My {Taste of Chicago} Fix

Rainbow Cone from Original Rainbow Cone

40 tents of food,

17 food trucks, hot sun,

cold beer, live music.

The Taste of Chicago food festival was a carnival of sight, smell and taste! Over my one week stay in the Windy City, I got to experience city icons like deep dish pizza, classic Italian pasta, and even finger-lickin' BBQ -- but the bites I had at Taste really take the cake.

Immediately after entering the gates I was sucker punched with a cornucopia of culinary delicacies and the aroma of roasted sweet corn and funnel cake.

Now of course I did my research ahead of time on ideal booths to stop and sample, but with more than 70 choices, the gravity of barbecued meats and cinnamon churros was enough to make even a foodie like myself disoriented. 

The currency system was tickets, which you could trade for a small taste of an item or a full-sized meal. At some restaurant booths it was heartbreaking to walk away with only a sample of what treats they had to offer, but I had to stick to my game plan and try every fried, pickled, charred, dipped and candy-coated morsel I could manage to sip, chew, and munch.

My marathon of eating capped at 10 individual portions, where I found a vacant hammock and soaked up the summer sun with an ice-cold beer.

Pad Thai + Potstickers from Star of Siam

Truffle Fries with Rosemary Aioli from The Fat Shallot

Smoked Aligator Sausage form Chicago Dog House

Authentic Chicago Dog from Gold Coast Dogs 

Jerk Chicken + Red Beans and Rice from Zee-Zee's African Restaurant

Bulgogi (marinated ribeye beef) from Jin Ju

My {Guacamole} Fix

Four avocados, 

a little citrus and spice,

makes my day so nice!

Holy Moly Guacamole 

Serves 6 

This is such a fun date night recipe! My boyfriend, Wes, has been perfecting this recipe for years now and it is always fun to head into the kitchen and make it together.

It takes time to chop up all the ingredients and clean up, but I've made it for a lot of family parties and everyone goes crazy over this recipe. The dynamic flavors, lime juice and little kick of spice really make this guacamole a crowd-pleaser! 

4 avocados, cubed

1 bunch of cilantro, finely chopped

4 tomatoes, diced

1/3 onion, diced

1 large jalapeño, diced

1 clove fresh garlic, pressed 

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon cumin

Juice of 2 limes

Sea salt to taste

1 bag tortilla chips 

And the secret ingredient? {1/3 cup whipped cream cheese}

The cream cheese adds texture and fluffiness to your guacamole. I've also tried plain Greek yogurt and low-fat sour cream, but the cream cheese is my favorite. Don't be intimidated by the amount either, this recipe makes a big batch of guacamole so you'll only be eating a small portion of the cream cheese.

Find a large mixing bowl. Wash and chop up your veggies, placing them into the bowl as you go. 

TIP: You will want to remove the inside of the tomatoes, so the guacamole doesn't become watery. Just use a serrated knife to cut all the seeds out. 

Make sure to remove the seeds from the jalapeños, and avoid touching your face and eyes. This guacamole is fairly spicy, so you may want to cut the amount of jalapeños in half if you don't like a lot of heat in your guacamole. 

Once all of your ingredients are added in the same bowl, gently mix them all together. Add sea salt to taste. 

It's best to let the guacamole chill in the refrigerator for an hour but if you can't wait, I understand. Most of the time, I can't either!

Plate with tortilla chips and fresh cilantro!

You will most likely have leftovers once you are done chowing down. Make sure to put the remaining guacamole in a Tupperware container in the refrigerator so it doesn't brown.

I love to eat the leftovers for breakfast in the morning! Just toast some whole wheat bread, cook your eggs however you like them, and add the guacamole for a flavor-packed breakfast sandwich!

Happy cooking! And as always, Happy Eating!

My {Macaroon} Fix - Dining Profile Video

Happy National Macaroon Day!

The Phoenix Public Market Cafe is a great spot to relax with friends, hang out on the patio or grab an artfully crafted pastry. The macaroons come in flavors like strawberry, blackberry and white chocolate vanilla bean! The restaurant is open everyday serving up breakfast, lunch and dinner with local and seasonal ingredients.

Check out my dining profile on the cafe!