Archives for January 2018
My first visit to Steppenwolf Theater
After 10+ years living within a mile of this landmark, I finally rectified a huge issue in my life and visited the historic Steppenwolf Theater in Lincoln Park for a performance of Tracy Letts’ The Minutes. I admit, I was first drawn to the play because I saw the commercial for it – starring William Petersen of CSI fame – roughly 5,000 times in the course of a week, but hey! Advertising works! I’m glad I listened.
Creamy Eggless Chocolate Ice Cream
My dad loves ice cream – he eats it almost every night for dessert! – so when I knew he’d be joining me for New Year’s Eve, I wanted to make him this creamy chocolate ice cream as a special treat. Check out some of the other dishes in the meal here, here and here.
This recipe was inspired by and modified from David Lebovitz’s post about Jeni’s Splended Ice Creams at Home
Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter
These Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter are satisfying, decadent and full of simple but beautiful flavors. You could make this even easier by using wonton wrappers or pre-made fresh pasta dough sheets, but why not take just a little extra time to put together the fresh pasta yourself? I promise it’s not too hard, and the end result is definitely worth it.
This was one of the starters in my New Year’s Eve dinner party, you can read some of my dinner party tips here and check out another starter and dessert I made for the meal as well.
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Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup with Lemony Croutons
Since buying my Instant Pot a few months ago, I haven’t made soup on the stove a single time. Instant Pot soup is easy, fast and I have yet to make something that didn’t taste great! But, of course, if you don’t have an Instant Pot you can easily do this on the stove – the only difference will be cooking time.
While I’ve made cauliflower soup tons of times, I’d never added chestnuts before; I’d read that they help ensure a smooth, creamy texture once the soup is pureed, without the need for cream. I’m happy to report that it worked beautifully! The chestnuts themselves lend only a very mild flavor, so if you’re unsure whether you’ll like it, go for it – you won’t regret it.
These recipes were part of my small dinner party on New Year’s Eve…check out this post for my tips on pulling off entertaining like a pro! I also made Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter and Creamy Chocolate Ice Cream.
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