Eat... and Be Merry

Poires Helene

2007-11-27T10:03:00.000-06:00

It's kind of unusual that I chose pears to make a dessert out of recently. In terms of fruit, they've never been my favorite. I tend to prefer the apple or some type of berry. Yet, there they were - a crate at the market stuffed full of beautiful Bosc pears, seducing patrons right and left with their long stems and dark, autumnal skins. I bought some, even though I didn't really know what I

Pumpkin Soup, unplugged

2007-11-19T09:52:00.000-06:00

I have a confession to make. I am addicted... to winter squash. Every year, I bemoan the cold weather, my dry skin, the impending months of doom and gloom... but thankfully, this one thing comes around in the fall to brighten my dampened spirits.The worst thing about my deep affinity for these dark orange veggie-fruits is that my husband does not share my feelings. I could slave all day over some

Weekend Recap

2007-11-13T10:06:00.000-06:00

I must say, we did a lot of eating this weekend. I don't know if the colder weather has just gotten into us or what, but between Josh and I were were... starving! (Or, maybe just gluttonous...)Friday night, after what proved to be a long and tedious week, Josh picked me up from work and we headed over the store to get some fixings for a dinner at home. After a night out last Friday at Quartino -

Raisin-Nut Cookie Time!

2007-11-06T10:57:00.000-06:00

Sunday night, I returned home from a long and arduous trip to the grocery store. On my own, I had to do battle with a possessed shopping cart, long lines at the deli and a spill on aisle 12. Finally, back in the sanctuary of my abode, I got down to business. Cookie business. Flour out, sugar measured, butter softened... only to realize, with horror, I had forgotten to buy eggs. Eggs! The

"Ravioli"

2007-10-30T08:13:00.000-06:00

I have a pasta machine. I was so thrilled when I received it a few years ago, visions of homemade pasta dancing in my head. The kitchen strewn with flour-dusted noodles, hanging from wooden racks, ready for a quick plung into some boiling water before becoming lightly sauced and then, of course, consumed.However, I'm ashamed to admit I have only used my pasta machine once in the last two years. A

Wild Mushroom Risotto with Peas

2007-10-22T10:12:00.000-05:00

Despite the 80 degree weather we experienced here in Chicago yesterday, it IS fall here in the midwest, and thus time to move on to heartier fare. Josh and I were felt like laying low Friday night and decided to cook an old standby and favorite for dinner - Giada DeLaurentiis' Wild Mushroom Risotto with Peas from her "Everyday Italian" cookbook. Like I said, we've made this a couple of times

Food Love Survey

2007-10-17T12:59:00.000-05:00

Well, I realize I've been neglecting this little blog. The weeks up to my mid-term exams were a little hectic, so I really haven't had much time for cooking / photographing / eating out, and thus nothing to blog about! So, I thought I kick off my new found enthusiasm for Eat...and Be Merry with a little food survey, just to give you a little insight into my particular foodie feelings:1. How do

Curried Sage Butternut Squash Soup

2007-09-28T10:23:00.000-05:00

How could you not love autumn? For me, the change in the abundance of items filling my bag at the produce market is exciting enough, and squash (acorn, butternut, pumpkin, etc.) is the primary reason for my glee. Since it has started to get just slightly more chill here in Chicago, last Sunday I was dying to fix one of my fall/winter staples - soup! A creamy, hearty and spicy butternut squash

Cookies for Martin

2007-09-25T09:34:00.000-05:00

Believe it or not, after a week-long business trip to Arizona last week, I was dying to get back into the kitchen. Eating out / eating hotel food every night for five days straight is not exactly my idea of fun. However, with dinner plans all weekend, I knew that I would only have an opportunity to utilize my neglected kitchen during the day on Saturday. Thankfully, I quickly found good reason!My

Butterfly Sushi Bar and Thai Cuisine

2007-09-17T17:14:00.000-05:00

For Josh and I, having a reliable, nearby, inexpensive but good sushi restaurant (that delivers as wells as offers in house dining), is essential. However, when we moved to the River West neighborhood from Lakeview (the land of plenty o' BYOB sushi and pan asian joints), we were concerned we wouldn't be able to find a good replacement spot. Thankfully, Metromix came to the rescue, and directed

Magic Mushrooms!

2007-09-11T13:56:00.000-05:00

Ok - they aren't really "magic", but they do taste really good! Josh is the reason I like mushrooms as much as I do these days. I have to admit, growing up and until college, I wasn't a big fan. They always tasted mushy and bland to me, and so I just never ordered them, cooked them, or ate them at all. Once J. came along, with his undying passion for mushrooms in their endless varieties, I was

Pie!

2007-09-07T09:55:00.000-05:00

I grew up in a pie-eating household. My mom is the queen of pie pastry crust - I endeavor to be as skilled in this area as she. She learned the technique from my paternal Grandmother, a woman famous for her Chocolate Cream Pie, and perfected her skills over many years of Thanksgivings and Christmas' (Pecan and Pumpkin), summers (blueberry and cherry), and any given weekend (the aforementioned

Amy made a little lamb

2007-09-04T10:13:00.000-05:00

This Sunday, my best friend Amy and her boyfriend had us over for some nibbles and bubbly (among other libations) to celebrate my birthday (she's good to me). Anyway, I was thrilled to see that she was fixing up some of her famous lamb chops for our dining pleasure. The last time she made them for us was during Lent, and I had given up meat for 40 days and was distraught over not being able to

Oh, Squidy... I've got nothin' against 'ya

2007-09-01T12:53:00.000-05:00

Last night was a rare but welcome occassion: Josh, my husband, cooked dinner. I love these nights because Josh always chooses something to make that I might not considered or would have overlooked, and it's always fun to try something new. As he poured over cookbooks yesterday morning, I waited with baited breath to hear the final verdict. I had to veto his first choice - orrecchiete with spicy

Weekend Recap: Las Vegas

2007-08-28T13:31:00.000-05:00

Josh and I high-tailed it to Las Vegas this past weekend to help his Mom celebrate her birthday. It was my first time to the city, and while I had a lot of fun, I must say, it's not really my thing! The best part, however, was that we did a lot of good eating. Vegas is home to a plethora of restaurants at both the high-end and low-brow extremes. While very expensive across the board, the food

Would You Eat Bull's Balls?

2007-08-22T10:27:00.000-05:00

My sister, after 3 months abroad, finally posted her first set of pictures from her experience living in Moldova (a small post-Soviet country located between Ukraine and Romania). Laura is stationed in Moldova as a Volunteer for the US Peace Corps, and was officially inducted last Thursday after 3 months of intensive training. I've had lots of questions for her since she's been gone, and have

Vacation Recap: Union Pier and New Buffalo, Michigan

2007-08-20T10:32:00.001-05:00

Last week, Josh and I joined my parents at a small cottage (a now annual tradition for the family) on the lake in Union Pier, Michigan, just a short drive from downtown Chicago, but a million miles away conceptually. We spent the week lazing around, with a little golf, beach walks, wave riding, and lots of eating in between.Most of the eating we did was at the cottage itself, with my Mom and I

Kitsch'n River North: Good, Cheap Eats

2007-08-16T11:46:00.000-05:00

One of the drawbacks of living in the River West / River North area is the lack of "neighborhoodiness", if you will. When I previously resided in Lakeview, a multitude of various restaurants were conveniently placed within a 2 block radius of my abode, ranging in price and cuisine. In our current neighborhood, there are a few restaurants, but not nearly as many, that satisfy a last minute night

Carnivale: Mixed Review

2007-08-08T10:01:00.000-05:00

Last Friday, my aunt was visiting, so my family decided to try some place new for dinner within walking distance of my parent's place. Dad picked Carnivale, a South American restaurant that I'd heard a lot about from people at work, but never tried. I admit - I was a little apprehensive. For some reason (perhaps it's large size and see-and-be-seen reputation), I had a feeling I was going to find

Canning for Beginners

2007-08-06T10:27:00.000-05:00

About a year ago, I randomly picked up a bunch of jars from Ikea. I was sort of inspired at the moment with the idea of canning fruit preserves and making pickles... an inspiration that never came to... fruition. However, last week the Chicago Tribune featured some savory preserves and canning methods in the Wednesday "Good Eating" section, so I decided to give it another go. Not having a

Secret Eats

2007-08-02T10:41:00.000-05:00

Lately, I've been plugging my way through "The Art of Eating" - the collected works of famed food writer M.F.K. Fisher. Each essay is like a mini history lesson, or personal anecdote, and I just can't get over the attention and detail Fisher pays towards describing human food habits. In one such essay, Fisher muses on her own "secret" eating, proclaiming that she is also fairly certain that

Quick and Easy Monday Night Pasta

2007-07-31T10:19:00.000-05:00

Cooking dinner every night is the highlight of my day. I usually think about what I am going to whip up all day long, eagerly awaiting the end of work so that I can go home and start my culinary preparations. Sometimes people ask me if I mind that Josh doesn't cook, and my answer is always a resounding "No!". It's not because I'm some slave to domesticity - it's just that I really love the act of

Pickled Asparagus at Daley Plaza

2007-07-26T10:21:00.000-05:00

We're heading to Toledo, OH tomorrow to visit Josh's family (my parent's are coming along too!), so I've been trying to think up little gifty items to bring along all week. A few weeks ago, my family was raving about some spicy pickled asparagus spears, which, incidentally, are the best accompaniment to a Sunday brunch Bloody Mary. This is perfect, I thought - Josh's family LOVES Bloody Marys...

Gazpacho: The Quintessential Summer Soup

2007-07-25T09:50:00.000-05:00

When I was a kid, I hated gazpacho. Like many kids, I had a strong aversion to raw vegetables (I didn't even eat salad until I was in my later college years!), and gazpacho had that distinctly raw flavor that I just couldn't abide. However, I went through some kind of miraculous food transformation in my late teens where I became a person who ate anything - really, I'll eat anything, except,

Giving Credit Where Credit is Due: Grilled Peach and Prosciutto Salad

2007-07-23T10:08:00.000-05:00

Since this blog is relatively new, it's only recently that I was exposed to a lot of food cooking and eating blogs that I had never read before. It's safe to say that I've become moderately obsessed about reading about what other people are cooking and eating. This weekend, I made my first recipe off of another author's blog - Cooking with the Single Guy, a guy out in San Francisco whose blog I

A Lighter Fettucine Alfredo

2007-07-19T09:41:00.000-05:00

I really try my best to eat a healthy, natural diet 90% of the time. Obviously, being someone who enjoys really fantastic food means that there will be indulgences. However, on a day to day basis I like to be a pretty low-fat, heavy-produce, whole-grain type of cook. The good thing is (especially for Josh), I think it's fairly simple to take a classicaly heavy, traditionally high-fat,

Radhuni Indian Kitchen

2007-07-18T10:02:00.000-05:00

Oh, Indian food. How I love thee. Let me count the ways...1) You got me through many a cold and rainy night while living in Scotland2) You make even the plainest of vegetables rich, creamy and decadent3) You give new meaning to the words "I'm full"In Chicago, we have this wonderful little street up North, right on the edge of the city, called Devon Ave. Normally, Josh and I would make this trek

Caramel Corn - A Huge Mess

2007-07-17T09:29:00.000-05:00

I always like to bring a little something home-baked before we go up to my grandparents. My grandma doesn't cook or bake, so I like to bring something for grampy to enjoy. However, last Friday, I had very little free time and wanted to make something simple and yummy and easy to transport. I knew I had a huge bag of corn kernels laying around from my last attempt at making popcorn from scratch,

Cheese...

2007-07-13T10:14:00.000-05:00

We're off to Wisconsin - just north of Milwaukee in the fine town of Mequon - to visit my grandparents for the weekend. My mom's parents have lived in Mequon for as long as I've been alive, right on the Lake Michigan shoreline, and visting them has always been a treat. Besides the obvious pleasures of spending time with ones family, we get to play croquet, walk down to the beach, and do a whole

DeLaCosta: Neuvo Latino in Chicago

2007-07-11T09:41:00.000-05:00

Thanks to a generous gift certificate courtesy of some fine friends of ours, Josh and I had an opportunity last Friday to dine out at one of Chicago's new, heavily-hyped restaurants: DeLaCosta. I'd been dying to try this place for awhile, simply because I had heard rumors of it's delectable ceviche options. If there's one thing I love, it's fresh fish and seafood, and with a least 10 separate

Hot Day, Sorbet

2007-07-09T10:26:00.000-05:00

When I got my ice cream maker a few years ago, I used it incessantly for about a month. However, then fall weather started to sink in, and into the lower cabinets it went. The following summer (last year), I only got it out a couple times. With the wedding, I just didn't have much spare time to be a-creaming and a-churning. So, I was particularly displeased with myself last week when I realized I

Crazy Good - and Random - Cookies

2007-07-05T09:42:00.000-05:00

I think I have a love-hate relationship with baking. Sometimes, I'm really in the mood to bake, and other times, (usually when I'm required to bake something for some kind of event ), I just can't stomach the thought of cleaning up the kitchen after making the inevitable mess that ensues. However, yesterday, I was definitely in the mood. It was the 4th of July, and the BBQ we were planning to

Man Food: Beer Cheese Bread

2007-07-02T10:19:00.000-05:00

As I've mentioned, my husband Josh is one of those strange anomalies who doesn't really like sweet food. Trust me, I've tried my best to change his mind, but he really just sticks to the savoury, especially when it comes to breakfast items. When we were first living together, I'd get these random cravings for pancakes or sticky buns, only to have my ideas rebuffed in favour of scrambled eggs and

Ravinia and a Romantic Picnic

2007-06-27T10:01:00.000-05:00

This past Saturday, Josh and I were looking to do something a little different. Since we both love being outside, I checked the schedule at the Ravinia Festival, an outdoor summer concert venue outside Chicago, and noticed that Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Orchestra were playing. Josh and I both really like jazz, and we had even caught Marsalis once before, in college, so we were both

A Healthier Way to Order

2007-06-25T11:11:00.000-05:00

As you may or may not have noticed, I tend to keep things relatively healthy in terms of what I cook and eat. Although, I may bake some pretty high-fat, high-cal things for as treats for my coworkers from time to time, it's rare that I really indulge in such myself. I don't restrict anything from my diet, but I also am conscious of what I put in my body, and I always am looking for ways to

Coast Sushi = Yum, Yum, Yum!

2007-06-22T10:14:00.000-05:00

BYOB sushi places in Chicago are kind of hit-or-miss. Sometimes, you find a place where the service, fish, ambiance, and general dining experience are well below par. Other times, you find a little gem that becomes your new favorite spot: great, fresh fish, inventive menu, friendly staff, unprententious but still sophisticated decor, etc. Coast (2045 N. Damen, Chicago) is that kind of place to

Ole! Tostadas

2007-06-20T10:04:00.000-05:00

Josh and I both love spicy, spicy foods. I think that's one of the things that appealed to me most about him. I know one thing for sure: I could not have married a picky eater. For me, someone who is willing to try anything once, food-wise, is someone I want to spend my life with! After all, there are so many foods in the world, and so little time to try them...Anyway, back to the spicy. Josh

Weekend Recap: Anniversary Edition

2007-06-18T10:56:00.000-05:00

This past weekend was Josh and my first anniversary as husband and wife! I can't believe that our wedding was a year ago - time really does fly. We decided to have a low-key weekend out of Chicago and chose a fantastic country Bed and Breakfast called TierraLinda in Galena, IL. Basically, our weekend consisted of doing a whole lot of nothing... and loving every minute of it!One thing we did do a

White Bean, Kale, & Chicken Noodle Soup

2007-06-13T09:36:00.000-05:00

If I had to eat one kind of food for the rest of my life, I think I would choose soup. Have I said that before? If so, I apologize - but it's hard for me to contain my strong feelings for this soothing and endlessly versatile meal. Soup is comforting. It reminds me of childhood, of sitting around the kitchen table on a cool day, of feeling cozy and relaxed... This is why I can't help myself and

Super Chocolate Brownies

2007-06-12T10:03:00.000-05:00

So, I was a bad friend on Friday. One of my co-workers was celebrating his birthday, and since I wasn't feeling so hot, I had to leave the festivities early. I felt bad about it, so on Sunday, I figured I would need to make amends.This particular co-worker, I'll call him "Ken"... ok, his name really is "Ken"... Anyway, Ken has confessed to us a couple of times that sometimes he eats chocolate (in

Family Dinner

2007-06-11T10:01:00.000-05:00

I'm a family kind of girl. I'm just one of those people who loves to be at home, or at the homes of my friends and family, rather than be out on the town. I'm a home-body! Anyway, I never turn down the option to have a family dinner, and since my Grandparents were going to be in town last Thursday evening, I took my Mom and Dad up on their dinner offer.Thursday nights are the best, in my opinion

Easy Cheesy Artichoke Frittata (w/ all the fixin's)

2007-06-06T10:15:00.000-05:00

I like to call this meal an "elegant" English Breakfast. Josh and I took a 10-day trip to the UK last Fall with his mom, and boy, did we eat a lot of traditional British breakfast food. During our stay at a B&B in Edinburgh, our jovial host Gerald happily whipped up eggs, bacon, sausage, and broiled tomatoes for us every morning. Sure - it was a little excessive, but it did taste amazing.I've

Creamy Asparagus Soup, or, A Perfect Sunday

2007-06-04T10:37:00.000-05:00

I know it might seem odd that I'm posting a recipe for soup with summer weather upon us, but this particular soup is so fresh and spring-y, I just couldn't resist trying it out last night. I adapted the recipe from a restaurant on the West Coast (in LA) called Il Sole - an authentic, but conteporary, place with the most delicious sounding menu. Since it was raining here yesterday, I decided soup

Miscellaneous Food Ramblings...

2007-05-31T10:08:00.000-05:00

Wow - I just haven't had much time for cooking this week, so I haven't had much to post about after the long weekend! Hopefully, starting this weekend I'll be able to get back into my groove. In fact, I've got a great looking Creamy Asparagus Soup recipe that I'm planning to make for Sunday dinner this weekend that I can't wait to share.When we got back from Toledo on Monday, we went to the store

Weekend Recap: Toledo, OH

2007-05-29T15:25:00.001-05:00

We spent the long weekend catching up with my in-laws in Toledo, OH. As I've mentioned before, I always love heading to Josh's hometown because, basically, we do a whole lot of relaxing and even more eating! This weekend was no exception...We kicked things off immediately after arrival, as it was already 2PM and we were starving! So, Josh, his mom, sister and I high-tailed it over to Ferdo's (

Blu Coral Sushi

2007-05-24T10:11:00.000-05:00

Oh, how I love the little fishies. I remember, I didn't take to sushi right away. In fact, it was my younger sister who got me hooked on it back when we were youngsters. The first time I had it, we were in New York City. I was 15, Laura was 12. My parents had let us go out on our own for the day to sight-see, shop and get lunch. Laura was insistent: we had to get sushi for lunch. This was 1996,

Comfort Food: Deluxe Mac n' Cheese

2007-05-22T10:12:00.000-05:00

I didn't intend to make this an official "Comfort Food" recipe week or anything, but after those cookies on Sunday, I've kind of gotten on a kick. You see, this weekend we're going to Josh's hometown - Toledo, OH - to spend Memorial Day weekend with his side of the family. Going to Toledo is always a treat for me because it's very different from where we currently live (in a loft in downtown

Comfort Food - Chocolate Chip Cookies

2007-05-21T10:41:00.001-05:00

In typical Chicago fashion, the weather went from a beautiful, sunny 80 degree day on Saturday to a rainy and bone-chilling cold one Sunday. Yesterday's unpleasant shift was reminiscent of my days studying in Scotland - days when I craved some comfort from home, and yet, being in my lonely dorm, unable to even attempt to whip up any of my favorite treats. So, Sunday afternoon became a baking day

Farmer's Markets Around the Country

2007-05-17T10:27:00.000-05:00

Summer is right around the corner, and already the season's summer farmer's markets are starting up all over Chicago. I am a huge fan of farmer's markets - you get the best priced and freshest produce, baked goods, flowers and other food items, AND it's a super fun Saturday morning activity to go walking around in and out of the vendor's stalls.This Saturday, Josh and I will definitely hit up the

Spicy Grilled Salmon Filets

2007-05-16T09:54:00.000-05:00

We eat a lot of salmon - or "sammy", as I call it - at our house. I grew up eating a lot of fish, especially when my family lived in Australia, and it remains a staple of my diet. I became obsessed with salmon, however, while studying abroad in Scotland during college. Salmon is one of the things Scotland does best, food-wise, so when it was offered on the dining hall menu, it made my day (

Canoe - Atlanta, GA

2007-05-15T10:36:00.000-05:00

Well, I didn't do any cooking whatsoever this weekend as I was traveling down in Dixieland, visiting my sister with a large portion of our family to celebrate her graduation from Emory University. That said, I did have an opportunity to try an excellent restaurant down there on Sunday night, and I think it's worth sharing here!Canoe (4199 Paces Ferry Road, NW Atlanta, Georgia 30339) is a

Delux and Juicy Wine

2007-05-11T09:56:00.000-05:00

When Josh and I moved to the River West neighborhood a year ago, I was a little apprehensive. While I was excited about being closer to work and closer to where my parent's live, the neighborhood is a lot different from our old 'hood up in the Wrigleyville / Boystown area. River West has been, up until recently, a primarily industrial area, that has only lately had major residential buildings

Dinner

2007-05-08T21:33:00.000-05:00

You know, you can be the biggest food lover ever, but that doesn't mean you always want to whip up some fabulous feast every single night of the week. Tonight was one of those nights. Frankly, it's only Tuesday, but I'm already exhausted!Thus, cereal was the order of the day. I don't care if you're Emeril or Bobby Flay or Wolfgang Puck - sometimes a bowl of Special K is the most mouth watering

Seafood Paella

2007-05-07T09:59:00.000-05:00

Last Thursday was Josh's birthday. As the "birthday boy", I let him decide what sort of feast we should cook up Friday night after a long week of work. He thought about it long and hard and decided on Paella - the traditional Spanish saffron rice dish. There are many different versions of paella, because you can vary the contents beyond the rice to your hearts content. However, given the

Radiating Relish or The Chicago-Style Hot Dog

2007-05-04T10:38:00.000-05:00

It's Friday, and I cannot wait for the day to end! As the weather continues to improve here in Chicago, I can't help but feel more and more excited to spend a Saturday afternoon out in the sun - making Friday's at the office more and more difficult!This Saturday, we're celebrating Josh's 26th birthday at Wrigley Field - our first trip to a game of the Cubs 2007 season! Josh is a major Cubs fan -

Fattoush

2007-05-01T10:15:00.000-05:00

Last Friday, we headed up North to Lakeview, bellies empty and craving the cuisine of one of our old standbys, Fattoush Restaurant (on Halsted right before Diversey). One of the things I love best about Chicago is how varied our ethnic population is. We've got the largest Polish population outside of Warsaw, Indians and Pakistanis (check out Devon St.), Mexicans, Greeks (check out Greektown off

Chips n' Dip

2007-04-30T11:03:00.000-05:00

Hola! This weekend, we officially kicked off summer right Saturday night with a big ol' BBQ over at our friends place. It was 75 and sunny all day here in Chicago, so everyone was pretty excited to get outside and celebrate.Of course, as most of our social gatherings go, it's a communal affair, and everyone contributes in some way or another. This time, I was assigned to "chips n' dip" duty - a

The Best Minestrone

2007-04-27T11:36:00.000-05:00

To me, soup is the perfect food. If I could only eat one thing for the rest of my life, soup it would be. The primary reason for this is that soup is incredibly versatile - you can make it out of just about anything. And, because you can make it out of anything, it's really convenient when you are having those "what to make for dinner" conundrums.While Josh and I were traveling a couple years ago

The Two Most Versatile Wine Pairings

2007-04-25T11:34:00.000-05:00

When it comes to pairing food and wine, people tend to overthink things, in my opinion. For so long, many people were getting hung up on things like "you must only drink white wine with fish". However, I like to take what I consider to be both a more sophisticated and a more simple approach to food/wine pairings: Drink what you like! That's right - if a big, bold red tastes best to you, and

My Pantry Staples

2007-04-24T10:13:00.000-05:00

We all have our obsessions. When it comes to food, there are certain things that I have just have to have on hand at all times. None of them are particularly gourmet or anywhere near the height of food innovation. They are simply some pantry / fridge staples that represent pure comfort to me. Things that I buy every week. Things that I have a (minor) hissy fit over if I've run out and a real

Weekend Recap: Brioso, the Bayou, and Banana Nut Bread

2007-04-23T10:58:00.000-05:00

As usual, my weekend was full of eating. Despite both Josh and I being relatively under the weather, we managed to consume as much as usual. (I used to be jealous of all those people who claimed to lose their appetite during a sickness and then came out looking 5 pounds slimmer. Not me - I get a cold, and I seem to just want to eat more - WTF?)Anyway, we started off our weekend with marvelous

My candy jar is full of dark chocolate eggs

2007-04-20T11:22:00.000-05:00

Nothing tastes better to me than chocolate. Nothing! Plus, my mom informed me at a young age (whilst unwrapping a Hostess Cupcake) that chocolate has amazing calming properties. I believe endorphins are to thank, but she's the scientist, not me. And, for a scientist, my mom sometimes makes some fairly questionable claims - such as the theory that the aforementioned cupcake also works as an

Mmm... Muffins

2007-04-19T14:10:00.000-05:00

(<--My own muffins - ready for consumption.) Muffins have a special place in my heart. I mean, it's basically an excuse to eat a cupcake in the morning! Baking is also very cathartic for me, and muffins are easy to bake, fun to share, and lovely to eat.My husband is - strangely - not much of a breakfast eater, or much of a sweets eater. Yet, despite these oddities, loves muffins. Really moist,

Pizza Redux

2007-04-18T10:23:00.000-05:00

As a Chicagoan, I have a deep and passionate love for pizza. There's nothing better than a slice of deep-dish stuffed Chicago-style pizza courtesy of one of my local favorite pie joints (see Rizzata's - in River North - or My Pie - in Lincoln Park). When I was in college in Southern Ohio, I would crave Chitown pizza so badly, when I came home to visit, I would stop by the restaurants and buy

Birthday Party Bonanza

2007-04-17T14:31:00.000-05:00

My dear friend Amy turned 25 over the weekend, and, of course, we had to fete her quarter-century birthday with copious amounts of food and drink (as our group of friends is known to do...). The evening started with appetizers and wine over at another friend's apartment. Of course, I am always absolutely thrilled when I am called upon to bring something edible along to share. If there's one thing

Welcome to Eat... and Be Merry!

2007-04-15T17:51:00.000-05:00

For my first post, I'd like to introduce myself and a little about my hopes for this blog. My name is Amanda, I live in Chicago with my husband, and work for a large beer importer / marketer - a very fun job, I must say!I think my passion for food started when I was about 14 years old, when my family moved to Australia. I suddenly became interested in trying anything and everything exotic I came