Fantasy? or Floriole?

2/26/14

When I came across a pizza date night on howaboutwe, I immediately signed up for it because
 1. Justin would give me the biggest hug when the word "pizza" came out of my mouth
 2. I saw it included wine and dessert =)

When we arrived at Floriole Cafe, we saw that it was a cute, cozy, yet chic bakery with a bright and welcoming interior. There were so many different pastries in the front bakery case and I was already looking forward to our dessert! Our waitress was very excited that we were on a howaboutwe date and she was super informative and friendly. I loved that we had a few options to choose from and couldn't wait for our date to begin!

To start off, we had a nice and fruity Syrah white wine. Cheers!

Next, we chose a salad with fresh mixed greens and Preserved Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette. We loved this dressing, it was perfectly fresh and acidic.

And now... this is the moment we were waiting for. We ordered the featured red pizza which was braised pork shoulder with chiles, tomato sauce, and fresh mozzarella. It was garnished with caramelized pineapple, cocoa nib vinaigrette, and crema. This pizza took me back to Florence, Italy where I studied abroad. It was so fresh and full of flavor and the crust was identical to the thin crust pizza in Italy. We ate the entire thing and I probably could have eaten another! I'm generally not the biggest pizza fan, but I am definitely coming back to Floriole cafe for this =).

By this point, we were pretty full, but that can never keep me away from dessert! The best part about the end of our date was that we were allowed to choose ANY dessert from their pastry case. This was a difficult decision and we ended up having to flip a coin. It landed on tails and that meant we would be sharing the Chocolate Hazelnut Tart. Thanks Floriole, don't mind if I do!

She even gave us some of their homemade whipped cream alongside it.

I'm so happy we chose this date because it introduced me to a new bakery/cafe that I probably would have never come across. Floriole Cafe has their Pizza Night every Friday of the week but their pizza is so good it should seriously be every day. I loved how we could even watch through the window and see them in action...

Our regular, friday night ended up turning into a fun and delicious date night. I enjoyed every bit of this cafe from their friendly service, amazing pizza, and sweet treats. I can't wait to go back!

Until next time... happy eating! xo

Sunday Funday at DryHop Brewery

2/20/14

Happy Thursday! I've been looking forward to writing this post because I recently went on an awesome date last weekend and I'm excited to tell everyone about it =). Justin came across a "Kegs and Eggs" date at DryHop Brewery on Howaboutwe a few weeks ago. It included a 3-course brunch, 3 different types of beer, and a tour at the end. I am normally not a huge beer drinker, but the food sounded awesome and I love learning about breweries and wineries so we decided to give it a try.

We arrived there just around 11am and the place was already pretty packed...and there is a reason why. Their restaurant has a modern yet cozy feel to it and both their beer and food is awesome. All of their beer is made in-house and it is constantly changing from season to season. When we walked in, we were directed towards the bar where they had places all set up for the Howaboutwe couples.  It was nice because you could either pick your own beers for the list, or our bartender would choose one that would pair best with our food. Since I know nothing about beer, I let him choose and he did an excellent job. Everyone is so nice and friendly there... I definitely recommend it. I would keep writing, but I'm too excited to get to the food and beer, so here it is!

First Course

Beer: Spray Paint the Wall
          Belgian Dark Ale-8.3%:Features blended yeast, strawberry, EKG hops, and green & pink peppercorns. I normally do not like dark beer, but I absolutely loved this one. It tastes lighter than it is and I found it full of flavor.

Food: Captain Crunch French Toast:
     Fresh Challah bread dipped in a rum-spiked egg and cream batter, crusted in Captain Crunch Cereal and accompanied by liquid Cheesecake, blueberries, and warm bourbon maple syrup. Honestly... my mind=blown. If you don't come here for the beer, come for this french toast!

Second Course

Beer: Too Many Puppies

          Nitro Lactose IPA- 7.0%: An imperial red ale that is bright red in color and malty up front with a significant hop finish. This beer features Armarillo, Galaxy, and Simcoe hops. This beer was a bit more bitter than the last but I still really liked it. I even bought a growler of this for a friend!

Food: Biscuits and Gravy

          Duck fat buttermilk biscuits with Broadbent's smoked country sausage gravy. This was accompanied by a delicious, thick slice of seasoned bacon. This was hearty, flavorful, and was perfect savory following to the french toast.

Third Course

Beer: Shark Meets Hipster

         Wheat IPA- 6.0%: A light-bodied American Wheat Ale featuring truckloads of galaxy hops and strong notes of passion fruit. This was my second favorite since it was a lighter ale and I loved the burst of fruit flavors.

Food: Steak and Eggs

          I could not find this item on the menu for a description, but it was thin slices of a thick-cut, seasoned steak with a sunny-side up egg and a side of potatoes. I loved the texture that the egg added to the steak. They were a perfect, savory combination.

After our three beers I was definitely feeling good, and after all of this delicious food...even better =).

Once we were finished with our brunch, we headed on over to the beer tour where we learned the entire process from start to finish. I loved the fact that they are constantly changing their beer and coming up with new flavors. There are so many stages and components that go into the craft of brewing, and it made me truly appreciate the beer I enjoyed that day.

Not only were we spoiled with delicious food and drinks, but we were also given a free 32 oz. growler to take home! We chose Spray Paint the Walls because it was our favorite. It was a perfect take home gift and I couldn't wait to tell my family and friends about it. DryHop Brewery is my new favorite spot in Lakeview and I would love to thank Howaboutwe for putting it together. 

I dare you to try it this weekend! Happy Eating! xo

Sweeten up your Sweetheart with Chocolate & Baileys Gelato

2/17/14

     I am fairly picky about chocolate ice cream, but when I get a craving for it my go-to is usually Talenti Gelato. If you have tried it, you probably agree with me. But after coming across this chocolate gelato recipe, I've decided that this is probably the best chocolate ice cream I've had (or close to it).      

Justin has been on a hot chocolate and Baileys kick lately, so when I noticed this recipe included Baileys, I knew it would provide the extra creamy texture and flavor I was looking for. You do not need an ice cream maker for this recipe, however, I decided to use mine. I noticed we had a bunch of nice chocolates leftover from Christmas that we had yet to finish, so I decided to chop those up and throw them into the gelato as well. Sweeten up your sweetheart with this creamy chocolate gelato and I bet they will fall in love with you all over again! =)

Chocolate & Baileys Gelato

Ingredients:
2 Cups Whole Milk
1 Cup Heavy Cream
1 Cup Vanilla Cinnamon Baileys Irish Cream
1 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 Cup Sugar
2 Tbsp Cornstarch
Pinch of Salt





Directions:
1. In a mixing bowl, pour the milk, cornstarch, salt, and cocoa powder in a bowl (Be careful, the cocoa powder does not mix easily so you have to be patient).

2. Add the two creams and the sugar to a sauce pan and put it over medium heat until it reaches a simmer.

3. Remove from heat and add the chocolate mixture. Bring the pan back over medium heat and constantly whisk as you bring it to a simmer. You will notice it starting to thicken up and look similar to pudding. Keep whisking over the simmer until you feel it is thick enough and then remove from heat.

4. Transfer the mixture to your already frozen ice cream maker. Continue to whisk in the ice cream maker until most of the steam has disappeared.

5. Place the ice cream in the freezer for an hour. Remove, attach your mixing paddle, and let the mixture stir for 20 minutes. Put ice cream back in freezer.
6. When the ice cream is still able to be stirred, but not frozen, add the chocolate pieces and evenly distribute. Place the ice cream back in the freezer.

7. After about 4-5 hours your ice cream should be frozen yet still nice and creamy. Even the Italians may mistake it for their own! =)

The Ravioli that Stole my Heart

2/17/14

     Since Justin and I love cooking together, we decided to make a challenging Valentine's Day dinner together at home. Nothing is more romantic than a nice Italian dinner; so we chose to make bruschetta, baked ravioli, and gelato for dessert. I was overly impressed by how everything turned out... I may even need to put a lock on the freezer to keep me away from the gelato! Challenging yourself to make a fancy dinner is not only delicious but rewarding as well. It's time to uncork that vino and get cooking!

Bruschetta

Ingredients:
3 Roma Tomatoes
1/2 Cup Onions
1/2-1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
1/4 Tbsp Dried Oregano
1 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Black Pepper
1/2 Italian Loaf
3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 450F.
2. Dice up the tomatoes and onions and combine them in a small bowl.
3. Add the garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, and 1 tbsp olive oil into the bowl and let the flavors absorb.
4. Cut the loaf of bread diagonally and slice pieces into 1/2-1" thickness.
5. Place the bread pieces onto a baking pan and lightly brush with olive oil. This will make them nice and crispy and also add flavor.
6. Bake for 5-6 minutes until crisp and slightly golden.
7. Spoon the topping mixture onto the toasted bread and enjoy!

Baked Ravioli
Ingredients:
Dough:
1 1/2 Cups Flour
2 Eggs
1/4 Tbsp Salt
2 Tbsp Water

Filling:
2 Sausages
1/2 Cup Onions
1/2 Tbsp Minced Garlic
4-5 Cups Fresh Spinach
1 Small Tub Ricotta Cheese

Coating:
3 Egg Whites, Lightly Beaten
1/4 Cup Flour
1 3/4 Cups Panko Breadcrumbs
4 Tbsp Parmesan Cheese
Pinch of Salt
1/4 Tsp Black Pepper

Marinara:
We got lazy here and just used a jar of our favorite kind. You can do the same or if you're feeling fancy, make your own!

Directions:
1. Mix the dough ingredients together in a bowl and knead with your hands for a minute or two.
2. Sprinkle a clean, flat surface with flour so your dough does not stick.
3. Using a rolling pin or your hands, flatten out the dough until it is about 1 cm thick. This was pretty tricky, but you'll see once you actually cut them out you can press the dough thinner.

4. Once you have rolled the dough as flat as possible, take your ravioli stamp and cut out as many pieces you can (You will need 2 for each ravioli).

5. While someone is working on the dough, the other can be working on the filling. To start, cut up the sausage and onion into small pieces.

6. Add a dash of olive oil to a sauté pan and heat up the sausage and onions over medium heat. Add garlic and continue to cook until the meat is fully browned.

7. Add in the spinach little by little until it wilts from the heat.

8. Once everything is cooked down, mix it with the small tub of ricotta cheese in a different bowl to complete the filling.

9. Scoop the filling mixture onto a ravioli piece and place another piece on top. Make sure there is enough room to fully pinch the sides together. If you are having trouble, use water to help seal the gaps.

10. At this time, preheat the oven to 450F.

11. Mix panko bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper into a bowl. In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites together.

12. Dip the ravioli in the egg white mixture and then fully coat with the bread crumb mixture. 

13. Place on a baking pan with aluminum foil and bake for 18-20 minutes, flipping halfway through. Bake until the ravioli is golden brown and crispy.

14. Remove from the oven and let cool. Heat up your marinara in a saucepan and serve over the ravioli.

15. Buon appetito!

Stay tuned for my gelato recipe that you won't be able to put down =)

Culinary Fight Club- Chili Battle

2/17/14


I believe that Valentine's Day isn't just to celebrate couples, but to celebrate love and relationships everywhere. So I hope everyone got a chance to spend their Valentine's Day weekend with someone special! I had a fun-filled weekend with family and friends. So much fun, in fact, that I'll have to split everything up into three posts =). Hopefully these recipes and restaurants will inspire you to try something new for a change and spice things up with the ones you love!

Culinary Fight Club
Last Thursday, Justin and I started the weekend early by hitting up a restaurant near the United Center called the Ogden for an exciting Howaboutwe date. You are probably not surprised that I am a huge Food Network fan, so when I found out about an Iron Chef-style chili cook off, I had to go! Culinary Fight Club is a mobile event that allows three different local chefs to battle it out in the kitchen. Each fight consists of a different venue, food, and judges.

The open environment of the Ogden created a perfect venue for the cook-off. We took advantage of the open bar and also enjoyed some delicious asian wings. Towards the end of the cook-off, we were allowed to sample the chili and vote for our favorites. This event definitely made drinking at a bar 10x more exciting!

Judging Time!

Asian wings with a carrot and mushroom garnish

The night isn't complete without fireball shots ;)

Try a fun date like we did with Howaboutwe or visit culinaryfightclub.com to sign up for the next fight! Happy Eating xo

Mercadito

02/5/14

     This past week, Chicago has been attracting foodies to new restaurants with "Restaurant Week". Restaurant week allows participating restaurants to create a set menu so that customers can sample many items on their menu for a slightly reduced price. Since Justin and I have a love for Mexican food, we decided to try a talked-about restaurant in River North called 'Mercadito'. 

     We planned to order the prix fixed menu, but decided to order off of the regular menu instead because we weren't feeling dessert. We loved their unique and spicy drinks, guacamole, and tacos. This place was packed even on a weekday and there is a reason why! If you're in the mood for non-traditional Mexican food, this is definitely the place to go!

Drinks: Little Market (olmecs riposado, pineapple, chile guajillo, cilantro, pico piquin)

Michelada (beer, salsa inglesa, secrets, lime)

Guacamole: Tocino (bacon, roasted sweet potato, tomatillo pico de gallo, charred serrano, topped with crispy sweet potato)

Toreado (sauteed chile serrano, garlic, oregano, tomatillo pico de gallo)

Tacos: Pollo (chicken al carbon, roasted sweet potato, shaved brussel sprouts, garlic mojo, salsa verde)

Carne (herb-marinated skirt steak, leek-potato-fundido, habanero-avocado salsa, crispy manchengo)

As you can see, all of their dishes have very unique ingredients with a ton of flavor. I especially loved it because so many dishes included sweet potatoes! Yum!=)