What’s cooking good looking?

October 1, 2016 by Michelle Novak

I made a special skillet this week, salmon cakes! My grandma used to make these, and my mom too, and this week I made them for my honey and I, and we quite enjoyed them…

I’m not very good with following recipes and like to use what is on hand (always hoping what I’m making will turn out). I threw together a can of salmon, an egg, half a cup of bread crumbs (actually smashed pita chips), half a cup of mayo, a few tablespoons of mustard, half a cup of minced chives, and then formed the patties and let them cook slowly over medium heat…

Crispy on the outside, flavorful hot salmon on the inside, served with some zesty sauce (a little mayo mixed with a little sriracha), and a salad. Next time I’m going to try baking them and see how they turn out!

I’m always making a sandwich, because I’m nuts for them. For the last few weeks, cucumber sandwiches have been my favorite. This sandwich included toasted sourdough, a spread of mayo, sliced red onion, arugula, cucumber, salt and pepper. I also really like making an open-faced sandwich with a little chive cream cheese and a layer of sliced cucumber. Delicious!

I also whipped up a frittata (though frittata means ‘fried’ and mine was baked). Some eggs, some cheese, some veggies, voila!

Fresh and simple meals are always a delight, especially when they are colorful!

I also roasted some fingerling potatoes and steamed up some pea pods and had a little feast. There’s lots of veggie love in my kitchen!

As the season is starting to change, I’m already leaning toward cool weather fare. I roasted a very large acorn squash last week (and ate the entire thing myself) and also baked up a zucchini casserole. Nothing like roasted veggies and hot casseroles to ward off a chill!

What’s cooking in your kitchen? Have you whipped up anything that is traditional to your family lately (like my salmon cakes)?

Oh heavens, Bennison’s!

October 25, 2015 by Michelle Novak

In Evanston, we have a heavenly place called Bennison’s Bakery. They’ve been around since 1938 and are always packed with customers. Around the holidays, you really need to place orders early and prepare to stand in a line when you arrive. But it is worth the wait! And believe me, your eyes will have so many things to look at, you’ll wish the line had been longer so that you had more time to decide on what you want.

Bennison’s has everything from delicious cakes, donuts, cookies, sandwiches (my favorite is the Caprese), pies, pretzels, French macarons, fruit tarts, artisan bread, cupcakes and so much more. It’s aways cheery and the bakery smells will put a smile on your face for at least an hour after you’ve walked out the door…and several more if you indulge in a few of their treats. We love this place (along with everyone else in Evanston), and it’s the perfect place to stop when you can’t think of a hostess gift or you need to bring a dessert to an event. Just stop there, the receivers of these treats will thank you!

The Pleasantly Palatable Menu at the Peckish Pig

October 18, 2015 by Michelle Novak

My boyfriend and I make a particular effort to plan a date night each and every Friday evening. It is always something to look forward to and we often chat during the week about what we’d like to do. Shall we dress up and head to dinner downtown Chicago? Get tickets to the ballet or theater? Do we want to order in and have a comfortable couch night (best for those exhausting weeks)? Should we grab a casual dinner in Evanston and head to the movies? It’s so nice to have that special time together that we plan ahead for.

And oh boy! Let’s just say when it comes to Evanston restaurants, we are becoming ever more spoiled! The perfect fall evening that it was, we cozied up at Evanston’s Peckish Pig this Friday. It was our first time dining there, and we loved it!

To start, we had their Whipped Goat Cheese & Honeycomb on toasty little slices of bread. Oh heavens! I’m a cheese addict, this was delicious! We also had the Roasted Beet and Burrata with Basil Oil which was served chilled. It was so refreshing! We also sampled their Beer Pig Mussels Cooked with House Brewed Beer & Bacon.

For our main course, handsome had the Lamb Burger with Goat Cheese, Mango-Lime Mayo and Cumin Fries. I’m pretty sure I ate more of his fries than he did…those perfectly crispy, seasoned, large cut fries! And I had the Chef’s Fish Tacos with Pickled Cabbage and Whipped Avocado. To finish, we shared the Fresh Fruit with Creme Fraiche & Balsamic Reduction. Tart and fruity!

The atmosphere at the Peckish Pig is awesome! We arrived for an earlier dinner and were very pleased to see all of the families, couples and bar folk, a very pleasant mix to the crowd. The lighting isn’t blaring and I particularly liked their use of candles, strung bulbs and ambiance lighting. Water is served in blue mason jars (which we also drink out of at home), loved it! Service is excellent and there is a great energy to the place. With a really nice selection on their menu, we can’t wait to head back! And I’ll make sure to be a little more than peckish when I arrive!

Steak & Seafood at Pete Miller’s

October 13, 2015 by Michelle Novak

Every morning, I stand outside and assess the weather. The Weather Channel, what’s that? Not for me, I like to walk outside and figure it out for myself. I admit, not exactly the greatest tactic for preparing for how the weather may develop as the day progresses. This morning, as I stood looking at the cloudy sky and felt the cold air, I thought to myself, “Winter is coming”. Yes, I imagine myself as one of the characters in Game of Thrones sometimes. But winter is coming, and in northern Illinois, it can be brutal.

There is only one way to face it, cozy restaurants with good food. Preferably, they’ll have a fireplace, and serve heavy dishes filled with tryptophan and other endorphin releasing chemicals. How else will you manage to survive?

It isn’t winter yet, but we thought we should do a restaurant test run just to make sure we’re ready. On Friday night, we went to Pete Miller’s in Evanston. We found the ‘food coma’ inducing tryptophan levels in the rib eye steak and king crab legs to be most satisfactory. Ok, I jest…we didn’t even get sleepy from feasting like kings. But we sure as heck left feeling pretty good!

To start, we enjoyed warm bread & butter, East Coast & Blue Point oysters with LaMarca Prosecco and a fruit & burrata salad. Oysters are served with different condiments everywhere we go. I liked the traditional lemon and cocktail sauce (which was very tasty) here at Pete Miller’s. Burrata is a creamy Italian cheese (a little like ricotta and buffalo mozzarella). For this salad, they served the cheese with merlot-poached pears & balsamic drizzle. Oh heavens! For our main course, handsome had the rib eye with garlic mashed potatoes and steamed spinach. I had the king crab legs with truffle parmesan fries and asparagus with hollandaise; served with two glasses of Uppercut Cabernet. Delicious! We were far too full for dessert (but I enjoyed leftovers the following day).

It isn’t food alone that makes for a great dining experience however. Our server Vasi was cheerful, informative with the menu and very timely, as were all the staff that kept our table tidy and our water glasses filled. We appreciate this restaurant’s excellent presentation of steak, seafood and impeccable service! To get through the winter blahs, reserve a table at Pete Miller’s if you’re near Chicago’s North Shore!

Here’s to good food at Boltwood!

September 3, 2015 by Michelle Novak

When I think of Venice, I think of a city that remembers to enjoy the good things in life. A stop in the piazza to grab an espresso with a friend and watch the world go by, an umbra of wine in the afternoon at the local bacaro with a nibble of savory cicchetti, a stroll through the morning fish market to stir up fresh ingredients for tonight’s repast, open windows embracing the sounds of flowing water and a singing gondolier, a stop in the local campo to catch up with your neighbors…

With that in mind, I intend to share snippets of not only Venice, but also those things that remind me of what that city embodies; the great joys in life, like good food!

Last night, I feasted at Boltwood in Evanston, IL. The city is just north of Chicago and hosts some excellent restaurants. Boltwood serves seasonal New American cuisine using the freshest ingredients. The photo above was of their arugula & La Quercia (prosciutto) salad with sliced plums and grilled Brun-uusto (cheese). I’d had it there before, and the treat is that they change up the fruit in the salad! If you haven’t tried prosciutto and fruit together on one plate, you must!

I also enjoyed these Island Creek Oysters served perfectly chilled with a glass of rosato brut (from the Veneto region in Italy). So refreshing on a hot summer evening!

As for my main dish, my eyes grew as large as quarters with the very first bite of their tilefish served with aioli, succotash and bacon. The word delicious doesn’t cut it. A lightly crisped fish on the top with delicate meat within, a nice portion of fresh vegetables and a sauce that I was tempted to eat with a spoon.

For dessert, the chocolate cake and ice cream topped with tart kumquat slices and perfectly toasted chopped almonds. Delightful and pretty!

If you find yourself in Evanston, reserve a table! I like to sit at their intimate chef-side seating where you can get an eyeful of the dishes as they come out! The hostess is welcoming, the servers are sincerely pleasant and knowledgeable, and the manager attentive. The ambiance is dreamy and the food, spectacular!