Rhubarb Strawberry Coffee Cake with Buttermilk Ice Cream

There is a special season that only lasts a few weeks every year and I'm not talking about summer in Chicago. That old adage 'if you blink you will miss it' has never been more appropriate than when talking about rhubarb season.

April showers bring May flowers and pretty red stalks of crisp Rhubarb. So many people think they don't like this fruit disguised vegetable; often it's their own preconceived notions or the reminisce of some disgusting goo made by a distant aunt that slithered away on its own accord, just like in the movie Better Off Dead.

This is nothing like that and the only place the cake is going in your belly. Strawberry and rhubarb are a natural combination; the striking part of the dish comes when that tart, sweet flavor meets the tangy buttermilk ice cream. It turned out so much better than planned that I offered to make it the very next weekend for another party.

It was a good week snacking on this ice cream and cake combination until a trip to the store turned up an empty rhubarb shelf. Rhubarb hunting I went. The next store and the next were all out. The season came and went in less than 2 weeks; looking back I should be happy I was able to bag any.

Cumin-scented Apple Cheese Pie Amuse Bouche

Amuse Bouche is a funny name. It rolls off the tongue okay, but it ultimately comes out like a drunken sailor attempting to fit in at a ladies afternoon tea party.

It's a single, bite sized appetizer that is meant to 'amuse' the palate; to tempt the senses for more. Often these are free tokens offered before your meal or between entrees which can help to set the tone of what is to come.

It can also be nothing more than showmanship of a chef's oversized ego as well.... but I love the hell out of these singular bites of intense flavors.

This can be an easy way to elevate your party and sneak in another nosh without adding a full course to the dinner. But don't be fooled at their tiny size, they can become as much work as your main entree if you let them.

This amuse bouche spoon of sauteed apple meets savory cumin and creamy triple cheese is a fun and simple tempting bite that could be used before a meal or maybe leading into a dessert course. It's a play on the Midwest tradition of adding a slice of cheddar cheese to your apple pie and it's just fun.

Homemade Wheat Crackers

These are not a light, super crispy saltine-like cracker. That's important only after you understand that I set out to make a saltine cracker for my sick beau.

The crackers are still good, they just turned out more like a wheat thin. A tasty, tasty wheat thin. Using white wheat lour instead of all purpose white flour deepened these crackers in appearance, depth and flavor.

This really couldn't be a simpler dough and process. The most difficult part is rolling out the dough as it tends to be on the crumbly side, unless you added a pinch too much water, then the dough might be on the soft side. Just have patience. And remember that little cracks in the final product makes it look more rustic.

Spicy Strawberry and Mint Grilled Cheese Quesadilla Sandwich

You decide to have a party for Cinco de Mayo- yet your Southern friends want to know if they can view the Kentucky Derby as well? Could be a fun mix of cultural exploration. But how are you going to pull off the the food and drink to satisfy both?

Margaritas and stuffed pork quesadillas versus mint juleps and Benedictine cucumber sandwiches. Of course, we all know each event has an immense more to offer than tacos and bourbon, but today we are seeking one recipe that can tie them together seamlessly. 

This Spicy Strawberry and Mint Grilled Cheese Quesadilla Sandwich is a crazy exploration into marrying these two festivities through one recipe. Imagine you are walking around the party while munching on a warm, cheesy quesadilla and you trip - but catch yourself by landing your cheese filled hand into a fellow party-goer's mint julep, which proceeds to knock into a bowl of fresh strawberries. Yup, that's what this is. Cue the fireworks.

Sure it's far fetched, but it could happen. More important is the how the warm Grand Marnier kissed goat cheese envelopes the sweet strawberries and fresh mint. Simple toasted walnuts add a touch of luxury and refinement to the sandwich while the spicy jalapeno jelly lingers on the tongue. I know it sounds odd, but it's a fun little appetizer; could even be a light lunch on the right day.

Egg and Spinach Salad with Blackberry Dressing

Boring salads are dead to me. We've all seen the same salads topped with the same dressing for decades. Don't get me wrong, I love a good balsamic vinaigrette on field greens; but why stop there?

This spinach salad celebrates a mix of farm goodies from squash and sage to green beans and eggs. Blackberry jam stands in for the flavor role in the dressing and it's surprising how well it combines with the roasted squash.

Topping the salad with a poached egg is genius. The runny yolk dripping over the entire thing adds a richness that helps the salad become a satisfying meal.

Don't stand for blah. put something interesting on your Fat and Happy plate today. It's Dave approved too!

Argentina Street Meat; Turkey Fenel Slaw Sandwich

Grilled meat as far at the eye could see. That pretty much sums up Argentina.

One of my favorite grilled grub was the simple street meat we encountered on our final day in Buenos Aires. Along a bike path overlooking a bird sanctuary, we encountered a mile-long stretch covered end to end with street vendors slinging grilled sandwiches.

Smoke billowed across the sky as the vendors flipped strips of meat and plump chorizo sausages. The difference between each vendor wasn't the meat or the grill. Nor was it the ridiculously long sandwich itself (each individual loaf resembled my forearm!)

The real difference filled dozens of large bowls strewn out on long brightly colored tables. Each bowl carried a mystery topping and no two looked alike. Marinated tomatoes, pickled onions, salted lettuce, chimichurri salsas, and even a creamy blue cheese-like concoction. Every bowl held a different flavor and an opportunity for endless sandwich creations.


Hungry patrons weren't limited by standard American trimmings of ketchup, mustard and pickles. Next to the infinite salad topping accoutrements sat unlabeled squeeze bottles oozing with local goodness. Regulars grabbed their favorites with ease while we stood baffled by the countless choices. Tip: ordering your sandwich 'completo' will gain you a slice of ham and and a fried egg.

Gluten Free Pasta

Many friends and family in my life are living a gluten free lifestyle. It would be rude of me to ignore their desire for a big bowl of freshly made pasta while the rest of us sit stuffing our faces.


 Rolling by hand rather than on a pasta machine, cooking in simmering water rather than boiling- gluten free pasta requires a delicate touch and a light hand, but it really is worth it. It eats the same - absolutely wonderful tossed with simple butter, fresh herbs, black pepper and cheese.

It took me many rounds of trial and error, but with the help of the right flour, this pasta can pass for gluten eaters too.

I'll never forget the day I placed a pile of fresh, gluten free ravioli in front of my friend Amy. At the first bite she was transported to more comforting time when white flour was not the enemy. She ultimately came back to the present to tell the tale that this was her first ravioli she's had in over 15 years. I swear there was a tear in her eye at the time.

Spinach Pie aka Mock Spinach Empanada

We are off to the land of empanadas and grilled meat to eat until our bellies are bursting. Amazing food coupled with tours in wine country makes Argentina the perfect place for us to spend a few weeks recharging,

A true empanada, whether Argentinian or Spanish, would be wrapped in dough made from scratch; however not everyone wants to or has time to undertake scratch dough. That's where frozen phyllo dough steps in to produce a delicious mock empanada.

Light, airy and crunchy pockets of dough stuffed with sauteed garlicky spinach and melted rich white cheddar cheese.... whether you call it an empanada or a spinach pie, it's filling, tasty and flat out outstanding. Eat these while hot or at room temperature with a fresh side salad.