Brunch Menu!!!

Sunday Brunch... when it is cold out side what else can you do....I'll update you later, it is time for bed. Prep time took until 2 am because of an raging case of O.C.D. My thoughts: "Damn it, I have to run back to work and make sure all the doors are locked." The optimistic in me says, "I was able to almost run the whole way, which is .7 miles." The dreams of doing a triathlon may come true if this O.C.D. keeps up. We all got a lil' of this and a lil' of that right?


Fancy French Toast

1 Loaf and 1/2 Day Old Baguette
Golden Secret (Golden Grahams crushed in blender or food processor)
12 Eggs, beaten
Cup Shredded Coconut
Orange zest
I Cup Orange Juice
Tablespoon of Vanilla

Cut up bread into one inch cubes and place in 9 x13 pan with Golden secret. Mix all other ingredients and pour over mixture. Saran wrap and leave in fridge over night. You must do this the day before. It is basically a bread pudding. Bake in the oven at 350 for about 45 mins or until the top is nice and toasted.


Vegetarian Egg Soufflé

Leeks, sliced
Mushrooms, sliced
Onions, sliced
Scallions. sliced
Chilli de la Arbol, dried and whole
Pepper jack Cheese, sandwich slices
12 Eggs, beaten
1/2 cream, or milk

Layer a round glass pan with three slices of pepper jack cheese. Sauté all vegetables in sauce pan. After vegetables are soft and onions are caramelized, set a side in strainer over a pan. Take out the chili de la Arbol.  Let mixture drain for a few mins. Beat eggs and add cream (milk). Use 1/2 of the vegetable mixture and then layer with cheese. Add eggs, and repeat. Finish off with a layer of cheese. Bake in oven on 350 until the top is a golden brown and almost spilling out of the top!

Like the menu says ENJOY ENJOY ENJOY! Invite a few people that you love over and enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!

FRIDAY WAS PAY DAY!!!

The best place to go after you get paid in Chicago is Paulina's Meat Market. You must be very careful because you will want to buy everything. What is on special right now? Veal sausages are $6.50 per pound and a pound feeds 4 people!

If you leave with avpackage that has one of these and you will not be disappointed!

Then make this:



Sauté finely chopped celery and onions in a bit of olive oil.

Slice one veal sausage in pan and keep heat at a medium/low.

Cut up cherry tomatoes and crumble some bulgarian feta to top off the dish.

Make hollandaise sauce with 2 yolks, a teaspoon of dijon mustard, juice of 1/4 of a lemon and about 3/4 stick of butter.

Create a double boiler to thicken the hollandaise sauce.

Poach the eggs in water. A quick trick is to use a strainer in the sauce pan so they lift right out.

Toast a bagel and put everything on top.

Eat it outside and enjoy the beauty of where you are presently!

Tango Sur and Chimichurri Sauce

Tango Sur is an incredible carnivore's place of worship. This Argentinian BYOB knows what is up in the meat department. It specializes in grilled beefs which come with a side of Chimichurri. The beef is cooked to perfection. It is worth all the waiting and Southport parking issues. I would recommend bringing a slightly nicer bottle of red ( or 2). Also, if you cook any beef at home, I suggest that you buy the Chimichurri sauce from the corner store right next door! It is so good and very inexpensive. What is in Chimichurri....

Chopped parsley

Minced Onion

Red wine vinegar

Garlic cloves

Dried oregano

Salt

Pepper

Olive oil

I think there are variation on the amount of each item. Leave me a comment if you would like more information.

Location:

3767 North Southport Avenue

Chicago, IL 60613

(773)477-5466

Carrot Savvy Soup

3 Tbs olive oil

1 bag of baby carrots, sliced roughly

1/2 yellow onion

3 small cheese rinds, (any kind will do)

about 2 oz of ginger cut in thick cubes

1 cup of Chicken or vegetable stock

1/2 half and half

7 dried kaffir lime leaf ( 2 to 3 fresh)

1 tsp. Sea Salt

1 tsp. Pepper

2 tsp. Sumac

Why call this a savvy soup?

Well, I asked myself "what the hell do I do with this bag of baby carrots I left in my fridge and forgot about? Why can I not throw a darn thing away? I know there is a reason for not pitching these silly cheese rinds. They were from the best cheese ever, Truffle Tremor!"

This soup was the reason!

Sauté carrots, ginger, salt, pepper, kaffir lime leaf and onions in olive oil. I recommend using a larger sauce pan. Stir occasionally until carrots are soft. Once carrots are soft add cheese rinds, stirring frequently. Once the cheese rinds begin to melt and stick to bottom of pan, add stock and sumac. Simmer with lid on until soup begins to boil, about 5 min. Add cream stirring constantly when pouring into the hot mixture. Take off heat and let cool slightly. Take out kaffir lime leaf. Puree in blender or with hand blender.

Use sumac to taste! Amazing!

Chanterelle Quiche A Summer Treat!

Chanterelle Bacon Quiche

1/2 Ib. mixed mushrooms, Chanterelle (sliced thin) and Portobello (sliced thick)

6 strips of bacon, crispy and chopped roughly

1 small zucchini, sliced into rounds and quartered

3 cloves of Fresh garlic (2 of regular), diced fine and made into a paste

1 small onion diced

6 eggs

1/2 C. cream

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 Tbs Fresh parsley chopped roughly

1 Tbs Fresh lemon thyme ( don't have it, use regular thyme and zest of only 1/4 lemon)

1/2 tsp chili garlic sauce

Pre-heat oven to 400ºF.

Cook bacon in a sauce pan at a medium to medium high heat, let it crisp. Remove bacon and leave fat in pan. Sautee garlic, onion and zucchini in bacon fat! No wonder it is so good!

In a medium size bowl mix eggs, cream, salt, pepper, parsley, thyme chili garlic paste.

Once onions are transparent take off heat and let cool. Mix with egg mixture and place in Quiche crust. Bake for 30-45 minutes. If omitting crust bake time changes to 20-45 minutes.

Middle should still jiggle a wee bit.

Enjoy!