As you may or may not know, depending on how long you've been reading my meager blog posts, the Hart's take an annual trip to Chicago's Chinatown. Typically we go to the Triple Crown restaurant for dim sum, which is incredible! Unfortunately, this year we were tight on time and the wait for a table was too long, but there are plenty of options in Chinatown so all we had to do was pick one. Mama Hart choose Little Lamb Hot Pot located at 2201 S. Wentworth Ave, Chicago, IL 60616 and boy was it an experience!
Little Lamb Hot Pot
Décor: good. The restaurant is sort of generic for the area. The booths are red, the walls are maroon and bamboo paneled. There's one Asian-themed wall decoration. All together it just looks like any other restaurant in Chinatown.
Food appearance: good. Being the hot pot novices we are/were, we weren't sure what to make of this restaurant at all. We are seated at a small round table with an electric heating element in the middle and weren't really sure what to make of it. Do we share? Do they have anything that isn't soup? HOW DOES THIS WORK? Well, as it turns out, you cook your own food at your heating element -- think of a popular chain fondue restaurant. The seafood, meat and vegetables are brought out to you raw and void of seasonings and you cook them yourself in your broth-filled hot pot. The meat and seafood looked fresh, everything was still red/pink. That means fresh, right? The vegetables were cleaned and the broth(s) we chose were flavorful.
Food taste: good. The interesting thing about this hot pot concept is all the flavor is really up to you. The menu allows you to choose up to two broths per hot pot, you select your own varieties of meat, seafoods and vegetables and you create your own sauce at their sauce bar. We chose two broths (one spicy one mild), angus beef, rib tips, whole shrimp, a variety of vegetables and a few dumplings to create our hot pot. My sauces were chile oil and peanuts and Sriracha and cilantro (this sauce was pretty awesome, I ate it as a salad).
Service: poor. I feel sort of guilty to rate the service as poor but the server showed up at the beginning to take our drink order, gave us very minimal instruction as to how to order said hot pot, and then never returned until it came time to pay. I'm not sure if this is a cultural phenomenon, language barrier, or I just have a different idea as to what good service should look like but I wasn't very impressed.
Cleanliness: poor. The sneeze guard for the sauce station desperately needed to be cleaned, although the sauces and spices contained in it appeared to be fresh and the floor was screaming that it needed to be cleaned. All together it just didn't look very sanitary. However, the tables were clean, the serve ware was clean and the meats were fresh and vegetables cleaned.
Total: 8/15
If you ignore the service and the possible sanitation issues, the hot pot was actually very tasty and I would probably go again but I do have a few pointers so you look less ridiculous and make a smaller mess of the table than we did:
1) know that this is all family style so you should all agree on what you'd like to eat;
2) DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES LEAVE THE UTENSILS IN THE HOT POT BROTH, we made this mistake (several times) and ended up having to fish the utensils out of the bottom of the broth;
3) take turns dipping things into the broth, on more than one occasion, I was splashed with boiling hot broth because someone or another was fighting over the utensils or what was on them;
4) if you order a vegetable with a tougher stalk (bok choy, Chinese broccoli, etc.) put it in your broth first because it takes longer to cook than the meats;
5) if you order noodles put them in your individual bowl and then pour broth over it, it's much easier than fishing for noodles in a pot of boiling broth with tongs;
6) if you order dumplings, they will float to the top when they're ready, don't fish for them, refer to "3" for clarification;
7) unless you REALLY like the taste of liquid smoke, do not order the plum juice.
If I return to Little Lamb Hot Pot, I will follow my own advice and hopefully have a more pleasurable experience.
Tuesday, December 27, 2016
Harry Caray's Italian Steakhouse
On December 23, 2016 the Hart family set out to downtown Chicago for a nice meal together. Nate, myself, my brother-in-law and his girlfriend attended the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's Christmas program (which was excellent by the way) on the same day.
After an afternoon of music listening, walking around and being full of the Christmas spirit, we were more than excited to rest our weary (and for some of us, wet) feet at a nice restaurant for dinner. This year's selection was Harry Caray's Italian Steakhouse.
For those of you not in the know (myself included), Harry Caray was a baseball sportscaster and is well known for his work for the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago White Sox. He also lent his namesake to the Harry Caray Restaurant Group, which contains seven restaurants in the Chicago area and a catering company. I, however, had only ever seen the location at the Midway airport so I was a tad skeptical at first but the Italian Steakhouse River North location at 33 W. Kinzie St, Chicago, IL definitely replaced all my doubts about the location's luxury, plus with a Michelin recommendation how can you go wrong?
Harry Caray's Italian Steakhouse River North
Décor: excellent. Everything about the décor is a nod to the steakhouses of old. The lighting is dark and intimate, the walls are paneled dark woods and the decorations hint at Harry Caray's sports' legacy without feeling like you're in a sports bar.
Food appearance: excellent. I apologize for not taking pictures of the exquisite food but we tucked into everything so quickly we barely had time to look at it before it was all devoured. Food was presented with definite attention to plating. Everything looked absolutely delectable.
Food taste: excellent. Nate and I grabbed a drink at the bar while we waited for Mama and Dad Hart to arrive and while we were there we munched on some house-made bar chips. The chips were kettle cooked, fresh and seasoned simply with salt and pepper. They were the perfect snack to have with our beer and sparkling wine.
When the in-laws arrived, we sat down and ordered a trio of appetizers: toasted ravioli, grilled octopus and bruschetta. The toasted ravioli was almost nostalgic in a way, at least to me. I can recall going to a not-to-be-named Italian-inspired chain restaurant and ordering these crisp, fried and cheese-filled babies and enjoying every last morsel! These ravioli, however, were much better and topped with a slightly chunky marinara which really cut through the richness of the fried flavor. The grilled octopus was absolutely divine! The tentacles had a delightful flame-grilled smokiness and the texture was chewy without feeling like rubber bands. The octopus was accompanied by pan fried potatoes, and a lemon wedge. The potatoes had that great crispy exterior and soft interior that everyone who's ever cooked potatoes hopes for and the lemon was the perfect dressing for all of it. The bruschetta was bright and fresh and topped with lightly dressed arugula and shaved parmesan cheese. I will confess I didn't get the bruschetta whole (I'm trying to avoid the Holiday Bloat), so I ate a de-constructed version and I will say the arugula salad was my favorite part.
Now on to the main dishes: in addition to the main dinner menu, the restaurant offers specials and a pre fixe menu. I ordered the Scallops special. The scallops were quickly seared on the outside and the inside was so tender they almost melted in your mouth! My goodness I'm drooling just thinking about them! They were served with cheese tortellini, roasted corn kernels, cheese and a sauce so luscious I would've bathed in it! I could've done without the tortellini though, I didn't think they added much to the dish other than a filler. I would've been perfectly content with my scallops, corn and sauce.
Dad Hart ordered lobster tail which was so tender and sweet the only condiment it needed was a squeeze of lemon juice. He also ordered a side of asparagus and hollandaise sauce for the table, which how can you possibly go wrong with butter, lemon and egg yolks? You can't.
Nate ordered the Chicken Vesuvio, which is the "Best Chicken Vesuvio in the City" according to Chicago Tribune food critic, Phil Vettel; after tasting it I must say I agree with Phil. The chicken was tender, the skin was crunchy and the potatoes that it came with were fantastic and I would've drank the sauce like a wine. It was almost indescribable. Just know if you go there, order it.
Mama Hart ordered the Pan Roasted Whitefish Oreganato, which I, regrettably, did not sample. However, it looked scrumptious. She also ordered creamed spinach for the table, which I also, regrettably, did not sample.
My brother-in-law, Sam, ordered surf and turf, I can't remember the cut of beef but I remember he ordered crab legs for the "surf" and he seemed to enjoy everything.
His girlfriend ordered the Seafood Fettuccini with shrimp, scallops and a sundried tomato cream, now just tell me that doesn't sound like you've died and gone to Heaven?
Dessert was key lime pie to share. The crust was the perfect crunchy-yet-soft texture and the filling was refreshingly tart after all the richness of the meal.
Service: excellent. From the moment we walked into the restaurant we felt like royalty. The hostesses were friendly and immediately took our coats for the coat check. When Nate and I sat down at the bar the bartender, even though she was busy, stopped to drop off a menu and waited patiently while I selected my wine. When I went to the restroom there was an attendant outside who gave me candy and instructed me to send in my fella to be sprayed with fine cologne.
Our server, Waverly, was absolutely excellent! She was patient, she explained the difference between the wet and dry aging process and brought out a large tray of raw steaks and chops to describe the different cuts. Our water and wine glasses were never empty, there were never empty plates on the table for very long and she was just friendly. Never did she seem overwhelmed or like we were an inconvenience. Waverly, if you're reading this, your service was excellent.
Cleanliness: excellent. Everything in Harry Caray's is a well oiled machine, and therefore there are pieces in place to keep everything looking in tip-top shape.
Total: 15/15
I would return to Harry Caray's in a heart beat and order all the scallops, lobster, Chicken Vesuvio, potato chips, sparkling wine and Manhattan's to my heart's content! And you, my dear readers, should do the same.
I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, Happy Festivus, Happy Kwanza, Winter Solstice or whatever you celebrate with your families and friends!
After an afternoon of music listening, walking around and being full of the Christmas spirit, we were more than excited to rest our weary (and for some of us, wet) feet at a nice restaurant for dinner. This year's selection was Harry Caray's Italian Steakhouse.
For those of you not in the know (myself included), Harry Caray was a baseball sportscaster and is well known for his work for the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago White Sox. He also lent his namesake to the Harry Caray Restaurant Group, which contains seven restaurants in the Chicago area and a catering company. I, however, had only ever seen the location at the Midway airport so I was a tad skeptical at first but the Italian Steakhouse River North location at 33 W. Kinzie St, Chicago, IL definitely replaced all my doubts about the location's luxury, plus with a Michelin recommendation how can you go wrong?
Harry Caray's Italian Steakhouse River North
Décor: excellent. Everything about the décor is a nod to the steakhouses of old. The lighting is dark and intimate, the walls are paneled dark woods and the decorations hint at Harry Caray's sports' legacy without feeling like you're in a sports bar.
Food appearance: excellent. I apologize for not taking pictures of the exquisite food but we tucked into everything so quickly we barely had time to look at it before it was all devoured. Food was presented with definite attention to plating. Everything looked absolutely delectable.
Food taste: excellent. Nate and I grabbed a drink at the bar while we waited for Mama and Dad Hart to arrive and while we were there we munched on some house-made bar chips. The chips were kettle cooked, fresh and seasoned simply with salt and pepper. They were the perfect snack to have with our beer and sparkling wine.
When the in-laws arrived, we sat down and ordered a trio of appetizers: toasted ravioli, grilled octopus and bruschetta. The toasted ravioli was almost nostalgic in a way, at least to me. I can recall going to a not-to-be-named Italian-inspired chain restaurant and ordering these crisp, fried and cheese-filled babies and enjoying every last morsel! These ravioli, however, were much better and topped with a slightly chunky marinara which really cut through the richness of the fried flavor. The grilled octopus was absolutely divine! The tentacles had a delightful flame-grilled smokiness and the texture was chewy without feeling like rubber bands. The octopus was accompanied by pan fried potatoes, and a lemon wedge. The potatoes had that great crispy exterior and soft interior that everyone who's ever cooked potatoes hopes for and the lemon was the perfect dressing for all of it. The bruschetta was bright and fresh and topped with lightly dressed arugula and shaved parmesan cheese. I will confess I didn't get the bruschetta whole (I'm trying to avoid the Holiday Bloat), so I ate a de-constructed version and I will say the arugula salad was my favorite part.
Now on to the main dishes: in addition to the main dinner menu, the restaurant offers specials and a pre fixe menu. I ordered the Scallops special. The scallops were quickly seared on the outside and the inside was so tender they almost melted in your mouth! My goodness I'm drooling just thinking about them! They were served with cheese tortellini, roasted corn kernels, cheese and a sauce so luscious I would've bathed in it! I could've done without the tortellini though, I didn't think they added much to the dish other than a filler. I would've been perfectly content with my scallops, corn and sauce.
Dad Hart ordered lobster tail which was so tender and sweet the only condiment it needed was a squeeze of lemon juice. He also ordered a side of asparagus and hollandaise sauce for the table, which how can you possibly go wrong with butter, lemon and egg yolks? You can't.
Nate ordered the Chicken Vesuvio, which is the "Best Chicken Vesuvio in the City" according to Chicago Tribune food critic, Phil Vettel; after tasting it I must say I agree with Phil. The chicken was tender, the skin was crunchy and the potatoes that it came with were fantastic and I would've drank the sauce like a wine. It was almost indescribable. Just know if you go there, order it.
Mama Hart ordered the Pan Roasted Whitefish Oreganato, which I, regrettably, did not sample. However, it looked scrumptious. She also ordered creamed spinach for the table, which I also, regrettably, did not sample.
My brother-in-law, Sam, ordered surf and turf, I can't remember the cut of beef but I remember he ordered crab legs for the "surf" and he seemed to enjoy everything.
His girlfriend ordered the Seafood Fettuccini with shrimp, scallops and a sundried tomato cream, now just tell me that doesn't sound like you've died and gone to Heaven?
Dessert was key lime pie to share. The crust was the perfect crunchy-yet-soft texture and the filling was refreshingly tart after all the richness of the meal.
Service: excellent. From the moment we walked into the restaurant we felt like royalty. The hostesses were friendly and immediately took our coats for the coat check. When Nate and I sat down at the bar the bartender, even though she was busy, stopped to drop off a menu and waited patiently while I selected my wine. When I went to the restroom there was an attendant outside who gave me candy and instructed me to send in my fella to be sprayed with fine cologne.
Our server, Waverly, was absolutely excellent! She was patient, she explained the difference between the wet and dry aging process and brought out a large tray of raw steaks and chops to describe the different cuts. Our water and wine glasses were never empty, there were never empty plates on the table for very long and she was just friendly. Never did she seem overwhelmed or like we were an inconvenience. Waverly, if you're reading this, your service was excellent.
Cleanliness: excellent. Everything in Harry Caray's is a well oiled machine, and therefore there are pieces in place to keep everything looking in tip-top shape.
Total: 15/15
I would return to Harry Caray's in a heart beat and order all the scallops, lobster, Chicken Vesuvio, potato chips, sparkling wine and Manhattan's to my heart's content! And you, my dear readers, should do the same.
I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, Happy Festivus, Happy Kwanza, Winter Solstice or whatever you celebrate with your families and friends!
Thursday, December 22, 2016
Dion's Pizza
Good morning, readers! I trust that your week before Christmas has treated you well whether you're working or have been able to spend time with your families early.
I mentioned last week that I would be traveling to Lubbock, Texas to watch my dear friend Casey Witherspoon graduate from Texas Tech University. Casey and I have been best friends since my Sophomore year of high school when we met though the DECA business and marketing program. I definitely had a "proud mom" moment watching her walk across the stage to be recognized. I know how hard she's worked to achieve her degree and I wish her all the luck in her new career and life in Houston, Texas.
While I was in Lubbock I definitely took advantage of the foods I cannot get in Raleigh, North Carolina. One of which was Dion's Pizza.
Dion's is nostalgic for any kid who grew up in Albuquerque: not only did your kindergarten class take a field trip there to learn to make pizza, but it was a popular destination for school project meetings, informal family gatherings and their pizza was often sold during high school lunches and their ranch dressing is LEGENDARY.
Thankfully for me Dion's has recently expanded to Colorado and Texas, and even more luckily, Lubbock just opened a new location just a few minutes from Casey's apartment at 6410 82nd St, Lubbock, TX 79424.
Decor: good. This location has updated Dion's classic look. Other Dion's-of-old have wooden booths and a green and red color motif. However, this particular location had a lot of chrome and modern-looking fixtures. It kinda made me miss the classic Dion's style but I must admit that it did look nice.
Food appearance: poor. I was relieved to learn that they still serve their pizzas on paper trays, salads in plastic bowls and subs in wooden baskets. Their pizzas look absolutely scrumptious and you can watch them make them if you want (a nice activity to keep young children at bay while they wait for food). While there is little attention to serving methods here, everything is drenched in nostalgia. I half expected the new location to serve your food to you as opposed to calling orders by name for pickup.
Food taste: Excellent! Casey and I split a small cheese toast - a sliced baguette buttered and topped with melted provolone cheese with ranch; I ordered a small tossed salad - lettuce, tomato, cucumber, red onion with croutons and ranch; and we split the newly named 505 pizza. I'm not sure who created the green chile and pepperoni combination but it is available all around Albuquerque, from Papa Murphy's take-and-bake pizza to the local places like Dion's. I remember ordering slices of Pepperoni with Green Chile slices as a kid so kudos to Dion's for finally making it into a "specialty" pizza option. Oh and of course with ranch. I don't know how Dion's makes their ranch but it's addicting. Ask anyone who's ever tried it. It is creamy, tangy and definitely delicious.
Service: good. Dion's is a popular first job for high school kids due to it's proximity to high schools so as such, the service is just ok. The kids aren't super friendly but they're not rude either. They're...apathetic? But as I've said before, it's kinda part of the whole experience.
Cleanliness: good. Every five minutes or so an employee will walk around the living room picking up empty trays, baskets, etc. and sweep the floors so the dining room stays pretty clean and tidy. The bathrooms are usually clean as well.
Total: 10/15
While it was difficult to not let my ache for anything Albuquerquean cloud my judgment, I believe this to be the most accurate ranking for Dion's Pizza.
Everything there is fantastic and in the 15+ years I've eaten there I've yet to have anything I didn't absolutely love so if you're in New Mexico, Texas or Colorado check to see if there's a Dion's anywhere near you.
In addition to Dion's, I bought a pound of frozen Bueno green chile, which I used to make breakfast burritos. Nothing compares to tasting real New Mexican green chile. It makes me miss Albuquerque dearly.
I mentioned last week that I would be traveling to Lubbock, Texas to watch my dear friend Casey Witherspoon graduate from Texas Tech University. Casey and I have been best friends since my Sophomore year of high school when we met though the DECA business and marketing program. I definitely had a "proud mom" moment watching her walk across the stage to be recognized. I know how hard she's worked to achieve her degree and I wish her all the luck in her new career and life in Houston, Texas.
While I was in Lubbock I definitely took advantage of the foods I cannot get in Raleigh, North Carolina. One of which was Dion's Pizza.
Dion's is nostalgic for any kid who grew up in Albuquerque: not only did your kindergarten class take a field trip there to learn to make pizza, but it was a popular destination for school project meetings, informal family gatherings and their pizza was often sold during high school lunches and their ranch dressing is LEGENDARY.
Thankfully for me Dion's has recently expanded to Colorado and Texas, and even more luckily, Lubbock just opened a new location just a few minutes from Casey's apartment at 6410 82nd St, Lubbock, TX 79424.
Decor: good. This location has updated Dion's classic look. Other Dion's-of-old have wooden booths and a green and red color motif. However, this particular location had a lot of chrome and modern-looking fixtures. It kinda made me miss the classic Dion's style but I must admit that it did look nice.
Food appearance: poor. I was relieved to learn that they still serve their pizzas on paper trays, salads in plastic bowls and subs in wooden baskets. Their pizzas look absolutely scrumptious and you can watch them make them if you want (a nice activity to keep young children at bay while they wait for food). While there is little attention to serving methods here, everything is drenched in nostalgia. I half expected the new location to serve your food to you as opposed to calling orders by name for pickup.
Food taste: Excellent! Casey and I split a small cheese toast - a sliced baguette buttered and topped with melted provolone cheese with ranch; I ordered a small tossed salad - lettuce, tomato, cucumber, red onion with croutons and ranch; and we split the newly named 505 pizza. I'm not sure who created the green chile and pepperoni combination but it is available all around Albuquerque, from Papa Murphy's take-and-bake pizza to the local places like Dion's. I remember ordering slices of Pepperoni with Green Chile slices as a kid so kudos to Dion's for finally making it into a "specialty" pizza option. Oh and of course with ranch. I don't know how Dion's makes their ranch but it's addicting. Ask anyone who's ever tried it. It is creamy, tangy and definitely delicious.
Service: good. Dion's is a popular first job for high school kids due to it's proximity to high schools so as such, the service is just ok. The kids aren't super friendly but they're not rude either. They're...apathetic? But as I've said before, it's kinda part of the whole experience.
Cleanliness: good. Every five minutes or so an employee will walk around the living room picking up empty trays, baskets, etc. and sweep the floors so the dining room stays pretty clean and tidy. The bathrooms are usually clean as well.
Total: 10/15
While it was difficult to not let my ache for anything Albuquerquean cloud my judgment, I believe this to be the most accurate ranking for Dion's Pizza.
Everything there is fantastic and in the 15+ years I've eaten there I've yet to have anything I didn't absolutely love so if you're in New Mexico, Texas or Colorado check to see if there's a Dion's anywhere near you.
In addition to Dion's, I bought a pound of frozen Bueno green chile, which I used to make breakfast burritos. Nothing compares to tasting real New Mexican green chile. It makes me miss Albuquerque dearly.
Dimitri Best Food
Good morning (again) readers! I'm sorry I've been slacking lately. I've been enjoying time with my in-laws and husband in Chicago-land and haven't been cooking or eating out much but that'll quickly change. Tomorrow we're off to Harry Caray's for our annual downtown Chicago family dinner so be on the watch for that!
In the meantime, Nate took me to one of his childhood haunts: Dimitri Best Food.
Dimitri Best Food is located at 207 W Joe Orr Rd, Chicago Heights, IL 60411; almost directly across from his old high school so he spent many a dollar eating there in his youth as a vegetarian. Now that he is most certainly NOT a vegetarian, he's able to enjoy more of their full menu which hosts gyros, rib tips, wings, pizza puffs and sandwiches.
During my very first visit to Chicago four years ago, Nate brought me here to eat gyros. Honestly, these things were the size of your head and stuffed full of meat, I'm not entirely sure how they get away with only charging $10 for what is surely 2 pounds of meat.
Anyway, here is my formal evaluation of Dimitri Best Foods.
Decor: poor. There is literally no decor at all. Upon entering the tiny eatery (really, there's only about 6 tables or so), your eyes are immediately drawn to the chalkboard menu on the wall with some menu items being written in short-hand and a tad illegible. However, when walking up to the counter/kitchen you can watch hypnotizing cones of gyro meat circle and cook, so that kinda counts as decor, right?
Food appearance: poor. Food is served to you in a paper bag regardless if you get the order for dine in or carry out. There is really no attention to detail as far as plating or in this case bagging is concerned.
Food taste: good. The food at Dimitri Best Food is obviously where they shine (how else would they be in business?). The gyros are delicious, Nate braved the Zeus sandwich which is a fried chicken breast topped with gyro meat and tzatziki sauce. I will say despite the massive amount of ingredients everything was cooked to perfection and never did it seem like the ingredients were competing with each other. I ordered the Italian Beef sandwich, my first ever! The beef was tender and succulent and the giardiniera was spicy and vinegary and a perfect compliment to the beef. We both ordered fries with their house-made hot and mild sauces. They were perfectly spicy without being too overwhelming.
Service: good. The counter attendant (is this "Dimitri"?) speaks a broken, heavily accented English but he's friendly and treats every guest like a friend, cracking unintelligible jokes and asking about family members. That's as far as service goes though, you walk up to make your order and he calls it out when the food is ready.
Cleanliness: good. The restaurant itself is clean and tidy. I didn't venture into the bathroom but I'm sure it was probably satisfactory. Not surprisingly for the style of restaurant, customers buss their own spaces.
Total: 8/15
Well, this place isn't a "must go" when visiting Chicago but if you're craving some reasonably priced (and massive) food and happen to be in the area try to stop by and check out Dimitri Best Food.
In the meantime, Nate took me to one of his childhood haunts: Dimitri Best Food.
Dimitri Best Food is located at 207 W Joe Orr Rd, Chicago Heights, IL 60411; almost directly across from his old high school so he spent many a dollar eating there in his youth as a vegetarian. Now that he is most certainly NOT a vegetarian, he's able to enjoy more of their full menu which hosts gyros, rib tips, wings, pizza puffs and sandwiches.
During my very first visit to Chicago four years ago, Nate brought me here to eat gyros. Honestly, these things were the size of your head and stuffed full of meat, I'm not entirely sure how they get away with only charging $10 for what is surely 2 pounds of meat.
Anyway, here is my formal evaluation of Dimitri Best Foods.
Decor: poor. There is literally no decor at all. Upon entering the tiny eatery (really, there's only about 6 tables or so), your eyes are immediately drawn to the chalkboard menu on the wall with some menu items being written in short-hand and a tad illegible. However, when walking up to the counter/kitchen you can watch hypnotizing cones of gyro meat circle and cook, so that kinda counts as decor, right?
Food appearance: poor. Food is served to you in a paper bag regardless if you get the order for dine in or carry out. There is really no attention to detail as far as plating or in this case bagging is concerned.
Food taste: good. The food at Dimitri Best Food is obviously where they shine (how else would they be in business?). The gyros are delicious, Nate braved the Zeus sandwich which is a fried chicken breast topped with gyro meat and tzatziki sauce. I will say despite the massive amount of ingredients everything was cooked to perfection and never did it seem like the ingredients were competing with each other. I ordered the Italian Beef sandwich, my first ever! The beef was tender and succulent and the giardiniera was spicy and vinegary and a perfect compliment to the beef. We both ordered fries with their house-made hot and mild sauces. They were perfectly spicy without being too overwhelming.
Service: good. The counter attendant (is this "Dimitri"?) speaks a broken, heavily accented English but he's friendly and treats every guest like a friend, cracking unintelligible jokes and asking about family members. That's as far as service goes though, you walk up to make your order and he calls it out when the food is ready.
Cleanliness: good. The restaurant itself is clean and tidy. I didn't venture into the bathroom but I'm sure it was probably satisfactory. Not surprisingly for the style of restaurant, customers buss their own spaces.
Total: 8/15
Well, this place isn't a "must go" when visiting Chicago but if you're craving some reasonably priced (and massive) food and happen to be in the area try to stop by and check out Dimitri Best Food.
Tuesday, December 13, 2016
The "Everything That May Spoil Soon" Pizza
Happy Tuesday, readers! The sun is shining, birds are singing, the Polar Vortex is wreaking havoc on basically the entirety of the United States and I'm trying to use up all my perishables. You know how it is, you buy food, life gets in the way and then suddenly you have several weeks' worth of food you need to eat before it gets rotten and stinks up your fridge.
Last night I had the perfect idea! What food can you put literally anything into and it (almost) always ends up incredible? You guessed it! Pizza! There are so many weird combos that people still eat! BLT pizzas, Chicken Bacon Ranch pizzas, Green Chile Cheeseburger pizzas, dessert pizzas! You get the idea. Anyway, upon close inspection of my refrigerator, I had 1 fresh tomato, 1 green bell pepper, 1 shallot, and a pack of bacon so I threw them on top of a pizza and viola! An excellent dinner option.
The "Everything That May Spoil Soon" Pizza
For the crust:
1 Tbsp active dry yeast
1 C warm water (105-115 degrees)
1 Tsp sugar
1 Tsp salt
2 C flour (plus more for sprinkling)
1/2 C corn meal (optional)
Dissolve yeast in water.
Using your handy stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine all ingredients until mixture resembles pizza dough.
Roll dough out on a floured surface to about 1/8 inch thick.
Now this is where the cornmeal comes in handy: sprinkle corn meal onto your pizza stone or pan and it'll keep your dough from sticking to the pan (in theory, unfortunately I haven't mastered how to prevent sections of my pizza dough from completely adhering to my pizza stone. Anyone have any suggestions?)
For the pizza:
1 pizza crust
2 C pizza sauce (I was lazy and bought some from Aldi, but homemade is much better)
1 bell pepper, diced
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1 tomato, thinly sliced
6 slices of bacon, diced and cooked
1/2 C parmesan cheese
3 C mozzarella cheese
Preheat oven to 450.
Cook your bacon in a skillet to just under desired done-ness (remember, it'll continue cooking in the oven), and drain on a paper towel.
Top your crust with sauce, bell peppers, shallot, tomato, cooked bacon and mountains of cheese.
Bake on the bottom rack of your oven for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.
This pizza hit the spot, and had the added bonus of using up the items I spent my hard earned money on and don't want to simply throw in the trash. SCORE!
Enjoy your Tuesday, folks!
Last night I had the perfect idea! What food can you put literally anything into and it (almost) always ends up incredible? You guessed it! Pizza! There are so many weird combos that people still eat! BLT pizzas, Chicken Bacon Ranch pizzas, Green Chile Cheeseburger pizzas, dessert pizzas! You get the idea. Anyway, upon close inspection of my refrigerator, I had 1 fresh tomato, 1 green bell pepper, 1 shallot, and a pack of bacon so I threw them on top of a pizza and viola! An excellent dinner option.
The "Everything That May Spoil Soon" Pizza
For the crust:
1 Tbsp active dry yeast
1 C warm water (105-115 degrees)
1 Tsp sugar
1 Tsp salt
2 C flour (plus more for sprinkling)
1/2 C corn meal (optional)
Dissolve yeast in water.
Using your handy stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine all ingredients until mixture resembles pizza dough.
Roll dough out on a floured surface to about 1/8 inch thick.
Now this is where the cornmeal comes in handy: sprinkle corn meal onto your pizza stone or pan and it'll keep your dough from sticking to the pan (in theory, unfortunately I haven't mastered how to prevent sections of my pizza dough from completely adhering to my pizza stone. Anyone have any suggestions?)
For the pizza:
1 pizza crust
2 C pizza sauce (I was lazy and bought some from Aldi, but homemade is much better)
1 bell pepper, diced
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1 tomato, thinly sliced
6 slices of bacon, diced and cooked
1/2 C parmesan cheese
3 C mozzarella cheese
Preheat oven to 450.
Cook your bacon in a skillet to just under desired done-ness (remember, it'll continue cooking in the oven), and drain on a paper towel.
Top your crust with sauce, bell peppers, shallot, tomato, cooked bacon and mountains of cheese.
Bake on the bottom rack of your oven for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.
This pizza hit the spot, and had the added bonus of using up the items I spent my hard earned money on and don't want to simply throw in the trash. SCORE!
Enjoy your Tuesday, folks!
Sunday, December 11, 2016
Mexican Tortilla Casserole
Today I have accomplished pretty much nothing. I lounged around on the couch for a few hours, I folded and put away laundry, I packed for my upcoming trips (stay tuned for posts about Lubbock, Texas and Chicago, Illinois). I gotta tell you, it's been amazing to be so lazy the past few days. There's something strangely comforting in having no obligations, plus the colder temperatures promote staying in. When the weather outside is frightful, I like to stuff my face-hole with soup and casseroles. Tonight's face-stuffing was Mexican Tortilla Casserole inspired by Ree Drummond's The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime. I've already explained that Ree Drummond is one of my culinary idols and this cookbook is shear genius!
I say "inspired" because while I believe that this recipe would be fantastic as is, I did a few improvisations with ingredients that I happened to have on hand. Look at me! I'm like a real cook using my instincts and stuff. The original undoctored recipe is here
Mexican Tortilla Casserole
2 Tbsp olive oil
6 whole tomatoes, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, diced
4 Tsp chili powder
2 Tsp paprika
2 Tsp cumin
1/2 Tsp salt
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces
28 oz pinto beans, drained
1 15 oz can black beans, drained
1 C diced green chile
2 C hot salsa
12 corn tortillas
3 C diced and roasted potatoes
1 11 oz can corn, drained
1 1/2 lb grated cheddar cheese
2 C red chile sauce
Sour cream, for serving
So the above recipe is with my adjustments and substitutions.
Preheat oven to 375.
In a very large skillet (or in my case a small-ish stock pot) saute onions, garlic, tomatoes and bell pepper for 2 minutes in 2 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat.
Season with 2 Tsp of chili powder, 1 Tsp paprika and 1 Tsp cumin. Cook for another minute.
Remove the mixture to a separate bowl.
Using the same skillet (or small-ish stock pot), heat remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil and add in the chicken. Season with 2 Tsp chili powder, 1 Tsp paprika, 1 Tsp cumin and salt.
Saute the chicken until golden brown and cooked though. Should be around 5 minutes.
Add in 1 C water and stir to make a sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil and cook until reduced by half, 3 to 4 minutes.
Stir in the beans and green chile.
To assemble the casserole, pour 1 C of the hot salsa in the bottom of a 9X13 casserole dish. Spread the salsa to coat the bottom evenly.
Cover the bottom of the casserole dish with the corn tortillas.
Spread the potatoes (recipe here) in an even layer over the corn tortillas.
Spread the tomato mixture over the potatoes and top with the drained corn. Now add the chicken mixture. Now add half the cheese.
Pour on 1 C red chile sauce (recipe here).
Top with another layer of corn tortillas.
Add the remainder of the salsa, red chile sauce and cheese. Bake covered with foil for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake uncovered for another 15 minutes.
This casserole is absolutely fantastic and filling. I ate a small square and was utterly stuffed and luckily for us (well, Nate really since I will be going on vacation beginning Thursday) there are plenty of leftovers. Well, enjoy your last full week before Christmas, readers!
I say "inspired" because while I believe that this recipe would be fantastic as is, I did a few improvisations with ingredients that I happened to have on hand. Look at me! I'm like a real cook using my instincts and stuff. The original undoctored recipe is here
Mexican Tortilla Casserole
2 Tbsp olive oil
6 whole tomatoes, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, diced
4 Tsp chili powder
2 Tsp paprika
2 Tsp cumin
1/2 Tsp salt
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces
28 oz pinto beans, drained
1 15 oz can black beans, drained
1 C diced green chile
2 C hot salsa
12 corn tortillas
3 C diced and roasted potatoes
1 11 oz can corn, drained
1 1/2 lb grated cheddar cheese
2 C red chile sauce
Sour cream, for serving
So the above recipe is with my adjustments and substitutions.
Preheat oven to 375.
In a very large skillet (or in my case a small-ish stock pot) saute onions, garlic, tomatoes and bell pepper for 2 minutes in 2 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat.
Season with 2 Tsp of chili powder, 1 Tsp paprika and 1 Tsp cumin. Cook for another minute.
Remove the mixture to a separate bowl.
Using the same skillet (or small-ish stock pot), heat remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil and add in the chicken. Season with 2 Tsp chili powder, 1 Tsp paprika, 1 Tsp cumin and salt.
Saute the chicken until golden brown and cooked though. Should be around 5 minutes.
Add in 1 C water and stir to make a sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil and cook until reduced by half, 3 to 4 minutes.
Stir in the beans and green chile.
To assemble the casserole, pour 1 C of the hot salsa in the bottom of a 9X13 casserole dish. Spread the salsa to coat the bottom evenly.
Cover the bottom of the casserole dish with the corn tortillas.
Spread the potatoes (recipe here) in an even layer over the corn tortillas.
Spread the tomato mixture over the potatoes and top with the drained corn. Now add the chicken mixture. Now add half the cheese.
Pour on 1 C red chile sauce (recipe here).
Top with another layer of corn tortillas.
Add the remainder of the salsa, red chile sauce and cheese. Bake covered with foil for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake uncovered for another 15 minutes.
This casserole is absolutely fantastic and filling. I ate a small square and was utterly stuffed and luckily for us (well, Nate really since I will be going on vacation beginning Thursday) there are plenty of leftovers. Well, enjoy your last full week before Christmas, readers!
Saturday, December 10, 2016
Creamy Spicy Chicken Soup
I don't know about you but I'm adoring these cold temperatures! Not really surprising but people in the South do not know how to prepare for cold weather. The high today in Raleigh was 43. I dressed in dress pants, a sweater, scarf, thick socks, boots, a peacoat and gloves to go on my daily walk around the State Capital and honestly I got a little warm. On my walk I encountered women wearing tank tops and flip flops and complaining to their walking companions about how they were cold. DUH! You're practically naked in 40 degree weather, no wonder you're cold!
To ring in this magnificent temperature change, I knew I wanted to make soup and what better way to warm yourself up than with a big bowl of hot soup? My Pinterest board is stuffed with delicious-sounding soup recipes, but since it is Pinterest, I'm sure there are a lot of recipe duds so obviously I was skeptical with this recipe but it turned out wonderfully! As with most other Pinterest recipes I use, I didn't follow the recipe to-the-letter but I'm sure the original interpretation would have been just as good. Here's the link to the original recipe Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup
Creamy Spicy Chicken Soup
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 jalapeno peppers, diced
2 garlic cloves, diced
1 32 oz carton chicken broth
2 Tsp chili powder
2 Tsp cumin
2 Tsp paprika
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 1/2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can diced tomatoes with green chile
1 1/3 C milk
1/3 C Masa Harina (you can find this in the International Section of your grocery store)
1 can black beans, drained
1 can yellow corn kernels, drained
2/3 C heavy cream
1/2 C sour cream
Shredded cheddar cheese, for serving
Tortilla chips, for serving
In a large, heavy stock pot saute the onion and jalapeno until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add in the garlic cloves and saute for 30 seconds.
Pour in the the chicken broth and seasonings. Add in the chicken breasts (keep them whole) and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cover. Boil the chicken until cooked through, this should take about 15 minutes.
Remove the breasts from the pot and allow them to rest for 5 minutes. After they've rested shred the chicken using 2 forks.
Add in the diced tomatoes and chile, juice and all. I happened to have a almost-too-ripe tomato on hand so I diced it up and added it to the pot as well.
Using a 2-cup liquid measuring cup, whisk together milk and Masa Harina and pour into the pot. Boil until the soup thickens, it won't thicken significantly but you'll notice a subtle change in consistency.
Add the shredded chicken, black beans and corn to the pot. Stir in heavy cream and sour cream and simmer for 5 minutes.
I topped our soup with a little bit of shredded cheddar cheese and a few tortilla chips.
The soup was creamy and definitely filling! I had worked out prior to cooking and was ravenous and was only able to fit one bowl in my stomach before feeling like I was about to explode. I hope you're enjoying your frosty temperatures this weekend and if you're not one for cold temperatures this soup will warm you right up.
To ring in this magnificent temperature change, I knew I wanted to make soup and what better way to warm yourself up than with a big bowl of hot soup? My Pinterest board is stuffed with delicious-sounding soup recipes, but since it is Pinterest, I'm sure there are a lot of recipe duds so obviously I was skeptical with this recipe but it turned out wonderfully! As with most other Pinterest recipes I use, I didn't follow the recipe to-the-letter but I'm sure the original interpretation would have been just as good. Here's the link to the original recipe Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup
Creamy Spicy Chicken Soup
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 jalapeno peppers, diced
2 garlic cloves, diced
1 32 oz carton chicken broth
2 Tsp chili powder
2 Tsp cumin
2 Tsp paprika
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 1/2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can diced tomatoes with green chile
1 1/3 C milk
1/3 C Masa Harina (you can find this in the International Section of your grocery store)
1 can black beans, drained
1 can yellow corn kernels, drained
2/3 C heavy cream
1/2 C sour cream
Shredded cheddar cheese, for serving
Tortilla chips, for serving
In a large, heavy stock pot saute the onion and jalapeno until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add in the garlic cloves and saute for 30 seconds.
Pour in the the chicken broth and seasonings. Add in the chicken breasts (keep them whole) and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cover. Boil the chicken until cooked through, this should take about 15 minutes.
Remove the breasts from the pot and allow them to rest for 5 minutes. After they've rested shred the chicken using 2 forks.
Add in the diced tomatoes and chile, juice and all. I happened to have a almost-too-ripe tomato on hand so I diced it up and added it to the pot as well.
Using a 2-cup liquid measuring cup, whisk together milk and Masa Harina and pour into the pot. Boil until the soup thickens, it won't thicken significantly but you'll notice a subtle change in consistency.
Add the shredded chicken, black beans and corn to the pot. Stir in heavy cream and sour cream and simmer for 5 minutes.
I topped our soup with a little bit of shredded cheddar cheese and a few tortilla chips.
The soup was creamy and definitely filling! I had worked out prior to cooking and was ravenous and was only able to fit one bowl in my stomach before feeling like I was about to explode. I hope you're enjoying your frosty temperatures this weekend and if you're not one for cold temperatures this soup will warm you right up.
Thursday, December 8, 2016
Macaroni and Cheese
As promised, here's the second post of the day! On Monday, (God why does that seem like it was a year ago?) I invited over my friend Randi Alexander (whom I haven't seen in about 2 months) for dinner. She recently accepted a new big-girl-type job and I began working for my wonderful company so we haven't had a whole lot of opportunity to catch up.
I made a crowd favorite: Macaroni and Cheese.
Who doesn't love cheese? IT HEALS ALL AILMENTS! This recipe was given to me by my dear friend, Casey Witherspoon before I got married and it is probably one of my favorites because it's so simple.
Macaroni and Cheese
3 Tbsp butter
1/4 C flour
2 C milk
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 Tbsp cream cheese (optional)
2 Tbsp heavy cream (optional)
1 lb pasta
2 C shredded cheese (plus more for topping)
1 C Italian breadcrumbs
Boil pasta according to package instructions.
Preheat oven to 375.
In a heavy oven-safe pot (I love to use my trusty Martha Stewart Dutch oven), melt butter over medium heat. Once butter is melted add in the flour. Stir the mixture using a wooden spoon and cook until mixture's color begins to change from pale white to a caramel golden.
Pour in the milk and stir. Let the mixture bubble until it thickens. For me, this took about 5 minutes. Once you achieve optimal thickness, season with salt and pepper. If you're like me and have just random ingredients in your fridge that you bought but now have nothing to do with the small amount that's left, throw them in the sauce. I had about 3 Tbsp of cream cheese I wouldn't use for anything and some heavy cream that was a few days' shy of expiring so I threw them in there too, but the recipe is just as good without these additions. Remove the sauce from the heat.
Now for the fun part: CHEESE! I used a hoop cheddar (a rich and velvety sharp cheddar) and a jalapeno jack (both I picked up at the State Farmer's Market here in Raleigh) but as with any amazing cheese-y dish, get creative. Use whatever cheese makes you happiest. Stir the 2 C shredded cheese into the sauce until it's pretty much combined and melty.
Add in the pasta. Coat the pasta with the cheese sauce and smooth out the top. Top with about 1 C of cheese (because who doesn't want extra cheese?) and top with the breadcrumbs. Bake the macaroni and cheese uncovered for 20 minutes or until melty and bubbly.
This dish is sure to please and is pretty quick to make. From start to finish it's maybe 40 minutes and will have everyone clamoring for seconds. Enjoy, readers! Stay tuned for tonight's dinner of Turkey burgers.
I made a crowd favorite: Macaroni and Cheese.
Who doesn't love cheese? IT HEALS ALL AILMENTS! This recipe was given to me by my dear friend, Casey Witherspoon before I got married and it is probably one of my favorites because it's so simple.
3 Tbsp butter
1/4 C flour
2 C milk
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 Tbsp cream cheese (optional)
2 Tbsp heavy cream (optional)
1 lb pasta
2 C shredded cheese (plus more for topping)
1 C Italian breadcrumbs
Boil pasta according to package instructions.
Preheat oven to 375.
In a heavy oven-safe pot (I love to use my trusty Martha Stewart Dutch oven), melt butter over medium heat. Once butter is melted add in the flour. Stir the mixture using a wooden spoon and cook until mixture's color begins to change from pale white to a caramel golden.
Pour in the milk and stir. Let the mixture bubble until it thickens. For me, this took about 5 minutes. Once you achieve optimal thickness, season with salt and pepper. If you're like me and have just random ingredients in your fridge that you bought but now have nothing to do with the small amount that's left, throw them in the sauce. I had about 3 Tbsp of cream cheese I wouldn't use for anything and some heavy cream that was a few days' shy of expiring so I threw them in there too, but the recipe is just as good without these additions. Remove the sauce from the heat.
Now for the fun part: CHEESE! I used a hoop cheddar (a rich and velvety sharp cheddar) and a jalapeno jack (both I picked up at the State Farmer's Market here in Raleigh) but as with any amazing cheese-y dish, get creative. Use whatever cheese makes you happiest. Stir the 2 C shredded cheese into the sauce until it's pretty much combined and melty.
Add in the pasta. Coat the pasta with the cheese sauce and smooth out the top. Top with about 1 C of cheese (because who doesn't want extra cheese?) and top with the breadcrumbs. Bake the macaroni and cheese uncovered for 20 minutes or until melty and bubbly.
This dish is sure to please and is pretty quick to make. From start to finish it's maybe 40 minutes and will have everyone clamoring for seconds. Enjoy, readers! Stay tuned for tonight's dinner of Turkey burgers.
Gingerbread People
Good morning, loyal readers! I apologize for the clear lack of blogging lately. I've been doing plenty of cooking and eating, but not a whole lot of writing about it...so prepare yourselves for like 3 blogs to be posted today :)
I love Christmas, well, all holidays really but Christmas is probably my favorite. Why? Well, your heart just feels bigger. You want to show everyone you know that you're thinking about them and care about them. The weather promotes fuzzy socks, big blankets and plenty of cuddling. OH! And there's the total acceptance that you will gain like 20 pounds but no one really seems to notice. That's what New Years Resolutions are for, right?
This past weekend Nate and I participated in a plethora of Christmas-time activities. Friday night I invited over a friend of mine (shout out to Jenny Bingham for bringing over wine!), I made chili and cornbread and we all sat down to watch Christmas movies. First up was Love Actually. Now, if you haven't seen it, it's on Netflix so get to it! The movie boasts an all-star cast and their various relationships and in true Hollywood fashion, SPOILER ALERT everything works out almost perfectly on Christmas Eve. Everyone professes their love for one another and lives happily ever after. It's a good movie to watch if you're bored and don't want to pay for a movie.
Next up was my personal favorite Christmas movie (Nate recently stated to me that the Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas cartoon was a Christmas special, not a Christmas movie): The Muppets Christmas Carol. I love the Muppets, they're nostalgic, funny and the movie itself is as enjoyable as an adult as it was when I was a child. In fact, here: The Muppets Christmas Carol Educate yourselves.
Saturday was my company Christmas party at the Angus Barn, which was just as fantastic the second time as it was the first. The pavilion was beautifully decorated, we ate way too much, the wine was excellent and when it was over Nate and I migrated to the Meat Locker in the main restaurant. The Meat Locker, as you may or may not recall, is the outdoor patio for smoking and enjoying the beauty of a crisp winter evening. Nate bought himself a cigar and I drank a Manhattan, it was a damn good one too.
Sunday we had tickets to see the (very far off) Broadway performance of Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas at the Duke Performing Arts Center in Durham, North Carolina. Unfortunately for us, we didn't realize the 5:00 performance was in Durham until 4:30. Driving on I-40 to Durham is notorious for accidents, back-ups and just being slow. Somehow we managed to get there without incident and we even found free parking across from the theater! It was a Christmas miracle! The performance was spectacular, interactive, funny, and memorable. If it happens to stop anywhere near you, GO SEE IT! Trust me, you will not be disappointed in the least.
When we returned from the performance we made Gingerbread People. I have never made them before but I was shocked at how simple it was and they turned out perfectly! The only hitch is they are a little time-consuming. I got this recipe from Food Network and it was very easy to follow.
Gingerbread People
3 C flour
1 Tsp baking soda
3/4 Tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 Tsp ground ginger
1/2 Tsp ground allspice
1/2 Tsp ground cloves
1/2 Tsp salt
1/2 Tsp fresh cracked black pepper
8 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 C vegetable shortening, at room temperature
1/2 C packed light brown sugar
2/3 C unsulfured molasses
1 large egg
Position your oven racks in the top third and bottom third of your oven.
Sift the flour, baking soda, and spices through a metal sieve into a medium bowl, set aside.
In a separate large bowl (like the bowl of your stand mixer) beat the butter and shortening until well-combined. Add the brown sugar and beat until the mixture is light in color and fluffy in texture. Beat in the molasses and egg.
Using a wooden spoon, slowly combine the dry ingredients with the wet to make a stiff dough.
Portion the dough into plastic wrap and form 2 disks. Put these in the fridge for about 3 hours. See, told you it was time-consuming.
Now you're ready to pre-heat your oven to 350.
Roll out the cookie dough to 1/8 inch thick or slightly thicker if you want the cookies a little chewy (which I always do).
Due to my lack of cookie cutters (hint, hint, if any loyal readers like me enough to gift me something) I only had gingerbread men and snowmen (hence the "gingerbread people" title, don't wanna leave anyone out of the group).
Arrange your cookie dough onto a lightly-greased cookie sheet topped with a silicone mat or wax paper about 1 inch apart. The cookies don't spread out much but just to be safe.
Place the cookies in the top third of your oven for 7 minutes. Once the 7 minutes are up, flip the trays so what was facing the oven door is now facing the back of the oven and move the cookies to the bottom third of your oven for the remaining 7 minutes.
Complicated, huh?
Let the cookies cool on the trays for 2 minutes before removing them to a wire rack.
Our cookies came out the perfect chewy texture and the flavor was phenomenal; spicy and delicious! Enjoy the recipe readers!
I love Christmas, well, all holidays really but Christmas is probably my favorite. Why? Well, your heart just feels bigger. You want to show everyone you know that you're thinking about them and care about them. The weather promotes fuzzy socks, big blankets and plenty of cuddling. OH! And there's the total acceptance that you will gain like 20 pounds but no one really seems to notice. That's what New Years Resolutions are for, right?
This past weekend Nate and I participated in a plethora of Christmas-time activities. Friday night I invited over a friend of mine (shout out to Jenny Bingham for bringing over wine!), I made chili and cornbread and we all sat down to watch Christmas movies. First up was Love Actually. Now, if you haven't seen it, it's on Netflix so get to it! The movie boasts an all-star cast and their various relationships and in true Hollywood fashion, SPOILER ALERT everything works out almost perfectly on Christmas Eve. Everyone professes their love for one another and lives happily ever after. It's a good movie to watch if you're bored and don't want to pay for a movie.
Next up was my personal favorite Christmas movie (Nate recently stated to me that the Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas cartoon was a Christmas special, not a Christmas movie): The Muppets Christmas Carol. I love the Muppets, they're nostalgic, funny and the movie itself is as enjoyable as an adult as it was when I was a child. In fact, here: The Muppets Christmas Carol Educate yourselves.
Saturday was my company Christmas party at the Angus Barn, which was just as fantastic the second time as it was the first. The pavilion was beautifully decorated, we ate way too much, the wine was excellent and when it was over Nate and I migrated to the Meat Locker in the main restaurant. The Meat Locker, as you may or may not recall, is the outdoor patio for smoking and enjoying the beauty of a crisp winter evening. Nate bought himself a cigar and I drank a Manhattan, it was a damn good one too.
Sunday we had tickets to see the (very far off) Broadway performance of Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas at the Duke Performing Arts Center in Durham, North Carolina. Unfortunately for us, we didn't realize the 5:00 performance was in Durham until 4:30. Driving on I-40 to Durham is notorious for accidents, back-ups and just being slow. Somehow we managed to get there without incident and we even found free parking across from the theater! It was a Christmas miracle! The performance was spectacular, interactive, funny, and memorable. If it happens to stop anywhere near you, GO SEE IT! Trust me, you will not be disappointed in the least.
When we returned from the performance we made Gingerbread People. I have never made them before but I was shocked at how simple it was and they turned out perfectly! The only hitch is they are a little time-consuming. I got this recipe from Food Network and it was very easy to follow.
Gingerbread People
3 C flour
1 Tsp baking soda
3/4 Tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 Tsp ground ginger
1/2 Tsp ground allspice
1/2 Tsp ground cloves
1/2 Tsp salt
1/2 Tsp fresh cracked black pepper
8 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 C vegetable shortening, at room temperature
1/2 C packed light brown sugar
2/3 C unsulfured molasses
1 large egg
Position your oven racks in the top third and bottom third of your oven.
Sift the flour, baking soda, and spices through a metal sieve into a medium bowl, set aside.
In a separate large bowl (like the bowl of your stand mixer) beat the butter and shortening until well-combined. Add the brown sugar and beat until the mixture is light in color and fluffy in texture. Beat in the molasses and egg.
Using a wooden spoon, slowly combine the dry ingredients with the wet to make a stiff dough.
Portion the dough into plastic wrap and form 2 disks. Put these in the fridge for about 3 hours. See, told you it was time-consuming.
Now you're ready to pre-heat your oven to 350.
Roll out the cookie dough to 1/8 inch thick or slightly thicker if you want the cookies a little chewy (which I always do).
Due to my lack of cookie cutters (hint, hint, if any loyal readers like me enough to gift me something) I only had gingerbread men and snowmen (hence the "gingerbread people" title, don't wanna leave anyone out of the group).
Arrange your cookie dough onto a lightly-greased cookie sheet topped with a silicone mat or wax paper about 1 inch apart. The cookies don't spread out much but just to be safe.
Place the cookies in the top third of your oven for 7 minutes. Once the 7 minutes are up, flip the trays so what was facing the oven door is now facing the back of the oven and move the cookies to the bottom third of your oven for the remaining 7 minutes.
Complicated, huh?
Let the cookies cool on the trays for 2 minutes before removing them to a wire rack.
Our cookies came out the perfect chewy texture and the flavor was phenomenal; spicy and delicious! Enjoy the recipe readers!
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