I absolutely love deviled eggs! That being said, up until a year ago, I use to freak out every time I had to make them, because the process of boiling and peeling the eggs was just so tedious. I always found myself losing an egg or two because I destroyed it, or even worse, I'd spend 10 minutes peeling tiny bits of shell off a single egg. Not anymore! After years of trial and error (and a 2-month stint on the Atkins diet, where all I ate was hard boiled eggs), I've finally found the easiest ... [ Read More ]
Restaurant Review: Bub City
Since I am a born and raised East Coast girl, I was dying to find some good Midwest BBQ once I move to Chicago. I asked around and some friends recommended Bub City on Clark Street in River North. I recently headed over there with a group of friends (the best way to go there) and was able to try the majority of the menu items. While my BBQ standards may not be as high as some of my Midwest readers, I have a lot of dining out experience and I was overwhelmed by how delicious (and fun) our ... [ Read More ]
Recipe: Utica Italian Greens
My guess is that most of you probably don't know what "Utica Greens" are. The fact is, up until I went to college in Utica, I didn't know what they were either! This regional appetizer is a specialty that you'll only find in Central NY, so when I moved away, I needed to find a recipe to fulfill my craving! The typical Utica Greens are a sautéed mix of escarole, cherry peppers, bread crumbs, prosciutto, parmesan cheese and then broiled to form a golden crust on top. This signature dish is ... [ Read More ]
Ask Erica: How to Remember Great Restaurants
Hi Erica, I love finding new favorite restaurants. I try getting cards from places I enjoy to eventually go back or if I want to recommend them, but if anyone asks me where to go for brunch/lunch/dinner, my mind goes blank. How would you suggest I keep track of amazing places? -Gabriel _________ Hi Gabriel, I can totally sympathize with you! Since I'm a huge foodie, people typically ask me where to go and it's hard to keep track of all the great places I go. I think I may ... [ Read More ]
Review: Sidewalk Food Tour of Chicago, River North
If it's one thing my boyfriend knows how to do, it's plan a good date! I wish I could take credit for finding this culinary tour around Chicago's River North neighborhood, but this time, it was all him! This tour started around noon and it was essentially a 3-hour walk around River North, where I learned about some of Chicago's rich architectural history while stopping at 6 culinary gems along the way. Let's talk about where we went and what we ate: 1) The Doughnut Vault: This ... [ Read More ]
Recipe: The Perfect Guacamole (With a Tropical Twist)
Growing up, whenever my family went out for Mexican food, they would always "hold the guacamole." Since they didn't want to eat it, I figured it was gross! It wasn't until about 5 years ago that I got up the courage to try this traditional dip. Once I did, I couldn't believe I went my entire life without it. From the moment I tasted "guac", I was determined to perfect the recipe and put a twist on it to ensure mine would be a stand out. My guacamole recipe is simple, but it has one ... [ Read More ]
Erica’s 5 Pampered Chef MUST Haves
When I heard that one of my favorite culinary companies, The Pampered Chef, was giving $10-off all online orders this month, I knew I HAD to blog about them. I also just found out that one of my friends, Randi, recently became a consultant for them. Since I'm totally obsessed with the Pampered Chef product line, I figured I would help her business out and give my readers my opinion on what I think are some really great products. Here are my 5 MUST orders from Pampered Chef: 1) Salad ... [ Read More ]
Ask Erica: But…you said your BF was a Vegetarian?
Hi Erica, It is confusing that you referred to your boyfriend as a "vegetarian" and devoted a whole post to vegetarian food, but then have a post from a few days before where he was "craving" chicken pot pie....? I am all for showing you eat and enjoy a great deal of food, but if you're going to write a food blog, be consistent about what you say. -"N" _________ Hi "N", First of all, I am so sorry you decided to remain anonymous. I always like to address my readers ... [ Read More ]
Ask Erica: Pot Luck Dinners
Hello Erica! A friend passed me your blog and I have been following it for some days now. I love it! I wanted to ask you for some advice: I keep organizing potluck dinners, but still can't figure out a way to ask people to bring a dish and that it all "makes sense" at the end without sounding pushy. How can I create a flexible, yet awesome menu for a potluck? The previous times I have organized one, it just seemed to be all over the place (onion soup, empanadas and carrot cake for dinner)... ... [ Read More ]
Crispy Lemon Kale Chips
Everyone once in a while, I decide to go carb-free and stick to mostly a veggie-based diet (this usually lasts about 72-hours and then I want pasta). Whenever I do make this diet change, my saving grace is my delicious crispy kale chips. If you haven't had these before, you're missing out! Not only are they super nutritious and delicious, they don't really take much skill to make! Crispy Lemon Kale Chips Not only are they super nutritious and delicious, they don’t really take ... [ Read More ]