The Angry Crab

My friends and I will go just about anywhere for good food and since we live in Chicago there isn’t a shortage of places to try! Last week we found ourselves at The Angry Crab (5665 n Lincoln avenue Chicago IL, 60659) which is about a half hour away from DePaul University by car. The restaurant is BYOB and does not take reservations. We arrived at 7 and only had to wait about ten minutes for a table, but anyone who arrived after us had a much longer wait. For our seafood concoction we ordered: king crab legs, shrimp, lobster tails, potatoes, corn on the cob, and sausage. We also ordered some garlic cajun fries with a side of ranch. The food is served in a plastic bag which we dumped on our table. After snapping a few pictures we dug in and didn’t look back. YUM! I didn’t start eating seafood until earlier this year and I’m glad that we have a great place to go when you’re in need of a fresh seafood fix. I’m not going to lie: it’s not cheap. For all of this food and a few pops we spent $120 with a 20% tip, but it was worth it! I highly recommend The Angry Crab for any foodie visiting or adventuring in Chicago!

  Delicious!  
I forgot to mention that they give you these sweet bibs!

Murad: Acne Spot Fast Fix

 
I recently purchased Murad’s Acne Spot Fast Fix because I’ve been breaking out along my cheekbone and mouth. My usual face wash didn’t seem to be controlling the breakouts as much as I needed it to and so I decided to go in search of a product that could help rejuvenate my skin. I generally have very sensitive skin and am hesitant about trying new products, but the woman at Sephora assured me I should be fine.

When I got home I tested a small amount on my inner arm to make sure I didn’t have a reaction. After a day I didn’t seem to have a rash so I applied the product to my face. Unfortunately, the next day a rash appeared on my arm and face. It looks like I have thousands of baby goose bumps all over my left arm and entire face, which is not the look I’m going for.

If you have sensitive skin I would not suggest this product. I will most likely have these bumps (as well as the itchiness, redness, and discomfort that comes with) for at least a week and there is really nothing that can be done for it. You can take Benadryl, but it doesn’t particularly work for me and is only an option at night because of the side effects.

If you have sensitive skin I’d love to hear some of your remedies for getting through an allergic reaction!

Trying to make yogurt a little more intresting

 
Here’s a great idea for an easy, delicious, and healthy(?) yogurt parfait!
fage 0% Greek yogurt
Jessica’s chocolate chip granola (available at whole foods)
Strawberries
Raspberries
Drizzle of honey
 

 
I like to chop up my strawberries becasue it makes them easier to eat and I like smaller bites. I thought this was a great breakfast/snack this morning and can’t wait to eat it again! Let me know what you think!

After the diploma

Post graduate life is not what I thought it would be. I graduated from DePaul University in March and don’t start grad school until the fall, so I’ve had a lot of free time on my hands-especially since there is no homework involved. I was working as a server, but picked up a temporary nanny job for a few weeks so my schedule could be more consistent. I enjoy nannying and serving, but working these jobs has reiterated the fact that I don’t want to do this for the rest of my life.

I’m really excited to finally start nursing school! I just registered for classes and it’s crazy to think that in two years I’ll have my master’s in nursing and be one step closer to what I want to do with my life. Ideally I would love to be a family nurse practitioner, but I’m also interested in dermatology, oncology, and geriatrics. The field of nursing is so diverse that I believe I’ll be able to incorporate my interests into my work, but still have time to raise a family. 

Even though I don’t walk until June, I’m really excited to see what’s in store for me in the coming months. I finally have free time to go home and see my family without worrying about finishing up homework. I’m hoping to explore more of Chicago (maybe other cities) and try new things such as sailing or skydiving. Either way, I have a feeling it’s going to be a great summer! 

Banana Bread

I have a slight addiction to banana bread, but I would never eat a plain banana. It’s really hard to find the perfect recipe for something that can vary drastically depending on who the baker is. Fortunately my grandma (I call her G-ma) has the only recipe that you’ll ever need for the best banana bread!

  

G-ma’s Banana Bread

One Cup sugar

One egg

One cup of sour whipping cream (if you do not have sour whipping cream add 2 T. Vinegar and let sit for awhile)

One mashed banana

One and one half cup of flour

One/fourth tsp. salt

One tsp. soda

the steps:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

Cream sugar and eggs, add other Ingredients

Grease and flour tins

Bake for one hour. (It usually takes more time, check that it is brown and not gooey looking on the top)

Trick of the trade: I love spreading Hope butter (from the Hope Creamery in southern Minnesota) on my banana bread because I love how the salty butter compliments the flavors of the bread. 

Want to get really fancy?

After your banana bread has cooled, cut a few slices and dip them in a mixture of egg, a splash of milk, and pumpkin pie spice. Place it on a hot skillet and cook both sides. Plate, pour maple syrup on your banana bread french toast, and top with powdered sugar. ENJOY!

Chocolate Crinkles

One of my favorite childhood memories is making chocolate crinkles with my great grandma. They quickly became my favorite cookie and when I realized I hadn’t made them in a while I asked my mom for my recipe that’s tucked away somewhere in my bedroom at home. Naturally she couldn’t find it because they’ve moved “my room” to three different rooms since I left for college, but I quickly looked up a recipe and adjusted it slightly so the cookies are just the way I like them, goey.

1 cup cocoa ( I used half unsweetened and half dark chocolate)

2 cups white sugar

1/2 vegetable oil

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

pinch of salt

Powdered sugar to coat

Combine the cocoa, sugar, vegetable oil, and mix. Beat in eggs one at a time and then add vanilla. Add flour, baking powder, and salt and let batter chill in the fridge until you can roll free standing balls. My batter took about 40 minutes to chill and then I preheated the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit so that added another ten minutes to the chill time. Roll the batter into 1 inch balls and coat completely in powdered sugar. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and press lightly on balls to flatten. The recipe said to bake for 10-12 minutes, but I baked mine for 8 because I like it when they’re a little goey. Let the cookies sit for a minute when they come out of the oven before you move them from the pan. 

Here’s a picture of the finished product! Yum! I made these yesterday and they’re already half gone! Today I had three for breakfast…everyone gets a cheat day, or five, right?

Macaron Madness

I have macaroon fever. After not being able to consume top notch macarons on a daily basis since my return to the states, I’ve decided to make my own! My first attempt was the equivalent of making chocolate chip cookies without the gooey center. Heartbreaking. They still tasted great, but they didn’t get feet so the appearance was a little off.

Thankfully, my friend Sally is the best and together we were able to master the art of macarons. With the help of the Ladurée cookbook, we recreated the rose petal macaroons and they turned out perfectly!

Around Town

Yesterday I spent the day walking around Chicago with my friend Allison (I call her Gehl). We had lunch at Hub 51 and caught up on everything new to Chicago since we’ve been away. While I was studying abroad in London, she was living the good life in California at the Disney College Program. Here are some of the photos we took yesterday. Enjoy!

The newest faces of urban Chicago Starbucks

Cheers!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

My absolute favorite baked good is a pumpkin chocolate chip muffin. I’ve been making them while in London and it’s helped me stay sane while I’m missing the holidays back home. Truthfully, I eat them all year round because I’m a firm believer that pumpkin has no seasonal limits. Today, I substituted white flour for gluten free flour because my friends have celiacs. These muffins are super easy to make and make a great breakfast, snack, or dessert!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

1 1/2 cups flour (gluten free or regular)

1 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1/2 cup salted butter (melted)

1 cup granulated white sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 can pumpkin

as many semi sweet chocolate chips as your heart desires!

Typically I mix the dry ingredients together (minus the chocolate chips) and then add the liquids before mixing the entire mixture together. I use pumpkin pie spice from the spice house because it’s really good quality and you get a generous amount in each jar. After everything is smooth and there aren’t any lumps in the batter add as many chocolate chips as you’d like. Bake the muffins at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15-17 minutes.

The MOST important step is the next step. I know a warm muffin can hit the spot, but let them cool, put them in plastic bags, and stick them in the freezer. I always grab a muffin from the freezer on my way to class and it’s usually thawed by the time I want to eat it. I like to freeze the muffins because it keeps the chocolate chips hard and I’ve always thought they tasted better.

ENJOY!

Let me know how yours turned out!

The Marylebone

I love a good cocktail, so I was very happy to find an infused cocktail bar very close to my apartment in London called The Marylebone. When I first started going they had happy hour every day, but it started getting so busy that they cut it down to three days a week. Fortunately, the bartenders seem to like me and put my favorite drink on the happy hour menu. May I introduce…

The Walter White

I haven’t even been 21 for a full year and I’ve found my favorite drink for life. It has a pisco base, a slight kick, and is garnished with dill. As soon as I touch ground in Chicago you can find me at the nearest Binny’s because I will learn to recreate this. Happy hour at my place and you’re all invited!

Here’s another picture for your viewing pleasure because the drinks are cool.