Pantry Update...

If you buy items in bulk for your pantry and are concerned about them keeping here are a few recommendations.

1. Sealed Glass or Plastic Containers - What you are mainly looking for is something with an airtight lid. I use glass jars for my flour, sugars and rice, then have them out on a shelf in my kitchen. My mom uses Tupperware for her sugar and keeps it in a cabinet to free up counter space. You could even use Ziploc bags.

2. Refrigerator - Some items advise that they should be refrigerated after opening, but I think it a good rule of thumb that when in doubt put it in the fridge. I live in the Midwest where the summers can get very hot and the winters can get very cold, extremes are not a friend to food. So for example if I have a bag of flour and know I won't use all of it any time soon, I'll seal it in an airtight container and put it in the refrigerator. Just remember to bring it up to room temperature before using, especially if you are going to bake with it.

Kitchen Cornerstone - The Pantry

What is a pantry?

In a perfect world it's a small room off the kitchen where you can store anything from dry food goods to plates and glassware to kitchen odds and ends.

Some of us know it as a cupboard above the kitchen counter. I've seen even a few spartan kitchens where it's a shelf over the stove with two items: salt and pepper.

Home cooks all over the country have some incarnation of a place they keep the items they need to make a meal. And if you don't my advice would be to get one.

The initial cost starting a pantry can be a little steep, but you will see a return on your investment and many of the items only need to be replaced or replenished every few months or in some cases once a year. And once you have all your base items, you can watch for great sales and take advantage of the special prices to stock up.

A start up pantry will mostly contain herbs, spices, canned and dry goods.

Some cookbooks, food websites and magazines will give sample lists of what the home cook should always have on hand to whip up a meal. I've gone through and put together a list of my own, things that I find helpful to have around and that as just a regular everyday home cook I actually use.

Martha Stewart may go through a lot of French green lentils and dried porchini mushrooms to warrant them making her pantry list, but I don't.

William-Sonoma recommends always keeping stone-ground polenta in house, but for me unless I'm making a specialty polenta dish, plain corn meal works for me.

So here's a quick list of things I like to keep around.

Canned Goods
Chicken Stock
Beef Stock
Vegetable Stock
Tomato Paste
Tomato Sauce
Diced Tomatoes
Black Beans

Bottles & Jars
Ketchup
Mustard
Worchestershire Sauce
Tabasco or Louisiana Hot Sauce
Mayonnaise
Spaghetti Sauce
Steak Sauce
Pickles

Oils & Vinegars
Olive Oil
Canola or Vegetable Oil
Grape Seed Oil
Red Wine Vinegar
Balsamic Vinegar

Dry Goods
Pasta
Bread Crumbs
Flour
Yellow Onions
Garlic
Shallots
Potatoes
Rice
Baking Soda
Granulated Sugar

Herbs & Spices
Salt
Pepper
Red Pepper Flakes
Cayenne Pepper
Thyme
Oregano
Basil
Sage
Bay Leaves
Rosemary
Paprika
Chili Powder
Taco Seasoning
Montreal Steak Seasoning

Baking Pantry
Flour
Sugar, granulated
Sugar, powdered
Sugar, brown
Baking Soda
Baking Powder
Vanilla Extract
Chocolate Chips
Cinnamon, ground
Cloves, ground
Nutmeg, whole or ground
Ginger, ground
Cream of Tartar
Food Coloring
Oatmeal, old fashioned or quick

Spices can be some of the most expensive ingredients when shopping for your pantry. A couple of tips I find helpful:

1. WAIT FOR SALES. A lot of times around Thanksgiving and Christmas stores will have good deals on spices because everyone is getting ready to do their holiday baking. Use that time to stock up for the rest of the year.

2. BUY IN BULK. If you know you go through a lot of pepper, look for discount pricing at Sam's or Costco or even your own supermarket for buying larger quantities. Sometimes it's cheaper to buy more.

3. KNOW WHERE TO LOOK. Some stores have more inexpensive spice selections than others. Hy-Vee has a section in the spice aisle of smaller discount priced items. Baker's has their own Kroeger brand that can be cheaper than a name brand like McCormick's. Bag and Save and Jewel have large plastic bottles of discount spices, but they are usually just common types like Black Pepper and Paprika. Even World Market can be a good place to find deals, a bag of whole nutmeg can go for a little over a dollar.

If there is anything I've forgotten or something that you like to keep in your pantry, drop me a comment and let me know.

L.A. to Say Good-bye to Plastic

There's an article in the LA Times today...the Los Angeles City Council has voted to ban plastic bags from stores and supermarkets by July 2010.

On Tuesday, the council voted that if the state fails to put in place a 25 cent fee per shopper who requests plastic that they would put a ban in effect.

Another reason to BYOB or Bring Your Own Bag.

Summer Vegetable Gratin

My favorite food magazine right now is Cook's Illustrated.

When it comes to food they really mean business. They will work a recipe from every angle to streamline and perfect it.

So when I saw that they took on Summer Vegetable Gratin I was thrilled.

I remember my Aunt Kate making a wonderful Zucchini Tomato Bake in the summer, but when I attempted to recreate it's veggie glory I was a failure.

When Cook's Illustrated July & August 2008 issue arrived and had a veggie bake similar to Aunt Kate's I had to try it. It was so successful, I've already made it twice.

Summer Vegetable Gratin
Serves 6-8
Total Cost: $6.00 (aprox. $.75-$1/person)

6 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb zucchini, ends trimmed and cut crosswise into 1/4 thick slices
1 lb summer squash, ends trimmed and cut crosswise into 1/4 thick slices
***2 lbs of only zucchini or only summer squash can be substituted***
2 tsp salt
3 large ripe tomatoes sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 yellow onions, cut in half and then thinly sliced from pole to pole
black pepper to taste
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press
1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves minced
***1 1/2 Tbsp dried thyme can be substituted***
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 minced shallots (about 2 medium)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Preheat oven to 400. Place the oven rack in the upper middle position. Brush a 9x13 pan with 1Tbsp of olive oil and set aside.

Combine sliced zucchini and squash with 1tsp salt in a large bowl and then transfer the salted veggies to a colander set over the bowl. Let stand for about 45 minutes, the veggies will release about 3 Tbsps of liquid.

Arrange tomato slices in a single layer over double layer paper towels and sprinkle evenly with 1/2 tsp salt and let stand for about 30 minutes. After that time, place a second double layer of paper towels over the tomatoes and press firmly to dry them.

Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onions, 1/2 tsp salt and black pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and dark golden brown, about 20 minutes. Set onions aside.

Combine garlic, 3 Tbsp olive oil, black pepper to taste and thyme in a small bowl. In a large bowl, mix the zucchini and squash in half of the garlic oil mixture.

Pour zucchini and squash in the greased 9x13 pan. Arrange the caramelized onions in a single layer over the squash. Place the tomato slices slightly overlapping in a single layer over the onions. Spoon the remaining garlic oil mixture evenly over the tomatoes.

Bake 40 to 45 minutes, tomatoes will have started to brown around the edges and the vegetables are tender.

Mix breadcrumbs, 1 Tbsp oil, Parmesan and shallots in a bowl. Remove baking dish from the oven and increase heat to 450 degrees. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture on top of tomatoes. Bake about 5 to 10 minutes more, the gratin will be bubbling and the cheese will be lightly browned.

Sprinkle with basil and let rest for about 10 minutes are room temperature before serving.

Red Pepper Variation: Replace 3 roasted red peppers, skinned and cut into 1 inch pieces for 1 lb of the squash (do not SALT the roasted peppers). The Parmesan cheese can be substituted with one cup shredded mozzarella.

photo from Cook's Illustrated

It was the Jalapeno in Texas with the Salmonella

The Food and Drug Administration is saying they found the source for the more than eleven hundred cases of salmonella poisoning, the jalapeno pepper.

A tainted pepper was found in a Texas food plan.

Officials believe the peppers came from Mexico, but can't confirm if they were contaminated there.

Mini Blackberry Cobblers

Stanley's on North and Elston in Chicago had blackberries priced to move, two 6oz. packages for 98 cents. So I scraped my original dessert idea and decided to go with a quick cobbler.

Something of note...

depending on the time of year berries can be on the expensive side. So when you see a deal like this take advantage and buy extra.

Then all you have to do is clean them up, put them in a sealed freezer bag and put them in the freezer for another time.

And when you go to use them later you don't even need to defrost them, you can throw them in a smoothie, stir them into muffin batter, bake them in a pie. The beauty of frozen berries is they can be worked into most recipes straight from the freezer.

And of course there is the extra added benefit of their antioxidant power. Though peaches and plums have their fair share, berries lead the disease fighting antioxidant pack.

Mini Blackberry Cobblers

Serves 4

Total cost: $2.80 (appox. $ .70/person)

Filling:

4 cups blackberries (could substitute blueberries, strawberries or combination)

1/4 cup sugar

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

Crumble Topping:

2/3 cup flour

1/2 cup oats

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 stick (4 Tbsp) COLD unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine berries, sugar and cornstarch in bowl and set aside. In a small food processor or in bowl combine the Topping ingredients. If using a food processor pulse until mixture becomes crumbly. If using a bowl, work the butter cubes into the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter or 2 knives until the mixture becomes crumbly. When

Pour the berries into four 1 cup ramekins*. Press the topping mixture into clumps and crumble over filled ramekins and place on a baking sheet.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until crust is browned and the filling is bubbling. The cobbler can be served hot from the oven or held for later.

*If you don't have ramekins you can use a small baking dish. You could even try oven safe bowls or teacups of a similar size.

**This recipe can be doubled. Use a 9x13 glass baking pan and increase cooking times to about one hour.

An Interview with Greg Christian

The first thing Greg Christian tells me before beginning our interview is that he is not responsible for the veracity of his statements after saying them, but that what he is about to tell me is true at the time of its telling. He waits for me to agree to this condition before we continue.

Greg describes chefs as "natural aggressors of food". They take these raw and natural materials and bend them to their will to create the dishes we enjoy. How the materials come to them and what becomes of the materials when they're through is of less concern to the chefs as long as the food they serve is good.

This is the chef Greg Christian used to be.

He's still an aggressor of food, his catering business makes about $4 million dollars in annual profit, but now he takes responsibility for his part in the global food system. Greg runs the only Zero Waste kitchen in Chicago and by the way he operates Greg Christian Catering and Organic School Project he is getting out the message about supporting local, organic and sustainable agriculture. But he will be quick to tell you that he doesn't know what sustainable agriculture is, that what he is doing is simply "respecting Mother Earth".

It was in April of this year that Greg's kitchen, in partnership with the Chicago Resource Center, became Zero Waste.

What does that mean, Zero Waste?

It means his kitchen doesn't create any un-recycled refuge. Every scrap, every container, every by product is recycled. The food is composted, the grease is handled by a bio-diesel company, the plastic is taken by a plastics recyclers. This is just one of the ways Greg is taking responsibility for his part in the global system. Greg doesn't consider himself an agent of change, in fact he is quite adamant that he is not a "Change Agent", but just someone trying to honor and bless the system.

But whether he means to or not he is changing things. In the case of Chicago Public Schools, one school cafeteria at a time.

The Organic School Project or OPS, came out of the experience Greg had in his own home with organic food. His daughter had been diagnosed with severe allergies and asthma and after failed attempts treating her with mainstream medicine; the family tried using more nature inspired methods and introduced organic foods into the house. According to Greg, this dietary switch did the trick; she's continued eating organic and hasn't suffered an attack in years.

This situation coupled with the cafeteria horror stories his kids brought home from school inspired him to help feed other school age kids as healthily as he was feeding his own kids. And so the idea for OPS was born. The program works to not just feed students, but also to teach them about nutrition and the part they play in the environment.

Currently OSP has a contract with the Chartwells-Thompson/Compass Group to provide all the meals and snacks for the over 400 students at Louisa May Alcott School in Lincoln Park. OSP is operating their “More Positive Food” program at 3 other public schools, the hope is that if these pilot programs can continue to prove successful that more schools will join.

Though Greg is adamant that he isn’t trying to change anything, his work getting people to eat local and organic is slowing changing several things.

It’s changing how a bride is choosing to feed her wedding guests. It’s changing how schools are feeding their students and how students are seeing their food. And finally, it’s changing how industrial kitchens can be run “green” and still earn a profit.

Greg works daily to find the balance in himself between the chef food aggressor with a business to run and the man studying to humble himself and come to peace with his part in the global food system.

This is what I know is true…at the time of my telling it.

***This is Part One in a series of interviews with Greg Christian. Stay tuned for the next installment.

65% Off at Williams-Sonoma

Just a quick note...

I just received an email that there is a Summer Sale going on at Williams-Sonoma.

They are offering up to 65% off selected items in their stores. The email says it includes linens, housewares, electrics, cookware and more, whatever more is.

W-S can be a little on the expensive side so it's worth checking out any deals.

Additionally, if you live in Chicago, The Chopping Block is having their Summer Sale now as well. They are offering 20% off of EVERYTHING except the Big Green Egg Grill or accessories. I called their Lincoln Square location and sadly the 20% off promotion does not include their classes either.

FDA Green Lights the Red Tomato

The Food and Drug Administration says fresh tomatoes are safe to eat.

The FDA Associate Commissioner for Food, Doctor David Atchison, says all types of domestic tomatoes can now be consumed without concern they may be tainted with salmonella.

What prompted the FDA to lift the advisory, a couple of things.

Farms identified through trace-backs are no longer shipping tomatoes and critical checkpoints along the supply chain have turned up no evidence of salmonella contamination.

The new villans, the jalepeno and serrano peppers. Doctor Atchison suggests the elderly, immune-compromised and young children refrain from eating jalepeno and serrano peppers while the FDA continues to investigate.

Moon Peep Bars

As a tribute to my wonderful Peep-lovin' professor, I created the Moon Peep Bar.

John Mullin and DePaul Niche Reporting Summer Session One class, this one's for you. Enjoy!

Moon Peep Bars
Serves 15
Total Cost - $13.85 (appox. $.93/person)

1 cup smooth or chunky peanut butter
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup powdered sugar
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 cups chocolate chips, melted
15 marshmallow Peeps
1/2 cup toasted shredded coconut

Line a 9x9 (or 8x8) pan with aluminum foil, have enough foil to leave about an inch overhang on each side.

In the microwave melt the butter. Stir in the peanut butter, powdered sugar and graham cracker crumbs. Pour the mixture into the foil lined pan. Place in the refrigerator for at least an hour until the crust is set.

When the crust has set, melt the chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second intervals until melted. Stir and pour to cover the peanut graham crust. Spread and smooth out the surface of the melted chocolate with a rubber spatula.

While the chocolate is still hot place the Peeps onto the bars. Sprinkle with the toasted coconut and let the bars set, they can be put back in the refrigerator to speed it along. Cut and serve.

Photo courtesy of Michele Vaccarello of www.studyabroadtraveltips.blogspot.com

Mainstream Going Green

As more and more Americans try to downsize their spending and stretch their hard earned dollar there seems to be one expense that is recession proof. Green.

The movement to buy local, shop organic and be environment friendly has the all natural business seeing some green of their own, profits. The organic industry's sales are growing at a rate of three to eight times faster than its non-organic competitor. And it's not just food.

Organically grown and produced ingredients can also be found in clothes, toys, pet foods, cleaning and personal care products. According to a recent survey put out by the Organic Trade Association:

"Organic non-food sales grew 26 percent in 2006."

The survey goes on to predict that the 2008 U.S. sales of organic food and beverages will be even stronger than previous years.

"Sales for 2008 are projected to grow by 18 percent from a $16.7 billion base in 2006, to an estimated $23.2 billion in 2008."

Estimates reach the $25 billion total U.S. organic sales for 2008 when the Organic Trade Association factors in both food and non-food products.

It's not just what people buy, but also how people shop.

More and more people are bringing their own reusable bags to the store. As awareness grows about the adverse effects of both plastic and paper grocery bags have on the environment it's become another way to shop "green".

Websites like ReusableBags.com have dedicated themselves the the advancement and education of the BYOB or Bring Your Own Bag initiative. Even mainstream outlets like Target and Jewel-Osco are catching up to more eco-centric competitors Whole Foods and Trader Joe's by selling reusable bags of their own.

But if your inner environmentalist still cries out to do more you can join the locavore movement.

The Chicago Locavore website defines a locavore as

"someone who makes every effort to get their food from sources close to where they live"

Nina Interlandi Bell founded Chicago Locavores in January of 2007 as a Yahoo Group that had about 30 members. Bell said two months ago they switched to being a full fledged website with 100 members. When asked about her reaction to recent recalls and warnings in the nation's
food supply Bell wrote,

"It's a great feeling to know that you don't have to run to your freezer or refrigerator to check if the food you have bought has come from any recalled sources, and if you ever have any specific questions or concerns you can actually call and talk to the person who grew it for you. That's a lot easier than an 800 number."

Even in the shadow of a gloomy economy shoppers are making the economic choice to go Green.

Whole Foods Closed Down

The Whole Foods supermarket on North Avenue remains closed today due to a mouse infestation.

According to a Chicago Tribune online story, the store located 1100 W. North Avenue was initially closed on Wednesday due to a health inspection's discovery of a mouse caught in a trap under one of the coolers and droppings.

The Austin, Texas based company was planning to have the store reopen on Friday, but due to lingering public health issues remained closed as of Saturday.

A spokeswoman for Whole Foods stated that, "After reassessing our situation, it was determined that additional areas within the store need to be further worked on in order to meet the city's standards."

No word on when the North Avenue location will be reopening.

Unfortunate news to come the same week the world's leading natural and organic foods supermarket announced it new "The Real Deal" program. The new initiative is Whole Foods reaction to rising food costs by creating specially priced in store items, coupons, budget recipes and on-line forums to share money saving tips.

Red Pepper Rice

Serves 4
Total cost - $1.50 (appox $.38/person)

1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup white rice
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped or put through a garlic press
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped (optional)
2 cups chicken stock (about 1 14.5oz can)
2 Tbsp. parsley, finely chopped
salt

Heat a medium sauce pan over medium heat.
Add oil and when hot, but not smoking, add rice and toast for a couple of minutes.
Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic and jalapeno (if using) and cook for a few minutes to begin to soften the veggies.
Add the stock and raise heat to bring pot to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover the pot and cook for 18 minutes.
Season with salt to taste.

Variations:

Asian Red Pepper Rice
Add a Tbsp. of freshly grated ginger in with the veggies and cook as usual. Add 1-2 tsps. of soy sauce with the chicken stock. If using soy sauce omit salt at the end.

Latin Red Pepper Rice
Add the jalapeno with the veggies and cook as usual. Add 1-2 tsps. of hot sauce with the chicken stock. Substitute 2 Tbsps. of finely chopped cilantro for the parsley.

Grilled Paprika Chicken

Last year Martha Stewart's Living Magazine did an entire section in its June issue on grilling chicken.

Martha's recipes can be a bit hit or miss. A number of her culinary creations can be rather labor intensive and on the expensive side with spotty results.

Just recently I made Martha's Chocolate-Caramel Cream Pie from the recipe published in Living's June 2008 issue. Thankfully I was doing a test run because in addtion to the ingredients being costly and its preparation taking most of a Sunday afternoon, the final product was tasty but visually a disaster, unservable.

But what Stewart sometimes lacks in understanding the home cook, especially the home baker, is made up for with recipes like the Smoky Grilled Butterflied Chicken or what I like to call Grilled Paprika Chicken.

The recipe is simple and inexpensive. And in my experience, a crowd pleaser.

Serves 4

Total cost - $5.80 (appox. $1.45/person)

1/4 cup red wine or sherry vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 tablespoon coarse salt
3-4lbs. skin-on, bone-in chicken, rinsed (I use chicken breasts, but use any combo you like)

Combine vinegar, oil, garlic, paprika, and salt in a nonreactive baking dish or large resealable plastic bag.

Add rinsed chicken to the marinade. Cover dish or seal bag, and refrigerate at least 1 - 4 hours (or overnight), turning occasionally.

Preheat grill to medium. (If you are using a charcoal grill, coals are ready when you can hold your hand 5 inches above grill for just 5 or 6 seconds.)

Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Place chicken, skin side down, on grill. Close cover, and grill 15 minutes.

Flip chicken, and close cover. Grill until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of the breast registers 165 degrees, about 20 minutes more.

* You can use either sweet or hot paprika. I use the hot variety and it gives the dish quite a kick. Stores most often carry the sweet version, which contrary to the name is not sweet at all, but merely milder in heat compared to its hot counterpart.

I like to serve this chicken with Red Pepper Rice (recipe follows).

The New No-No...The Jalapeno

According to a new story in USA Today, jalapenos are the latest culprits in the recent salmonella outbreak.

The USDA and the CDC have been closely monitoring our Southern borders all this week for any contaminated produce entering the United States. Their recent surveillance and testing has brought the jalapeno pepper under suspicion with the tomato as the cause of the recent saintpaul salmonella outbreak.

This particular strain of the bacteria has now infected a confirmed 1000 people.

The CDC won't go so far as to say that peppers and tomatoes are the only and definite causes of the infection, but that the are more often than not a present factor to those infected.

Booze on a Budget

One of the major expenses when entertaining, alcohol.

It has a way of becoming a forgotten and sometimes hefty expense when planning a meal.

Recently I bought $111.95 worth of alcohol and wine at Jewel-Osco, but paid only $68.45.

How did I save $43.50?

By doing three things.

1. Watching Sales - Unless you absolutely have to have a certain type of wine or liquor, buy the sale item. In this case I had a very specific type of gin I need to buy, Hendrick's, which is usually rather expensive, but I waited for it to go on sale to buy it.
2. Use Coupons - Many times alcohol distributors offer in store coupons for their products. Keep an eye out for the specially marked bottles, sometimes the coupons are offered in addition to the store. For example the Hendrick's gin I purchased was not only on sale, but the manufacturer was offering a $5 off coupon with the purchase of ice and limes, which I needed for my dinner party anyway.
3. Buy in Bulk - At Jewel-Osco if you purchase 6 or more bottles of 750ml wine or liquor you receive 10% off your purchase. That is 10 percent off the TOTAL wine and liquor purchase. So not only did I get the Hendrick's gin on sale and get to use the $5 off coupon I also got 10% taken off the price.

I learned about the bulk savings from Susan, a Consumer Educator with Southern Wine and Spirits. Susan does tastings on weekends in the wine section of my local Jewel. Her company usually has people out educating shoppers like me at Jewels all around the Chicago area.

Susan is the lady that informed me that not only does Jewel offer a 10% savings on 6 or more bottles of 750ml wine, but that discount would also include any purchase of 750ml bottles of liquor.

Good to know for stocking up for parties or just an empty liquor cabinet.

Here's the breakdown for the gin:

$33.79 (original price)

- $4.80 (sale discount)

- $5.00 (coupon)

- $2.90 (bulk discount)

= $21.09 Total

Dining Out in Chicago on a Budget

Between the risings costs of gas and food and the uncertain housing market a lot of Americans are cutting back on their spending.

Expenses deemed as extras or treats are being replaced by items like necessities and savings. Just this week Starbuck’s announced that they will be closing 600 of their stores and cutting 17% of their work force.

Instead of picking it up on the road people are bringing it from home. And instead of going out people are staying in.

According to a recent study done by the research consulting firm Mintel,

“Seventy percent of those trying to cut back are saving money by going out to eat less”

Mintel goes on to report that people are opting not to go out to eat all together rather than order cheaper entrees or eat at more affordable restaurants.

“Over half (54%) of people who dine out regularly are
cutting back on restaurant spending”

Maybe this is an acceptable change in dining for other cities, but this is Chicago. A city rich with culinary options that are finally now getting the national attention they deserve.

We are home to some of the best culinary minds in the United States, some even say the world. Charlie Trotter, Rick Bayless, Gail Gand and Rick Tramonto.

And there are bright new stars coming up behind them. In its latest issue, Food and Wine magazine named two of our own as part of their “Best New Chefs” class.

Bravo’s critically acclaimed reality competition show “Top Chef” was based here and the woman that won the title of Top Chef, a Chicago girl.

So, even though the consultants and trend specialists are telling you to stay in, if smartly done you can still go out. And what meal doesn’t taste just that much better than one gotten for a deal.

Go on off nights – A lot of restaurants offer specials on nights earlier in the week. Half price wine night or specially priced entrees. Keep an eye out for restaurants that offer these off night values and take them up on it.

Eat in the bar – Sometimes a smaller more inexpensive menu is offered in a restaurant’s bar. It could be during their Happy Hour.

Prie Fixe – Chef’s will choose a specific menu and the price is set. It usually includes 3 courses, an appetizer, entrée and dessert and is priced about $25/person. It’s a great way to try out a restaurant that ordinarily could be out of your price range.

BYOB – No sweeter words were written than Bring Your Own Booze. There are a number of Chicago restaurants that don’t have liquor licenses, but are happy to serve you the wine or beer you brought in. Many establishments will open your bottles for free; some charge a nominal fee either per person, bottle or table. Great for weekend dining on a budget.

Summer Lemon Cheesecake Bars

Serves 8-10
Total cost - $7.50 (approx. $.75-$.95/person)

Crust:
1 cup ginger snaps, ground
3 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. sugar

Batter:
2 pkgs. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp lemon zest
1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice, strained

Blueberry Sauce - recipe follows

Preheat oven to 325

Line a 8 inch square baking pan with aluminum foil, with the ends of the foil hanging over the sides of the pan.

Mix crust ingredients and press into the bottom of the foil lined pan.

Bake 10 minutes.

Beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla together in a large bowl with an electric mixer. Once well blended mix in the lemon zest, lemon juice and sour cream. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each egg just until blended.

Pour the batter over the crust.

Bake 40 minutes or until the center is almost set.

Cool completely on a wire rack, then refrigerate the cheesecake in the pan for 4 hours.

Use the overhanging foil to lift the cheesecake out of the pan before cutting to serve.

Any leftovers should be stored in the refrigerator.


Blueberry Sauce:
1 cup blueberries, divided
1 Tbsp. vanilla sugar
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
juice of one lemon, strained
2-3 Tbsp. water

Combine 1/2 the blueberries and the rest of the ingredients in a small sauce pan. Heat over medium flame. The blueberries will begin releasing some of their juice and once the sauce begins to thicken remove the pan from the heat.

Stir the remaining blueberries into the pan.

The sauce can either be used immediately or stored in the refrigerator for later use.

It's Wednesday!

Just a reminder to everyone that it is Wednesday, or in the bargain world...Grocery Circular Day.

Wednesday is the day that grocery stores publish their sales for the week. These deals usually start on Thursday, so it give you a day's head start on your list and menu ideas.

Friday is the Fourth of July and there will be a lot of entertaining going on this weekend.

For those of us on a budget, today is the day to get a jump start what deals we can get for feeding our crowd.

Sauteed Potatoes with Carmelized Onions

Serves 4
Total Cost of Dish - $2 (appox. $.50/person)

* 1 lb small white potatoes, cut crosswise into 1/4" slices
* 1 yellow onion, halved cut pole to pole into 1/4" slices
* 2 Tbsp. olive oil
* Salt and Pepper
* Splash of white wine
* 1-2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
* Parsley

Bring a medium sized pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add sliced potatoes to water and cook for 8-10 minutes until the potatoes can be easily pierced with the tip of a knife. When the potatoes are cooked through, strain them from the water and set them aside in a bowl for later use.

Heat a large frying pan over medium heat and add 1 Tbsp. of olive oil. Once the olive oil is hot, but not smoking, add the onions to the pan, salt and pepper to taste.
Saute the onions for about 15 minutes until they get a nice golden color. Deglaze the pan with a splash of white wine to get up all the stuck on brown bits. Remove the onions from the frying pan and set aside.

Add the remaining Tbsp of olive oil to the frying pan and then the reserved potatoes. Cook the potatoes until golden brown, adding more olive oil as needed.

Once the potatoes are browned add the reserved carmelized onions back into the frying pan along with the butter. Stir to combine the potato/onion mixture.

Cover the pan and drop the heat down to low and cook for an addtional 5 minutes.

Garnish with chopped parsley before serving.