A Little Brown Bag Lunch

One of the novelties of going to public school or working a day job is the ever familiar brown bag lunch. Something about eating a packed lunch always seemed so cool since my parents just gave me a few dollars and subjected me to cafeteria food. As an adult, I always pack my lunch because Jimmy Johns (however delicious) is pretty much waistline sabotage. I love sandwiches, but I find my incredibly neurotic lunch of oatmeal, yogurt, a granola bar and a banana (at very specific times of day) to be the best eating disorder ever. When I do make sandwiches I go for the chicken salad because who doesn't love chicken salad?! I really hate mayo so my go-to replacement is usually ranch dressing or sour cream, both very tasty, but neither a good way to cut calories. I recently discovered that greek yogurt is just as great and actually adds more protein to your lunch, which I've heard is a good thing. 

(The Lady Hates) Chicken Salad

you will need the following

2-3 chicken breasts

1 bell pepper (diced)

1/2 white onion (diced) 

1 low-fat plain greek yogurt

2 tbsp yellow mustard

3 tsp dried herbs 

salt & pepper

Step 1: Boil chicken breasts in water for 30 minutes. Drain and shred. Salt and pepper chicken and allow to cool on a cutting board. 

Step 2: Combine veggies, chicken, yogurt, mustard, herbs, and salt & pepper in a mixing bowl until thoroughly mixed. Chill 30 minutes. Serve on whole wheat buns with tomato and pickle, or eat on its own, fatty. 

A Little Cookie Recipe

Movie Snack Cookies

Popcorn and M&Ms in a cookie might sound like the creation of a stoner with a wicked case of the munchies, but it's actually pretty good. I mostly stole this recipe from the Smitten Kitchen cookbook, which has been my bible for the past few months. After making these cookies a few times I decided they needed chocolate, so I added M&Ms. These babies are a great take-along for Movies-in-the-Park, plus it's always nice to take credit for how surprisingly delicious they are. My biggest suggestion is not to use microwave popcorn, because it's gross. 

You will need the following 

4 c popped popcorn (drizzled with butter)

1-1/4 c flour

1 stick butter

1/2 c brown sugar

1/3 c white sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 packs M&Ms

Step 1: Pop popcorn accordingly. Drizzle with butter and salt. Try to remove all the leftover kernels so nobody breaks a tooth. 

Step 2: Preheat oven to 350. Mix dry ingredients. Cream butter with sugars, vanilla and egg. Mix dry with wet. Add popcorn in small handfuls and finally M&Ms. 

Step 3: Scoop chilled dough with a tablespoon onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes. Allow cookies to cool 5 minutes on baking sheet. 

A Little Picnic Basket

It's finally summer in Chicago, which is basically just like any other season in Chicago except that it features a few hotter-than-hell days and a bevy of new outdoor activities. And speaking of new outdoor activities, if you love embracing your faux-yuppie side as much me, you need to invest in a cheap picnic basket. I bought that little beauty at World Market (don't tell anyone). City picnic-ing may sound unsanitary but I assure you it's a really nice way to enjoy the parks, old movies and maybe some company. When packing a picnic for an outdoor activity, it's important to consider all the "oh shit" things, like blankets, wine openers, bug spray and proper cutting surfaces for your Aldi cheeses. Below I'll outline all you'll need including a biased list of Chicago Park District's Movies-in-the-Park lineup! 

Packing a proper picnic basket is pretty much like a game of Tetris. Like a good dip, it's important to layer. Put your practical items on the bottom, because they should never leave the basket. As you can see, I have trailer-trash cups, napkins, plates, and paper straws (left over from a Halloween party). Key features: wine opener, pig-shaped cheeseboard and a cheese knife. People also love plastic utensils. 

Choosing the right things to bring is pretty easy. Don't bring a whole meal, it makes everyone uncomfortable watching you eat a messy sandwich on their favorite picnic quilt. Think of the snacks people would eat during a party scene in any Nora Ephron movie: soft cheeses, fancy crackers, some kind of sweet fruit, and obviously white wine. For some reason Twizzlers are a staple for my picnic basket. I also made some pretty awesome cookies not featured here. If you are so lucky to be invited to a picnic, don't show up empty handed. At least bring a bottle of wine, it'll get consumed and appreciated. 

Movies in the Park 2013 (Northside)

Earth Girls are Easy @ Wicker Park (6/20)

Little Shop of Horrors @ Churchill Park (6/26)

Funny Girl @ Hollywood Beach (6/28)

Annie @ Chase Park (7/19)

Jurassic Park @ Wicker Park (7/25)

It Happened One Night @ Belmont Harbor (7/29)

The Sandlot @ Montrose Harbor (7/30)

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory @ Montrose Harbor (8/12)

Young Frankenstein @ Grant Park (8/19)

The Wiz @ Oz Park (8/25)

Obviously there are way more movies in way more parks this summer, this is merely the list I curated for me and my homosexual friends. Also Chicagoans, don't forget about Millenium Park and the Ravinia in the 'burbs. Can't wait to picnic out to some David Byrne & St. Vincent!