The decorated windows, Christmas lights strewn on houses, and blow-up turkeys in neighboring yards epitomizes the honest reality that the holiday season is here! This means it is time for me to ...
If you have you never tasted a butternut squash pie, it might be hard to imagine that it is even better than a pumpkin pie. I am not saying that pumpkin pie isn’t delicious, and I know it is ...
Soup season is in full swing, and in my and many other chef’s opinions, what makes a great soup is a great stock. While homemade chicken, vegetable, and beef stock are great, I want to introduce you ...
When people think of Italian pasta sauces, one of the most popular that comes to mind is Bolognese, a hearty meat sauce with roots in Bologna. However, bolognese (or ragù alla bolognese) is often ...
Over the past month, my one-year-old daughter Willa has become increasing obsessed with pumpkins, ghosts, skeletons, and fall leaves. Before the autumn season, anything that resembled an apple ...
Students always ask me: What made you want to go into the culinary industry? My simple answer is: Nothing makes me happier than bringing people together over food. Thanksgiving is a day where ...
Many moons ago, I created a class at The Chopping Block called Modernist Boot Camp. This class was… long. And complicated to put on. And expensive. And of limited appeal. For these reasons, the class ...
Still have Halloween Candy? Make these Cookie Bars
Halloween is over and chances are, you might have some (in my case, a ton) leftover candy to deal with! My days of hosting a big Halloween party are over, but my daughter, Scarlett, is now 20 months ...
We have all been there - you buy an ingredient for a recipe and then you don’t know what to do with the rest of it! Or, you buy too much of something and then have to figure out how to use it all ...
Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Crostata for Your Holiday Table
The holidays are quickly approaching whether we like it or not, so now is the time to start thinking about recipes for the holiday table and/or dinner parties with friends.
I’ve never met a biscuit that I don’t like. Now that we are in full pumpkin season, I am finding ways to add them to my recipes. These pumpkin biscuits are slightly sweet, so flaky and delicious.
Fall is, hands down, my favorite season. The foliage, the beanies and most importantly, the comforting food. Every year, my friends and I host a potluck meetup with a bountiful table of food that ...
Anyone who knows me knows that I am a bit self-conscious when it comes to baking and pastry. I also have a very ornery dog with a huge appetite. He is too cute (and tall) for his own good!
It's finally my favorite time of year: soup season! I am a big fan of one pot wonders packed full of flavor and satiety. I like to make big batches of soups or stews because they are easy to reheat, ...
This dish utilizes by far one of the oldest known cooking methods from across the world, not to mention one of the most labor-intensive ones as well. That's on account of having to dig a large hole ...
When the air is crisp, and the leaves have exploded in beautiful colors, what better way to celebrate the season than with a drink that tastes just like apple pie? Making big batches of this apple ...
It's that wonderful time of year again - the weather is changing, and apple season is in full swing. That means Apple Fest is right around the corner! This is one of my favorite neighborhood events ...
Garam masala is a magical spice blend because it can be used in sweet and savory recipes. The name literally translates to “warming spices” because it contains a blend of spices that, when combined, ...
This golden mushroom beef stew is the best beef stew I’ve made to date. The secret ingredient? Campbell’s Golden Mushroom Soup. I must have been living under a rock, because in my 56 years on this ...
Apples are the true favorite fruit of fall, and with good reason. If you live in the Midwest, there's ample access to apple picking, and you can find a wide variety of fresh, crisp flavors at local ...
I recently visited my soon-to-be in-laws and was met with some trouble cooking them dinner. The possibilities were endless but somewhat limited because their nieces and nephews are so, so picky! The ...
If you’ve been keeping up with The Chopping Block’s blog, Facebook page, and Instagram posts, you’ve undoubtedly noticed a lot of apple references! Well, it’s definitely the season with apples ...
Fall in Love with Apples' Health Benefits and this Recipe
An apple a day keeps the doctor away. We've heard this old-school mantra all our lives. But just how true is that statement about the quintessential fall fruit?
Feeding My Sourdough Starter Rye Flour: A Flavorful Twist
One of the joys of maintaining a sourdough starter is its versatility. It adapts easily to different flours, making every loaf a new adventure. If you’re just starting out with sourdough, you might ...
Lincoln Square's Apple Fest is right around the corner, which gets me thinking about all things apple. When September rolls around, I am excited to go pick apples. The first thing that comes to mind ...
Is it apple season? Or pumpkin season? Or both? Some people have strong opinions on which fall flavor reigns supreme. I do love a pumpkin spice latte (I’ll admit that I’ve already enjoyed one this ...
Summer is coming to an end, but you wouldn’t know it with this recent heat wave that we’ve been having here in Chicago. The best way to cool off is to make some homemade ice cream. I don’t know about ...
When I saw that The Chopping Block was offering a Cooking for Life class, I was SO excited! The class is focused on eating to nourish your body and mind, which is exactly what I’ve been doing for ...
One of the best parts of planning a trip is researching the local food scene to make sure I hit all of the highlights. I recently returned from a trip to Maui, Hawai'i with my sister, and the food ...
I will never tire of hearing the term 'simple and delicious' in regard to meals prepped and enjoyed at home. I am a firm believer in the notion of eating your first meal of the day within the first ...
My love for tomatoes started when I was really little, eating them straight off the vine from the garden. Tomatoes are so versatile, you can do just about anything with them. From eating them raw to ...
If you’ve been following my culinary adventures, you might remember that time I burnt my onions (on purpose, of course!) and made a leek ash, or the deep dive we took into the world of fermentation ...
Bean Club deliveries from Rancho Gordo are piling up! So, it’s time for another bean blog, but this time, we'll focus on a different legume. Occasionally, we get a grain or kernel as a special ...
I just love when I have a 'Eureka!' in the kitchen. It’s that moment when you come up with an idea and just need to test it out to see if it works. I am sure I have not reinvented the wheel and ...
I have cherry fever! It started when we took a trip to Traverse City, Michigan last month, and cherries were everywhere. It’s known as “The Cherry Capital of the World” because the climate and soil ...
I can’t be the only one whose FYP on social media was flooded with different variations of smash burger tacos, and I’m not mad at it! These went viral for good reason – they're burgers in taco form ...
Do you love a good tart, but hate making the crust? This one’s for you! The folded phyllo sheets create a beautiful “crust” that’s light and flaky. An easy savory-with-a-hint-of-sweetness dish, along ...
Chicago summer has turned out quite nice. Given the warmer weather, I have been inspired to eat more salads lately. My favorite homemade dressing also happens to be clean eating. This cashew ranch ...
Summer is a time of vibrant colors, fresh flavors, and an abundance of seasonal vegetables. It’s also a great time to get creative in the kitchen by converting some of your fast food favorites into ...
Pizza just might be the most recognizable, if not most popular, food in the world! The market for frozen pizza in the U.S. alone is nearly $7 billion dollars with hundreds of brands and styles across ...
Anyone who knows me, knows I love snacks. I also love recreating classic snacks from scratch. There’s something special about making wholesome food at home with simple ingredients, knowing exactly ...
We find ourselves in the early stages of high summer. This unfortunate circumstance comes with many downsides if you live in upstate New York. Blistering temperatures (hotter every year!), air thick ...
Although I’m mostly retired from recreational softball, that’s how I met my wonderful friends Adam and Celine Kaleta. In addition to being teammates, we also share a love of good food – that’s how ...
Well, here we are again! Nobody asked for it, but here is another egg obsession blog. I am always in search of new and different ways to prepare eggs. I admit my daily go-to styles are scrambled or ...
When my daughter heads back to college in the fall, she will be living in an apartment with three of her friends. Because she won’t have the convenience of walking over to the dining hall for her ...
Hooters' Buffalo Shrimp is an iconic dish for good reason. The shrimp are perfectly coated in a crispy batter and tossed in a buttery buffalo sauce that is seriously lip-smacking delicious. The ...
Producing homemade jam is an experience that connects you with the farmers that grow seasonal produce, the process of working with that produce, and the joy of taking such delicious fruit and turning ...
In the array of Korean cuisine, one dish reigns supreme: Kimchi. It's a versatile staple, gracing tables as a side or condiment for nearly every meal. Traditionally, it's made with Napa cabbage or ...
Tasting Table: A New Chopping Block Chef Experience
The Chopping Block is lucky to have many talented chef instructors dedicated to helping the local community and beyond learn how to cook! Unlike other recreational cooking programs, the chefs at TCB ...
Scapes are here! Many are unaware of this wonderful vegetable, but if you know where to look for them during this brief season, you are in for a treat. Scapes are only around in late spring - early ...
May was Haitian Heritage month. My husband is Haitian, and I’m always looking to learn more about Haitian cuisine so I can pass that part of her heritage onto my daughter. I learned a long time ago ...
Teaming Up with Driftless Prairie Meats and Market
Farmers market season is finally upon us. One of my favorite parts of shopping at the market is being able to meet the farmers and become familiar with where my food is coming from. I love that The ...
If you haven't yet jumped on the beet bandwagon, consider this your official invitation! Beets are truly one of nature's vibrant treasures, and there's no better way to dive in than with a delicious ...
When you visit your friend who has a fabulous garden full of fruit, vegetables and herbs, and she gives you more rhubarb than you know what to do with, you make jam. Rhubarb is a perennial plant ...
With the official first day of Summer not scheduled for another few weeks, Memorial Day always seems to be the unofficial start of the season. It certainly was for us! While we ate indoors, our first ...
Five years ago, I was diagnosed with a large brain tumor and went through several surgeries to have it removed. Needless to say, this was a life-changing event! It took me 45 years and a life of ...
Sweet and Savory Delight: How to Make Rosemary Shortbread Cookies
When you take one of The Chopping Block's culinary vacations with Onward Travel, you will be part of a small group of travelers who all enjoy food and wine. Each group is different, of course, but ...
One of the most impossible questions I get asked as a chef is “What is your favorite thing to cook?” It's hard to answer because I rarely cook the exact same dish twice! The exception to this rule is ...
Finally, it’s plum season! Plums are typically in season May through October, but they are at their peak in June through August in the U.S. California grows the majority of domestic plums, but ...
When teaching a class, there’s one question I get asked most and that’s “what’s your favorite type of food to make?” It’s a really hard question to answer, because I love all types of food and ...
I was first introduced to Dukkah when I received a copy of Instantly Mediterranean by Emily Paster in advance of a virtual Instant Pot class (remember those days?!) we did together two years ago. For ...
Ramps: Not Just a Plane With a Constant Slope Between Two Points
Spring is home to a class of plants that are perhaps the most magical we get all year: the ephemerals. These are plants that appear briefly as the weather begins to warm, then disappear into dormancy ...
Let’s talk about prunes. Yes, you heard me right… prunes. Most of us know prunes for their role in digestive health and their laxative-like effect. But this dietitian wants you to know that we’ve ...
If you are in the Midwest, you might be wondering if spring will ever arrive. Every year it feels at odds that the biting cold of April will ever yield to the warm and sunny days of May. At least to ...
As the spring season unfolds across the Midwest, a wave of excitement ripples through the culinary world as we anticipate the arrival of ramps. These wild alliums, sought after for their delicate ...
Sometimes we get requests for classes that are a little too niche for our general audience at The Chopping Block. So, when my team discussed a recent request for a “cooking for one” class, I ...
Until my mom called me to tell me she was heading back to her hometown of Dover-Foxcroft, Maine, to view the solar eclipse today (April 8th), because it’s located in the path of totality, I really ...
Have you ever heard of Basque country? This region in Europe spans over the northern part of Spain and the southern part of France. This area of the world is known for numerous culinary delights ...
Before I met my husband, I had never experienced the pleasure of enjoying Polish cuisine. I grew up in a Jewish household and enjoyed many traditional dishes like gefilte fish, kugel, matzoh ball ...
Have you ever planned a get-together with friends and focused so much on the dinner that you forgot about a little nibble beforehand? Or you’ve offered to bring an appetizer to a gathering that’s a ...
The two things that are always present in Fatteh are tahini-laced yogurt and crunchy pita chips. Fatteh is a layered dish a little bit like nachos: toasted pita chips topped with a savory topping ...
I'm back with another bean edition! I have such a variety of beans stocked up that I might as well pop in every so often with a new bean recipe for you. Legumes have been a big part of my heritage, ...
Birthdays were always special in my house growing up. I managed to draw out the celebration and enjoyed the whole month rather than just one day! I got to choose what we had for dinner, and usually ...
One of the coolest parts of my job is being able to test new recipes and make sure they work to fit the needs of our classes and events. I love being able to take a recipe that I have never made ...
One of the only things that can make bagels better than they already are is by making them rainbow colored! Bagels are one of those foods that most people are intimidated by and overestimate the ...
Braising and slow cooking are among my favorite cooking methods. These dishes are full of deep rich flavor, typically come together in one pot, and utilize an array of inexpensive cuts of meat. When ...
Swiss meringue buttercream is always my go-to buttercream for cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and everything in between. It has a silky smooth, soft, fluffy texture, which makes it so easy to work with. ...
Sweet and spicy, crispy and crunchy, savory and scrumptious. These are the words that describe the epic Korean fried chicken my husband and I made last weekend. Everyone in my family loves fried ...
Are you tired of settling for lackluster gluten-free pizza options that leave you wanting more? Does the dough taste like a flavorless cracker that falls apart by just looking at it? Well, get ready ...
Pasta Workshop is one of my favorite classes to teach at The Chopping Block. Students are always so engaged in the pasta making and want to continue on with it outside of the classroom. Since most ...
“Citrus Season” is considered to be December through April, so we are smack in the midst of it right now – and does my kitchen ever show it! We have everything from Clementines and Ruby Red ...
With sous vide becoming a more accessible kitchen tool, I feel it is often seen as the one method home cooks should use to cook anything, and the truth is, it isn’t. While you technically could cook ...
Have you ever attempted making cheese sauce at home and found it to be a bit of a kitchen challenge? In a world where gluten allergies are on the rise, using a roux isn’t always my go to. And often ...
In a previous blog, Making Sense of Cooking Fats, I briefly touch on one of my favorite fats for cooking: tallow. Tallow is rendered beef fat from the kidney and other fatty areas of the steer. ...
Dumplings, sweet or savory filled packages of yumminess, can be found in pretty much every corner of the world. From Polish pierogi to Korean mandu to Spanish empanadas to Italian ravioli, dumplings ...
My childhood Christmases and New Year's mornings were practically sponsored by the scent of cinnamon rolls. It was the kind of tradition that set the tone for a day filled with joy and holiday ...
This won’t be your traditional Texas style chili, but it will contain all of the same rich and spicy flavors you would expect from such. My Tex-Mex chili follows the techniques and flavor profiles of ...
The holiday season is in full swing, and that means Christmas cookies! This time of year always brings me back to being a little kid, baking cookies with my mom. Every year we make a variety of ...
