Food & Booze

Iron Skillet Chorizo & Chicken

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Iron Skillet Chorize & Chicken

I’ve never cooked with chorizo before, but when I saw some on sale I thought “what the heck?” Precisely because I’ve never cooked with it before I didn’t want to make a dish solely with the spicy meat. Who knew how hot it would be? I decided to throw in some boneless, skinless chicken thighs. … Read more

How to turn Rump Roast into Prime Rib

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Rump Roast that tastes like Prime Rib

Red meat and I go way back. For ten years of my life I worked in steakhouses. Cattle Company was my high school job, Steak & Ale put me through college, and Kinzie Chophouse and Sullivan’s Steakhouse helped me launch The Local Tourist. One of the downsides to no longer working in restaurants that specialize … Read more

Gnocchi’s Easy – Gno Kidding!

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I’ve always loved gnocchi. I love the richness, the flavor, and the texture. I’d never really thought of making it, though, until a recipe popped up randomly on my computer. (If you have Windows 8, you know this kind of stuff happens.) I decided to take a stab at it for our Valentine’s Weekend dinner … Read more

Don’t be chicken of chicken

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I used to be afraid to cook a whole chicken. I guess I wouldn’t really say “afraid”, I just didn’t want to put in the effort. I cook our family’s Thanksgiving turkey every other year and that is easy as can be. Clean the bird out, throw some garlic or what have you inside, truss … Read more

Ginger Shrimp Stacks

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Shrimp is one of those appetizers that just seems classy. Personally I can’t afford to serve jumbo prawn cocktail when I have guests, but a good alternative are these Ginger Shrimp Stacks. They’re pretty and they won’t break your budget or your waistline (which is something to consider after those Bacon Deviled Eggs…). They’re also … Read more

Deviled Eggs: Better With Bacon

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I’m of the belief that bacon makes everything better. Chocolate? Better. Burgers? Better. Wrapped around scallops or figs or water chestnuts? WAY better. And since bacon and eggs is the quintessential bacon combination, adding bacon to deviled eggs makes them, well, better. This is a pretty simple recipe. The hardest part is getting the shells … Read more

Roasted Pepper & Feta Garlic Spread

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After I roasted those peppers last month I decided to make a spread with them. It turned out pretty well, but as I usually (always) do, I didn’t measure and I didn’t write down what I did, despite proclaiming repeatedly that I should “write this down so I don’t forget it”. Jim and I are … Read more

Pick A Peck Of Roasted Peppers

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Carton of Orange Peppers

Here in Chicago we have a produce store called Stanley’s. I don’t know who Stanley is and I don’t know where he gets his fruits and vegetables, but it’s a rare visit that I spend more than $11 or $12 for a week’s worth of produce. I’m not just talking onions and potatoes. I stock … Read more

What We Ate

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Coming from what has become one of the epicurean centers of the world you might think I wouldn’t be too excited about the food in Kansas. Oh, but you would be wrong. I love food. When people ask me what I like to eat, I say food. My son and I have a rule that we have to try everything once; if we don’t like it, we don’t eat it. So far I don’t eat raw carrots, Kalamata olives, and green peppers (and even those are growing on me). I have no allergies except for an immediate crash from sugar without the exciting rush. Planning meals and cooking something delicious give me such great pleasure I get almost giddy. I love food.

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