New England Seafood Company

When I lived in Boston, I would venture to Ipswich as often as I could to go to The Clam Box. I'd wait in a line that wrapped around a building in the middle of nowhere. Sometimes I'd even wait in the rain. It was always worth it for the fried clams.

Craving fried clams, I looked for a place near us in Chicago, and I found New England Seafood Company on Lincoln Ave between Roscoe and Paulina. Coastal towns always do seafood better and cheaper, but this tasted like the real deal and hit the spot.

My partner ordered the small Clam Chowder. It had generous clam portions, and the base wasn't too thick or heavy, which is a criticism that we commonly give clam chowders outside of New England.



She also ordered the medium Fried Calamari box (it's not available in small or large portions, only medium). The breading was light, which we liked. It was served with lemon wedges and a mediocre cocktail sauce, but I'm not a big fan of cocktail sauce, so don't trust me on that.



And I ordered the small Fried Clams box, of course. The breading was also light, and it was served with a lemon wedge and tartar sauce. The tartar sauce wasn't very strong, and I actually liked it a lot.



We're intending to go back to try some scallops, haddock, and Lobster Bisque, or y'know, just eat more fried clams.

Brie and apple sandwich with garlic fries

Today's delicious dinner!

Brie and apple sandwich

Ingredients (serves 2):

2 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp rosemary
4 oz brie cheese
1/2 red apple
4 slices sourdough bread

1. In a bowl, combine butter, thyme, and rosemary. Slice the apple, and brie.
2. Sandwich the apple and brie between 2 slices of bread.
3. Over medium-heat, add 1/4 of the butter mixture to a skillet. Heat sandwiches one side at a time, adding butter mixture when flipping. Cover the skillet to help the cheese melt. Once the cheese melts and bread is toasted, remove from the skillet, slice, and serve.

In addition to the sandwiches, I used up the rest of the potato from this morning to make fries for the side.

Garlic fries

Ingredients (serves 2):

2 tbsp olive oil
3/4 potato
3 garlic cloves
1 tsp parsley
Dash of salt

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut potato into batons.
2. Cook potatoes with minced garlic in oil over medium-heat in a skillet until golden.
3. Place potatoes on a baking dish. Add a dash of salt, and finely chopped parsley. Heat for 10 minutes, then flip and heat for 10 more.

Omelet roll up

Today's breakfast!

Omelet roll up

Ingredients (serves 2):

Cooking spray
3 eggs
1 tsp of paprika
1 tsp of salt
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 potato
4 tbsp (or 1/4 cup) cream cheese
1/4 green bell pepper
1/4 red bell pepper

1. Whisk the eggs with a dash of paprika and a dash of salt.
2. Spray a skillet with cooking spray, and heat the egg mixture over medium-heat until it's set, then flip the omelet to cook the other side until set.
3. Transfer the cooked omelet to a cutting board or plate, and let cool slightly.
4. Meanwhile, julienne the potato. Heat olive oil in the same skillet, and add the potato in a single layer. Fry until the potato is golden, flipping throughout. Sprinkle with the remaining paprika and salt, and remove the potato from the heat.
5. Julienne the bell peppers and add to the skillet. Cook for about a minute.
6. Spread cream cheese over the omelet. Don't spread it all the way to the edges. Leave just a bit of room. Place the potato and peppers over the cream cheese. Form a single layer for easy rolling.
6. Roll up the omelet with all ingredients, slice and serve. (Feel free to use toothpicks to help keep it together.)

Sheffield's

Last Monday, after work, I met some friends at Sheffield's at Sheffield Ave and School St. (They check ID's at the door, so be ready.)

We ordered Smothered Nachos to start with no meat extras. They don't serve chili on the nachos anymore, so vegetarian needs are seemingly a-okay. The nachos came with mucho toppings including a BBQ-esque sauce, which didn't sit well with me personally.

I ordered the BLT: "6 slices of applewood smoked bacon, tomato jam, avocado, romaine lettuce and ancho mayo on toasted brioche bread". It was okay-bad. Honestly, the sandwich was mostly bread and came with a plate full of bad fries that I couldn't finish.

My partner ordered The Sheffield Stack: "Grilled chicken, pepper jack, crispy onions, cilantro, lettuce, tomato, ancho mayo on our brioche bun". She didn't quite know how to bite into it, and didn't like it much either.

All in all, we were unimpressed with the food. The service was okay for a late-night after-work joint. They checked our waters sometimes, maybe 1/2 as much as they should. The patio was a cool hangout, until we were told at 10:50pm that it was closing. Then, we were forced inside (or to leave). We ventured inside, but found it to be stuffy, so we didn't stay much longer.

Here's my meal as seen from the patio under red light (because the patio look there is "red light"):

Golden Nugget

Eater Chicago has declared this week Greasy Spoon Week. In honor of that, we dined at Golden Nugget at the corner of Diversey and Pulaski this morning. They have 6 other locations in Chicago. The Dealer's Special is my regular order. It's 3 fried eggs, 4 sausage links (with ketchup), shredded hash browns (with salt), and a buttermilk biscuit (with butter). This 900+ calorie breakfast is a rare indulgence of mine, and a sure hangover cure.

The Reservoir

Tonight after softball, we hit up The Reservoir again. This time I got the Monday special: Chicken and waffles. The chicken was great, and the waffles were okay. They were a little too chewy. Our server was happy to split up our checks, and we had another good time at this place with our friends.

Baked chicken nuggets

Today's lunch!

Baked chicken nuggets

Ingredients (serves 2):

Cooking spray
1 boneless skinless chicken breast
1 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp Italian style bread crumbs
2 tbsp Panko bread crumbs
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place aluminum foil over a baking sheet (for easy clean up), and spray with cooking spray.
2. Cut chicken into small nugget-sized pieces.
3. Put olive oil in a bowl. Put Italian style bread crumbs, Panko bread crumbs, and Parmesan in another bowl, and mix.
4. Dip each chicken piece in olive oil, coating completely, then dip in bread crumb mixture, coating completely, and set on the baking sheet.
5. Bake for 8 minutes, then flip the nuggets, and bake for another 6 minutes.
6. Serve with your favorite sauce. I like honey, and my partner likes ketchup.

Sunny side up eggs in onion rings

Putting eggs in exciting holes is a weird cooking craze, and I like it. This morning, I gave eggs in onion rings a shot.

Sunny side up eggs in onion rings

Ingredients (serves 2):

Cooking spray
2 slices white onion
2 eggs
Salt
Pepper

1. Slice the onion, and separate the largest ring. Spray a skillet with cooking spray.
2. Place onion rings on the skillet over medium heat, and crack the eggs into the center of each.
3. Add salt and pepper to each egg, and place a lid over the skillet. Cook until the eggs set.



I also had some toast to dip in the eggs, and I discovered that my partner had never heard the term "dippy eggs". I've moved around a lot, and over time have let go of some regionalisms I was raised with, but apparently "dippy eggs" has survived. Dippy eggs are runny eggs that you dip your toast into. That's just what we call them. Now you know.

Chicken, spinach and artichoke melt

Tonight's dinner!

Chicken, spinach and artichoke melt

Ingredients (serves 2):

1 boneless skinless chicken breast
3 tbsp butter
1 garlic clove (minced)
1/2 tbsp flour
1/4 cup milk
1/2 jar artichoke hearts, about 3.5 oz (chopped)
1/2 oz plain cream cheese
1/4 cup fresh spinach
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 slices sourdough bread

1. Cut the fat off the chicken, and slice thin. Cook through (I tend to broil it or grill it).
2. In the meantime, spread butter on bread slices (about 1/2 tbsp on each), and heat the bread in a skillet over medium heat on both sides.
3. In another skillet, melt 1 tbsp butter over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook for a minute. Stir in flour until smooth. Add milk, and stir. If it's too thick to mix, add more milk.
4. Add artichokes, then cream cheese, and stir until smooth. Let stand a minute.
5. Add spinach, stir, and let stand until the spinach wilts in the sauce.
6. Add mozzarella, Parmesan, and crushed red pepper. Stir until cheeses are melted.
7. Spread the spinach and artichoke dip onto each bread slice. Place the cooked chicken in the middle. Divide and serve.

Taste of Chicago

This afternoon, we went to Taste of Chicago. It wasn't nearly as packed as people told me it would be. Granted, it was a weekday (albeit Friday), and during daylight. I mapped out a plan in advance of stuff we might be interested in, and how many tickets I should buy. We entered at the Monroe St entrance, and I bought 60 tickets. My partner and I are cruisers when it comes to events (we move quickly, mainly because I plan so hard), and we spent about 2 hours at the event. Here's the rundown of what we tasted, and your SKIP IT or EAT IT suggestions:

Cubby Bear: Garlic Fries.
My partner loved them. I thought they were good. Next time we're in Wrigleyville, we may swing by the Cubby Bear. After all, that's what Taste is for, right? To make us want to visit the restaurant? I didn't find these fries to be great myself, but I think we'll come on by sometime to see what else they've got. EAT IT.


The Noodle Vietnamese: Taste of Crab Rangoon.
It was good since it's crab rangoon, but it wasn't our favorite. It was more cheesy and less crabby than most, and the sweet and sour sauce was standard and nothing special. (Our favorite crab rangoon is in St Louis at Blue Ocean Sushi.) SKIP IT.

Kasia's Deli: Taste of Pierogi Potato, and Potato Pancake with Sour Cream.
My partner loved her latke. For me, it didn't compare to Katz, but there's always that asshole that unfairly compares everything to the very best, right? However, I can say the pierogi was cooked to perfection. Any time we're near Chicago and Hoyne during a meal time, stopping here might be a must. EAT IT.


Star of Siam: Taste of Pad Thai Noodles.
This one was for my partner. She loves Thai food, and judges Thai restaurants based on their basic Pad Thai dish before trying more. For her, if you can't do Pad Thai right, then everything is wrong. For me, the dish wasn't very pretty. The noodles are thinner than most Pad Thai's I've seen. I tried a bite though, and it tasted better than it looked. My partner said that we "might" try the restaurant. I'm still figuring out what this means. Relationships are hard. SKIP IT.

Connie's Pizza: Taste of 1/2 Slice Sausage Pizza.
I've tried many Chicago deep-dish pizzas (a post reflecting on all of them is soon to come). For me, Connie's sausage topping and cheese was great, the sauce was good, and the dough was fair. Even so, it's a bargain for a 1/2 slice, EAT IT.


The Smoke Daddy: Taste of Pulled Pork Mini.
This one was just for me as my partner's a vegetarian of sorts. It was adorably tiny, and perhaps too tiny for the price, but it was very good. The Smoke Daddy is also in my neighborhood. I may swing by. EAT IT.

Franco's Ristorante: Italian Watermelon Ice.
After a hot day in downtown Chicago, we desperately needed to eat something cold. There are quite a few Italian ice and ice cream spots at Taste. It's nothing great, but it'll help make your summer cool. SKIP/EAT IT.


Beat Kitchen: Taste of Veggie Empanada
I grabbed this on my way out with our last tickets in an attempt to keep me full for the rest the day (I had work in the evening). It was huge, and it was good, but not great. SKIP IT.

Slow cooker chicken fried rice

Tonight's dinner!

Slow cooker chicken fried rice

Ingredients (serves 2):

2 cups cooked rice
2 thawed chicken breasts
1 cup frozen or fresh vegetables (I used asparagus and carrots)
1/2 diced yellow onion
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg

1. Cut the fat off the chicken, and add all ingredients to the slow cooker, and stir. Cook on high for 3 hours.
2. At some point during cooking, shred the chicken. I like to shred chicken when it's already cooking as opposed to when it's cold because the tenderness makes it easier. Just be careful not to burn yourself.

Crunchy onion chicken

Tonight's dinner was a recipe from French's.

Crunchy onion chicken is a favorite in our house. I like to cut each chicken breast down the middle to enjoy more fried onions, and I find cooking the chicken for 15 minutes is plenty. I also add some salt to my serving.

(On the side there is store-bought potatoes au gratin.)

Egg in a basket

This is a very simple and delicious breakfast.

Egg in a basket

Ingredients (serves 1-2):

Cooking spray
2 eggs
2 slices of bread

1. Use the top of a glass to cut holes in the middle of the bread. Just press down, then remove the hole.
2. Spray a frying pan with cooking spray, and over medium heat, place the bread and crack an egg into the middle of it. After about 2 minutes, flip it to cook the other side.

I like to keep the eggs a little bit runny so I can dip the bread I removed from the center.

Picnic kabobs

We went to the Ravinia Festival today and saw Matchbox Twenty and Goo Goo Dolls perform. Well, we had lawn seats, so we didn't entirely "see" them the whole time. You can't really see the stage from the lawn unless you go stand up next to the fence around the pavilion. The deal at Ravinia is that you come early, stake your territory on the lawn, and picnic and drink. People bring chairs, blankets, tarps, food, alcohol, coolers, picnic baskets, backpacks, wagons... everything. Arrive early and make a day of it. Inside the pavilion where you have a clear view of the stage, there's no food or drinks allowed and the price is absurd, so what's the fun in that? The venue has excellent sound throughout, but it's a very strange set up for sightlines. You would expect the lawn section to rake upward, but it rakes downward, which is why you can't see the stage. As per usual, Midwesterners baffle me, but I had a lot of fun. I rushed to the fence around the pavilion every time a favorite song was played and sometimes just because, but spent most of the day enjoying our picnic.



I had an abundance of bamboo skewers left over from a camping trip where I grilled kabobs over the fire, so I decided to make our picnic feast with them.

Vegetable kabobs

Ingredients (makes 6 skewers):

1 red onion
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
1 green bell pepper

1. Cut peppers from the top down on all 4 sides, and quarter each side. Cut the ends off the onion, shed the outer skin, then quarter the entire onion. Cut each quarter in half, and peel each layer apart.
2. Thread pieces onto skewers.

For the dip, I picked up a dip mix when we were visiting Hermann, MO that we sampled in a boutique shop, and loved, so we bought it. I mixed it according to the instructions on the box.

Garden Delight Dip

Ingredients (makes 2 cups, way more than enough):

1 packet Krista Kay Gourmet Garden Delight Dip
1 1/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup mayonnaise

The Garden Delight Dip ingredients are "dried onion, sea salt, celery, bell pepper, parsley, spices". What do you think? Can I make this myself? I might try.

Fruit and cheese kabobs

Ingredients (makes however many you want to make):

Granny Smith apple
Red seedless grapes
Your favorite cheeses cubed (We used Chipotle Pepper Gouda and Colby)
Your favorite breads cubed (We used Pretzel bread and Ciabatta)

We also added some summer sausage to a few skewers, and some turkey pepperoni to a few as well.

1. Thread desired pieces onto skewers.

We brought some cashews, almonds, and our drinks of choice to add to the spread.

It was a good day. Thank you, USA, for all of this freedom. Happy 4th, all!

SodaStream

For my birthday, I received a SodaStream, a Genesis - Seltzer Starter Kit in red, to be precise. I have a few friends that own a SodaStream and love it so I'm excited about mine. I don't drink a lot of soda, but I often drink seltzer water, and so far, my new SodaStream is awesome. Major bonuses are that I don't have to buy seltzer water, and I don't have to lug seltzer water from the grocer to my 2nd floor flat. New carbonators will eventually need to be bought, but not for a few months. My starter kit came with two 1 liter bottles, but I'm considering purchasing 1/2 liter bottles as well for when I want a carbonated drink that's more mobile.

Tomorrow, we're headed to the Ravinia Festival and making our second big picnic spread of the summer. Weather is predicted to be in the 70's and clear!