College Girl eats Prague-The 1st Month

Prague, Czech Republic, the special city where I’m spending 3 and a half months studying abroad, is the perfect place for a college student with a limited budget but refined palate. Prague definitely does not have a reputation for having world class food, but I’ve found plenty of awesome, hole-in-the wall spots since being here. Even better, it’s not rare to have a comprehensive sushi dinner and a glass of wine or a burger, fries, and beer for under $15 per person. To keep you from having to spend hours salivating over photos of every single Czech delicacy I’ve enjoyed, I’ve consolidated a list of my 5 favorite culinary experiences had thus far in Prague. Read below, and proceed to book a one way ticket to Praha:

1. Tridelnik

Tridelnik are a donut/funnel cake/fried dessert fiend’s dream. Every busy street corner in Prague has a tridelnik stand where these little tubes of heaven rotate on an open fire like meat on an open spit. When you order your tridelnik, the ladies at the stand cut a tube of the fried dough off of the spit, sprinkle it with extra cinnamon sugar, and give it a generous spread of Nutella. 70 crowns, less than $3, is a small price for the immense happiness you get out of peeling layer after layer of light, fried dough and getting Nutella and cinnamon sugar all over your face.

2. Brunch at Cafe Savoy

A lot of the time, our best food memories take place with the people we love most. Never has that been truer than in Europe. When one of my best friends came to visit me a few weeks ago, she convinced me to splurge a little and try Cafe Savoy, a brunch landmark in Prague. I am SO glad I did, because I got to try my first soft-boiled egg; velvety, rich egg yolk served in the cutest little glass and topped with parmesan (literally parmesan makes everything better) and chive. Obviously, plenty of bread was provided on the side to sop up all of the yolky goodness. My friend let me snag a bite of her unreal black truffle flake topped fried eggs. As if this wasn’t enough, I was convinced to order an apple strudel as well. We left truffle/soft boiled egg high and ready to take on our day of exploring.

3. Pho Vietnam

All I have to say about this was that this massive bowl of soup and a side of fried heaven-sticks was $4 and it was un-f’ing real. Oh, and it’s around the corner from my apartment. I’ll be back.

4. YAMI. 

Good sushi exists in Prague!!!! And not just good sushi, but pretty great sushi that tops anything you can find in Ann Arbor. For under $15, I had a glass of Chardonnay, split a delicious roll, and had melt-in-your-mouth pieces of yellowtail and tamago nigiri. The vibe is cute and cozy, the service is fast, and the food reminds you of home in the best way possible. This will most definitely be a regularly visited spot while I’m here in Prague.

5. Bakeshop Pumpkin Feta Quiche 

I honestly never usually see quiche on an American menu and say to myself, “Ooh, I’m really craving a QUICHE right now and this one sounds soo good!” In Prague, however, it’s a different story. The quiche here is damn good, and none is better than the variety found at Bakeshop in Stare Mesto. This quiche was life-changing. You won’t think about quiche in the same way after tasting this flaky pastry base filled with salty blocks of feta, creamy pumpkin, and fresh herbs. My advice? Bakeshop is on the pricier side, a treat for a college student, so go with a friend, split the quiche, and if you’re feeling extra hungry, split a buttery almond croissant afterwards.

Creperie U Kajetana (for Tridelnik)

Nerudova 278/17, 118 00 Praha 1

Cafe Savoy

Vítězná 124/5, 150 00 Praha 5

Pho Vietnam

Anglická, 120 00 Praha 2

Yami Sushi

Masná 1051/3, 110 00 Praha-Staré Město

Bakeshop

Kozí 918/1, 110 00 Praha 1-Staré Město

Roasted Eggplant with Spinach, Quinoa, and Feta

I’ve been cooking for myself for 4 months now!!!!!!!!!!! I’m sorry, but that deserves an abundance of exclamation points. On the surface, one may think to oneself upon reading this blog, “hey, she writes about restaurants and recipes and bakes like nobody’s business, cooking must come so easily to her!” Ha. My first conquest of the semester was the perfect egg white scramble. That was the jumping off point for experimentation with other essential college concoctions like quesadillas, stir-fry, roasted vegetables, and even broiled fish!

My first meal cooked at school…egg whites scrambled with hot sauce. I can safely say I’ve made some progress since then.

Now that I have almost a complete semester of kitchen trials and tribulations under my belt, I feel like I embody a “college girl in a foodie world” even more than when I first began this blog after my sophomore year. My tips to fellow college girls (or boys) in this foodie world are as such:

1. In keeping with the theme of this post, big batches are key. When a recipe says “serves 4,” don’t cut all the ingredients so that you’re only cooking one serving. You’ll be so glad when you open your fridge after a long day of class and have dinner ready to go for the rest of the week!

2. Be strategic with your grocery shopping. Only buy so much produce as you know you will realistically use in a week. Spend money on products where it matters rather than on pantry items like chips, crackers, and snacks. Let yourself splurge on a little treat or two so that you’re not tempted to buy a snack every time you go to a new coffee shop on campus.

I bought this sweet potato to cook on a night where I expected I had a lot of time to wait for it to bake!

3. Freeze your protein! I’m never ready to cook a chicken breast the day I buy it. I buy a package of a few chicken breasts or a few tilapia filets, separate the individual pieces into Ziploc bags, and freeze until I’m ready to use.

Parmesan crusted tilapia was a great, simple way to utilize fish I had in the freezer!

4. Establish foundations, than build on to those basics. Like I said, some of the first things I taught myself to cook were egg scrambles and stir-fry chicken and vegetables. Now that I’ve gained enough practice with the methods involved in those recipes, I add in different veggies, sauces, and combinations.

5. Roast what’s about to go bad! Take that broccoli and cauliflower out of the depths of your refrigerator drawer, toss it in some olive oil, salt, and pepper, and bake on a baking sheet for about the length of half an episode of Grey’s Anatomy.

Stir fry can be so versatile!

 

Soba noodles are an interesting substitution for rice in a stir fry!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now onto a recipe involving A surprisingly inexpensive, surprisingly easy, and super versatile superfood I’ve found myself cooking almost weekly: quinoa. Made in big batches, I’ve thrown in everything from goat cheese to walnuts, chicken to onions and mushrooms. One big, fairly quickly cooking pot will last me 3 dinners over the course of the week!

On my “easy” Pinterest board (much of which I add to during my extremely dry Comm 122 Lecture), I had been eyeing a quinoa recipe with winter-y, hearty roasted eggplant, salty feta, and sauteed spinach. I had never roasted eggplant before, but I figured my practice with roasting broccoli and and cauliflower could prepare me properly.

This quinoa was as easy as tossing cubed eggplant with olive oil, salt and pepper, roasting it for 20-25 mins, and preparing some sauteed spinach with garlic as the eggplant roasted. Once the roasting was complete, all the recipe elements, including the cooked quinoa, were combined in one big pan. I make big batches of quinoa all the time, yet I pleasantly surprise myself every time I take in my work and consider how long I’m about to have leftovers for.

I scooped mounds of the quinoa mixture into a deep bowl and dug in. Garlicky, filling, multi-textured perfection. And the most exciting news? I can stay longer at the library tomorrow night cause I don’t have to rush home to prepare dinner afterwards! Click HERE for this yummy recipe!

Enough quinoa to feed a family of four…or me, for four days! 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A College Foodie’s Summer Bucket List

As a college foodie, one of my favorite parts of coming home to Chicago for the summer is the wide variety of culinary opportunities available to those with a serious appetite. I WILL accomplish everything on my culinary bucket list for Summer 2014, including:

1. A Ravinia picnic

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The ambiance and live music don’t hurt, but a Ravinia staple, and the aspect that requires the most preparation, is the picnic spread festival-goers tote to the concert. There’s not much better than  a perfect summer night filled with snacks ranging from a variety of Foodstuffs cheeses to a Tomato, Nectarine, and Mozzarella Salad , or from fresh Sea Ranch sushi to a box of homemade Seven Layer Bar Cookies. The Ravinia Festival is held at 418 Sheridan Rd, Highland Park, IL 60035.

2. One last stop at Hot Doug’s

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hot Doug’s, a shop that has served up a gourmet twists on a Chicago classic for over half of my lifetime, closes its doors this October. The last time I visited, I was #blessed enough to indulge in the “Dave Kingman,” now renamed the “George Mitterwald,” a zesty Santa-Fe style chicken sausage unlike any chicken sausage you’ve tried before. Because my palate has matured a bit since I was 14, and since I know the next time I visit will (sadly)  be the last time, I hope to take on their famous Foie Gras Hot Dog (shown above) and Duck Fat Fries. Hot Doug’s is located at 3324 N California Ave, Chicago, IL 60618.

3. Hold an Eataly Chicago v. Eataly NYC Face-Off

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m hoping that the offerings from my hometown Eataly can light a candle next to the creamy, rich polenta experience I was lucky to enough to have at Eataly NYC last summer. Having already tried the vegetarian mini-concept, Le Verdure,  I’m looking to indulge in the fresh fish at Il Pesce and finish things off with a Nutella crepe at the Nutella bar upon my next visit. Eataly Chicago: 43 E Ohio St, Chicago, IL 60611.

4. Leghorn Chicken

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While I’m accustomed to my family’s annual Popeye’s Fried Chicken Banquet, Leghorn Chicken in Ukranian Village may win as the coolest fried chicken spot in existence. Way more than just deep-fryers and grease, Leghorn utilizes a type of chicken long considered useless, and transforms it into a crispy, juicy pickle brined or spicy treat. Best of all, they live up to their motto, “Make Pickles, Not War,” by remaining a socially and politically conscious space. Leghorn Chicken: 959 N Western Ave, Chicago IL.

5. Food Truck Face Off at Techweek

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After a full day of tech, the Food Truck Face Off held just outside of the Merchandise Mart serves as a sunny and delicious respite from computer-talk. For under $5 per item, you can browse offerings from local trucks and learn about how technology inspires their food. If the pasties, hearty puff pastries with a variety of inventive fillings, and sausage trucks that showed up last year make a return appearance, you’re in luck. For more info, check out http://bit.ly/1jkIcXz.

6. Ramen-San

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thus far, I haven’t met a Lettuce Entertain You restaurant concept I haven’t liked. I am loyal to Joe’s for great steak, RPM Italian for a trendy scene and rich homemade pastas, and Hub 51 as a standby for entertaining friends from out of town. So obviously, now that the people behind Lettuce restaurants have opened a cozy, cool spot for Ramen, I’m excited about the prospect of adding it to my list of Lettuce favorites. I can’t wait to try the Smoked Salmon Nigiri with Wasabi Caviar and the Shoyu Ramen with chicken broth, molten egg, and mushrooms, yum. Ramen-San is located at 59 W Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60654.

7. Can Boltwood seamlessly replace Evanston neighborhood favorite Lulu’s?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I first saw the above picture, I was shocked.  The warm colors and cluttered layout I had grown to love from Lulu’s, a pan-Asian restaurant staple my family had visited since I was a little girl, has been transformed into a modern, rich wood-lined restaurant serving farm-to-table food. Looking back on my eating experiences at Lulu’s, I don’t think I enjoyed the food as much as the familiarity. I’m going to keep an open mind upon my first visit to Boltwood, Lulu’s replacement from the chef of The Publican. Boltwood, 804 Davis St., Evanston, IL.

8.  Long Grove Strawberry Fest-June 20

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The lengthy drive to Long Grove becomes worth it once you sink your teeth into a sweet, refreshing strawberry ice cream bar on a stick dipped in dark chocolate or a savory strawberry ceviche. Some of the strawberry offerings sound wacky at first, but everything you taste is surprisingly enjoyable as you stroll around the charming town. For info: http://www.visitlonggrove.com/event/long-grove-strawberry-festival-2014/.

9. Waffle Ice Cream Sandwiches and a Movie at the Park

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Chicago Park District shows free movies, from A League of Their Own to Anna Karenina, at parks throughout the city over the course of the summer. What better accompaniment to a beautiful summer night and one of your favorite movies than the newly introduced (and much hyped) waffle ice cream sandwich? South Loop brunch spot Waffles serves up sandwiches ranging from Bananas Foster to a sweet potato waffle with chocolate, cinnamon-swirled ice cream, and chocolate sauce that you can pick up and munch on while movie-viewing. I’d say that beats the standby popcorn or Buncha Crunch!

 

 

 

 

Celebrations

Since coming home from college for the summer, I’ve had a lot to celebrate. For one, being home is in and of itself a celebration; but getting to take a break from doing my own laundry (thanks mom!), enjoying my mom’s healthy cooked dinners, and getting to take my dog on runs outside have been great perks as well.

The celebrations began with the annual Schuman Family Popeye’s banquet. Because my Grandpa is from Memphis, he likes to get all of the cousins together once a year to stuff our faces at Popeyes. Although he admitted this year that he ate more BBQ than fried chicken back in the day, and even though we were missing one of the cousins, Jaime, who was still at school, the night was still crazy and fun. Our table was filled with two massive boxes of fried chicken (one spicy for Grandpa, of course, and one mild), piles of sauces ranging from honey to hot sauce, onion rings, fries, rice and beans, and my favorite, biscuits. I filled my boat-Popeye’s uses “boats” instead of plates-classic-with the extra crispy spicy chicken wings, biscuits, and a few fries. The evening was filled with greasy fingers and Grandpa’s Navy stories. Even more reason to celebrate, 6/7 cousins were there-from Berlin to London, LA to Michigan, we all made it out for a night of fried food.

This week arrived with many things to celebrate. In my opinion, occasions like a big Shabbat dinner and my friend Lena’s birthday can only be rightly celebrated in one way-with Salted Caramel Brownies.

For a while, I’ve strayed from recipes that involve melting chocolate or other ingredients over a saucepan of boiling water. It seemed a little daunting. However, with the help of a “Real Simple” cookbook and mom’s homemade guacamole as fuel, I put on my big girl pants and used this scary method to melt some chocolate and butter for the Salted Caramel Brownies. These brownies are an Ina Garten recipe, and in Ina I trust. I began to heat the water in my pan, set the bowl of finely chopped chocolate and butter on top, and stirred, praying to Ina that it would work. It did! I have a reason to celebrate-a whole new class of recipes is made available to me now that I’ve adapted to this tool. This method of melting gave my brownies a great, melt in your mouth consistency and a richness that could have never been achieved in the microwave. The salty-sweet combo was a hit amongst family and friends. Thanks, Ina, for instilling melting faith in me!

Salted Caramel Brownies http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/salted-caramel-brownies-recipe.html

The little celebrations cannot be overlooked. In honor of Mother’s Day- I made a simple little cookie recipe for my mom-the ultimate popcorn lover. Buttered popcorn cookies, a simple recipe with unique results. By simply popping popcorn, mixing it with a classic cookie dough, and baking it for just a little bit, you end up with a chewy, crunchy, salty sweet texture that isn’t found in most desserts. I knew I made my mom’s day when I saw the little warm cookie I left out for her to taste post-baking disappear within minutes. Like I said, the little things count.

Buttered Popcorn Cookies

There’s so much to celebrate this summer, especially when those celebrations involve sweets and sharing foodie memories with family and friends. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for the rest of the summer!

LA LA Land

I am seriously in my happy place. On Friday, me, Cara and Emily (both East-coasters) finally escaped Ann Arbor’s cold, snowy wrath for a turbulent flight to Los Angeles. All I have to say, and I think Cara would agree with me on this one, is thank god for Delta’s seat-back TVs with movies like Sex and the City and Dreamgirls that we have seen close to 15 times each to distract us from the nausea resulting from the roller-coaster like flight.

The trip thus far has felt like it has been catered to please a foodie like me; somewhat unintentionally, our days have revolved around the ridiculously delicious meals we’ve enjoyed. Because of the time change, by the time we landed, it was dinnertime in California but 11:30 at night in Michigan and we were STARVING. Lucky for us, Amina and Roni were our knight in shining armors to whisk us away to the magical land of Umami Burger. This cool spot offered Asian spins on American burger and fry classics. We started with tempura fried onion rings, sweet potato fries coated in sugary goodness, and BOMB truffle fries. My burger, topped with homemade ketchup and a parmesan tuille, was obvi great, but those truffle fries, coated in a rich truffle glaze, topped any measly-truffle dusted fries of my past. Try not to drool on your computer keys as you stare at the photo below:

The next day, after a beautiful morning run along the beach and a little shopping, we headed to Venice for brunch at Gjelina, a trendy brunch spot on Abbot Kinney. The wait was a little long, so inevitably we had to grab a few short rib tacos from Koji, a Korean-Mexican fusion food truck that Roni and Amina insisted we were #blessed to stumble upon.

Unfortunately, we didn’t spot any celebs Gjelina (last time Amina was there, so was Dennis Quaid!), but the food absolutely made up for it. It was so fun to be out with a group of girls that seriously appreciate food. We started with a Gruyere, Fromage Blanc, Caramellized Onion, and Arugula Pizza that we obviously had to top with a Sunny-Side up egg. The egg was perfectly cooked and runny, and the salty cheeses complemented the sweet onions. We were all obsessed after one bite. For my main, I followed my new love of duck and ordered the duck confit potato hash with a sunny duck egg. Imagine a corned beef hash with crispy potatoes and replace that average beef flavor with the elevated flavor of duck fat, and you get a dish unlike anything I’ve ever tasted before.

I’ll leave you with that image of pure beauty…more (FOOD) to come soon!! Deuces from LA!!

The Holy Land of FOOD

Let’s look back at one of the best times of my life, why don’t we? For 9 straight days I was able to indulge in freshly ground, quality olive-oil soaked authentic hummus. During my time in Israel this past Christmas, I managed to eat hummus with almost every breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Much of it was stuffed into straight out-of-the oven pita bread and accompanied tender shawarma or crispy, wonderful falafel. Some of it was eaten alongside hard-boiled eggs, eggplant and chocolate pudding for breakfast (yes, Israelis LOVE chocolate pudding for breakfast. I’m now a believer). But the best hummus of all could be found in a tiny stand in the Muslim Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. 

I mean…….

This place didn’t have a door. Seriously. If you were too busy strolling the market searching for the perfect candlesticks or falafel maker, you probably would miss it. But luckily, our guide Hagai knew about this special spot. No menus, no prices, no kitchen. Just the hummus king doing his thing in a small booth right outside of the restaurant. I would post a photo of him, but he was a little camera shy (AKA he nearly looked like he would smash my camera in half if I even considered taking a photo). When this plate of heavenly goodness arrived in front of me, I was soothed by the briny smell of the olive-y oil and the warmth of the fresh pita. I’m sorry, but this pita blew Pita Inn out of the water. Considering our meal consisted solely of this heaping plate of hummus, we needed this bread to soak up all of the goodness.

I want to reach through my computer screen and rip off a piece of this…

If I were to write about every amazing food experience my family and I encountered in Israel, it would probably be a novel. And unless you’re as food obsessed as me, you probably would not want to read all of that. In the meantime, here’s some photos from our time in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and the Galilee to drool over. If you want some more details about the sticky, sweet rugelach, caramelly beef carpaccio, or the fresh (and I mean fresh) goat cheese you see here, I’m your girl.

Until next time, Shalom! 

-The College Girl in an (International!) Foodie World

Beef carpaccio with caramel sauce, parmesan, and crispy sweet potatoes from mahaneyehuda….SO much better than it sounds

SHAWARMA from Moshiko. We may or may not have eaten it 3 times over a 9 day period…

 

Candy on candy on candy at the Machane Yehuda Market in Jerusalem

The best “Grilled Cheese” from a Yemenite food stand in Safed

Back-road goat cheese tasting

 

Soft and Chewy Seven Layer Magic Bar Cookies

Friday is my favorite day of the week. I love the big Shabbat dinner, I love the period of relaxation that it symbolizes, and most of all, I love being surrounded by my aunts, uncles, grandparents, and cousins.

Shabbat dinner always begins at the same time: late. If dinner is called for 6:30, everyone shows up at 7:00. Chips, dips, crudites, and random vegetables that my aunt pickles are set out while everyone gathers around and catches up on their weeks.

Next, we surround my aunts as they light the Shabbat candles and say the blessings. Usually, they’ll break out in a chorus of some made up song or la-da-da’s. My brother and I just watch and giggle as they close their eyes and sway around the dining room.

Eventually, dinner is served. Some variation of soup, chicken, vegetables, and potatoes is often in store. And ya can’t forget about the Challah. I look forward to it all week. Soft, most, bread with a touch of honey-vanilla bread that I can’t stop myself from eating throughout the meal. If I’m lucky, my parents will get to take the leftovers home so I can nosh on them all week.

Dessert is sometimes held to a lower standard at Shabbat dinners, mostly because by the time we finish our meal everyone is far too stuffed to consider something sweet.

Which leads me to SOFT AND CHEWY SEVEN LAYER MAGIC BAR COOKIES.

That butterscotchy, coconutty, chocolatey flavor of a seven layer bar with the soft, chewy, fluffy texture of a perfectly cooked chocolate chip cookie.

I learned 3 new, very useful baking tools while conjuring up these cookies:

1. Refrigerate your cookie dough for AT LEAST 2 hours before baking. Refrigerated cookie dough –> less thin and flat, more fluffy cookies.

2. Pressing each mound of cookie dough slightly with your palm ensures the cookies will be uniform in size.

3. Only let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, and then transfer to a wire cooling rack. Don’t make the same mistake I’ve made with many other cookie recipes: keeping the cookies on the baking sheet too long keeps cooking them, possibly creating burn-y bottoms.

These new lessons I learned made for the best texture I have ever gotten out of a cookie. A slightly crunchy outer shell surrounding a melty chocolate, butterscotch, coconut, and graham filling.

My family definitely left room for these cookies this Shabbat. In fact, I think I saw my uncle sneak about 5 cookies before we even ate dinner 😉

http://www.averiecooks.com/2013/07/soft-and-chewy-seven-layer-magic-bar-cookies.html

Little Goat

Thus far, “Piece of Cake” has been dedicated solely to sharing recipes that appeal to college foodies, or any foodies for that matter, seeking affordable, convenient, simple, and delicious eats. It’s time to switch things up a bit. Sometimes college foodies crave a night out. To satisfy that craving, I will be posting reviews of restaurants that are unique and not over-the-top expensive. College foodies everywhere, rejoice!

First stop? Little Goat. This was no hidden treasure or dive. Chicago food magazines have been singing Little Goat’s praises for months. But my friends and I had to wait out an agonizing (ok, a bit of an exaggeration, although we were dying to get there) few months to eat at Little Goat until we were home from school for the summer. I was especially excited, being a huge Top Chef fan and more specifically a huge Stephanie Izard fan. Izard won Top Chef and went on to create The Girl and the Goat and it’s more affordable companion, Little Goat.

My friends and I caravanned down to the city on a mild, gorgeous Thursday night in late July. Parking wasn’t a problem seeing as valet wasn’t ridiculously pricey (especially split amongst the 6 of us). When we walked up to the hostess, she informed us that the current wait time was about an hour (it was around 8:00 PM) and that she would text us when our table was ready. Randolph street provided a fun little area to walk around while we waited. In addition to The Girl and the Goat, other trendy restaurants like g.e.b. and and Nellcote were fun eye candy.

When my phone buzzed about 40 mins. later with a text letting us know our table would be ready in a few minutes, we were ecstatic. We power walked back to the restaurant and back up to the hostess stand, but she informed us that it would be another few minutes. Ok, no big deal, we thought collectively. But after another 15 minutes of a rotating staff of hostesses telling us it would be just another few minutes for the table, we were visibly frustrated. We were finally seated at a comfortable booth next to a window about 20 minutes after we received the text that our table was ready.

With grumbling bellies echoing, my friends and I decided onion rings and fried pickles were needed, ASAP. Our fried plethora arrived hot and plentiful, and no one hesitated to dig in. The onion rings, while nothing special taste-wise, had a perfect crispy texture and were hot, hot, hot, just the way I like them. The fried pickles were above standard pickles because the pickle flavor really shown through even through a thick layer of breading.

We put in our orders with our very perky waitress (when we told her she resembled Emma Stone she got so excited that she looked like she could run right outside the restaurant and run a miles long victory lap) and began to wait it out for our food. The people watching and celeb spotting (my dancer friend pointed out a “very well known” Joeffrey Ballet Dancer) only lasted so long, and soon frustration kicked in. It had been about a half hour with no food or waitress in sight. A very friendly manager came over to apologize and let us know that the kitchen had a pancake-batter malfunction and that they were sending out some hot food to hold us over, all “on them.” With those magic words the grumbling in our bellies seemed to subdue. Free food is never a bad thing for a college foodie.

Soon, bowls of rich, creamy, macaroni and cheese and biscuits topped with more creamy cheese and broccoli filled the table. While it was a very nice thought by the kitchen, these foods meant to hold us over until our food was ready were cheese and cheesier, and we were left craving a little variety.

Finally, our food arrived. My friend Lauren and I both ordered the Chickpea Salad, and were surprised with the volume of food we received. That salad definitely delivers bang for its buck. It was chock full of kale, chopped veggies, a creamy goat-like cheese, hearty falafel, and came with a tsaziki sauce and a light dressing on the side. We were both left with enough salad to make a delicious lunch the next day, which I know we both took advantage of.

My friends Lena and Ellie took advantage of the “breakfast served all day” wonderfulness and ordered the blueberry pancakes. These were no ordinary blueberry pancakes. The pancakes filled a plate with about an 8 inch radius and were stacked about 10 high. A fluffy, rich cream cheese butter with a taste similar to a cream cheese frosting but less frosting-y was perched on top of the pancake tower. And the most unexpectedly best part was the oatmeal crumble generously topping the stack. Why didn’t I think of crumbling oatmeal cookies on top of my blueberry pancakes at home?! Genius. All of us were eating off of Lena and Ellie’s plates.

Fran and Lauren G. (yes, I have two friends named Lauren) ordered less exciting fish tostada and egg dishes, respectively. My advice for ordering at Little Goat? The more outrageous and unique sounding entrees on the menu are often the most surprisingly delicious.

We were stuffed. And after being at the restaurant for over two hours, we were ready to go. But Emma Stone aka our waitress peppily announced that Danny was treating us to dessert. My dad had been in the area and had stopped by the restaurant earlier in the meal. He had somehow sneakily found a way to treat us to dessert.

Soon, we were feasting on sundaes, milkshakes, and mini pies. The cookie pie was a classic skillet cookie dish. The blueberry mini pie, however, was made unique by being topped with goat cheese gelato. YUM. The “Cheet-It” Sundae, which was described on the menu as “peanut butter chocolate. strawberry. yum” was exactly that. I have NO idea what was in it, but it was filled with crunchy and smooth textures and one of the most amazing strawberry ice creams I have ever eaten.

Taste wise, Little Goat lives up to the hype. The menu items are unique, the flavor combinations inventive, and the portions generous. However, for a college foodie short on time and money, the long wait time and pricey foods would make Little Goat more of a special occasion destination.

peaches ‘n cream bars

Ravinia Festival nights are the best nights. Listening to live music in a gorgeous outdoor setting surrounded by friends and family and an endless picnic-style spread is my idea of heaven.

Last night, 5 of my closest friends and I braved a “cold” Chicago night (realistically, it was just under 60 degrees) to hear OneRepublic play live. The headlining band never goes on till late at Ravinia, which left lots of time for my friends and I to enjoy our smorgasbord of delicacies.

We began with crudites, spinach and artichoke dips, guacamole and a variety of dippers. From there, we moved on to the main event: chicken satay with a homemade peanut sauce, sesame noodles from A La Carte, and a quinoa salad with cranberries, pecans, and kale.

Before we knew it, the lawn was filled with the unique sounds of one of my newly discovered, and new favorite bands, OneRepublic. We all agreed it was time to break out the Peaches ‘n Cream Bars.

After I baked the bars and tried one (or two, or three) a few days prior, I thought they could use a little more peach flavor, and my mom agreed. But my friends all adored the abundance of oaty, streusel-y flavor from the base and topping. So, it is completely up to you whether to add more peaches to the recipe or not.

Pecans were listed as optional in the recipe, but I decided to add them in to add some crunchy texture. Chopping up the pecans and peaches into small pieces absolutely enhanced the texture of the bar.

The highlight of these bars were their topping. They tasted like you were biting into your favorite buttery pie crust! Make sure you chop up the butter as the recipe suggests because it enhances the quality and texture of the topping post-baking.

These bars can be kept refrigerated for up to four days, which is what I did. But in my opinion, these are best enjoyed straight out of the oven when the topping is at its butteriest and the peach filling is at its freshest.

These bars are great for a college girl in a foodie world. They can be made in advance, so you make them in your free time and enjoy in even your busiest weeks. Most of the ingredients were already in my house, so no grocery run was necessary. And they were a favorite amongst my girlfriends! Make them soon while we can still enjoy these sweet summer peaches!

http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2013/07/20/peaches-cream-bars/

nutella lava cookie cups

Anything that happens last minute usually makes me super anxious. But last Sunday morning, when I woke to a group text from my friend Lauren asking if all of us would like to join her on her boat docked on Wilmette’s beautiful Gillson Beach, with a beautiful view of the Bahai Temple, I wasn’t the least bit anxious. I was CRAZY excited. What a perfect opportunity to whip up a last minute, yummy treat that my friends would love!

We had a new, unopened jar of Nutella that somehow had not yet been consumed, so I started there. Plus it was SO sweet of Lauren to offer to have us on her boat, and Nutella is one of her all time favorite foods (literally the girl eats it by the jar) so I knew a recipe using this fabulous spread was necessary.

These Nutella lava cookie cups are convenient (besides the Nutella, most of the ingredients needed to make the cookie cup are probably already in your pantry), they are simple (all ya have to do is make cookie dough, press into the bottom of a muffin tin, top with nutella and more cookie dough, and bake), and they are oozy, melty goodness. What a piece of cake! 😉

the cookie dough base is like making your average chocolate chip cookie: mix dry ingredients, mix wet ingredients, add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, and combine.

then, my favorite part of any recipe, folding in the chocolate chips. i think my brother is telepathic and can tell when the cookie dough is complete from his man cave in the basement because as soon as the chips were all stirred in he was upstairs in the kitchen ready for a bite.

check out dat yummy dough!

before i started making anything, i had sprayed my muffin pan with pam so that i wouldn’t have an ooey gooey mess when trying to scoop my cookie cups out of the pan. now it was time to press some of the cookie dough into that prepared pan.

Now, for the fun part. spooning melty Nutella by the teaspoonful into the established bottoms of my cookie cups. I could have eaten the cookie cup then, without even baking it.

One more step and then it was into the oven! I took the leftover cookie dough and pressed little bits of it on top of the Nutella and cookie base, being careful not to press too hard or the Nutella would ooze out.

These babies baked until the edges turned a golden brown and the chocolate chips began to melt. You think they look pretty good straight out of the oven, until you let them cool for a few hours, gently take them out of the pan, and are able to see the layers of hazelnutty, buttery, ooey gooey goodness. Then they appear as a masterpiece.

This recipe only makes about 10 massive cookie cups, so if you’re looking to feed many friends (and jealous family members who realize there are none left for them), double or triple the recipe.

As soon as you cut into a cookie cup, the golden cookie topping gently breaks apart and gives way to a melty, rich Nutella filling that pours out. YUM.

As soon as my friends and I finished our salads, we were ready for something sweet. Lauren reached for my tupperware of desserts, lifted the lid, and was faced with a familiar smell. She closed her eyes, took a breath, and asked, hopefully but knowingly, “Do these have Nutella in them?” Her and the rest of my friends went in with the original plan of splitting the cookie cups. But obviously, none of them could resist polishing off the entire thing, some of them even munching on another cookie cup. It’s seemingly impossible to just stop at one!

the finished product!

My parents and brother were so BEYOND jealous they could each only try a little bit of a cookie cup that I am OBLIGATED to make these again this coming weekend. If that isn’t the sign of a successful recipe, I don’t know what is! check it out here!: http://www.tablefortwoblog.com/2013/02/25/nutella-lava-cookie-cups/