Europe in review, part one: A culinary adventure

After 2+ glorious weeks overseas, I'm now back in sweet home Chicago readjusting to reality. Laundry is done, pantry shelves are restocked, work emails have been answered, and pictures have been loaded and shared...except here!


My friend Kathleen and I were fearless in trying new things. We tried local specialties in every place we visited, and sought out historic eateries as well as less touristy places.


In our guilt-free vacation vortex, we ate and drank what we wanted, when we wanted - no guilt allowed :) Here are some highlights...


Allow me to kick things off with our first beer of the trip, a freshly poured Heineken in Amsterdam.

Bon voyage!

Just wanted to let you all know I'm taking a little trip...to Europe! Wooooooo!!! This trip has been a long time coming, and I'm so excited to eat and drink my way through Amsterdam, Germany and Prague.


Don't worry, when I get back I'll do a full post on some of my favorite meals, foods, beers, wines, restaurants, etc, complete with pictures. Have a great few weeks, everyone!

The easiest and Frenchiest weeknight dinner

I love the term 'a la marinière' - it just sounds so...French! What does it mean? Basically it refers to seafood (usually shellfish; especially mussels or 'moules') cooked mariner's style, with white wine and herbs. Katie P from Food Wine & Mod Podge and I have been taking a French gastronomy and culture class together at Loyola, and especially after seeing her recent post on mussels, I was inspired to grab some for myself and whip up a French-inspired 20-minute meal.

A note about buying mussels: I got mine at Whole Foods, and even though the fish guy picked them out himself, unfortunately he didn't do a great job - I had to get rid of almost half of them before cooking because the shells were cracked or they were open. So, lesson learned - next time I'll make sure that they look closer and I get my money's worth! :)

Fruits de Mer a la Marinière

olive oil

3 shallots, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups white wine (like sauvignon blanc)

1 tilapia fillet, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 lb mussels, cleaned and de-bearded

2-3 T fresh parsley, chopped

In a large skillet (try 12"), heat a few teaspoons of olive oil over medium heat and add the shallots and garlic. Breathe in the delicious smell as they cook for several minutes, just starting to soften but not brown. Seriously, does anything smell as good as sauteeing onions and garlic? Add the white wine, and bring it to a rolling boil for about a minute. Lower the heat to a simmer, add the mussels and tilapia and cover the skillet. Wiggling occasionally (the covered skillet, that is), cook until all the mussels are open, about 5 minutes. Remove the lid, sprinkle with parsley, and taste the broth, adding salt and pepper to taste. Discard any mussels that haven't opened. Spoon some mussels and tilapia into a wide bowl, and pour some broth over it. Serve with a hearty slice of toasted baguette, seasoned with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Chili, take #35

Chili is one of those things that I've never made the same way twice. I have yet to find the 'perfect' recipe, and my favorite chilis I've eaten have been made by Potbelly's and my friend KP - and they're not giving up their recipes anytime soon.


I'm not even sure that this recipe counts as chili, because there are no chilis in it, and in fact not even many other veggies...but there are beans. Per a quick wikipedia search, it seems that 'chili' is merely a spicy stew - so I guess by that definition, this counts! (Though my version isn't even that spicy?) At any rate, I've been wanting to try out a black bean-sweet potato flavor combo for a while, and I had some ground turkey to use up as well - and considering Chicago's winter is getting its second wind, I felt like I needed a little something warm and comforting to counteract the still-dropping temperatures outside.


This chili is hearty, healthy, and full of aromatic spices like cumin, coriander, and even cinnamon - which goes perfectly in this recipe, and was a stroke of genius on my part at the last minute :)


First, you brown the meat, and get the veggies chopped and in the pot.

Then, you add the spices and let them really toast and coat all the ingredients with their delicious goodness for a few minutes.

Tomato sauce and black beans finish it off.

I actually kept it on the thick side this time so I could eat it with some rice, but adding just one 14-oz can of diced tomatoes next time will take this into soupier territory, perfect for dunking tortilla chips.

Black Bean & Sweet Potato Turkey Chili


1 pkg ground turkey (about 1 1/3 lbs)
1/2 large onion, chopped
1/2 large sweet potato, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 t salt
2 T chili powder (this chili was NOT spicy...I might add more next time!)
1 T cumin
1 t coriander
1/2 t cumin seeds (optional)
1/2 t oregano
1 small can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 c tomato sauce
2 T taco sauce or salsa (you can just add a little more tomato sauce if you don't have this)
pinch cinnamon


In a large dutch oven or stockpot, brown the ground turkey in a little olive oil over medium heat for about 6-7 minutes. When nearly cooked through, add the onion, garlic, sweet potato, and salt to the pot. Lowering the heat slightly to medium-low, add all the spices except for the cinnamon, stirring to coat all the meat and vegetables, and cook about 5-7 minutes until the veggies are just starting to get tender. Add the rinsed, drained black beans along with the tomato sauce and taco sauce, and stir to combine. Allow everything to simmer together and the flavors to merry over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes. Add the pinch of cinnamon and stir to incorporate. Serve over rice with some cheddar cheese on top.

Keen on quinoa

Have you heard about keenwah quinoa? It's another one of those foods that is actually ancient, but has lately been re-discovered and touted for its health benefits. Similar in size and texture to cous cous, it's cultivated in South America and is one of only a few plant-based sources that provides complete protein. I've had a box in my pantry for a while, and seeing recipe after recipe on the interwebs inspired me to cook up a few cups last week to keep in the fridge for breakfast (with oatmeal and milk) and any other great ideas that came along...like this one.


Paired with almost any fresh fruits/veggies and a little dose of dressing, quinoa becomes the perfect backdrop for a healthy and filling salad. I especially love this combination because the crunch from the radicchio and apples and the heartiness from the croutons make for a really nice texture!

Radicchio, Apple and Crouton Quinoa Salad


1 cup cooked quinoa
1/2 pink lady apple, chopped
1/2 head of radicchio, shredded
handful of celery leaves, chopped
1/4 cup homemade multigrain croutons (cube bread, toast in oven with olive oil, salt and pepper till crunchy ~ 5 min)
1 T homemade vinaigrette (lemon juice, dijon mustard, pinch oregano, salt and pepper, extra virgin olive oil)


Cook your quinoa according to package directions, and add the cooked quinoa to a medium bowl. While the croutons are baking in the oven, chop up the apple and celery leaves and thinly slice the radicchio, then add to the quinoa bowl. Pull the croutons from the oven and add to the bowl, then toss everything together with 1 T of vinaigrette - or alternatively, dress simply with lemon juice/vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Because there's only 1 T of dressing in the whole salad, everything will stay nice and crisp (and not get limp and soggy) in the fridge, even for a few days - if you don't eat it first!

A look back at family recipes

Since I've been working so much lately, I haven't had much time to cook (which then stresses me out even more...it's a whole cycle thing). So today I thought I'd share one of my favorite posts from my now-defunct original food blog, written back in 2008. I love that certain foods and recipes can hold so much meaning to families, so much so that they're carried on forever - and this is a classic example. Do you have family food traditions? I'd love to hear them!

The most important day of my life

There comes a day in the life of every young woman of Italian heritage...a day filled with equal parts dread, excitement, and chaos. A day on which the rest of her future depends. On this day, she is put to the ultimate test...and her true colors (hopefully red, white and green) are revealed. You know what I'm talking about.

Making "The Sauce."

Sunday, August 17, 2008: My first attempt at making The Sauce - the pasta sauce recipe that has been in my family for generations.

I received the recipe for Christmas last year, in a homemade recipe book filled with Nonni's recipes (Thanks to Nonni and Aunt Susan for putting it together!). This is the sauce that I grew up on, eating it at Nonni's and at my own house for the last 23 years, usually accompanied by homemade meat and cheese ravioli or pasta.

At this point, I'd like to take a moment of silence to honor those less fortunate than myself...you know, those who aren't Italian.

Nonni gave the recipe to my mother - a gasp non-Italian - when she married my dad, so he could continue eating it for the rest of his life. If I had to name the ONE food which best characterizes the Italian family, it would be The Sauce. Each family has their own version, their own history and tradition...but each one savors it, treasures it, and NEVER wastes it. To this day, I've never seen anyone leave a drop of The Sauce on his/her plate.

So, there I was, standing nervously over the recipe in the kitchen Sunday morning. The Sauce takes 2-3 hours, and I wanted to follow every single step as closely as possible, to maximize the probability that it would turn out just like Nonni's. I gathered my ingredients on the counter before me, surveyed each one carefully, re-read the recipe, and embarked on the culinary endeavor of my lifetime.

I started with the meatballs, then worked carefully through The Sauce. Even though it has very few ingredients, I took my time and worked methodically. Then, before I knew it, the recipe was complete. There was nothing left to do...but wait.

For obvious reasons, I cannot share the recipe with you here. I'm sure you understand (however, if you are male and between the ages of 22-28 and end up marrying me, you've got a chance).

I am blissfully happy to report that after frequently and nervously watching my simmering pot for 2.5 hours, a not-so-blind taste test revealed that, while lacking some of the love of Nonni's original, my first attempt at The Sauce was surprisingly...great!

Sometimes, you just need to COOK

Have I told you about my job? I don't think I have. WELL...I love my job. I work for a market research company and manage several accounts - we do things like test ads before they go on air to see how they perform, track brands in the market to see how people feel about them, etc - and I've really enjoyed it for most of the two and a half years I've been there. HOWEVER......we all have our days, right? Sometimes weeks? Things get nuts, projects and deadlines hit all at once despite all the planning in the world, clients call with crazy requests. The past few weeks have been like that for me, and I've gotta tell ya - I'm weary! Last night I came home and knew that only one thing could help me zone out and relax.


Chop, chop, chop. There's something so calming about preparing ingredients! I love a silent kitchen, a silent apartment - all but for the sound of my sharp knife on the cutting board, the sizzle of food as it hits hot oil in a pan. My stress starts melting away the second I get in the kitchen, and last night I forgot all about work with the first bite of my hearty vegetarian enchiladas - sweet potato, red bell pepper, and crumbled up veggie burgers sauteed with some cumin, coriander and a little cayenne, rolled up in whole wheat tortillas then baked off with a topping of tomatillo salsa and cheddar cheese.

My roommate Jenn introduced me to tomatillos in a dish she made last summer, and now every so often I get a craving for this simple salsa. What do I love most about it? It's a tie between the taste (lime-y and fresh) and the ease (NO chopping required like my other favorite, pico de gallo). 


The Simplest Salsa Ever


1 can tomatillos
1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
juice from 1 lime
1 jalepeno, ribs and seeds removed (I only like mild spice, so I used about 1/3 of it)

Open the can. Dump its contents into a food processor. Add the cilantro, lime juice, and jalepeno. Process until it's salsa (about 30 seconds).