Recipe ideas and commentary on the new food culture by professional photographer Tom Schmidt in Chicago. Get inspired to cook something awesome!

Easy Impress

Whole Fish Sous Vide Red Snapper – Super Tasty & Easy Recipe

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I am from the midwest and generally the fish we get around here, we done caught'em ourselves!  Large Mouth Bass, Catfish, Crappie, etc., etc. And believe me, I've got some pictures of me (and my family) with their biggest catch on my phone.  Fishing is just one of those things that create some of the most vivid and fun memories of the good ole days of sunrise fishing with my family... Fishing is quite an animalistic experience of man vs. fish and it's a battle of the wits to see who survives.  …

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Chicken Hot Wings – Oven Roasted and Cooked to Perfection

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Do chicken hot wings have their own place in the food pyramid? I think they might have left them off the bottom because they are a must in any balanced diet… Maybe they just ran out paper when they were drawing the pyramid. Glorious chicken hot wings, how I love thee. If there ever was a food that could brighten even a dark Chicago winter day, it would have to be the perfectly roasted chicken wing, with magic dust of course, and finished with some Frank’s hot sauce. Worries disappear as …

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Summer Seafood Stew Recipe with Salmon and Mussels

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Bright, hearty and complex! This salmon and mussel summer seafood stew has a delightfully fresh tangy flavor and a deep savory finish. Although it is a warm stew, it is perfect on a summer evening with a glass of white wine. This is one of our favorites for at home celebratory meals. Compared to some of the more simple (and cheaper…) dishes featured on Eat with Tom, this one is definitely worth the investment. Maybe a good idea for the next big night in with your sweetie… Seafood …

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Sweet Potato and Hamburger Hash – Paleo Breakfast Ideas

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Sweet Potatoes with Hamburger Breakfast Recipe ** Guest Post from Morgan Paris Fitness** "What should I eat for breakfast?" AKA - the most common question I receive from clients who are just starting their Paleo journey.  This warm and savory dish with a hint of sweetness from the sweet potatoes makes for a great start to many of my days. With grains and dairy out of the question, most people are not sure what they will do without their standard breakfast of cereal with milk or …

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Peach Quinoa Crumble Recipe – Healthy Dessert Ideas

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Peach Quinoa Crumble - Healthy Dessert Recipes **Guest Post from Angela the Baker** Toasted and ground quinoa combined with almond meal elevates this simple peach crumble to gourmet status.  Almonds and peaches are a winning combination as close cousins on the family tree (pun fully intended.) These blushing ladies I got are so amazingly sweet, it only takes a little boost from some jam and maple syrup to reach that perfectly balanced nature of  home-style  fresh fruit crumble. …

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Magic Dust Spice Recipe for Amazing Chicken Wings

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Chicken Hot Wing Dust Spice Blend Recipe The one and only “Magic Dust” by Mike Mills, is an amazingly versatile dry rub style seasoning for chicken and pork.  The flavor is slightly spicy and savory invoking an almost Cajun effect that finishes with hints of sweetness.  It is guaranteed to invoke fond summer memories of outdoor barbecues and sauce on your shirt. (kinda like that old country song…) Recipe Inspiration - Peace, Love, & Barbecue You can use this spice blend a thousand …

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Chickpea Pizza with Eggs, Spinach and Tomatoes

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Gluten-Free Chickpea Flatbread Pizza Crust Recipe “I want Pizza!!”  We all have the craving, so why fight it?  This gluten-free pizza recipe will leave you not only satisfied, but inspired to create all kinds of pies.  The chickpea crust has a uniquely creamy and hearty taste that will fill you with happiness.  Not to mention, the crust is soooo easy to make, you will never have the urge to deal with a 'regular' pizza dough again! This recipe has become a busy evening favorite at my …

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Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Grapes

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Roasted Brussel Sprouts Recipe with Grapes When did Brussels sprouts become so cool?  People that normally don’t like veggies will even eat these.  They seem to have turned into the gateway drug for folks that often stay away from the green stuff.  Cool to me! My parents introduced me to this dish and at the time I had not traveled down the veggie road nearly as far as I have today.  Although it was a few years back, I can still vividly remember the first time these divine tiny …

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Perfect Roasted Chicken Recipe – Impress the Ladies!

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Perfect Oven Roasted Chicken Recipe The easiest way to get the perfect girl to fall in love with you, serve her a perfectly roasted beautiful bird.  The mythical aphrodisiac effects of the golden crispy skin and luscious meat will unfold before your very eyes.  Or at least she will give a hearty compliment on your valiant attempt and big hug.  But hey, I’ve heard success stories… Recipe Inspiration - The Perfectly Roasted Chicken, Mindy Fox This method really benefits from starting with a high …

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Portobello Recipe – Roasted Mushrooms with Balsamic Vinegar

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Portobello Recipe - Roasted Mushroom Side Dish / Appetizer Portobello mushrooms are from Mars... A UFO shaped meaty treat magically grows on composted poo... Yep an alien species! I am always amazed by their interesting structure (pop off the stalk and observe the texture) and how they seem to hover somewhere between the animal and veggie world.  Maybe they are actually more like fish, they do have gills. Anyways enough of the tangent… This recipe for preparing portobellos is …

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Grain Free Fried Rice Recipe – Grated Cauliflower and Shrimp

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Grain-Free Fried Rice Recipe made out of Grated Cauliflower Seriously, is that fried rice without a grain of rice??  The amazing cauliflower strikes again!  Really, what can’t you do with cauliflower?  Recently I have ran across recipes utilizing this humble plant in all kinds of uncommon ways, such as pizza crust and taco tortillas to name just a few.  Maybe I will have to do an entire series on innovative uses of cauliflower.  I am intrigued. This fried “rice” experience is so fast and easy …

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Vegetable Soup Recipe – Lentil Beans, Tomatoes and Spinach

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River Cottage Veg Inspired - Vegetable Soup Recipe - Lentil Beans, Tomatoes and Spinach Simple lentils and tomatoes with a fresh twist from spinach and parsley make for a surprisingly satisfying meal.  Add bit of hard goat cheese at the end to further blow your mind. This soup changed my life.  That might be a little dramatic, but it has been one of my absolute favorites when: I am starving I feel lazy I want to impress girls I am trying to be a vegetarian A friend asks for a quick and easy …

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Roasted Broccoli Recipe, Simple Side Dish

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Broccoli Recipe for a Super Easy and Delicious Vegetable Dish Broccoli is often cited as everyone’s favorite vegetable, especially raw.  Wrong…  Until now!  Roasted broccoli is guaranteed to change your feelings to pure love for this flowery green veggie. I learned about roasting various vegetables a few years back, and still whip out this technique on a regular basis.  Roasting has a unique effect on veggies that draws the sugars out and carmelizes them on the surface.  This creates a …

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