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...

La La Lemon Bars

Of all the desserts I have made (and that's a large number), my lemon bars are by far the thing that is most requested. I make them super lemon-y with a thick filling melts in your mouth like a soft dream. If clouds were made of lemon filling, this is what they would taste like.

I will have a step-by-step tutorial with loads of pictures soon but until then, enjoy this preview...

Blueberry Ice Cream Pie

Sometimes you have a day that just starts bad. Those days where you just wanna close the blinds, go back to sleep and start all over. Last Sunday was one of "those days" for me. After thinking it was Monday and therefore my day off, I turned of my alarm and proceeding to go back to sleep for another two hours. Only then of course I realized it was actually Sunday and I had plans that I had now slept too late to attend. Frustrated and faced with a suddenly free afternoon, I decided I needed some pie to cheer me up. Thank goodness for pie.

This recipe was adapted this Bon Appetit version that was called Peach-Blueberry Ice Cream Pie. Apparently peach ice cream is but a myth in my town because detailed scanning provided not a single brand that sold it. Instead I improvised and bought raspberry frozen yogurt because it sounded delicious and because then I could pretend I was being kind of healthy. (Let's be honest here, I was probably going to finish at least half of the pie in one sitting).

You can easily make this recipe gluten-free by using gluten-free ginger cookies (I bough mine at Trader Joes). My mom was extremely excited that I made a dessert she could have. Honestly, I can't taste a difference between using the gfree cookies and regular ones which is a nice treat for everyone.

Mixing the cooked blueberries with the frozen-yogurt was like making fresh cookie dough - so delicious I had to force myself not to abandon the whole pie and just sit on the kitchen floor there eating it out of the bowl.

Be warned, this was not the quickest dessert to prepare but if you have the time it is well worth it. I promise. After all, any time can be pie time!

Happy Birthday 'Merica

Although this a little late, though I'd share the dessert I made for the Fourth of July this year. For some reason I always end up creating something that is more patriotic in its appearance/colors rather than the ingredients themselves, maybe because it the reverse of how I normally bake. Rising temperatures made  a cold, refreshing treat the most appealing so after looking up several different ice cream and parfait options I decided to combine the two with sugar cookies. After all, who doesn't love sugar cookies? That's what I thought.

The best part about this desert is how easy it is, really the only effort comes from the cookies. I simply used my regular sugar cookie recipe. While they were baking I whipped up a powdered sugar glaze for decorating, adding blue food coloring.

Store bought raspberry sorbet and vanilla ice cream (you could get fancy and do homemade) got layered into clear glass cups with a star-spangled cookie on top and a generous sprinkle of red sprinkles for extra sparkle. 

 Hope everyone had a fantastic 4th!

Blackhawks Celebration

Attending the Stanley Cup celebration parade was a big deal for me. Part of that was the fact that deep down I still love parades - the cheering, the crowds, the excitement and all the commotion occurring in a place that is otherwise restricted to mundane transportation.

I would not consider myself an avid sports follower, my short attention span does not get along well spending hours a night in front of the tv, but I make the exception for hockey. After years of faithful watching, I have become one of "those people" that know the players names and faces like classmates, the announcers voices like a family member and refers to team as "we." All through the playoffs I would tell people how much I wanted them to win - so that I could go to the parade and rally. Much to my happiness and excitement I got to join in the tens of thousands of celebrating The Blackhawks, hockey and Chicago.

 Just the beginning of the crowds for the rally in Grant Park...

 Despite the waiting, the heat, sweat, crowds of people nearly crushing us, it was an amazing day. (my friend let me sit on her shoulders to get this shot!)

Fingers crossed for next year!

Paczki, Pretty Pretty Please

Every year I look forward to Fat Tuesday for one reason: Paczki (pooch-kee). They may look like the average filled donuts associated with overweight police officers and burnt coffee but oh no, they are not. These heavenly delights are Polish pastries stuffed plump with fresh fruit, jellies, and creams. The outside is perfectly soft and fried with just enough crisp to protect the real treat within. The tops of the paczki are as varied as the fillings, some are covered in a sugar or chocolate glaze while others keep it simple in a light dusting of powdered sugar.

From top left: Bavarian cream with chocolate glaze, prune jelly with glaze, lemon. 


The bakery section of the grocery store where I work gets them in once a year, each and it is quite an affair. I love seeing the extra racks filled top to bottom with trays and boxes of these delicious treats, filling the air with an intoxicatingly sweet aroma. Needless to say, if you have never tried a puczki, put it on your bucket list. Right now. Seriously. And when you do, don't be shy, take a big bite and enjoy the moment. 

My motivation to get through an afternoon of homework ;)

Juice Time!

Those who know me well are accustomed to my international food collection. My curiosity knows no boundaries so long as there are no raisins or dried meat involved. Most recently I have been collecting juices and sodas from around the world. I think this has to do with the nostalgic appeal of childhood juice boxes and a general distate for American soda, although I do love a cherry Coke when at the movies. Overall this new experience has been a success, although some versions were a bit too sweet, there were new favorites from fruit that I never even heard of.  Plus the packaging is incredibly bright and inspiring. I now find myself coming home from class with a bowl of yogurt pretzels and juice, watching re-runs on tv - just like the good 'ol days. 

From top left: orange juice, Elderflower and Lingonberry juice from Sweden, South American Peach concentrate, Hawaiian guava nectar, Mexican strawberry soda, European Coca Cola, Italian Chinotto soda.  

Gingerbread Cake Bars

Some flavors such as peppermint and gingerbread have a distinct Christmas-y mood. The holiday season is saturated in everything peppermint flavored that sometimes I feel like I am living inside a candy cane for the month of December  However, gingerbread is one of my personal favorites and even though it is the end of January I am not sick of it. Yet.

Gingerbread has a distinct spicy flavor that is perfectly heavy and comforting in the deep dark days of winter. Every year Trader Joe's brings back their gingerbread cake mix and every year I stock my shelves. It is very rare to see me succumb to the "rookie" realm of mix baked goods but living in a dorm kitchen and with a college student has caused me to abandon my pride. This does not mean that my creativity must suffer the same fate.

I have come to see mixes as more of a secret weapon, like having a dutiful baking intern to do the dirty work of measuring and mixing. They leave me more time to work on fillings and frostings, which are also easier for my current situation. And the time spent washing bowls and measuring spoons is significantly shorter. 

 For this recipe I was inspired by my favorite treat at the Christkrindlmarket in Chicago. I left the cake base alone, but added my own glaze for the filling/top. The glaze is super easy; simply mix powdered sugar, milk and BAM. Sugary goodness has been created. Normally I add vanilla extract for flavor but since oranges are deliciously in season right now and orange-ginger is a classic combo, I added fresh orange juice.

I followed the directions on the box, but placed the mix in a larger pan than they suggested and decreased the cooking time. This created a very thin, moist cake. If you wanted more bars, you could make two boxes this way, but I am trying to be somewhat healthy this year so I restrained. Once the cake has cooled cover the whole pan with a layer of glaze. Let the glaze harden a few minutes and cut into even squares. If you make two cakes, simply layer one on top of the other. Finish with another generous topping of glaze

These soft bars are perfect for an afternoon snack with a hot cup of coffee and travel well, so bring some for a friend ;)