Joe’s birthday bash!

This year for Joe’s birthday I made a Chocolate Peanutbutter Ganache.  I took a Martha recipe and added a layer of peanutbutter.  It turned out awesome and was so easy to make.  I just followed the recipe adding peanutbutter.

I also made a yummy chili with all the extra condiments.  This time to my chili I added bacon and corn meal.  Everyone claimed to love it.

 

Refinishing – anyone can do it.

I’ve been in need of a desk for a while and using a kitchen table for my desk was getting old and didn’t make me feel like a grown-up.  I sort of half-ass have been on the look out for a desk, and then one day my boyfriend found one for me on Craigslist.  I knew when I got it it was going to have to do some work to it, but looked at it as a way to keep me busy over the summer.  I hadn’t re-stained furniture in years.  The first and only thing I’ve refinished was a futon frame that my neighbor was throwing out like 10 years ago.  Now that I think about it it was crazy that I refinished and stained a cheap futon frame, but my parents still have it and it actually looks sort of nice.

how it began

As you can see this desk definitely has potential.  I consulted Katherine from BackGarage since mid-century furnishing seem to be her specialty and she has experience refinishing.  Katherine gave some good tips like using tack cloth which I’d never heard of and ideas to lead me on my way (White Attic).  After much deliberation and discussion (I’m talking weeks) with my BF I decided I would paint the drawers a cream color and stain the rest of the desk a  dark stain that I had leftover from a previous project.

I began by sanding the entire desk, during the sanding it looked like this desk has a had a few make overs.   There was varnish, but some residual white paint in the grain of the wood.  I think I could have done a better job sanding but I was just so excited to start I sort of rushed through it.

I started staining the desk and it didn’t seem to be taking the stain evenly so I started to have second thoughts on my decision.  After 2 coats I still wasn’t happy, so I let the project sit a few days and mulled over it.

2 coats down

2 coats of stain

After a few days I decided to carry on with the plan and I painted the draws the cream color and did another coat of stain and it started to look really great.  After 3 coats of stain and 4 coats of paint on the drawers it was time for the varnish.  I used oil based polyurethane.  I did two coats of poly sanding in-between the first and second coat.  I could have probably done two more coats on the desk top, but I got lazy and really wanted to be done with the project.  I do have to say it turned out very nice and I love it!

3 coats of stain and 4 coats of paint

I impressed myself, and that's hard to do

Chicago Restaurants ‘I want to go to there’ part 1

I’m no food expert, but I do think I’m a bit of a food snob or foodie, but on the lower level of the foodie scale.  I’m more of a snob toward big food chains, processed food or food that is boring.  So since it’s been a long time since I’ve blogged I thought I’d share some of my favorite eateries in my area of the city.  I would like to say I stay in my neighborhood because I’m saving the planet, but the reality is I hate driving, waiting for food, and traveling far.

What I’ve learned about eating out:

• Don’t order the cheapest thing on the menu.
• Check out the specials.
• Read restaurant reviews.
• Ask the waiter what they recommend.
• Share with a friend, both eat half then trade plates, then you both get to enjoy more than one dish.
• Learn about food, not only will it help you order, but make you aware of how it’s made.  Watch cooking or travel shows.
• Don’t order food that you can make, order things you would never make.

The “I want to go to there” list part 1:

Logon Square/Avondale

• Lula café http://www.lulacafe.com/ I started going to Lula after living in the city for 3 years, I’d heard about it but figured it was too expensive for a poor art student.  Also in those days I really didn’t know how to order and what was good to eat.  The first few times I went I was not impressed I didn’t understand what the big deal was…that was because I ordered off of the regular menu and tried to choose the cheaper items.  Then about 2 or 3 years ago I started ordering their weekend specials and it was awesome, then I tried their dinner specials and it blew me away.  Lula’s isn’t cheap, but not excessive expensive, and they also use local food.  I go there a lot now it’s one of the few fantastic places near where I live.  Not only is the quality great, but Lula’s has introduced me to foods I’ve never heard of and flavors that are completely foreign and intriguing.

• Nha Trang 3711 W. Belmont I’m not going tell you this place is fantastic it’s just a decent Vietnamese restaurant in an area that doesn’t really cater to that culture of food.  I always get the rice noodles with beef. shrimp and/or Vietnamese egg rolls and sometimes I get the Vietnamese pancake.  The food is tasty and rather healthy.  I usually get take-out but eating the food in usually taste better.

• Hachi’s Kitchen http://www.hachiskitchen.com/ While there really isn’t sushi competition for this place in Logan Square, it still  doesn’t stop them for being more than just good.  It’s decently priced and the quality seems good to me, but I’m no sushi connoisseur.  I like the atmosphere, you can dress up or be casual there it makes no difference.  It’s never too crowded but I’m also a person who eats sort of early.

• Buona Terra http://www.buona-terra.com/ Is a few buildings North of Hachi’s and is a nice place as well.  It’s a little more stuffy and appears super fancy, but you can still walk in dressed casually and they welcome you.  The best thing about this place is their Thursday night Prie five menu.  You get an appetizer, entrée and desert all for $21.95!  It’s a bargain for a place like this.  You still can order off of their regular menu, so that $22 steak can be yours plus desert and appetizer at no extra cost!

• La Cocina Boricua 2420 W. Fullerton This family owned gem has tasty Chuletas (pork chops) and Cabrito en Fricase (baby goat slow cooked).  I haven’t had much else on the menu, but I like this cozy, friendly place.  The prices are pretty standard, not expensive but not cheap.

• Longmen & Eagle 2657 North Kedzie Avenue This new gastropub is a welcome addition to the Logan Square eateries it takes the place of the former The Winds Cafe.  The atmosphere is relaxed while high class all at the same time, yet you can come dressed as you please.  It’s a whiskey bar but has a great selection of beer.  I didn’t drink anything on my visit there but my partner enjoyed a beer.  The food is pricey, and portions are small if you order from the appetizers and plates menu.  We ordered from the plates menu so could justify ordering more and trying more things.  We had a wonderful asparagus salad with a 60 minute egg, the wetzel pretzel with is cheese and a soft pretzel, scallops with pulled pork and meatballs.  I think next time I go I’m getting the wild boar sloppy joe that sounds awesome.  The place itself is small and the tables are too small for the large plates they use it’s almost like they choose the dishware before know that their tables were going to look like.  The waitress we had was lovely she was so nice and you could tell she really appreciated the menu and was happy to  answer any questions.  We also felt no pressure to leave, people took their time ordering and talking.  While this isn’t a place I’d go to all the time I’m glad it’s in Logan Square it a wonderful addition.

I’m not going to list Hot Doug’s since that place is too famous.

Wicker Park/Bucktown

• LOKal http://www.lokalchicago.com/home Just went here for my Birthday and it was the most amazing dinner I’ve ever experienced.  The service was friendly, not to pushy and helpful.  The atmosphere was Eastern European modern, but it was the food that I really cared about.  I shared the meat lovers trio and it came with fillet mignon with horseradish, crusted rack of lamb with a plum wine reduction and short-rib on a Swedish potato pancake with grain, veggie and salad as sides.  I also shared the pierogies with bourbon date sauce.  It was all amazing and I highly recommend this place, heck Rick Baylis was spotted here!

• Sultan’s Market 2057 W. North Ave. I’ve been going to this place for oh like 7 or so years.  It’s a standard place that is good for a quick-lunch or for a relaxing long eating experience.  My standard was a falafel sandwich.  My favorite guy doesn’t work there anymore which makes me sad.  He always cut up the falafel just right and if I got soup he’d slice up an extra falafel and fan it out all pretty since he knew I liked them.  Anyways it’s still a good place and the prices won’t break the bank.  It’s a gem in a neighborhood that’s gotten way to excessive and fancy for my blood.

• Mana Food Bar http://www.manafoodbar.com/ Is a fabulous vegetarian eateries.  I’m not vegetarian, I love my meat, but this place is delicious and healthy.  Their menu isn’t boring, they really stray from some other vegetarian choices.  I would say a lot of their items seem Asian inspired.  They got things like Bi Bim Bop (which was a bit to salty for me), sesame noodles, sliders, sweet potato pancake and red quinoa.  They offer small and large sizes so you can try a few things in one sitting.  It’s not a cheap place, but order wisely and if you are with people share and it will be a great experience.

Humboldt Park/Ukrainian Village

• Feed http://feedrestaurantchicago.com/ This place is hip country with chickens as it’s theme decor.  It’s best known for their rotisserie chicken, but they do offer other things and have a pretty good brunch.  Their sides are not all equal in taste, but regardless of some inconsistencies I still like this place.  I’m a sucker for atmosphere and this place as a good feeling.

kitchen tips and tricks (garlic & ginger)

I’m a garlic lover so I like to have it on hand always, but like to buy it on sale.  So when it’s on sale I buy a lot and preserve it.  I do it two ways.  One way is I chop it in a food processor and put it in freezer bags and press them so they are flat and will lay flat in the freezer.  If you hand chop the garlic and you are doing a lot be sure to where gloves, because the garlic will start to make your hands burn and I found nothing relieved the burning sensation except time.  The other way I preserve garlic is a little more time consuming.  I roast it first in the oven at 350 degree or broil it then take the skin off and freeze the roasted garlic.  That way I can always have roasted garlic on hand too.

I also preserve ginger.  Ginger cost more than garlic, so I’ll buy it on sale just like the garlic.  Preserving ginger is easy but requires dry sherry.  You can skin it if you want, but I don’t.  I cut up the ginger into chunks and put it in a glass jar and cover it with sherry.  You can also use the ginger infused sherry for marinating.  But if your not a big ginger person just buy it when you need it and store it in the fridge wrapped with a damp paper towel.  You can also freeze it, but I don’t like what it does to the texture of ginger.

balsamic chicken with sweet potatoe fries

I saw this recipe on Everyday Italian on the Food network and it’s sort of Asian too, or at least I think so.   Balsamic Chicken can be made with any part of the chicken you just have to compensate for the cooking time as needed.

The sweet potato fries are super easy just heat the oven to 400 and toss the steak size slices of sweet potato with olive oil and salt and bake till soft.

It’s a super easy meal that’s tasty.

A brief lesson on a few Chinese veggies

While visiting my parents I was photographing their garden, when I realized maybe I should post the Chinese vegetables I grew up eating.  Now the tricky thing is often vegetables are known by various names depending on where you are, so for now I’ve given the English,  Cantonese and Mandarin names, but keep in mind each vegetable can go by several names.  I had to do some research on spellings since my Mom had a hard time spelling Chinese names for me in English, but between the Internet and her I think I have names what would at least get a person started. Note I am no expert on this.

Snow pea greens (dòu miáo) are one of my favorites.  Snow pea greens have a very small harvest season and prefer cooler temperatures.  It also takes a lot to make a meal.  I usually blanch them and drizzle oyster sauce on them.

Hollow greens (ung choy) at the moment I don’t remember if I like these.  Like most Chinese vegetables I just blanch them and put oyster sauce on them and you are good to go.

The long green bean (dau gok in Cantonese, jiang dou (豇豆) in Standard Mandarin) is described as being thinner, milder, and more delicate than regular green beans, so they do not store as well.  I actually prefer regular green beans, but the long ones have a different texture and are good for a change.  I saute them with garlic, chicken bouillon and sugar or put them in a black bean stir-fry.

Chinese broccoli (gai lan in Cantonese or gàilán or jièlán in Mandarin) always makes me think of this time when I was a teenager in Springfield eating at a Chinese take-out restaurant with some friends.  We were eating general Tso’s chicken, with some American broccoli and I was just making conversation with my friends telling them there is Chinese broccoli when this older man about in his 40′s interrupted that this isn’t Chinese broccoli we are eating.  I tried telling I knew that I was just informing my friends that it exist, but he went on to tell me this broccoli was from California.  I tried again to explain myself and it fell on deaf ears, so I turned back to my friends who were trying not to laugh and rolled my eyes.  Anyways Chinese broccoli does exist and it’s good!

I grew-up never remembering this ones’ name, but just learned today the English name is Chinese Spinach (yin choy or een choy).  I do like this one, the red color comes out when you cook it and for some reason I like that.

Chives can be used for more than just seasoning.  Treat them like a vegetable mix them with tofu or lo mein.  You can even eat the flower buds.

The bitter melon…(kǔguā) is indeed bitter.  In Chinese cooking it is used in stir-fries or soups and requires salting to help with the bitterness.  I still have yet to love this fine vegetable, but as I mature so will my palette.

Then of course there’s Chinese eggplant which is a slender eggplant that is supposedly less bitter, but so far I haven’t been able to tell the difference.

the savory

So with the left over batter I attempted the savory crepe with great success.  At first I was  just going to roast the veggies with salt and pepper and throw in some goat cheese, then at the last second I thought no I should add curry powder!  So the veggies I used; eggplant, zucchini, red onion, tomatoes, spinach and garlic. 

I chopped up the veggies minus the spinach, which I planned to saute on the stove top.  So I roasted the eggplant, red onion, zucchini, and tomatoes at 450 degrees tossed  with olive oil, salt, and curry powder.  When the eggplant started to look done I threw in some sliced almonds to toast with them.  Mean while I sauteed the roasted garlic (which had been previously roasted and frozen)with the spinach for a few seconds with a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

I mixed all the veggies together, while I had Joe make the crepes.

After putting the filling in the middle of the crepe I put crumbles of goat cheese throughout.  Now our apartment will smell like curry for a day!

I can make crepes too!

Today I had the urge to make crepes.  With Joe’s help we put together delectable dessert crepes.  With fresh strawberries, blueberries simmered on the stove top with lemon juice, sugar, water and cornstarch, also fresh whipped cream and chocolate drizzled on top.  It was the best dessert I’ve had in a while and I was very happy with the result.  We invited a friend over and enjoyed.  Tomorrow I will try making savory crepes.

Our bellies are now full

good things in Texas

I was in Texas over a month ago and just forgot to share.  I stayed at Joe’s parent’s place in Pipe Creek, which is near the San Antonio area.  While there we ate a lot and did some thrifting and antiquing.  While I couldn’t afford, nor bring back a lot of things we saw, I did enjoying looking at all the vintage things.  Plus the drive to many of them was fabulous.  Even though there’s technically not a mountain range there, it sure felt like it while driving to Leakey.

On our way to Austin we stopped  by Hamilton Pool and it was amazing even though Texas is in the middle of a major drought.  Hamilton Pool is a natural pool that is partial covered by a rock formation.  The water was the perfect temperature and it improved my mood and outlook on Texas.  Ashley and Tanner did an excellent job finding this place for us.

the most delicious veggie burger!

Afterwards we stopped by one of the many trailer park eateries to fill our empty bellies.   Even though I didn’t order this I did have a bite and this is by far the best veggie burger I’ve ever tasted.  Joe and I ordered fried avocado tacos and they were delicious!  Although I was feeling nauseous from car sickness, I was still able to enjoy my meal.

Just looking at these pictures again makes me hungry.

the few and far between finds

I went to a small handful of yardsales this weekend and had little luck.  But there was one near my apartment that surprised me and had some good things.  I had to stop myself from buying a vintage occillating fan, since I’ve come to this point where I have to be very critical with how I spend my money and ask myself do I really need that.  With that being said….did I really need anything I bought?  Not really.  So I’m doing poorly at listening to myself.  Perhaps the fan would have  served a better purpose then everything else I bought.

I couldnt’ resist this gingham girls skirt with the  little rooster button.  And the vintage scale, well that just brought back memories of when I use to play with one of these as a child.  And well the records, I’m going to have to blame going to a screening of Heather McAdams the previous night that caused me to buy The Sounds of the City.  Now to find a a working record player and a place it can fit in my apartment.