Treat Yo Self

Mondays have always been a dark spot on the seven day week, and in the winter that darkness seems even more difficult to overcome. Can we all just agree that everything should just start an hour or two later in as long as it is pitch black and 10 degrees outside in the morning?

So when you have that Monday that involves that involves missing your alarm, unruly hair, spilled coffee, a car that also gives up in the winter AND assuming you don't have a doting significant other; sometimes you just gotta go out and buy yourself a bottle of wine, some fresh flowers and a box of licorice.  In the ever wise words of Parks and Recreation - treat yo self.

Salted Chocolate Pistachio Brownies

When it comes to a crowd pleasing party dessert it is hard to beat brownies. They have all the necessary characteristics such as easy to prepare, transportable, and able to consume without silverware. Not the mention the fact that are made with CHOCOLATE. I for one have a hard time trusting people who say they don't like chocolate, but that's for another time. 

While brownies can get saturated on the potluck gathering scene, they are incredibly easy to modify and turn into something more. So the next time you want to make sure your brownies get picked over all the other desserts in the crowd, give this recipe a try. They are like wearing a glittering black dress over a plain one - classy but memorable. 

To accommodate my mom and sister I used to a gluten-free brownie box as my base, but you could use any box or your favorite recipe. My regular flour choice of the boxed variety is Ghiradelli double chocolate, always amazing especially for the price. 

And now for the pistachio topping, the glitter on the black dress if you will. I used a generous handful of pistachios, shelled and then finely chopped. If you aren't super skilled with a knife, just chop them as small as you can without risking the tips of your fingers (you could even leave them whole). Once the batter has been poured into the dish, place pistachios evenly on top. For the final touch, add a sprinkle of sea salt on top of the nuts. 

One mistake commonly made in any kind of brownie is over-baking them. Everybody just needs to calm down on their baking times and stop being afraid of anything that isn't "golden brown" when you take it out of the oven. I would suggest cutting the recommended baking time by about 5 min and then checking the brownies with a toothpick: if they are firm on top with some batter on the toothpick, they are done. If the toothpick comes out with a runny liquid or if the top is not solid then put them back in the oven for the extra 5 min. Also, as with almost all desserts, make sure your pan is in the center of the oven for the most even bake.    

The result is a salty-sweet chocolate delight that will be sure to get a second glances and satisfied taste buds. All those all other brownies have no idea what they are up against. 

Rice Krispie Rebel

I still love Rice Krispie treats. As we grow older our taste buds evolve, gradually adapting to accept dishes more complex than hot dogs, toast and buttered noodles. As adults we are expected to desire exotic spices and unpronounceable names, not to mention strange colors that would send any child running to far away. And while I am happy to stray from the plain peanut butter sandwiches every day in elementary school, sometimes all I really want is a simple snack.

Few desserts personify American childhood better than Rice Krispie treats for reasons that aren't too hard to see. First off, they require a whopping three ingredients that include cover the plain pallet of butter, rice cereal and marshmallow, aka sugar. One would be hard pressed to find someone over the age of three that didn't enjoy one or all the previously mentioned ingredients. Second is the ease of preparation; multiple bowls, measuring cups, and even the oven can sit idle on this one. A special trip to the store might not even be necessary.

It was late on a weeknight when the need for Rice Krispie treats came to me. I wanted to experiment slightly from the recipe that I had consumed at least a hundred times and counting so I headed to my pantry for inspiration. After much debating Honey Nut O's won out as my cereal replacement. They have the right shape and texture, not to mention the same nostalgic taste. Personally I like my bars to very sweet and chewy so I always modify the recipe slightly from what is on the box. In this case I used a 12oz bag of marshmallows and roughly 5 cups of cereal (vs. 10oz of marshmallows and 6 cups of cereal). Plus sprinkles, because honestly, sprinkles make everything better.

Overall I was really excited about how well they turned out, the honey taste from the cereal was subtle but a nice change . They were a bit heavier than traditional Rice Krispies which made them even easier to justify as breakfast, with a healthy banana and glass of milk of course. I dare you to test these out on the even the pickiest eater, but make sure you save one or two for yourself first.

It's My Birthday

I will confess I am one of "those people." The ones who still get excited about birthdays past age 7. And when I say excited, I don't just mean that I go out and buy myself a cake and some balloons. This is all-out celebration mode. From age 11 to 18 I still planned my own parties, complete with handmade invitations that I MAILED. At the risk of sounding a bit self-involved I would also like to point out that I do the same for my friends (Lesley from Parks and Rec is my hero). 

This year I got off work which meant a full day of fun activities. Lunch and thrift shopping with my mom followed by and afternoon of lattes and magazines and concluding in a Blackhawks opening game dinner party. 

Now for the recipe. Don't be fooled at first glance what look like ordinary funfetti cupcakes - there is nothing ordinary about these small cakes of deliciousness. Since it was my birthday, the dessert revolved around ice cream and in this case Oberweis Black Cherry (if you have never tried it - change that). The cake choice narrowed to what would go best with said ice cream, and after lots of contemplation I decided to go classic with yellow cake. Wanting something that everyone in my family could enjoy I found a recipe from a gluten-free cookbook and added rainbow sprinkles into the batter just like my childhood favorite. 

What I really like about good g-free cake batters is how moist they are in comparison to many regular flour ones. If done right, they have a wonderfully heavy and flavorful texture without the "starchy" aftertaste of g-free flour or the bland dryness of cheap box mixes. The frosting is buttercream, because honestly there is nothing better than a thick buttercream frosting. They were a perfect birthday night treat (and breakfast the next morning).

Oh did I mention my dad surprised me with 10 bars of foreign chocolate? Pure joy. 

Cool as a Cucumber

So far this September has put new meaning to the term "Indian Summer." With temperatures reaching 90 degrees for days on end I have put off fall recipes in favor of anything that involves ice cream, ice and fruit. Thankfully the farmers markets are still in full swing which offers lots of fresh fruit and veggie options.

This week I picked up some flowers for my room, amazing peaches which got eaten before they could be photographed and cucumbers. Toying the line between fruit and vegetable, cucumbers are one of my go-to summer picks. Like watermelon, they have a high water content which make them refreshing in all this heat. They have a perfect kinda sweet but not sugary taste that goes well with a variety of additions.

My favorites are a cucumber salad like this one which acts a lighter side to grilled meat or lunchtime sandwiches. Even easier is to simply slice them and dip in the hummus of your choosing, a healthy snack that will satisfy hunger and prevent wilting. Now that's cool.

Tourist for a Day - Navy Pier

Growing up in close proximity to Chicago, Navy Pier is one of the places I have seemed to avoid over the years. Talking to many other city natives and they feel as I do. It screams tourist trap, aka "let me take your money!" in an outdated cheesy voice. Other than rushing to the Shakespeare theatre, the last I frequent the famous pier was on a school field trip. And it was in the middle of winter. However a recent trip with my family gave me the opportunity to set aside my skepticism and seek out any hidden gems within the famous spot. 

This made me laugh while fitting my expectations. Good 'ol McDonalds. 

The details on this carousel were lovely, reminding me of something from Coney Island. 

The highlight of the experience however was this beauty from a little place called The Churro Factory. It was a small walk up building that had a whole menu devoted to varieties of the famous fried dough delicacy. Normally it takes me forever to decide what to order but after reading Churro Fiesta, I was immediately sold. Two fresh churros (churri?) were drizzled with sweetened condensed milk, chocolate syrup and then nestled between whipped cream and topped off with plenty of sprinkles for full fiesta effect. 

 In conclusion, I have decided to cut Navy Pier some slack. While it still has the potential to clean out your wallet in a matter of minutes, there are some quality aspects that even a well experienced Chicagoan can enjoy. And if you just go for a Churro Fiesta, I wouldn't blame you. 

A Sailor's Life for Me

A few weekends back was the Tall Ships Challenge at Navy Pier. It was as if Pirates of the Caribbean had a meeting in Chicago - minus the pirate flags, Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom or fish creatures. Okay, so it wasn't really like Pirates at all, but it was pretty sweet and they did have some very tanned sailors.

The detail on the ships was incredible, they were all historically accurate (with modern GPS and tracking of course). I have always been intrigued by the meaning and thought that goes into the names of the ships, a tiny piece of poetry.

If you don't hear from me for a while, it's because I have joined the calling of the high seas...