Breaded Pork Chops

There are few chefs that I trust their recipes flat out. Ina Garton is one. Alton Brown is another. But Christopher Kimball and his staff at America's Test Kitchen can give me a recipe any day of the week and I will cook it without hesitation. Those folks know how to cook and, as their name suggests, they test and test and test recipes until they get them perfect!
So it was no surprise to me, a couple of months ago, when I made their breaded pork chop recipe and was bowled over by how tasty those chops were. (That is partly due to our farmer raising great pigs but also due to this awesome recipe.)
It's a bit time consuming but is so good, it's the only way I've made chops since. I encourage you to give this recipe a try:

Crunchy Baked Pork Chops
This recipe was developed using natural pork, but enhanced pork (injected with a salt solution) will work as well. If using enhanced pork, eliminate the brining in step 1. The bread crumb mixture can be prepared through step 2 up to 3 days in advance. The breaded chops can be frozen for up to 1 week. They don’t need to be thawed before baking; simply increase the cooking time in step 5 to 35 to 40 minutes.

Table salt
4 boneless center-cut pork chops, 6 to 8 ounces each, 3/4 to 1 inch thick, trimmed of excess fat
4 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
1 small shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Ground black pepper
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
1/4 cup plus 6 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
3 large egg whites
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Lemon wedges

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Dissolve 1/4 cup salt in 1 quart water in medium container or gallon-sized zipper-lock bag. Submerge chops, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 30 minutes. Rinse chops under cold water and dry thoroughly with paper towels.

2. Meanwhile, pulse bread in food processor until coarsely ground, about eight 1-second pulses (you should have about 3 1/2 cups crumbs). Transfer crumbs to rimmed baking sheet and add shallot, garlic, oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss until crumbs are evenly coated with oil. Bake until deep golden brown and dry, about 15 minutes, stirring twice during baking time. (Do not turn off oven.) Cool to room temperature. Toss crumbs with Parmesan, thyme, and parsley.

3. Place 1/4 cup flour in pie plate. In second pie plate, whisk egg whites and mustard until combined; add remaining 6 tablespoons flour and whisk until almost smooth, with pea-sized lumps remaining.

4. Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees. Spray wire rack with nonstick cooking spray and place in rimmed baking sheet. Season chops with pepper. Dredge 1 pork chop in flour; shake off excess. Using tongs, coat with egg mixture; let excess drip off. Coat all sides of chop with bread crumb mixture, pressing gently so that thick layer of crumbs adheres to chop. Transfer breaded chop to wire rack. Repeat with remaining 3 chops.

5. Bake until instant-read thermometer inserted into center of chops registers 150 degrees, 17 to 25 minutes. Let rest on rack 5 minutes before serving with lemon wedges.

Butternut Squash Soup

This past weekend, Chris and I drove up to Madison, WI to visit our friends Dan and Jess and to meet their 6-week-old son, Reid. The weather was chilly and drizzly, so Jess and I decided to spend Saturday afternoon in the kitchen preparing a warm, comforting meal. We turned to Alton Brown for a recipe on homemade butternut squash soup. It was pretty easy to make and had layers of flavors that were so good! The finished meal consisted of butternut squash soup, fresh bread, roasted beet salad, grilled pork chops and a lemon tart brulee for dessert. Mmmmm.....


Ingredients

* 6 cups (about 2 large squash) seeded 2-inch wide chunks butternut squash
* Melted butter, for brushing
* 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus 1 teaspoon
* 1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper, plus 1/2 teaspoon
* 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
* 4 tablespoons honey
* 1 teaspoon minced ginger
* 4 ounces heavy cream
* 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Brush the flesh of the squash with a little butter and season with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper. On a sheet pan lay the squash flesh side up. Roast for about 30 to 35 minutes or until the flesh is nice and soft.

Scoop the flesh from the skin into a pot and add the stock, honey, and ginger. Bring to a simmer and puree using a stick blender. Stir in the heavy cream and return to a low simmer. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

Since coming back home, I've been craving more soup but haven't had a three hour block of time to make a batch. So I swung into our local Trader Joe's and found this. It's what I like to think of as the next best thing. :) Bon Appetite!

The Woman in Black

Chris and I landed safely in Chicago this past weekend, after spending 2 weeks traveling around Ireland and England. The entire trip was amazing and there were so many sights we saw and people we met, I don't even know where to begin when explaining how wonderful the trip was. So I guess I will start first with the itinerary and a bit of theater.

The trip went a little something like this...
Land in Dublin and fly down to Cork - > drive to Kinsale (a charming fishing village on the southern tip of Ireland) for the night - > drive west along the coast, up through the Dingle Peninsula into Bunratty for the night (where the pubs are open late and the piano player is happy to have the girl from Iowa lead the crowd in songs) - > drive north to Doolin and take the afternoon to hike around the Cliffs of Moher (simply majestic) - > drive East to Dublin and catch a flight to Liverpool -> hang with Nick and Kris in Liverpool for a few days -> drive south through the Cotswold's (stopping for afternoon tea in a little town of Painswick) and on to Bath(dining at Jamie's Italian!) -> drive east to London to spend a few days seeing sights, taking in the theater, and enjoying all that London has to offer.

London's theater was amazing! We saw two shows while visiting: The Woman in Black (a 2 man staged play about a horror story) and Oliver! Because what's more British than Oliver!?

I wish Chicago offered half price theater tickets, I would go see more shows if they only cost $25! And with both shows we had excellent seats (front and center, about 10 rows back from the stage!)

Both shows were fantastic performances (I didn't expect to like Oliver! but was surprised at how fun the show was). Here's a bit of info about The Woman in Black:
Proud and solitary, Eel Marsh House surveys the windswept reaches of the salt marshes beyond Nine Lives Causeway. Arthur Kipps, a junior solicitor, is summoned to attend the funeral of Mrs Alice Drablow, the house's sole inhabitant, unaware of the tragic secrets which lie hidden behind the shuttered windows. It is not until he glimpses a wasted young woman, dressed all in black, at the funeral, that a creeping sense of unease begins to take hold, a feeling deepened by the reluctance of the locals to talk of the woman in black - and her terrible purpose. Years later, as an old man, he recounts his experiences to an actor in a desperate attempt to exorcise the ghosts of the past. The play unfolds around the conversations of these two characters as they act out the solicitor's experiences on Eel Marsh all those years ago.

Hooray for the theater!

Bakasana

This is the first week where I upped my yoga practice to 4 times a week. I've been doing yoga 3 times a week for about 3.5 months now and have seen great improvements in my flexibility and strength. Back in May, I couldn't even touch my toes without bending my knees. Now not only can I touch my toes, I can palm the floor!!

So when asked if I wanted to do a 4th class each week, I responded with an enthusiastic YES!!

Watch this video and see my instructor, Blanca, rock at yoga and you'll understand how easy it is to be inspired and motivated by her!

http://vimeo.com/9358141

So WEEK 1 of 4 classes per week and my arms want to fall off. Yesterday's class focused a lot on arm, shoulder and core strength building. I swear if we weren't in downward dog pose then we were in plank. Plus with push-ups, side plank and backbends, yeah let's just say my arms were jelly by the end of class.

Today Blanca decided to focus on Bakasana pose (crane pose - see photo). Which is great, when you have arm strength. Today, for me, it was more challenging than usual. I'm able to hold the pose for like 2 or 3 seconds which is far from where I want to be. Ideally, I would hold the pose for 5-10 slow breaths. I think when I reach that goal I will jump up and down for joy!

But for now, I just want to nap.

Jamie's Italian!

With one week until we fly to Europe, I'm getting more of the smaller details planned for our trip. After we spend 5 days driving around Ireland, Chris and I are taking a puddle jumper over to Liverpool to stay with his friend Nick for a couple of days. After which we are driving south through The Cottswolds to spend a night in Bath. Finally wrapping up our trip by driving east to London for a few days of sight-seeing, theater, and food.

While staying in Bath, Chris and I are making dinner plans at Jamie Oliver's new restaurant, Jamie's Italian! I'm very passionate about Jamie Oliver's mission of changing the food in our culture and school systems and I can't wait to dine on his menu!

Ireland!

In 5 weeks, we'll be driving around Ireland soaking in the views, the fresh air, and the endless pints of beer!
Our plan is to land in Dublin, head down to Cork/Kinsale for a day, drive on over to the Dingle Peninsula, drive on up to Doolin (Cliffs of Mohr) then head back to Dublin. 5 days of pure pastoral bliss. I can't wait!

Commute

There are so many things I love about our new home but I think one of the most surprising joys I've found is my new commute. When living in our last place (a condo in Logan Square), I drove 20 minutes to get to work. It was a fast commute but could be stressful with traffic and it didn't really encourage any physical activity since my car was usually parked just a few feet from my home and office.

With this new commute, it's just slightly longer and yet more refreshing! In the morning I bike to the train, which is about a mile's distance, take a quick 20 minute express train into Union Station and then a quick 4 block walk to work (half mile). So every day I start and end my day with a bit of exercise.

So on top of 3 yoga classes a week, I'm biking at least 2 miles a day and walking at least 1 mile a day. It feels great! Chris and I even bought new bikes to motor around town in! (Mine is the blue one pictured - a vintage Schwinn! His is a similar version only the men's bike in red.)

I love the morning bike ride to the train station. It helps wake me up, breathing in the fresh, morning air and hearing the birds chirp and such. A stranger actually waved to me this morning and shouted "Hello!" as I biked past his house.

I love our new home and our new neighborhood!

Water Management

When we did our house inspection, before closing on our home, our inspector Mike drilled two words into our brains over and over again. "Water Management". In order to maintain a property, shield it from serious harm and keep your pocket book filled with bills, you need to, above all else, have Water Management.

Chris and I knew one of our first projects moving into the house was going to be cleaning out the leaves from the gutters and the debris from the drain outside the back door (which leads into our mud room). But we thought first we should paint the basement, mow the lawn, get unpacked, have the electrician put in more outlets in the kitchen, hang artwork, grill out dinner, watch LOST, etc, etc.

Well, it thunderstormed last night and I woke up to small puddles of water in our downstairs bathroom and laundry room.

Mike would be so disappointed in us.

So tonight we're cleaning out the drain and on Saturday we'll clean out those gutters. And for as long as I'm a home-owner I will never lose sight again of those two, very important words: Water Management.

Flint Smoke

Chris and I are wrapping up week 2 of being homeowners and already I've learned so much just by trial and error. The family room, for instance, has been a journey in it's self. I started out painting one accent wall red (which took 3 coats of paint to cover properly) and then the other walls were going to be a neutral color.

Well the first "neutral" was too white. The second "neutral" was too flesh-toned. But the third "neutral" was perfect! Thank goodness!

Flint Smoke from Behr is a beautiful mix of blue-grey and works perfectly in the family room setting!

But once I got the Flint Smoke on the walls I decided that red wall had to go. So two coats of primer later and it should be set to take on some Flint Smoke.

So tonight, Jenn and I will tape and paint the last two walls of the family room. Flint Smoke all around with the beautiful white baseboards, trim and window sills.

Thank goodness....I'm so sick of painting this room. :)

Vinyasa

I'm going on my third week of yoga classes and so far I'm feeling strong, tired and stretched like taffy. Probably normal for the third week.

My company has begun offering 3 free yoga classes every week, over the lunch hour. Myself, along with about 10 other women, spend the hour breathing, stretching, stretching farther, posing, breathing and then stretching even farther before allowing ourselves to be still and quiet for a few minutes. It's a great practice.

I also really enjoy our instructors, two women who alternate leading the class. They're very patient and yet encouraging and already I can see and feel an improvement in my flexibility.

On Tuesdays, the yoga we're practicing is called Vinyasa. It's very rhythmic and active, with long sequences of movements timed with our breath. For instance we do a sun salutation sequence 3 or 4 times in a row, to warm up before class.

Some of the poses we're working on are:
Downward Facing Dog - Adho Mukha Svanasana
Extended Side Angle Pose - Utthita Parsvakonasana
Garland Pose - Malasana
Raised Hands Pose - Urdhva Hastasana
Standing Forward Bend - Uttanasana
Triangle Pose - Trikonasana
Warrior II - Virabhadrasana II
Seated Forward Bend - Paschimottanasana
Child's Pose - Balasana
Happy Baby Pose - Ananda Balasana
Bridge Pose - Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
Cat - Cow Stretch
Cobra Pose - Bhujangasana
Plank Pose


So far, Vinyasa is my favorite type of yoga. :)

Happy Birthday!

It's Chris' birthday today so I figured I should write a little post about him. :) First, to explain the photos: the windblown hair picture was taken during our wedding ceremony. Holy cow was it windy that day! But the setting was beautiful and it was amazing hearing the waves crash up on the beach. The second photo was taken at the top of Thira, an ancient Grecian city on the island of Santorini. It was windy and dry at the top of the hill, so we were grateful for the huge bottles of water we brought along.

Chris will be drinking like that at his party on Saturday but it won't be water in his hand. It will either be a beer or a glass of scotch (depending on what time of they day/evening it happens to be).

I've only known Chris a few of the years he's been alive but what I know about him is that he's a fantastic person, he's genuinely caring, he's brilliant (I mean really, flippin' brilliant), he's humble (he would never admit to be being brilliant), he's hilarious and he's tall. And now he's also middle-age.

Happy Birthday, babe!

In 2 Weeks...

...we will be sipping cocktails on a black sand beach in Costa Rica.

Between having to live through another Midwest winter and buying a house, Chris and I are both burnt out and so ready for this flippin' trip.

Gyros and Mythos

Chris and I got to enjoy some tasty foods while honeymooning in Greece and Italy. Here's a photo that Chris took of me in Santorini, Greece. We were grabbing lunch on a black sand beach on the Aegean Sea.
The gyros were tasty! And having a pint of the local brew, Mythos, was a perfect compliment to the fresh tomatoes, lamb, pita and Tzatziki sauce.
Here's a recipe on how to make a a yummy Tzatziki (yogurt) sauce:
Ingredients:
2 cups plain yogurt
2 teaspoons pureed garlic
1 teaspoon salt
2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded, grated ( use large holes on grater)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil

Drain yogurt for 1 hr. in cheesecloth lined strainer.

In bowl, combine yogurt, garlic, 1/2 tsp. salt.

Sprinkle rest of salt on grated cucumbers, drain for 10-15 minutes.

Add drained cucumbers to yogurt.

Drizzle with olive oil, mix well.

Note: This is wonderful with salads, as a dip with crackers.

Mrs. Olivia Hein

Here is a photo of our wedding cake: vanilla with Italian Buttercream frosting and orange fondant ribbons with real roses cascading down the side.

I took one bite out of this cake, and it was the bite fed to me by my husband. It was the best bite ever. :)

White Peach Sangria

This cocktail was a hit at our engagement party!! It is also the reason why Chris and I had a headache all day Sunday. In total, the party went through 9 pitchers of Sangria (count that 9 bottles of white wine and 2 bottles of peach vodka). Coupled with a keg of beer and Prosecco for toasting. Cheers! Less than 1 month to go! :)

INGREDIENTS

* 1 (750 milliliter) bottle dry white wine
* 3/4 cup peach flavored vodka
* 6 tablespoons frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
* 1/4 cup white sugar
* 1 pound white peaches, pitted and sliced
* 3/4 cup seedless red grapes, halved
* 3/4 cup seedless green grapes, halved

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DIRECTIONS

1. In a large pitcher, combine dry white wine, peach vodka, lemonade concentrate and sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add sliced peaches, red and green grapes.
2. Refrigerate sangria until well chilled, at least 2 hours, or overnight to blend flavors. Serve over ice, and use a slotted spoon to include sliced peaches and grapes with each serving.

Province

For my birthday dinner, Chris surprised me with dinner at Province!
Province is an American restaurant with cuisine inspired by Central and South America and Spain. Located in Chicago’s West Loop in a gold-level LEED-certified building, the restaurant incorporates green building materials and equipment, farm-to-table cuisine from Executive Chef Randy Zweiban, and a true blending of old world and new world culinary sensibilities.
We dined on the following:
-goat cheese fondue
-crusty bread with diced radish, onion, other things and a dollop of mustard sauce on top.
-chris ordered the flat iron steak (medium rare) with buttermilk mashed potatoes.
-i had the crumbed chicken breast over green beans.
-for dessert he had a bittersweet chocolate brownie with coffee ice cream
-i had blueberry sorbet (with fresh blueberries!) over angel food cake with whipped cream

holy cow this place was incredible and the food was delicious!

Province:
6 out of 5 spoons!!

Sweet Mandy B's

I decided to wait to blog about Sweet Mandy B's until a very special occasion, like my birthday! Sweet Mandy B's is a dessert shop in Lincoln Park that Chris and I have visited a few times now. Their buttercream cup cakes are mouthwatering and Barrett has founded a national holiday based on their Double Doozie cookies (two cookies with frosting in the middle).
So if you've got a sweet tooth of any sorts, I recommend you check out Sweet Mandy B's!

Thomas Better Start English Muffins

I'm sick of oatmeal.

So thank goodness my co-worker Beth suggested these Thomas English Muffins; only 100 calories and full of fiber. I've been toasting one of these for breakfast this week, with just a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar. It's filling and IT'S NOT OATMEAL!!!

Filippo's Ristorante

On Friday night, Barrett and Megan took Chris and out for dinner at Filippo's Ristorante to celebrate our engagement. Chris and I have wanted to check out this restaurant for months now and were so thrilled that we got to dine there with such great friends.
The service there was ify (we stood by the door for almost 5 minutes before being acknowledged and seated) but the food was INCREDIBLE! I'm so excited for our trip to Italy after dining here!

Our meal consisted of:
Appetizer: ASPARAGI DOSE'
asparagus rolled in eggplant and prosciutto topped with fontina and parmigiano, served with a lemon butter sauce

Chris' Entree: the day's special: sausage lasagna

Olivia and Megan's Entree: ROTOLO PRIMAVERA
Stuffed with ricotta, spinach and prosciutto, served in a light pink sauce

Barrett's Entree: RIGATONI NAPOLETANA
Backed rigatoni in tomato sauce with smocked mozzarella, ricotta and parmigiano cheese

Each plate looked fantastic and Chris and I both agreed we would have to come back to order what Barrett got, because it looked so flipping delicious!

We both highly recommend Filippo's Ristorante (at Webster and Clybourn) for a romantic dinner or a fun gathering of friends. Just be prepared to be there for awhile as the service is a bit slow but the food is definitely worth the wait!

Ethiopian Diamond

Last night Chris and I met up with some friends at Ethiopian Diamond in Edgewater. I've never had Ethiopian food before and was a bit skeptical about whether I would like it or not.
The evening was quite enjoyable and I learned a lot about Ethiopian culture. How you order and eat food in Ethiopia is by a system of sharing. Everyone eats off one giant plate (or three giant plates, in our case) of food. You use a flat bread (which was quite spongy and bland)to pick the food up and eat with. We played a bit of musical chairs last night, each wanting to try different foods off the other plates.

What I ate was:
Doro Tibs: chicken breast meat cubes marinated in lemon juice and garlic sauteed with onion and green pepper
Shrimp Tibs: shrimp marinated in lemon juice and garlic sauteed with onion and green pepper
Yebeg Tibs: lamb meat cubes marinated in lemon juice and garlic sauteed with onion and green pepper
Yemisir Azifa: cooked whole lentils mixed with chopped onions and green peppers, seasoned with garlic, white pepper and lemon
South African Beer: Castle (yum!)
a sifter of honey wine (super sweet)
and Ethiopian coffee (incredibly strong, with the consistency of melted chocolate)

There were some vegetarian foods down at the other end of the table but I opted to stay with the food in front of me. :)

I enjoyed the food but I don't think I would ever seek out Ethiopian food. I can't imagine craving it, but it was fun to try!