InstaEats May-June 2014

I'm a little late to the game, but I finally joined the fascinating, eye-catching world of Instagram earlier this year. I am a visual person and it is amazing to see the ways people capture the world on this social media tool. Instagram is where I am spending most of my social media time these days, but I thought it would be fun to highlight some of the stuff I share on there, particularly the meals out that don't make it on to the blog when I don't have my big, fancy camera on me. Here are some of the things I have shared and if you are so inclined, follow me on Instagram.

I traveled to California at the beginning of May and it was a week long of working out, eating out, and green juicing.

Lunch with my mom at In-N-Out Burger. I had the cheeseburger animal-style and well done fries. I miss this place all the time.

We had a pretty epic meal at BOA Steakhouse. We ended the meal with a selection of cronuts and now I finally understand the cronut craze.

Dinner at POT at the Line Hotel. Get thee there immediately.

An amazing brunch at Sqirl. The Malva pudding cake is pure sugar heaven and a good way to balance the perceived healthiness of the crispy brown rice bowl with egg.

Back in Chicago, I have had a steady social calendar the last few months. Waffles Cafe is the home of the wonut, but they also make a mean chicken and bacon waffles dish.

This recipe for Green Shakshuka from The Kitchn is to die for. Make it immediately and then make it again.

My take on Joy the Baker's strawberry chopped salad.

I love when friends come to visit, because I can try new places on my extremely long list of restaurants to try. H.C. and I visited Three Dots and a Dash for some tiki cocktails and followed it up with spicy miso ramen at Ramen-San.

The next night more friends were in town. We got the evening started right with cocktails and appetizers at Maude's Liquor Bar and RM Champagne Salon.

We chased those cocktails with incredible ramen from High Five Ramen. Get there early to avoid a long wait since there are only fifteen seats in the whole restaurant.

Work colleagues in town meant an extravagant dinner at Sunda. Definitely order the brussels sprouts salad if you go.

Breakfast mac and cheese with bacon and a fried egg from Taverna 750, one of my favorite brunch deals in Chicago.

After all the decadence, black bean and tomato quinoa salad will help right the ship. This time I doubled the black beans and lime zest, but reduced the oil to 1 1/2 teaspoons, the juice to 1/2 lime,  and left out the sugar.

Life is certainly pretty tasty right now, and I am enjoying all of it.

Strawberry Shortcakes with Lemon-Thyme Buttermilk Biscuits

A few years ago, I discovered how wonderful strawberries, lemon, and thyme are together. I've thought about that dessert often, but also other ways I can incorporate those flavors into a different dessert. Lemon and thyme buttermilk biscuits seemed like a nice pairing for balsamic and sugar sweetened strawberries. These biscuits are easy to make and the strawberries come together for a quick dessert on a summer evening.





*Disclaimer: I was compensated for ingredients by Driscoll's Berries and Whole Foods Market. Opinions expressed are entirely my own.


Strawberry Shortcakes with Lemon-Thyme Buttermilk Biscuits

Makes 4 Servings

For the biscuits (Adapted from Bon Appetit, April 1998):
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (from about 1 lemon)
1/2 teaspoon chopped thyme
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon cold buttermilk
1 egg, lightly whisked
1 teaspoon raw sugar for sprinkling

For the strawberry filling:
1 cup sliced strawberries
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

To make the biscuits:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a baking pan with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, lemon zest, thyme, baking powder, and salt. Use two forks, your finger tips, or a dough cutter to add the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal.

Gradually stir the buttermilk into the dough with a fork until large clumps form. Gather the dough into a ball and divide into four pieces. Roll each piece into a 3-inch round and place on the baking sheet. Brush the top of each biscuit with egg wash and sprinkle with a bit of the sugar. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick or knife inserted in the center of each biscuit comes out clean. Transfer the biscuits to a rack to cool.

To make the strawberries:
In a small bowl, mix the strawberries, sugar, and balsamic vinegar. Strawberries can be prepared up to two hours ahead of serving. Refrigerate the berries if you are not serving them right away. Serve the berries with the slightly cooled biscuits.

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Strawberry-Rosé Spritzer and Six Years of Blogging

Each year that my blog's birthday comes and goes, I think to myself, I can't believe I've made it another year. This site certainly isn't what it used to be, and I doubt it ever will be again, but it's nice to have this piece of the Interweb in which I get to share delicious food and drink and ramble a bit. My blog birthday treats seem to mostly be centered around strawberries and Nutella because...why not? This year, I decided to celebrate in cocktail form with strawberry-soaked rose wine and a hint of bitterness from my favorite aperitif, Aperol. It brought a hint of spring to my Chicago kitchen, even when it snowed two days later. Luckily, I am now enjoying a nice week in California to warm my soul. Anyway, thanks as always for continuing to let me share on here and cheers to another year!


One year ago: Magic Cake
Two years ago: Nutella Pop Tarts
Three years ago: Strawberry Crisp
Four years ago: Nutella Sandwich Cookies
Five years ago: Perfect Party Cake
Six years ago (my first post...don't judge!):The Return of The Glamorous Life

Strawberry-Rose Spritzer
(Adapted from Bon Appetit)

Makes 8 servings 

2 cups strawberries, washed, hulled, and chopped
1 750-ml bottle rose wine
2 cups soda water
1/3 cup Aperol
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

In a large pitcher, combine the strawberries and rose and let the strawberries steep for at least three hours or overnight.

Strain the rose from the strawberries and reserve the strawberries for garnish. Pour the wine back into the pitcher and mix in the soda water, Aperol, and lemon juice. Fill each glass with ice cubes and a few strawberries and pour the drink over the ice. Serve immediately.

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Shrimp and Caper Salad with Farro

I recently started swimming laps again. Back in high school, I was on the swim team and kept in shape by doing endless laps in the pool, morning weights practices, and dry land practices. My high school days are long gone and as an adult, I have tried to find various forms of exercise that work for me. This hasn't always been easy or consistent, but I am loving being back in the pool. I kind of forgot that swimming brings on a monstrous appetite. Some say it's the body's reaction to being cool, but I like to think it is because of the immense calorie burn of the exercise. Either way, I am stocking up my kitchen with healthy prepared foods so that when I get home late at night, I don't turn to take out or junk food. A little bit of prep for this salad, left me with a week's worth of this hearty, yet light salad, that made a great post-workout meal.




Shrimp and Caper Salad with Farro
(Adapted from Cat Cora)

Makes 4 servings

For the Salad:
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails cut off
1 clove garlic, grated on a microplane
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 scallion, finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1 tablespoon capers, drained
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
30 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup farro, cooked and cooled to room temperature
Salt and pepper to taste

For the dressing:
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt and then add the shrimp. Cook until the shrimp are pink and just cooked through, 2-4 minutes. Drain the shrimp and set aside.

In a large boil, combine the grated garlic, lemon juice, red pepper flakes and a large pinch of salt. Add the hot shrimp and stir to coat completely. Let the shrimp marinate for at least 10 minutes.

Add the scallion, red onion, capers, celery, tomatoes, and farro to the shrimp mixture.

In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients and then add to the shrimp mixture. Toss well to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve at room temperature or cold.

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Smoked Salmon Sandwich

Spring is in the air! Well...sort of. Technically it's spring, but the last few days (and months, really) have me wishing for warmer times. That's why I decided to share this sandwich I made last summer. It's based on my favorite sandwich from local chain, Hannah's Bretzel. I try to limit my trips there because it can be pricey which is why I set out to make this sandwich on my own. It comes together quickly. I try to slice up extra toppings so I can have this sandwich more than once if the mood strikes. The lightness of this sandwich reminds me of summer days, rooftop hangs, and festivals. I know the time will speed by and summer will be here before we know it!





Smoked Salmon Sandwich
(By Esi)

Makes 1 sandwich

For the Chive Cream Cheese
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
4 tablespoons cream cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

For the sandwich
1 pretzel roll
2 ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon
Thinly sliced cucumber
Thinly sliced red onion
Thinly sliced tomato

Make the cream cheese:
Mix the chives with the cream cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Make the sandwich:
Spread about 1 tablespoon of the chive cream cheese on both sides of the roll (save the rest for more sandwiches). Layer the rest of the toppings on the cream cheese and serve immediately.

Printable Recipe

Greek Chicken Bake

In the last few weeks, I have been getting reacquainted with my kitchen. Most of the recipes, I make these days are old favorites or roasted broccoli...too boring to post on here. However, with the intense cold we have been experiencing, the kitchen has once again become my favorite place in my apartment...it also happens to be the warmest place in my apartment. I recently decided to branch out and try a quick recipe that has been blowing up on Pinterest. This takes about three minutes to assemble and is so great for a weeknight meal. While the chicken is cooking, you can prepare a simple salad and warm some pita so you are ready to go when it comes out of the oven. Store-bought tzatziki makes it even easier, though if I had more time, I would make this homemade recipe that rocks my world. For crispier skin, try pan-frying the chicken thighs before putting them in the oven to finish cooking.

One year ago: Kale, Lentil, and Roasted Sweet Potato Salad
Two years ago: Halal Cart-Style Chicken and Rice
Three years ago: 8oz Burger Bar (closed)
Four years ago: Superbowl Ideas
Five years ago:  Greek Turkey Burgers


Greek Chicken Bake
(Adapted from Simply Delicious)

Makes 4 servings

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 head of garlic, cut in half
1 large red onion, cut into wedges
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Juice from 1 lemon

For serving
Tzatziki
Extra lemon wedges
Warm pita

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper and place skin side up in a large baking dish. Arrange the garlic halves, red onion wedges, and kalamata olives around the chicken. Sprinkle the pan with the oregano and drizzle the olive oil and lemon juice over the chicken, onion, garlic, and olives. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 and the juices run clear.

Serve with tzatziki, lemon wedges, and warm pita.

Printable Recipe

Ghana

In the last few weeks, I have gone from sunning myself on a beach in Africa, to bundling up in a polar vortex. I've been to Ghana five times, but the last time I was there was eight years ago. I expected to see a lot of change, but "TIA" (This Is Africa), and not much was new. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed doing a lot of nothing and eating copious amounts of fish and joloff.

Our first few days were pretty mellow which was good, since it took my luggage a few extra days to arrive. We spent some time at the Art Center, and quite a bit of time in traffic (one of the new developments is that there are a ton more cars on the roads). One of the first experiences we had was dining at La Tante. It's a restaurant near the airport that is inside of an old DC-10 plane.





I went with my usual of jollof, but guinea fowl as my protein. It was standard, but not in a bad way.



We spent Christmas afternoon away from the bustle of Accra at the Volta Hotel. The beautiful view, was unfortunately masked by some haze.



After Christmas, we drove to the village for a few days to celebrate my grandmother's 90th birthday. It was a great time to be with my family and the entire village came to celebrate. Getting to the village was a bit harrowing since our car broke down three times, but we were able to get there and back in one piece, even though it was a little shaky. Here is my grandmother showing everyone she's still got some moves.



This is a cocoa pod. The white part around the seeds is edible and tastes a bit like cheremoya. Don't make the same mistake I did and start chomping on the seeds.



Then we were back in the city for a few days filled with parties, mosquito bites, and visits to Makola Market and Nkrumah Park. On new years day, we jetted off to the Coconut Grove Beach Resort in Elmina for a few more days of blissful relaxation (and overeating).

The bustle of Makola Market



Nkrumah Park



Sunset on the beach in Elmina



Lizard friends



Sleeping crocodiles



Drummers and dancers



It was a great time and nice to escape the cold Chicago weather. I had a blast with family and friends, read a ton, danced a little, and I'm looking forward to the next trip.

Cinnamon-Swirl Chocolate Chip Bread

Let's end the year on a sweet note. In an effort to keep my apartment warm during this early onslaught of winter, I have actually been baking a bit more. Unfortunately, you readers haven't gotten to see the fruits of my labor, because editing photos is taxing and I've discovered I like to relax on weekends. Perhaps 2014 will bring more blogging motivation, especially since I have a few more things to share. This bread is incredibly simple and makes your home smell exactly like it should at this time of year. Warm, inviting, and incredibly cinnamon-y. It's a great treat to have on a Sunday afternoon curled up on the couch with a mug of tea and a favorite movie or to share with friends at a holiday party or with your coworkers. My point is, make this bread. Make it now and thank me later.



I hope you all have a happy, healthy, and safe holiday season. I'm looking forward to what is to come in the new year!

One year ago: Holiday Gift Guide
Two years ago: Buttermilk Fried Chicken
Three years ago: Little Ethiopia
Four years ago: Kale Salad with Spicy Peanut Dressing
Five years ago: Parmesan Thyme Crackers

Cinnamon-Swirl Chocolate Chip Bread
(Adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction)

Makes 1 9x5-inch loaf


For the cinnamon-swirl:
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup granulated sugar
For the bread:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 large egg at room temperature
3/4 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup buttermilk at room temperature
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray.

Make the cinnamon-swirl by mixing the cinnamon and sugar together in a small bowl. Set aside.

To make the bread:
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together. Add the chocolate chips and stir until well-combined.

In a medium bowl, whisk the egg, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until the mixture is smooth. Whisk in the buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract and mix until well combined.

Slow pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter.

Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the batter with 3/4 of the cinnamon sugar in an even layer. Top the cinnamon sugar with the remaining batter. Sprinkle the rest of the cinnamon sugar evenly over the top of the batter.

Cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean. Allow the bread to cool completely in the pan set on a rack before cutting.

Printable Recipe

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

Normally the cakes I post on my birthday are for the party I usually have, but this cake was actually made for one of my dear friend's birthday last week. You really just can't go wrong with that delectable combination of chocolate and peanut butter (last year's cake was certainly an indication) and the coffee in the cake batter makes the chocolate flavor stand out even more. This is super simple to make and thanks to help from my friend, Lawrence, it was easy to decorate. After frosting the outside of the cake with chocolate frosting, we surrounded the outside with leftover peanut butter frosting from the middle and topped it with mini peanut butter cups. Delicious. I'm celebrating my own birthday today with wonderful friends in Los Angeles. It is sure to be a super fun day and I feel so lucky to have such great friends near and far.

One year ago: Tin Roof Ice Cream Cake
Two years ago: Chocolate Cupcakes with Cream Filling
Three years ago: Yellow Cake with Chocolate Buttercream
Four years ago: Root Beer Cupcakes
Five years ago: Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes


Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
(Adapted from Tastes of Lizzy T's)

For the chocolate cake:
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup canola oil
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup coffee at room temperature

For the peanut butter frosting:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2-3 tablespoons whole milk

For the chocolate frosting:
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-3 tablespoons whole milk

To make the cake:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 9-inch cake pans.

In a large bowl, sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Stir to make sure they are fully combined.

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla together until combined. With the mixer on low, slowly add in the dry ingredients. Add the coffee and mix until everything is combined. The batter will be thin.

Pour the batter into the two prepared pans. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean. Cool the cakes in the pan for 5 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.

To make the peanut butter frosting:
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the peanut butter, butter and sugar until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. With the mixer turned down to low, add the powdered sugar. Add milk a little at a time until you reach your desired consistency.

To make the chocolate frosting:
In a large bowl sift together the powdered sugar and cocoa powder.

In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter for 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. With the mixer turned down to low, slowly add the powdered sugar and cocoa powder mixture. Add the salt and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Add the milk a little at a time until you reach the desired consistency.

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Shrimp Puttanesca and Arrogant Frog Wine

It may seem strange to talk about an Italian dish with French wine and Bastille Day, but when I was tasked to come up with a recipe to pair with this French Chardonnay, this was the first thing that came to mind. Arrogant Frog wine is an excellent deal. It retails for about $8 a bottle and is a great addition to any simple dinner. The chardonnay boasts nice tropical fruit and floral flavors. It's not terribly oaky like some chardonnays can be and it is very drinkable. This dish is light and perfect for summer with bold flavors from in-season tomatoes and olives. All you really need is a hunk of bread, but pasta would be a great accompaniment as well.




A light dish for summer that only needs a cold glass of wine and a few pieces of bread. You really can't go wrong with that.




*Disclaimer: I received these wines for free, opinions are my own. 


One year ago: Favorite Summer No Cook Recipes
Two years ago: Grilled Peaches with Ice Cream and Blueberry Fudge
Three years ago: Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Four years ago: Cantaloupe Sorbet
Five years ago:Blood Orangeade

 Shrimp Puttanesca
(Adapted from TasteFood)

Makes 4 servings

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 small onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 anchovy fillets, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, plus 1/2 teaspoon
2 cups of cherry tomatoes
1/3 cup roughly chopped kalamata olives
1/2 cup dry white wine (I used Arrogant Frog chardonnay)
2 teaspoons capers, rinsed
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
Salt to taste
Parsley for garnish

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, anchovies, and 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes and saute for a minute or until fragrant.

Add the tomatoes, olives, wine, and capers and cook, stirring until the tomatoes break down and the sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.

In a separate skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of chili flakes. Add the shrimp to the pan in a single layer and season with salt. Cook until the shrimp is just cooked through, about 4 minutes.

Add the shrimp to the tomato sauce and stir to combine. Serve garnished with parsley if desired and with a baguette to sop up the wonderful juices.

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