bar naan

food detective
Categories: Breads, Pizza, Tarts, Dinner for Two, Supper, Posted on October 1, 2022 by Sandy Bergsten
Want an exceptional homemade pizza that takes less time to prepare than opening your freezer and popping a subpar store version in the oven? The trick is to swap naan for pizza dough. Then to top with high quality creamy cheese and a drizzle of honey. Naan is a leavened oven baked flatbread from India. It is soft, chewy and slightly tangy. It's
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waiting for baby

a moment in time
Categories: Breads, Pizza, Tarts, Breakfast/Brunch, Posted on September 20, 2022 by Sandy Bergsten
My baby is having a baby! There is nothing in the world more exciting, but the waiting game is unbelievable. Two days before her due date I flew out to our house in the desert to watch the clock. To keep myself distracted I decided to make things to fill her freezer. I was an expectant grandmother on roller skates. In a couple days I made a big
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summer obsession

food detective
Categories: Appetizers, Salads and Dressings, Sauces and Such, Dinner for Two, Supper, Dinner Party, Lunch, Posted on September 5, 2022 by Sandy Bergsten
What is better than a just-picked off-the-vine tomato? How about it’s perfect accompaniment!  If you love caprese salad with thick slices of beefsteak, rounds of mozzarella, a hefty drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and plenty of fresh basil, you might just flip for this tomato salad featuring whipped ricotta. I adore whipped ricotta and get very
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flash in the pan

food detective
Categories: Poultry, Veggies and Sides, Dinner for Two, Supper, Posted on August 22, 2022 by Sandy Bergsten
My youngest just started a new job, one with lots of travel. She asked me for some fast, easy, and healthy meals to balance out what she might be consuming on the road. This would be a perfect challenge for me as well. As a former educator my “new year” begins after Labor Day. Time to hit the summer reset button and begin a healthy mealtime
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just a bite

food detective
Categories: Salads and Dressings, Soups, Eggs, Dinner for Two, Supper, Cocktail Party, Lunch, Breakfast/Brunch, Posted on August 7, 2022 by Sandy Bergsten
It’s truly height of the season at the farmer’s market. Each Saturday my Norwich terrier, Willie, and I start our day with a walk down to our neighborhood stands. I always return with an overflowing basket of lush tomatoes and just picked sweet corn. Almost every weekend I whip up a batch of gazpacho. My version… chopped rather than pureed, my
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unraveling a recipe

food detective
Categories: Poultry, Veggies and Sides, Dinner for Two, Supper, Dinner Party, Posted on July 23, 2022 by Sandy Bergsten
This past month has been a doozie in the news department. Thank goodness for NYT’s “Cooking”. It’s been a welcome refuge from the myriad of blasts. One monumental news day I stumbled across a recipe for caprese chicken by Susan Spungen. It was the exact diversion I was seeking. Midwest chicken, garden tomatoes, fresh basil. And happily there was a
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magnificent milestones

perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
Categories: Meat, Veggies and Sides, Desserts, Dinner Party, Fête Fact, Posted on July 10, 2022 by Sandy Bergsten
A first-rate finale to our litany of houseguests. An exceptional weekend in every way, my dad came to Chicago to celebrate some very big birthdays. He and his best friend had just turned 90, and on our first night together my mom’s dearest friend had a very special birthday of her own. To kick off the festivities we dined at Mon Ami Gabi, the i
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about face

perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
Categories: Poultry, Veggies and Sides, Dinner for Two, Supper, Dinner Party, Posted on June 26, 2022 by Sandy Bergsten
It’s incredible how much family we’ve had visit. Literally each weekend another crew has come to stay with us. After two years of quiet isolation on the sixteenth floor of our Chicago apartment it’s been a welcome change filling our home with those we love. Each time it’ been a completely different adventure, and it’s remarkable how different every
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rise and shine vegan style

food detective
Categories: Eggs, Veggies and Sides, Breakfast/Brunch, Posted on June 10, 2022 by Sandy Bergsten
It’s a riot the similarities my husband and our three-year-old grandson share. Top of the list might be their wariness for trying new foods. They both tend to crinkle their noses at the unfamiliar. It’s only after certain coaxing that they’ll grudgingly give something new a try. Once they do, they’ll subtly smack their lips to carefully take in the
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our very vegan visit

food detective
Categories: Appetizers, Salads and Dressings, Soups, Veggies and Sides, Dinner for Two, Supper, Cocktail Party, Lunch, Sources, Posted on May 24, 2022 by Sandy Bergsten
Last weekend was a first of many. The first time my stepson and his family were visiting us in Chicago. The first time we would have a little person in our apartment (previously, pre-covid, we’ve only had a baby). And this would be my first attempt at creating a four-day menu that was completely vegan. I pride myself on being adaptable and nimble
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