Week One: FIn

It has been quite a week. New places, lot's of unfamiliar faces, and a few new recipes for the blog. The boyfrand and I ventured out to this deep dish pizza joint on Wednesday. The sauce was slapped on top of a thick layer of dough and cheese and seasoned to perfection.

Check out the cheesiness: 

It was his first deep dish too...and he LOVED it.

We took a trip down to the Lincoln Park Zoo on Thursday and had a lil lovely sandwich picnic in the botanical garden.

Aaaand Friday we meandered on down the Magnificent Mile for some window shopping. As soon as I get that job, I'll be shopping fo real for some nice winter staples (like the bulky fisherman sweater that seems to be super sweet for fall '12).
We had a lazzzy day Saturday and today, shopped for a few groceries and admired all of the chic/in-mint-condition Pirex ware that lined the shelves of a nearby antique shop. Saturday night was chicken-chipotle sausage and homemade french fries night. The boy made probably the BEST EVER baked french fries (so a teensy bit healthy, no?).

Now to the real recipe winners of this week:
(Revised) "Loaded Quinoa Veggie Burgers" as found in Whole Living
We lacked some of the main ingredients, but easily adapted the recipe to include cooked tabouli and kidney beans. They were soso yummy and packed with protein AND veggies.

For dessert:
Mini cheesecakes with raspberry granola crusts

Hope ya'll got to watch some football and enjoy the nice cool weather on this sundayfunday.

Happy Eating!

CHI-TOWN

Hello everyone!
Back to blogging and I hope to keep up with it as I start school at the Art Institute of Illinois in Chicago. I'm done with my bachelors of business and ready to begin life in the kitchen, wootwoot! The boyfrand, my dad, and I drove the big a** moving truck all da way from G-vine, Texas to the big big city of Chicago. I believe the first sure-fire sign that I stuck out like a true southerner was when we pulled up to a gas station just outside of Chicago and every other customer was wearing pants/jackets. Whoops! The second was when we were *illegally* hauling butt down North Shore drive (apparently you're not s'posed to drive trucks on this particular main road). We came out unscathed on both accounts. SUCCESS. 

I am thuperduper excited/NERVOUS as heck to be living in such a gargantuan place. 

Saturday was dedicated to a driving tour of downtown and neighborhoods along the way. On Saturday evening, we chowed down in China town on some delicious egg rolls, scrumptious pad thai, and beef with mixed vegetables.
A few meals later the boyfrand and I visited the chapel at Loyola (such a BOOTIFUL campus!). And after mass we rewarded ourselves with a lovely meal at Thai Rice Cafe (seemingly sketchy on the inside/outside, but passed the taste test with flying colors). Today and yesterday, we explored a bit more of downtown and added a few more stops of where not to stop off the "L" to the list. 
The search for a job ensues! I'm crossin my fingers for a coffee shop/bakery job. I'll let ya'll know how that goes. 
Now I'm off to decide what's for dinner. 

Millenium Park Trip #1 

Peeeeerfect day for a picnic