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

Tom Schmidt

Bak Kut Teh (BKT) Pork Soup Recipe – Singapore’s Hokkien Style

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I am sure you are wondering what does "bak kut teh" mean and aren't you from Missouri, Tom?!?  Yes, yes, still the same Tom here, but my wife, Priscilla is from the faraway land of Singapore where "bak kut teh" in Hokkien translates to "meat bone tea." This soup was developed as a hearty meal for the working men called "coolies" who labored loading and unloading boats at the ports of Singapore in the colonial days.  The workers believed the combination of fragrant herbs and hearty pork could …

Bak Kut Teh (BKT) Pork Soup Recipe – Singapore’s Hokkien StyleRead More

Singaporean Simple Chicken Soup Instant Pot Recipe – Pressure Cooker

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My wife Priscilla is from Singapore and we have not been able to visit her home for far too long, so we have begun traveling via the kitchen.  A perfect meal for her is anything with a soup on the side, so I have been really working on my soup game!  This recipe evolved from the famous Singaporean Chicken Rice recipe as I started trying all of our favorites in the Instant Pot. For Hainanese Chicken Rice, the soup is just an afterthought and used only as the liquid for the fragrant and rich rice …

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Tom’s Chili Recipe in a Pressure Cooker or Instant Pot

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Chili has rightfully earned its place on my table.  Day in and day out, this chili has it all: flavor, sustenance, and nutrition.  Chili is also so versatile that it can be the center point to lead a meal or a quiet companion on the side. I recently got into making chili when I learned that beans have the most fiber of basically any vegetable, and I wanted to find a way to enjoy their goodness.  On my quest to find a go-to bean dish, I pursued and experimented with recipes from Bean by Bean …

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Pineapple Tart Cookies – Singaporean Style

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I always get excited about Chinese New Year, not only to read my zodiac prediction and see what kind luck I can expect, but also for all of the sweet treats!  My wife Priscilla is from Singapore and she inspired me to make these pineapple tarts from scratch a few years ago when she was craving a taste from home.  I set out to buy a big pineapple and see if I could produce an authentic flaky and buttery treat to help her ring in the new year.  We started with the recipe from the foodblog Rasa …

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Citrus-Braised Red Cabbage Recipe w/ Apples, Goat Cheese

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It's purple and delicious and so easy to make.  Buying a whole head of cabbage always seems like a like you  are signing yourself up for a lot of work, slicing, coring, shaving, etc.  But seriously this goes from ingredients to table in barely 30 mins, and it doesn't really take that much effort at all!  This braised cabbage recipe with apples and a bit of citrus is simple and quick to make... and best of all, it keeps very well and can be enjoyed cold.  Add a bit of goat cheese to transform …

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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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Homemade Yogurt Sous Vide Method (Cow or Goat Milk)

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There's yogurt and then there is HOMEMADE yogurt.  You've got to try this recipe to get a taste of the fragrant and deliciousness of a freshly crafted yogurt.  Yogurt, probably super difficult to make, right?  They sell so much pre-made in sooo many different flavors, but none stand a chance against the homemade version.  This dish has become a little treat we enjoy nearly every day now and we simply eat it plain! Yogurt Recipe for Sous Vide The origins of our yogurt making date back to a …

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Applesauce Recipe – Easy Homemade Method

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Homemade applesauce, although sort of resembles the store-bought stuff, blows it away with the soft texture and wonderful sweetness. Sometimes the simple things are worth making at home. Applesauce is another homemade item that you probably think: “Shoot, that probably requires some tools I don’t have…” Actually… all you need is a peeler, knife, pot and smasher. Boom applesauce! It’s so stinkin easy that you will likely pull it right into your set of GO TO recipes. The apples used …

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Green Beans Stir Fry with Tempeh – Vegan Dinner!

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Stir fry this and stir fry that... You can basically stir fry anything!  This is a great combo (Green Beans, Carrots and Tempeh) for a meat-less option that will still keep ya full past dessert. The unassuming fermented soybeans (tempeh) wear a meaty disguise to this veggie party with an amazing ability to soak up the dark soy sauce flavors. Add a pile of fresh crunchy green beans, a few carrots, with plenty of garlic and ginger for a bright and satisfyingly hearty ethnic taste. Your …

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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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Aeropress Inverted Brewing Method – Chicago Coffee

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https://youtu.be/KakEQiQzNUo Best Aeropress Brewing Method by Joshua from Everybody's Coffee Nothing starts the morning off like a cup of coffee. Or really, the afternoon... or the work week... or even the weekend! With so much coffee, shouldn't it be awesome? Joshua from Everybody's Coffee in Chicago is a coffee aficionado who has studied, and perfected the art of the Aeropress inverted brewing method. People come from around Chicago to enjoy his brews, I've seen them at the shop... This …

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DIY Bokashi Composter Instructions and Images

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How to build your Bokashi composter and start composting today! We moved to the suburbs and now I am composting.  We simply eat a ton of veggies and generate some serious green waste.  It makes me sad to send the scraps from high quality food off to a landfill to be buried with batteries and plastic bottles for eternity.  I spent money on that organic trash yo.  This lead me to begin the COMPOST QUEST although we are living in a town home with a professionally landscaped yard, so I am not sure …

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Carrot Orange Beets Ginger and Turmeric Juice (COBGT Juice)

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Beet Juice Recipe to Boost Your Nutrition Intake and Brighten Your Day! Bold color and big nutrition. This juice is loaded with some richly colored roots, kicked up with ginger and turmeric and then smoothed out with some oranges. It turns out super red, but don’t let that fool you, it doesn’t taste as earthy (like dirt) as you might imagine a beet juice blend. With the eternal question of juicing or smoothing, I choose both. I have not gone down the juice cleanse road, although I …

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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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Bacon Wrapped Dates Recipe – Bring a Hot “Date” to Your Next Party!

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**Guest Post from Morgan Paris Fitness** Do you love hearing people comment on how awesome the dish you brought to the party is? I know I do!  These delicious Bacon Wrapped Dates will delight your tastebuds with the rich sweetness from the dates contrasted by savory, salty bacon. I'm exited to share this recipe with you because it's kinda become my "thing."  I always bring my " Dates"   ;)   to parties and secretly I can't wait to hear, "oh my gosh, these are so good! Who brought …

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Spiralized Zucchini with Fresh Spaghetti Sauce Recipe – Paleo “Noodles”

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No noodles? No problem… when you have a spiralizer!  You are going to love the light freshness of the zucchini with the simple, slightly sweet home cooked tomato sauce for this dish.  This fare satisfies and leaves you feeling full (which makes me happy) without the drag and resulting carb coma of demolishing a huge plate of pasta.  It’s got a double whammy positive effect! I often make an entire meal out of a few heaping helpings of these zucs, but it can also make a nice side dish, or even …

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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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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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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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