Balsamic Fig with Goat Cheese Crostini

This appetizer is really fresh and simple - the sweetness of the fig is balanced by the tart goat cheese and complemented by balsamic vinegar and fresh rosemary. It's also great if you need to bring something to a party - no heating needed/easy to transport. I brought these to my friend Mer's fabulous holiday party and they were gobbled up pretty quickly (the best gauge of success).

Ingredients:
Makes 24 crostinis
1 loaf Italian bread
1 lb dried figs (about 15 figs)
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
6 oz goat cheese
1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary (and sprigs for garnish)
Olive oil
Fresh ground salt and pepper

Heat oven to 425 degrees.

I was lucky enough to be at Mariano's on a Saturday when they have freshly baked Turano bread delivered - it took a fair amount of will power to not devour that crusty goodness.

Slice bread about 1/2 inch thick and spread out on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Lightly brown in oven for about 8 minutes. Let cool while you prepare the figs.

Chop off stems from figs and dice them. In a small bowl, marinate the chopped figs with the balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to taste (about 1/4 tsp) for 15 minutes to an hour. After the figs have marinated, spread the goat cheese on each crostini and top with the figs.

Mine the rosemary and sprinkle on the crostinis. Add a little more salt and pepper (to taste). Garnish with the extra rosemary sprigs.

Looking for more appetizer ideas? Try my Prosciutto Brie with Honey Apple Crostini - I served the two apps side by side at the party. 

Prosciutto Brie with Honey Apple Crostini

Comfort food appeal that is "fancy"enough to serve at a party. This appetizer has it all - salty prosciutto, creamy brie cheese, tart and crisp apple with sweet honey drizzle.

Ingredients:
Makes 24 crostinis
1 loaf Italian bread
1/4 lb thinly sliced prosciutto
1 green apple
8 oz brie (small wheel)
Olive oil
Fresh ground salt and pepper
Honey

Heat oven to 425 degrees

All brie is not created equal. You want to make sure to get a good firm brie for baking - if it's too creamy the cheese will melt too quickly and run everywhere. The cheese connoisseur at Mariano's was able to point me in the right direction. I threw away the box and forgot the name of the brand...but it was a red box...that's all I got for ya.

Find some good quality bread - crusty on the outside and soft and doughy inside. Cut around 24 slices (depending on your loaf) about 1/2 inch thick each.

Spread onto baking sheet, drizzle with oil, salt and pepper (go easy on the salt). Tear the prosciutto into pieces so that they fit on your crostini.

Cut the apples into thin slices, you want them to be thick enough to keep the flavor and the crisp texture but you don't want them to be too heavy and cumbersome to bite through. Place one slice (two slices for larger pieces of bread) on each crostini.

Cut the wheel of brie in half. Slice the wheel so that you have long rectangular pieces of cheese, and slice each of those in half. You should have just enough rectangles to fit perfectly on each crostini. I know some people aren't a big fan of the brie rind, but it's important to keep it on to hold the shape of the cheese (not to mention enhancing the flavor). Drizzle honey on top of the crostinis and finish with fresh ground pepper (we don't need any more salt, the prosciutto and brie have enough of it naturally).

Bake the crostinis in the oven for about 8 minutes or until cheese is soft/starting to melt. Serve warm and garnish with apple slices.

Looking for more appetizer ideas? Try my Balsamic Fig with Goat Cheese Crostini - I served the two apps side by side at a recent party. 

Trip to Arizona - the Wild West

This Thanksgiving marked my first experience as a "snow bird"; taking a short break from Chicago and flocking to warmer weather. I've traveled to Arizona numerous times as a kid on family vacations, but this trip was my first as an adult. I definitely took notice of different aspects than I had as a child.

Constantly immersed in urban living, I was shocked at how remote Gold Canyon, AZ felt to me. Walking to restaurants or shops is laughable. While this may seem inconvenient to someone who is always on the go, this type of location also comes with beautiful views and an up close relationship with nature. Morning coffee was serene, and sunsets picturesque. I saw wildlife beyond the usual city pigeons and squirrels (I will NOT acknowledge any rats).

I was lucky enough to have an aunt who lives there and planned an amazing itinerary for us all; I left Arizona feeling like I had experienced the perfect smattering of Gold Canyon.

View from our rental house in Gold Canyon - appreciating a different kind of skyline.

Day 1 in AZ - hike at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum. It wasn't a real challenging hike but we were able to see a lot of cool sights. If we had stayed another day I would have liked to hike a larger mountain.

The Saguaro cactus - these are all over the place in AZ; it's actually illegal to cut them down. This type of cactus can only be found in the Sonoran Desert, which is mostly just in Arizona and little in Mexico and Cali.  It takes 50 years for the cactus to grow an arm and they can live up to 150 years. I loved keeping an eye out for these guys and trying to guess how old they were. (source: Uncle Mick)

After our hike we wanted to grab a bite to eat. I searched on my phone and saw that the town of Superior was nearby and seemed to have a few restaurant choices. Man oh man. Superior was the epitome of an abandoned ghost town. It literally looked like a wild west movie set, tumble weeds and all. We came across Porter's Cafe and by default it was our lunch selection. Dollar bills graced the wall behind the bar, with relics and nick-nacs in abundance. It was the perfect amount of strange. 

As hesitant as our group may have been to order at Porter's Cafe, I was happy as clam with my chicken tacos and Modelo Especial.

Found myself a rough and tough cowboy in Scottsdale. My mom, sister and I took a day trip to Scottsdale (about an hour away from Gold Canyon). There are lots of shops and restaurants to enjoy and we had the perfect weather to spend the day outside walking around. We spent most of our time in Old Scottsdale, a mix of wild west shops, jewelers, and art galleries.

Lunch in Old Town Scottsdale at The House Brasserie - such a PERFECT spot. This is actually the second oldest house in Scottsdale (built in the 1930's, shows how young the town is).

Inside the house is a warm and welcoming space with a bar and dining area.

Beautiful weather in late November (almost December!) OF COURSE we are sitting on the patio! Shaded by trees...drinking wine...ladies who lunch...gotta love it.

You knew the food pic was coming - and what a great meal it was. Left to right: Pork Belly on English muffin with Asian Kimchee sauce and fried egg; perfectly put together Chicken Parmesan with smoked tomato, fresh mozz, arugula and basil; Arizona Arugula Salad with crispy shallot, roast strawberry, Mission figs, Maytag blue cheese and sesame balsamic dressing. All three of us enjoyed a glass of Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc with our meal. All dishes had an emphasis on fresh and local. The ketchup was homemade from their garden and the fries were dusted with fresh celery salt...made with celery from the garden out back...really?! Really.

We took a drive through the mountains (note: winding mountain roads + sitting in back of large SUV = get the barf bag ready). Our group was able to secure primo seating on the top deck of the Dolly boat for the sightseeing tour.

Yes, Arizona has water. On this boat tour we saw two Bald Eagles and two Long Horned Rams - really amazing. We also saw climbers scaling a huge mountain, over 300 feet in the air - I can't even imagine. 

Seeing new places and having new experiences is one of my favorite things in the world, and this trip to Arizona did not disappoint. While I loved hiking, golfing, dining and touring - the best part of this trip was spending time with family I don't get to see very often. It was easy to think of what I was thankful for this year.

Review: Eataly

The long awaited Eataly is now open - and everyone in the city is flocking to the place. It's a madhouse. A fabulous madhouse. It's Whole Foods on Italian steroids (but not the Jersey Shore type). Located in River North at Ohio and Wabash, Eataly is a new lunch crowd-foodie-tourist-any-and-everyone staple. I would expect no less from culinary force Mario Batali (B&B Hospitality group) and may even forgive him for wearing those gawd awful orange Crocs. 

My first (and not even close to my last) trip to Eataly was more of a scouting mission. I will be honest, it was a bit overwhelming. The restaurant/store was way bigger than I had imagined and I think I just need to live there for a few days to soak it all in. I'll give you a quick recap and photo tour - and urge you to see it for yourself as soon as possible (at non-peak hours).

Both floors consist of fresh produce, packaged goods, merchandise and "restaurants" (more like stations). The Baffo Restorante is on both floors and has some nice street views.
Floor 1: fresh market of fruit and veggies, Lavazza cafe, Nutella Bar, panini bar, gelato, pastry bar, and housewares (ranging from cool kitchen tools to beautiful entertaining bowls and platters).
Floor 2: homemade pizza (in 90 seconds!), pasta bar, fresh mozzarella bar, meat and seafood counters, cheese station, bakery, olive oil, wine, brewery and another cafe.

Eataly is a one-stop shop - I probably won't be going there for everyday groceries (the produce was pretty expensive) but will definitely visit to dine-in or grab something for dinner/entertaining.

I was greeted by this colorful display of fresh veggies - some items of interest included persimmons (had a sample, it kind of looks like a tomato but tastes sweeter like apricot) and figs.

All of the produce is beautifully arranged.

Nutella any way you want it.

Show up to a party with these - or better yet - serve them at your own soiree and avoid the hassle (I love to cook but am not big on baking).

Moving to floor 2...view of the produce and fresh market vibe carried throughout.

The Italian version of a Forty - of course it's better. The brewery is viewable through large glass windows - this open concept is at all of the food stations. Love to watch the magic happen.

Gift baskets from $30 - $200; perfect for the holidays!

Cheese on cheese on cheese. Cheese completes me.

While I probably won't splurge on the pricey fruit and veggies, the seafood and butcher counters look well worth whatever the cost.

I love this "season wheel" - they literally point you in the right direction.

I'm already planning on going back tomorrow to taste test...possibly bringing my sleeping bag.  Let me know your favs when you go!

Roasted Veggies and Quinoa

It’s cold out and I’m extra hungry. It’s hard to resist comfort food (and the calories that come with it) around this time of year. For nights when a salad just won’t cut it, I like to make a hearty veggie dish that fills me up with nutrients instead of guilt.

Superfoods that are high in nutrients and antioxidants like sweet potatoes, quinoa, garlic, onion, red pepper, zucchini and squash comprise this dish that can serve as either a main course or a side. Both calorie friendly and budget friendly - cook this up for dinner and use leftovers for lunch/dinner the next day.

Ingredients:
1 sweet potato
1 red pepper
1 yellow squash
1 zucchini
6 leaves fresh basil
½ cup quinoa
6 cloves garlic
½ red onion
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cook ½ cup dry quinoa according to package directions. Slice potatoes and veggies - rustic style in thicker chunks. Make sure the potato is sliced thinner than the veggies since those will take longer to cook. Finely chop the garlic. Mix together in a large bowl with olive oil and balsamic vinegar until evenly coated.

Place mixture in a baking pan and cook for 15-20 minutes. While the dish is cooking, chop the fresh basil and grate the parmesan cheese. If you want to grill chicken or Italian sausage, etc., do so during this time.

Remove dish from the oven and top with basil and cheese; serve warm.

Gotta love all of the color in this meal

Chop and mix until veggies are evenly coated with oil and vingear

Spread mixture in a baking dish - stir halfway through cooking

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Serve veggies warm and top with grated parm and fresh basil - can be in addition to a protein like grilled chicken or Italian sausage for heartier meal

Review: The Dawson

The Dawson was a great spot to celebrate my sister's birthday - from the fun cocktails to the attentive staff, a good time was had by all.  The Dawson occupies the space formerly held by the brunch restaurant Orange at the six corners intersection of Grand/Milwaukee/Halsted. I've been not-so-patiently watching the construction in anticipation of the new space. The full wall of glass windows and tall wooden fence hiding the outdoor space gave me just enough of a sneak peek and mystery to make The Dawson a must-try.

The Dawson was way more of a bar that happens to also be a restaurant than I had imagined. The large bar is center to the open space with tables flanking the perimeter. Both the first floor and top floor have the same set-up. The food had some hits and some misses, but the staff really added to an overall great dining experience. The manger (Abe Lincoln doppelganger) overheard that my sister was recently engaged (not to mention her birthday) and brought us a round of bubbly - and later comped the dessert. A man after my own heart. I look forward to returning to The Dawson once the weather warms up and I can enjoy what looks to be a really cool outdoor space.

View of entrance from upstairs

Walking into the dining area downstairs - bar straight ahead and our table was to the right.  

Drinks all around! Left to right: Officer's Club whiskey drinks (we all took turns biting the lemongrass - really tastes like lemon!), Carillon Cup (gin, lemon, vanilla pear, apple, soda) and my drink the Safe Word (vodka, apple, St. Germain, cinnamon, lemon, bitters) - and of course the complimentary champagne! Each of us thought the drink we ordered was the best one of the group (once again, taste-testing all around), happy campers. 

The Drunken Clams were a little too breaded and bland but the Crispy Pork Tacos were AMAZING! The al pastor was spicy with a hint of smokey-sweet; we each ate one taco and considered ordering more.

The burger came with a thick slab of bacon (pork jowl), comte cheese and jalapeno - although it's a step up from your standard burger, Chicago has some stiff burger competition these days and I wouldn't put The Dawson burger in my top five. (see Summer House burger review)

This is only half of the Pork Shank serving - Struan and I shared this meal. The pork was cooked perfectly; tender and rich with a crispy skin.  The shank was accompanied by papardelle pasta and mushrooms - I would have liked more sauce with the pasta, but then again that may have taken away from the pork. Our other dinner orders included the Wood Grilled Chicken with glazed apple and ricotta gnocchi (way too buttery) and the Pickled Onion Rings (too greasy).

Our meal was finished off with the Bread Pudding (pictured) and chocolate cake with blueberries - we enjoyed both; I preferred the bread pudding with caramel.

I will probably wait until spring to go back to The Dawson so I can check out the outdoor area.  Check this place out for yourself and let me know what you think!

http://the-dawson.com/

Review: Summer House

Those Melman's really have the Midas touch. Hot off the heels of Three Dots and a Dash and they have yet another success to add to their impressive list. The Melman brothers were actually sitting next to my sister and I while we dined. One part of me wanted to run up to them like a crazed fan screaming, “show me how to make buckets of money!!!!”, while the other part wanted to act too cool and pretend like I didn’t even notice they were there. The latter prevailed.

My sister and I went to Summer House on a cold, rainy night usually reserved for the couch - yet upon walking into the restaurant we felt the whole Southern Cali vibe. With a retractable roof, this place will be unstoppable in the summer.

Summer House bar area

Garage doors will open in the summer

Retractable roof will open in the summer - day drinking!!

Bonfire cocktail - blanco tequila, grapefruit, honey, bitters. I'm loving the drink trends I've been seeing in the past year or so - and Summer House keeps in line with the competition. Their drink menu has a small selection of custom cocktails and my sister and I were able to try 3 of the 5 (all in the name of blogging...).  I had two of the Bonfire so I guess I will call it my favorite for now. Must try them all - just to be fair.

The Monte Cali is for the whiskey lovers (I enjoyed it, but definitely had a stronger whiskey taste than the waitress said it would have). The Palm Fizz is light and fresh - what you would expect from a drink with the word "fizz" in it.

As a guac connoisseur - I wholeheartedly approve. The salsa was also excellent; wished we had more than just the little side.

WOW - ahi tuna tostadas with watermelon, cilantro and avocado. So fresh and light; a great starter that allowed us to save room for a burger...and dessert...

Fresh burrata cheese with roasted celery root, lemon and shaved fennel.  The house-made grilled bread was a perfect addition - I found myself going back for more just for the bread.

Inspired by the West Coast chain, In-and-Out Burger, the Summer House burger is a must. I found it to be one of the best cooked burgers I've ever had.  Not too thick or too thin, the beef patty was cooked medium (I rarely see a burger actually cooked to a true medium when I order it that way) and was simply delicious.

The dessert bar is the first sight you see upon entering (and leaving) Summer House.  You can order off of the dessert menu or pick something from this bakery bar. I had the Brown Butter Rice Krispie treat - so buttery and gooey and everything it should ever be.

Like most of the other Lettuce Entertain You establishments, Summer House has a gluten-free menu.

http://www.summerhousesm.com/