Ingredients: 1/3 lb skirt steak* (see note)

1/2 small onion, thin sliced

1/3 red bell pepper, or 1/2 if smaller than average

3-4 whole shiitake mushrooms, sliced (any type of shroom will do if you can’t find shiitakes)

handful of lettuce (I like spring mix, you might like romaine, any kind will do)

2-3 tablespoons each balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil

2 slices sandwich bread (I used whole wheat, your favorite will do)

* You will not find skirt steak in 1/3lb size, they usually come in a long strip at about a pound or more. Cut off the portion size that suits you, slicing AGAINST the grain, wrap the remaining portion(s) tightly and freeze until your next use. Skirt steak, once considered a poor-man’s cut of beef, is cheaper than a lot of other cuts of beef, is very flavorful and quick to cook. It goes well in salads, fajitas… anything that requires thin slices of steak.

Instructions: Heat a saute pan, or grill if you have one, to medium high heat. For God’s sake, do not use a George Foreman grill unless you like dry, overcooked, tasteless meat. Foreman grills are pieces of JUNK unless you are making paninis or waffles. Sorry, I hate George Foremans. Anyway… salt and pepper both sides of the piece of skirt steak, and place on the very hot pan. If the meat does not make a nice, loud sizzle… pan’s not hot enough. So, let the steak sear for about 3 minutes for medium rare doneness ( I don’t recommend cooking this cut of steak any further than med. rare), and flip it ONCE, cooking for two or three more minutes. When there is a nice dark crust on the outside of the steak, remove it to the cutting board and let it rest while you prepare everything else.

Add the sliced onions, peppers and mushrooms to the same pan, reducing heat if necessary so they don’t burn. Saute until peppers are blistered and soft and onions are dark golden, about 7 minutes. Meanwhile, toss the handful of lettuce with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Set aside.

Once the peppers, onions, and shrooms are almost done, slice the skirt steak AGAINST the grain into thin strips. Place lettuce on one slice of bread, and sliced steak on the other slice. By now, the pepper/onion mixture should be ready, so layer that on top of the steak, and close it up. Enjoy!

After a hellish week, and not much of a restful weekend, my friend Anthony calls me up to take me to brunch at the Twisted Spoke. I believe there may be more than one location in Chicago. Either way, you know you’ve arrived when you see a big skeleton on a motorcycle spinning around on the top of the place. It’s got that biker-bar atmosphere, but super friendly and plenty of places to sit and see what everyone’s ordering.

Great service, awesome food, and one could certainly not have brunch without a Bloody Mary! We take no time ordering those, especially since they come with a little sidecar of beer.

We just could not decide on only one dish each, so we ordered a little selection of everything. Elvis french toast is to die for! Peanut butter and bananas are sandwiched between slices of egg-dipped white bread and sprinkled with a little cinnamon and sugar. We also have some corned-beef hash, topped with poached eggs for Anthony, and some scrambled eggs with ham that I share with him. We also ordered a side of sausage links, which you just can’t do without.

See pictures! And they serve brunch late, until 3pm! 501 N Ogden Ave. Get over there.

My friend Anthony lives in Humbolt Park, on the corner of Kedzie and Beach, right across from the park. He, and his neighbor Devorah, keep a garden in their backyard and that morning I went over to help them tend to it. There might not be many of these warm, sunny days left and it’s time to pick what you can before the first frost hits.

I always learn something new when I’m over at Anthony’s. He’s got loads of tomatoes, but to my dismay, they were all still green. We walk around the garden as Anthony cuts off long branches with 5 or 6 tomatoes still attached. While the tomatoes are still on the vine, they will continue to ripen. It’s getting too cold at night for the tomatoes to ripen outside, but we can move them inside without cutting their growth short. However, there are quite a few red ones. There are also bright yellow plum tomatoes that I presume to be under-ripe, but Anthony gets me to take a bite. Super sweet!! They are totally ripe, they just never turn red. He’s also got a few Thai eggplants that are ready to be plucked, the ones that are still green will make it outside for a little longer. We also gather up what are probably the last of the peppers, some hot, some sweet. And, rosemary, parsley, mint, and chives are still going strong, but we clean it out a little bit. Anthony is big on jarring and canning, and this bounty we have collected will probably be turned into salsas and marmalades… I’ll have to come back for that.

As Anthony heads inside to answer the door, I hang outside with Devorah, not willing to waste a moment of sunshine. Devorah and Anthony share the gardening, but Devorah admits that it’s Anthony who shows her what to do with what they grow. She and I walk around the yard, and like a kid I point to different plants asking her what they are. She shows me what looks like lavender in one spot, but claims she didn’t plant it, and it comes back every year. I come across an herb that to me looks like lovage (love-edge), but she doesn’t know because neither she nor Anthony planted it. I nibble on one of the leaves and I’m convinced it’s lovage. I tell her if she combines it with the rosemary, mint and parsley and whatever other herbs she can find, she can make a pesto-like sauce that you don’t have to cook, but can be used as a bread dip, salad dressing, and goes beautifully with fish. With Anthony’s jarring skills, she could keep it for months. “See, I got the green thumb,” she says, “I just need people like you to tell me what to do with everything!”

As we come around the yard, we come across Devorah and Anthony’s compost pile— the life source of the garden, and something many urban gardeners usually don’t have the space or patience for. Devorah tells me that they’ve had the pile since early summer, and everything that’s biodegradable goes right in. She says this is her “little way of giving back to the planet”. Banana peels, fish bones, egg shells, everything that would normally find it’s way to the garbage can goes into this pile, along with a sort of filler product, creates a lush fertilizer that’s free, and just awesome. She drags her small garden hoe through the pile, lifting up mounts of mulch to reveal long, juicy, pink worms that I am both delighted and slightly repulsed by. Devorah actually had to buy the worms and put them in the pile, because what actually makes compost so fertile and nutrient is worm castings, a.k.a. worm shit! And, they are everywhere, probably by the hundreds. But, without them, the compost pile would just be a pile of rotting nastiness.

After spending a few more minutes out in the sunshine, marveling at nature, Anthony comes out and tells us that it’s finally time for brunch! Off to the Twisted Spoke we go…..

If you have not been to the Wit Hotel, Chicago’s newest boutique hotel in the Loop, it is time you check it out. Nestled next to the train tracks on State and Lake streets, the place is hard to miss, considering the bright green lightning bolt that zigzags from the top to bottom of the building’s facade, not to mention the bevy of luxury cars always seeming to be picking someone up or dropping them off in front. But, forget the outside- if you can avoid the serious floral fragrance that I swear they spray right outside the entrance to lure people in- get inside to Cibo Matto, arguably Chicago’s best new Italian restaurant.

I started my experience in the restaurant’s lounge area with a Basilico Spumante, made with apricot puree, prosecco, and fresh basil. It was such a perfect drink to start with- crisp, fresh, and the basil just made it so unique. After that, I slid into one of the sleek, white booths, that are situated in such a way that diners can’t really see eachother because of the high backs of the seats that wing out. It can be quite the intimate affair.

 Since I was with a few people, we decided to order almost the whole menu just to try everything. We started out with the crispy sweetbreads, which were super crispy and the lemon fritto it was served with was perfectly zesty. Fried zucchini blossoms filled with whipped ricotta cheese were decadent, and addicitive. The seared sea scallops were probably my favorite part- plump with a crisp exterior, soft and pillow-like on the inside. We also ordered the burrata cheese that came with cherries and almond pesto…. yum.

The pasta came next and honestly, the only thing I can remember at this point (after quite a few glasses of wine, I must say) was the buccatini. Oh my god. Fresh buccatini in carbonara sauce, plus pecorino cheese, plus pancetta, plus a duck egg, plus plus plus! I literally had to fight my own father to get my fair share. It was unbelievable, and I can’t wait for the next time I get to try it. This time I’m ordering my own. We also had ricotta creamed spinach as a side, you know, just because we felt we needed more food. I have never loved spinach so much. We also ordered two of the “carne” dishes because they had halibut on the bone (which you will NEVER see on any menu in the Midwest, ever) that came with an heirloom tomato panzanella (un-f’en-believable) and the new york strip, which I again had to fight my dad over, but I was starting to let him win at this point.

Overall, Cibo Matto provided such an exquisite experience, and impeccable service. I wish I had my own pictures to post here, unfortunately I was not armed with my camera. I guess I’ll have to go back.

So, I was looking through my fridge, trying to figure out what to make for dinner. I really do try to eat a balanced diet, even though I’m such a meat and potatoes kinda gal. Vegetables are so important for health, and up until a few years ago, I wouldn’t touch a green vegetable with a 50 foot pole. I hated the smell, the after-taste… everything. It always seemed you could never cover up the natural taste of a green vegetable with everything. And then, there was bacon.

Say the word, or words, “brussels sprouts” and most people look at you like, “you are not seriously going to make me eat those, right?” Trust me, I was in that camp too. But, nothing covers up that nasty green taste like a delicious, smoky slab of bacon. Once to taste how awesome these bacon-enhanced brussels sprouts are, you’ll be making green beans, peas, asparagus, and all kinds of crazy green vegetables the same way. The recipe is as follows:

Serves 1

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients:

6 or 7 whole brussels sprouts, quartered

1/4 c diced onions

2 slices bacon, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

olive oil, for sauteing

salt and pepper to taste

Put diced bacon in a frying pan over medium heat. Allow the bacon to crisp up, do not agitate too much. When it looks almost golden brown, remove from pan and set aside in a small bowl. Do not drain leftover grease.

Leaving the heat on medium, add the onion, sauteing for 2-3 minutes. Add quartered brussels sprouts and cover pan with lid. Every 5-7 minutes, stir, replace lid until slightly golden. Add garlic, saute, place lid on top for another 4-5 minutes. Again, do not over-agitate. Allow the brussels sprouts to become golden, then add the cooked bacon and saute 1-2 minutes more, and voila… delicious.

The delights pictured here are so easy to make, and so delicious. The recipe is easy to adjust according to the number of servings you need. For some reason, it is just impossible to have one, and I wouldn’t recommend trying to make just one. You’ll be trying to divide an egg in half and that would be silly. So, here is a recipe for you and two other people you’d be willing to share with. Or, don’t share, I won’t tell if you eat them all.

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Serves: 3

Ingredients

- 1/4 cup (half stick) unsalted butter, softened

-1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 pound 60% cocoa nibs (subs. semi-sweet chocolate chips)

1 tablespoon orange extract

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

pinch salt

Powdered Sugar for sprinkling

Preheat oven 325 degrees F.

Using some of the butter, grease 1/2 cup ramekins. Sprinkle some of the sugar inside the ramkins, shaking to coat the bottom and sides of each. Place ramekins in baking dish and set aside. Bring a medium saucepan to simmer.

Combine chocolate nibs, remaining butter and orange extract in metal or durable glass bowl and place over top of the saucepan to create a double boiler. Melt the chocolate, stirring constantly, until smooth and creamy; reserve.

Meanwhile, combine the eggs, remaining sugar, vanilla and salt in large bowl. Beat with electric mixer until the mixture doubles in volume and becomes fluffly (see pictures). Remove the bowl from over the saucepan, and add in 1/3 of egg mixture, folding gently. Add this mixture back into the egg mixture slowly, still folding gently. It will take a minute or two to incorporate it fully, but be patient and do not stir vigorously.

Divide the batter evenly among the ramekins. Create a waterbath by filling the baking dish with water until it is halfway up the ramekins. Bake until the cakes have risen slightly and the edges are set, about 20 minutes. If the tops start to get a little too dark, lay a piece of foil gently across the top. Remove from oven and remove ramekins from the waterbath, cool slightly. You can leave the cakes in the ramekins, or use a dull knife to loosen them slightly and remove to a plate. Allow to cool for a few minutes, but enjoy them while they’re still warm. Dust lightly with powdered sugar. Goes great with a little scoop of vanilla ice cream.

My favorite part about these little cakes is that they’re individual sized. I love having a whole dessert to myself, but these are small, so I don’t feel like a cow. Also, since these are so decadent, and with that perfect crust on top, they appear slightly difficult to make. They’re really not, but significant others/parents/grandmas/friends will be really impressed.

These really are a quick dessert, and you can make your own variations. Instead of orange extract, try amaretto liquer or Grand Marnier if you happen to have either sitting around. Any fruit extract will do, really. Or, just make them straight up. They look dense, but they’re incredibly light, although definately rich. I call these “orange scented” because you really smell the orange before you taste it, I think.

Nothing beats homemade popcorn. I have never really liked any of the processed brands…fake butter flavor, that funky yellow number 6 coloring, and the greasy packaging are just all a big turn off for me. I especially dislike popcorn in a bag, you know, the kind that looks like box packaging and has that noxious smell. I know some people that just love it but, I cannot stand it.

When I wake up early enough to stop by the Green City Market on Saturdays, I always pick up a huge bag of white corn kernels. Farmers always have a ton of it on hand if they grow corn or live near a fellow farmer that does. I don’t have a fancy popcorn pot or anything but, I just put a little olive oil in a pan over medium high heat, dump in a bunch of kernels, sprinkle in a little salt and put the lid on top and let the magic happen. The olive oil really makes it taste awesome, better than butter (if you can imagine). By the way, using real butter will not work, the butter will burn. The first time I introduced my olive oil popped popcorn to my friends, they were beside themselves. I swear that sometimes they would only want to come over from then on because they wanted my popcorn. They ask me everytime. I have a bunch of variations for it, too. Not only can you buy different flavors of salt (dill pickle flavor sounds nasty, but it is actually very surprising on popcorn), but you can toss in actual ingredients. I sometimes like to do salt, black pepper, and grated parmesan cheese. The cheese doesn’t really melt, the popcorn is just warm enough that it sticks. I’ve made my own caramel, cooled it slightly and poured it over slightly salted popcorn- delicious. I’ve turned that creation into caramel apple popcorn balls by just adding finely diced apple pieces and forming softball-sized balls of it. You can toss popcorn together with nuts and drizzle in some honey, even spice that mixture up with a little cayenne pepper.

There are plenty of sweet and savory options for popcorn. It’s pretty healthy, easy to make, and so versatile. That is why it is my favorite snack. What’s yours?