Restaurant Review: Russian Tea Time

A few weeks ago Carl and I celebrated our second anniversary downtown.  Let me just say, we had to fight the Transformers filming road closures, traffic caused by the road closures, throngs of people trying to catch a glimpse of Transformers, and a huge protest to get anywhere near Chicago.  But don't worry, we rewarded ourselves by staying at the W Chicago City Center for the evening rather than going home (which was absolutely stunning, I may note.  Stay there if you have the chance).  Obviously, after all that traffic we wanted to relax with a glass of wine, so we enjoyed the day at the Windy City Wine Festival, which was summery and fun.  Stella Artois even sponsored beer pairing classes on the hour and that was fabulous!

Then the festival ended.  And we were hungry.  And wanted to continue celebrating our anniversary.  We brainstormed several places we could go, but some were a la carte dining, tapas, small plates, etc. so naturally we settled on Russian Tea Time.  Carl is German, and I'm part Polish, so we knew we'd definitely be able to find food we loved. 

www.russianteatime.com

I'm just going to be blunt, you must eat at Russian Tea Time!  This restaurant is absolutely beautiful inside and the staff is extremely polite.  This was a late dinner (9pm) so we had the place to ourselves, which, of course we loved.  Stuffed mushrooms and dumplings served as our appetizers and their dipping sauce was different and very good.  I got the Moulard Duck Leg for my main course and it was so good I literally can't even tell you what Carl ordered as his main dish.  I was too busy either A) devouring my main dish or B) gushing to Carl about just.how.amazing.this.duck.is.  You get the picture.  [Side Note: I do know he loved his dinner, just can't remember what he ordered.]  We mentioned we were celebrating our anniversary when we ordered a bottle or champs for the table (yep, we decided to be fancy), and the next thing you know, after the dinner plates were cleared our waiter came out with a dessert and candle.  It was the owner's anniversary as well so they treated us to dessert!  Since this was a surprise I'm not entirely too sure what the name of it was, but I am strongly guessing it was a type of strudel because the dough portion tasted pretty similar to the phyllo dough used for baklava.

www.russianteatime.com

Last but not least, as if we had not already had enough to drink between the wine festival and the bottle of champs, we couldn't go to the Russian Tea Time and NOT try a flight of vodka, am.i.right?  Not sure what to chose, we settled on splitting the house flight - Coriander, Black Currant Tea, and Lime.  Pumpernickel and pickles were provided so we took each sip the 'traditional Russian way' (that we looked up on their menu).  This vodka was smooth.  I am not a vodka person.. not not not.. just not me.  But this was good.  Now that I'm looking at the menu online to write this and I know how smooth it is, I'm wishing I could've made my own flight.  I'd pick Mint, Coffee, and Cinnamon.  Yum.  These new choices coupled with the amazing food gives us an excuse to go back, because I definitely will be stopping there again.  Delicious!

6 Can Chili

Last year I found a dynamite recipe for 8 Can Taco Soup that is absolutely delicious.  Now that fall is here, I thought "I've got to be able to find a similar chili recipe, right?"  Right.  I successfully searched the web for a quick and simple chili recipe, because let's be serious - after we both work full days and commute an hour each way, who wants to cook a detailed dinner?  Not me, I can tell you that.  Below is the recipe I followed.  Next time we plan on adding more meat (probably 2lbs rather than 1lb) and we will add more spices to taste as well. We seasoned our own bowls and found that paprika and garlic salt gave it the added oomph we were looking for.

6 Can Chili
adapted from allrecipes.com

2 tsps olive oil 
1lb ground beef
1 packet McCormick reduced sodium chili seasoning
1 can whole peeled tomatoes (14.5oz)
1 can hot chili beans, undrained (16oz)
1 can pinto beans, undrained (15oz)
1 can kidney beans, undrained (15oz)
1 can baked beans (28oz)
1 can tomato paste (6oz)
Reduced fat shredded cheese - for topping
Reduced fat sour cream - for topping

Heat the olive oil over a medium heat.  Add the meat and spice packet and cook the meat until it's no longer pink.  This should be between 10 and 15 minutes.  Pour the tomatoes into the skillet and crush them into chunks.  Transfer this mixture to a soup pot.  Add all other canned ingredients.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.  Top with shredded cheese and enjoy!

Restaurant Review: Stacks

Everyday as I scroll through my Facebook, so many local friends have 'liked' Stacks that it inevitably shows up as one of those wonderful 'recommended posts.'  After seeing pictures of their specials for literally the past month, Carl and I headed to Valparaiso to check this place out and we were not disappointed.

Photo by Stacks

Little did we know, downtown Valpo actually had a free concert taking place, so everyone wanted to eat outside or stop into Stacks.  This caused a small wait and we were able to look around the place.  It's decorated with old stacks of books (of course), old computer monitors used in libraries, etc.; just a great decor scheme in general.  Once seated, the large list of beer, wine, and specialty cocktails is actually bound into an old book, just adding to the vibe.

Cocktails up first, I have finally found a place in Northwest Indiana that makes a mean Moscow Mule.  Yes, please.  As an added bonus, they also had hefeweizen for Carl.  Pretzel bite appetizers were a hit, but we're pretty easy to please on that front.  The true test: dinner was absolutely delicious.  We both got the specials; prosciutto wrapped shrimp with Tuscan roasted potatoes, asparagus, & pineapple-mango salsa for me, and a cheese steak burger (prime beef burger topped with sautéed green peppers, melted cheddar, sliced steak, melted provolone, onion straws, & chipotle aioli) for Carl.  Naturally I finished by following up our fabulous meals with the bourbon grilled peaches.  You guys, dinner was great.  If you haven't tried Stacks, we both definitely recommend it!

Eggplant Pizza

In a quest to be healthy but still fulfill our everlasting love for pizza, Carl and I experimented with a recent recipe we found on Pinterest (of course): Eggplant Pizza.  I can't get over how good it was!

Eggplant Pizza
(adapted from this recipe)

2 medium to large sized eggplants
Olive oil
1 jar tomato sauce (whichever flavor you love best)
1 bag Italian blend shredded cheese
Baby tomatoes
1 package fresh mushrooms
Sliced prosciutto
Basil leaves (chopped)
Sea salt, pepper, & grated Parmesan cheese to taste

Slice the eggplants into 2cm thick slices.  Brush each side with olive oil and place on grill.  Grill over a medium heat until the eggplant slightly begins to char, but is still firm.  Be careful not to overcook.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place grilled slices onto a baking sheet.  Spread the sauce onto the eggplants and layer toppings as you please.  My personal favorite was sauce, prosciutto, mushrooms, freshly chopped basil, cheese, and a few tomato toppers.  Bake for about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and begins to bubble.  Top with sea salt and pepper.  Ta-da, satisfy your pizza craving!!

 

Baked & Crispy Coconut Chicken

We've been trying to stay healthy lately since it's swim suit season, of course.  In order to do this, we make ourselves sit down on Sundays and plan dinner for the week.  Otherwise it's way too easy to grab a bite out!  This week we tried several new recipes and this coconut chicken is by far one of my favorite dinners that Carl has ever cooked up!!

Baked & Crispy Coconut Chicken
(originally found here)

12 thin sliced chicken tenders (ours came as a 6 pack which we cut in half)
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp table salt
3/4 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil and spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray.

Chop the coconut the flakes until they are roughly a similar size to the bread crumbs.  Combine with bread crumbs and all of the spices.  Mix well to make sure all the ingredients have blended together.  Place the flour in a separate dish, and in another dish crack both eggs and beat lightly.

One chicken tender at a time, dredge in flour, dip in egg, and coat in coconut/bread crumb mixture.  Press the mixture into the chicken and make sure it is well coated.  Place the tenders on your baking sheet and lightly drizzle with olive oil.  Bake for 20 minutes or until the juices run clear.  Make sure not to overcook!  The coconut/bread crumb mixture will be lightly crisped and golden.

Sweet & Spicy Apricot Dipping Sauce
1/2 cup sugar free apricot preserve
1 tbs rice wine vinegar
3/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Mix all ingredients together until they are well incorporated and use as a yummy dipping sauce for the chicken!

Like I mentioned above, this has been one of our favorite recipe finds yet so enjoy and let me know what you think!!

 

Buffalo Chicken Salad

Last August, I made this great side salad that Carl and I swore we couldn't wait to try doctored up as a main course.  Fast forward 10 months and we finally got around to trying it!  I must say, it was even better as dinner.

Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad - the dinner version

1 box Ronzoni Smart Taste 2.5x the fiber pasta
1 large red onion
5 stalks celery
3 cans cooked chunk chicken
1 bottle Franks Red Hot Wings buffalo sauce
1 bottle Walden Farms zero calorie bleu cheese dressing

Boil noodles according to directions on box.

While noodles are boiling, chop onion and celery.  Combine chopped onion, chopped celery stalks, and chicken chunks in a large bowl.  Pour about half of each dressing jar into the bowl and mix well.  After draining the cooked noodles, place in bowl, cover with the remaining dressing, and stir until the mixture is well incorporated.  You can either enjoy now or refrigerate and enjoy later!  Like I mentioned in the first post, the dish is spicier if you serve it warm right away - so dig in if you love that zing!

Slice of Chicago

www.sliceofchicagopizzatours.com

Who doesn't want a slice of Chicago?  Such a wonderful city!  We like doing 'different' things around town (even if it may seem touristy) because we learn new tidbits of information and find out about places we may not have heard of before.  This time's adventure was the Slice of Chicago Pizza Tour and it was well worth the deal (a Christmas present for Carl purchased on Groupon.)  We both recommend it!

We met our group at Pizzeria Uno (different than the chain,) moved on to Pizzeria Ora, and finished up at Giordano's.  At each restaurant we tasted a smaller "sample" size of Chicago style pizza and listened to our guide talk about the restaurant and their style of pizza.  It's a seasonal tour, so at Pizzeria Ora there is inside seating, but the other two restaurants offer outdoor seating.  We went in May, so it was a bit chilly but overall a really enjoyable evening.  The guide is friendly and funny, the facts are interesting and the pizza is delish.  Pizzeria Uno was not my favorite (biscuit-y crust was a bit much.)  I'm glad the tour included Pizzeria Ora; it's a small, locally owned place with great food and extremely friendly service.  We'll definitely be going back since they have great deep dish and no wait, like with the well known pizzerias.  Finally, Giordano's was delicious!!  It's stuffed rather than the true deep dish, so totally different than the classic Gino's East but just as good.  We can't wait to go back and try a whole pizza our way!

What's your favorite pizza on the tour?  Let me know if there's some good Chicago deep dish I'm missing - we all know Carl loves a good deep dish.

Chicken & Spinach Pasta Bake

It's no secret that Carl's the cook in the kitchen and I'd rather stick to desserts.  But since he is in North Carolina while I'm up north, I have occasionally taken on the daunting task of making dinner.  Casseroles and crockpot dishes are my go-to meals because they are usually simple and I can freeze a good amount of leftovers if I chose.  With that said, I made this chicken and spinach pasta bake a couple weeks back and it was so good I ate leftovers over the remainder of the week so there was nothing to freeze!

Chicken & Spinach Pasta Bake
(adapted from this recipe)

8oz rigatoni pasta (can use any type of pasta, just no bigger than rigatoni)
1 Tbs olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 10oz package of frozen spinach - thawed
3 cups cooked & cubed chicken breast (I used canned chicken to minimize prep time)
1 14oz can Italian style diced tomatoes - undrained
1 8oz container reduced fat Philadelphia Chive & Onion cream cheese - softened
1 1/2 cups 2% milk shredded mozzarella cheese - divided use

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and prepare the pasta according to package directions.  

Spread the olive oil on the bottom of a 11x7 baking dish and add the chopped onions in a single layer.  Bake for 15 minutes and transfer to a large bowl.  Set aside.

Once thawed, thoroughly drain the spinach between paper towels.  Add the pasta, spinach, chicken, undrained tomatoes, cream cheese, and 1 cup of the shredded cheese to the bowl containing the onions.  Mix well.  Spoon mixture back into baking dish and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese.  Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven, uncover dish, and bake for 15 additional minutes.

I loved this dish, however the rigatoni noodles seemed a bit big when mixing in with the other ingredients.  I will definitely be making this again, but next time I'll try a little bit smaller of a noodle.  Let me know which noodle you settled on using and what you thought!        

Buffalo Chicken Enchiladas

Oh my goodness.  You must make these!  Of course yesterday was the BCS football game so I figured I'd try out a new recipe involving buffalo chicken.  And this turned out to be a winner!

Buffalo Chicken Enchiladas
(adapted from this recipe)

1 10oz can red chile enchilada sauce
1/2 cup buffalo wing sauce (I got Hooter's medium sauce at the grocery store)
1 12.5oz can white chicken breast, drained and shredded
1 cup 2% Mexican shredded cheese blend - divided use
1 cup fresh, coarsely chopped cilantro - divided use    
7 or 8 tortilla shells
1.5 - 2oz gorgonzola cheese
2 green onions, chopped 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and spray a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick spray.

Mix together the enchilada sauce and wing sauce; set aside.

Place the chicken and 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese in a bowl.   Add a heaping 1/2 cup of the sauce mixture and 1/2 cup of coarsely chopped cilantro.  Mix well.

Drizzle the baking dish with some of the sauce mixture.  Place between 3 or 4 tablespoons of the meat mixture into each tortilla shell and roll closed, placing the seam side facing down.  Pour remaining sauce over the rolled enchiladas and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 of shredded cheese on top.  Bake for 20-25 minutes.

After removing enchiladas from the oven, sprinkle the gorgonzola cheese on top.  I used about two medium sized handfuls of the crumbly cheese.  Garnish with the remaining 1/2 cup of cilantro and green onions.

Hope you enjoy this dish as much as we did!!     
  

8 Can Taco Soup

Talk about a quick and easy dinner recipe.  This is one I will most definitely be keeping handy for the upcoming winter months!

8 Can Taco Soup
(originally found here)

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes, drained
1 (15.25 oz.) can sweet corn, drained
1 (12.5 oz.) can white chicken breast, drained
1 (10.75 oz.) can cream of chicken soup (I got the healthy request version)
1 (10 oz.) can green enchilada sauce
1 (14 oz.) can chicken broth
1 packet taco seasoning

Combine all the ingredients in a large pot.  Heat until warm, making sure to stir occasionally.  Serve with tortilla chips & shredded cheese.  (And sour cream if you please.)  Enjoy!

Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers

Yum!  Doesn't the title sound delish?  Carl loves Philly cheesesteaks...literally, it's pretty much the only sub he will eat.  Period.  This recipe is such a happy medium for us - it provides the Philly cheesesteak taste without the traditional amount of calories.

Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers
(original recipe found here)

2 large green bell peppers
1 medium sweet onion
6 oz baby bella mushrooms
2 Tbs butter
2 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs minced garlic
8 oz thinly sliced (but not shaved) roast beef
8 slices provolone cheese

Slice peppers in half length wise.  Remove the seeds and ribbing.

Slice the onion and mushrooms.  Place the butter and olive oil in a medium saucepan.  Add in the onion, mushrooms, and garlic and saute over a medium heat until the onions have caramelized.  This should take 25-30 minutes.

At this point, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Now slice the roast beef into thin strips and add to the sauteing mixture.  Cook another 5-10 minutes.

Take 4 pieces of the provolone cheese and line the insides of the 4 pepper halves.

Fill each pepper halve with the meat mixture.  (They will be overflowing.)  Place a slice of cheese on top of each.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cheese on top is a golden brown.  Enjoy!

Italian Meat Pie

I'm currently job searching.  And my mom of course works.  Therefore, I feel that dinner is my task.  So to mix up the online job hunt during the day, I've taken a break or two to look for some new recipes for us to try.  (We can even have seafood since Carl's not here yet, hah!)  The Italian Meat Pie is the first new recipe I tried and it turned out very well.  It tastes great and even looks nice presentation wise.

Italian Meat Pie
(adapted from this recipe)

1lb ground turkey, cooked and drained
1 cup garlic pasta sauce - I used Prego's Tomato, Basil, & Garlic sauce.
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 can Pillsbury® reduced fat refrigerated crescent rolls
3/4 cup shredded Italian cheese blend (divided use)
3/4 cup shredded reduced fat mozzarella cheese (divided use)
1/4 tsp dried basil

The Big Hit Sandwiches!

I always think you can never go wrong with a sandwich.  Maybe my mom instilled that in me when I was young; she always made the freshest sandwiches for our lunch bags.  So every now and then I get on a sandwich kick.  Of course I like to make my own, but I don't discriminate among sub shops either; I like them all - Jimmy John's, Subway, Firehouse, Jersey Mike's, etc.  You get the point.  I came across this recipe on Pinterest, which linked me to a blog, which credited the recipe to King's Hawaiian.  With King's rolls being absolutely delicious, I should've known they know how to make a good sandwich!

Hawaiian Baked Ham & Swiss Sandwiches
(adapted from original)

1 12 pack King's Hawaiian Original Rolls
1 lb deli ham - shaved
1 lb Swiss cheese - thinly sliced
1 1/2 sticks butter (I used the butter with olive oil & sea salt flavorings)
3 Tbsps Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsps Worcestershire sauce
1/2 of an onion - chopped