Set the Table 2017 | Week 47

I saved our Thanksgiving turkey bones and I'm making fresh turkey stock right now as I type this belated post!

Anytime I make a turkey or chicken roast, I save the carcass (sometimes in the freezer) to make fresh stock later. It's so so so so so so so easy. Seriously. You can make stock in the crockpot (no babysitting needed) or on your stove top. I hope you try it someday! It's rumored to be pretty darn good for ya: Dr Axe - The Healing Power of Bone Broth for Digestion, Arthritis and Cellulite.

Tonight, I will be making a version of Bon Appetit's gorgeous Turkey and Mushroom Risotto Recipe (Peden & Munk photo cred).

Maaaaaaaaan, I sure wish I could teleport my kitchen smells to your device dear reader cuz it's throwin AMAZEBALLS!

***************************

• Each #SettheTable2017 post begins with a featured recipe(s) + upcoming week's game plan followed by a picture diary of last week's chaos. I sign off every post with a handy reference list of my favorite foodie articles. 
• #CatchmyGrit on my Instagram throughout the week to capture the fun, the food and the family table reactions (good and bad). C'est la vie, I selfy-ishly light it UP in pics and videos to keep truckin! 
• New to this series? Here's the STORY behind my #SettheTable2017 food adventures with Pure Barre Kildeer.
• My go to's for meal planning inspiration: 1. Jamie's Ultimate Recipes App + 5 Ingredients - Quick & Easy Food 2. Sarah Britton's My New Roots Blog + Recipe App) 3. Rachael Ray's Week in a Day Cookbook 4. Kimberly Snyder 5. The Pollan Family Table  6. Toss your Own Salad

Week 47's Game Plan:

• Turkey Ramen (Mac is gonna be SO happy)
• Taco Tuesday
• Jumbo Salmon Fish Fingers

Wrap it UP with last week's family table action:

Persimmon pudding! Ever tried it? Well, you should.

The salad forgotten, the tortillas, just a little moldy. The nachos, so very delicious.
#tacotuesday.

And here comes our Thanksgiving 2017...

Dear Mom and Dad, I am the luckiest girl alive to be living next door to you! Cheers to many many Thanksgivings and sunrises to come on the Diamond together! I LOVE YOU!!

Set the Table.
It all starts at home plate.

To the Mullies we go... 

xoxoL

ps

My Top 11 #SettheTable2017 Topics:

1. Study: Eating Food with Fewer Pesticides Boosts Women's Chances to Conceive.
2. Will the Gut-Brain Connection Revolutionize Wellness?
3. Come to the table - Join Slow Food USA!
4. Stay on TOP of the Global Food Revolution Newsfeed.
5. Robyn O'Brien: Why Our Food Is Making Us Sick.
6. Kimbal Musk Wants to Reengineer the American Stomach | Why Food is the New Internet. 
7. Buy Antibiotic Free and Know the Source of Your Family's Meat.
8. The EWG "Clean Fifteen + Dirty Dozen produce guidelines helps you save money + reduce the pesticides and herbicides = Antibiotics harmful to our gut microbiome + mycobiome.
9. Avoid artificial colors and preservatives to keep your gut, your "second brain" happy + healthy.
10. Why, When and How to Eat Wheat.
11. Why do Some People do well as Vegans and Vegetarians (Clues from the Magical World of Genetics).

Set the Table 2017 | Week 46

I don't know about you, but I always have more butternut squash than I need after roasting one.

Here's my latest butternut inspiration, and just in time for Thanksgiving! I was inspired by Jamie's Harissa Squash Salad and tweaked it into this loveliness.

I decided not to list the exact amounts of salad ingredients because I didn't measure them myself when I put it all together. SO, I am challenging YOU to make a salad with gumption too.

Trust your instincts and build your plate exactly how YOU want. You can high five me later.

A Grateful Butternut & Brussel Salad 

Roasted butternut squash
Instanbul spice blend (Raid your spice cabinet and sprinkle a little bit of each of these following: chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, coriander, basil, minced bay leaf).
Avocado
Pomegranate seeds
Feta cheese
Fresh lemon juice
Extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
freshly ground pepper
Mixed salad greens
Roasted brussel sprouts (I found them already halved + seasoned at Trader Joe's!)

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Halve your butternut squash, scoop out the pulp and cut into half and crescent moon chunks about 1/2-3/4 of an inch thick. (I leave the skin on because it's easier to take them off after roasting). Line a baking sheet or two with parchment paper or a silpat baking mat. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle generously with salt, pepper and whatever "Instanbul spices" you have on hand. Roast for 40 minutes. Let cool.

On another lined baking sheet, toss the halved and seasoned brussel sprouts with some extra virgin olive oil and spread out evenly. If unseasoned, toss with sea salt, garlic powder and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes - toss and roast for another 5-10 minutes or until leaves and edges begin to char. Let cool or serve over salad hot... just depends on how your timing assembly goes. It's all good!

Spread the salad greens over a large platter or serving plate. Using clean fingers, pinch off chunks of butternut squash from the skins and distribute as many squash "lumps" as you want over the salad. The more the merrier!

Slice in the avocados and generously sprinkle the pomegranate seeds (I probably used a cup or so) over the top. Squeeze fresh lemon juice all over the salad (I used an entire lemon) and sprinkle with extra virgin olive oil (a few tablespoons). Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Lastly, evenly distribute the feta cheese and top with the roasted brussel sprouts.

Enjoy setting your table with this colorful show stopper! I am forever grateful to be sharing it with you for Thanksgiving!

Gobble Gobble

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• Each #SettheTable2017 post begins with a featured recipe(s) + upcoming week's game plan followed by a picture diary of last week's chaos. I sign off every post with a handy reference list of my favorite foodie articles. 
• #CatchmyGrit on my Instagram throughout the week to capture the fun, the food and the family table reactions (good and bad). C'est la vie, I selfy-ishly light it UP in pics and videos to keep truckin! 
• New to this series? Here's the STORY behind my #SettheTable2017 food adventures with Pure Barre Kildeer.
• My go to's for meal planning inspiration: 1. Jamie's Ultimate Recipes App + 5 Ingredients - Quick & Easy Food 2. Sarah Britton's My New Roots Blog + Recipe App) 3. Rachael Ray's Week in a Day Cookbook 4. Kimberly Snyder 5. The Pollan Family Table  6. Toss your Own Salad

Week 46's Game Plan:

• Taco Tuesday
• Pork Tenderloin & Chutney
• THANKGIVING
• Leftovers for dayzzzzzzzzzz

Wrap it UP with last week's family table action:

Gawd I love making French Toast.

Taco (chicken fajita) Tuesday had the family table all over the place, and eating at different times. I sat down with Tommy boy after his basketball practice and in between my pitching lessons:) 

Super happy with the Pollan Family Table's Linguini with Spinach and Parmesan Breadcrumbs recipe. Everyone adored it and I will happily be making this again! It reheated really well for leftovers.

Happy HAPPY Thanksgiving to YOU and YOURS.

Set the Table.
It all starts at home plate.

To the Mullies we go... 

xoxoL

ps

My Top 11 #SettheTable2017 Topics:

1. Study: Eating Food with Fewer Pesticides Boosts Women's Chances to Conceive.
2. Will the Gut-Brain Connection Revolutionize Wellness?
3. Come to the table - Join Slow Food USA!
4. Stay on TOP of the Global Food Revolution Newsfeed.
5. Robyn O'Brien: Why Our Food Is Making Us Sick.
6. Kimbal Musk Wants to Reengineer the American Stomach | Why Food is the New Internet. 
7. Buy Antibiotic Free and Know the Source of Your Family's Meat.
8. The EWG "Clean Fifteen + Dirty Dozen produce guidelines helps you save money + reduce the pesticides and herbicides = Antibiotics harmful to our gut microbiome + mycobiome.
9. Avoid artificial colors and preservatives to keep your gut, your "second brain" happy + healthy.
10. Why, When and How to Eat Wheat.
11. Why do Some People do well as Vegans and Vegetarians (Clues from the Magical World of Genetics).

Set the Table 2017 | Week 45

It's time to SPICE UP your Thanksgiving family table planning!

Spiced Mango and Orange Chutney
Inspired by Emeril Lagassi's Mango Orange Chutney

1 diced red pepper
1 diced onion
1/2 jalapeno minced
1/2 knob fresh ginger minced
1-2 garlic cloves minced
1 small mild red chili pepper
1/4 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp Ras el Hanout seasoning
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)
1/2 tsp sea salt (salt more to taste)
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 large oranges (zest first then slice off pith and segment/dice)
3 cups frozen mango
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup coconut sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine diced red pepper & onions, minced jalapeno & chili, ginger, garlic, curry, ras el hanout, cayenne, sea salt and olive oil in a large bowl. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the pepper and onion soffritto evenly. Roast for 10 minutes. In the meantime, add diced oranges, mangno, vinegar, sugar to a large sauce pan. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Remove soffritto from oven, toss, spread evenly again and roast for another 5 minutes.

Once soffritto is finished roasting in the oven, add it all into the simmering mango pot. Simmer gently uncovered for 30-40 minutes and reduce until it becomes nice and thick like jam. Remove from heat, mash down the bigger chunks of mango if needed, let cool and serve. Or store in refrigerator until your big lovely dinner.

Cooking from scratch = Throwing a change up.

I don't do it every night... But ohhhhh when I do, gurrrrrrrrrl is it GOOD.

***************************

• Each #SettheTable2017 post begins with a featured recipe(s) + upcoming week's game plan followed by a picture diary of last week's chaos. I sign off every post with a handy reference list of my favorite foodie articles. 
• #CatchmyGrit on my Instagram throughout the week to capture the fun, the food and the family table reactions (good and bad). C'est la vie, I selfy-ishly light it UP in pics and videos to keep truckin! 
• New to this series? Here's the STORY behind my #SettheTable2017 food adventures with Pure Barre Kildeer.
• My go to's for meal planning inspiration: 1. Jamie's Ultimate Recipes App + 5 Ingredients - Quick & Easy Food 2. Sarah Britton's My New Roots Blog + Recipe App) 3. Rachael Ray's Week in a Day Cookbook 4. Kimberly Snyder 5. The Pollan Family Table  6. Toss your Own Salad

Week 45's Game Plan:

• Linguine with Spinach and Golden Parmesan Breadcrumbs (Pollan Family Table) TONIGHT!
• Taco Tuesday
• Cherry Chard Wild Rice (Quick & Easy Food) or this Rainbow Chard with Wild Rice and Blood Orange Vinaigrette recipe
• Harissa Squash Salad (Quick and Easy Food)

Wrap it UP with last week's family table action:

This dinner was off the cuff. I had some dried mushrooms and felt like stretching my table with a meatless pasta dish. I think I was the only one who ate the mushrooms:) Made a little stroganoff sauce with this and it turned out pretty good.

This One Pan Fabulous Fish is simply Fab. I still can't believe how easy, fast and delicious it was. It's been my most requested recipe off my instagram stories (just direct message me for it and I'll send it to ya). Jamie's meal and method is officially part of my monthly meal repertoire (that's a hard word to spell). 

I couldn't resist - Our Taco Tuesday matching, cozy slipper shot. 

Sideways - I turned the leftover mushroom stroganoff into a pot pie:) 

This is my dear friend and epic sous chef Jenn. She joined me in preparing last night's surprise 28th dinner party last night! I'll be her sous any day.

Check out this rad charcuterie! Thanks for heading that one up Jenn!

Surprise Corey!

Now let's set your birthday TABLE!!!! 

My friend Allie (aka wife of the year) hired me over 6 months ago to cook a surprise birthday dinner and boy did we have a great time! Go Big Ten! Northwestern all the way...

My Three Sister's Gazpacho and Succotash Salad has never looked or tasted so good! I'll be sharing this recipe in the coming weeks!

 Grill master Jenn. Gurl, you cooked those to perfection!

"Porked out waffles" with the lovely spiced mango & orange chutney!
(My dear Christina, our championship dish lives on and on and on and on... )

CHEERS!!!!!! I am officially ready for the holiday season!!!!!

Set the Table.
It all starts at home plate.

To the Mullies we go... 

xoxoL

ps

My Top 11 #SettheTable2017 Topics:

1. Study: Eating Food with Fewer Pesticides Boosts Women's Chances to Conceive.
2. Will the Gut-Brain Connection Revolutionize Wellness?
3. Come to the table - Join Slow Food USA!
4. Stay on TOP of the Global Food Revolution Newsfeed.
5. Robyn O'Brien: Why Our Food Is Making Us Sick.
6. Kimbal Musk Wants to Reengineer the American Stomach | Why Food is the New Internet. 
7. Buy Antibiotic Free and Know the Source of Your Family's Meat.
8. The EWG "Clean Fifteen + Dirty Dozen produce guidelines helps you save money + reduce the pesticides and herbicides = Antibiotics harmful to our gut microbiome + mycobiome.
9. Avoid artificial colors and preservatives to keep your gut, your "second brain" happy + healthy.
10. Why, When and How to Eat Wheat.
11. Why do Some People do well as Vegans and Vegetarians (Clues from the Magical World of Genetics).

Set the Table 2017 | Week 44

Simple Potato Soup

Chicken or Vege Stock
Organic potatoes
White balsamic vinegar
Sea Salt & freshly ground pepper
Organic bacon (optional)
Irish cheddar (optional)

Fill half of your soup pot with stock. Eyeball how many potatoes will fit in the pot and still be covered with liquid. Rinse and peel your potatoes. Quarter the potatoes. Add them to the stock. Bring to a boil and simmer until potatoes are cooked through (You should be able to pierce the potato chunks with a fork with no problem, like a pillow!). Using a hand held emulsion blender, blend until silky smooth (or transfer to a high speed blender). Add sea salt and pepper to taste. How do you know how much to add? Take a spoonful of unseasoned soup and taste it. Then take another spoonful of soup and add a pinch of salt to it. What a difference right? Season the soup pot with generous palmfuls of salt until you get it to taste like that original, perfectly salted spoonful. As for the white balsamic vinegar, add a tsp or two at a time and stir in. Taste. When you get it right it'll just POP in your mouth. Trust me, go for it. (I added between 2 and 3 Tbsp's I think.) A little acid will surely brighten up the soup. Hey, it got people like my Mom (who hates potato soup) to fall in love with this simple comfort food! MAJOR SCORE!

***************************

• Each #SettheTable2017 post begins with a featured recipe(s) + upcoming week's game plan followed by a picture diary of last week's chaos. I sign off every post with a handy reference list of my favorite foodie articles. 
• #CatchmyGrit on my Instagram throughout the week to capture the fun, the food and the family table reactions (good and bad). C'est la vie, I selfy-ishly light it UP in pics and videos to keep truckin! 
• New to this series? Here's the STORY behind my #SettheTable2017 food adventures with Pure Barre Kildeer.
• My go to's for meal planning inspiration: 1. Jamie's Ultimate Recipes App + 5 Ingredients - Quick & Easy Food 2. Sarah Britton's My New Roots Blog + Recipe App) 3. Rachael Ray's Week in a Day Cookbook 4. Kimberly Snyder 5. The Pollan Family Table  6. Toss your Own Salad

Week 44's Game Plan:

• One Pan Fabulous Fish (Quick & Easy Food)
• Taco Tuesday
• Linguine with Spinach and Golden Parmesan Breadcrumbs (Pollan Family Table)
• Rustic Tomato Soup + Grilled Cheese

Wrap it UP with last week's family table action:

Literally... wrapped Tommy up...

I turned the potato soup into a cheese sauce for our Halloween Taco Tuesday. I sort of forgot to soak the cashews (damn!) but had plenty of potato soup leftovers. I had made a vegan cheese sauce before from potatoes and carrots so I figured this little "change up" would work out just fine.

To my leftover potato soup, I added lemon juice, cayenne pepper and nutritional yeast from last week's Raw Cashew Cheese recipe to taste.

Not to shabby my pretties... not too shabby!

I was gone from my family table two days this week for a downstate trip to the Action for Healthy Kids IA/IL School Wellness Conference. Here was the first slide of our presentation - The West Oak School Chef's Tasting Table adventures with Sue Kruckman (School Nurse and Wellness Committee member).

We begin this year's Chef's Tasting Table series on Thursday at West Oak!

Around 20 family tables of 20 people wined, dined and raised their paddles for Pilot Light Chefs on Friday. I am an Advisory Board Member for this incredible Chicago food education organization and I was honored to volunteer as Table Host for Chef Paul Kahan (Pilot Light Chefs Founder, One Off Hospitality) and Chef Ryan Pfeiffer (Chef De Cuisine, Blackbird).  

It was an incredible, awe inspiring night of food and wine. Our fundraising goal was obliterated (I cannot WAIT for the final numbers...) All proceeds will directly fund and support teacher institutes, common core aligned food ed lessons, and portable kitchen units that are reimagining curriculum around food in the classroom. 

Good food education is magic. 

And I believe 

in

Magic.

Set the Table. 
It all starts at home plate.

To the Mullies we go...

xoxoL

ps

My Top 11 #SettheTable2017 Topics:

1. Study: Eating Food with Fewer Pesticides Boosts Women's Chances to Conceive.
2. Will the Gut-Brain Connection Revolutionize Wellness?
3. Come to the table - Join Slow Food USA!
4. Stay on TOP of the Global Food Revolution Newsfeed.
5. Robyn O'Brien: Why Our Food Is Making Us Sick.
6. Kimbal Musk Wants to Reengineer the American Stomach | Why Food is the New Internet. 
7. Buy Antibiotic Free and Know the Source of Your Family's Meat.
8. The EWG "Clean Fifteen + Dirty Dozen produce guidelines helps you save money + reduce the pesticides and herbicides = Antibiotics harmful to our gut microbiome + mycobiome.
9. Avoid artificial colors and preservatives to keep your gut, your "second brain" happy + healthy.
10. Why, When and How to Eat Wheat.
11. Why do Some People do well as Vegans and Vegetarians (Clues from the Magical World of Genetics).