The Mystery:

Last week was a fun one for me. We had a friend come to visit. We saw a Chicago Jazz legend, Van Freeman, play a beautiful rendition of one of my favorite songs: Bewitched Bothered and Bewildered. Though we were threatened with multiple snow storms, we only received light dustings (of which already melted!). I successfully cooked a middle eastern feast for my hungry honey! And I realized that I someone loves me, oh so very much!

Meat Free for the Meat Eater:

There has been a lot of talk lately about Meat on all sides of the spectrum. From the Global Conference on Sustainable Beef to Oprah's 21 day Vegan Challenge, America's interest in meat is probably at an all time high. I had seen on other blogs that people were partaking in Meat Free Weekdays, (be it Monday, Sunday, or any day in between) in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This is a great idea, which I stand by 100%. If less meat is being demanded, less meat will have to be transported to market and less meat will have to be farmed. You can see where the greenhouse gases slowly start to diminish. So, I made a note in the back of my mind to give it a try, and unfortunately, it didn't go so well.

A Cook's Poem:

A Cook's Poem:
Does the vino lose its power in the Crockpot overnight?
In a flambé baked Alaska, does the brandy lose its bite?
Does the alcohol all burn off, as the cookbooks say it does?
Or can you eat a plate of coq au vin and get a little buzz?
When you cook with wine or brandy, here's the latest scoop:
There will always be some alcohol remaining in the soup.
Robert L. Wolke

Winter Dinner:

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Is there anything better than a perfectly roasted chicken? When the skin is salty and crisp while the meat inside remains steaming and juicy? I think not, and a craving for a perfectly roasted chicken is exactly what inspired this post. I'm often called upon by family members and close friends to recommend a delicious idea for a party, a dinner, a pot-luck, etc. You name it, I've helped plan it! I would like to think it's because I know amazing recipes off the top of my head, but in all honesty, I think it's mostly because I know a good recipe when I see it.

Lovely Kitchens: Shelves

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I love organization. I go through kicks of needing everything perfectly organized, some might call it slightly OCD but I like to think of it as more along the lines of extreme efficiency. All of the kitchens in the above photos have some form of open shelving which I LOVE. I would die, literally die if I had any of these setups, from cubby holes to industrial kitchen shelves. I love the idea of open front storage, it not only gives you an excuse to stock up on matching storage containers, but also a reason to be super organized. I feel sorry for my fiance from time to time, he couldn't care less if the tea gets put back into the same place from which it came, but he still tries to keep things organized to maintain my sanity. Though, I feel that if I ever tried to incorporate any of these shelves into our future kitchen, he would be less than thrilled at the idea of constant organization!

Homemade Muesli:

I have been a bad blogger the last few days, being too wrapped up with life things to find time to sit down and type! To make matters worse, I feel that I have been an equally bad nutritionist! I found the cutest little cans of Coca Cola Classic while out shopping the other day and have been enjoying them more than I'd like to admit, tisk tisk. Plus, we were gifted a lovely box of Sugar Bliss cupcakes the night before last, of which we already made a significant dent (though we did have help from friends). And the six boxes of girl scout cookies that I ordered a few weeks back showed up today. Lucky for me, I have a healthy treat on hand to ease me off of the sugar streak and back to my normal 5 a day routine: a tasty batch of home made Muesli!

Breakfast for Dinner: Shirred Eggs

Last night for dinner I made a pot of Chicken Tortilla Soup (a recipe I will share with you all soon). As it is one of my favorite soups, when I commit to making it, I break out the 12 qt. stainless steel pot and make enough to last for at least 2 dinners, 2 lunches and excess for the freezer to keep on hand for a quick fix dinner. Well, somehow my honey and I managed to eat almost the entire pot last night, and I was only left with a small bowl full for lunch. Yea, it was that good. Unfortunately it was also supposed to be dinner for tonight, which I didn't quite realize until I stumbled in the door, exhausted from a long day at the clinic. So, what is a girl to do in a situation where the end of the week has left little to no food in the fridge? Breakfast for dinner, of course. As my favorite meal of the day I will happily whip up one of my go-to breakfast recipes when the feeling is right, and tonight, I'm feeling Shirred Eggs and Spinach.

Pâte à Tartiner Maison:

About a week ago, a California woman filed a class action lawsuit against the makers of the hazelnut-spread, Nutella. In her statement of claim, Ms. Hohenberg says she was “shocked to learn” from friends “that Nutella was in fact not a ‘healthy,’ ‘nutritious’ food but was instead the next best thing to a candy bar.” Well, duh. If you're ever wondering whether a food item that comes in a plastic tub is healthy or nutritious, you should save yourself the hassle and accept that.. well, it's more than likely not. Especially if it comes touting healthy claims that it's a better alternative for something else, i.e. peanut butter.

Book Review:

Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table by Ruth Reichl

Have you ever wondered what makes a foodie? Wondered exactly what defining moment turns an interested home cook to a full fledged connoisseur? If so, let me recommend: Tender at the Bone, the sweet story of how Ruth Reichl grew from her family's "guardian of the guests" to San Francisco Magazine's Restaurant Critic. I know, I know, Mrs. Reichl has gone above and beyond a simple magazine restaurant critic. In fact she was recently named one of the Top 50 Most Powerful Food Folk in America by the Daily Meal. That's the thing, the story of how Ruth Reichl rose to the top of the American food world doesn't just fit in one simple book, but rather a collection of three well written, witty, memoir-style story books about her life, her lessons learned and the people she loves.. well, until her mid-20s, at least.

Tender at the Bone showcases just how compelling a writer Ruth Reichl is. Each of her stories provide excellent insight into the making of a foodie. Starting with stories of her mother, the world's most dangerous dinner host with the "iron stomach" and tendency to inadvertently make her guests ill. As you sit and read, you start to picture a small, curly haired child franticly running about trying to save guests from consuming the sure-to-be-dangerous creation of her mother's most recent kitchen experiment. This vivid story book writing style carries on throughout the book, painting each scene with impressive detail. Willfully dulling out stories from her life, from an adolescent Ruth cooking late night snacks for her first crush, to traveling with her college roommate to Tunisia to share bottles of wine and freshly brined olives at a small cafe, and then off to Crete to a small cottage to enjoy freshly grilled fish with her first husband. You slowly start to piece together the makings of a foodie, you come to understand that it doesn't just come from a few cherished recipes (many of which she shares with the lucky reader) but rather a collection of soul touching experiences and lessons learned.

Swiss Hasselback Potatoes:

This heavenly potato preparation comes originally from the Stockholm restaurant Hasselbacken, where they were first served. The following recipe is adapted from one by Nigella Lawson, my favorite British cook extraordinaire! This style of potato is quick and easy to make, they can be topped with just about anything and go well with all things roast: from Tuesday night pot roast to a classic Sunday roast. My favorite aspect is that they manage to be light, crisp and salty on the outside and simultaneously rich, buttery and creamy on the inside. It really is the best of all potato worlds!

Meyer Lemon Curd:

Did you know: a Meyer Lemon isn't really a lemon at all? It was discovered near Beijing, China back in the early 1900s and brought to the United states in 1908. Though it was originally thought to be a cross between a lemon and a mandarin, recent DNA tests have shown that it's more likely a cross between a lemon and a sweet orange. Another fun citrus fact: there are only three original citrus families, Mandarin + Citrons + Pummelos, all other citrus fruits are hybrid crosses between these three groups. Which is why a Meyer Lemon is not so much a lemon. If you have ever had the fortunate chance to eat a Meyer Lemon, you know exactly what I mean when I say that it has fantastic eating qualities. Its thin, delicate, aromatic peel is perfect for sweeter applications, while its juicy, sweet flesh performs all the same seasoning tasks as its tart cousins, the Eureka or Lisbon lemons.

Chai Rum Toddy

This is a fantastic recipe that I'm stealing from one of my favorite past times: Imbibe Magazine. Which is an incredible resource for all things drink: from beer, wine, cocktails and spirits, to coffee, tea and delicious food pairings. I stumbled upon this recipe just yesterday, and stirred up a batch before bed time. It was the perfect drink to take the sting off of a long, brisk, winters day.

Lovely Kitchens: Greenhouse Dining

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I guess it's safe to say that I have my heart set on Spring. I've been playing with the idea of a greenhouse dining area for a few years now. As someone with a budding green thumb, I love the idea of being able to garden all year round. And as a well trained cook, I couldn't imagine anything better than eating a delicious dinner, surrounded by the aromatics of freshly grown herbs. My favorite part though is all the natural day light! I've been going crazy in Chicago all winter, it's dark when I get to work and dark when I leave... I'm dreaming of the days of Spring when I will finally be able to get some Vitamin D worthy sun exposure.

Homemade Instant Hot Chocolate Mix:

Today is a beautiful day in Chicago. The sun is shinning (which is a winter rarity), the streets are finally being plowed and life is starting to creep back into it's normal routine. I'm enjoying my final snow day with a steaming cup of hot cocoa. I have an incredible recipe for Homemade Instant Hot Chocolate which I unfortunately have yet to use this winter. I have to admit, I will always have a soft spot in my heart for Swiss Miss, but it pales in comparison to my sweet recipe.

USDA Dietary Guidelines:

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The USDA released the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans on Monday and to much shock and surprise, they actually addressed obesity as being a health issue in America, and gave some decent advice on ways to improve health. All in all, I would say its a definite step in the right direction. I just have one small quibble: they make it very clear what to eat, and maintain their stance of being very vague about what not to eat. Heres an example:

Snow Day: Homemade Kettle Corn

It's official: snow day! The city is shutting down in preparation for the impending storm. I'm safe inside my home and I could not imagine being anywhere else! We live in one of the last high rise buildings on the south end of the city, where we usually have an amazing view of the Museum of Science and Industry, the lake and everything farther south. Currently, the snow is so bad I can barely see the museum right across the street and it's only just begun!