Monday, March 26, 2012

EAT, SEE, BAKE...

EAT
at Nellcote in Chicago's West Loop. Located in the former Marché space, Nellcote could be one of the most beautiful restaurants in Chicago. With a flour mill on site, you can imagine how good the pizza and pasta were. Everything was reasonably priced, the ambiance was stellar, and the food was delish. While the service was a bit off, I'll give them a break since we went during opening week. This would even be a fun place to grab drinks before heading to another spot on restaurant-filled Randolph Street.



Obsessed with these chairs and the touch of orange on the backs
Crudité and dip
Assortment of homemade breads
Pesto pizza with fresh mozzarella and roasted tomatoes
Crispy skate wing with braised radishes
Mashed potatoes w/ shaved black truffles
SEE
21 Jump Street. I thought this movie would be stupid, but it was absolutely hilarious. Co-written and starring Jonah Hill, I laughed out loud numerous times. The perfect movie for when you want something light.
BAKE
the most simple, hearty breakfast cookie. These have replaced my afternoon Luna bar. I've made these for the past few weeks and my co-workers and I are addicted. It's a one-bowl recipe and can be modified depending on what you like. Packed with peanut butter and bananas, the cookies are healthy, yummy, and make a perfect on-the-go breakfast or mid-day snack. I wish they looked a little prettier, but at least they taste great.


Breakfast Cookies (adapted from here)

Ingredients

Nonstick cooking spray
½ cup mashed banana (about 1 large)
½ cup chunky natural peanut butter (I used Jif)
1/3 cup honey or agave nectar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup rolled oats
½ cup Gold Medal® whole wheat flour
¼ cup nonfat dry milk powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup dried cranberries or raisins
Handful of dried apricots, chopped
½ c walnuts, chopped
½ c almonds, chopped or slivered
Optional: chia seeds or flax seed

1 
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat two cookie sheets with cooking spray; set aside. In a large bowl, stir together banana, peanut butter, honey, and vanilla. In a small bowl, combine oats, flour, milk powder, cinnamon, and baking soda. Stir the oat mixture into the banana mixture until combined. Stir in dried cranberries, apricots, nuts, and optional chia/flax seeds.
                        
2 
Using a ¼-cup measure, drop mounds of dough 3 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. With a thin metal or small plastic spatula dipped in water, flatten and spread each mound of dough to a 2¾-inch round, about ½ inch thick.
                        
3 
Bake, one sheet at a time, for 14 to 16 minutes or until browned. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container or plastic bag for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months; thaw before serving.

Sunday, March 4, 2012

A NEW REAL HOUSEWIVES CAST

While Lindsay Lohan can be quite a mess, I couldn't get enough of this clip from last night's SNL. Amazing!