Today Dishing: BLT Salad

Made this salad to accompany homemade pizzas. It is colorful and delicious.

                                              
BLT  Salad

2 entree size servings

2 cups butter lettuce, chopped
2 cups fresh arugula, chopped
1 pint grape tomatoes, quartered
4 slices thick-cut bacon, fried and crumbled
1 cup sweet corn
1 avocado, chopped
1/2 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
4 ounces feta, crumbled
1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 lime, juiced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

Combine lettuce, arugula, tomatoes, corn, garbanzo beans and avocado in a large bowl.
Mix together salt, pepper, olive oil and lime juice and add to salad.
Add bacon and feta and toss into salad.

Enjoy this quick and easy salad as an entree or side salad.

Today Dishing: Day Two in Dallas

Needing coffee and a quick nosh before embarking on day two, we inquired about a Starbuck's location. "On the next corner", we were told. We sped to the corner and found nothing. The curious thing about Dallas is that there are no retail stores and few restaurants at ground level.  The lack of retail diminishes the amount of foot traffic, thus no people walking around.This is a noticeable difference from what we are accustomed to in Chicago. After making another inquiry, we learned the Starbuck's was located on the basement level  of the commercial building at the corner. Our scavenger hunt over, we ate.

Coffee in hand, we made our way to the light rail station where we boarded for our ten minute ride to The George W. Bush Presidential Library on the campus of SMU. The library offers inter-active and engaging educational activities. One room is dedicated to 911, the day and the activities of the days that followed. In the center of that room stands twisted, charred girders from the World Trade Center. And although , Marianne and I both visited the 911 Memorial in NYC seeing these massive twisted girders was chilling.
                                     
This was my first Presidential Library experience but Marianne has visited four and she ranks this one second to The Kennedy Library. I say this is certainly a worthwhile stop on any trip to Dallas.
Admission: $15.

Opting to walk to the Dallas Arts District we worked up an appetite. Heeding the tip from a parking valet, we headed to Savor. This gastropub is located in the 5.2 acre deck park which provides green space to the downtown area. The food delighted us, the activities in the deck park entertained us and "the see and be seen" crowd in the restaurant enchanted us.

Located in the center of the Dallas Arts District, the Cathedral Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, built in 1898, allowed us a few  minutes of quiet reflection amidst elaborate stained glass windows.

The Dallas Arts District plays home to the Nasher Sculpture Garden  and Museum. Coming from Chicago we were perplexed by the large concrete wall  around the garden limiting people passing from enjoying the art. The garden as well as the museum  offers a worthwhile use of your time.
Admission: $10

The Nasher Sculpture Garden

                                       
Drake, the concierge at the Adolphus reserved seating for us at Dakota's. Dakota's sits on a plot of land formerly occupied by a Baptist Church. The land acquisition stated no alcohol could ever be sold "on" that property. For that reason Dakota's is one floor below street level. A ride down a glass elevator to a subterranean courtyard reveals a five tiered waterfall. The art deco/beaux arts architecture provides a stunning backdrop to this unique dining experience. I  recommend this spot for both the food and the circuses.

This day again ended with wine and chocolate cake in the lobby of the Adolphus.

I stayed in Oakcliff for four additional days but Marianne flew home late Saturday afternoon but not before checking out Old Red.  The following is her assessment of Old Red.

Below is the interior of Old Red where I spent three hours.  Built in 1892 as a courthouse, it now is an extraordinary museum covering the history of Dallas County with many interactive exhibits, films, and artifacts. Most interesting of the latter are Clyde Barrow's gun, Tom Landry's fedora, a KKK hood, a flapper wedding dress bought in 1925 from Neiman Marcus, and the handcuffs worn by Lee Harvey Oswald. 

Lee Harvey Oswald was held at the old Municipal Building on Main with an exit on Commerce. He was being transferred to the Criminal Courts building (across from Old Red) when he was shot.

Last note about the Adolphus: After visiting Old Red Marianne tripped and fell. Upon reaching the Adolphus, the concierge called for the hotel car and directed the driver to take her to a  near-by Primary Care facility. While the Doctor checked her and bandaged her leg, the driver remained with her the entire time. When released the driver drove her to the airport and refused any payment.... even a tip. Instead he told her to enjoy a glass of wine and relax before boarding the plane.

Now if that's not going above and beyond, I don't know what is. A big shout out to the Adolphus and it's staff. We strongly recommend this hotel.

Honestly, if you plan well two or three days is sufficient to explore Dallas. Our unsuccessful attempts to dine at Wolfgang Puck's Five Sixty in Reunion Tower leave us with reason to return.

The "lights at night are big and bright...."

                                         

 

In days to come, I will include a blog about the eight establishments I dined at in the Bishop's Arts District.

Today Dishing: Dallas in Two Days, Y'All

Can you make a dent in discovering a city in two days time? This was the challenge taken up by my friend Marianne and me. Destination: Dallas, Texas. Time Allowed: 80 hours.

Twenty-nine hours of our allotted time included the road trip to Dallas, which got us to Norman Oklahoma the first day.  We lucked out by finding a Charleston's Restaurant in Norman steps away from our hotel. A warm cozy dining room, a knowledgeable server and two delicious meals helped us relax and ready ourselves for the next day.

Just three hours out of Dallas, we made it into town mid-morning. Early check-in posed no problem at the Adolphus. The Adolphus, built in 1921, oozes charm and southwestern hospitality. The staff could not have been more helpful and attentive. More on that later.

Our ambitious itinerary, planned by Marianne, required us to check-in, drop our bags and get busy.

First Stop: Dealey Plaza
We walked the planned motorcade route for November 22, 1963, then stopped to check out the changed route. The JFK Memorial sits on the edge of Dealey Plaza. We had totally different reactions to it. Marianne liked it,  whereas it left me cold.

                                   
                                     
  The memorial build in 1970, is designed as an open tomb and symbolizes the freedom of Kennedy's spirit.

This plaque rests adjacent to Elm Street.

 On Elm Street, just outside the former book depository, a white" X"marks the spot where Kennedy was hit by the first shot.  A second white "X" maybe 50 feet farther down Elm marks the spot where the fatal shot hit The President. It has been fifty years since the events of that day and yet I surprised myself by  my emotional reaction to seeing these "X"s. Everything I've ever seen, read or felt about this place poured over me as I stood transfixed gazing at the spot where history was made. The "grassy knoll", the overpass, and the six floor red brick building remain exactly as they were that November day.

The "grassy knoll"

The second of the two white "X"'s

                

 The Sixth Floor Museum presents the window view of Elm Street, films, television footage, single frames of the Zapruder video, Lee Harvey Oswald's cufflinks and much, much more. I believe no one could walk away from all this information without formulating a definitive opinion about much of what occurred  November 22, 1963. This is a must see on any trip to Dallas.
Admission:$16

While still immersed in the assassination story, we ventured to Oakcliff just outside Dallas to see the Texas Theatre where Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested. Unable to get inside we settled for pictures of the facade which was refurbished by Oliver Stone for his 1990 film JFK.


While in Oakcliff, we investigated The Bishop Arts District which turned out to be quite the find. This two block area of artisan shops and restaurants offers a diverse selection of food. On that day we sampled St. Simon's oysters at Boulevardier, a French Bistro and dined on truffle oil popcorn and lobster tamales while watching old movie projected on the wall at Tillman's Roadhouse.
                                                                     
A separate blog on the Bishop Arts District will follow at a later date.

Day One ended with a glass of wine in the opulent lobby of the Adolphus. A good day!

Tomorrow: Day Two in Dallas

Today Dishing: Pizza Night

A couple Saturday's ago, we decided to spice things up with homemade pizza night. With the help of Trader Joe's ready made pizza dough, diners selected from a variety of ingredients to create their own

signature pizzas. If you have the time and are up to the challenge, homemade dough most certainly can be used.

                                             

This pizza uses a combination of cream cheese and sour cream with dill as the  base. Smoked salmon, red onion, grape tomatoes and capers top it off. A little squeeze of lemon adds a little zip.
                                               
                                                 
A more rustic pizza starts with the sauce of your choice, prosciutto and parmesan topped with a generous helping of arugula.,


In addition to the signature pizzas, I revisited a recipe I've had for years to make $20 stuffed pizza. It's not Lou Malnati's but amazingly, it's not that far off. And because the dough does not rise before using, it's fast and convenient.


$20 Stuffed Pizza

CRUST
1 cup lukewarm water
1 package (1/4 ounce envelope) active dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon melted margarine
3-3 1/2 cup flour

TOPPING

1 27 ounce can peeled, stuffed tomatoes
1/2 tablespoon Dell 'Alpe Italian seasoning for pizza, or other pizza spices
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese

FILLING

Let your taste buds be your guide. Remember it's your signature pizza.

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

For Crust
Dissolve water in lukewarm water .
Add melted margarine, salt and sugar and mix well.
Slowly add flour until reaching dough consistency.
Divide dough into three rounds.
Set aside one round.
Combine two remaining rounds into one then roll out with rolling pin into a circle.
Grease 10"x2" springform pan.
Mold dough into bottom and sides of pan.

Filling

Prepare your chosen ingredients.
If using Italian sausage, saute it first. Vegetables should also get a quick saute before adding to the pizza.

Topping
Simmer topping ingredients for 5-10 minutes.
Roll out remaining dough round into 10" circle.
Place the circle over the filling
Prick the dough several times with a fork.
Slowly pour topping sauce over top layer of dough.
Sprinkle with parmesan and mozzarella.

Bake 45-60 minutes.
Cover with foil halfway through.
Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Italian sausage $20 Stuffed Pizza

                                   

                                                                        Mangia!

Today Dishing: Eataly, Chicago

When Eataly Chicago opened we were deep into hibernation and it wasn't until this week that we finally made it to the 43 East Ohio location. Eataly Chicago, the second U.S. location under the ownership of the Lidia and Joe Bastianich and Mario Batali group as well as others, received enormous hype upon it's opening. We feared the hype might be overdone and leave us disappointed.

I would use many words to describe our maiden voyage  experience, but disappointed is not one of them. If you like food, like wine, like to learn about food and wine, then this is a must for you.
Upon arriving, we thought it best to do a quick walk through the second floor space before embarking on some serious shopping. After touring  all the aisles, we stopped at one of the many specialty counters, this one featuring charcuterie. Our knowledgeable server educated us about several wines we were interested in and offered us a taste of each. We ordered the Ferrari Sparkling white wine  to accompany our two hour old mozzarella and prosciutto board...... heaven!
             
                                                                              

Serious shopping then ensued. Just made pappardelle, rock shrimp, St. Simon's oysters, mozzarella, focaccia, calamari pasta, bread made on site, sauces and five bottles of wine later our shopping ended.

Famished by the shopping, we restored ourselves at La Pizza and La Pasta  eatery with Tagliatelle with short ribs along with a lovely Montepulciano D'Abruzzo.

Other eateries include La Carne (meat), La Focacceria (focaccia), Le Verdue (vegetables), Il Pesce (fish) La Birreria (beer) and La Piazza (cheese). If you don't find something you like among these choices, you don't like Italian food.

Cheese Glorious Cheese!

A sublime meat selection.

                                                                                            
You can pop in for a quick lunch or you can linger and make a half day field trip of this culinary walk through Italy. Validated parking is $10. (A bargain for downtown)

I urge you to go and go often.

Salute!

Today Dishing: Yucca Asian Cuisine Restaurant

Recently Yucca Asian Cuisine Restaurant opened it's doors in Orland Park.  Having searched for quality sushi across Chicagoland, we were anxious to act on the tip that Yucca has really good sushi.

In that Yucca offers both Chinese and Japanese dishes, it's kind of one stop shopping for Asian food.

On our visit we sampled the California, Philadelphia, Spicey Kana, Spicey Tuna and Spider rolls. Judging from those rolls we feel this is some of the best sushi we've eaten and compared to other Sushi restaurants, it is more reasonably priced. Yucca offers a lunch special consisting of two rolls, soup  and salad for $9.99. It's enough for two people to share. Lunch for $9.99.... for two. Are you kidding me? We also tried the Shrimp Teriyaki  which came with steamed vegetables and rice. Delicious.

Teriyaki shrimp with beautiful steamed vegetables.

                                                                                           

Spicey Kana and Spider rolls

                                                                                        
The room is tastefully appointed using clean lines. Without over-doing the Asian theme it presents a Zen-like feeling of ease and comfort. The "spa" music adds to the relaxing vibe. The spacious bar is modern and accommodating.

 The Maitre'd, Paul's willingness to please is natural, not forced. He actually appears to enjoy his job as well as the patrons. His understated charm adds to the entire dining experience. Because it was my daughter's birthday, Paul made this special dessert consisting of tempura bananas and an assortment of ice creams. This complimentary dessert was accompanied by a birthday song.
                                
It's good to have dining choices and now Orland Park and the Southwest suburbs have another fine choice in Yucca Asian Cuisine.

A warm carafe of sake and a pot of hot green tea cures  victims of the Polar Vortex.