Warm Weather Getaway...in Chicago

Grapefruit tree - Lincoln Park Conservatory

For those of you not in the Windy City right now, the weather is crap. It's something like 19 degrees with a wind chill probably in the single digits. On top of that lovely forecast we're enjoying some snow that changes to light hail and then to slush. Fun times right? For those of us who don't have a warm weather vacation in the works, there are a few places in the city you can head to for some summer-like temps. I'm not talking about tanning (boo, let's try to avoid those) but about our two fabulous (and free!) conservatories - the Lincoln Park Conservatory and the Garfield Park Conservatory.

...and a papaya tree too!

Though these locations are not food related, they promise a bit of respite from the frozen city tundra and a worthwhile activity to treat visitors to between dining destinations. My parents came in town this weekend and all I could think about was visiting one of the conservatories. Upon entering we were greeted with humid tropical conditions and the heavenly scent of orange jasmine. I love to take my time walking through and seeing all the lush greens. The Lincoln Park location has four main sections - the palms (humid), ferns (so relaxing there was a women meditating there today), orchids (vibrant colors across the rainbow) and the show space (for seasonal shows). This conservatory is located just around the corner from the Lincoln Park Zoo (also free) so you, your friends and family could spend the whole day enjoying the neighborhood.

The Garfield Park Conservatory (designed by famed landscape architect Jens Jensen) is the second largest conservatory in the country. I do love going here but public transportation to the destination can be a little exciting. If you're looking to visit the conservatory, plan to visit on Saturday, February 5 or Saturday the 12th for a sweet treat. The annual Sweet Saturdays will feature live music, tropical treat stations, hands-on activities and more. I'm sure it will be busy, but definitely think it's worth checking out!

Chicago - A Cupcake Kind of Town

Oh so tasty treat - Sprinkles

There have been countless articles about the emergence of the cupcake in Chicago and across the country. There was a great article in the New York Times last year about the cupcake craze, which seems to (shockingly) have picked up some speed, especially here in the Windy City. Really, what's not to like? You get a little cake and some frosting and magical things can happen. There is also the opportunity to get creative.

One of my favorite shops is More. This is a local Chicago shop, and though the staff is not particularly friendly, nor the shop overly inviting, I find myself craving their creative cakes (think bacon maple, sweet potato orange, cupcakes flavored like popular cocktails and even bacon ranch).

Another local shop I love dearly is Molly's. The cupcakes themselves are classic and decadent (here you can order them filled with sweet treats like cookie dough or Nutella), but the joy is entirely in the visit to the shop itself. You can top your cake with a variety of different sprinkles, order an Intelligentsia coffee drink, play a board game or two and take a seat on one of their indoor swings. This is a place where any adult can easily feel like a kid (ahem, that would be me!)

B-day treat of Phoebe's

I dream of Lakeview neighborhood Phoebe's Cupcakes which makes a divinely decadent salted caramel. Then there are the cakes (and cookies, and other desserts) available at Lincoln Park fave Sweet Mandy B's (they make pricey but beautiful birthday cakes to boot). On top of the local stores there are now the addition of cupcake trucks - just in case you need your fix and the sugar fairy isn't close enough.

As if we didn't have enough saturation in the cupcake market, there is now the addition of other national cupcake chains encroaching on our fare city. There is Sprinkles (of LA fame), Crumbs (of NY), and soon to opening the famed Magnolia Bakery (also of NY - hey, what is it with these guys?!)

Don't get me wrong, I do love my cupcakes, but is it any wonder that we're looking for new sugary treats? We need something to get us going through the cold winter months, and I like a little variety in my desserts. I've got a doughnut concept in mind, but its execution is still farther on the horizon. Until then, it will be....cupcakes.

Kicking the New Year off with a Healthy Spinach Treat

Happy New Year! I'm sure there are a lot of resolutions floating around out there and some, 48+ hours into 2011, they may already have been broken. No fear! You can kick things off on the right track b eating healthy right now. I (as you can read from past entries) do not always err on the healthy side. It's much easier for me in the summer/fall when I'm visiting farmers markets and stocking up on local produce, but in the winter? It's tough! I've been trying to shed a few more pounds though and in the frozen foods aisle of Whole Foods have discovered a fabulous new staple.

One of my absolute favorite treats to eat are Dr. Praeger's Spinach Pancakes. Sounds tempting right? These little cakes have 10 ingredients. That's it! Spinach my friends is number one. You think you're eating a potato pancake but all that healthy goodness is still there. Each pancake is 80 calories and just 4 grams of fat. There are 2 grams of fiber (that's 10% of your daily value folks) and 15% of your Vitamin A intake. I'll often eat two of these for breakfast and through in an egg and some fruit to start off the day.

Good stuff!

Quite Possibly My Favorite Breakfast

I love breakfast. It could quite possibly be my favorite meal of the day. Of course I REALLY enjoy treating myself to brunch (see my earlier post about two of my favorite spots Bongo Room and David Burke Primehouse) but when I'm just cooking for myself at home I try to keep things a little more simple.
Welcome the breakfast rice bowl. You might think this sounds kind of gross when you first hear about it...eggs and rice? Seriously though you can't know it because it is unbelievably good!

I was inspired by Wow Bao. One of my favorite on-the-way-to-work-faster food options. They make a killer bacon cheddar rice bowl. It's a little greasy and ridiculously addictive. It also tops 400 calories so it's not the healthiest way to start the morning so I got a little creative.

Robyn's rice bowl...though my pink
background doesn't do it justice

Welcome Robyn's rice bowl! Below is my easy to make version of this breakfast treat. It's healthy, it's easy to make and it actually keeps decently well for leftovers.

Robyn's Rice Bowl


1 cup of brown rice or quinoa (I love Trader Joe's frozen bags of brown rice. I make the bag and then keep half to use for lunch/dinner the next day)
2 eggs scrambled
1 tbsp milk
2-3 tbsp of light cheddar cheese
salt & pepper to taste
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped spinach
1/2 cup frozen peas
2 oz pancetta cubed (this part is not healthy so feel free to omit if you're a vegetarian or looking for a healthier option)



1 - Microwave or prepare rice or quinoa as directed and set aside

2 - Add milk, cheese, salt and pepper to eggs

3 - Heat non-stick skillet with olive oil and add spinach. Add frozen peas or other veggies once the spinach and cooked some. If you're opting for the oh so tasty pancetta than you won't need the oil at all. Toss the meat in the pan and let it's juices pave the way for some spinach wilting.

4 - Once your veggies have cooked a bit add in your scrambled eggs.

5 - Toss in the rice/grain with the cooking eggs and coat.

6 - Pour mixture into a bowl and enjoy.

This recipe is the perfect meal for 1 person.

As an aside, I recently fell and fractured my radius. Sounds bad right? Well, it's OK and only hurts if I should move it in a way that I shouldn't be moving it, but it sucks. I can't cook and washing dishes by hand is really tough. This little recipe is easy enough that I can make it all with one hand. Sure I have to clean the pan but really? It's just one pan so I'm OK. Thanks to everyone that has sent me soup, chocolate and flowers. I'm very appreciative of all the love I'm getting and will hopefully be back in the kitchen cooking up a storm again in 6-8 weeks.

Cooking with Class

Every once in a while a girl needs to take a class. Specifically a cooking class. It's a fun excuse to get together with friends, learn some new techniques, cook something that might be a little outside your comfort zone and of course get to eat the tasty treats you made. I'm a big fan of Chicago's Chopping Block.  The cooking mecca has two locations in the city, both offer hands-on and demonstration classes, but each has their own personality. The Lincoln Square location is more neighborhoody and warm. Classes here always feel intimate. The Merchandise Mart location is beautifully new and has the state of the art cooking equipment. Of course its fabulous and a bit closer to me, but I still prefer its North-side sibling.

I've made a habit now of taking a class there every few months. Demonstrations classes are $40 a person and last about 2.5 hours. You get to relax with a glass of wine and let a professional chef do all the work. You walk away with all the recipes and are encouraged to take notes during the class. The hands-on classes are $75-85 depending on the class. These are also about 2.5 hours in length but it seems longer because you're doing all the cooking. All of the ingredients are ready for you to cook with and you don't have to do any of the cleanup so the classes are always a nicer treat than cooking at home. Plus you get top of the line Viking ranges and Le Creuset baking utensils so it REALLy is better than cooking at home :)

Most recently I took a Thanksgiving prep hands-on class. It was just like the big holiday meal and was great practice for me. We made the turkey with a butter herb rub, gravy, green beans with almonds and cherries, bacon corn souffle, cardamon cranberries, pumpkin pie and garlic mashed potatoes. It was quite the treat the eat everything AND we took home leftovers! It was a treat indeed and I got to catch up with two friends while we cooked. Good times indeed!

Examining Food on a Sunday Morning

I'm a big fan of CBS Sunday Morning. I record it on my DVR every week, so even if I sleep in a wee bit later I can still wake up and enjoy Charles Osgood. A few weeks ago (pre-Thanksgiving) they had a fabulous episode dedicated entirely to food. I usually feel like I've learned something after watching the program, but on this particular show I was overwhelmed. I should have just kept the recording and watched it again, but I thought I'd share links to some of my favorite pieces here.


Pretzels and Beer - going behind the scenes on the makings of two American favorites

Wholesome Breakfast or Decadent Brunch - Mo Rocca examines the difference between the two meals

The Timeless Traditions of Tea - I'm a tea fiend so this was also very enjoyable

Delis: Timeless Temples of "Jewish Soul Food" - just looking at those beautiful corned beef sandwiches is a Hanukkah treat!

Feasting on Food Films

I was overjoyed to learn about the 1st Annual Chicago Food Film Festival. Doesn't it just sound fantastic? For a food fiend and someone who really enjoys movies this seemed like a dream come true. See short food-based independent films and then sample some of the foods featured in those films. Why didn't someone bring this concept to Chicago sooner?

I was so excited for this event that I bought tickets for both nights, why not right? Get into the festival early, enjoy a wide variety of food and then settle in for the next few hours to watch some wonderful food and beverage related films.

Enjoying some fried food with my guest Erin

Friday night brought fried food delights like corn dogs, fried pickles and cheese curds in honor of a short "Eat Your Fill" about one crazy guy's mission to eat everything at the state fair that's on a stick or fried. Great idea. I should have made that movie myself (see blog posting from last summer when I almost did!) Other dishes from the first night included oysters, pie from my favorite Hoosier Mama Pie, pumpkin ice cream, deep fried oreos and some locally made sodas. There were 7 films all of which were very entertaining. They were short enough that they kept my attention which was good. I loved two of the protagonists - Mr. Okra (a New Orleans man who sells fresh produce from his truck) and John Nese (soda pop enthusiast and owner of LA's Galco's Soda Pop Store)....both were lovable and passionate about their chosen line of work. 

The Festival was held at the MCA Warehouse

Saturday was more focused. Beer and burgers. I was stuffed after just two delicious, juicy mini DMK burgers. I was sad to only see 15 minutes of "Hamburger America" but inspired that yes, there were a lot of places across this great nation that I still have yet to visit....and er, eat my way to. "Beer Wars" was fascinating. After watching the 90 minute documentary I had a new outlook on microbrews versus the behemoths (it is appalling just how much market share Anheuser Busch dominates so aggressively that they will push smaller breweries that are no competition to them out of the way).

All in all this was an educational and enjoyable two-day festival. It happened to coincide with the Chicago Gourmet Food Festival. In the future it would be wonderful to create a food-centric Chicago weekend. Attendees could visit Chicago Gourmet during the day and then relax a bit before heading to the Food Film Festival. Here is a trailer of some of the movies shown at the festival. Looking forward to seeing many more next year!