Quick and mostly store-bought meals

Not every meal I make is an in-depth recipe. Some are really simple.

The other night, I made pierogies.

Pierogies

Ingredients (serves 2):

1 box (12 pierogies) potato and cheddar pierogies
1 tbsp salted butter

1. Boil the pierogies for 5-6 minutes (or cook as otherwise instructed). Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small pot.
2. Strain water from the pierogies, and plate them. Drizzle butter over them, and serve.



Tonight, I made a grilled cheese experiment.

Tomato soup with grilled cheese croutons

Ingredients (serves 2):

2 slices sourdough bread
3 oz favorite cheese
2 tbsp salted butter
1 can tomato soup

1. Assemble sandwich with cheese in between 2 slices of bread (my favorite is a 4-year cheddar). Melt 1 tbsp butter over low-medium heat in a skillet.
2. Place sandwich on the skillet, and cover with a lid (the lid helps the cheese melt). After 4-5 minutes (or until the bread is browned), add another tbsp butter, then flip the sandwich, cover again, and cook for 3-4 minutes (or until the bread is browned).
3. Cook tomato soup according to instructions.
4. Pour the tomato soup evenly into bowls, and slice the grilled cheese sandwich into small bits, and drop them into the soups evenly.

Turkey sausage and potato hash

Tonight's dinner!

Turkey sausage and potato hash

Ingredients (serves 2):

3 tbsp olive oil
3 russet potatoes
8 oz turkey smoked sausage
1/2 green bell pepper
1/2 red bell pepper
1/2 red onion
1 tsp seasoning salt
1 tsp pepper
Salt to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Peel the potatoes, and cube them.
2. Bake the potatoes for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, chop the peppers and onion, and slice the sausage.
3. Add 1 tbsp olive oil to a skillet over medium heat, and add the sausage. Cook on both sides until lightly browned, then remove. Add another tbsp olive oil to the same skillet, and fry the potatoes until lightly browned on all sides.
4. In another skillet, add 1 tbsp olive oil, then add all the vegetables, seasoning salt, and pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring often.
5. Mix all ingredients together, and serve. Add salt to taste.

Tacos Tequilas

Today, we went to Tacos Tequilas on Milwaukee Ave in Avondale. We had a Groupon, (and it's still available).

It's a small and comfortable sit-down restaurant with friendly service. We were served water, and chips and salsa upon sitting down. We decided to start with the Queso Fundido, which is a bowl of melted Chihuahua cheese with sour cream, and corn tortillas on the side. It was thick, warm, and delicious. For our 6 tacos, (from the top of the photo down), we chose a Choriqueso (Mexican sausage with melted Chihuahua cheese, sour cream, onions, and cilantro), 2 Tinga de Pollo (shredded chicken in chipotle tomato sauce, onions, lettuce, pico de gallo, sour cream, and cheese), a Mole (shredded chicken with mole sauce, onions, cilantro, sour cream, and cheese), an Arrachera (grilled skirt steak, cilantro, onions, and lime), and a Pescado (sauteed tilapia served with cabbage, pico de gallo, and chipotle aioli). We were very full! Our favorite was the Tinga de Pollo, and I really liked the Choriqueso as well.

It's very affordable, and in our neighborhood. We'll be back, even without a coupon.

Leghorn Chicken

Leghorn Chicken on Western Ave in Ukrainian Village opened earlier this month to a lot of hype. When they opened, they sold out of chicken in just 90 minutes. We wanted to see what the big deal was, so we showed up the other day and got in line.

There are 3 steps to order a chicken sandwich at Leghorn Chicken. You have to choose the style, cut, and bread. Each choice has 2 options. Step 1: Nashville Hot or Pickle Brined. Step 2: Breast or Thigh. Step 3: Housemade Bun or Buttermilk Biscuit. Then you can add extras and/or sauces. The sauces come on the side, which I like. I ordered a Nashville Hot Thigh on a Buttermilk Biscuit with Spicy Mayo.



I found the sandwich to be really hot, so I was happy about the self-serve free water near the counter. My partner placed a similar order to mine and didn't think it was hot, so I guess that's just a matter of taste. I wanted to get fries on the side, but they were already sold out for the day. From what I've read, selling out of menu items is common at Leghorn Chicken. They sell out of chicken every day, which is when they close, so get there early.

It's cash only, but there's an ATM inside. I really like these types of places. They're not really "hole-in-the-wall" places, but they're simple, casual, and popular to locals. Check out their "About" page on their website, and if you're anything like me, it will make you like them even more. We'll be back.

Bagel breakfast sandwich with bacon, egg and cheese

I've made it with sausage and I've made it with ham, but here's a bagel breakfast sandwich with bacon!

Bagel breakfast sandwich with bacon, egg and cheese

Ingredients (serves 1):

1 plain bagel
Cooking spray
1 egg
3 slices bacon
1 slice cheese

1. Toast the bagel.
2. Fry the bacon in a skillet over medium heat, flipping often.
3. Scramble the egg in a bowl, and spray a skillet with cooking spray. Cook the egg in the skillet over medium heat. I like to fold the egg in on itself into quarters to keep it together and neat.
4. Assemble the sandwich from the bottom: Bagel half, egg, cheese, bacon, bagel half.

Milton's

Our last dinner in Minnesota was at Milton's at 3545 Douglas Dr N in Crystal. It's a comfortable, neighborhood restaurant with really good soul food. I ordered the Sunnyside Burger, which came with fries. I asked for aioli on the side because that's what I like to dip my fries in. Great restaurant, and great food.

Punch Neapolitan Pizza

We tried and really liked another Neapolitan pizza place while in Minnesota: Punch Neapolitan Pizza. There are several locations throughout the Twin Cities, and we went to the one at 3226 W Lake St in Minneapolis. The pizzas cook in a 900° wood-burning brick oven for 90 seconds, so your food is ready almost immediately after you order it. Here's the Bruni, which is sausage, spiced salami, onion, and oregano.

Pig Ate My Pizza

Last weekend, we visited Minnesota, and found ourselves at Pig Ate My Pizza at 4154 W Broadway in Robbinsdale. The place is relatively new and seems to be really hot right now. Three of us ordered the Piggy and the Margherita pizzas to share. I'd recommend this place to anyone in the area. Good food, and cool vibe.

Swiss and chorizo omelet

Swiss and chorizo omelet

Ingredients (serves 1):
1 tsp olive oil
2 oz chorizo
2 eggs
1/8 cup Jarlsberg (Swiss) cheese, shredded

1. Pour olive oil into a skillet over medium-heat. Cook chorizo until browned. Stir, and break it up as it cooks. When finished, set it aside on a towel to dry.
2. Scramble eggs in a bowl. Clean the skillet, or use a new skillet, and cook the eggs.
3. As the eggs begin to harden, add the Jarlsberg cheese and chorizo, then fold the eggs over them. Make sure the eggs are cooked on both sides of the omelet.
*Optional: Salsa and/or sour cream on the side for dipping. Salt and/or pepper to taste.

Salt and Pepper Diner

I recently caught lunch with friends at Salt and Pepper Diner on Clark between Addison and Eddy in Lakeview near Wrigley. It's a typical greasy diner with a really nice staff. I like that there's nothing fancy about the place, but unfortunately, the food's pretty bad. I ordered a Denver Omelet, and it came with hashbrowns and toast. I may have been particularly taken aback by the fact that they clearly melted cheese slices over the eggs instead of having shredded cheese, and maybe that's a weird thing to let bug me. As I chatted on with my friends, the staff was more than happy to refill our waters and coffees, and there's something really positive to be said about that.

Bacon cheeseburger

This is my favorite way to make a burger at home.

Bacon cheeseburger

Ingredients (serves 1):
1/2 lb ground beef
1 tsp seasoning salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp paprika
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
1 pretzel bun
2 slices cheddar cheese
2 slices bacon

1. Mix beef with all seasonings, and mold into a patty.
2. Wrap aluminum foil underneath a rack to catch all dribbles (for easy cleaning), place patty on the rack, and broil on medium until desired doneness. For me, it's about 20 min for medium well (no pink).
3. Cook the bacon according to instructions, then place on a paper towel to dry. Toast the bun. (Since our broiler is under our oven and warms it, I toast the bun in the oven with the insides facing down.)
4. When the patty is done cooking, turn off the broiler, and place cheese over the patty. Let the cheese melt for 2 min.
5. Assemble the burger. From bottom: Bun bottom, patty, cheese, bacon, bun top.

Chicken pesto club sandwich

Chicken pesto club sandwich

Ingredients (serves 2):
1 chicken breast
4 slices bacon
4 slices sourdough bread
2 tbsp basil pesto
2 slices cheddar cheese
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup spinach

1. Slice chicken into thin strips, and grill until fully cooked. Cook bacon according to instructions. Spread 1 tbsp pesto onto 2 bread slices.
2. Assemble sandwiches. From bottom: Bread, spinach, chicken, cheese, bacon, pesto, bread.
3. Melt butter in a skillet, and cook sandwiches on both sides until the bread is browned and cheese is melted. Cover the skillet for the best cheese melting.

Salsa chicken wrap

Tonight's dinner!

Salsa chicken wrap

Ingredients (serves 2):
4-6 crispy chicken strips
2 10" flour tortillas
1/4 cup chunky salsa
1/2 tbsp lime juice
Dash of chili powder
1/2 cup shredded lettuce
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. Cook chicken strips according to the instructions. Near the end of cooking them, add the tortillas to the oven to warm them.
2. Mix salsa, lime juice and chili powder in a large bowl. Add lettuce and cooked chicken to the bowl, and toss to coat.
3. Spread sour cream onto each tortilla within 1/2" of the edge, then spoon the chicken and salsa mixture down the center of each tortilla. Top with cheddar cheese, and fold the sides of each tortilla to make it into a wrap.

Quartino

Last night, we ate out at Quartino, an Italian tapas bar at N State St and W Ontario St.

We ordered the Salumeria Tasting, which includes 2 salumi, 2 formaggi, 3 spuntini, and an assortment of olives. For the salumi (cold cuts), we chose the Truffle Salame Black Truffle Salami and Prosciutto San Daniele. For the formaggi (cheeses), we chose Fontina Val D'Aosta and Taleggio. For the spuntini (snacks), we chose Roasted Peppers, Roasted Beet Salad, and Artichokes Campobasso. The olives included were Gaeta, Green Pasola, and Cerignola olives. It also came with Raisin Bread, Apricot Puree, and Giardiniera Romana. Plus, we had the bread that was given to the table to start, which we ate along with some of these. The stand outs were the meats and cheeses; the vegetables weren't my favorite.



We also ordered the Italian Artisan Blend fonduta, which came with cubed bread. The flavor was unlike any fondue we'd had before, but we liked it.

Chorizo and egg breakfast sandwich with hashbrowns

Chorizo and egg breakfast sandwich

Ingredients (serves 1):
1 English muffin
2 oz Chorizo
1 egg
1/8 cup shredded cheddar
1/8 avocado
1 tbsp sour cream
1 tbsp salsa

1. Cut the English muffin in half and toast both sides.
2. Meanwhile, cook the Chorizo in a skillet until browned. Drain and set aside.
3. Scramble the egg in a bowl, and cook in a skillet. Add cheddar cheese, and fold the egg over it.
4. Slice the avocado into thin slices, then build the sandwich. From bottom: English muffin half, avocado, egg with cheese, Chorizo, sour cream, salsa, and English muffin half. Delicious!

Hashbrowns

Ingredients (serves 2):
2 medium potatoes
1 tbsp butter
Dash of salt
Dash of pepper
Desh of cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp paprika

1. Scrub the potatoes clean, and grate them. Set them in a bowl of cold water, and let them sit for a minute. Pour the potatoes into a colander, and run cold water over them. Then remove the potatoes, and dry them with a towel, pressing out as much water as you can.
2. Melt butter in a skillet, then add the potatoes. Add all the seasonings, and let the potatoes cook, stirring every minute or two. Cook until the potatoes are browned.

Poached egg and gouda on an English muffin

Poached egg and gouda on an English muffin

Ingredients (serves 2):
1 English muffin
1 tbsp vinegar
Dash of salt
2 eggs
1 oz shredded Gouda
1/4 tsp dill

1. Cut the English muffin in half, and toast both sides.
2. Meanwhile, poach the eggs... Bring a pot of water to a boil, then turn down the heat until it's barely boiling. Add vinegar and salt to the water.
3. Crack 1 egg into a bowl or cup. Stir the hot water, then gently pour the cracked egg into the vortex. Use a spoon to push the white of the egg closer to the yolk, and let the egg cook for 3-4 minutes. Remove the poached egg with a slotted spoon. Repeat to cook the 2nd egg.
3. Sprinkle a pinch of shredded Gouda on each English muffin half. Add a poached egg on top of that, then sprinkle more Gouda. Season with a pinch of dill, and serve!

Lou Mitchell's Restaurant

We went back to Lou Mitchell's recently. (Link to first visit.) This time I went for a Fluffy Jumbo Omelette. I got a Denver, which comes with ham, green pepper, and onion. I added cheddar, too. I got a side of sausage. Again, it was greasy and good, but man, I was really full afterwards!