kitchen tips & tricks

I sometimes think I'd be lost without google. Do I put the napkin on the left or right? How long can I keep chicken in the freezer? These are a few cheat sheets I reference when in doubt.

proper way to set a table from daniellemj

shelf life of food from buzzfeed

anti-restaurant week recommendations

I was planning to write about restaurant week. I checked out the menus and was pretty unimpressed. A few years ago, you could get a great deal and sample some of the best dishes at each restaurant. Now it seems you are confined to a very limited and overpriced menu that doesn't even include the restaurant's most popular dishes. When you arrive and order off the restaurant week menu, waiters tend to treat you like a second class citizen and hurry to get the dishes out. The chefs don't seem to be paying much attention because I've eaten at a few restaurants I know to be amazing (and consistent) and they quickly serve you some lackluster food so they can turn the table for the next restaurant week reservation. 

Ok, enough complaining. The only exception is a good steakhouse. If you can get a nice app, filet, side, and dessert, the $30 or $40 price tag is usually worth it. I think Capital Grille & James Burke have decent dinner menus. 

This year I decided to forgo restaurant week and write about some restaurants (and recommended dishes) I recently visited that were exceptional. 

If you had a great experience at a Chicago restaurant week, please let me know! I'd love to hear about it. Maybe it'll change my mind for next year :).

Bub City (River North) - Went here with some girlfriends the other night. Young vibrant crowd. If you don't like loud and crowded, avoid this place on a Friday night. 

- fried pickles

- shrimp cocktail (loaded with shrimp) 

- pulled pork sandwich with tater tots

- cowboy wedge salad

Greek Islands (Greek Town) - This has and continues to be the best restaurant in Greek town. Great before a Hawks or Bulls game. Always packed.

- saganaki (flaming Cheese)

- fried zucchini (be careful of the garlic spread)

- avgolemeno (lemon chicken & rice soup)

- chicken shish kabob (with rice & potatoes)

- seabass (whole fish, they will fillet it for you)

- lamb chops

- horiatiki salad (tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, peppers, feta)

Ada Street (Noble Square) - My husband's friends rented this out for a private dinner for about 40 people. The chefs and bartenders were the friendliest people in the world. I think the menu changes regularly, but these were a few to remember.

- chicken liver mousse (I know, it doesn't sound so good. But it was oh so good)

- fried brussel sprouts

- cavatelli, duck confit

- brioche donuts (can you say heaven?)

- her majesty (lemon vodka drink, made me feel like a queen)

Little Goat (West Loop) - Stephanie Izard's new place next to girl and goat (she was even there working the kitchen - so cool to see). Not one healthy thing on the menu. Diner style. Great lunch or hangover spot.

- the fat club

- los drowned

A Tavola (Ukrainian Village) - Small Italian spot. Super romantic or a great place for older people who like things a little quieter. The gnocchi are supposed to be their #1 item, but I thought they were too soft and lacked flavor. If you like your gnocchi like a pillow, go for it. Nice Italian wine list. Had a nice Borolo.

- cured meats (how can you say no)

- grilled portobello mushroom

- braised lamb ragu

- braised beef short rib over saffron risotto

- lemon tart

Homemade egg mcmuffins

What's better than McDonald's breakfast? Truthfully, probably nothing. But this comes close! These impostor egg mcmuffins are a great way to start a lazy Sunday.

Ingredients (for 2 sandwiches):
2 T butter
2 english muffins
2 eggs
2 slices American cheese
2 slices ham
salt & pepper

Directions:
heat a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat.
add 1 T butter until melted and tilt pan to spread. 
place the english muffin in the toaster.
crack an egg over the pan.
let the egg cook until the edges curl and the whites start to set.
butter english muffin and add cheese (microwave for 10 seconds if cheese doesn't melt).
flip the egg and cook for about a minute.
place the egg on the english muffin.
add ham slices to skillet and fry for about a minute (be careful not to burn, just want it to brown a bit on each side).
add ham to sandwich.
sprinkle with salt & pepper.

tips & extras

Frying eggs - I'm still not that great at frying eggs. My dad is amazing at it, but I think it gets a little better each time I try! If you're really afraid to fry an egg, just scramble some. The sandwich will be just as delicious. 

Cracking eggs - If you aren't the best egg cracker, crack the egg in a bowl or ramekin and then slowly add it to the skillet. 

Over-easy - For this recipe, I prefer to make my eggs over-easy because the sandwich is a bit difficult to eat if they are too runny. 

Open-faced - I like my sandwich open-faced, similar to eggs benedict. My husband likes sandwiches. For open-faced, use 2 eggs and 1 english muffins. For a sandwich, use an entire english muffin and 1 or 2 eggs. 

Ham - Use whatever ham you like or have on hand. Canadian bacon is even better.

Chicken Parmesan

Now that winter is officially here in Chicago (negative 15 wind chill today), I can finally share this wonderful recipe with you! I've tried making chicken parm several ways but this is my favorite. It is cheesy, comforting, and a crowd pleaser! Perfect Sunday dinner or dinner party meal. 

Ingredients:
3 T olive oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 C bread crumbs
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 C flour
1/2 24 oz jar traditional prego sauce or homemade tomato sauce
4 thick slices mozzarella cheese
1/2 C grated parmesan

Directions:
preheat oven to 350.
heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat.
pound chicken with meat tenderizer until 1/2 inch thick.
dredge chicken in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs.
place chicken in pan and fry each side for a few minutes or until golden brown.
transfer chicken to greased baking dish.
place mozzarella slices over chicken.
cover each piece with tomato sauce.
sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.
back for 30 - 35 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and parmesan golden brown.

tips & extras

Tomato sauce - I think prego tomato sauce is the best canned pasta sauce in the world. If you want to make your own, Giada de Laurentis has a good recipe, here.

Dredging chicken - I make a little assembly line to make for easy cleanup. I put paper towels under the bowls to catch any dripping. Chicken -> Flour -> Egg wash -> bread crumbs -> skillet -> pan

Sides - I serve this with penne and the remaining prego sauce and a salad.

Portions - You can easily halve or double this recipe. No real measurements here!

Lining pan - Although this doesn't look beautiful, Reynold's has a new product with aluminum foil on the bottom and parchment paper on the top. The aluminum allows it to mold to the pan and the parchment ensures nothing sticks. It is the easiest clean-up ever!

Chicken stir fry

I've now been married for almost 3 years and have used my wok a whopping 2 times! I love stir fry, but I always default to my frying pan so I can cook everything at once and just get it over with. This time around, I decided to give the wok another try and I loved it. Even with smaller batches, everything cooks so quickly, you don't even notice the difference. My veggies and chicken cooked perfectly! I searched the food network for some good recipes and this one from the The Neelys caught my eye. I doubled the sauce, changed a few things, and used chicken breast instead of thighs for a healthier alternative. Added some red peppers that were lying around and created something I will definitely make again. 

Ingredients:
2 T vegetable oil
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into strips
3 T ginger, peeled and chopped
1/2 bunch green onions, sliced on an angle
1 red pepper, sliced
1 bunch broccoli florets
red pepper flakes to taste

sauce:
4 T soy sauce
2 T lemon juice
2 T rice wine vinegar
2 T brown sugar
1 T corn starch

Directions:
whisk together soy sauce, lemon juice, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, and corn starch in a separate bowl.
turn heat to medium-high and add 1 T oil to wok. 
when oil is hot, add half the chicken. 
cook for around 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through.
transfer to plate.
cook remaining chicken and transfer to plate.
add remaining 1 T oil to wok.
add broccoli to wok and cook for 5 minutes. transfer to plate.
add red pepper to wok, cook for a few minutes, transfer to plate.
add garlic, ginger, green onions, red peppers, and red pepper flakes to wok and stir-fry for a few minutes.
add chicken and brocolli back to wok. 
add sauce, stir, and cook for about a minute until it starts to bubble and thicken. 
serve over rice or on its own.

Tips & Extras

Rice - If you live near Trader Joe's, they sell boxes of frozen rice (brown & jasmine) that you can microwave in 3 minutes. They are a life saver for quick weeknight meals. 

Brown sugar storage - Feel like you are always buying brown sugar because it turns into a rock? Put the box or bag of brown sugar in a ziplock back and place in the refrigerator - it will last forever! If it's too late, you can grate the brown sugar (in rock form) with a standard cheese grater. 

Red pepper flakes - I add a dash for flavor and then let my husband add as much as he likes! I can't really take heat, so a few flakes does the trick for me. If you like heat, add about 1 tsp to the stir-fry. 

Ginger - If you can't find fresh ginger, leave it out. There isn't a really good substitute for fresh ginger. 

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

I really did not care for brussels sprouts until I tried this recipe. It makes the house smell delicious and tastes great. A good friend of mine made them at a dinner party, and I cannot get enough!

Ingredients:
1 lb brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
2 T olive oil
1 T honey
1 to 2 t Sriracha sauce
1 T lemon juice
1/2 t grated ginger
salt & pepper

Directions:
preheat oven to 450 degrees.
peel and grate fresh ginger.
in a medium bowl, combine olive oil, honey, Sriracha, lemon guice, ginger, salt & pepper.
add brussels sprouts to bowl and mix.
place brussels sprouts on lightly greased or aluminum-foil lined baking tray.
cook for 20 minutes or until they begin to turn golden brown, turning brussels sprouts over after 10 minutes.

tips & extras

Measurements - I don't really measure this, so these are approximate amounts. Just combine everything in a bowl based on your taste preference. Quick pour of olive oil, splash of sriracha, squeeze of honey, juice of half a lemon, a bit of ginger, s & p to taste. Adjust based on taste preference and quantity.

Cooking time - Don't undercook the brussels sprouts. They are best when browned. 

Sriracha - Adjusted for taste preference. If you like heat, double or even triple the Sriracha. 

Ginger - If you don't have fresh ginger, you can use a bit of dried or just leave it out completely. I don't think dried ginger is that great of a substitute for fresh. 

Herb Chicken

Things have been crazy lately. With traveling, the holidays, and work, I can barely find time to cook! Luckily, this delicious chicken recipe saved me the other night when I was desperate for something quick and delicious. Here's to a healthy and happy new year =)

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 T dried thyme

1 T dried oregano

salt & pepper

olive oil

Directions:

outdoor grill - heat to medium heat.

grill pan - heat over medium heat until pan is hot.

pound the chicken with the flat end of a meat tenderizer until 1/2 inch thick.

brush the chicken with olive oil.

season the chicken with the dried herbs, salt & pepper.

cook chicken ~ 10 minutes per side or until juices run clear.

tips & extras:

Grill pan - See Le Creuset's tips for caring for cast iron. Most people will tell you to not grease a grill pan but to grease the meat itself. I sometimes grease the pan, but it makes cleanup a bit difficult. 

Sides - I served this with pasta and spaghetti sauce (prego is my favorite store-bought sauce). I added some cherry tomatoes I had laying around. Chicken with pasta and tomato sauce is a perfect bite.