Welcome!!!

I am a Chicago native recently transferred to Indianapolis. Ever since I can remember, I have had a passion for GOOD food and GREAT Fashion.
I love to cook and I love to entertain! I am that nerdy friend who obsesses over a menu and then puts out full place settings when you were just coming over for a casual dinner - in my feeble attempt to be a little like the beloved Martha. When my Seattle-native husband and I informed our foodie friends that we were being transferred to Indianapolis, many of them were aghast at where and what we would eat!  Would we be subjected to a life of casseroles and Applebees???  I mocked them at their snobbery and assured them they were wrong about the heartland, but a small part of me shared those very same fears. Until I quickly remembered, hey, his is ME they are talking about!  I can find good food anywhere and if I can't, then, well...I will just make it myself!
My other love: FASHION.  One of my first memories as a young girl is obsessing over a pair of red clogs that I wore everyday until they virtually fell apart! I was probably the wise old age of 5.  But when you know something looks good, you just know! And those clogs rocked!
I love classic, timeless pieces with a bit of an edge.  I am not one to run away from trends but I certainly do not bulldoze into them either.  In my opinion, fashion is being true to yourself and finding looks that make you feel confident.  Because, just like any good ladies magazine will tell you, confidence is what makes any outfit work!
So there you have it.  This blog contains my completely biased opinions on food and fashion. However, every once in a while I may sprinkle in some posts about things like home design, my beautiful family, travel, etc...   Now I just need to find enough of you who actually care what I think about any of it! :)

MK

Bacon, Sweet Onion, and Arugula Quiche

I have a love/ hate relationship with Costco.  There is certainly more love, but I hate how I get suckered into buying bulk items that I will never in a million years finish.  One prime example, the massive jar of kimchi I bought after having a pork and kimchi burger at Taylor's Refresher in Napa Valley. (Best burger joint in the world btw!!!)  Even if I was to try to replicate that burger, I would at most need a few tablespoons of kimichi.  At Costco, I bought a gallon.  Ridiculous! 
More recently, I bought the 2 dozen package of organic eggs without looking at the expiration date; a week and a half.  Of course buying 2 dozen eggs for your family of 4 is not absurd, but trying to eat them all within a week and a half is a bit more challenging... Which brings me to Quiche!
I make quiche all the time.  Its great for brunch, its great for dinner, and its one of the few leftovers my family will actually eat.  Like most of my recipes it is very simple to make and you can change out ingredients depending on what you feel like.  I made this one off of what I already had in the fridge!  Which of course included bacon... Hmm, writing this is making me realize so many of my recipes have bacon in them!!!  I am going to need to step away from the bacon for a while! YIKES!


Ingredients:
1 pie dough ( pre-made if you don't feel like making your own.  I like trader joe's)
5 slices of cooked bacon, chopped into small pieces
1 medium size sweet onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon of butter
about 3 cups of arugula
about 2 cups of shredded gruyere (you can use swiss if you don't want to splurge on gruyere)
5 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper

Mixed greens

Bring pie dough to room temperature and set aside.  Preheat oven to 375 F.
Cook bacon to desired crispness and chop into small pieces, set aside
In a medium size skillet, melt butter and add onions.  Saute until they turn golden.  Add arugula and continuing cooking until arugula becomes just wilted.  Remove from heat.
In a medium size bowl, whip eggs, heavy cream and some salt and pepper together until completely blended.  Place dough in 9 inch pie pan.  Spread onion and arugula mixture over the bottom and sprinkle bacon pieces over the top.  Layer shredded cheese on top and pour egg and cream mix over.
If need be, use a spoon to press down and make sure egg is comletey covering all the other ingredients.
Bake quiche at 375 F for about 45 minutes or until it is puffy and slightly golden.

I like mine with simple mixed greens dressed with balsamic vinaigrette and a good hefeweizen!

Yum!

Still Hip to Wrap it Up!

Most of you are probably already familiar with Chan Luu wrap bracelets; in case you are not, here is your introduction!  Chan Luu pretty much brought the trend of wrap bracelets back in vogue. They are just about everywhere, have been completely mass marketed, and knocked off a million different ways. This begs the question,  are they or not they are still in fact hip???  My humble opinion says, YES!  I actually think they are pretty timeless look and I still regularly wear my brown mother of pearl version. In fact, I am even wearing it in my "about me" photo taken this past spring!  What's so great about wrap bracelets is that they can be worn alone for a simple, everyday look or paired with more wraps and/or bangles for a more "accessorized" look.  Even greater, there are so many more styles and different designers putting out their versions! The blog, Girl Obsessed, just did a post on Wear Love bracelets and I have already put my order in for the Snake Wrap!

Here are a few pics of some wraps I like, hope you like too!!

Chan Luu- RhinestoneWrap

Chan Luu- Multi GreenGypsie Leather

Chan Luu-Section Wrap in Pyrite

Nakamol- Stone Leather Wrap

Nakamol- Stud Bracelet

Wear Love- Mauve Wrap

Asha Patel- 3 Stone Wrap

Wear Love- Snake Wrap

Nothing Sweeter than Apple Pie

This past weekend, my family and I went apple picking at the local orchard.  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE apple picking!  It screams wholesome, family fun!  It has a way of transporting you into a mindset that is straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting! Of course, all this nostalgia makes for the best tasting apples as well. This is 100% proven!  Go to any Whole Foods and purchase the biggest, prettiest apple in the entire store, and it will not taste even half as good as an apple you picked off the tree yourself!  Better yet, as my husband would say, the apples your children picked.  My kids love apple picking even more than me and they are not even old enough to yearn for simpler times.  They just know the pure fun of it! Just look at them; if there is something sweeter than apple pie than it is certainly my children! 

the loves of my life

sweet girl

my cute family

That brings us to the recipe... Baking and me have never been the best of friends.  For the most part, I think of myself as a confident cook.  One who can come up with or modify a recipe somewhat simply.  When it comes to baking; not so much...  That is why whenever I do post a recipe for something sweeter, it will always be from somewhere else.  Like this insanely delicious apple pie from Gourmet Magazine!  What makes this pie so killer is the Walnut Streusel on top!  Most likely, you will never bake another recipe again... It is that good!

Ingredients:

 For pastry dough:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) plus 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
• 4 to 6 tablespoons ice water

For topping:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

For filling:

• 3 pounds Golden Delicious and/ or Jonagold apples (about 6 medium)
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

To make pastry dough:
In a large bowl with a pastry blender or in a food processor blend or pulse together flour, sugar, salt, and butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 2 tablespoons ice water and toss with a fork or pulse until incorporated. Add enough remaining ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing or pulsing to incorporate, until mixture begins to form a dough. On a work surface smear dough in 3 or 4 forward motions with heel of hand to slightly develop gluten in flour and make dough easier to work with. Form dough into a ball and flatten to form a 1-inch-thick disk. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill 30 minutes.

To make topping:
In a small bowl with your fingertips blend butter, brown sugar, and flour until smooth and blend in nuts. Chill topping, covered. 

 

To make filling:
Peel and core apples. Cut apples into 1/2-inch wedges and in a bowl toss with remaining filling ingredients to coat.

Preheat oven to 350°F. 

On a lightly floured surface roll out dough into a 15-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick) and fold into quarters for ease of handling. Unfold dough in a well-seasoned 10-inch cast-iron skillet or 10-inch deep-dish (1 1/2-quart) pie plate, easing to fit and letting dough overhang rim of skillet or pie plate. Spoon filling into shell and fold pastry overhang over filling, leaving center uncovered. Bake pie in middle of oven 1 hour (pie will not be completely cooked) and remove from oven.

Crumble topping over center of pie, breaking up any large chunks. Brush crust with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake pie in middle of oven 30 minutes more, or until crust is golden and filling is bubbling. Cool pie on a rack. 

Serve pie warm or at room temperature with ice cream.

Don't these look pretty??

Beef Chuck Chili

I've already expressed my complete obsession with the Autumn season! One of the many reasons I love this time of year so much is suorisingly enough, Football! I don't know if it's because I grew up with two older brothers, or because I like any excuse to lounge in front of the tv and eat comfort foods! Chili is the ultimate comfort food, and it is completely synonymous with football. Think about it, how often outside of football season do you eat chili? Most likely, not that often. So you better be sure you are enjoying it, especially if you are only eating it a handful of times a year!

**Good chili is pretty easy to make. A good chili recipe; not quite as easy to relay. Good chili is all about personal taste... I am going to try to provide a base, but how thick or how spicy you make it is up to you! This is definitely a "taste as you go" recipe, as I personally have never followed a recipe when making chili. With that said, know that any measurements I provide are just a starting point and more than likely you will need to increase most of the spices**

Ingredients

6 slices bacon, cut in small pieces
1 pound chuck roast, cut into small pieces
1 large white onion, diced
1/2 a red pepper, diced
1/2 a yellow pepper, diced
16 oz can of tomato sauce
8 oz can of diced tomatoes
4 oz water
3 tbls chili powder
2 tbls cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp dried oregano
8 oz can of chili beans, medium spice

sour cream
shredded cheddar
green onions


In a 4-5 quart pot, cook bacon over medium-high heat until it begins to crisp. Add chuck and brown. Add onions and peppers and cook until they soften and turn golden. Addtomato sauce diced tomatoes, and water. Stir in chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, paprika and oregano. Taste and add more chili powder, cumin or garlic powder as needed. Bring to boil, then turn down to a simmer. Simmer for about 30 minutes then add chili beans, continue simmering for an additional hour.

Serve with a spoonful of sour cream, cheddar cheese, and chopped green onions

Sit yourself in front of the tv and/or fireplace and enjoy!

Faux Fur? Yes, Please!

Juicy Couture Polar Faux Fur Vest- Nordstom

Lately, I have been coveting all the the faux fur vests I am seeing online and in magazines!  While they are certainly not a new trend,  the current styles seem slightly more subtle than years past...  I have never been able to embrace the "over-fluffed" BEBE-esque styles that scream street-walker couture!  I am loving the longer lengths and the natural color palletes that make them great to wear in the daytime as well! Done the right way, I even think the fur vest could replace the ever popular puffer vest! Faux Fur at a tailgate??? Heck Yeah!

Here are a few I found online that I think would be great assets to anyone's wardrobe!  For myself, I am leaning towards purchasing Anthroplogie's Plush Pretender Vest.  What do you think???

Collection XIIX Long Faux Vest- Nordstrom

Sanctuary Rockin Natalie Vest- Piperlime

Sanctuary Rockin Natalie Vest in Fox

Anthropologie Frozen City Vest

Anthropologie Plush Pretender Vest

Milly Kira Faux Fur Vest- Saks Fifth Ave

Zara Sheepskin Gilet

Bacon Potato Hash

Good Morning!!!  Its Sunday morning, so that means a breakfast with the family that doesn't involve the microwave!  We can actually lounge in our pjs a bit longer, take our time making a meal, and eat as a family at an hour earlier than 6pm!  I love the weekends!
In earlier posts, I have mentioned my weakness for carbs; the only other ingredient I could quite possibly love even more is pork.  So, the combination of potato and bacon???  Fantastic! Most of my closest friends know this about me and its a bit of running joke. When out to eat, I typically order pork, my lunch time staple; salami (which of course is made of pork), and if I am trying to perfect a recipe, what would I add?  Most likely, pork!  You put bacon on just about anything and it is instantly delicious!  Just ask comedian, Jim Gaffigan:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaK9bjLy3v4  Hilarious!

This recipe is a little piece of Heaven for your Sunday morning. Not to mention, ridiculously easy!  (Easy, is usually the common theme with any of my recipes)

Ingredients:

6-8 slices of bacon, cut into small pieces
approx. 1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves of finely minced garlic
approx. 10-12 small yellow fleshed potatoes (like a yukon gold)
1 medium sized sweet onion, diced
1/2 of a red onion, diced
salt and pepper to taste

fried egg(s)

In a large skillet,  cook bacon and garlic in olive oil until bacon begins to crisp.  Add potatoes and onions and cook for approx. 20 minutes or until potatoes are soft and crispy and onions have caramelized.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve with a fried egg, over easy.

Enjoy!

Must Have Leggings!

Anyone who knows me, knows that I have a bit of a love affair with J.CREW. It is my "when in doubt" shop and their clothing supplies almost half my entire wardrobe! That's a bit ridiculous I know, but I love the timelessness of their pieces and their ability to be so, while still being very current. When the legging trend presented itself a few years back, I was hesitant to jump on the band wagon. I didn't want to look like a teenager; nor could I after having birthed two kids! But I also didn't want to miss out on having such a versatile staple in my wardrobe! That's when I discovered J.CREW's pixie pant! OMG!!! A legging that flattered everyone's ass! Not just a teenage girl's! And better yet, one that was thick enough to wear with something other than a tunic or extra long tee! The perfect balance of form fitting on top with a little extra width at the bottom to be ultra flattering while also giving them a slightly more refined look. They currently come in grey and black and I am keeping my fingers crossed for a denim version!

Flash forward to present time, JCREW has created another must have legging!!! The Saturday pant is the more casual alternative to the the pixie. A high-end sweat so to say! I love that it's as soft and comfortable as your pajamas, but stylish enough to pair with a button down or sweater! It too is also considerably more flattering than your average teen's legging! I wore my moss colored one's today with a chambray button down and my beloved wing-tips! So cute!

Check them both out!!!

Black Pixie Pant

Black Saturday Pant

Moss Saturday Pant

 Now, I know not everyone loves J.CREW's fit as much as me; so for that reason I am also including a pic of some fun stir-ups from Club Monaco that are super flattering as well!

Thai Chicken Curry

Yesterday was ugly. Rainy and grey. A take-out Thai day. I always think of Thai food on gloomy, wet days. The days where the humidity in the air is far more chilling than the actual temperature itself. Thai is my rainy day stew. It is completely satisfying, without making you want to settle down for a long winter's nap. So yesterday, Mother Nature decided; I was having Thai. Since I am still quite new in town, I have yet to find my local, dependable Thai Restaurant. However, I happened to have a refrigerator full of nearly expired vegetables; so it actually worked out in my favor to make my own! Not to mention, it gave me another last minute recipe to post! :)
Thai is one genre of food that tends to be intimidating for the home cook to attempt. But if you think about it, it really should't be. For the sole reason that even if it's not very pretty to look at, chances are it will still be pretty tasty! Admittedly though, I too was once afraid. Until a friend passed on a recipe that was very similar to this one and was the perfect building block for any coconut curry. Feel free to do the same by increasing or decreasing the spices or substituting the chicken out for beef, shrimp, or all vegetables. They will all work wonderfully!

Ingredients:
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, julienned or sliced thinly
1 carrot, julienned
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced thinly
1/2 of a red bell pepper sliced thinly
13.6 oz can of coconut milk
1 tbs red curry paste
1 tsp fish sauce
1 tbs roasted red chili paste
3-4 small chicken breasts, cut in half and sliced into thin strips
large handful chopped cilantro
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add vegetables and cook until onions are golden and carrots have soften.
Stir in coconut milk, curry paste, fish sauce and red chili paste. Add chicken, bring to a simmer and cook about 8 mins until chicken is done. Stir in cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve over rice or vermicelli noodles.

Pour a pint and dig in!

Potato- Leek Soup

Oh boy, it's  beginning to look a lot like Autumn!  More precisely, it is beginning to feel a lot like Autumn.  The air outside is cool and crisp and the sun is doing more to keep your disposition cheery than to keep you warm.  There is cozy feeling about this time of year that can not be matched by any other season or climate.  It is warm enough to enjoy the outdoors, but cool enough to come inside, wrap yourself up in your favorite sweater and snuggle up on the couch.
This type of weather makes me crave soup.  Soup, a crusty loaf of bread, and an Oregon Pinot to be more specific.  My stand-by soup is always a silky Potato Leek.  In full disclosure, this is a not a low- cal cup of soup.  The ingredient list might be minimal, but the caloric count is most certainly not.  The good news is that it fills you up just as much as it warms you up, so its a meal by itself!  All you need to complete the experience is your favorite glass of vino and a fire to cuddle up in front of!

Ingredients:
3-4 small to medium size russet potatoes
3 large leeks, leaves cut off so just white/light green part is remaining
6-8 cups of chicken stock (you can also substitute vegetable stock)
salt and pepper to taste
8 oz creme fraiche
3- 4 dashes of tabasco
green onion for garnish

Hand Blender, the soup maker's essential tool

Peel potatoes and dice. Don't worry too much about size because you will be blending later.  Clean and cut leeks lengthwise, then chop into small pieces.  Pour 6 oz of chicken stock into at least a 4 quart pot and cook over high heat.  (If you like a thinner soup pour in all 8 oz) Add potatoes and leeks and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the potatoes are soft.   Bring heat down to a low simmer; if you have a hand blender, immerse in pot and blend until the soup is completely smooth.  (If you do not have a hand blender, remove soup from heat and in batches puree in a counter blender; when finished return to pot.) Add salt and pepper to taste then stir in creme fraiche until its is fully blended and gives the soup a silky texture.  Add a few dashes of tabasco for a subtle kick and stir.

Enjoy!

Pantry Shrimp Pasta

So, first let me vent a bit... I do not have a final presentation picture for this dish and I am beyond frustrated about it!  I actually made it for dinner tonight.  Because it was late and I was being lazy, I took the picture with my iphone instead of my camera.  Later, I went to back up my phone to my computer and hit the restore button; which caused me to lose all my recent photos. Ughh! Fortunately, my husband took a picture while I was cooking so at least there's something... But the plating on the final dish was oh so pretty! :( 
(If any of you know a trick to get the pictures back let me know!)

Ok, so on to the meal...

It is always crazy in our household.  My children are 5 and 2 and are systematically trying to sabotage my quest to actually be a "put-together" mommy.  My husband is a workaholic and a bikeaholic.  The combination of all these things makes for a lot of last minute menu planning.  Thanks to my home away from home, Trader Joe's, I almost always have a bag of frozen shrimp on hand.  Shrimp is the easiest and fastest thing to prepare when you are short on time; or short on patience.  It cooks through in minutes and somehow makes you feel a bit more sophisticated than if you were eating chicken; Again.


I like to call this dish Pantry Shrimp Pasta because everything you need is likely on hand in your pantry.  If they are not, perhaps you should consider stocking your pantry with the basics.  :)

Ingredients:

2/3 cup of olive oil (approximately, I never measure olive oil...)
3 tablespoons of butter
juice of 1 lemon or about 1/4 cup of lemon juice 
5-6 cloves of garlic, minced 
1 full handful of fresh parsley finely chopped (you can substitute dried if you must)
1/4 cup dried bread crumbs
1 16 oz bag of thawed uncooked jumbo shrimp
1-2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
salt to taste

8-10 ounces long pasta (I like linguine or angel hair)

In a deep saute pan heat olive and butter over medium high heat until butter is melted.  Add lemon juice, garlic, parsley, and bread crumbs.  Cook a few minutes until garlic and bread crumbs start to turn golden in color.  Add shrimp and cook until cooked through and opaque in color.  Season with desired amount of salt and sprinkle with red pepper flakes.  Add drained pasta to skillet and stir. (The bread crumbs help to coat the pasta and thicken the dish in absence of a cheese. )  Dish up and eat!

Enjoy!

Borrowing from the Boys

My latest fashion obsession is the old-school prepster look! I love that everywhere you shop, stores are sporting oxfords and loafers with a new modern twist. At the beginning of summer, my husband bought a pair of traditional wingtips and ever since then I have been on the hunt to find a fun, feminine version. The pair above were my answer! The perfect balance of tomboy cool with an ultra girly touch; the grosgrain ribbon. I will be wearing them all Fall with everything from leggings, to jeans, to dresses. Mine are from Nordstrom if you want to immediately run out at buy them yourself! Otherwise, here are some shots of others I found nearly as cute!

Brown Butter Pumkin Layer Cake

My son came home from school today with a permission slip to visit the local pumpkin patch.  It was all too appropriate because today was the first day we have seen temperatures below 70 F.  And although I am somewhat sad to say goodbye to flip flops and long summer nights,  I must admit I am giddy about all the upcoming season brings! Autumn is far and away my favorite season!  I love the cooler climate and the glorious colors abound!  I get excited about the bounty of delicious foods that only make their appearances during this time of year.  I relish every moment and every meal, knowing that soon enough the leaves will fall and the beautiful colors once surrounding us will soon turn gray and bleak.  Everything about the Autumn season seems to nurture our spirits.  It is about time spent with friends and family at football games, pumpkin patches, and holidays dedicated solely to consuming foods; hence, Halloween and Thanksgiving.  Both of these holidays put Fall's mascot, the pumpkin, front and center.  Most often, the traditional pumpkin pie is the staple desert for any Autumn gathering.  I disdain pumpkin pie.  It is not because I dislike pumpkins or that I am un-american; rather it is the wholly bizarre texture that is pumpkin pie filling.  This Fine Cooking Magazine recipe is my answer to the quintessential pumpkin dessert.  It is truly the most amazing cake you will ever eat.  Seriously, life changing.  Likely, because two of its key ingredients are cream cheese and brown butter.  Last year I made this recipe for Thanksgiving,  but this year I will be making it for Halloween as well, just so we can enjoy it twice!

Ingredients:

For the cake

1- 1/2 cups pumpkin puree

6 oz. (3/4 cup) unsalted butter; more for the pans
9 oz. (2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour; more for the pans
1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
3/4 tsp. table salt
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/3 cup buttermilk

For the topping
1-1/2 Tbs. unsalted butter
2/3 cup pecans
1/2 cup unsalted, raw, hulled pepitas
2 Tbs. firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 tsp. table salt
1-1/2 Tbs. chopped crystallized ginger

For the frosting
4 oz. (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
5 oz. (1-1/4 cups) confectioners’ sugar


Make the cake:
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F.

Butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans with removable bottoms (or butter two 9-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment, butter the parchment, and flour the pans).

Melt the butter in a heavy-duty 1-quart saucepan over medium heat. Cook, swirling the pan occasionally until the butter turns a nutty golden-brown, about 4 minutes. Pour into a small bowl and let stand until cool but not set, about 15 minutes.
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and cloves. In a large bowl, whisk 1-1/2 cups of the pumpkin purée with the granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and buttermilk until very well blended. With a rubber spatula, stir in the flour mixture until just combined. Gently whisk in the brown butter until completely incorporated. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.

Bake the cakes until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 28 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Turn the cakes out onto racks, remove the pan bottoms or parchment, and cool completely.

Make the topping:
Melt the butter in a heavy-duty 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the pecans and pepitas and cook until the pecans brown slightly and the pepitas begin to pop, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle in the brown sugar and salt and stir until the sugar melts and the nuts are glazed, about 2 minutes. Stir in the ginger. Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool in the skillet.

Make the frosting: Melt the butter in a heavy-duty 1-quart saucepan over medium heat. Cook, swirling the pan occasionally until the butter turns a nutty golden-brown, about 4 minutes. Pour into a small bowl and let stand until the solids settle at the bottom of the bowl, about 5 minutes. Carefully transfer the bowl to the freezer and chill until just firm, about 18 minutes. Using a spoon, carefully scrape the butter from bowl, leaving the browned solids at the bottom; discard the solids.

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, cream cheese, and brown sugar on medium-high speed until light in color and the brown sugar has dissolved, 2 minutes. Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar and continue beating until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.

Assemble the cake:
Put one cake layer on a cake plate. Spread 1/2 cup of the frosting on the layer. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the nut mixture over the frosting and top with the second layer. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. Arrange the remaining nut mixture on top. 

Enjoy!

Fat Dan's Deli

Fat Dan's Deli

815 Broad Ripple Avenue

Indianapolis, IN 46220

So, after only a month here I am officially starting to miss my hometown junk food.  More accurately put: I am missing Portillos.   You know when people ask the question: "if you could eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?"?  9 times out of 10 my answer is Portillo's french fries.  When its not Portillo's french fries, its a perfectly crusty baguette.  Clearly I have a weakness for carbs.

Last week I had a hankering for some Chicago Style carry-out.  As such, I decided to hunt down the gold standard in encased meats:  the vienna beef hot dog.  This was my first such quest in Hoosier -land and I did so with hopes that I would not only be able to enjoy a tasty dog but also some yummy fries.  

Now, before I give my review, let me just preface that the guy behind the counter's first words were that he was hungover and exhausted from working late the night before.  I did not think this would make too much of difference so I went ahead with my order.  

Traditional Chicago Style  hot dog and an order of fries.  

I am sad to report that it did not live up to my beloved Portillo's.   All the right ingredients were there but the dog seemed dry and the bun was ridiculously stale.  You can see in the picture that the right side of the bun was firm as a rock and and not at all steamed like it should have been.




The french fries had a ton of potential to be delicious.  They appeared to be hand cut and were fried to a perfect crisp.  Unfortunately, the seasoning salt they put on was so salty that they were pretty much  
inedible.  Bummer because I like I said before, I have a serious weakness for carbohydrates and I was really looking forward to some fried goodness.

I am willing to believe that this was an off day for Fat Dan's; particularly because of the hungover employee scenario.  But unfortunately it is not close enough for me to give it another try.  My search for GOOD Chicago Style carry-out continues.

Petit Chou

Petit Chou 

14390 Clay Terrace Blvd

Carmel, IN

This past Sunday my family had brunch at Cafe Patachou's, Petit Chou, in Clay Terrace. This was my third visit to Petit Chou, with one of the times being at their Broad Ripple location. I am very happy to report that once again I was not disappointed!  Petit Chou is currently at the very top of my list of favorite restaurants in Indy; albeit the list is rather short due to our limited time here.
The interior space of the Clay Terrace location is feminine and elegant yet true to the Parisian bistro look they seem to be going for.  They have a great bar in the center of the room that adds a bit of sophistication and I imagine allows the restaurant to give off a different vibe during dinner service.  So far I have only visited for breakfast/lunch but based upon the quality of those meals and what the I've read from the dinner menu, I am excited to come back for evening service!

On to what we ordered...

 Croque Madame:

One of my favorite brunch items is Croque Madame and Petit Chou has mastered it!  Their baked-in-house brioche is delicious and held up perfectly to the weight of the egg, ham and bechamel.  The bechamel itself was nicely done.  So often bechamel can be way too rich and over power the sandwich; theirs was perfectly buttery and creamy without being too heavy.  I also appreciated the thick cuts of ham and gruyere and imagine their Croque Monsieur is equally as delicious.  However, you top anything with a fried egg and the yummy factor goes up!  The sandwich was served aside a mixed green salad with a light vinaigrette and was a perfect compliment to this rich and delicious sandwich!  GOOD food for sure!!
 

Broken Yolk Sandwich with Bacon and Avocado:

This sandwich was also served on their tasty brioche bread.  It was a pretty straightforward breakfast dish and one that I would imagine to be pretty difficult to mess up.  The bacon was thick and had a wonderful maple taste.  And much like my opinion on fried eggs making everything better, avocado has that same effect!  This dish was served with a fruit cup and what I liked most about it was the only melon was watermelon!  I despise getting fruit cups with no grapes or berries but filled to the brim with honeydew and cantaloupe.  Not that there is anything wrong with honeydew and cantaloupe; I would just prefer any other fruit over them any day.  Unless of course they are wrapped in prosciutto... but thats a whole different post! :)

So all in all, Petit Chou makes a really GOOD breakfast.  I am excited to go back and try dinner!

Roasted Garlic, Prosciutto & Arugula Pizza

Prosciutto & Arugula pizza with lemon

TGIF!!! The weekend is here and that means potlucks and get-togethers with family and friends!  It also means inevitably having to think of something to bring; other than your standard 7 layer dip!   One of my all time favorite things to to prepare is a yummy Prosciutto and Arugula pizza.  I love it not only because it is so simple but also because it is incredibly versatile with the ingredients you choose to use.  There are many different versions of this popular pizza, but I personally have never enjoyed the traditional tomato sauce based ones.  In my opinion the tomato sauce tends to steal from all the delicious salty and nuttiness of the prosciutto and arugula.  I use an olive oil base and much prefer it! The versatility comes into play with the different cheeses you choose or the way you choose to dress the greens; either fresh lemon or a balsamic reduction.  Both are equally fantastic!  As for the roasted garlic, that's also a personal preference but in my family we can never have too much garlic!  The recipe below lists the basics you need, but go ahead and get creative! There is virtually no way to make this pizza not taste anything but GOOD!!

Ingredients:

store bought pizza crust ( I like Boboli thin crust)

approx. 1 tablespoon olive oil

4-5 cloves of roasted garlic

fresh mozzerella cut into slices

cheese of your choice ( I like goat cheese)

arugula

6-8 slices of prosciutto

shaved parmigiano reggiano

juice of half a lemon or 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar  (this depends on your preference for a balsamic reduction or a simple lemon juice and olive oil dressing)

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 F.  Brush olive oil on pizza crust with a pastry brush.  I like to use the infused olive oil from the roasted garlic.  (If you don't have time to roast garlic, you can simply infuse the olive oil by heating it in a saute pan with some chopped garlic).  Spread the garlic on the pizza crust and layer with mozzarella, goat cheese, and small amount of parmigiano reggiano.  Bake for pizza crust's suggested time.

***If using a balsamic reduction, prepare while pizza is baking.  Bring 1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar to a boil then reduce heat to simmer until the vinegar evaporates about 1/2 way in pot and becomes thick and syrupy.  If using lemon dressing, dress arugula in advance with juice of half a lemon, and about 1/2 a tablespoon good olive oil***

When pizza is fully cooked, remove from oven and scatter with arugula.  Evenly distribute prosciutto over the top and sprinkle on shaved parmigiano reggiano.  If you used the lemon dressing, you are now finished!  If you are using the balsamic reduction, drizzle balsamic over the top and now you too are finished!  Commence Eating! Enjoy!

Simply Delicious Roasted Chicken

Friends are always asking me for quick and easy weeknight dinner recipes. One of my favorite go-to recipes is a Roasted Chicken from acclaimed chef Thomas Keller of Napa's French Laundry. The idea of store-bought rotisserie chickens sitting under heat lamps for hours has always grossed me out. I was convinced I could make a chicken that was not only fresher, but also better tasting. I found this recipe on one of my favorite food sites, epicurious.com and not only was it incredibly easy but it was also the best tasting roasted chicken I had ever had! The salt rub assures incredibly moist meat with perfectly crispy skin that even my children ask for! That would never happen with a precooked rotisserie bird, now would it??? I usually serve this dish with a simple side of roasted fingerling potatoes that can roast in a separate pan along side the chicken; getting dinner prepped, cooked, and on the table in just over an hour! How easy is that??!!

Ingredients:

3-4 pound organic whole roaster chicken
Kosher or freshly ground sea salt
Freshly ground pepper


Preheat the oven to 450°F. Rinse the chicken, then dry it very well with paper towels, inside and out. The less it steams, the drier the heat, the better.

Salt and pepper the cavity, then truss the bird and place in a roasting pan.

Now, salt the chicken so that it has a nice uniform coating that will result in a crisp, salty, flavorful skin (about 1-2 tablespoons) Season to taste with pepper.

Place the chicken in the oven and roast for 50 to 60 minutes. Baste the chicken with the juices and let it rest for about 15 minutes, then dig in!!!  Yum!

Black Market

Black Market

922 Massachusetts Avenue

Indianapolis, IN 46202

We have officially lived in Nap-town now for one month! Fortunately for me, my inner food snob has not been completely destroyed! Rather, I am optimistic about my dining options, even if they are a tad bit more limited.... That's to be expected when you move from a Foodie Capitol to a smaller market; right???

The first week we moved here my spouse and I were heading downtown to hear one of our favorite bands play, The Head and the Heart. If you don't know them you should... They are INCREDIBLE! But, since this blog is about food, that is all I will say about that! Back to the point... We were heading downtown and decided to grab dinner somewhere near Massachusetts Ave.. We had read about Black Market and its comparisons to The Publican in Chicago. The Publican is one of my favorite restaurants in Chicago so we decided to give it a try even knowing those were some big shoes to fill.

Upon entering Black Market, my first impression was GOOD! The restaurant is actually quite small yet it works in their favor with the communal tables lending to a hip and casual vibe that doesn't come off contrived. I also liked the use of more rustic finishes throughout such as the brick walls and chalkboard menu. To me a lot of the enjoyment of dining out comes from the aesthetics you are dining in and Black Market definitely succeeded there!


On to the food! First, let me apologize for my lack of photographs! I happened to eat here before my brilliant idea of starting a food blog came to fruition! And since this is my first soiree into the blog world I figured it best not to cut and paste pics from other websites as if they were my own! But I promise to always have pictures from this day forward! Now that I have said my vows... Here is what we ordered:

Small plates:
Duck buns and the Summer tomato, corn, and melon salad.

The duck buns seem to be the most hyped up item on their menu. I am a big fan of duck and who doesn't like a good steamed bun?? So in theory this item should be a home run, and it almost was.... almost. The buns themselves were wonderful, soft and lofty as they should be with the right about of filling to allow for what a dear friend of mine once coined "the perfect bite". The duck breast was tender and not gamey but where the dish lost me a bit was the hoison mustard. It was just too salty, and I am often accussed myself of over-seasoning so I am certainly not afraid of a little sodium. With that said, I do think it was a well executed dish and the overtly saltiness of the sauce could have been that evening's batch so I will go ahead and say it was GOOD!

Next up: the Summer tomato, corn and melon salad served with bacon and a sherry vinaigrette. This one was recommended by our sever and quite honestly I wish it wasn't. Was it horrible? No. But it certainly wasn't GOOD. It was really a bit awkward as a dish and the flavors did not seem to mesh at all. The cantaloupe was cut way to large in comparison to the tomato and corn and flavor wise really overpowered the rest of the ingredients. The salad seemed confused as to whether it was a salad or a succotash. Even the bacon couldn't save it and what doesn't bacon make better?? So unfortunately, I have to say this salad was BAD.

Entrees
Ale steamed mussels, Pork schnitzel, Grilled flat iron steak

The mussels were quite nice and I was suspicious when my spouse chose to order them. I typically lean more towards the traditional herb de provence broths and this one was made with tomatoes and basil. I was pleasantly surprised; the tomatoes and basil were very subtle and there was a nice kick to the broth as well. Even better was the amazing bread they served with the mussels. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE a good crusty loaf; to the point that I actually think the bread served with mussels is as important to the dish as the mussels themselves. Apparently, Black Market must share my same sentiment because they bake the bread in house. Kudos on this one. It was GOOD!

My brother got the pork schnitzel and it too was very GOOD. Dare I say, perhaps the best schnitzel I have ever had and I have an Eastern European mother so I've eaten some schnitzel in my day. I have also made many a schnitzel since it is one of my children's favorite dinners so I know it's pretty hard to mess up. Still, probably one of the best schnitzels I've eaten. The summer slaw on the side was decent but nothing too incredible... I would have preferred a mash potato side but I appreciate their efforts to stick to the season and attempt to lighten it up s bit since it was August. All in all, very GOOD.

I ordered the flat iron steak and unfortunately for me it was the least exciting of all the entrees we ordered. It was served with a lime cilantro compound butter and a tortilla salad. Reading that description made me think I was going to get a very south of the border taste from my meal but it ended up being a little lack luster. The steak was cooked well to medium rare but I could not at all taste the lime cilantro butter which I assume was what was suppose to differentiate this dish from any other flat iron steak. Additionally, the tortilla salad was pretty boring and I am convinced was the same succotash like creation from the appetizer salad we ordered minus the cantaloupe and plus the tortilla strips. I don't know why, but this annoyed me to no end and probably made me more critical on the rest of the meal so therefore I have ti say this dish was BAD.

Overall, I would say Black Market is GOOD! We enjoyed 3 out of the 5 menu items we tried, and with the cool space and vibe it is certainly someplace I will come again.