Fresh Tuna Salad!

This past week has been spent eating my way through Chicago.  And it was truly glorious... especially Big Jones.  If you don't feel your arteries clogging with this meal, you have truly failed.  But this is a MUST try at least once in your life.  Ian had a waffle cooked in duck fat, with duck confit, and a duck egg.  Yumm.  I have been so bad about being true to my usual healthyish eating lifestyle that I was truly craving some high quality, home-cooked food.

Bison Stir Fry

Every time I come home after a night of cooking at Froggy's Restaurant, I feel so inspired to try new recipes with ingredients I've never used before and see what happens.  I feel so clever when I do this, although the fumes of whatever I cooked have usually gone to my head by this point.  On Friday I made a bison stir fry using a bunch of left over ingredients from the farmers market and a bison sirloin.  Bison is absolutely incredible and if you've never tried it, do it... now.  It's lean, tender, and filled with flavor.  It's also a very fast cooking meat so if you're in a hurry or feeling lazy, it's perfect.  I love stir fry because it's so healthy and there are so many ways to make it that it's never boring!  It's also a great way to clean out the fridge (and freezer- ours is filled to the max with meat... literally.)

Seasonal Dessert!

Usually when Ian and I go to a farmers market I am the one that stares at the fruits and vegetables and he goes right for the baked goods and food that is cooked there.  He found the best tacos ever at a farmers market in Kenosha.  But last weekend, he was the one that went right for the... rhubarb.  I had never had rhubarb until I made this dish, but I was in such shock that he requested something other than pastries that I got it without thinking twice.

Duck Egg Omelet

I mentioned in a post about going to the farmers market that I picked up some duck eggs and had no clue what to do with them.  I asked several people and they all suggested that I make omelets with them.  So I did.  Another suggested I grab some semolina flour and make pasta, which is an excellent suggestion, and I plan on attempting on another day!  

Tarte Tartin

"But what I liked best was watching people eat the food I had cooked, leaning in to listen to one another.  Good food, I saw, was about more than merely eating."  Ruth Reichl, Garlic and Sapphires

When I find quotes I like I am going to include them in the blog... like this one!  Ruth Reichl was the New York Times food critic and the editor of Gourmet magazine, and her book is so much fun to read.  Especially if you enjoy reading about any kind of food.

Butter? Yes, please! (Hollandaise Sauce)

I know you wouldn't think it based on this blog post (and many others in here), but I actually eat fairly healthy.  However, today there is no time for healthy because I made hollandaise sauce; it was delicious.  And it wasn't just any hollandaise... it was Julia Child's hollandaise!  You may remember in my post about artichokes that I recommended making hollandaise if you are feeling fancy.  On Friday I bought my first batch of artichokes for the season, so I decided that this kind of fancy would be perfect.  It isn't too hard - just watch it carefully and get ready for an arm workout!

Pollo alla Calabrese

Today was an absolutely beautiful day!  I wanted to spend the whole day outside!  And since Ian's apartment is approximately ten degrees warmer than the hallway, cooking for the whole afternoon wasn't a priority today.  Usually it doesn't bother me, but today I was just so happy sitting by the window reading that I lost track of time!  At dinner I wanted something healthy but filling.  I have adopted this Pollo alla Calabrese recipe into my repertoir as a simple, but delicious "go-to" meal.  It is a wonderful mix of hearty and refreshing, if that makes sense.  This recipe is from my new favorite cookbook called My Calabria by Rosetta Costantino.  This is a cookbook that is full of family recipes from southern Italy.  I love the family stories and the gorgeous pictures!