Easy Entertaining – Savvy Shortcuts

My baby brother was able to pop by for lunch recently.  I love an excuse to catch up as much as I love fixin’ the boy a hearty lunch – one that I know he appreciates. 
Unfortunately, this visit, I didn’t have a spare minute to plan anything fancy or fussy and completely winged the creation.  But, with a quick trip to the grocery you can pack a picnic lunch, like we did, [or a simple weeknight dinner] in no time!
Turkey Club with Sweet Herbed Aioli

For the Spread:
1/2 cup low-fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons stone ground mustard
3 tablespoons peach preserves
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme

The other fixins’:
2 slices of italian artisan bread
2 tablespoons delish olive oil
1/4 cup fresh baby spinach leaves
1/4 fugi apple, very thinly sliced
1/2 avocado, thinly sliced
2 strips bacon (I like oscar meyer’s pre-cooked bacon because it is super thin, always crispy and ready in seconds)
1 red onion, sliced 
1 tablespoon brown sugar (I use splenda brown sugar)
1 slice provolone cheese
1/4 lb deli turkey, very thinly sliced or shaved

And here’s what to do!
To make the aioli, mix ingredients, set aside
Drizzle the bread with olive oil and throw on the grill for a quick toast, leaving lovely char marks
Drizzle the sliced red onions with a little olive oil and add to a hot non-stick skillet
Sprinkle with a dusting of brown sugar.  Flip onions.  Onions are done when there is a slight char and caramelization
Spread 2 slices of grilled bread with the herbed aioli
Building from the bottom:
Add the spinach leaves
Apple slices
Bacon
Avocado
Turkey
Onions
Provolone cheese
Throw the open-faced sandwich on foil and add to the still-warm grill to allow the cheese to melt
Top with second piece of bread, slice sandwich on a diagonal 
For a picnic, I wrap each sandwich half in parchment paper, pack with a side of pretzels, crisp grapes and a cookie.  For dinner, I serve with a side salad and ice cream for dessert!
We loved this sandwich – I will for sure add it to the ‘in a pinch‘ rotation!
[photos shot by me]

Delish

Love love LOVING the rose flavored macarons at my favorite cafe/bakery/coffee shop, Floriole, right now!
They have honestly perfected quite a few flavors (salted caramel, coffee, lavender), but my favorite to date is hands down the subtle rose.  The menu changes every couple of days so I hope you’re able to sample these beauties sometime soon!
[photo by me] 

Easy Entertaining – Savvy Shortcuts

Here is a little something appropriate for just about any gathering.  I always love something a little extra girlie, and this simple, sweet popcorn snack is no exception.  The process could not be easier, but do plan for a couple of hours of cooling time…
White Chocolate Confetti Popcorn
For the popcorn:
2-3 bags microwave popcorn popped according to instructions
Here, I used the microwave popcorn I had at home [Orville Redenbacher’s ‘butter light’, but I personally would have preferred the ‘tender white’ for it’s pretty bleached color].  
Using air or stove-popped popcorn is certainly an option as well, but I loved the salty bite that the microwave popcorn innately had and would therefore suggest adding extra butter and salt to the stove/air-popped corn.
For the Topping:
About 6 ounces white chocolate chips
Confetti sprinkles
Sea salt

And here’s what to do!
Once you’ve popped all of your corn, set up a couple of work stations, as I found working in batches was easiest to manage.  
Use a large mixing bowl and several cookie sheets lined with wax paper.
Heat about 1″ of water in a double boiler [or in my case a metal mixing bowl nestled in a sauce pan].
Add a handful of the chips stirring constantly until a fully melted, smooth consistency.  
Immediately pour the melted chocolate over the popcorn in the large mixing bowl, toss until evenly covered.
Immediately spread the chocolate coated popcorn over the wax paper in a single layer.  
Add a generous amount of colored sprinkles and extra dash of salt.
Repeat until the popcorn and chocolate are gone.
Allow the popcorn to cool fully [I placed it outside on the chilly winter day to speed the process].
Break apart popcorn and arrange in a pretty bowl!
Delish!
[photos shot by me]

Easy Entertaining – Savvy Shortcuts

Here is a simple [cheater of a] dessert that can be prepared ahead of time using a combination of store-bought items with just the slightest gourmet touch…Assemble now, even for use on Sunday!
Salted Caramel Cheesecake Bites
For the Cheesecake:
1 Box Jello No-Bake Cheesecake Mix, prepared according to package (you’ll need a little granulated sugar, melted butter, cold milk and a hour or two of refrigeration for the preparation)…
For the Caramel:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2+ teaspoon fleur de sel or sea salt

And here’s what to do!
Instead of using a 9″ pie plate, I used mini muffin tins (with baking cups) to get bite-sized ditties – great for entertaining a larger crowd.
In order to prepare the homemade caramel – add the sugar, water and corn syrup to a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium heat – watching closely and stirring a couple of times.  
Once it begins to boil, it will start to turn brown.  Once it seems to be a solid medium brown, immediately remove from heat and add cream and butter.  Stir well.  
Add the salt until fully incorporated.
Place the caramel (may seem thin) in a bowl covered with plastic wrap into the fridge for a few hours or over night.
Once the cheesecake bites are set and the caramel is completely cooled, carefully unwrap the bites and top with a small spoonful (I used two teaspoons) of the salted caramel.  
Sprinkle with a dash of salt before serving. 
Voila!
[photo shot by me]

Easy Entertaining – Savvy Shortcuts

If you’ve decided to host a little something to watch the Golden Globes this weekend or just want to have a game night with girls – but you are not sure about committing to a full meal, here are a few easy ideas to help lighten the load…each course can be brilliantly made ahead and reheated prior to or as guests arrive.

Easy Appetizer:  Delish Low Fat Spinach and Artichoke Dip

I’ve adapted this imprecise recipe from Cooking Light…

3/4 10oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
5 green onions, chopped, using all of the whites and some of the green
1 can drained artichoke hearts, chopped
1, 8oz block reduced fat cream cheese
8oz low fat sour cream
1 cup shredded low fat mozzarella
1/4 cup grated pecorino romano or parmesano reggiano

2 tablespoons minced garlic

garlic salt to taste
garlic powder to taste

And now what?
Saute green onions in large non-stick, high-lipped pan.  When almost done, add minced garlic and artichoke hearts.
Add cream cheese in smaller portions to aid with the melting process.
Add chopped spinach and sour cream, mixing well.
When all is blended, reduce heat.  Add mozzarella cheese and pecorino, stirring constantly.
Add garlic salt and powder to boost flavor (tasting bites are a must!).
Remove from heat and serve immediately (or store in microwaveable container and reheat before serving.)

I like to offer a few things to pair the dip with ~ from carrots and peppers to pita chips or toasted cubes of sourdough bread.

(Pssst!  Feel free to increase quantities to ensure leftovers…this is a fabulous counterpart for sandwiches or even topped over a grilled salmon filet!)

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Easy Entree:  Hearty Vegetable Soup

I took and adapted this recipe from an old issue of House Beautiful, created by Jill and Jewels Elmore.
3, 15oz cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
6 cups chicken stock
3 cloves garlic, sliced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 sweet onion, diced
1.5 cups grape tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon sea salt
pinch crushed red pepper
cracked black pepper
grated parmesano reggiano or pecorino romano to taste
garlic powder to taste

Here’s the scoop:
Place beans, rosemary and stock in a large pot on the stove, bring to boil.  
Reduce heat to low, simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
During that time, heat a skillet over medium/high heat.  Add olive oil and saute the onion until soft and translucent.  
Add tomatoes, crushed red pepper and black pepper and salt – cook for 2 minutes.  
Add garlic cook for 1-2 minutes.  
Add the vegetables to pot of beans and broth, cooking for another 15 minutes at low heat.
Serve with sprinkle of cheese and crusty bread.  If you’re seated on the couch instead of at the table, spoon the soup into large mugs for easy eating!
(This soup stores wonderfully and can be made a couple of days in advance – or made the day of with the thought of lovely lunches days after your gathering.)
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Easy Dessert:  Brown Sugar Pavolvas with Macerated Berries and Mint
  I’ve adapted the recipe from both Cooking Light and Ina Garten…
For the meringue:
4 large egg whites
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar (I use superfine…of course)
1/4 cup packed splenda brown sugar (regular is fine)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the creme:
1 small tub light coolwhip
2 vanilla beans
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the berries:
1 cup fresh strawberries, quartered
1 cup fresh raspberries
1 cup fresh blackberries
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1/3 cup splenda brown sugar
1/4 cup minced fresh mint
And here’s what to do!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Use parchment paper on a large baking sheet.  Draw 6, 4″ circles on the paper and turn the paper over so you don’t get pen/pencil on your meringues.
Beat eggwhites, constarch and salt on high until foamy (I use a KitchenAid stand mixer, but a hand mixer will work just fine!).  Gently and gradually add the granulated sugar and brown sugar – spoonfulls at a time.  Continue beating until thick and glossy.  Add vanilla, mixing until stiff peaks form.
Fill a piping bag (or freezer bag with a small, dime-sized hole in one corner) with fluffy meringue. Trace the circles, filling in the bottom evenly, then retracing the perimeter to create a bit of a lip, so they  resemble nests.  
Place meringues in the oven, then immediately turn the oven down to 300 degrees.  
Bake roughly one hour, checking the status toward the end to make sure they aren’t overcooking (significantly browner in color).  
When finished, turn oven off and cool meringues in closed oven for roughly 4 hours (or longer) until completely dry.  They should not stick to the paper or your fingers.
Gently remove meringue nests from paper and store until use. 
(These are perfect made a day or two in advanced.  Keep in a dry, air-tight container).
Place all washed fruits in a large bowl, add brown sugar and fresh mint.  
Carefully stir until evenly coated.  Let macerate.  I like to make the berries the day before so they are extra juicy and delicious.
For the creme, carefully slice vanilla beans in half, lengthwise.  Scrape teenytiny vanilla-bean goodness from the beans with the tip of a knife.  
Stir into coolwhip.  
Stir in vanilla extract. 
 (Creme can also be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge.)
Assembly is simple!  A single nest, generous dollop of vanilla creme, topped with berry mixture.  Add a fresh sprig of mint for color contrast (but of course!)
     I am a meringue lover and love to keep a few unassembled ones to crumble into my ice cream after dinner or with coffee for “breakfast” (What…not much different than an egg-white omelet, right?!)
Now we just need some fabulous dresses or some high stakes to finish the night!
(image credits) dip, soup and pavlovas shot by me 

Public Chicago + The Pump Room (Re-imagined)

Renny and I were treated to a delish lunch this afternoon at The Pump Room.  While it proved to be quite the mid-day scene, I had just come from a long overdue cut & color and felt as if I partially passed muster.  
The Pump Room is housed in the incredibly chic Public Chicago, formerly the Ambassador East.  The menu was created by renowned chef, Jean-Gorges Vongerichten and features fancified favorites that are absolutely approachable.  A few of the original Pump Room’s menu items are still on the menu, simply re-imagined by Genius Jean-Georges, along with many newly created items as well as some existing dishes taken from Jean-Gorges’ other successful restaurant, abc kitchen.  They are working on a rooftop garden to further support their farm-to-table concept. 
Mixed muted metallics, grainy wood, orb-like chandeliers and unexpected pops of kelly green dress up the Pump Room.
The bar at the Pump Room casts a golden glow on it’s already glossy guest.
The former Pump Room was frequented by the likes of Sinatra & Bogart during the Golden Age and while the vibe is decidedly current and fresh (not a lick like the old space), I hope our dear city (with the help of chic spots like this) can attract our own modern day Grant’s and Hepburn’s.   
The Ambassador East has been reborn as Public Chicago, conceived and designed by Ian Schrager (known for other hotel hotshots like the Delano, the Sanderson and the Paramount, to name(drop) a few). The bones of the hotel remain (along with the stunning molding!) with the rest having experienced more than a major facelift.  
There is such a feeling of serene chicness – crisp bold white paired with worn mirrors and warm woods.  It’s perfect.
The gorgeous lobby features bright white walls, smokey mirrors and a repurposed clock that runs backwards…back in time.
My favorite room may be the Library, set with cozy couches, faux fur lounge chairs, a flickering fire and rustic wood touches.  
The Library Bar serves espresso by day and trendy spirits by night.  PS:  Bottle service available in the cozy screening room, late night.
The rooms are incredibly simple, white on white on white.  
“What do you do when a couch gets dirty?”  “We were told to throw it away.”  Crazy talk.  
(PPS:  The one bedroom suites are simply perfect for bridal parties.)
While I’m disappointed there isn’t any event space that can hold more than about 50 people at once, the hotel itself has me seriously smitten.
(image credits) photos from public chicago collateral 

Delish

Tonight I had the unexpected freedom of a cancelled meeting, paired with an unlikely breezy and crisp July evening {The Man was out at the Cubs game}.  My grill was beckoning, but I didn’t feel like a heavy meal {still recovering from the non-stop indulgence of my weekend away!}.

I decided to try something new…

I chopped a colorful red onion and got it started in my le creuset on a medium flame.

Meanwhile, I reduced a bit of aged balsamic vinegar so that it intensified the sweetness and cut the sour, a touch.

After the onions were on their way to being nice and caramelized, I added the syrupy balsamic along with a couple of {pre-cooked, lower-in-fat} crumbled pieces of bacon.  {I imagine legit bacon, given the opportunity, would render nicely before the onions for even more deliciousness…}

I added just a bit more balsamic vinegar to deglaze the pan, then removed the pot from the flame.

Next I had a pre-washed head of romaine lettuce.  I sliced it straight down the middle and drizzled just a bit of extra virgin olive oil to the sliced edges before adding loads of fresh cracked pepper and a generous amount of sea salt.  I threw the romaine halves face down on the eager grill and let them cook freely for just a bit.

When there seemed to be gorgeous action on the grill, I removed the decently charred lettuce heads and brought them back inside where I topped them with the balsamic onion/bacon mixture and salty salty English stilton bits.

A glass of wine, a back-issue of House Beautiful and a remarkable hearty salad on the balcony was just what the doctor ordered.

Happy Happy!

Today is my husband’s 30th!  I surprised him a few weeks ago with an early day of celebration.  After a  round of golf with some of his best buddies {to get him out of the house??}, he came home to our condo with a little note describing why we weren’t having a romantic dinner pour deux, as planned.

Instead, I had planned for a low key party at our home, but because I had to keep the plans from him, I had to purchase and set everything up during his round!  There wasn’t a flower in the place, but plenty of pretty candies and treats for our Cake and Cocktails evening…Here are just a few pics from the offerings:
Delish cupcakes were dressed with little flags.

Confetti Cookies from Sweet Mandy B’s {may have been for ME!}

Sugar-dusted donut holes.

A tower of Oreos was paired with chilled milk for dunking.

Cutie Whoopie Pies were yet another chocolate tribute to the birthday boy.
Rock candy in the perfect shades…

Jelly candies {again, for color and for Kara!}.

Suckers were secured in milk glass vases filled with sugar for a pretty presentation.

White chocolate covered graham bits were a hit!

Sweet Mandy B’s also did the rich and velvety chocolate cake.
Gorgeous seasonal berries were accompanied by fresh whipped cream.

Manly mason jars were dressed up with stripey straws and flags I made by hand.

  Instead of a full bar, I offered a blueberry vodka lemonade…

Old man beers…
And cigars…
Happy Birthday, Joel!  Can’t wait to share the next 30+ with you by my side!

{images} all shot by lil ole me

The Alfresco Promise

  The blinding early morning sunshine that started the day today seems, at once, to have welcomed the melodic chorus of cheery birds, a fresh leafy green fragrance in the air, and the subtle buzz of landscapers tending to green lawns {ok, or teensy patches here in the  city}…An indication that we Chicagoans are finally able to bust down our emotional barriers that have protected us from repeat disappointment, and get our hopes up for consistently warmer temps and the opportunity to emerge, for good, from our mind-numbingly-long winter hibernation.     
Paired with a prelude of a true spring, comes the anticipation of many future evenings that will be perfect for dining al fresco – my absolute FAVORITE summer pastime.  Here are a few images that continue to inspire optimism:
A table set with wisteria dangling from above is sure to make any meal taste divine.
While most of us don’t have a country lair – a rooftop terrace and container garden would be just fine?

Ah yes, tables set poolside with copious candles twinkling overhead…I’ll have to remember that one.
I love the perfectly coiffed pathway leading to the dinner table set under the shade of a massive tree. 
And although we may not have settings quite as dreamy as those – here are a few of my personal favorite outdoor dining spots:
Picccolo Sogno – For an oasis-like patio and a seal of authenticity from the Italian government {oh, and don’t pass up the delish gnocchi con fungi}
Chez Joel – For a shared meal of co au vin and a hearty bordeaux 
Pelago Ristorante – For their indulgent truffle risotto and a setting like a true Italian piazza
Erie Cafe – For a glass of wine and a cigar…really
The Terrace at Trump – For the most insane view of our gorgeous city and overpriced champagne cocktail
Boka – For a michelin star rated meal
Jam – For a hellofa wait on a weekend, but a hearty eggwhite omelet, artfully presented 
I simply can’t wait.
{image credits}  alleyway – unknown.  wisteria – house beautiful.  cityscape – martha stewart.  pool setting – unknown.  grassy setting – country living

Delish.

While I may have taken the easy way out, blaming the lack of homemade goodness on my workload –  this darling, delectable dessert is what I meant to have waiting for Joel and I after our romantic dinner a dinner a deux on Monday evening…


I found this gorgeously girlie recipe in  Fleur Woods’ book:  Food Fashion Friends, that can be picked up here.