Monthly Archives: April 2009

Breakfast at Blueberry Hill

7

blueberry hill

Oh, boy. I have so much to tell you.

There’s the weather, of course, which we always talk about, and how yes, it’s been rainy, but I rather like the rain, and it doesn’t at all ruin spring for me (plus, it should be 80 degrees very soon!). Then there’s Uncle Lindy, and what a gift it was that he could recognize and talk to me when I visited Friday night, when he hugged me from his hospital bed and asked if I’d been baking those pies and cookies.

I should also tell you that, actually, there have been good gifts flowing from every side—losing power for over two hours at work on Monday meant great conversation with my coworker Alicia, as well as hot dogs from the Buona Beef nearby, while we stared out the windows and watched the rain; hearing how people have been losing their jobs has shown me the grace of their needs still being provided for; and some very good messages at my church this week have centered my thoughts on what is valuable.

But the thing is, tomorrow morning, I get on a plane bound for D.C., and I still have to figure out what to bring with me, which, when you consider weather, occasion, comfort and size of my carry-on luggage, feels a lot like a difficult science project, and I was never good at that sort of thing. On top of which, I’ve decided to start running again (I can’t believe I’m typing that, which means you’ll know if I give up), beginning last night, and I’m desperate to keep up with it, meaning I’ll try to go again today.

So instead of telling you about all those other things, I’m just going to tell you about this one: an adorable breakfast place in downtown La Grange, which I visited a few weekends ago.

This particular location is one of five in a chain of Blueberry Hill pancake houses, set in Darien, Aurora, Homewood and newly in Homer Glen. The menu is the glossy, colorful kind you have to stretch your arms out to read properly, which might be one reason the expanded dining area is jam-packed on a Saturday morning. Other reasons could be the service—my glass was never empty, and our plates were clearly very quickly; the location—right on the corner of La Grange Road and Harris Avenue, across from a public parking lot; and mostly, the portions. Oh, the portions!

I ordered an spinach-cheddar omelet that could easily have been my breakfast, lunch and dinner, complete with breakfast potatoes and three buttermilk pancakes. Also at our table were a burger, which was deemed one of the best, ever; and another omelet that was just as enormous as mine.

I’d go on further, but did I mention I have some packing to do? Instead, I’ll just leave you with these photos, and you can decide for yourself (but decide to go, because you should!). I’ll be back Monday, with lots to tell you about the trip and all the places we tried there, including hopefully a meet-up with my blogging friend Lan, who has felt like a real-life friend for quite a while. The way things have been going, I might even try to run while I’m there—why not? And I hope you’ll hold me to it.

Until then, have a great weekend but, oh, check back here Friday for one more post I’ve saved for you. Just because I won’t have Internet doesn’t mean I’ll forget about you. See you soon.

burger

eggs

spinach and cheddar omelet

leaving

Blueberry Hill
http://www.blueberrybreakfastcafe.com/
Hours: 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.
49 S. La Grange Road
La Grange, Illinois
(708) 352-4900 phone
(708) 352-4901 fax

It’s Not So Bad

16

toffee

There’s a running joke around here regarding me and cooking. Namely, that I am prone to Aha! moments, especially in the midst of trying a new recipe. And it’s true. Of course, I like to think it’s a funny quirk, you know, like the fact that I track every single thing I buy in my checkbook, or that I hate talking on the phone, even though I love talking. Seriously, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve cracked an egg into a blend of dry ingredients, only to look down and see the directions say not to use the yolk or, I’ve placed a cake in the oven, only to realize I omitted an ingredient. It’s not so bad. I’ve gotten used to adapting and, also, I try very hard to learn from all these mistakes.

Take this recipe, for example: easy homemade toffee made from ingredients you probably have in your pantry. Next time I make it, when the caramel glaze is sinking into the cracker layer in the oven, I won’t be worrying about the burning smell of caramel hitting the oven liner. Instead, I’ll use a rimmed baking sheet (!) that will keep the crackers from spreading and the glaze from leaking. It’s just one of those funny things you learn by doing it wrong the first time.

cracker layercaramel toffee

Also, next time, I won’t expect this process to take anything more than 25 minutes—because it won’t, not even close. The bulk of time is the 15 minutes of baking and the cooling off afterward, both of which are ideal for working on something else or putting away the dishes. Otherwise? All you’re doing is layering, heating, pouring and breaking. Simple as that.

If you’ve got Matzo lying around from Passover, which I personally can’t eat without mounds of haroset, this is just the ticket—substitute Matzo for the Saltines, and you’re set (like Deb did here). But what seems to make the combination work so well is the blend of salt from the crackers with the sweetness of the chocolate and caramelized toffee. It’s crunchy, like candy, but it’s also a little different than regular toffee, with the hint of salt surprising you.

toffee layers

Anyway, try these. And if you have any aha moments along the way, you’ll get no judgment from me.




Almond Toffee Crunches
Adapted from Savory Sweet Life

Ingredients:
About 1 sleeve of Saltine crackers
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 cup packed brown sugar (I used light)
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped and/or slivered almonds

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a rimmed (trust me, you’ll want to use a rimmed one) baking sheet with nonstick spray or line with a Silpat mat. Line the crackers on this cookie sheet, close together (I used just under a sleeve’s worth).

Melt butter and brown sugar in a medium pan over medium-high heat. Stir frequently for about 3 to 5 minutes until the mixture turns a soft caramel color and is slightly thick. Pour the sauce over the crackers until they are completely covered. Bake for 15 minutes.

Remove from oven, and sprinkle the chocolate chips all over the top, while the pan is still hot. As the chips begin to melt, spread the chocolate over the toffee mixture, and then top with the almonds.

Allow to completely cool. Then, break the toffee up into pieces and serve.

this time I mean it

11

spinach salad

To write this post, I was trying to think back to a month ago, when we ate this salad, on a night when I’m almost sure there was still snow on the ground. I guess there must have been, since that was the night my friend Jackie came over for dinner, and she had to grip the stair railings to keep from falling on the ice on her way inside.

But listen to this: Tonight? I drove home with the windows down, the sun beating on me, and I actually was sweating, if you can believe it. All around me, the grass outside is totally green, there are flowers budding that look like lumps of cotton, and the skies are the perfect shade of blue.

I know I’ve said this before, but it is really spring here. Finally. And honestly, I’ve almost forgotten winter.

I think there’s a lot of value in forgetting sometimes. I mean, it’s not good to forget the story your friend told you yesterday at lunch, but it’s pretty great if you can forget the obnoxious thing that guy said to you at work. And this time of year, I am all for forgetting: forgetting the ice, the snow, the cold, the commutes. Forgetting that last time I posted about the weather getting better, it went and snowed.

spinach salad

And now that is spring and all, let’s start eating like it.

Hannah of Honey & Jam gets credit for sending me the link to this one, originally posted at This is Reverb (and tip: she also made her own deconstructed version, viewable here).

At its heart, this is a pretty basic salad: just some spinach tossed with sliced apples and oranges, maybe also pecans if you’re like me. But it’s the dressing that makes things so good: a combination of olive oil, honey, balsamic vinegar, pepper and Parmesan, this topping is sweet and tangy, absolutely perfect as it blends with the acid of the fruits and the texture of the spinach.

I say, this weekend, if you’re living anywhere like Chicago, where Saturday temperatures should be in the 70s (!), put on your tank top and jeans, sit outside in the midst of it all, and eat this salad. It’s the kind of thing likely to make you forget about anything that isn’t, well, you know, fresh and fragrant, perfectly green and filled with sunshine.



One Week! Next week, this time, by the way, I’ll be the girl in Washington, D.C., doing normal everyday things like taking private tours of the Capitol Building. I know there are a lot of you D.C. foodies out there, and I’ll be there a couple days, so give me your tips! (Please?)

Spinach Salad, with fruit and homemade dressing
Adapted from This is Reverb, via Honey & Jam

You’ll notice some of these instructions are pretty vague—I’m sorry about that. Because this salad is so easy, though, you can feel free to eyeball a lot of it with how much you want or don’t want. The originally recipe calls for goat cheese, so by all means, try that. I also think a variety of different nuts and/or fruits could work here.

Ingredients:
Fresh Spinach (amount is up to you – I used enough to fill the bowl)
1 Apple
1 Orange
Some Pecans

For the dressing:
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
1 teaspoon Honey
Some Parmesan Cheese
Dashes of Salt and Pepper

Directions:
Wash and drain spinach and place it in the salad bowl. Slice the apple into thin slices; peel the orange and slice it into segments, removing the pith. Add these fruits to the spinach, along with as many pecans as you’d like.

In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the dressing and whisk thoroughly. Pour on top of the salad and enjoy.