I Have a New Favorite Bakery, and You Should Too!

Good morning friends and foodies! I hope everyone of you had a relaxing Thanksgiving weekend!
My weekend was great. It was my very last weekend off for December, so I decided to spend it relaxing as much as possible and relaxation now involves a trip to my new favorite bakery near my house. Cookies Fresco.
Matt and I found this place a few weeks ago when I was getting out of the immediate care center. He wanted to make me feel better, and knew full well that a bakery would do the trick.
OMG did this place ever do the trick. Their hook was the sample of the Lemon Ricotta Cookie.
After one bite, I HAD to bring some home. They are the most moist, lemony, light cookie you could imagine with a delicate glaze on top that brings just a subtle pop of sweetness. Beware, once you try them, there is no walking away. That's why the sample is free. These people are brilliant.
So on the first visit, (after discussing a few wedding cake details with the owner!) we left with chocolate chip butter cookies, lemon ricotta cookies and gorgeous white chocolate shooters filled with the most dense, creamy raspberry mousse ever to grace a dessert plate. We were in foodie heaven. After we had gotten through all of our goodies, we knew it would only be a matter of time before we returned to try their other goods.
It took 9 days for us to go running back for more.
Saturday afternoon we are in the bakery once again trying to figure out what we should try. Obviously, we were never going to leave without another helping of the Lemon Ricotta Cookies and the mousse, but we wanted to try something savory. The answer? Fresh Focaccia and pretzel buns. I am a hopeless fool for a good fresh focaccia, and this one took the cake. I left the bakery with two of them actually. The one I kept for myself (but was forced to share with Matt, that's love right there) and the other is sitting here in the office on the snack table for the enjoyment of the Lobster Gram crew. From the looks of it, they enjoyed it a great deal because it was gone within minutes.
So with that, I will leave you with some images of the goodies. If you are in the area, drop by. The people are wonderful and really put a lot of time and effort into their products. You can always tell when someone loves their craft. It shows in everything they bring to their business and Cookies Fresco is a wonderful example of just such a place.

Wordless Wednesday- Braised Balsamic BBQ Pork Shanks

New Products in the Lobster Gram test Kitchen

Yeah...that's right. I'm trying to get your attention the cheap way! But it's for a good reason. I MUST tell people about this BBQ Pork Shank...



Today I was downstairs in the Lobster Gram test kitchen doing some cooking with Dan "The Lobster Man". Today, we prepared some some of our NEW line of heat & serve entrees to illustrate how dirt simple it is to make the most delicious cuts of meat and glazes you could ever hope to experience.
Personally, I'm Über excited about this new line for several reasons. Hopefully by the time I'm finished enumerating them, you will be excited too :)
1) It's literally easier than making Kraft Macaroni & Cheese. Heat water, throw bag in, wait, serve. Imagine having a gourmet feast that goes from freezer to table in 20 minutes flat.
2) The cuts and flavors that we are carrying are beyond delicious. These people are true masters of their craft and they take the time to make their glazes with all natural ingredients that come from trusted vendors.
3) With the choices that are available, I'm just going to stuff my freezer full of these for those "I can't cook tonight" fits that I get into. I will look like the ultimate domestic goddess every night of the week with the same recipe I use for tea. Woot...effort points for Nikki.
4) The meat is so tender, you can pull it from the bones using nothing more than two spoons. Yes...really, I have pictures to prove it. I didn't even believe it at first. Silly me.

So...now that I have talked them up sufficiently, here are some images from the Balsamic BBQ Pork Shank Dan & I prepared this morning.

Home Made Lobster Pot Pie (filling)

I love the Fall. It's the time of year when everything becomes vibrant and the air becomes crisp.
I love warm sweaters and slow cooking meals filling my apartment with mouthwatering aromas. Despite the 80 degree weather we experienced here in Chicago over the weekend, I was determined to make an old favorite of mine that is perfect for taking the chill out of your bones. Home made Lobster Pot Pie. I admit, it had been a LONG time since I have made a pie of any kind, so I had to find a good crust recipe. The one I found looked good, but was really anything but. So I'll continue the search for the perfect savory pie crust recipe, and share with you instead the recipe for the most perfect lobster pot pie filling you can imagine. Also, the lobster in this recipe could easily be replaced with almost any white meat, so have at it! Happy eating foodies!

Lobster Pot Pie Filling
6 tbs salted butter
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup chopped celery salt, black pepper, white pepper and garlic to taste
6 tbs flour
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup lactose free milk
2 cups unpeeled red potatoes, blanched in stock
1 cup diced carrots, blanched in stock
1 cup sweet peas
1 pound Maine Lobster Claw and Knuckle Meat, cooked and torn into bite-sized pieces

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees . Grease a rectangular Pyrex dish. In a large skillet, melt 6 tbs butter. Add the onions and celery and saute for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the flour and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes for a blond roux. Stir in the chicken stock and bring the liquid up to a boil. Reduce heat and continue to cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the sauce starts to thicken. Stir in the lactose free milk and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the potatoes, carrots, peas and lobster meat. Season with salt and pepper. Mix the filling thoroughly. If the filling is too thick, add a little water to thin out the filling. Pour the filling into the prepared pan. Place the crust on top of the filling. Carefully tuck the overlapping crust into the pan, forming a thick edge. Brush entire top layer with an egg wash for beautiful browning. Bake for 35-45 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

I have a New Nephew!

As of yesterday afternoon, my only sister became a Mom. George Jacob was born Thursday, September 30th at 4:25pm weighing 7lbs 14 oz. He is absolutely perfect.
I was lucky enough to get to the hospital about 20 minutes before he was born and the family and friends that were gathered in the waiting room got to meet him just after 5.
Check out how cute this guy is...

Come on now... that's a gorgeous baby, and he looks just like my sister.
Great work guys. He is perfect.




Georgie meeting Oma for the first time.

Asian Style Kobe Flat Iron Steaks from Lobster Gram

Weekends are supposed to be for relaxation.
When one is moving, planning a yard sale for Labor Day weekend and trying to plan a wedding all at the same time, it's used for anything BUT relaxation.
This weekend however, I made time for a new recipe I have never made before with a NEW steak from Lobster Gram. And it was FAN-FRICKEN-TASTIC.
For a very long time I have hoped that we would carry a steak like this, and now that it's here, I couldn't wait to use it for a fruit and meat pairing.
Kobe Flat Iron Steaks. That's right...KOBE.
A little history lesson on Kobe Beef:
Kobe beef is a term that refers to the breed known as Waygu cattle that has been raised by the strictest techniques known the world over.
These cattle are fed grain and beer on a daily basis and massaged to ensure the marbling and flavor make their way through the entire animal.
Actual Kobe Beef from Japan is very difficult to come by because land is so scarce in Japan, but in recent years, Waygu cattle have been brought to America and Australia and raised by the same strict Japanese standards that create the most memorable steak you will ever have.
And that is how these amazing steaks came to be at Lobster Gram.
So, in honor of the Asian inspired beef, I prepared Asian Style Orange Kobe Flat Iron Steaks with Orange White Rice.
Happy eating foodies!
Asian Style Orange Marinade for Kobe Flat Iron Steaks

*Makes enough marinade for four 8oz Steaks*











Ingredients
6 tbs Sweet Dark Vinegar
2 tbs Honey
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbs fresh grated ginger root
1 tsp Chinese 5 Spice powder
1 Cup Orange Juice
2 tbs Finely grated orange rind
2 tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Four 8 oz Kobe Steaks

Directions
Combine all ingredients into a gallon sized zip-lock plastic bag. Shake well to combine. Place all four steaks in the bag and shake again to coat.
Place in refrigerator for 8-24 hours, turning the bag occasionally.
If you fear the bag may open in the refrigerator, place it inside a second bag.
Grill or broil the steaks to taste.
Serve with white rice.

Wordless Wednesday- BBQ