Restaurant review - Inspiration Kitchen - Chicago, IL

What a special brunch we had a Inspiration Kitchen. Here is there mission statement:

Inspiration Corporation provides essential social services to Chicagoans hardest hit by homelessness and poverty, and we inspire our participants to take action to improve their own lives. Here at Inspiration Kitchens, we help individuals gain valuable skills and experience that lead to employment in the food service industry. Thank you for dining with us and changing lives!

I picked this restaurant from looking on Yelp.  I was looking for a place in the city to go for brunch.  This "Inspiration Kitchen" had good reviews on their food.  Good enough for me.  Off we went with GPS leading the way.  We didn't know what a special place we were going into and what life lessons our kids would learn that meal.  Once we got there, I read different articles that were on the wall and realized what a special place we had gone into.  I asked the hostess to explain the kids what was going on there and she graciously and eloquently, in her own words - explained the mission (I copied their statement from their website and put up there).  Our kids were amazed.  "You mean homeless people made this food?"  And then it lead to a conversation on about how with some understanding and training, people can change their lives.  WOW....and all because we wanted to try a new place for brunch.  Who knew?!?!?

Ok....let's talk food...I mean...this is why I picked this place to go eat at...right?  Some would say yes....some would say we were "meant" to go here and learn more.  Anyways.....

Here is the hot chocolate our daughter ordered.  If you have read my blog for awhile, you now know our daughter fancies herself a hot chocolate conniseur.  Here was her cup of hot chocolate.  She rated it a 5 out of 10....good...not great.  But don't get me wrong...she finished every last drop of it.  And it sure looks great!!

I ordered biscuits and gravy.  It is homemade biscuits, corned beef hash, scrambled eggs, and sausage gravy.  Boy was this good!!!  I have never had biscuits and gravy with corned beef hash...and what a great combo. Some potato and onion with bits of corned beef.  The biscuits were so fresh they stuck together.  Perfection!  See the parsley on the plate...it was wilted and totally not necessary.  I would tell them don't waste the money on it.  Let the food do it's own talking - and talks very well!!!

Here is the outside.  It is a very small place though there was never much of a wait. What I don't have is a picture of the french toast. - deemed by our kids as some of the best french toast they have ever had.  Our son declared "I think there is some cinnamon in here".  Our little foodie....we are SO proud!!

Across from the restaurant is a community and outreach center. There were gorgeous mosaics on their walls.  Various words were in the artwork...peace, respect, restore...just to name a few.  Go there and see the wonderful art for yourself and go eat some wonderful, heartful food.

100th post!!

This is my 100th post!!!  Amazing!!

Thank you to all that have been reading my blog!! I hope you enjoy reading this blog as much as I enjoy writing it. I feel truly honored that you spend some of your day looking into my day.

Don't forget to....
Cherish every day
Say thank you to those you love...and those you don't know
Eat healthy
Eat with your family whenever you can
Keep reading my blog (ok, I couldn't resist adding this one!)

Comfy supper

I had planned to make one of the most comfy suppers - tomato soup and grilled cheese.  Unfortunately (or fortunately) it was SO warm today that there is no chill in the air so that warm cozy feeling that this combo usually brings wasn't needed. Oh well...it was still yummy.

I used Campbell's tomato soup for this supper.  You know what....I have never made tomato soup from scratch (GASP!).  My husband doesn't like tomatoes, so I wouldn't spend the time or money to make this if everyone wouldn't enjoy it.

As you can see on this picture, I use whole wheat bread, american cheese and tomato on the sandwich.  What you can't see is the bacon bits I sprinkled in there. Gooey cheese, salty bacon, fresh tomato....wow...whoever made this sandwich first was a genius.  Ok, so I used whole wheat bread to try to "health it up" a bit....but all the insides were so perfect together that having healthy bread didn't hurt this sandwich at all.

Share with me where you have had your best grilled cheese sandwich?  If you read a couple of days earlier, you saw that our son had one he loved at Benedict La Strata in Crystal Lake, IL.  Where was your favorite grilled cheese sandwich?

Wendy's has a deal for $1 you buy a "card" to put on your key chain.  With that card, you get unlimited free junior frosty (1 per order).  It is tiny, but perfect when you just want a taste of yummy.  I don't see anything about it on their website....but I got one and love using it. And by the way...their new fries are delicious.  The kids say they are better than McD's and I (gulp) actually agree.

See - I wasn't kidding!!  It is SOOOOO small....but just right.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!

Lou Malnati's special Valentine's Pizza!!

We ate at one of our favorite local restaurants tonight - Prairie House in Buffalo Grove, Il.  I added a link on my blog page. I enjoy going to places that aren't chains, so that I know the money goes to "the little guy" and not some huge company.  I encourage others to do that as well.  Keeps our restaurants fresh and home-spun.  Their food is really good - the wings, the pizza - all good stuff!!

My husband and I split a full slab of ribs.  It comes with seasoned fries.  The meat just falls off the bone - I know this is a preference thing, but I like to pull it off a bit. But order it because the flavor is definitely there and wonderful. Smoky, tangy and sweet from the sauce....all important  elements of great ribs.

We also ordered "beer nuggets".  I have never heard of these, but our friend we were with said they had them in all the bars at Northern Illinois where she went to college.  Beer nuggets are pieces of fried pizza dough with  pizza sauce to dip them into.  So crunchy outside and soft and doughy on the inside.  Not sure why they are called beer nuggets - because there is beer in the batter?  Because you would only eat them if you have drank a lot of beer?  Not sure....but evishly yummy.

We went again to Benedict La Strata in Crystal Lake, IL. This time we brought our kids.  Our daughter ordered the caramel hot chocolate.  She said this is the second best hot chocolate she has ever had - and she fancies herself a hot chocolate connoisseur (the best hot chocolate she has ever had was at Discovery Cove in Orlando, FL - not sure why this was SO great....but she swears by their hot chocolate). Our son had hot apple cider.  It was so fresh tasting and warmed you through and through. (By the way, since I have started this blog, everyone in our family is willing to share their food with me.  MAJOR bonus of this blog for me!)

I forced myself not to order the same dish I did last time (zucchini cakes with poached eggs). I ordered the cheese grits (I am a HUGE grits fan!) with anduoille sausage - and I added shrimp, an option on the menu.  It, surprisingly, didn't have much flavor - except when I got a piece of sausage.  I had to add pepper and salt....not a good sign. I won't be ordering this again.  The grits were smooth and the cheese made it stringy (I love melted cheese!), but still not much flavor. Oh well - cross this off the list.

Our son ordered "Ultimate Grilled Cheese" - cheddar and monterey cheese, tomato, bacon on sourdough bread.  This was definitely the winner of the day.  Crunchy, melty, salty, fabulous!!!