Peace out 2011: NYE 2012!

I'm normally not a pessimistic person but New Year's Eve tends to be the most anti-climactic holiday of the year. Whether you'll be in Times Square, your parents' living room, or with 2 dozen mostly B-list celebrities (i.e. the cast from the new, undoubtedly Oscar-worthy movie: New Year's Eve), there is one thing worth keeping in mind before the big night:

Here are some options to maximize your NYE 2011:

If you'll be in Detroit:
The Resolution Ball at the Fillmore Theater ($30) includes high-wire acrobats, roving illusionists, a midnight buffet, and a champagne toast. Your standard NYE party fare.

The Amnesia NYE Party at Motorcity Casino ($30) will have a champagne toast, party favors, giveaways, and a continental breakfast. Party until 4 am and then come back on New Year's Day for the NYE Rewind Party and experience it all over again. That sounds dangerous.

Bookie's ($50) will have DJs spinning on all 3 floors, a 4 hour premium bar, late night Coney dog buffet, champagne toast, balloon drop, and door prize raffle entry.

If you'll be in Ann Arbor:
If you're a beer snob Arbor Brewing Company (Free!) will be the place for you because they will release a different keg of beer every hour from 8:30 until 11:30. The evening also features dinner specials and live music.

If you'll be in Royal Oak:
Fifth Ave gives you two options. For $75 you get to party on the second floor where there will be food, appetizers, and music but probably still no dancing since they lack a dancing permit. Oh, did I mention this was a black tie event? The first floor is appropriately named the no tie event and admission is free.

Luna ($8) will have complimentary food, champagne, and party favors. Party until 4 am!

Rock on 3rd ($15 or $10/person for groups of 6+) will have an appetizer buffet, party favors, and a champagne toast.

The intersection at Washington/6th will have a free outdoor concert featuring the Gin Blossoms (talk about a blast from the past) and the Romantics with a ball drop to countdown to midnight. Visit rockintheeve.com for more info.


Planning ahead doesn't always guarantee a great night. You've been there. You spent weeks picking out the perfect outfit, coordinating who you'd be spending the big night with, perhaps even paying for a ticket that promised to be the best party in town. Little did you know that the weeks leading up to the big night would be the best part. The worst part: probably around 11:59. With your party hat on and a glass of Andre in hand, it dawned on you that your NYE was a decent night at best. If you find yourself in that predicament my best advice would be to drink more.

Just kidding. Well, kind of.
Just remember that there's always the option of skipping the expensive bar party to host your own NYE get together. Make a play list of all of the hit songs from 2011, enjoy your friends, and get your pots and pans ready to bang on when the new year arrives.

No matter how you decide to spend NYE 2011, here's to having a safe and fun night!
--lc.

Detroit Foodie: From Pizza to Coneys to Crepes

After a 6-month hiatus from blogging I had two options for topics: human anatomy or the few restaurants I've been to in Detroit. Although I am probably better-equipped to discuss the former, I went with the latter for obvious reasons.

Detroit is known for many things: great sports teams, Motown, lawlessness, and I would argue that great restaurants is quickly climbing up the list thanks to restaurants like Slow's and Atlas. Rather than sing the praises of restaurants that you've probably already heard of, I want to dedicate this post to the obscure places. Places where you may at first be hesitant to park your car, but once you try the food that thought becomes irrelevant.

Pizza Supino

I will preface this post by saying that I never considered myself to be a fan of thin crust pizza until I tried theirs. Located in Eastern Market, Pizza Supino barely has the capacity to fit more than 20 dine-in customers and on most days it's standing room only. The best part? The unique toppings you can choose--from an egg to prosciutto. Prices range from $7-$17 depending on how fancy your pizza is. I recommend the Supino: black olives, roasted garlic, ricotta, chili oil, and mozzarella. It's mind-blowing.


Detroit One

You'll find a Coney Island just about on every corner in Detroit and every one makes the same claim: "Best Coney in Detroit". Thanks to the Class of 2015's never-ending appetite for coneys, I was able to try out more than I'd ever like to admit during orientation week. Detroit One sticks out in my mind more than the others and although my memory of their food may or may not be a bit skewed due to the festivities that preceded the meal, they had the best chili cheese fries I've ever had. They were so delicious that all conversation at our table ceased until after we were done eating. The fries were golden and crispy. Not to mention they were topped with just the right coney to cheese ratio. Just don't order the 50 wings even if it seems like a good idea at the time.


The Bronx

If you're in the mood to knock back a few and enjoy the non-stop hilarity provided by an elderly, but unbelievably sassy bartender, then the Bronx is for you. Be prepared to take your empties to the bar or you run the risk of being publicly called a lush. If you're looking to grab something to eat while you're there I recommend the Stoopid Sandwich or the egg sandwich with corned beef. Their portions are big enough to split--trust me. If you're like me and you have friends with attention issues, the Bronx has you covered: Donkey Kong and a Juke Box. I'm convinced the Juke Box is rigged to only play music the aforementioned bartender approves of because I've lost more than a few dollars trying to play anything and everything off of TLC's CrazySexyCool album. Did I mention you can get a hair cut here?

Good Girls Go to Paris Crepes

Get overwhelmed by options? You might want to check out their menu online before you go because they give you a plethora of options. Narrowing down from savory to sweet is just the beginning. I've always been biased towards savory breakfast foods and I was not disappointed by The "O". Filled with feta, kalamata olives, spinach, and Greek dressing, it spans the entire plate and is sure to leave you satisfied. My friends were equally impressed with their choices, most of them going with a sweet crepe. All of the crepes are $5-$9 and worth every penny.

Here's to being a foodie--
lc.

fəˈlanTHrəpē post #3: Top of the Park

Some Ann Arborites consider the townie party to be the event of the year, for others 4/20 is the occasion not to be missed, while most consider the Art Fair to be the highlight of the summer, but I prefer a lesser known annual Ann Arbor event: Top of the Park.

For 3 weeks each June/July the corridor between the Modern Languages Building and the League is transformed into an outdoor concert venue/movie theater. The best part? Admission is free to almost everything! Most days the events start around 5 and continue until midnight without stopping. Typically, musical acts are featured in the afternoon and the night ends with a movie. The outdoor festivities are technically "Top of the Park" while the indoor Mainstage series includes ticketed performances or music, dance, theater, and comedy. The festival officially kicks off next Friday, June 17th. Here are some of the highlights this year:

Amococo--(prepare yourself for a lot of adjectives) An enormous, interactive, walk-through, inflatable sculpture. There are 86 3-sided domes to explore in this labyrinth. It looks like the love child of cirque du soleil and a rave--what's not to love about that? 

Performers:  

Andrew Bird (@PowerCenter, not a free event, unfortunately) 

Theo Katzman (Former member of My Dear Disco and UM alum, this solo performer with knack for poetic melodies is worth seeing!!!)

Movies: 

Despicable Me

Inception

The Social Network 

Back to the Future

You may be asking what this event has to do with philanthropy. Well, I've been attending Top of the Park for the past 5 years and I have been thoroughly impressed at the entertainment they provide for free. Thanks to the generosity of donors and donations this event is able to come back year after year. At the entrance there are donation receptacles and if you attend this year I urge you to contribute something little, if you can. Events like Top of the Park help maintain Ann Arbor's reputation for being a unique, fun place to live.

Visit the official website for a more comprehensive list of events: http://www.annarborsummerfestival.org/

Here's to Festivals--lc. 

Stuffed Mushrooms: Nature's Mini-Tupperware Bowls

Shrooms, mushrooms, fungi--call them what you will, but mushrooms hold a special place in my heart.

They'll absorb any flavor they're paired with and I have yet to come across a dish that a mushroom couldn't accent. One of my favorite things about Sparrow Market is that they always have a gorgeous selection of mushrooms. Yes, I used the word gorgeous to describe produce. Judge for yourself.

The key to a good stuffed mushroom is well-seasoned sausage. Sparrow Market happened to have some incredible breakfast sausage that day so I was in business. In all honesty this recipe took 10 minutes to prepare and about 1/2 an hour to cook. Not much effort for a delicious pay off.

Gluten-free Stuffed Shrooms 
8 medium-large mushrooms, cored (reserve stems)
1/2 lb sausage
1/2 cup bread crumbs (I used Glutino, a corn-based bread crumb)
2 cloves garlic
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook sausage on medium heat and add garlic and chopped mushroom stems. When the sausage is almost browned (~10 minutes) add the bread crumbs and mix thoroughly. Prior to filling the mushrooms, taste test the mixture and add seasoning only if needed. Fill mushroom caps and place on a cookie sheet. Cook at 350 for 25 minutes.

Here's to fungi--lc.

I Love Tea Parties--as long as Sarah Palin isn't invited.

I drink more tea than the Queen of England.
That statement is even more true now that I’ve cut down on my coffee intake.

Tea is my go-to drink for two reasons. For one, it’s basically a hug in a cup. I can think of only a few things that are more comforting than a cup of tea--regardless of the weather. The second reason is because tea takes me back to my childhood. Visiting my aunts with my mom, we could barely make it through the door without hearing the familiar whistling of a hot tea pot. My aunts would just skip over asking if I wanted tea, which is symbolic of a trait that runs in my mom's family. There is this unspoken assumption of answers. In those instances where my mom and her siblings do ask you if you'd like something, it's more of a formality than anything else. Your answer is completely irrelevant because they bend over backwards when it comes to taking care of others. 

What I love most about tea is the endless variety. I like having options.
Being overwhelmed by options? Even better.

Black teas, Red teas, Green teas, Herbal teas, White teas—and that’s just the start. Should you choose a traditional Early Grey or an antioxidant-rich Rooibos? A cup o’ Darjeeling or a relaxing cup of Chamomile? (Warning: You may fall asleep midway through a cup of Chamomile.)

If you’re not inherently a tea connoisseur, don’t stop reading just yet. Most people assume tea is bland and they’d much rather have something sweet. With a few modifications (i.e. sugar, honey, half and half, lemon, herbs, wine--yes, I said wine) a good cup of tea can rival and/or enhance just about any drink—even the alcoholic ones.

With summer right around the corner, now is the perfect time to concoct some delicious iced tea recipes, especially if you’re trying to lose a few pounds. If you substitute tea for your favorite pop you’ll be saving yourself from a lot of unnecessary calories. Furthermore, there have been some articles published about Green Tea's ability to help with digestion. Just from my own personal experience I can attest to how much tea (especially a mint or ginger tea) alleviates stomach discomfort after a particularly large meal.

Simple iced tea recipes:

• Earl Grey and a dash of half and half--This is a great alternative to coffee.
• Green tea, a bit of honey, and pineapple chunks. (Mix in the honey while the tea is still hot.)

More complex recipes:

Mint Iced Tea
(A Paula Deen recipe)

• 1 quart water
• 4 quart-size tea bags
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 bunch mint leaves
• 1 lemon, slices for garnish

Bring the water to a boil, remove from heat, add the tea bags, cover with a lid, and allow tea to steep for 20 minutes. Pour the sugar into the jug and add enough hot hot tap water to dissolve the sugar. Once the tea has steeped, remove the lid and the tea bags. Pour the tea into the jug, stir, and place the tea bags back into the jug. Fill the jug with cold water to yield 1 gallon. To serve, pour each glass of tea and garnish with a slice of lemon and mint leaves.

Strawberry Basil Iced Tea
(A Martha Stewart recipe)

• 8 black-tea bags
• 1 pound strawberries, hulled and halved (quartered if large)
• 1 cup water, plus more for steeping
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup fresh basil, plus more for serving
• Ice, for serving

Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add tea bags, and let steep for 5 minutes. Place strawberries in a bowl. Bring water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, add basil, and let steep for 10 minutes. Strain over strawberries; discard basil. Toss to coat. Let stand until cool, about 25 minutes. Combine strawberries with syrup and tea in a pitcher. Refrigerate until chilled. Serve over ice, and garnish with basil

Jasmine Tea & Brandied Fruit Ice Tea--Tea, fruit, & brandy for a pseudo-sangria. This recipe blew my mind!
(A Cynthia Gold recipe)

• 2 cups thinly sliced fruit, any combination of oranges, apples, peaches, plums and peaches
• 1 cup brandy, plus more as needed
• 1/4 cup loose-leaf jasmine green tea leaves
• 6 cups boiling water
• 1 bottle Riesling, chilled
• 2 tablespoons simple syrup

Place the sliced fruit in a container and completely cover with the brandy. Let sit overnight (the fruit may be soaked in brandy for up to a week, so if you expect to make another batch soon, cut and soak extra fruit in advance to save time), or if you're pressed for time, proceed to steps three and four and let it sit for at least 20 minutes as your tea cools. Place the tea leaves in a large pitcher. Add the steaming water and steep, covered, for 2 minutes. Strain, discarding the leaves and returning the tea liquid to the container, and let cool completely.  Add the chilled Riesling, brandied fruit and simple syrup. Taste and add additional simple syrup and the brandy from the macerated fruit to taste. Serve over ice garnished with a slice of fresh orange. Refrigerated, this tea sangria will stay fresh for 3 to 4 days--but let's be honest, it won't last that long.

Thai Iced Tea
(An Emeril Lagasse recipe)

• 6 cups water
• 1 cup Thai tea
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 6 tablespoons cream
• 6 tablespoons condensed milk

Pour the boiling water over the tea and let steep until bright orange in color (3-5 minutes). Remove the tea bags and add sugar, stir to dissolve. Let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Fill 6 tall glasses with crushed ice and add tea to 3/4 full. Add 1 tablespoon cream and 1 tablespoon condensed milk to each glass. Serve with a spoon so guests can swirl the mixture themselves.

Here's to Family traditions--lc.

Demystifying the Gluten Free Diet

May is Celiac Disease Awareness month so I’ve decided to dedicate my latest post to the culprit: Gluten.



Going gluten free? The top 2/3 of the food pyramid have now become your bff.

 Gluten-free (GF) items are popping up in grocery stores and restaurants across the country. PF Chang’s has an entire page of GF items on their menu and Olive Garden has just recently jumped on the bandwagon. Despite this rapidly evolving gastronomic phenomenon, there are plenty of people who don’t know what gluten is so let’s start there.

Gluten is a protein composite found in grains such as wheat, barley, and rye. Unfortunately, for reasons the medical field still really doesn’t understand, some people mount an immune response when they ingest gluten. In the case of Celiac Disease (CD) the immune system begins attacking the small intestine producing diarrhea, abdominal pain, bloating, fatigue, and headaches along with a mosaic of other symptoms. Ultimately the undiagnosed individual becomes malnourished and will begin losing weight.

Within the past few years the medical field has slowly recognized that people can have a gluten sensitivity without having CD. The sensitivity can present as a variety of symptoms including fatigue, brain fog, pain, acne, or it can just aggravate the symptoms of other ailments. It’s estimated that 3 million (1/133) Americans have CD and that nearly 20 million Americans have a gluten sensitivity. However, the majority in both groups have not been diagnosed which is unfortunate as uncontrolled inflammation keeps your immune system unnecessarily preoccuppied.

Earlier this year I became suspicious that I might have a gluten sensitivity as I had very little energy despite being well rested and I had a really stubborn case of acne. I went cold turkey. I cut out what had been the culinary staples of my diet: pasta and bread. I’m not going to sugar coat this experience. It was traumatic and not to mention, heartbreaking. Those who know me best know that my favorite meal is either a meatball sub or a pot pie, but I was determined to see if I could fix this problem without spending hundreds of dollars at a dermatologist.

I set out to the grocery store and wore blinders as I passed by the bakery. In the beginning I didn’t even buy GF packaged food or canned food for that matter. I was afraid that I would not know what red flags to look for on the ingredient labels. I stuck with fresh produce, rice, quinoa, and meat. I started to notice a difference almost immediately. I was no longer randomly falling asleep like a true narcoleptic and although my acne had not disappeared, it had significantly improved. Curious if this had just been a coincidence, I cheated and had a bowl of spaghetti and meatballs about 3 weeks into the experiment. Simply put, that meal was heaven-sent, but within hours my acne flared up again. That incident was enough to make a believer out of me, well almost at least. I still wanted more proof that I had to say adios to the American staples once and for all and that opportunity came to me this past week. I’ve been working 2 jobs and I’m not the least bit exhausted. It’s Friday and I haven’t even had a cup of coffee yet.

I am not advocating that people go Gluten Free for the heck of it. (That’s Oprah and Gwenthy Paltrow’s job.) For me it has been great because it’s made me feel so much better! Not to mention I’m eating healthier. Sure it’s more expensive to eat healthy but I like to think of your health in terms of a balance. If one skimps at the grocery store now and buys unhealthy items, decades later that money will be scooped up by the medical field and pharmaceutical companies as a result of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, etc.

If you suspect that you might have a gluten sensitivity you do not have to cut pastas, breads, and desserts completely out of your life. There are GF pastas made with corn and quinoa and Bob's Red Mill offers a line of outstanding flours, pancake mixes, cake mixes, pizza crusts, etc. Sure you'll have to do the baking yourself but for me that has been therapeutic. What has been even better is browsing the Internet for GF Food Blogs. I've stumbled upon some pretty incredible recipes. 

This would not be a fair post without some mention of the downsides of going gluten free. Here it goes:

Buying groceries
Reading the labels of everything you put in your cart becomes tedious really quick as you make sure the items do not contain wheat, food cornstarch, barley extract, etc. Not to mention the GF alternative products can be very pricey. If you're looking for a grocery store that really caters to their GF customers check out Trader Joe's and Whole Foods. They VERY clearly label their products.

Alcohol
GF means no more beer for me. There are GF beers out there but I’ve heard they’re terrible. I also have to pay close attention to the liquor I drink. Tequila and wine are absolutely fine, but alcohol extracted from grains (i.e. vodka) is another story. Supposedly it is safe as long as it has been distilled because gluten is too big to make it through the distillation process.

Eating out
Some chain restaurants have caught on to the GF trend, but there are still a lot of restaurants who do not cater to the GF crowd. My best advice? Choose a Mexican restaurant and make sure to order corn tortillas rather than flour.

Explaining why you’re GF
Some people assume going GF is the fashionable food trend of the moment--the Atkins diet of 2011. They do not realize that there are underlying symptoms that you’re trying to alleviate. When you explain this to them all you see is a look of skepticism as they stuff their faces with a heaping plate of spaghetti.

Here’s to Food allergy/sensitivity awareness—lc.

fəˈlanTHrəpē post #2: The Ark

For years I walked down Main Street completely oblivious to the hidden gem sandwiched between Rush Street and Starbucks. Sure, I had seen the occasional line of people waiting outside this mysteriously small wooden storefront, but I never thought to investigate because the mean age of the people in line usually fell somewhere around 55. I figured it was a bingo hall, at the very least. It wasn’t until January of 2009 that all changed. I was studying/loitering at Borders and 107.1 was there with Griffin House. I had never heard of this band and I was completely blown away by their soulful Nashville-inspired melodies. When they said they’d be performing at the Ark later that night, I went home and Googled the location and was surprised to find out that it was right on Main Street. That night my love affair with the Ark began.



Standing in line outside of the Ark I didn’t know what to expect. The location is deceiving because it looks very small and narrow, which is half true—it is small. The venue is upstairs and it is an incredibly intimate space: hardwood floors, dim lighting, a small stage, and tiny tables surrounding the stage with theater seats available in the periphery. It can fit up to 400 people although they don’t always set up for that many guests and you would never guess that capacity, trust me. If it's a lighter night you might even be able to find some space by the stage to get your groupie dance on. Not that I've ever done that. Really.

The coolest thing? Tickets are usually $15-20 and they're general admission for an amazing reason. They want to cater to the diehard fans. Anyone can have a front row seat as long as they arrive early enough.

What you may not know about the Ark is that it is a non-profit and it is almost entirely staffed by volunteers. (I think they have 5 employees total.) I started volunteering in the fall and I have been able to see some incredible performances for free: The Weepies, Matt White, The Alternate Routes, The Kin, Jake Shimabukuro, the Autumn Defense, Theo Katzman…I could go on and on. Sure some light work is involved, but you won’t even break a sweat--I promise. Additionally, you have plenty of opportunities to meet the performers who more often than not know you’re a volunteer so you might even score a free CD or t-shirt.

Every month they feature a Take a Chance Tuesday. They bring in an up-and-coming performer for a free performance. Usually a food donation is your ticket in the door. They also have one open mic night a month. I think it's $2 to get in and I've been very impressed by the performances I've seen there. If you want to perform you can enter your name into a raffle. If  you're picked you get to play 2 songs.

The only thing to know before you go is that you have to be a "member" to purchase alcohol. All this requires is a $5 membership fee and its expiration coincides with the end of the UM semester.

If you’re interested in volunteering at the Ark go here: http://www.theark.org/volunteers.html.

If you're hesitant to volunteer to work shows for bands you've never heard of before I recommend signing up for the shows sponsored by 107.1. That method has never let me down. Additionally, in the days leading up to the show YouTube should be your best friend.

They periodically offer 3 hour training sessions throughout the year and once you complete that you’re free to sign up for as many shows as you’d like. Normally you have to show up at 6:45 and you’re usually out of there by 10 or 11. It’s a great way to expand your musical repertoire and to support a truly unique Ann Arbor establishment.
Here's to Free concerts--lc.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs…and Homemade Ravioli.

Med school starts in t-minus 3.5 months which means it’s time to start cranking out all of those recipes I will never have time to make once I’m a med student. 

My latest undertaking? Homemade Italian wedding soup and two types of ravioli. The reason? Well, there are only a few things that surpass my love for meatballs and meatballs in a soup is just plain genius. As for the homemade ravioli, it's resume worthy. I'm exaggerating, but it is a project you can hang your hat on. I figured if I was going to go through all the trouble of making homemade pasta I might as well go wild and try two different recipes. I’m glad I did because I’m having a hard time deciding which one turned out better.

Ravioli recipe
2.5 cups flour (You will need more. You will use lots of flour and if you cook like me, most of it may or may not end up on the floor/on yourself.)
1 tbsp olive oil
5 eggs
1 egg yolk, reserve the egg white
Dash of salt

Combine all of the ingredients except the reserved egg white and mix well. Add in some of the reserved egg white if your dough is too dry. Cover the bowl with a towel once your dough is sufficiently mixed and allow to sit for ~20 minutes. Then, roll out the dough and cut out the ravioli using whatever tool you have at your disposal (i.e. cookie cutter, cup, small bowl, etc). For lack of a better alternative, I used a shot glass and it worked flawlessly. I used the spokes of a fork to create indentations along the perimeter of the ravioli. The finished product looked pretty legit although it resembled a sombrero.

Rosemary Ricotta Chicken & Mushroom Ravioli
½ lb ground chicken
1 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp ricotta
1/2 tbsp lemon zest
Generous dash of rosemary
2 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp parmesan cheese
A handful of mushrooms, diced

Put olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add mushrooms and ground chicken and cook until brown ~8-10 minutes. Add the minced garlic and rosemary to the pan while the chicken is cooking. Transfer the chicken to a medium bowl and allow it to cool. Combine ricotta, parmesan, and lemon zest to the bowl and mix thoroughly. Spoon a generous amount of the chicken filling into your ravioli shell and then assemble your creation. Drop ravioli into a pot of boiling salt water and allow to cook for about 3 minutes. (Ravioli will float to the top when they are done cooking.)

Sweet Potato Ravioli
1 medium sweet potato
2 tbsp brown sugar
4 tbsp ricotta

Preheat oven to 350. Rinse sweet potato and cut in half. Add olive oil to a baking pan and place sweet potatoes in the baking dish with the sliced side facing the dish. Cook until sweet potatoes are mushy which should take about 35 minutes. To check, use a fork to spear the potatoes. If they go through easily, you’re good to go. Spoon out the sweet potato into a bowl and discard the skin. Add the brown sugar and ricotta and mix thoroughly. Spoon a generous amount of the filling into your ravioli shell and then assemble your creation. Drop ravioli into a pot of boiling salt water and allow to cook for about 3 minutes. (Ravioli will float to the top when they are done cooking.)

Italian Wedding Soup
For the soup:
8 cups of chicken broth
½ cup white wine (I used a Pinot)
4 carrots, peeled and diced
1/2 a small onion, diced
1 cup of your favorite pasta, cooked according to package instructions

For the meatballs:
½ lb ground turkey
1 egg
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 cup of fresh parsley
¼ cup breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 400. In a large pot combine the olive oil, carrots, and onion and allow to sauté until tender ~7-8 minutes. Add the chicken broth and wine and bring the broth to a boil. Once it has boiled, lower the heat. For the meatballs combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Assemble small meatballs on a baking sheet and cook at 400 for 30 minutes, flipping the meatballs halfway through. Add the pasta, meatballs, and some more fresh parsley to the soup and serve.

I really wish I would’ve taken a picture of the kitchen after I was done cooking because it was a complete disaster. There was flour everywhere. I’m not going to lie--I was exhausted after I finally finished the clean-up. Maybe it’s because I was hunched over the table making ravioli for an hour and a half, or maybe it’s because I’m 24 now and not as young as I used to be. Regardless, if you find yourself in that predicament the easy and obvious remedy is to pour yourself some of that white wine leftover from the soup recipe. You'll need it.

Here’s to Feeding your cravings—lc.

Taking fashion advice from Harry Potter.

I suffer from the occasional identity crisis and you can probably sympathize. You wake up one day and decide that you want to change your look. More often than not, my hair is the victim. I either decide to cut off 6 inches with no regard to the several months I intentionally spent avoiding my hairdresser, or I decide to change the color, ignoring the fact that dark hair makes me look an extra from Twilight. In both cases, I’m pretty reckless as my only instructions to my hair dresser are: I want something edgy.

8 hair colors later, I’ve learned it’s pretty easy to change your look without the commitment a haircut entails. The solution: prescription-less glasses. Sure, the Harry Potter glasses probably aren’t my first choice for a pair of sexy specs, but it made for a catchy title.

People will occasionally ask about my glasses while I’m wearing them and when I explain that they’re fake they all ask the same question: why wear glasses if you don’t need to? I don’t see what the big deal is. It’s not like I’m walking around with pseudo-braces or crutches. Glasses can be sexy-- plain and simple. And hey, who’s to say pseudo-braces won’t be in one day. Uggs had their day, after all.

The hard part is finding fake glasses. 
Correction: the hard part is finding non-hipster fake glasses. Don’t get me wrong, I love hipsters but those oversized glasses that take up half of your face aren’t very becoming on most people; myself included.

In the past I have had success finding glasses at Nordstrom (they carry some great ones and they only cost $10!), Forever 21, and For Love 21. I’ve browsed the online sites, but I’ve never actually bought anything because I personally like trying things on. Here's a website that has glasses starting at just $8:

http://www.sunglasswarehouse.com/fake-clear-glasses.html

Yes, if you must know, they're fake.

Here’s to Fakes—at least when it comes to glasses—lc.

fəˈlanTHrəpē post #1: Selma's Cafe

A little house tucked away on the West Side of Ann Arbor has enhanced my appreciation of Fridays. Every Friday morning from 6:30-10 Jeff and Lisa open their home to local guest chefs and any foodie willing to start their morning a little earlier than usual. They call it Selma's Cafe, but that's really a misnomer because you won't find anyone there named Selma and it doesn't resemble any cafe I've ever seen. The simplest explanation is that it's a local foods breakfast salon. For a donation of $12-15 you can either choose one of the 2 dishes the guest chef prepares or one of the staples that they always serve: bread pudding, waffles, or the vegan option. Their mission is multifaceted; not only do they support local farmers, producers, and chefs, but they use the proceeds to build hoop houses.

When I first heard about Selma's I thought it sounded extremely awkward. Pulling up a chair and dining in some random person's house? No thank you. However, after going I was very impressed. It's a welcoming atmosphere and all of the volunteers are extremely friendly. Everyone wears a name tag and since space is limited, you usually have to share a table with strangers which adds to the whole experience. The food is usually prepared quickly and in the meantime you can either chat with fellow foodies, watch the chef do their thing, or simply stare in amazement at their beautiful kitchen.

(After dining, simply stick your name tag anywhere and it'll be there waiting for you when you return. Or you can do what I do and pick a new name every time you go.)

In the past I've had the pleasure of trying a Korean pulled pork breakfast sandwich, biscuits and gravy, breakfast pasties, and cheesy grits with a breakfast enchilada. I'm getting hungry just thinking about all of the fabulous food I've had there! If I still haven't succeeded in convincing you, check out the Yelp reviews: http://www.yelp.com/biz/selma-cafe-ann-arbor-3

You can sign up to be on their e-mail list on their website: http://www.selmacafe.org/ They promptly send out the menu on Wednesday afternoons.

Here's to Fridays--lc.



My big fat Greek dinner.

There's nothing like a 6-month lag between your first and second blog posts. Let's just say I was using the hiatus to get inspired.

It has been almost a year since I graduated and one of the things I've enjoyed the most is being able to cook for myself. The most extravagant meals I ever cooked during undergrad involved $1 Cottage Inn Bread and store-bought spaghetti. Total prep time: 10 minutes.

Who doesn't love Greek food? Throw feta on just about anything and I'm a happy girl. This year I've been experimenting with some of my favorite foods. I'll find a recipe online and then modify it because let's be honest: sometimes it's fun to disregard instructions. My latest undertaking: stuffed grape leaves aka dolmades and chicken lemon rice soup. The inspiration for the first dish really came from two places, the first being Sparrow Market in Ann Arbor.

After being disappointed by the lack of produce at the Saturday morning Farmer's Market, I went inside and decided to buy something I'd never cooked with before. That's when I saw the ground lamb and at a very reasonable price.

The second reason I decided to make dolmades, well, sometimes I really wish I lived in Greece. Since that's not feasible, I figured cooking Mediterranean food would be a good alternative.

The truth is I always crave those little bundles of heaven, especially after a night of drinking. (Don't judge, I have weird hangover cravings.) So I figured there was no better opportunity to make these than right around my 24th birthday when some drinking would undoubtedly be involved.

You can basically let your creativity run wild when it comes to deciding what to put in your dolmades. General rule of thumb: pick your favorite meat, add in rice or a rice substitute, and then load in the spices, olive oil, and a ridiculous amount of lemon.

Dolmade ingredients:
1/2 lb ground lamb
1/4 cup quinoa, cooked according to package instructions
1 lemon, the bigger, the better
1 cup broccli
1 cup cauliflower
1 tbsp fennel
3 cloves garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
Enough olive oil to provide a thin layer on the bottom of a frying pan
2 cups of your favorite stock, I used chicken

In the frying pan add the olive oil and minced garlic. Allow to cook for 3-4 minutes and then add the ground lamb and fennel. Cook on medium heat.

While that's cooking, preheat oven to 350 and put broccoli and cauliflower in baking dish. Add 1/2 cup stock, juice of 1/2 a lemon, and lemon zest. Toss all ingredients together and bake covered for 15-20 minutes--toss them again about halfway through.

Once the lamb is cooked, add in the cooked quinoa, 1 cup stock, juice of half lemon, and lemon zest. Lower heat and allow to cook down.

Stir the broccoli and cauliflower into the ground lamb. Allow to cool and then begin assembling the dolmades by spooning a generous amount of the mixture into the center of the grape leaf. Tightly wrap the dolmade and place into a baking dish. Cover the dolmades with remaining stock and lemon zest, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45-50 minutes.

Chicken Lemon Rice Soup ingredients:
2 chicken breasts
2 carrots, peeled and cut
1 small onion, diced
6 cups chicken broth
1 lemon
1 cup brown rice
2 eggs
Italian parsley

This recipe is a breeze! Mix the broth, carrots, and onion in a large pot on medium heat. Add chicken to the pot and allow to simmer on low heat for 30 minutes. Remove chicken, allow to cool, and add rice to the to pot. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes. Shred chicken and add back to the soup.

Pivotal step: Taste test the rice to make sure it is cooked.

In a small bowl whisk the eggs and lemon juice. Add 1 cup of the hot soup broth to the mixture and continue whisking. Combine egg mixture to the pot and it's ready to serve. Garnish with parsley and add some lemon zest if you're a fan of citrus, like me.


That's it! It's really quite a pay off for a minimal amount of work because your finished dolmades will be a lot less oily than the grape leaves you buy anywhere else and the soup could compete with just about any Coney Island's--I'd even put money on it.

Here's to being a foodie--lc.