Craving Chocolate?

Chocolate. A magical substance in my opinion. Sometimes, I swear I can feel it working its way through my system, elevating my mood and making everything around me seem just a little bit brighter. Some would call this unhealthy, but I'm a firm believer in the 'all things in moderation' approach.

If you too crave the occasional chocolate indulgence, here are some of my favorite chocolately treats I've learned to have on hand.


1. Trader Joe's Sea Salt & Turbinado Sugar Chocolate Almonds

If you're a fan of sweet and salty, your life's about to get so much better. This is my absolute favorite product from Trader Joe's. Just 3 or 4 of these crunchy little guys and you'll be whistling a happier tune.

2. Cadbury Mini Eggs

These crunchy-on-the-outside, creamy-on-the-inside, chocolate treats are only available around Easter. My advice- stock up NOW. They're unique from their candy-coated competitors due their vanilla-scented, matte candy shell. The supremely creamy Cadbury chocolate inside is like an added bonus.

3. Hershey's Extra Dark Chocolate Squares

I'll always choose dark chocolate over milk or white given the option. While I enjoy the deepest, darkest varieties running at 75-90% cacao, these individually wrapped 60% squares satisfy a sweet craving quickly and easily. 

4. Chocolate Caliente 

When a true chocolate craving strikes, (you know the kind I'm talking about) pre-packaged treats simply won't suffice. In these instances, I have two words for you: Chocolate Caliente. You may have translated this to mean Hot Chocolate and you'd be partially right. The beverage I'm referring to is both hot and chocolately, but to place it on the same playing field as Ovaltine would be remiss. 

Since traveling to Spain, it is my sincere opinion that Americans are complete amateurs when it comes to hot chocolate. Chocolate Caliente is a Spanish beverage, which can only be described as a pure, molten, chocolate experience. Difference numero uno: it's incredibly thick. It also emphasizes the chocolate flavor, while (I've always thought) American cocoa tends to emphasize the cream. If you're going for a truly authentic experience, serve it alongside freshly fried churros. This is one treat you absolutely have to try. Max Brenner does a nice version at limited locations in the U.S., but if anyone knows where I can find a good cup in Chicago, please let me know!

Purim: It's Hamantashen Time

I was riding the El this morning and I remembered that Purim falls this week. To my great dismay, I realized that regardless of Temple Israel's attempts to drill the story of this lesser known holiday into my brain, somehow the details were still fuzzy. For at least 10 years of Sunday School, I watched reenactments, dressed up as Esther, and won prizes at the Purim Carnivals. Yet remarkably, I had to look up the details of Hamen's evil plot to kill the Jews and how Esther saved the day. If you need a refresher as well, I highly recommend the About.com version of the story. Hello 21st century religious education.
Oddly enough, the one part I didn't have any trouble recalling was the edible aspect of this holiday. On Purim, we eat Hamantashen. For those of you who are unfamilar, Hamatashen are triangle-shaped, filled cookies, made to symbolize the 3-cornered hat worn by the villain of our story, Hamen.

Now, all Jewish foods hold a special place in my heart, however, in my eyes Hamatashen do not hold a candle to the richer delights like brisket, kreplach, matzo balls, etc. All in all I feel my family agrees with me on this point. But one person remains steadily devout to this tradition: my mom. I don't recall a single grandma, aunt, uncle or cousin in my family ever making Hamatashen. Instead, every year, my mom pulls out the ole Cuisinart, mixes up at least 3 batches of dough, and spends hours using an inverted glass to cut perfect circles out of the pastry. Without fail, she uses the same three fillings every year: Apricot, Prune and Chocolate Chip. She bakes them off, then, it's into the freezer in mixed baggies (like a true Yiddishe Mama), until they can be delivered to family and friends.

I'm not quite sure why Hamantashen are so important to her, though I have a feeling it has more to do with the Prune filling she loves so much than a particularly deep connection to the story of Esther. Still, it's a nice tradition. Through the years, we've all helped her bake at some point. I certainly did during most of middle and high school and my dad always lends a hand when needed. This year, she went the extra mile and invited over her mother, my aunt and my 4-year-old cousin to help. I know she's secretly anxious to pass the tradition on to her grandchildren, but I don't think any of her kids are quite ready to oblige. Until that day comes, enjoy her beloved Hamantashen Recipe:

Ready for the Oven!

Mom's Hamentashen (makes about 50)

Dough
3 eggs
1 cup of sugar
1/2 orange and lemon juice and rind
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt to taste
3/4 cup oil
4 cups of AP flour (may need more)

Prune Filling 
24 oz prunes
12 oz raisins
1 orange with find
1 lemon with rind
A few TBSP of apricot jam or marmalade for texture
Walnuts or pecans (optional)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350
Pulse together all the dough ingredients, minus the flour. 
Add the flouring in batches. You may need slightly more than four cups to make for a good rolling consistency.
Roll out to 1/4-1/3 of an inch with flour on the board.
Use an inverted glass with a 3-4 inch diameter to cut out circles. Combine the leftover scraps and roll it out again to make more.
Pulse together all of the filling ingredients.
Place about a teaspoon of filling the center.
Push in the dough on 3 sides to form a triangel. It's ok if the filling shows through.
Bake for 18 minutes.

Enjoy!

Product Rave: PB2 Peanut Butter

I'm all for appropriate indulgences when it comes to food. In order to thoroughly enjoy myself on the weekends, at special occasions and when a craving strikes, however, I try to eat pretty healthy during the week. One of my major weaknesses though is peanut butter. It's ever-present in my house, staring at me from the pantry and, miraculously, it sounds delicious at just about anytime throughout the day.

Now, I understand that peanut butter has numerous health benefits is great protein-packed condiment. The calories and fat add up very quickly when you enjoy a few heaping tablespoons though. If you're a traditionalist, stick with the jar you know and love. But, if you're like me, and would like to be able to enjoy the salty-sweet stuff more often, allow me to introduce my new favorite healthy product! PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter. This stuff is all natural, no weird chemicals or anything, and all you have to do is mix the powder with a tiny bit of water until reaches the right consistency. It comes closer to real peanut butter's natural texture and flavor than any other substitute I've tried. The main reason I fell head over heels for PB2 is the fact that 2 Tablespoons comes to teeny tiny 45 calories (in comparison to 190 for the regular stuff).

Of course, when I really have a craving, I still do it up right with Jif. PB2 is just a fantastic way to enjoy peanut butter on my toast in the morning or on a banana or apply slices as a snack, without weighing me down calorically. Keep in mind, you can also add the powder to cooking recipes that call for peanut butter. I mix mine into oatmeal and different sauces and marinades. Combine some of the powder with chicken broth, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes for an extremely low-cal peanut sauce.

If you wish you could eat peanut butter more often than you currently do, try this stuff! You can order it online on Amazon or find it at a local health food store. Check out the PB2 website to see other recipe ideas or find a store near you.

Pinterest: My New Recipe Book

Have you discovered Pinterest yet? Recently, I found out it's not just for people interested in fashion and home decor... It's a food and recipe lover's dream.

For those of you don't know, Pinterest is a sort of digital bulletin board. You create pinboards for whatever topic you're interested in. Examples might include: "Recipes to Try," "DIY Ideas," or "Shoes I Need." Then whenever you're scanning the internet and stumble across an image you like, you "Pin It." It'll be saved on the site whenever you want to go back and reference it. Since, Pinterest is also a social network, you can follow your friends and family and easily share and swap recipes too. Believe me when I say scrolling through the food images others have pinned is an easy way to pass several hours. Drooling seems to be a common side effect.

Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars

My personal infatuation with the site stems from its extensive Food and Drink section. It's audience is so diverse that anyone who eats will find something that hooks them. Are you a mom looking for easy weeknight meals and one-pot wonders? An adventurous baker who will attempt a cupcake complete with a filling, ganache and edible decorations? Maybe you're looking for healthy recipes to jumpstart the new year or recipes for a gluten-free lifestyle. You'll find plenty of content in all of those categories.

In my case, I simply enjoy collecting interesting recipes for when a creative mood strikes. I can also happily pass hours looking at food whether I need a recipe or not. My pinboards have quickly replaced my old attempts at keeping a recipe book. I used to cut clippings from cooking magazine and print my favorites off the internet. Storing them was a mess and I rarely referenced the collection because I could more easily use my computer. Today, any recipe you find in print, you can find online on the magazine or newspaper website. All you need to do it Pin It! It will be saved on your board for easy access whenever you need it. Go find your favorite recipes and share them with the Pinterest world.

The other bonus is that each photo is directly linked to the blog or site it was taken from. This means, not only will you have access to further instructions and reviews when you click to the site, but you'll also been introduced to a blog you might not have found otherwise. In my experience, it's likely you'll spend another twenty minutes perusing the blogger's other recipes, pinning more images and bookmarking it for return visits.

I have my food pins organized on two pinboards right now, "Sweet" and "Savory." As my collection expands, I'll probably divide them further into traditional cookbook sections like "Appetizers" and "Entrees." That seems like the best way to stay organized since my collection is growing so quickly. If you want to follow my pins, just click the red Pinterest button to the right. I'm always looking for more food lovers to follow.

P.S. You need an invite to join the site now, but if you leave a comment with your email I'll be happy to invite you!

Happy Pinning!

Savory Pin Board

Girl and the Goat

Stephanie Izard, Top Chef Season 4's winner, opened Girl in the Goat in summer of 2010. Now, in January of 2012, Chicagoans are still swarming there, eager to eat their way through her unique and affordable menu.

Four of us ventured to the Randolph and Halsted restaurant last Thursday evening and we enjoyed every aspect of our experience. Aside from an inviting ambience, knowledgable servers and friedly staff, the food was adventurous, surprising and downright tasty.

As the plates are meant for sharing, we were able to try a lot of things on the menu. We started with the Bread with Beer Cheese Sauce. While we enjoyed it, the simple starter was quickly forgotten after the markedly more exciting dishes that followed.

Chickpea Fritters

The first dish to arrive was the Chickpea Fritters. Topped with an eggplant-tomatillo caponata, the melt-in-your mouth chickpea mixture was perfectly fried and served as a fantastic start to the meal. The garnishes made the flavors sing, but the chosen element on this plate was definitely the unique contrast of textures.

Next out of the kitchen were the Seared Sea Scallops with mushrooms and diced butternut squash. I love scallops and Stephanie's team executed them beautifully. They arrived perfectly seared and were served over a complex broth you wanted to lick from the bowl. Two more delicious veggie dishes followed. First came the green beans in a fish sauce vinaigrette. Finished with a drizzle of creamy sauce and chopped cashews, this was the dish I'm most eager to replicate at home. The beans had just the right amount of bite, the vinaigrette was salty with a fun Asian influence, and the cashews were a perfect, crunchy accompaniment.

Roasted Cauliflower

The most surprising dish of the night for me was the sliced, Roasted Cauliflower with pickled peppers, pine nuts and mint. From the menu description, I was hesitant about the unusual combination. While the first bite didn't quite sell me, the more I tried it, the more the flavors truly came together. I'm a firm believer in trusting the chef and that dish made me eager to try any other unusual combinations Stephanie Izard wanted to place before me.

Grilled Pork Ribs

While the Goat Empanadas were tasty, the the Grilled Pork Ribs and Roasted Pig Face were by far the more memorable of the meat dishes we tried. The ribs were topped with a grilled scallion vinaigrette and served with a tomatillo-mushroom slaw. Their great smoky flavor just added to fact that they were falling off the bone. Yelp reviews sold us on ordering the Pig Face and we were not disappointed. Served with crispy potato stix and a sunny side up egg, the plate was almost an ode to breakfast. The pig face was of course the star of the dish and we all immediately loved the deep flavor and tenderness of the meat.

Wood Roasted Pig Face

While incredibly full after our expansive tour of the menu, we couldn't leave without trying at least one of the desserts. We went with the Chocolate Cake, accompanied with chili-spiced gelato and peanut fluff, topped off with pomegranate seeds. Let's just say that our level of fullness didn't stop us from scraping the bowl clean. Another fun combination of spicy and sweet.

 

Chocolate Cake

It was a memorable meal and I would highly recommend Girl and the Goat to adventurous eaters. Stephanie Izard uses a deft hand in composing her ever changing menu and you are sure to be surprised many times throughout your meal. I will happily be at the mercy of any chef who can make me recall a 'simple' green bean dish more fondly than the delicious scallops. I'll definitely be back again.

If you're planning a trip there, and you should, be sure to call several weeks in advance for a reservation. Otherwise, be prepared to wait quite a while. Either way, your patience will be rewarded.

Chilam Balam

My girlfriends and I have started a tradition of what we like to call "Thursday Night Fun Night," that involves some sort of fun dinner or activity on Thursday. We all love hanging out and trying new things, but it's also something we get to look forward to all week long.  This past week, we decided to try out one of the Top Chef Season 9 contestants' restaurants in Chicago. With 5 chefs' restaurants to choose from, only one had the flair AND the price tag we required for our festivities. Chuy Valencia's Chilam Balam in Lakeview.

This teeny restaurant in the basement level of a building would be easy to walk past without a second look-- But wouldn't that be a shame. Owners Chuy Valencia and Soraya Rendon made their tiny space warm and inviting with Mexican decor and filled their ever-changing, tapas style menu with creative, Mexican-inspired delights.

The six of us ordered 10 small plates to share, with only one earning a poor review. The star dishes of the night for myself were the Grilled Pork Ribs with a sticky, honey-pasilla glaze and the Seared Sea Scallops with a creamy tomatillo sauce. The ribs were the last plate to arrive on the table, but a hefty portion of 6 meaty ribs with a drool-worthy sauce made them a standout dish. I love Sea Scallops and was happy to have my high hopes realized when they came out perfectly cooked and garnished with brussel sprouts, sweet potato and chorizo.

Seared Sea Scallops (photo via Fashion Framboise)

Other table favorites included the Corn Masa Memelas with black beans and goat cheese and the Flautas stuffed with Chipotle Chicken Thigh. These two dishes were both featured on Food Network's Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, and I have to say, I probably never would have tried the Memelas without having first seen them first on the show. I'm usually not one to go for a vegetarian option when meat dishes abound, but this one intrigued me. The memelas had an incredible mix of textures between the crisp, dense masa cake, the hearty, expertly seasoned black beans and the creamy goat cheese on top. All six of us really enjoyed them.

The only plate that left us unenthused was the Endive Salad with honey crisp apple and truffle oil. It was everyone's least favorite with the earthiness of the truffle oil disrupting the lightness of everything else on the plate. One unsuccessful dish was quickly forgotten in the midst of nine other delicious plates though.

We were filled by the ten plates but still couldn't leave without trying the desserts. We ordered three, which were all impressive, but the one that left a lasting impression was the Cajeta Cheesecake with Kahlua ice cream. I would highly recommend it to any cheesecake fan.

Overall, we loved the festive atmosphere and enjoyed a delicious, memorable meal. A few tips to keep in mind... Chilam Balam only takes reservations on weekdays and they do NOT have room for you to wait inside. Think about that-- It's a teeny restaurant with a loyal following, an acclaimed chef and amazing food. There's going to be a wait and you'll be waiting outside. Make reservations. And bring wine or beer as it's BYOB. Lastly, I must insist that you order the Pork Ribs. Enjoy!

Sticky Pork Ribs

Banana Chocolate Chip Goodness

I love my banana bread recipe. It's passed down from my Grandma Jean who was the cooking/baking extraordinaire of comfort food. Not only is it super dense, moist and delicious, it's also one of the simplest baking recipes I know. You throw every thing in a bowl and mix. Literally.

Moist and chunky Banana Bread

3 mashed, overripe bananas
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1/2 t salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla or 1/2 tsp cinnamon

For Chocolate Chip Walnut Bread, add in:

1/2 cup walnut pieces
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Mix together and bake at 350 in a greased 9x5 loaf pan for 1 hour.


My Very Best Tips for Banana Bread

1. Whenever you're baking with bananas, you want to use overripe banana. And when I say overripe, I mean brown all around. You want them to basically fall out of the peel into the bowl. That's the key to bringing any banana recipe to its full potential.

2. Some grocery stores sell bunches of overripe bananas. If you see them, grab a bunch and stick it in the freezer till you're ready to bake one day.

3. Or, if you're like me and always seem to have one banana that doesn't get eaten before it goes bad, start collecting them in a certain part of your freezer so you'll be ready to bake at the drop of a hat.

4. Did you know banana bread isn't best right out of the oven? I know it smells amazing, but waiting for it to cool to room temperature will result in a better texture and flavor. To eat it at its prime, let it cool completely, then wrap it plastic wrap and don't try it until the next day. It will be extra moist!

5. For those of you who can't wait a whole day to dig in after smelling the wonderful aroma of banana bread in the oven, here's a tip. Set aside 1/2 to 2/3 cup of batter before pouring it into the loaf pan. While it's baking, you're set to make two incredibly hearty and delicious banana pancakes! 

6. Once you try the pancake trick once, you may even want to downsize the bread to a smaller loaf pan so you have more pancake batter to work with :) This trick applies to any sweet bread recipe. I highly recommend trying it with Pumpkin Bread batter. 

7. For the pancakes, start with a lower temperature in your pan and a longer cook time. The batter has more sugar than a standard pancake recipe and will burn at a high heat.

Happy Baking!