I can't believe the 2014 holiday season has begun (and that the year is almost over)! This has been such a fun year for Everything Erica and I couldn't be more excited to share my gift guide for a foodie with you! Over the course of 2014, I've been exposed to a ton of really cool, food-related products, services and gadgets. While it's been hard to narrow it down , I think I've finally rounded up the best of the best for the foodies in your life. 1) A Green Polka Dot Box Membership: I've ... [ Read More ]
4 Cyber Monday Sales Every Foodie Should Know About
I can't believe cyber monday is already here! While everyone else is out shopping for the latest electronics and hottest fashion, I'm sitting home, trolling the internet for the best food-related cyber monday deals. Here are the 4 foodie deals that you need to know about: 1) Kitchen Aid Mixers on Best Buy: Regularly $350, these are on sale (in limited quantities) for $199. As someone who literally uses mine for everything, this is a MUST buy and the best deal you will ever find on these. ... [ Read More ]
5 Spiced-Up Thanksgiving Side Dishes
For me, Thanksgiving is less about the turkey and more about the delicious side dishes (if you're a turkey lover, don't judge me). Real talk though, Thanksgiving is a culinary opportunity to entertain and wow your guests. It's my biggest pet peeve when people just succumb to laziness and make the same, boring and traditional side dishes (I'm looking at you mashed potatoes). This year, I challenge you to step outside of your culinary comfort zone and spice up at least one of your ... [ Read More ]
Fruity Pebbles French Toast
Yesterday, I had brunch with my friend, Chloe, at Flo in the Ukrainian Village of Chicago. If you haven't check this place out...you simply need to. They had this insanely unique Fruity Pebble french toast that felt like a huge mashup of all my childhood favorites. After leaving brunch, I felt like I just had to recreate (not only for myself, but for all my readers living outside of Chicago)! So, after brunch, off to the grocery store I went to figure out how to make this delicious dish and ... [ Read More ]
Finnish Pancakes
If you haven't tried (or heard of) a Finnish Pancake, you are probably reading this a little bit confused. If you HAVE had one of these delicious beauties, then you a reading this with excitement in hopes of scoring the recipe! For those of you who don't know what a Finnish Pancake is, the best way I can describe it is if a crepe, pancake and omelet had a baby, it would be this pancake. It's baked in the oven and super easy to make for large brunch. My recipe feeds 4 people, but it can easily ... [ Read More ]
Si Fu: A Latin/Chinese Fusion
If you're a foodie, I'm sure you can totally relate to my indecisive daily food dilemmas. It's like, do I want a yummy asian stir-fry or maybe some carnitas tacos with rice? Well, I have officially solved these foodie problems by discovering Si Fu, a Chinese Latin fusion restaurant located in Roscoe Village. This place has everything from cream cheese filled wontons to spicy beef empanadas. Si Fu also have a huge selection of tacos, burritos, stir-frys, soups and salads all with your choice ... [ Read More ]
Shake Shack Chicago: A First Timers Tale
For years I've been hearing the hype surrounding the legendary Shake Shack. Having never lived in a city that had one (and never being that keen on waiting in a long line for a burger when I am on vacation), I just never got around to trying this hot spot. Flash forward to tonight. My first Shake Shack experience has happened and as a result, I am regretting the last 10 years that I've avoided it. This place is freaking epic (and it's not just because they make a bomb burger). Let me start ... [ Read More ]
The Perfect Seared Scallops
Let's be honest here...who doesn't love perfect seared scallops? Lately, I've been on a high protein kick and experimenting in the kitchen with lots of different sources. For whatever reason, I've always been scared to cook scallops, but when I found out there was 17g of protein in each one, I knew I had to get over this fear and learn. Over the last month I've been trying out all different cooking methods so that I can get that delicious crust on the outside (while still keeping it soft ... [ Read More ]
Restaurant Review: Hutch
Can we have a moment of truth? I feel like since moving to Chicago a little over a year ago, I've sort of confined myself to this River North restaurant bubble. This past weekend, I was determined to pop that bubble and check out a restaurant I've been hearing a lot about. It's called Hutch, and if you haven't heard of it before, you can start thanking me now (yes, it's that good). Hutch is located at 3301 N Clark Street in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago. I decided to head up there ... [ Read More ]
The Best (and Healthiest) 3 Ingredient Eggplant Parmesan
So, I've been trying this whole, "low carb", thing again and I've been finding it easier than ever. With all the versatile vegetables out there, I've been able to satisfy my crazy cravings without breaking the calorie bank. The other night, I literally struck gold with my new recipe. It all started whenI found myself with a HUGE craving for eggplant parmesan, but knew that the breadcrumbs and fried eggplant probably wouldn't be on my diet. I ended up buying the ingredients anyways and ... [ Read More ]
