New Year, New Foods, New Clients, New Adventures!

I love the New Year! I always feel it is my fresh start to begin a new plan and take on the world.

I am amazed at how fast the year goes by and all the things we pack into it.  It seems it was just yesterday when I was writing my very first blog entry. Much has taken place over that time. I have been blessed to work with several wonderful clients assisting them in taking their product image to the next level. I created a new logo and fresh image for my business Impressions. Sadly, I lost one of my best mentor and friend to ALS this past August. I know she is smiling down on me. I believe with each ending there are new beginnings. With her passing it was as if a welcome sign was hung on my door. I have had several opportunities to mentor others the way she did with me. I am excited to see what other gifts I will find.

I went to Italy to watch my best friend get married, I fell in love with a Polish boy and learned how to make Perogi as well as other interesting treats. I watched the movie Food Inc. and have been learning even more about how our food system really works. So far it has been fun seeking out resources from local farms. I have ate at several amazing restaurants and a few not so grand. My dear friend says I "need" to try this deep fried Twinkie that I currently avoid on a lunch date. Oh, and I must say that watching my 1 year old nephew Evan dance after he had a bite of my apple pie was one of the funniest things I have ever seen and the best complement I have ever received.

I have a feeling that 2011 will be full of similar festivities and great new learnings. Currently I am getting ready for a trip to the Caribbean. It is time to leave the bitter cold of Minneapolis for some sunshine, fresh fruit and relaxation. I am thrilled to meet new people and experience new foods. When I get back I jump right back into business with another set at Shop NBC, new recipe development projects and plenty of new restaurants to explore. It will be a good year! I can't wait to share it with you.

Cities 97 Sampler

Today is the day! Go get your new Cities97 Sampler volume 22 at Target stores. Take this opportunity to get your hands on one of a kind music and support local organizations. A special thanks to Spangler Design for inviting me to participate in creating this years cover. I was thrilled to give my services and to support such a great cause. I hope you enjoy it!

Food Mosaics

I had a blast making food mosaics today for a great client of mine. This is one of my favorites made our of celery, red grapes, blueberries and black beans. After much time, and plenty of patients I think it paid off as a beautiful piece of art.

Pumpkins and Pests

OK, Speaking of how much I love pumpkins I recently went out to pick a few very cute ones from the pumpkin patch.

 However, today I realized that some one else had already made a healthy snack of out them.

The culprit was caught with cheeks full of pumpkin.

 I guess squirrels also enjoy this fall treat. He seems to prefer his pumpkin seeds raw. Sadly I will not be carving these but I do get to go and pick out more. If you have any advice on how to keep squirrels away from my pumpkins I would love to know.

Pumpkin Time, Sweetened, Salted or Spiced

It’s that time of year again and I have to be honest it’s my all time favorite. There is something magical about the way the light shines through the colored leaves, the warm sun during the days and cool crisp earthy air at night that makes me so happy to be alive. It is this time of year that I love to bake and take in the joy of pumpkins. I have always loved pumpkins ever since I was a little girl they have been special to me. I don’t know if it is because my birthday just happens to land in this month or if  it’s the comfort of warm pumpkin pie or pumpkin soup. I love cleaning them out to make faces for Halloween and just letting a little one sit on the table as a decoration to brighten my day. I think pumpkins are one of the best things of earth.

With pumpkin time and all the many uses of pumpkins there is also a special treat, the seeds! Not only is pumpkin good for you it gives us tasty little seeds to snack on as well. When you are carving your pumpkins this year don’t miss out on these tasty treats. Which brings me to this challenge what tastes better, sweetened, salted or spiced seeds. I have three delicious recipes below for enjoying these seasonal seeds. I would love to know what one is a Halloween hit at your house this year.

Here is how to get started:

Basic Salted:

All recipes are for approximately 2 cups of seeds

1.     1.  As you carve, separate the seeds as best you can from the pumpkin flesh and the slightly slimy membrane (I love this part)

2.     2.  Put the seeds in a large bowl of cold water to clean then. The seeds will float to the top. Rub then between your fingertips to remove any extra pumpkin that may have made it into the bowl. Remove the seed and rinse them in strainer.

3.      3. Lay out two clean kitchen towels on the counter. Pour seeds on one of the towels and use the other to lie on top and help dry off the seeds. Allow to rest as oven heats so they will continue to dry out.

4.     4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrease. Transfer seeds to a baking sheet in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil, 2tsp Worcheshire sauce (optional) and sprinkle with season salt.

5.     5. Bake for 20-40 until seeds turn lightly brown and become slightly crisp, stirring every 5 min to prevent burning. (If your seeds are too wet, this will take a bit longer to achieve)

6.     6. Remove from baking sheet, allow to cool and enjoy. Store in an airtight container.

Spiced:  

Follow directions above but instead of sprinkling with olive oil and salt in step 4 melt butter in a small pan; add all the spices listed below. Toss the seeds in the spiced mixture and bake as directed in step 5 above.

       1 1/2 tablespoons butter

      1 tsp cinnamon

       ¼ tsp nutmeg

       1/8 tsp allspice

       1/8 tsp cumin

       1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (more if you like them really hot)

       1/8 tsp salt

Sweet:

1 ½ teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice

1 teaspoon Salt

½ cup Sugar

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Mix the spice, sugar, and salt. Blend well.

1.Bake seeds as directed above with just a little olive oil on them

2. Heat olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-to-medium high heat. Add the pumpkin seeds and then the sugar mixture. Stir constantly.

3. Keep stirring until partially caramelized on to the seeds, leave partially sugary. Do not allow to burn. The sugar should be mostly melted but with a bit of un-melted sugar remaining.

4. Pour out onto parchment paper to cool and enjoy.

Now it’s your turn try one or all three. Maybe even get a little adventurous and make up your own. I would love to hear what you do to make these little seeds an unforgettable treat.

Pierogi 101, My Recent Culinary Discovery

I find that life has a strange way of giving me exactly what I need in ways that I could have never imagined. If you would have told me 3 years ago that one day I would fall in love with a polish boy from Chicago I would have said you were nuts. As it turns out my new love has many more skills than that of being a wonderful and supportive man in my life. Although, he can cook if he really tries I thought I would go to the source. I would ask his mother Stefania how to make the traditional Polish filled dumplings called Pierogi.  I have eaten them before and always wondered how they get that dense pasta like dough that is slightly thick but still light and buttery. I have found that it is actually much easier then the fresh ravioli I have been making all these years. I may be converted to this new method of doing things and never make the very time consuming ravioli again. See below for our cooking methods and try it out for yourself.

Pierogi
2	+	cups flour
1/2		teaspoon salt
1		egg
2		teaspoons sour cream
1/2		+ cup water

	First mix the flour with the salt in a deep bowl. Add the egg, sour cream and water to make a medium soft dough. Knead the doug in a floured board until it is smooth and elastic about 10min. Add more flour/water if necessary.
	Divide the dough into 2 parts. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest while you prepare the filling.
	Roll the dough into a long rope about an 1 1/2 inches wide on a floured board. Then cut finger width sections from the rope. Be sure not to make them too big like I did a few times. They will take too long to cook and be tough.
	Once the rope is cut up flatten them slightly into rounds. Stefania used an old glass bottle which I thought was very cute but a rolling pin would work too. Place a spoonful of filling in it, fold over to form a half circle and press the edges together with the fingers. Be sure the edged are sealed to prevent filling from getting out. I also had a few issues with this part at first.
	To cook drop a few pierogies into a large quantity of rapidly boiling salted water. Do not crowed the pot.
	Stir VERY gently with a wooden spoon to separate them and to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
	Continue boiling for 3-4 minutes. Pierogies will be ready when they are floating and puffed. Remove them with a slotted spoon and drain thoroughly.
	Place in a deep dish, sprinkle generously with melted butter to prevent them from sticking and serve warm with sour cream.
	Pierogi are easy to freeze and taste just as good re-heated
	To re-heat, you can: 1) pan fry pierogies in butter until they are light in color 2) place pierogies in the top of a double boiler until they are hot/plump 3) deep fry them Potato and Cheese Filling 1 tablespoon grated onion 2 tablespoons butter 2 cups cold mashed potatoes 1 cup cottage cheese  salt and pepper Cook the onion in butter until tender. Combine it with potatoes and cheese.The filling should be thick enough to hold it's shape. Season to taste with salt and pepper. His mother made her own cottage cheese it was much drier then store bought ones and had smaller curds.

Burger Bliss

Alright burger lovers I know everyone has their favorite burger joint that claims to have, "the best burgers". I am sure they are good however, you are missing out if you have not tried the masterpieces being made at Kuma's Corner. Over the weekend I was in the bustling city of Chicago a place filled with delicious eats and I am taken to a place called Kuma's Corner. From the outside it looks like nothing out of the ordinary a simple restaurant on the corner. Inside the heave metal music screams, the wait staff can't crack a smile, it seems to be a requirement to have tattoos to work there and the place is packed with people. 

We order a beer and wait by the bar for our table when I realize that not only do they have a decent list of beers but they also have Woodford Reserve and Jack Daniels on tap for the whiskey lover in you.  Only when we are seated do I truly understand why the people never stop walking in the door. The burgers all named after heavy metal bands are works of art. These 10 oz burgers are served on soft pretzel rolls and cooked to perfection yes, that means when you order it medium rare it is nice and pink in the middle. This feat alone is grounds for a gold medal in some burger places. After much thought we chose the YOB with smoked Gouda, Bacon, Roasted Red Peppers and Roasted Garlic Mayo and the Lair of the Minotaur with Caramelized Onions, Pancetta, Brie, Bourbon Soaked Pears.

It was truly burger bliss mouthwatering with creative and unique flavors that go so well together. It's times like this when I wish I had a bigger mouth. It was a hard choice with other varieties such as the  Judas Priest with Bacon, Bleu Cheese Dressing with Apples, Walnuts, and Dried Cranberries, the Motorhead with Goat Cheese, Kalamata Olives, Oregano, Tzatziki, Onion, Tomato or the Insect Warfare with Panko-Crusted Goat Cheese, Bacon Roasted Corn and Green Chili Medallion, Topped with Roasted Corn, Cilantro, Green Chili Salsa and Paprika Creme Fraiche. Talk about a mouth full! 

Next time I think I am in for the original, the Famous Kuma Burger with Bacon, Cheddar, Fried Egg as well as the Make Your own Mac & Cheese which I could not help but see pass by quite a few times to other tables you can Choose from the following ingredients: Bacon, Prosciutto, Andouille, Chicken, Roasted Red Peppers, Caramelized Onions, Sun Dried Tomatoes, Broccoli, Peas, Mushrooms, Scallions, Sweet Corn. Only next time I think I may bring along some ear plugs. Enjoy!

Kuma's Corner
2900 West Belmont Avenue
Chicago, IL 60618-5804
(773) 604-8769

Subway: Belmont-Blue
They do not take reservations

Open Weekdays 11:30am-2am; Sat 11:30am-3am; Sun 10am-11pm