Recently one of my dearest friends has been sick. I’ve spent more time at the hospital in the last few weeks than ever before and at various points wrestled with feelings of helplessness when all I want is for her to be healed and feeling well. And with all that’s going on in the world, I know I’m not alone. When times like this rise up, I find myself pulled to the kitchen … [Read more...] about Heartwarming Turkey Noodle Soup
winter
Chorizo Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Dates: A Taste of Avec in Your Kitchen
This recipe for chorizo stuffed bacon wrapped dates is close to my heart. One of my favorite places of all time is a sweet little restaurant in Chicago called Avec. For most of the twelve years, I lived in the windy city, I celebrated my birthday (and too many other special occasions to count) with family and friends at this single communal table west loop spot, noshing on … [Read more...] about Chorizo Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Dates: A Taste of Avec in Your Kitchen
Everyday Vinaigrette
I love to keep a vinaigrette in the fridge for the week. It makes a lunchtime salad easy, it’s easy to grab for dipping raw vegetables in for a snack, sometimes I find myself drizzling some inside a sandwich or in a chicken, tuna, pasta, or grain salad, or on top of all types of grilled vegetables. The bottom line? A simple vinaigrette is more savvy and useful than it might … [Read more...] about Everyday Vinaigrette
New Mexican Sipping Chocolate
I can’t help but think about the person who first stumbled upon a cacao tree and cracked open one of the large pods, revealing bundles of luscious white fruit inside. Past the white silky pulp (baba) of a cacao bean resides the beginnings of the chocolate we know and love today. Similar in some ways to the coffee bean, the potential of cacao is unlocked by fermentation, … [Read more...] about New Mexican Sipping Chocolate
Pan-Seared Steak Method
Even though our grills might be covered for the season, we can still make mouth-watering, perfectly cooked and seasoned steaks indoors. Today, I am going to walk you through my favorite way to cook a steak indoors. I first learned to properly cook a steak when cooking at The Peninsula Hotel in Chicago under the tutelage of Chef Graham Elliot. We were a small team of four cooks … [Read more...] about Pan-Seared Steak Method