Pro Bono Baker

Summer Strawberry Salad

With all the cold weather we've been having, you'd hardly know it is June.  While I'm looking forward to warm summer nights in our backyard, I've been content to spend the evenings inside lately -- listening to the rain fall and eating impressive quantities of fresh fruits and vegetables.  I'll get back to my stories from Buenos Aires soon, but first I wanted to share this pretty salad with you.

Summer Strawberry Salad

Ingredients

Greens, rinsed and spun dry
Strawberries, rinsed
Salty hard cheese (like Parmesan or Pecorino Romano)
Good Balsamic vinegar* 

Method

To make a salad for one, add a few handfuls of your greens to a large bowl.  Slice in a few fresh strawberries and drizzle with Balsamic vinegar (about a tablespoon, you can add some sugar or oil to cut the flavor if you prefer).  Toss together. Shave a few thin pieces of cheese over the top and enjoy.

*(I'm obsessed with the fig Balsamic vinegar from Old Town Oil)

Buenos Aires - Day One

For as long as I've been accruing them, I've been inexplicably nervous about my frequent flier miles expiring or disappearing. Nick and I recently took care of the whole lot by taking a trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina.  We took an overnight flight from Chicago and arrived at Ezeiza airport on a Thursday morning. 

We checked into the lovely, family run Four B&B in the San Telmo neighborhood. This renovated colonial house offers stylish rooms designed by Cuban artist Reinaldo Lopez Sobrado and a gorgeous rooftop patio.  The rooms are reasonably priced and the proprietors are exceptionally nice -- even letting us borrow dishes and an electrical adapter that we had forgotten to pack. Best of all, breakfast arrives any time you wish.

After we unpacked a bit, Nick and I took a quick walk around the neighborhood as we waited for our friend Peter, an English instructor, to meet us after his morning class.  Peter and I met in Iowa during my first year of college.  Even though I ended up transferring to Reed and he's moved all over the world, I've been lucky to keep in touch with him over the years.

We spent most of the afternoon walking up and down Florida Street attending to housekeeping details like exchanging money and buying a sim card for my phone. After a bite to eat, Peter went to his second class of the day and Nick and I returned to San Telmo where we ended up at Bar Dorrego just up the street from our hotel.

San Telmo is the oldest residential neighborhood in Buenos Aires and the cobblestone streets and glorious buildings are well-preserved (as a result, it is also a bit touristy). Bar Dorrego dates back to 1881 and overlooks Plaza Dorrego, which fills with vendors every Sunday during the San Telmo Antique Market.  This classic cafe has gorgeous woodwork (now carved with graffiti), a black and white checked floor -- and like most cafes in Buenos Aires -- will keep your table well supplied with peanuts while you drink.

Quilmes is the beer of choice for most Argentinians.  We decided to give their stout a try and it ended up being a nice first drink for the evening. While Bar Dorrego is a bit over-priced due to its location and history, I would still recommend getting a drink or two in this lovely old cafe.

Afterward we made our way to Palermo Viejo to meet up with Peter and his lovely girlfriend Pao. We shared a bottle of Genesis Malbec from Mendoza and ordered dinner from Gourmet Empanadas. Gourmet Empanadas has several locations across the city and the assortment we ordered really hit the spot (I especially enjoyed the tomate, queso y albahaca).

We took a cab up to Sugar, a bar in Palermo, where one of Peter's friends was celebrating her birthday. Nightlife in Buenos Aires really is a late affair -- Sugar's 5 peso pint "happy-hour" runs until midnight!  We drank a few Quilmes and got to know their awesome Colombian friend Arturo. Peter and Pao had to work in the morning, and Nick and I were exhausted from our sleepless flight, so we parted ways around 1 a.m., looking forward to our first full day in the city.

Stay tuned for day two!

Homemade Pasta for Hectic Nights

I bet some of you are wondering if I skipped out on my return flight and remained in South America.  Sadly, no.  Nick and I returned to Chicago as scheduled, but I've been frantically catching up at work since.  Whatever level of relaxation was achieved on vacation has been quickly and thoroughly reversed. I have the first two days of photos up on my Flickr account, but I haven't found the time to go through the rest or post about it yet. I will soon.  It was an amazing trip and I am looking forward to sharing it with you.

When life is busy, we still need to eat -- but sometimes the convenient options just make me feel more rundown.  Next time you find yourself reaching for an uninspired box of mac and cheese or a bag of ramen, consider how quick and satisfying it is to make your own pasta. Forget the fancy machines and pasta roller attachments.  They aren't necessary.  Using only flour, a few eggs, a rolling pin and a knife -- you are minutes away from tossing your own fresh pasta into boiling water. I was recently reminded of this by the Pioneer Woman.  She offers her friend Ryan's great rule of thumb: 1 cup of flour plus 2 eggs equals pasta for 2 people. 

Pour a cup of flour on the counter.  Make a well in the center.  Crack two eggs into it and mix the dough with your hand, kneading until it is smooth.  Let the dough rest for about 5 minutes and then roll out on a lightly floured surface.  Slice into strips with a knife (a pizza or dough cutter works well too) and cook for 2 minutes in salted boiling water.  I tossed my pasta with some olive oil, garlic, dried basil and sliced tomatoes.  

It's going to be another late night at work -- but at least I know I have the other half of my pasta dough waiting for me in the refrigerator. 

Buenos Aires

Nick and I are crossing our fingers that the storms hold out for a few more hours. We are scheduled to leave for Buenos Aires this evening and the forecast isn't cooperating.  We have a growing list of places to visit, but if anyone would like to suggest an addition, please feel free to post it in the comments or send me an email. We'll be back in about a week and I look forward to sharing our adventures!

(The photo is from the bridge near 18th and Wentworth in Chicago.)

Salad with Dried Figs, Blue Cheese and Walnuts

I've finally packed away my winter coats, tulips and spearmint are coming up in the backyard, and there is ample sunlight to enjoy after I leave work -- I'm even thinking of investing in a bike to brave the city streets -- something that has always terrified me given Chicago drivers.  

Every May I'm hit with a sudden and forceful desire to eat nothing but fresh fruit, salads and sorbet.  This particular salad is one of my recent favorites, and it would be perfect to share with your mother this weekend.

The recipe is from Crescent City Cooking: Unforgettable Recipes from Susan Spicer's New Orleans. Though, lucky for us, it can also be found on Cookstr. The sweetness of the figs combined with the salty cheese and the savory dressing create a complex and wonderfully balanced salad.  

I'm taking the train out to see my mother this weekend and on Wednesday I am flying to Argentina for a much anticipated vacation.  I reserved the tickets nearly ten months ago and I can hardly believe it's finally happening.  I have some much needed site maintenance to attend to, like updating my sorely out of date links, but the housekeeping will have to wait until I return.  

Apple and Almond Oatmeal Clafoutis

The Kitchn looked at make-ahead breakfasts this past week, and pointed me toward this recipe at Chocolate & Zucchini for Oatmeal Clafoutis.  I never like to eat too soon after waking up on a weekday morning, so having something quick and portable to throw in my bag saves me time and money.  This is a great recipe to make a big batch of on a weekend morning to freeze for the week.  It calls for relatively few ingredients and was in the oven before my coffee had finished brewing.  Next time, I am making a double batch.  

I made a few changes to the recipe.  I'm not a fan of raisins in most baked goods, so I omitted any dried fruit. I also don't peel fresh fruit unless there is a good reason to.  I think the apples with their peel work wonderfully here and look visually pleasing as well. For the nuts, I used about half a cup of sliced almonds.  This recipe accepts modifications and substitutions well and your final product can highlight what you have on hand.  Next time I am going to try adding some frozen berries to the mix. The clafoutis taste great either warm or cold, so these are a great breakfast option even for those without a microwave at work.

Chicago Careers Through Culinary Arts Competition

This past Saturday I joined students, parents and chefs at CHIC to watch 25 talented high school seniors compete in the 16th annual Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) Chicago Cooking Competition. This inspiring nonprofit helps public high school students train and compete for scholarships to renowned culinary schools. In addition to Chicago, C-CAP has programs in Arizona, Virginia, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. 

The students were asked to prepare a two-course French meal for a panel of notable judges, including Graham Elliot Bowles of graham elliot, Carrie Nahabedian of Naha, and Mark Mendez of Carnivale.  

You can read my full article at Gapers Block.

Pomegranate Rehydration Drink

This week marks a year since I began running. I've come along way from huffing and puffing to get through a mile and a half.  With support from friends, family and even some of you lovely readers, I participated in the AIDS Marathon training program last summer to run the Chicago Half Marathon. This weekend I am running a 10 mile race that will bring my year total to 570 miles -- And I am signed up to run the full Chicago Marathon this October (don't worry, no fundraising this year).

I'm not one to use fancy sports drinks on a regular basis, but for longer runs they certainly help. Yet, at nearly $2 a bottle for artificial dyes and high fructose corn syrup, the cost is a bit hard to swallow. A few weeks ago, Lifehacker pointed me toward a recipe for rehydration drinks on WebMD and I decided to give it a try as I increased my mileage.  I don't think I will ever go back to the store bought brands again.

Pomegranate Rehydration Drink

(Please note that, according to WebMD, these drinks are only for adults and all ingredients should be measured precisely to prevent adverse effects. In the recipe below I decreased the sugar and water and added fruit juice. Please reference the original recipe and use your own judgement to make your drink.)

Ingredients

.75 quart water

.25 quart Pom Wonderful juice*

.5 tsp baking soda

.5 tsp table salt

.25 tsp salt substitute** 

1 Tbl sugar

Method

Combine all the ingredients in a 1 quart mason jar.  Screw on the lid and shake to combine.  I leave my mason jar of energy drink in the refrigerator and sip on it after my runs throughout the week.

(*The lovely folks at Pom Wonderful sent me some of their juice to try recently. You could use any type of juice here, but I would try to avoid juices with additives and lots of sugar. **Make sure it is potassium-based.  I had to search around a bit, but eventually found a brand called No Salt at my local Whole Foods.)

Deviled Eggs

My father has a surplus of fresh chives in his garden right now.  Over the holiday weekend we used them in numerous dishes, including the ubiquitous deviled egg. Hard-boiled eggs kept refrigerated will last up to five days. So for those of you wondering what to do with unused Easter eggs, this timely recipe might inspire you. 

Deviled Eggs

Ingredients

6 eggs

3 T mayonnaise

3 tsp Dijon mustard

2 tsp hot or sweet paprika, plus extra for garnish

1 T chopped fresh chives

Salt and pepper

Method

To hard-boil your eggs, I recommend using Elise's excellent instructions at Simply Recipes. This is what I follow and the results are perfect.  Once boiled and cooled, peel the eggs carefully and cut lengthwise.

Ease out the yolks and place them in a small bowl with the mayo, mustard, paprika and half the chives. Mash with a fork and season to taste with salt and pepper. (You can add a bit more mayo or mustard if you'd like the mixture creamier. I usually add more mustard to give them a sharper flavor.)

Fill the egg white halves with the yolk mixture and finish with a light dusting of paprika and the remaining chives.  Serve immediately or refrigerate until use.

Easter Recipes

 

I'll be spending Easter with my family this weekend. I'm looking forward to seeing Neil Simon's Barefoot in the Park at our beautiful local Opera House with my mother, going for a long run on low-traffic rural roads, meeting the new baby my cousin and his wife recently added to the family, and spending time with my paternal grandparents who just returned from their winter sojourn in California. And all this will take place before Easter Sunday.  

Growing up, Easter was the big holiday that my family hosted.  We are light on culinary traditions, but the house was always full of family and well-hidden Easter baskets. Our numbers have dwindled over the years as people move away or add to their own families.  This year we are having a small group and my mother is hoping no one fusses too much over the food. She has the menu mapped out, but I may still try to sneak one or two of my favorite recipes into the spread. How does one best travel by train with a popover pan?

For those of you planning your holiday table, here are a few recipe ideas that may complement your main course.

Sides

Beet, Arugula and Goat Cheese Crostini

Boozy Fruit Salad

Broccoli and Red Onion Salad

Grape and Almond Salad

Napa Cabbage Salad

Pea and Chive Soup

Breads

Cheddar Gougères

Chive and Sour Cream Waffles

Greek Easter Bread (pictured above)

Popovers

Potato and Cheddar Biscuits

Desserts

Almond and Pear Tart

Clementine Cake

Petrie Family Applesauce Cake

Raspberry Chocolate Torte