dinDin

Dining dirty in Oak Park

2006-06-24T00:02:00.000-07:00

Lovin the Dirty Martinis!

Georgia

2006-06-23T19:00:00.000-07:00

We ate so much food in Georgia.

Here is a list from the week:

Chicken souvlaki with cucumber yogurt sauce, hummus and pitas
Coconut shrimp for starters, okra and corn hash with fried chicken and mashed potatoes
Burgers on the grill with buffalo franks and fresh salad
Fresh shrimp scampi with asparagus over angel hair with salad and olive tapanade over bread.
An old southern favorite: pot boil with corn on the cob, sausage, shrimp, potatoes and salad.(Meant to be eaten on a picnic table covered in newspapers so that you can really dig in and get dirty)

Not to mention tons of snacks and lunch meats, fresh bread, veggies and fruit...

Favorite drinks:

Moscow Mule - 1 part vodka, 1.5 part ginger ale, .5 part freshly squeezed lime juice
Pomagranate martini - vodka, pomegranate juice, and lime
Praline martini - frangelico, hazelnut, cream, deliciousnessss
Jack and coke
BEER
Pina colada
Whisky sour
Margarita
Scotch on the rocks

All followed by a competitive game of spoons.

Bottom Picture: The Breakfast Club - a greasy spoon joint where we'd bike from the beach house to eat a late breakfast of grits and shrimp, cooked up by a world renowned chef who supposedly cooked for Caroline Kennedy's wedding.

Cross-Cultural Enchiladas

2006-03-21T21:24:00.000-08:00

Dear Readers,

Determined to create a menu for the week and keep on a strict grocery budget, I planned a Sunday enchiladas lunch intended also for Monday's leftovers. Finding fresh produce at Stanleys and condiments at Trader Joes and Cub Foods, I collected my things using 'The Joy of Cooking' as my guide. I was stumped on one ingredient for the enchiladas sauce - and please, if you know, tell me - is tomato paste the same thing as tomato puree? I decided it was.

I sauteed onions and and mixed up a smell-good tomato sauce when I was ready to assemble the cheese and onions in the tortillas. Lo and behold, I reach for my "tortillas" realizing that I hurriedly bought pita bread instead. My options at that point - to run to the store, call Rowley - who didn't have his phone, or compromise. Compromise- the pita's I figured would create somewhat of a gordita...

Next, refried beans, check. Rice - only have basmati. Is that kosher? I decided it wasn't. The beans would have to do. I did it right with the sour cream, thank goodness.

By the way, the enchiladas were huge... I made my way through one. Rowley did not. He was kind about it, but I could tell that my seemingly cross-cultural enchiladas did not score with him. There were too many onions and the sauce was more like a sweet pizza red sauce. Though Mexican, Greek and Italian food groups call for similar items like cheese, red sauce, onions, and a starch, somehow they do not mix.

Note to self: Stick to nachos. You are really good at those.

Talapia with Rachel who doesn't eat fish or meat

2005-12-21T23:12:00.000-08:00

We invited our friend Rachel over for dinner. I lived with Rachel for one year and she was the best. I knew that she didn't eat meat, but we'd been dying to make the talapia that was in our freezer. I know, its not cool to eat frozen fish (I had a terrible experience with some fur-wearing women who "knew fish, and this fish isn't fresh" at the restaurant), but to argue against their tude, our frozen talapia kicked a..

It was pan-sauted with a lemon, parsley/cilantro and garlic sauce that was blended and used again as a topping. A salad decorated the table like a center piece, with mixed greens, cucumbers, carrots, celery and walnuts, dressed with a balsamic vinaigrette.

Are you wondering what Rachel had? French lentils with basmati rice served over a bed of greens, topped with lemon juice, olive oil and the parsley/cilantro sauce.

We began with a white wine which had a label looking like a Belgian beer, and finished off with a red wine that Rachel brought.

After our desert of tea and "feather" chocolate, Rowley freaked the Christmas tree.

posted by Michelle 4 days before Christmas.

Thanksgiving

2005-12-21T22:35:00.000-08:00

We know that you've been concerned about din din. We're sorry that we've been slacking, but there is good excuse - 1. end of semester for Rowley 2. Michelle works 2 jobs 7 days a week. But I promise you, we're doing fine, and have some delicious meals to speak of!

beginning with thanksgiving - it was so delicious. Rowley's mom, Linda, you see, this is her favorite holiday. She sparkles in the kitchen and creates beautiful plates for her family:
Harry, Hugh, Emily, Ben, Jen, Rowley, Michelle, Max .... and Amy and her husband Greg with their three chilies, Anna, Louey, and Sophie - but they were in Florida this year.

We began with a glass of Old Ghost wine, that is known for changing flavors with every swallow. Then came out crisp salads with buttery greens, spinach, orange slices, avocado, red onion, and a slight garlic oil vinaigrette with a touch of fresh ground pepper.

The buffet consisted of a huge bird, deep fried and absolutely juicy, flavorful, and delicious; stuffing balls (baked in cupcake pans, a great idea if you're deep-frying a turkey!) fresh cranberry jello, baked veggies, and fresh bread.

Beverages: spiced cider, water, and wine.

After plenty of food, naps, and watching movies, Rowley and I went out for a spin on Harry and Linda's townie bikes. We watched the sun begin to set, then naturally decided to race home and I almost won.

on the wall

2005-11-07T17:45:00.000-08:00

Mustard on the wall, meat stank in the air, we sat down for a burger dinner.

In the meat: Meat
Rosemary
Garlic
Pepper/Salt

with Bacon

condiments: Ketchup
Spicy Mustard
Dill Havarti

the Bun: Whole wheat english muffin

Wished there would have been: Fresh tomato
Spinach or Lettuce
Red Onion

On the turntable: Arab Strap

On the Wall: Mustard (seriously)

On my shirt: Mustard (seriously)

Did the dishes, then did a no no with the copper scrubber on the Le Cruset grill. Oops. Note to self: Never scrub the Le Cruset with a copper scrubber.....not only does it wreck the coating, it also is stinky.

Posted by Michelle

Sophisticated take-out

2005-10-29T18:07:00.000-07:00

Cheese tortellini with prosciutto, peas and mushrooms. Special take-out from the Basil Leaf Cafe. I added some fresh broccoli with lemon juice to break up the creamalicious entree. Plus buttered bread toasted in the broiler.

I was so excited to see Rowley today. Not just because he did all the grocery shopping and ran all the errands necessary by the time I got home from work, but because he's just so great! Now we have whisky in our glasses and are researching Halloween costumes. Do you think I can get away with wearing all black and putting black circles around my eyes and call myself a raccoon?

The dishes aren't washed yet and Rowley put on some classical music to muse his intellectual thoughts while he reads for school - such a disciplined boy.

by michelle

Mung bean delight

2005-10-26T17:04:00.000-07:00

Kichadi with Little Wings

Tonight was a quickie - threw everything together in pot, let it boil together:

3 c water
1 c rice
1 t salt
1/2 cup dry mungbeans
1 potato diced
small head of brocolli cut up (sub. any veggie)
3/4 t turmeric (1/2t rec.)
3/4 t curry (a last minute addition)
6 twists of fresh ground pepper (not rec.)

I don't know if it's because I've been low on money for so long or what, but I've developed a liking to simple dishes that get you through the week. Rice and lentils with olive oil (via Michelle's dad) is a favorite of mine. It's not that flavorful when you have it the first few times, but after a while you really begin to enjoy the flavors of basic grains, beans, and oils. And if you build your diet around it, when you have a meal with spices or powerful flavors you can really discern and enjoy the details of a good dish. So consider Kichadi a good lentils and rice substitute.

I was hoping for a bit more sass in the dish, particularly because Michelle apparently has extra tonight, but it'll do.

"Wonderue" by Little Wings was a great addition to the meal. It's kind of like having the stoner neighbor come over to sing really great songs.

I did the dishes.

Our first night of dinDinblog

2005-10-25T19:12:00.000-07:00

Tonight Rowley and I needed to make some dinner. It's been a while since we've gone grocery shopping and we wondered what lurked in our refrigerator drawers.

Obvious enough was an "erect" butternut squash on our table, which we used as guidance for our meal together.

Rowley is really good at looking up recipes and buying spices. Fortunately we had some new ground turmeric from Whole Foods - where he got it in bulk, by the way, it is so much cheaper to buy spices in bulk! And also some red bell peppers and a jalapeno.

From our "Extending the Table... A World Community Cookbook" he found a recipe for Sweet Vegetables (Indonesia).

Serves 4-6

Cook until crisp-tender
3 c. Butternut squash, peeled and cubed (750 ml) - (just put a little olive oil in a wok and saute the cubed squash)

In separate saucepan, bring to a boil;
2 c. Coconut milk (500ml)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c onion, sliced (50ml)
1 t. Ginger root, minced (5 ml)
1/2 t. ground turmeric (2 ml)
2 t. Salt (10 ml)
2 fresh red pimento or sweet red pepper, thinly sliced
1 red jalapeno, thinly sliced (optional)

When boiling, add;
cooked squash

Simmer about 10 minutes, allowing squash to absorb flavors

OPTIONS:
Add cubed squash directly into sauce, without precooking. Simmer until tender.

Substitute green beans, cut diagonally, for half the squash.

Add 1/2 lb. small shrimp, shelled and deveined.

DELICIOUS - with some red wine- "Peace Family vineyard" - A mix of Shiraz, Cabernet, Grenache, and Mataro. This wine was an engagement gift from my cousins Henry and Becky. We've been saving it for a special occasion. Tonight was a special occasion for me to get a buzz while I cooked, and let Rowley catch up on his 19th century art history reading, right now about Jacques Louis David.

Conversation consisted of recounting our day together with Shane Campbell and Matt Stolle at the Tropicalia exhibit at the MCA, and of our Sushi lunch at BeniHana. Rowley is taking an Andy Warhol class with Shane at the Art Institute and also plays poker with him on Wednesdays. Matt is Rowley's good bud from college and now grad school, where he is finishing up his MFA in printmaking - good man that Matt is. He printed all our wedding invitations and gave us a print and a bottle of wine for house sitting his apartment last winter. His wife, Lisa is really cool too. She's a nurse.

After discussing Robyn O'Neil's piece in the "Trials and Terror's" exhibit at the MCA a couple of months ago - how we thought it was framed in a weird way that probably referenced a triptych - but I argued that triptychs usually put heaven on Christ's right hand and hell on his left, more often than heaven up top and hell below (even though I know that this format is typical too). But O'Neil's piece had a strong central tree in the top half with little men standing around and then in the bottom, framed horizontally, was the tree uprooted and the little men hanging from the branches in nooses. But, the way it was framed was off..... Anyway, after some reflective silence, and then talking about how we keep in touch with good friends, I finished my meal, and said that life was good. Funny enough, Rowley said he thought the same exact thing at the same exact moment - That life is good! And believe me, we've been learning the trials and terrors of being adults, but overall we are fortunate to have each other and our friends and good food - a very nostalgic dinner, but highly recommended.

Then we topped everything off with a chocolate chip cookie and a cup of hot corn tea that we got from my friend Juan a while back.

I washed the dishes.

P.S. This was posted by Michelle, not Rowley. We are working out the kinks.

When my dad visited for the first time from Michigan

2005-10-24T20:13:00.000-07:00

My dad drove from Michigan to visit Rowley and me in our new home in Chicago. We hadn't seen him since the wedding.

If you know my dad, you would be aware of his strict vegan diet and purely organic interests. Rowley and I planned a delicious spaghetti squash dinner with a garlic tomato sauce with asparagus, snowpeas and spinach. The spaghetti squash was somewhat an ode to the dinners my brother and I used to cook with dad on the weekends - LOTS of garlic (mental picture: my dad MUST smell the garlic saute-ing in the olive oil. He leans his head in as the rest of us back up and uses his hand to waft the aromas into his face like a priest would waft incense into the faces of churchgoers. "Ahh, mmm, I love the garlic smells" he said in his Greek accent.

We had great conversation that night, with lots of laughs about "the art of farting" which I promise you, my dad has been practicing for many years... and loves to talk about it.

Soundtrack of the evening: Bach cello suites - Pablo Cassals.

P.S Also posted by Michelle