Real Food Rehab in Time Out Chicago

I have so much to be thankful for. For example, I'm very grateful to be included in an article in this weeks' Time Out Chicago Magazine. They asked three food bloggers to contribute recipes and our Thanksgiving stories to the mag. Definitely click on the link if you'd like to see my recipes for bacon bread sticks, cheese puffs, chicken liver crostini or my apple, pear and beet salad. The other two bloggers are Bake and Destroy and The Paupered Chef. We all have such different styles which makes it such a well-rounded piece. Be sure to check out the other bloggers!

I'm psyched to be spending the holiday with good friends and gorgeous food. We enlisted the help of local pie maker, Jane at Sugarkist Pies to make our desserts this year. We ordered a double crust apple and a cranberry-pear with a hazelnut crumble topping. She uses local ingredients and lots of made-from-scratch lovin'. We also ordered our turkeys from Tilth Farm through Provenance Food & Wine in Logan Square. I have never had their pasture-raised birds before and we're brining them so I'm excited to see how they turn out. We also bought our brioche bread for stuffing and cranberry conserve from another local genius, Sandra at Floriole Bakery. They specialize in French-style baked goods and have been regulars at Green City Market for years. They're also opening up a bakery in Lincoln Park very soon.

I am also grateful for all the local farmers, food artisans and shop-keeps who work so passionately to bring us such beautiful, traditional and authentic foods because it makes my life better. I don't care how schmaltzy that sounds because it's true. Besides, I like schmaltz.

I send love and wishes for a peaceful holiday.

Dana Joy

ASK ME ABOUT SMOOTHIES

For two days this week, I was fortunate to work craft service for a TV commercial. Craft service is essentially providing drinks and snacks for the crew and talent on a commercial, TV show or film shoot. I had to provide for 40 people who work long hours and for the most part, appear to live primarily on caffeine and cigarettes. I honestly haven't seen that many people smoking since early episodes of Kojak.

A traditional craft services table is full of bowl upon bowl of junk food: M&M's, chips, candy bars, gum, pretzels and the requisite platter of fruit. Coffee is always percolating and the caffeinated soda always flowing. Crew and talent pop in for a quick fix, something they can grab and go.

Knowing my Real Food bent, my friend Eve, who's a producer on the job, hired me to clean up the joint as they say. She just knew I would do a conscientious job and provide, with care, some real food alternatives.

I knew I wanted to make a difference any way I could. I also knew I had to compromise my values so to speak and provide junk. There would be a major revolt if there weren't candy, cookies, gum, chips and other industry standards at the table. And I'll be honest, it was a little soul crushing to purchase some of that stuff. But my M.O. was strategic if not long range: I was going to present food that would surprise and delight them and maybe even plant some seeds down the road. (Call me delusional, but I prefer optimistic) I created a menu that was great-tasting, beautifully presented and REAL and I did it with pleasure.

The first thing I laid out was falafel from Middle East Bakery. I got wide, clear plastic cups and cut open one falafel ball in each, drizzled it with tahini sauce and topped it off with a cherry tomato, cucumber slice and fork. Total hit!

I also did a Caprese/Pasta Salad on a skewer with cherry tomato, basil, fresh mozz and spinach tortellini and drizzled my mint basil pesto on one batch and a homemade balsamic vinaigrette for the next. Bonafide smash!

Next I made smoked turkey and cheddar sandwiches on mini parker house rolls with dijon and a cornichon attached to the top by a toothpick. Hell, I'm not reinventing the wheel but they were good.

Being the clever lady I am, I also put up a sign on the wall above my table that said, "ASK ME ABOUT SMOOTHIES." I brought my blender and was making smoothies on the spot for people and they loved it. I did one that was frozen banana, organic peanut butter, apple cider and almond milk. (If you wanted to turn it into a milk shake, substitute a fresh banana for a frozen one and vanilla ice cream for almond milk)

By special request I also created my own frozen coffee smoothies: just blend cooled coffee, organic half and half, agave nectar and a ton of ice. Take that Starbucks! Addictively delicious and without a trace of corn syrup!