The best thing I ate today - 8/25

The best thing I ate today was the black bean quinoa (thank you Epicurious for the recipe and specifically your phone app that I used in the grocery store) that I made as a side dish for dinner.  Readers (all 2 of you), let me tell you that my husband, who will eat just about anything, is not partial to quinoa and I have "poisoned" the quinoa well in the past with sub-standard recipes and executions.  However, with an open mind we both enjoyed this healthier grain side-dish. Seasonings included chili powder and cumin and sauteed onions really makes this dish.  It carries a nice Southwestern flair and flavor, which and made it the winning dish of the day.

The best thing I ate today - 8/24

The win today goes to the dinner that we made - Grilled Lime-Soy Tuna with Noodles and Miso-Mixed Vegetable Salad (thank you Cooking Light for the recipe).  This is the third time I have made this dish, and the third time was the charm.  My husband Marc grilled the tuna perfectly, making it look exactly like the picture.  I made the delicate bed of the noodles and carrots shallow, as to keep this low carb.  The side of crunchy miso sugar snap peas was a perfect vegetable accompaniment.  The overall dish had a fresh, tangy asian flavor and was a perfect summer dinner outside.

The best thing I ate today - 8/23

The win today goes to a very unassuming, under-appreciated member of my edible cast- my breakfast oatmeal.  You see, while working at Quaker Oats, I developed an addiction to the stuff (maybe because it was free).  So, if I go more than a few days without oatmeal I start to jones for it.  Lately I have been partial to the McCann's Irish Quick & Easy Steel Cut.  For me, Oatmeal is steam table, steel cut or bust.  I am partial to this oatmeal because it maintains the chewy substantive texture I crave, while preparation time is only 5-10 minutes.  Topped with fresh blueberries, a dollop of brown sugar and a hint of cinnamon, this really was a great way to start the day.

The best thing I ate today - 8/22

The win today goes to a dish at a tapas dinner with my friend Rashmi at Nia Mediterranean.  It was the sleeper dish of the meal, a chicken brochette with romesco and cumin sauces.  The chicken arrived on a skewer and had been grilled to tasty, juicy perfection.  The two sauces were very nice, one was more of a sun-dried tomato chutney and the other was a mild, mustardy cumin sauce.  This dish was Rashmi's pick, so she got the last bite!

The best thing I ate today - 8/21

Determining the best thing I ate today was a tough challenge amidst the terrific spread laid out by our friends Julie and Dan at their Air & Water show party.  However, the win goes to an unassuming little treat on the dessert tray which I have later come to find out was a mini turtle cupcake from Baker Boys in Highland Park.  Here is where I must admit to my readers (all 2 of them) that I, Cindy Karas Sherman, am a caramel addict.  This cupcake did not have the fanciful toppings and frostings of its friends...red velvet, peanut butter cup, oreo and the like.  However, I saw a light carmel drizzle and some nuts and my caramel radar started going off.  With good reason...the morsel was delectable.  Inside was an ooey, gooey caramel center surrounded by light and delicious chocolate cake. Who needs the Blue Angels when you have caramel to make your stomach do flips.

The best thing I ate today - 8/20

The best thing I ate today was my bowl of delicious ramen noodles over a rainy afternoon lunch with my dear friend Sari.  We went to Bill Kim's Urban Belly, a departure from my regular Belly Shack.  I enjoyed the smoky and complex beef broth, comforting noodles and flavorful (and surprisingly lean) BBQ beef.   The strip-center style parking in the middle of a rainstorm was an added lunchtime bonus, you could almost call it dessert.

The best thing I ate today - 8/19

The best thing I ate today was the crunchy papper and parmesan crusted halibut with cherry tomato-basil sauce (thank you for the recipe Rachel Ray). I prepared this myself and served it over a bed of pesto couscous with a balsamic reduction drizzle. It was delicious, the perfect Friday night pre-theatre summer dinner. It is satisfying, yet light. Kind of gives me the fix of a fresh pasta sauce, but without the pasta. The fish is crusted in a cornmeal which gives it a really nice texture and some added dimension.

The best thing I ate today - 8/18

The best thing I ate today was my lunch at the new Ikram Cafe. She has opened a cafe in her new red box Chicago flagship store. I was enjoyed my vegetable sandwich over lunch with my friend Amy. Vegetable sandwiches are usually not my "go to" menu item, because they are usually eggplant and mushroom heavy - this was neither. It was was a delicious combination of roasted peppers, green and yellow squash and smoked mozzarella. All topped with a very fresh pesto. A special shout-out to the folks at Ikram. They delivered a delicious, friendly and approachable dining experience which is something I cannot say about their friends Fred & Barney down the street.

The best thing I ate today - 8/17

The best thing I ate today was my lovely lunch at the outside patio at the always good Milk & Honey. I dined on a fresh salad of romaine lettuce, the season's best tomatoes, chicken and my best friend bacon. I lightly topped it with their tangy garlic-infused green goddess dressing. But, what really made the meal was my company. I had the chance to sneak away with my good friend Danielle and have a proper, al fresco girls lunch. And for once I opted out of their mini size cupcake because good, old-fashioned girl talk was all the dessert I needed.