The Chopping Block Cooking Blog

Celebrate Christkindlmarket Season with this German Dessert

If you live in Chicago and have walked around the Loop lately, you may have seen people with a very fancy mug in their hands. They are coming from the annual Christkindlmarket and are enjoying some ...

Cooking for One

Being an empty nester and living alone, one question I get asked all the time is “Why do you bother cooking for just yourself?” My answer? “I’m worth it!” And so are you.

Adventures in Fungus Fruition

I joined the team at The Chopping Block two years ago, and the change of career trajectory was very apparent right from the start. After working almost 20 years in some of the hardest, and not so ...

Mrs. Miller’s Chocolate Cake

I do not know who the heck Mrs. Miller is, but I do know she created one amazing chocolate cake recipe. Although this recipe is credited to Mrs. Miller, in my heart and mind, it is a Charlotte ...

Thanksgiving Leftovers

You’ve already read dozens of round-ups telling you the best way to cook turkey or the secrets to the creamiest mashed potatoes. You don’t need another one of those from me. (Or probably anyone else ...

Brussels Sprouts on the Stalk for Thanksgiving

I absolutely love Brussel sprouts. We didn’t eat them much in my house growing up (my dad still turns his nose up at most green vegetables), but I’ve come to love them in my adulthood. I’ve had ...

Thanksgiving Taboos and To-do’s

When there are hundreds of articles this week detailing how you should prepare for Thanksgiving, why should you read this one? Because this is one that will really save the day! You don’t need a ...

Carbonation Temptation

Maybe you’re with me on this: a life lived without carbonated beverages is no life at all. Whether you specifically agree or not, it seems clear humanity as a whole regards adding bubbles to your ...

The Good and Bad News about Wine

After college graduation, I moved to New York City, where a classmate offered a patch of her studio apartment to me until I found my own crib. At her door, she greeted me, “I have good news and bad ...

Chicken Cacciatore: The Perfect Braised Dinner for a Chilly Night

Chicken Cacciatore is an Italian country-style braised dish perfect for the cold weather that includes onions, mushrooms, carrots, garlic, peppers, herbs and tomatoes. The word cacciatore means ...