “broken” family. You don’t get to say good night in person to both parents. You spend a lot of time repeating stories and forgetting which parent already heard it. And you worry a lot about the one you …
Chicago Gourmet 2012: THE FOOD
The last three days, I have sat down at my computer numerous times to write about the food at Chicago Gourmet this past weekend. I view my notes and pictures and immediately get hungry and feel the need to snack. Preferable snack on food from some of the best chefs and restaurants in Chicago. But …