Valentine's Treats: Wine, Chocolate, and Cheese

Check out this awesome spread! Dark chocolate covered
pretzels, oreos, and cookies, homemade flourless
chocolate cookies, Eataly bread, bruschetta, herb
crusted goat cheese, almonds, baked camembert, and of
course some special Valentine's Day drinks!

My roommate and I decided to go all-out for Valentine's Day, and I would say that it was a success. With wine, bread, cheese, and chocolate, how could you possibly go wrong, right?

Eataly: Feast and Be Amazed

Yes, this is heaven. Yes, it does exist.

Balanced Breakfasts: Oatmeal, Smoothies, and More! - Recipes

I'm a yogurt eater. My breakfast usually consists of fat free plain greek yogurt, fresh fruit, a dash of cinnamon, and a little vanilla extract or cocoa powder. But after the disappearance of our local grocery store, keeping Greek yogurt (and fresh fruit) in the fridge has been a struggle, considering how much I actually eat in a week. So I've had to get creative and come up with some new breakfasts that I can make on a daily basis that are equally fast, easy, and of course, healthy and filling. Oatmeal, Smoothies, and Hard-Boiled Eggs have become my new domain.

Trying Times: Grocery Store Woes, Oatmeal Addictions, and Super Easy Taco Crockpot Soup

I know I haven't written a new post in a while, but part of my absence is due to the fact that it is COLD outside in Chicago this winter! Combine that with the absence of my local grocery store leads to a couple of depressed DePaul students.

Dominick's, the local grocery store chain right near my apartment, closed its doors in December, and with the sub-zero, snowy weather, I don't have enough warm clothes…or motivation…to venture out to Trader Joe's. So things around here have been a little…interesting.

Sinful Onion Gravy - Recipe

Last night, we had a twist on a wonderful classic: meatloaf with mashed potatoes and a delicious onion gravy reminiscent of the onion gravy served on brats that we had on our visit to Switzerland a few years ago.

To kick this classic dish up a few notches, we added some beautiful shredded parsnips to our meatloaf, and topped the whole thing with balsamic glaze and fresh tomatoes, which roasted and caramelized in the oven. The mashed potatoes were made "Tom" style in honor of our friend, who says that the best method for making mashed potatoes is to boil the potatoes with the onion and garlic in the pot of water in order to infuse the flavor. Everything was delicious, but the onion gravy was the star.

Although we put it on our meatloaf (and on mashed potato cakes with eggs for breakfast in the morning), this gravy is incredibly versatile. It would make a great topping for steak, on burgers, a veal cutlet or pork chop, or maybe for bangers and mash. The flavor is potent--rich, salty, and oniony. But I could seriously drink this stuff, and the rest of my family would probably agree.

A Feast for Fifty: Tim’s Birthday Celebration

My dad turned the big 5-0 last week, and to celebrate, we made a meal fit for a king to share with our family and friends. Take a look at the pics! You’re going to be envious.

Everything was enjoyed with some wonderful bottles of wine and, of course, a some fine Scotch.

A Twist on an English Classic: Cottage Pie with Mashed Cauliflower Topping – Recipe

This Cottage Pie is perfect for a cold winter day

As I posted a few weeks ago, I’ve been craving Shepherd’s Pie. The traditional English dish is hearty, perfect for a chilly winter day. My first day in St. Louis for winter break warranted such a dish, and boy, was it delicious.

Now the difference between Shepherd’s Pie and Cottage Pie is the meat that is used for the filling. Though many refer to the dish collectively as Shepherd’s Pie, a true Shepherd’s pie contains lamb meat. Since we prepared the dish with beef (although you could use any ground meat, including turkey, chicken, lamb, veal, or even sausage), it is technically a Cottage Pie.