hot chocolate

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A cup of hot chocolate always seems to taste better during the holidays. Why use mixes and powders, when the real thing tastes better and is just as easy to make. Enjoy!

ingredients
2 oz 85% dark chocolate
1/2 teaspoon (or more) cane sugar
1 cup milk (I use almond milk)

extras:
marshmallows, whipping cream, peppermint sticks, extra chocolate for garnish

how to:
Heat the chocolate in a small saucepan on low until melted.

Add the sugar and milk, whisk until blended. Maintain a low heat, whisking often until desired temperature is reached.

Divide among two 4-5 oz cups. Garnish with marshmallows and fresh chocolate shavings. Or, add a dollop of whipped cream and crushed peppermint sticks.

 

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whiskey and donuts

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Who doesn’t LOVE a good donut? Seriously, they are pretty much the perfect sweet treat! I’ve been known to offer them as a lunch substitute in the office and to my husband for dinner dessert. To take my sweet treat favorite a step further, I decided to pair them with a glass of whiskey. A delicious snack and pairing to enjoy while watching your favorite movies or reading on the couch. Stan’s Donuts and Coffee in Wicker Park is hands down my favorite donut shop in Chicago. Enjoy!

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Turkish potato / kompir

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A popular street food in Istanbul is kompir – giant baked potato filled with everything imaginable. You’ll find kompir stands all over the city, offering toppings such as hot dogs, pickles, cabbage, corn, roasted red peppers, peas… On our recent trip this summer, I certainly enjoyed a potato or two, or three! My favorite combination was roasted red pepper, corn, and bulgur. So, with the crisp fall weather here to stay, I decided to create this yummy comfort food at home!

Step 1:
Preheat oven to 425°. Pierce each russet potato with a sharp knife about 10 times in approximately 1-inch intervals.

Step 2: 
Rub the outside of the (clean) potato with extra virgin olive oil. Then, roll the potato in coarse sea salt before baking. This adds a great savory flavor to the skin.

Step 3: 
Place potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for approximately 1 hour. If you have a convection oven, use it. Or, rotate potatoes after 30 minutes.

Step 4:
When the potatoes have finished baking, carefully slice and blend in butter and cheese. Blend together until a mashed potato consistency is created and add toppings. Mine include: hot couscous salad, tabouli salad and steamed corn.

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mint lemonade

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Mint lemonade is one of my favorite summer refreshments. This is also a very common beverage in Turkey, and believe me, I ordered it every chance I had on our recent visit to Istanbul! I suggest making it with sparking water for an extra crisp taste. Oh, and this is the BEST rose and honey Turkish Delight from Ucuzcular Baharat at the Spice Bazaar. Be sure to check out their webs for online shopping!

Ingredients: 
1/2 cup lemon juice (fresh or bottled)
several sprigs of mint leaves, finely chopped
6-8 tbsp of simple syrup
sparkling water to taste
serve over ice

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Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream

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My inspiration for this post was a delicious bowl of Jeni’s – Brown Butter Almond Brittle Ice Cream. Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams’ was founded in Columbus, OH in 2002 by Jeni Britton Bauer. And I had the privilege of living less than 100 ft from her Short North Scoop Shop for a few years. And yes, there were many nights when my dinner was a waffle cone full of wildberry lavender and dark chocolate ice cream! Thankfully, she opened a shop in Chicago last summer and pints are available for purchase in local grocery stores and online. Her ice cream is unique and packed with flavor . She sources locally grown produce, milk from grass-grazed cows, and absolutely no artificial flavors or chemical dyes are used. Indeed, the perfect sweet treat!

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avocado on toast

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A great brunch or afternoon snack is avocado on toast with a side of tomatoes. It’s easy to make and so, so delicious! I don’t usually measure out the ingredients for this; however, I’ll list the steps for you. And a side of tomatoes with sea salt adds just the right amount of acid. Enjoy!

cube 1 ripe avocado
drizzle with extra virgin olive oil (approximately 1 tsp)
add sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
mash ingredients together (do not blend smooth)
spoon onto toast

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veggie medley & couscous

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With all of the delicious holiday candies and baked goods at our fingertips, a break from such caloric foods is always refreshing. Here is an easy vegetable dish to enjoy. I like adding a fried egg for protein and the yolk adds a nice flavor to the couscous.

4 brussels sprouts
6 baby carrots
1 small sweet onion
1/4 red pepper
1/4 green pepper
6 baby bok choy leaves
4-6 baby broccoli

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 tbsp Trader Joe’s South African Smoke 
2-3 eggs
1 cup couscous

Step 1:
Preheat oven to 350°. Prep all vegetables.

Step 2:
Add spices and EVOO, mix well in an iron skillet.

Step 3:
Roast in oven for 30 minutes, stir once.

Step 4:
Prepare couscous 10-15 minutes before vegetables are finished.

Step 5:
Fry egg. Plate vegetables over couscous and top with fried egg.

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the best hot chocolate x 2

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There’s nothing quite so rich and decadent as a cup of hot chocolate during the holidays. Why use mixes and powders, when the real thing tastes better and takes just a little bit longer to make. Here is an easy recipe that I like to make often. Enjoy!

ingredients
2 oz 85% dark chocolate
1/2 teaspoon (or more) cane sugar
1 cup milk (I use almond milk)

extras:
marshmallows, whipping cream, peppermint sticks, extra chocolate for garnish

how to:
Heat the chocolate in a small saucepan on low until melted.

Add the sugar and milk, whisk until blended. Maintain a low heat, whisking often until desired temperature is reached.

Divide among two 4-5 oz cups. Garnish with (toasted) marshmallows and fresh chocolate shavings. Or, add a dollop of whipped cream and crushed peppermint sticks.

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No-Knead Bread

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There’s not too many foods I love more than a warm piece of fresh rustic bread. It’s such a perfect complement to so many dishes, like this soup! This no-knead boule is easy to make, it just requires some patience. All you will need is four basic ingredients and a heavy covered pot. Enjoy!

3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting
¼ teaspoon instant yeast
1¼ teaspoons salt
Cornmeal or wheat bran as needed.

1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 5/8 cups water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.

2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.

3. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.

4. At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is O.K. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.

Yield: One 1½-pound loaf.

This No-Knead Bread recipe is sourced from The New York Times.

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roasted potatoes with rosemary

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With a busy schedule, making a healthy and simple dinner is ideal during the week. Roasted potatoes are delicious, easy to make, and allow me to multitask everything else while they are in the oven. I recommend a glass of pinot noir as a balanced and smooth pairing.

3 organic potatoes, I prefer russet
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium sweet onion, sliced
2-3 sprigs of rosemary, finely chopped
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp freshly ground pepper
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Step 1: 
Preheat oven to 350°. Wash and cube potatoes. Slice onion, mince garlic and chop rosemary.

Step 2: 
Add spices, onions, and EVOO. Mix well in an iron skillet.

Step 3:
Roast in oven (convection is preferred) for approximately 40 minutes. Mix once.

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