On the Menu This Week

I think I'm most looking forward to Crab Cakes on Mixed Greens and Tortilla Soup and Buffalo burgers and Avocado Salad. That's two meals, not one massive one. I like to eat, but I have limits.

Farmer's market corn is still wonderful, so my fresh corn tortilla soup will be great. And I nabbed some terrific looking avocados this weekend at Cermak Market/Fruteria in Wicker Park on the way home from lunch at Borinquen. Avocado salad is a summer thing, big time, and I'm squeezing it in while I still can. Oddly we haven't had buffalo burgers in awhile - and I'm truly looking forward to another. Whole Foods has some sesame seed burger buns I like a lot - made in house.

On Wednesday when we need a quick meal so we'll have Quick Pesto Pizza. I've still not been able to convince Whole Foods that Alvarado Street Bakery's pizza bread should grace their shelves. I've been settling instead for the 365 label whole wheat pizza crust. It's just ok - way better than that icky Boboli, but still not sprouted or protein-rich.

Fish tacos with Guacamole and Pico de Gallo will likely hit our plates on Thursday, assuming I can pick up some nice red snapper that day. To prep the fish I just douse red snapper fillets with fresh lime juice and either salt & pepper or a good blended seasoning (I like Paul Prudhomme's Blackened Redfish Magic for this) and grill it. Serve it up with warmed fresh corn tortillas, guac, pico, and - if you really want to make it AMAZING - mango-jalapeno salsa and chipotle crema. Yum. Spanish rice on the side will round out the plate.

We'll also enjoy Spaghetti and Meatballs, Kung Pao Chicken with Basmati Rice and try out a new dish harvested from the NY Times: Restaurant Pork Chop with Sweet Potato Fries. For the fries, sometimes I cheat and buy the good frozen ones at WF. If not, I trim sweet potatoes into batons, toss with a bit of canola oil and some chili powder and roast for 30 minutes or so at 425. I like to preheat the baking sheet inside the oven so that when the potatoes hit the hot pan they sizzle and sear.

As always, I'm happy to answer any questions. Enjoy your last days of September.