Smoked Gouda Mashed Potatoes

I made up this recipe after sampling something very similar at Zed451 in Chicago. After one bite I begged our waiter to tell me what was in their unbelievable mashed potatoes. Luckily he liked me and revealed the secret ingredient: GOUDA. After a couple of attempts, I think this recipe is pretty close. It's the perfect comfort food in the cold months of winter. I served this with broiled ribeyes because our grill is currently covered in snow!

6 Large Yukon Gold Potatos
3/4 Cup of Whole Milk
1/2 Stick of Butter
1 Cup of Shredded Gouda (1/4 cup reserved)
1/4 Cup of Panko Bread Crumbs
Salt & Pepper

Peel potatoes and chop into 1 inch pieces. Simmer potatoes in water until fork tender (about 15 to 20 minutes). Drain potatoes and return to hot pan. Add milk and butter and mash. Fold in 3/4 cup of shredded Gouda. Pour into a casserole dish. Toss remaining 1/4 cup of Gouda and panko bread crumbs and sprinkle this mixture on top of the potatoes. Either cook on 425 degrees until top is golden brown. If you are in a rush, you can just place the potatoes under the broiler for 1-2 minutes.

Lauren's Labor Day Dogs

Who would have thought that my dear friend Lauren, the one who is studying to be a nutritionist, would bring these sinfully delicious hot dogs? Bacon truly does make everything better - not sometimes, but ALWAYS. And what about cheese? Throw it in there too.

1 Package of Hot Dogs

Package of Low Sodium Bacon

8 Slices of Cheddar

Hot Dog Buns

Slice hot dogs down the middle to make a slit for the cheddar. Break up slices of cheddar so you can fill the inside of the hot dog, but cheese isn't sticking out too much. Wrap each hot dog with one slice of bacon. Secure with long skewer so bacon stays wrapped tightly while grilling. Grill until bacon is crispy and cheese is melted through. Serve with chips and your favorite pasta salad!! So good. Kids, including the 26 year old who lives with me, will love this.

Penne Pasta with Sausage Tomato Cream Sauce

Mmmm this was good. We had some penne just sitting in the cabinent as well as some unused Jimmy Dean sausage so I decided to throw them together to make a hearty meal. You think I would wait until Fall to make this soul warming dish, but since it's 60 degrees in August, I thought... what the hell. I used a little red wine in the sauce that added a delicious depth of flavor that I wouldn't have gotten other wise. I don't usually cook with wine but I'm going to start now. It totally changed the entire flavor of the sauce. So good (if I don't say so myself).

1 Package of Reduce Fat Jimmy Dean Sausage

2 Cloves of Garlic

2 Cans of Diced Tomatoes

1/2 Teaspoon of Dried Italian Seasoning

1/2 Cup of Cabernet Sauvignon

1 Heaping Tablespoon of Sour Cream

1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese

1 Package of Dried Penne

Heavily salt a large pot of water and bring to a boil. Cook penne to directions (about 8 minutes or until al dente). Drain and set aside. Saute sausage in pan until only a little pink remains. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and stir. Deglaze the pan with 1 can of diced tomatoes (do not drain, pour the liquid in the pan too). Stir to get any remaining bits of sausage from bottom of the pan. Add last can of tomatoes and Italian seasoning and simmer on medium for 2-3 minutes until sauce slightly reduces. Add wine and reduce again for another 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for a few minutes. Add sour cream and parmesan cheese. Stir until all ingredients are incorporated. Pour penne into saute pan and mix pasta with sauce. Top each serving with some additional parm and go to town!

Spicy Lime Chicken Fajitas with Radicchio Slaw

This recipe was a product of having a bunch of random ingredients in the fridge and needing to use them up. I've been trying to cook with a little more spice and jalapenos are the perfect pepper to start with. I went sans tortilla to keep it low carb, but I snuck a bite of Charlie's. The slight bitterness and crunch of the radicchio slaw was a perfect alternative to flavorless (and nutritionless) iceberg lettuce that you'd find in a traditional fajita.

Chicken & Marinade

2 Large Skinless Chicken Breasts

1 Lime, Juiced and Sliced Thin

Zest from Lime

2 Garlic Cloves, Chopped Fine

1/2 Jalapeno, Sliced Thin

1 Large Green Onion, Chopped

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

Radicchio Slaw

2 Heads of Radicchio, Sliced Thin

1/4 White Onion, Sliced Thin

3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons of Red Wine Vinegar

1 Garlic Clove, Chopped Fine

Salt & Pepper

White Flour Tortillas

Cheddar Cheese

Sour Cream

Green Onions for Garnish

In a large zip lock bag, mix chicken, jalapenos, lime juice, lime slices, zest from lime, garlic, green onion, iolive oil and salt and pepper. Toss around and let marinate for 4-6 hours. Grill until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. While cooking, prepare the radicchio slaw. Add sliced radicchio and onions to a bowl and toss with olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, and salt and pepper. Let sit until radicchio begins to wilt slightly. To assemble the fajitas, add a layer of radicchio slaw, chicken, cheddar cheese, sour cream, and green onions. Serve with hot sauce or salsa. Charlie says "top five!"

Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts

I remember the first time I had these little bites of love. OMG. It was Christmas Eve at Charlie's house, the night that everyone makes their favorite appetizer or snack. Charlie's Aunt Josie made the HUGE mistake of giving me a preview of what she had brought. Needless to say I lost all self control and ate about 20 of these. Story of my life. These are by far the easiest and most delicious recipe you can make. Salty, sweet, and crunchy - doesn't get much better than this. Make this recipe for your next party and I promise at least 3 people will frantically track you down to ask how they can make this themselves. Stay tuned - I've been cooking up a fancy version of these in my head that I plan to post soon!

1 Package of Low Sodium Bacon

1 Can of Sliced Water Chestnuts

1 Tablespoon of Low Sodium Soy Sauce

2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

2 Tablespoons of Bacon Fat (optional)

1/4 Cup of BBQ Sauce

Pre heat oven to 425 degrees. Cut the entire package of bacon down the middle. Place one water chestnut at the bottom of a slice of bacon and roll tightly. You might want to fasten each with a toothpick to make sure they don't unwrap during cooking. Make sure you soak your toothpicks in water prior to cooking so they don't burn in the oven. Cook for a good 20-30 minutes until the bacon is crispy and golden brown. Do not rush this. If they still aren't brown and crispy after 30 minutes turn oven up to 475 until they are done. Once they are done, remove from oven to cool and place on paper towels to soak up excess grease. In a small sauce pan, add soy sauce, brown sugar, bacon fat from pan, and BBQ sauce. Cook over medium heat until all ingredients are blended. The bacon fat is optional - it adds delicious flavor but leave it out depending on how greasy your wrapped chestnuts look. Brush sauce on the wrapped chestnuts with a pastry brush and serve. Try to resist eating until your guests arrive.

Summer Vegetable Gazpacho with Herb Oil

After a long weekend of drinking and staying up too late, nothing said detox like a nice bowl of Gazpacho. Fresh vegetables in season really make this a delicious and satisfying summer meal. I had never really made this before so I sort of just wung it.

Gazpacho
1 Large Green Tomato
2 Large Red Tomatoes
1 Medium Orange Pepper
2 Medium Green Onions
3/4 of a White Onion
3 Large Garlic Cloves
Juice from 1/2 Lime
1 Can of Diced Tomatoes
1 Large Cucumber
1/4 Cup Parsley
1/4 Cup Cilantro
1 Tbs of Red Wine Vinegar
Salt & Pepper to Taste

Herb Oil
1/4 Jalapeno, seeds removed
1/2 Cup of Parsley
1/2 Cup of Cilantro
1 Garlic Clove
Juice from 1/2 Lime
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper

Throw all ingredient for gazpacho into a food processor and pulse until all ingredients are well blended. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place in bowl and chill for 2-3 hours. To make the herb oil, add all ingredients besides olive oil into a food processor. Pulse ingredients while slowly drizzling in olive oil. Keep pulsing until ingredients are emulsified. Place two table spoons of herb oil in the bottom of a bowl. Ladle in gazpacho on top so that the herb oil makes a pretty green border. You can also just drizzle the herb oil on top. Top with sliced avocados, toasted croutons, or a little lime zest.

Roasted Garlic Bread & Linguine with Clam Sauce

Man this was a good dinner! I've been day dreaming about making this in our new condo (on my new stove) and the night finally arrived. This meal was so easy to make and so satisfying. Comfort food to the max - the only way to end a long week. If you roast the garlic ahead of time, this meal takes about 30-45 minutes. Honestly the garlic bread was THE best I've ever had. Make this - the subtle roasted garlic flavor is to die for.

Roasted Garlic Bread

2 Bulbs of Roasted Garlic

1 Stick of Butter Softened

1/8 Cup of Grated Parmesan Cheese

Salt & Lots of Black Pepper
1 Loaf of French Bread

To roast the garlic, cut the top off each bulb so you expose each clove (basically cut the dips of the cloves off too). Drizzle the bulbs with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Wrap each with foil and roast in a 400 degree oven for 45 minutes or until cloves become golden brown and caramelized. Cool roasted garlic and add to softened butter. Mix with a fork well and add salt, pepper, and cheese. Cut french bread length wise and spread mixture evenly. Good on top track until cooked evenly. Be very careful not to brown the top too much - garlic will become VERY bitter.

Linguine with Clam Sauce

5 Cloves of Garlic

1 Stick of Butter (shhh it's fine)

2 Cans of Chopped Clams

1 Cup of Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc

1/2 Tsp of White Pepper

1/4 Tsp of Black Pepper

1/4 Cup of Parmesan

1 Tbs of Chopped Parsley

Cook 1.5 lbs of fresh pasta for 2-3 minutes or until al dente, drain, and set aside. Melt butter in a large skillet. Once heated through and butter becomes frothy, finely chop the garlic and add to butter. Cook and stir for 2 minutes until garlc begins to soften. Add chopped clams with juice to skillet and saute until sauce is simmering evenly. Add wine and simmer for 2 - 3 minutes until sauce reduces and begins to thicken. Add parmesan cheese and both white and black pepper and take off the heat. Toss pasta in skillet, finish with parsley and a little more parmesan, and serve immediately.

Zucchini Lasagna (Low Carb!)

I'm on a zucchini kick so I decided to make a zucchini lasagna for dinner tonight. Other zucchini lasagnas I've seen call for bread crumbs or noodles of some sort, but I kept mine simple starch free. You can change this a hundred different ways, but the one I made tonight came out very good. Review from Charlie: "I didn't even avoid the zucchini!!"

3 Medium - Large Zucchini's
16 oz of Part Skim Ricotta Cheese
1/2 Cup of Parmesan
1 Tbs of Garlic Powder
1/4 Tsp of Dried Italian Seasoning
2 Tbs of Chopped Fresh Parsley
1 Can of Diced Tomatoes
2 Cups Mozzarella
1 Package of Jimmy Dean Reduced Fat Sausage
Salt & Pepper

Sauce:
1 Large Can of Crushed Tomatoes
2 Cloves of Garlic
1 Tbs of Olive Oil
1 Tsp of Italian Seasoning
Salt & Pepper

***ingredients were catered to a 8 1/2" x 6 1/2" casserole dish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Saute package of sausage. Set aside. Half will be used in the lasagna and the other half will be used in the sauce. Cut off each end of zucchini. Cut zucchini in half side ways. From each half, cut down thin slices (as thin as possible without tearing) of zucchini length wise to make "noodles". They should be about 4 inches long and 1 inch wide. Discard thick or uneven slices. Once complete, cook zucchini in salted boiling water for about 3 minutes or until they become tender. To make the ricotta cheese layer, mix ricotta, parm, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, chopped parsley, salt, and pepper to taste. I had to keep adding salt because the ricotta was pretty bland. Add a little at a time until the cheese tastes savory. Open the can of diced tomatoes and add a little to the bottom of your casserole dish. Add one layer of zucchini, dollops of ricotta mixture, sprinkle of sausage, dice tomatoes, sprinkle of mozzarella, and repeat. I believe I had four layers total. Once complete and all ingredient are finished, shimmy casserole dish to make sure all ingredients settle. Cover with tin foil and cook covered for 20 minutes. Cook uncovered for another 20 minutes or until lasagna is hot and bubbly.

While cooking, you can prepare the homemade sauce to top each serving of lasagna with. Add one tablespoon of olive oil to sauce pan. Add 2 cloves of chopped garlic and heat until fragrant. Add reserved sausage and saute. Add large can of crushed tomatoes and one teaspoon of dried Italian seasoning. Add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer on low until lasagna is done cooking. If you have fresh basil, I would use that instead.

Make sure the lasagna rests before serving!!! It should sit for at least 30 minutes. If you don't do this, it will completely fall apart when you serve it. Top each serving with several spoonfuls of sauce. Sprinkle with a little parm and parsley and you're done!!!

Easy Creamed Spinach

I've made this recipe about a million times, each time being completely different. This is a good side or main dish. Depending on what you have on hand, you can use frozen or fresh spinach, cream or sour cream, and different aromatics (garlic, onions, leeks, etc). The following ingredients I had on hand over lunch so this is what I made.

1.5 Bags of Fresh Spinach
1/2 Sweet White Onion Finely Chopped
1 Clove of Garlic
1/2 Cup of Sour Cream
1/8 Cup of Parmesan
1/8 Cup of Mozzarella

Saute chopped onion and chopped garlic in 1 tablespoon of each butter and olive oil until onion softens. Add sour cream and parmesan to onion and stir until the onions have a nice and creamy texture. Add the fresh spinach to the pan with the onions. Stir occasionally until all of the spinach has wilted. Add 1/8 of mozzarella towards the end and carefully fold through spinach until melted. If you want, you can top with crumbled bacon or toasted almonds.

The Best Cheese Bread Ever

My lovely vegetarian friend, Ashley Redgrave, came into town this weekend so I wanted to make her something she could enjoy. Since Charlie and I are both meat lovers, I was very tempted to throw some bacon in but I'm glad I resisted! It came out great.

1 Loaf of French Bread
1 Jar of Kraft Old English Cheddar Spread
3 Tablespoons of Room Temp Butter
1/4 Cup of Parmesan
2 Tablespoons of Mayo
1 Teaspoon of Garlic Powder
2 Green Onions

Cut thin rounds of french bread and set aside. Mix together all ingredients (except green onions) until creamy and smooth. Spread a thin layer of the cheese mixture on each round and broil until golden brown (about 3-5 minutes). If you cut the rounds thin enough you won't need to crisp the bottom side of the bread. If you do, put on bottom oven rack for 3 minutes as well. Top the rounds with chopped green onions and enjoy.

Pizza Dip

I'm planning on making this pizza dip for the Super Bowl. It's a crowd pleaser for meat eaters as well as my vegetarian friends. Sometimes I make this with alfredo sauce to make a white pizza dip. Comes out great every time and is super easy.

Meat Lovers Pizza Dip
1 tsp of dried Italian seasoning
1 package of Philly Cream Cheese
1 cup of mozz
1 cup of marinara sauce
1/2 cup chopped pepperoni
1/2 cup of cooked ground Italian sausage
1/2 cup of parm
Diced green peppers and onions

Veggie Pizza Dip
All of the same ingratiates as above, but replace the meat with:
1/4 cup sliced black olives
1/4 cup diced green peppers
1/4 cup canned mushrooms
You can adjust the amount of veggies you want - I like a lot!

Mix the Italian seasoning with the cream cheese. Let set in fridge for 30 minutes for flavors to blend. Layer on top of cream cheese base, the mozz cheese, parm, marinara sauce, and toppings of choice. If you are making the Meat Lovers Pizza Dip, garnish with the diced onions and green peppers. Spinkle the top of dip with parm before serving. Bake at 350 until hot and bubbly.

I serve this with garlic bread that I prepare with lots of butter, salt, garlic powder, Italian seasoning and a sprinkle of parm cheese. Delicious!!

Taco Turkey Meatballs

I'm trying to stay true to my new years resolution of eating healthier, but 4 days of terrible mass produced food at my company conference set me back a bit. My first night home I went to my default: ground turkey. Tonight, I made low carb turkey taco meatballs stuffed with sharp cheddar cheese. I didn't get extra lean turkey this time to make sure the meatballs stayed moist and I would suggest doing the same since it made a pretty big difference. Here is the recipe:

1 pkg Ground Turkey
8 Cheddar Cheese Cubes (or 1 per meatball)
3 Tbs of Taco Seasoning
1/2 Tsp of Garlic Powder
1 Egg
1 Green Onion, chopped
Sour Cream
Louisiana Hot Sauce
Fresh Salsa

Mix ground turkey with egg, taco seasoning, 5 hits of Louisiana Hot Sauce, and garlic powder. Let set 5 minutes for flavors to mellow. Scoop turkey mixture with ice cream scoop to ensure even sized meatballs. Press 1 cube of cheese into center of meatball and form the meat around the cheese. Make sure no cheese is showing otherwise it will bubble out during cooking. Place meatballs in a 400 degree oven for 17-20 minutes or until cooked through. I mixed a few tablespoons of sour cream with Louisiana Hot Sauce and used this as a dipping sauce. This was a very healthy alternative to what I really want to eat. Pork and beef meatballs stuffed with mozzarella cheese. Maybe I'll give in this weekend. I'll keep you posted.

Sausage Bread

I came up with this recipe because a lot of people I cook for don't like mushrooms, but love my stuffed mushroom filling. Guys tend to love this one so break it out during football season and it'll be a hit.

1 Small Loaf of French Bread
1 Pkg of Jimmy Dean Reduce Fat Sausage
1 Pkg of Philly Cream Cheese
1/2 Tsp of Garlic Powder
2 Green Onions chopped

Saute the sausage. Once cooked through, pour over cream cheese in a mixing bowl. Let sit for few minutes so cream cheese softens. Cut the french bread in half lengthwise. Gently spoon out some of the bread to hallow out the center so the topping lays in the bread (otherwise topping will fall of the crisp bread too easily). Brush inside of bread lightly with olive oil and then toast in a 400 degree often so bread is crisp. Mix the cream cheese, garlic powder, and sausage mixture together. Add the chopped green onions right before spooning into the bread so they stay vibrant and colorful. Spread mixture into the bread and place under the broiler in a 425 degree oven just so the topping sets (about 7 minutes). Once bread is done, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and cut into slices. Serve with marinara sauce and enjoy!

You might want to double the recipe - I'm always asked for seconds :)

Theory Chicago

We had a few friends staying with us for New Years Eve which gave us a good excuse to try out a new restaurant, Theory. Theory markets itself as "home away from home." I don't know if I would totally agree with this description. Aesthetically, the upscale sports bar is beautiful. It's small and intimate, lending a nice ambiance upon arrival. However, one of the first things we all commented on was the fact that the bar stools were really uncomfortable. They didn't seem big enough for my 5'3" frame, so the three guys I was with definitely were feeling it. There were plasma TVs every where you looked, so that was a plus. For a sports bar, the menu is pretty upscale, offering everything you'd expect from a sports bar (wings, nachos, sliders, etc) but with a unique gourmet twist. I tried the following:

Better Than Buffalo (wings tossed in homemade hot sauce) - I'm basically obsessed with wings, but not these in particular. I give Theory props for coming up with their own buffalo sauce, but it wasn't really buffalo sauce. It was more sweet/tangy than spicy, but it was still good. If you order these, I'd ask for them well done. I like my wings really crispy and these were not. The blue cheese dressing was delicious - perhaps the best I've ever had. I hid the container of dressing behind my drink so I could dip my super fancy sliders in it. $12 for double order.

Lightweight Tagliata (grain mustard marinated, grilled and sliced NY strip steak served on toasted rosemary ciabatta rolls with caramelized shallots and horseradish cream) - So these were Theory's version of sliders and boy did these exceed my expectations. DELICIOUS. The steak was unbelievably tender and so flavorful. The ciabatta rolls were pillowy soft and fresh out of the oven. The steak was so perfect, I almost think the caramelized shallots were an unnecessary addition. Regardless, these were awesome. They came with a side of homemade sweet potato and regular potato chips. This was an impressive portion for an appetizer. For $9 I'd totally order this again.

Pulled (18 hour cherry and apple wood-smoked pork on a toasted soft roll with a side of their house BBQ sauce) - This was ordered because of the waitress' enthusiastic suggestion. When I think of pulled pork, I think of moist pork that has been tossed in BBQ sauce. This pork came dry with the sauce on the side (as noted in the description) but I think it would have been better pre dressed. I'm only saying that because the pork seemed a bit dry. The pork was very high quality and was served piled high on the roll. The sides were just ok. The coleslaw was fresh and tasty, but the fries were terrible. Fries are almost more important to me then the sandwich itself so I was pretty disappointed in these. They seemed to be fresh cut, but totally under cooked. They were flavorless, stale, and dry. For $14 I was expecting a little more oomph.

Overall, the menu was pretty good. It was limited to appetizers, soups, and sandwiches which I think was a smart move for Theory. They chose a few options and execute well, besides a couple hiccups. I enjoyed my experience, but I believe the restaurant is marketing to older clientele. On that note, I don't believe I will attend Theory for any upcoming games. I think I'll stick to the more casual hole in the wall located directly next door, Mother Hubbards. There is something to be said for Golden Tee during half time and the acceptance of screaming at the TV. Just my thoughts anyway.

http://www.theorychicago.com/