The best part about being home in Chicago is getting to cook a meal for people I love. Basil pesto and corn get me nostalgic for Chicago summers, so Mom helped me whip up this dish with her pesto recipe. 

This wine cocktail sounds way fancier than it is. This is what I make for friends when it’s warm and sunny. I’d like to think it’s the perfect beverage for afternoon consumption (aka day-drinking). It’s low-alcohol, floral, and not too sweet. If you’re looking to sip something a little stronger, just omit the sparking water.

I’ve cooked 1000s of scallops over the years, (not an exaggeration!) starting as a line cook in a busy French restaurant in Chicago years go. Scallops are a crowd-pleaser, the perfect seafood for a decadent special-occasion dinner.

For this recipe I use Bombay Sapphire gin, mainly because I’ll stick with the devil I know. I love the juniper berry notes in gin, and while I’d love to know more about the spirit, sadly I’m the only gin drinker in my house, so a collection seems useless. That being said…Friends, send me your gin recommendations.

These sautéed mushrooms get an extra punch of briny flavor from a few spoons of pickle juice. Don’t knock it until you try it.

We’ve been making this versatile sauce at home for years. It’s somewhere between a smooth chimichurri and a pistou (a French pesto without pine nuts or cheese).