French Vanilla Cake with Raspberry Filling

It's been a really hectic past couple of days in my kitchen, hence the lack of recipe posts lately. However I will be posting an explosion of recipes within the next couple of days, if not weeks to make up for it! For one, my sister and her family are driving in from Virginia and staying the week, so I've got some great meals planned during their visit. But before that, I've been working on a special baby shower cake for my friends Suzanne and Josh. They're expecting their first child, a baby girl, which they'll name Lily Grace. Suzanne and Josh had a baby shower today and I made their shower cake for the celebration. I was left to decide what flavor to make and chose a French Vanilla Cake with Raspberry Filling. It was a three tiered cake that was a hit with her friends and family that attended the shower, with enough leftover to share with their grandmother who couldn't attend...

And the Taste of the Nation Chicago winners are...

Thank you to all the local Chicagoland folks that participated in the Share our Strength: Taste of the Nation Chicago giveaway! Two lucky winners have been randomly selected based on the number of their comment, in response to what one of their favorite restaurants is in Chicago. Find out who won and what culinary adventures are planned for What's Cookin, Chicago in August...

Southwestern Chicken Stuffed Shells

Leftovers... you either love them or hate them! In our house, we like them and afford throwing away food as much as possible. So when we have a mish mosh of ingredients leftover, one way I like using them up is to come up with a filling of some sort. In this case, I had a few ingredients left over from a Tex Mex dinner I prepared. Looking what I had to work with, I made these Southwestern Chicken Stuffed Shells which turned out delicious!...

Ginger Pork Spring Rolls

Vietnamese cuisine is full of refreshing flavor and perfect for hot summer days. It's been awhile since I've had some really good Vietnamese fare (oh, how I miss living in the city!) but the cuisine really isn't too difficult to make at home. One of my favorite Vietnamese appetizers is the fresh spring rolls, also known as Goi Cuon. Traditionally, they're made with a combination of shrimp, pork and vermicelli noodles. For an easier twist on the traditional recipe, I made these Ginger Pork Spring Rolls. Although not quite authentic, it's a great substitute...

Triple Citrus Cheesecake Bars

Citrus flavors are all the rage during the summer months for it's refreshing flavor. With the raves I received on the recent Key Lime Cheesecake Bars I made recently, I decided to make them again with a slight twist. I used a combination of lemon, lime and orange to make these Triple Citrus Cheesecake Bars. It's one of the best ways to highlight summer's citrus fruits!

Best Ever Beef Dip Sandwiches

Number of hours cooking - 12 hours. Number of ingredients needed - 6 common ingredients. Number of pots/pans to cook in and clean - 1 slow cooker. Having an amazingly delicious dish on a sweltering summer day with little effort ... priceless. With the crazy heat these days I figured I'd use my slow cooker to make a meal and made these Best Ever Beef Dip Sandwiches. They certainly lived up to the name and who knew such a super easy recipe would result in something this good?!

Cherry Cream Cheese Tart

 I look forward to birthdays... especially those that aren't even mine. My mother in law recently had a birthday and the family got together to celebrate the other night. As a special treat, I made this Cherry Cream Cheese Tart to share. It makes for a beautiful presentation and is a great summer dessert, which is even better if you make your own cherry topping from scratch.

Double Chocolate Cheesecake

Every other Wednesday, friends come over for dinner to catch up on things - work, family, etc. I usually prepare a nice themed dinner spread and yesterday was no exception. It was a simple Spaghetti & Meatballs dinner, complete with bruschetta, an Italian salad, and garlic bread. However dessert was provided by my friend Rick. He's quite a baker and I could get used to his desserts for future dinner parties! For our dinner, he prepared his 'famous' Double Chocolate Cheesecake and wow, talk about a perfect sweet ending to our meal!...

GIVEAWAY! Share our Strength: Taste of the Nation Chicago

In less than a month, Chicago will be hosting a special charity event dedicated to raise awareness and funds needed to help end childhood hunger. This event is the highly respected and well known, Share Our Strength: Taste of the Nation charity benefit. Participating in this amazing event are national celebrity chefs, mixologists and individuals well known in the food industry. I'll be attending the event... and I have tickets for two lucky readers/fans to accompany me! So, if you're free on August 12th and are in the Chicagoland area, read on to learn more about the Share Our Strength charity event and how you can join me...

Veal Scaloppini with Lemon Cream Sauce

A popular recipe using veal is Veal Scaloppini. I've made scaloppini with pork and chicken in the past, but I will say making it with veal is much more tasty. Using veal cutlets I received from Strauss Brand free-raised veal, this recipe for Veal Scaloppini with Lemon Cream Sauce was outstanding! The veal was so tender against the crispy, crunchy crust and the lemon cream sauce just put it over the top!...

Mushroom Veal Burgers with Pesto Mayo

Here's a burger that may be considered controversial! It can be viewed as controversial because there are some strong feelings about the consumption of veal, which is the meat of young calves. The controversy lies in terms of animal welfare, in that some veal production procedures are considered inhumane. However one company I can trust for veal is Strauss Brand. They're a company not too far from me in Wisconsin that takes pride in raising free raised veal. I recently prepared these Mushroom Veal Burgers with Pesto Mayo using free raised veal from Strauss. With every bite, you get caramelized mushrooms and onions, tender veal, cool lettuce, juicy tomato and a creamy pesto mayo to tie it all together...

Dreams can & do come true...

After investing 10+ years in a human resources career, I left the corporate world and I'm no longer looking back. I thought about going back for the sheer comfort of having the benefits of working for a corporation once again, but I know there is something bigger waiting for me. This time, I'm not going to pass up the opportunity to do what I truly want to do. I've spent the past couple of years skipping over some great opportunities and I'm not getting any younger. I have a dream... and it's a dream that's slowly coming to reality. It's about time...

Chicken Canzanese

There is never a shortage of chicken recipes and sometimes a few recipes leave chicken dry and unflavorful. When I came across this recipe for Chicken Canzanese in my Cooks Illustrated magazine recently, I knew this chicken recipe would be nothing short of flavorful and moist. This recipe for Chicken Canzanese calls for chicken thighs braised in white wine flavored with prosciutto (bacon), rosemary, garlic, sage, red pepper flakes and whole cloves. That said, doesn't that already make your mouth water?...

Chicago's Urban Garden of Eatin'

Summer is a wonderful time to enjoy the beautiful gardens around the city. One such garden that many foodies can appreciate is the organic garden of our very own, Top Chef Master, Rick Bayless. I took some friends yesterday to Rick Bayless's house and we had a fabulous time learning all about Rick Bayless's Edible Garden...

Classic Stuffed Peppers

Vegetables can be a challenge to eat for some folks... like my husband. So in an effort to encourage more vegetables in our diet, I made these Classic Stuffed Peppers overflowing with deliciousness. Oh, there was no question these were delicious, as my husband ate it all. Well, kinda. He ate all the stuffing and left behind the peppers. Ha! So much for eating more vegetables! Nonetheless, this was a great meal that you could make ahead and freeze...

Monterey Melts

Let's be adventurous, shall we?... well, at least when it comes to grilled cheese sandwiches! I like a simple grilled cheese sandwich but there are times when I could go for something more interesting. For lunch, I prepared a twist on the classic grilled cheese sandwich using a few additional ingredients. These Monterey Melts were delicious, colorful and made with some West Coast inspiration...

Arroz con Pollo

Oh. Em. Gee. I've made my share of recipes and most turn out pretty darn good with my adaptations. However, very rarely do I make something and have an immediate urge to make it again... as in, within 24 hours. Perhaps this dish hit me to the core because it's like my ultimate comfort food, chicken and rice. Whatever the reason, this Arroz con Pollo is giving me a reason to go to the store later today to pick up more ingredients so I can make it again asap...

Tandoori Chicken

If there's one cuisine that I'm intimidated by, it's Indian cuisine. The use of so many spices to create complex flavors is daunting to me that I often shy away from Indian recipes. However, I'm facing my intimidation and slowing cooking Indian recipes at home because my husband and I love Indian cuisine for the bold flavors. One dish we especially like is Tandoori Chicken. I've always wondered how I could make it at home without a Tandoori oven. Well, I came across a stellar recipe that allows me to do just that! This Tandoori Chicken was fantastic and delivered all that bold flavor we expected!...

Classic Tiramisu

When I'm sitting at Olive Garden (I confess - dining there is my guilty pleasure), I'll tell my husband that we have to save room for dessert. Always. And as I enjoy my meal, I'm anxiously awaiting for the tiramisu cake to end things on a sweet note. Well, that was then... and things have since changed. Having found this recipe for Classic Tiramisu from Cook's Illustrated, I highly doubt I'll ever order tiramisu from OG or any restaurant again!

Philly Burgers

As a non-Philadelphia resident, I wish I had the luxury of accessing a true Philly cheesesteak at a moment's notice. Who could resist the gooey, melted cheese on top of a pile of flavorful ribeye steak adorned with caramelized onions and peppers? I was craving this delectable sandwich the other day and although I didn't have the major ingredients to attempt making a Philly cheesesteak, I made these Philly Burgers instead. Not exactly the same as the real thing, but it does pay homage to Philly's famous sandwich!

Creamy Macaroni & Cheese

How do you like your mac & cheese? Super cheesy? With a crunchy topping? Uber creamy? Well this recipe may just be for you. I recently made this Creamy Macaroni & Cheese recipe and it was fabulous. It had the perfect amount of cheese flavor, topped with buttery bread cubes for crunch and overall, a super creamy dish that beats any boxed version hands down!

Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs

With the super hot weather these days, I wasn't going to use my stove or oven to prepare dinner... and it was even way too hot to go out and fire up the grill. So how is dinner going to get on the table? By using the slow cooker/crockpot! On the menu were these Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs. It doesn't get any easier than this - 4 ingredients slow cooked to perfection. And if you're feeling ambitious, you can make homemade BBQ sauce from scratch to use in place of store bought sauce!

Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake

It's chocolatey, light and such a breeze to make! This Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake is deliciously amazing with its base of flourless chocolate cake, a middle layer of creamy chocolate mousse and the topping of a delicate white chocolate mousse. It may seem like an elegant, complicated recipe to prepare but it's much easier than you think. This dessert is quite a show stopper and all the effort is worth it even if it's for just one bite!...

Oven Fried Chicken

Let's face it, fried food tastes good. But in an effort to make healthier choices, nothing can really imitate the real thing, especially when adjusting fried food. Preparing oven fried chicken to be just as good as traditional fried chicken is a challenge. The challenge lies with having a crispy, crunchy coating without frying involved... but there is a solution and it's possible to have a delicious crispy coating on oven fried chicken! This Oven Fried Chicken recipe proves that point and is one that allows you to enjoy 'fried chicken' without the guilt...

Homemade Pita Bread

I like to make homemade bread from scratch but tend to do it more during the fall and winter months. However I couldn't hold off on making Homemade Pita Bread any longer. They're the perfect accompaniment to grilled meats like the Chicken Souvlaki I recently made. I'm so glad I made these and they're now going to be a bread I'll have on hand more often!

Chicken Souvlaki

We recently bought a new outdoor grill and I've been so eager to grill up our meals lately... especially with all the hot and humid weather we've had. Mediterranean cuisine is one that has a lot of grilled dishes, namely kabobs. I prepared Chicken Souvlaki which is essentially marinated chicken kabobs in Greek cuisine. This dish blew me and my husband away. The flavors just exploded in our mouths and was perfect to enjoy on a hot summer day...

Roasted Veggie Quesadillas

When you have a lot of various vegetables on hand, one great way to use quite a bit of them in one dish is to make something versatile. A versatile dish is quesadillas, where they can be filled with just about anything. I made these Roasted Veggie Quesadillas for my recent Latin Inspired Independence Day party and they were one of the first things that were eaten up!

Steak Ceasar Salad

To keep things cool in the kitchen, I tend to make more salads during the summer months. This Steak Ceasar Salad is a favorite of ours because the dressing is absolutely delicious. Making a homemade salad dressing beats any bottled version and it's easier than you think!

Key Lime Cheesecake Bars

Anything made with key limes just scream 'summer' to me! That's why it's no wonder I included these Key Lime Cheesecake Bars in my menu for our recent Latin Inspired Independence Day feast. They were absolutely perfect all around and definitely a favorite among my guests!

Mojo Chicken Wings

One of my favorite cuisines is Cuban. I love their use of tropical ingredients, signature flavors and how perfect it is to enjoy during the summer. A popular marinade and condiment in Cuban cuisine is mojo, which consists of citrus juices and garlic. For our recent Latin inspired Independence day party, I knew Cuban cuisine would have to be included. As a result, I made these Mojo Chicken Wings which were a hit!...

Chile Peach & Lime Ribs

Ribs are a must during the summer and for our recent party, I wanted to serve up something different from the usual BBQ slathered variety. These Chile, Peach & Lime Ribs were outstanding. From the name alone, you'd think these would be pretty spicy but much to the surprise of my guests, these ribs were more along the sweet side.

A Latin Inspired Independence Day

Happy Independence Day! Yesterday, we hosted a summertime party with friends and their families and it truly was a wonderful time. We got to see friends we haven't see in so long and our kids got to play together. It really is great to have our home filled with children laughing and running about.... while the adults mingled and of course, feasted on some Latin inspired eats I prepared. Check out what I served up on my Latin Inspired Menu and stay tuned for the recipes in the coming days for the following dishes!...

Blackberry Swirled White Chocolate Ice Cream

White chocolate is a great non-chocolate candy to enjoy... even more so in ice cream form! It also pairs nicely with fresh summer fruits too. With this in mind, I churned up this Blackberry Swirled White Chocolate Ice Cream and my, it's heavenly!

Roast Chicken with Spring Vegetables, Lemon & Capers

Freezer meals really get a bad rap, don't you think? I don't think it's fair that some folks automatically assume freezer meals are mainly soups, casseroles and baked pasta dishes. In fact, I had so much fun looking at non-freezer meal recipes and converting them to freezer meals... and when it comes to enjoy them, they're delicious and a far cry from mediocre tasting freezer meals some folks assume! One example is this recipe for Roast Chicken with Spring Vegetables, Lemon & Capers. This dish is bursting with citrus flavor, thanks to the marinade the chicken and vegetables soak up...

Pizza Stuffed Pretzels

As a stay at home mom, I tend to eat whatever I can find for lunch. The only exception is when I have friends over for lunch dates. Normally, I'll have lunch already prepared before my friends arrived but that wasn't the case the other day. My friend Suzanne came over recently and I had nothing really ready. After a peek in my fridge and pantry, I whipped up these Pizza Stuffed Pretzels while Suzanne and I chatted away in the kitchen. They came out great and perfect for lunch!...

Chocolate Peanut Butter 'Pieces Ice Cream

How is it that I married a man who thinks peanut butter is gross?! Well, it's no problem really because that simply means I can make all the peanut butter treats I want and have them all to myself! One such treat is this Chocolate Peanut Butter 'Pieces Ice Cream... and I love that he won't even touch it. It's a good thing too because it's one decadent and ridiculously delicious flavor...