As a gift to my Chicagan host, I asked his favorite cookie. He said Girl Scout Thin Mints and emphasized that I wasn't allowed to steal/recreate an original recipe. Challenge accepted! I opted for making truffles instead, and boy did they turn out beautifully. I mean, especially for my first time! These are fun to make and use very simple ingredients so go crazy on these delicious dollops of Thin Mint-y dessert.

Step 1: Ingredients (yields approximately 20 truffles)

• 3/4 box of Girl Scout Thin Mints (1.5 sleeves)
• 3 pieces of Andes mint chocolates, roughly chopped
• 4 oz. cream cheese
• 6 oz. chocolate, melted

Step 2: Making the truffle inside
Using a food processor, DEMOLISH 1 1/2 sleeves of Thin Mints (save 2-3 cookies for outside coating) and put in a bowl with the cream cheese. Mix thoroughly. It works best if you use your hands. Incorporate the two together until you have a delectable ball of truffle filling.


Step 3: Coating
Form the truffles into balls. I chose to do two kinds of coating for a bit of artistic flair. Use your food processor again on the reserved Thin Mint cookies. These crumbs can be one of your coatings. Another coating is dipped in chocolate so melt your chocolate and rolled the truffle balls in it using toothpicks. Place on wax paper on a baking sheet before topping with chopped Andes mint chocolates.

Step 4: Finishing
Refrigerate the truffles for 1-2 hours or longer, making sure to keep them away from aromatic foods. Chocolate absorbs other flavors very easily. If you skip the chilling process, your truffles will be terribly soft and have a bad consistency so don't skip this step! If you're planning on gifting these like I did, make sure to do it with style since these are some stylish treats. I used my paper trimmer on some wax paper to give it  fancy edges and placed my truffles in a box with wax paper dividers. These make GREAT gifts so give them a shot if you've got a stash of Thin Mints to use and are willing to part with.

The last few recipes I've posted were because Duc had his wisdom teeth pulled. Here's another - a potato bacon soup that was soft enough for him to swallow and flavorful enough for him to drool over. I've got to say - this is such a carnal dish that you must give it a shot if you're a bacon lover.

Step 1: Ingredients (yields 4-6 servings)

• 1/4 cup green onions, chopped
• 1/2 package of bacon, chopped and grease reserved
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 2 cups water
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 4-5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 6-8 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

Step 2: Prepping the ingredients
There's a lot of prep work involved in this dish. Cook your bacon and reserve about half of the grease that is left over. You'll be using it to cook your onions. Chop the red onion and slice the garlic. In a large pot, pour the reserved bacon grease in and cook the onion for a few minutes before adding garlic. Peel and cube the potatos in approximately 1-inch cubes.


Step 3: Making the broth
Once the onion is slightly translucent, add in the chicken broth and water. Bring to a low boil before adding in the potatoes. Cook potatoes until firm but still soft enough to break with your spatula. Add bacon.

Step 4: Finishing
Bring to a low simmer before adding in green onions. Depending on how chunky you want your soup, pour half or more of the soup into a blender and puree before adding back to the pot. Mix thoroughly. For garnish, add some bacon and green onions. Enjoy!


Photography provided by Duc Duong. If you'd like to see the other images from this food photoshoot, please check out the photo album on the Facebook fan page.

So I'm sure it's been quite obvious that I haven't been home in California for the past few days. I decided that I wanted to go to Chicago since I'd never been both to nom on their delicious foods and to meet up with people I've never met in person but have talked to frequently online. A daredevil am I? I suppose I'm a tad weird in that way but hey, what's a sociable gamer going to do? I actually find myself doing this often where I just meet up with my gaming friends whenever I'm in their area. It's been fun so far.


Anyhow, if you don't know, my Steam gaming name is EvilChipMunk (give me a holler if you want to play something!). I met up with my friends [M]artin and Laughing Man on my trip on separate occasions; well, actually I crashed at [M]artin's place. He was a great host! I checked out the Chicago Skydeck, the Adler Planetarium, Navy Pier, and multiple restaurants. We would've done more if we had the time.


I also got to try out the beers from Chicago craft brewery Goose Island. I love trying out craft brews, particularly from the places I visit. I convinced him to get the variety pack so I could not only do a faux-fancy tasting session but also teach him about beers (I've come a long way!). We had a fun time trying them out - the 312, Summertime, India Pale Ale, and Honker's Ale. My favorite was the 312 followed closely by the Honker's. Delish!


I plan on coming back to explore Chicago another time when I can just gorge on its wondrous foods. So glad I got to do a hot dog and deep dish pizza as is necessary when you're visiting! My sincerest and deepest gratitude to Martin for being an excellent host and putting up with me for the weekend. You rock!

162 E Superior St, Chicago, IL 60611 (Neighborhood: Near North Side)
Pricing - $$/$$$ | Dining - Casual | Cuisine - Pizza
www.ginoseast.com

By suggestion of my blogger friend at Eating My Way Through OC, I decided to head over to Gino's East to get my first taste of authentic Chicago-style deep dish pizza. It sure was pricier than I was accustomed to for pizza (yay being spoiled by fast food pizza chains!) but I can see why. A tourist trap? Perhaps but still a fun delving into Chicago culture!


The first thing I noticed was the decor. The walls, chairs, booths, and everything were covered in writing! Apparently people bring white-out or markers to the restaurant to leave their names/messages/whatever anywhere (except the bathrooms - there's even a sign that says it's forbidden). It COULD have easily turned into something really tacky but actually, I liked it. It gave the restaurant some personality.


Anywho, our waitress told us deep dish pizzas would take approximately 45 minutes to finish baking so suggested an appetizer. We ordered the mozzarella sticks which were probably some of the crunchiest I've had. I hate mozzarella sticks that get soggy or have sad amounts of cheese inside but these ones were nicely crunchy and not too salty. The cheese had cooled a tad by the time we ate it so it wasn't as oozy as it was when we first got it at the table (blame my taking of pictures) but still good. I liked the marinara sauce that came with it too. Thumbs up.


When our pizza came, it was glorious. We had ordered a medium-sized Gino's East Supreme which came with sausage, pepperoni, green bell peppers, and mushrooms. I bet we could've been completely fine had we just gotten the small size because we only had one slice each before calling it quits. When I saw it, I was surprised that it was so red and brown - where were my veggies? Regardless, amazing! The heavy crust was so good as a bread itself that I could've eaten that alone. It tasted rich and probably had more oil or butter in it than I would like to think about. The meats were generous and good pieces, definitely not some cheap cuts. I liked that the sausage chunks weren't all uniform like you sometimes find on mainstream pizzas. My friend confirmed that you never eat a deep dish pizza with your hands because it's just nearly impossible. Agreed! I dug in with fork and knife, feeling heavy with every bite. I never thought I could get full off of one slice of pizza before!


Of course, before we left, we had to ask the waitress how we could leave our mark on the walls. She said that people just bring in their own white-out; we looked at her with dismay. Then, being as awesome as she was, Jessica whispered that she'd get us a Sharpie poster paint marker when she could. Once she slipped it to us, I immediately thought that I'd love to take up some prime wall real estate with love from my blog. I found a nice booth bottom on which to write out "Much <3 from us --> www.muchadoaboutfooding.com" and signed with my name and date. Take that Chicago! Remember me for I will remember you!

5716 W Touhy Ave, Niles, IL 60714
Pricing - $ | Dining - Casual, To-Go | Cuisine - Middle Eastern
www.nafnafgrill.com

I'm not sure if you could consider this place a chain since there are 3 locations around but since it was new to me, I'll go ahead and give it a review (I don't like reviewing chains though). I had a friend I wanted to meet up with with whom I play video games; he actually didn't live directly in Chicago so we picked this central point restaurant to dine at for our meeting. I immediately liked the modern decor inside, particularly because it favored orange and white (like my blog!).


He recommended the schnitzel though I guess that's the only thing he gets. I had it in a pita, and boy was that thing delicious. Schnitzel is chicken breast that has been pounded flat and coated with a flour-egg-breadcrumb mixture before being deep-fried and coated with sesame seeds. It was fantastically crisp with still some juiciness in the chicken. All the veggies inside too really brought to life the flavors of the sauce. I really liked it. Also, the pita bread was just oh-so-fluffy and delectable.


I also got the falafel in a pita. I'm a huge fan of falafel when done well, and this was probably the best falafel I've had. It was still a tad salty as I've noticed falafel tends to be but much less than its counterparts at other restaurants. The outside was crunchy but the inside moist and flavorful. It wasn't chalky tasting either; everything blended together well and with purpose. Again, loved the vegetables and sauce that were used inside.


It was a good meal and a fun first meeting with my friend. It looks a tad like just a fast food place (and has the prices of one!) but a little classier. A definitely casual dining experience but with superb, classy food.

737 N Lasalle Blvd, Chicago, IL 60654 (Neighborhood: Near North Side)
Pricing - $$/$$$ | Dining - Casual | Cuisine - Spanish, Tapas
www.cafeiberico.com

All I really have to say for this place is that it was definitely an awesome Yelp find. I wanted to meet up with a friend I hadn't seen in a long time but since he had been living in Chicago a bit, I told him he had to make the pick. We ended up coming here which was an excellent choice. Forgive the picture quality however; the lighting was dim.


We started off with the patatas bravas which were potatoes covered in a spicy tomato sauce. There was something just oh-so-smooth but firm about the texture that made the potatoes work. The sauce had a great spicy kick to it that intensified by the folds as you ate more; one minute you're having a good time and the next, you've hit it up a notch with the heat. They were excellent.


Next tapas that came out was the queso de cabra which was baked goat cheese with a tomato basil sauce to top on some bread. That goat cheese was amazingly creamy and smooth. I don't know what magic wonders they worked on that cheese but it was so silky in my mouth, I wanted to just eat the whole thing. Altogether, the plate reminded us of a spin on bruschetta. Classic.


The best tapas of the night was the pulpo a la plancha. We have to thank Yelp for that heads-up. It was grilled octopus with potatoes and olive oil. Amazing. The grilled octopus had a fantastic texture, and the charred part spoke volumes about the quality of the grill and technique. So much flavor packed into the seafood parts and the potatoes were a nice pair. Everything was garlicky in that I-need-more kind of way. Everyone loved this dish.


Out next came the paella iberica which the waiter kindly told us to order ahead of time so we could get it on time; it was its own medley of seafood (mussels and clams), pork, chicken, peas, carrots, and rice in saffron sauce. I've got to say that it wasn't all too fantastic in my book and fairly basic. However, it wasn't bad; the rice was a good texture and consistency instead of mushy and the meats were plentiful. Perhaps I'm not a paella person?


The last dish was their braised beef short ribs in mashed potatoes (it was a weekly special so I don't remember the official name). The beef peeled away from the bone beautifully and nearly melted in my mouth. So rich and creamy, the short ribs were fantastic. They were also bedded on some of the creamiest and heaviest mashed potatoes I've ever had. We definitely would've had more of it if we had the stomach real estate!

Our drinks of choice were glasses of sangria from a shared pitcher. Quite delicious indeed! I'd love to come back here for some quick eats if I lived in the area.

  

3324 N California Ave, Chicago, IL 60618 (Neighborhood: Avondale)
Pricing - $/$$ | Dining - Casual, To-Go | Cuisine - Hot Dogs
www.hotdougs.com

My lawdy, I am glad that my blogger friend at Eating My Way Through OC told me to go here. The line was quite long on a Saturday morning even though we had just gotten there about 20 minutes after they had opened for the day. I believe we waited in line about an hour in the cold windiness before we could even get to the menu.


I snagged a picture of the random pig they had outside and the menus they had inside. Talk about crazy! There were normal hot dogs with sausages you'd think of such as hot dog, andouille, chicken sausage, etc but then there were the "specials" which had a wide range from rabbit to elk to buffalo to rattlesnake. Feeling adventurous (and also because I had waited so long), I opted for the most decadent one.


So my first was the regular "The Dog" which was Chicago-style complete with Kosher pickle, carmelized onions, tomatoes, lots of mustard, poppy seed bun, celery salt, and NEON relish. I mean, look at the picture! It was bright green and kind of awkward. I know I pictured it first but it was actually the last hot dog I tried so I didn't finish it. To be honest, nothing remarkable seeing as the sausage itself was fairly normal; I felt that all the toppings were overbearing but hey, gotta eat the Chicago way!


My friend got the Chardonnay and jalapeno rattlesnake sausage with roasted pepper aioli and Pere Joseph cheese. Wow. The aioli and cheese paired so perfectly with that rattlesnake meat. It was like a bite into the Southwest with the spicy kick from the sauce and the juiciness of the rattlesnake sausage.


My order was to opt for the foie gras and sauternes duck sausage with truffle aioli, foie gras mousse, and fleur de sel (sea salt...basically). It was the creamiest, most awesome hot dog I've ever had. Even my friend who has never tasted those ingredients before thought it was the best he'd ever had. I mean, I love all of those flavors but who would've thought to stick it on a bun as encased meat and top it off so lovingly with foie gras rounds. The fleur de sel curbed the overly savory-sweet but light creaminess of the foie gras mousse on top while the heavy truffle aioli pulled us away into a different kind of heaven than the gamier duck meat. I loved licking my lips after every bite to get the most truffle flavor out of my experience. Best. Hot Dog. Ever. Completely worth the wait, especially with the nice touch of having bottled gourmet sodas (had a birch beer) and an atmosphere completely fitting with a hot dog culture. Fantastic.


Lastly, I made sure to come here on the Saturday I was here because they had their duck fat fries (Friday and Saturday only). Some pretty heavy fries, those. I liked them a lot but definitely had to throw in the towel after so much food. Also, if you're going to pig out like me, make sure to bring lots of cash with you because they only take the green paper here!

1544 W 18th St, Chicago, IL 60608 (Neighborhood: Pilsen)
Pricing - $ | Dining - Casual, To-Go | Cuisine - Mexican
www.loscomales.com

I landed in Chicago quite quite hungry from my flight because I hadn't packed snacks beforehand (totally forgot). My friend picked me up, and after I lamented my misery, he said that we'd hit up near 18th St. which had excellent Mexican food. I agreed so off we went to this taqueria he liked.


We immediately sat down and got some nice complimentary chips with salsa and limes. The salsa was a tad spicy which was a good waker-upper from a flight. Then I got the horchata which was just so good and creamy. It was nearly perfect; just a bit more cinnamon and I would've fallen head over heels.


As for my dinner, it was their steak burrito. This thing was enormous. I'm glad I didn't get the full dinner because that came with refried beans and some rice. The tortilla was thin and chewy but not in a bad way. It was in a wow-there's-so-much-stuff-bursting-out-of-this-burrito way. The steak was plentiful and chopped into small pieces that mixed well with the refried beans. There were plenty (I do mean PLENTY) of vegetables in the form of lettuce and tomatoes inside as well as sour cream. A great stuffer - I'd like to see how awesome their other foods are one day.