Last week I went out to lunch at a quirky fun bistro and was excited to see “Garden Fresh Tomato Soup” on the menu. Tomatoes in NW Indiana and Chicagoland (shameless voting reminder) have been so good this season that I was thrilled to try the seasonal soup. The friend I was with inquired if …
Step Up to the Bar…the Sushi Bar
The only thing I love more than eating sushi is talking about sushi. (Picky People don’t stop reading yet, I may entice you.) Over the years it has become one of my favorite foods. I don’t know if it is the artistry that is involved with each piece or the expansive flavors the chef (itamae) …
Influenced and Aroused
In-spire (verb used with a subject) to produce or arouse (a feeling or emotion, etc.) to influence I am frequently asked what inspires me when I cook. The two definitions above help me answer this question. First, I find preparing food to be a very arousing, emotional experience. Aroused, you ask? Yep, that is …
I’m Glad It’s Roast Chicken Night
I was very excited last week because one of my favorite stores had roasting chickens on sale. The thought of cooking this chicken was so thrilling that I had to call one of my friends about my bird. Her response was “what do you do with a roasting chicken?” (She is one of my prettiest …
Pattypan Squash or UFO?
August is my favorite month to go to farmer’s markets. I just seem to find more food treasures during this time of the year. Our stands seem to have everything from berries to tomatoes to beans. (Sometimes they have nice young farmhands too but I’m not allowed to bring any of them home.) On my …
Relishing the Reunion
There is something that comes along with a marriage. You may like it, you may not. You may want to be part of it all the time or maybe just on special occasions. There may be days you will feign a headache just to get away from it. Any married person would know that I …
Lasagna as I know It
*I have deleted my original post and hope you will like my substitution. Who doesn’t like lasagna? When you mention the dish; a person is likely to tell you about how their family made it. Everyone’s family recipe is “the best” and people tend to lean toward the flavors they grew up eating. After I …
Most Valuable Blogger Nomination!!!
It is an honor just to be nominated??? Nope, I want to win!!!! I have the joy of being nominated as one of the BEST (tooting my horn) blogs in Chicagoland! So now, I need your votes to win!! Please vote (click here) for me every day!!! I would appreciate your support.
DATE Night
One thing that has kept my marriage of almost 13 years strong is Date Night. To most people that probably means going out to dinner, maybe dancing or a movie. For us, it means a night to eat dates! (Just kidding, we aren’t that lame.) I had never had a date before I met my …
Bruschetta Basics
One of my favorite parts of summertime is the abundance of fresh tomatoes. I would love to say I have a green thumb and grow them all myself but I didn’t inherit that gene from my mother. I am fortunate to live near some wonderful gardeners who always share their bounty. (They don’t grow anything …