2.16.2011
2.14.2011
You're all mine, stylish gift.
One of a kind jewelry: 70s ring with a green stone set in a gold leaf design and an Art Deco gold necklace with an onyx stone. Thanks, love!
Brick and bells.
The road home with church bells ringing in the distance...feels like I could be in Europe. Wish I was in Europe.
2.12.2011
Thirty-something is pretty delicious.
Kelly's birthday brunch: eggs florentine with goat cheese and roasted tomatoes, berries, and brownies for dessert.
2.10.2011
How I spent thirty minutes.
Carved and printed Valentine's Day cards for loved ones ($11 for paper, linocut plate, and ink).
How I spent thirty minutes.
Carved and printed Valentine's Day cards for loved ones ($11 for paper, linocut plate, and ink).
2.07.2011
Which @jenisicecream?
Too many tasty pints ( $7-10 per pint) in my freezer from which to choose. I think a scoop of the Buckeye State with Salty Caramel might hit the spot.
2.05.2011
A recipe for soup because baby it's cold outside.
It's snowing again in central Illinois. When I'm sick (which I am) and when it's cold outside, I fill my belly with bowls full of soup. I can never get enough. This soup has quite the kick and since I'm a little congested and coughy — it really clears me out. Try it for yourself... I've included my recipe below. Ingredients
For soup:
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 3/4 c. sliced carrots
1 tsp. of: ground coriander, ground cumin, and cayenne pepper (more = spicy)
3 3/4 c. vegetable stock
a pinch of salt + fresh ground pepper to tasteFor garlic croutons:
a puddle of olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
3 slices of stale bread, cut into 1/2 inch cubes * To make the soup, heat oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and carrots + cook slowly for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the spices and cook for 1 more minute, stirring.
* Stir in stock and bring to a boil. Cover + simmer for ~45 minutes until the carrots are tender.
* Meanwhile, make the garlic croutons by heating oil in a small skillet. Add garlic + cook slowly for 30 seconds, stirring. Add bread cubes, turn them over the oil and fry over medium heat for a few minutes until crisp + golden brown.
* After the soup has cooked for 45 minutes, turn off heat and use a hand blender to smooth (I usually like to leave it a little chunky). Season with salt and pepper. Add croutons. Eat while piping hot. Voilà!
For soup:
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 3/4 c. sliced carrots
1 tsp. of: ground coriander, ground cumin, and cayenne pepper (more = spicy)
3 3/4 c. vegetable stock
a pinch of salt + fresh ground pepper to tasteFor garlic croutons:
a puddle of olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
3 slices of stale bread, cut into 1/2 inch cubes * To make the soup, heat oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and carrots + cook slowly for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the spices and cook for 1 more minute, stirring.
* Stir in stock and bring to a boil. Cover + simmer for ~45 minutes until the carrots are tender.
* Meanwhile, make the garlic croutons by heating oil in a small skillet. Add garlic + cook slowly for 30 seconds, stirring. Add bread cubes, turn them over the oil and fry over medium heat for a few minutes until crisp + golden brown.
* After the soup has cooked for 45 minutes, turn off heat and use a hand blender to smooth (I usually like to leave it a little chunky). Season with salt and pepper. Add croutons. Eat while piping hot. Voilà!
2.03.2011
Photos: Köttbullar recipe by @KalleBergman @HuffPostFood
I first fell in love with köttbullar (Swedish for "meatballs") during summer trips to Door County, Wis. with my grandparents. As a huge treat, they would take me to breakfast at the famous Al Johnson's in Sister Bay. Unfortunately, those days are long gone. From time to time, I find myself craving a plate full of Swedish pancakes doused in lignonberries with a side of meatballs for breakfast. I've never ventured—as tempting as it may be—into IKEA's cafe for a nasty rendition of the Swedish staple. When we visited Stockholm in 2008, all I wanted was a giant plate of the bastards. Swedish restaurants were completely misrepresented for me through my experience in Wisconsin because I was expecting the damn streets to be lined with 'em. But, I had no such luck. A few days into our trip, we found ourselves in Pet Sounds (in Södermalm) chatting with the owner. I figured he would have the inside scoop on where we could find köttbullar. He directed us to Pelikan, another restaurant by the opera house, and one in Gamla Stan. He also mentioned that the culinary tastes of the city didn't really focus on the more traditional, countryside meal I was hoping for. We, however, found ourselves at the restaurant in Old Town (I later discovered Pelikan had the best in town for $27). I was underwhelmed by what seemed to be a tourist-trap meal: $20 for five measly köttbullar. On our return home, I vowed to find a killer Swedish meatball recipe and on January 25, I found it. Following this phenomenal recipe by Kalle Bergman, using pork lard instead of butter and He'Brew Messiah Bold for the beer, we made some lip-smackin' meatballs and I couldn't be happier.
2.02.2011
Snick snacks.
Peanut butter cookies ($5 for all ingredients) topped with Rubens drinking chocolate shavings (~$15?) from Art Mart. Staying indoors all day never tasted so good.
2.01.2011
Photos: @SnoopDogg + @WarrenG ...worth the wait @Canopy_Club.
Last night, Snoop Dogg played a show at the Canopy Club ($30 per ticket). A little late to arrive on stage — but hearing the classics (and Regulate!) made it worth the wait. See more here...
1.31.2011
1.25.2011
Love love roll.
We had an hour lunch break from today's first Master Gardener course, I ventured out to Sushi Kame and spent $6.95 on: a bowl of piping hot miso, noodle + cucumber dish, and 5 pieces of tuna, crab, avocado, cilantro with roe (the love love sushi roll). So worth it!
1.23.2011
1.19.2011
Pulpo.
We have three more days — and yesterday's meal was the last one we'd planned on making at the house; 2 kilos of octopus ($10 per kilo). We bought it off the back of a truck from a father / son business and we couldn't have found it fresher.
How to prepare:
1. Clean those bad boys by removing the octopi beaks and cleaning out the head.
2. Bring one large pot of lobster stock to a boil, and add aromatics like celery, ginger, onions, carrots, garlic, and the like.
3. Once boiling, dip the cleaned octopi in to the pot until its tentacles curl, and place them aside.
4. Turn down the heat, and bring the stock to a slight simmer. Add the octopi and cover. Let it cook for an hour.
5. After an hour, simply turn the heat off, and let the temperature come down to a stand still for another hour.
6. Once out, rock a marinade. We used olive oil, garlic, cilantro, chilis, and salt and pepper.
7. Chill for a few hours.
8. Light a grill, preferably over looking a massive body of water like the Pacific Ocean, and quickly char the already cooked but now chilled octopi.
9. Serve with rice cooked in the deeply rich lobster stock, prepared from a meal five days back.
Enjoy. Mourn the return to Illinois.
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