Domaine DuPage French Style Country Ale

I can't even count the number of times I've felt blessed that I have daughters, but last week I was feeling richly blessed yet again. Jessie, my oldest, had given me a gift certificate for a manicure & pedicure on Mothers' Day; as soon as her summer break began, I went down to the city to have a spa day and lunch with her. Wednesday was the day before my birthday, which meant more presents and cards and love. I love my mother-daughter time.





(I take the WORST cell phone photos)

Jessie got turquoise polish on her fingers and coral on her toes; my nails were the opposite, and the nail tech put a little glitter on my fourth fingers as a little birthday gift. Then we went over to Opart Thai on Western Avenue for lunch. It's a BYOB place with a liquor store next door. Jessie suggested I try Domaine DuPage French Style Country Ale.

Jessie and her boyfriend Erich are talented bartenders who are quite smart about beer, as is Joe, who worked in the restaurant industry for much of his life. I can never keep the latest beers straight in my mind, but I do remember the styles and types that I like...and I'm very picky. Nothing too hoppy or bitter or sulphur-y (like Heineken and that one with the busty girl on the label). I can count on the rest of my crew to suggest a beer that fits my mood, fruity or crisp or malty-caramel.

Domaine DuPage is a mild amber medium-bodied ale, just the right choice with great Pad Thai and BBQ beef skewers, full of caramel and malt but still refreshing. The bottle has this to say about the beer:

"This food-friendly ale is deep amber in color, with a toasty, sweet caramel start. It finishes with just enough hops to clean off the palate. Bon appetit!"

and

"Two Brothers is a craft brewery on the outskirts of Chicago that specializes in rare and seldom-brewed beer styles. The two of us - Jason and Jim Ebel - strive to produce the very best beers available anywhere. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do!"

BeerAdvocate rates it at 86, with an overall score of 91 - if you can figure that out, you're a better woman than I. Anyway, I strongly recommend that you look for this and have one for yourself.

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Baked Chicken Parmesan Strips

Joe started making these quick and crispy chicken strips when Jenn was a teenager and her favorite food was chicken fingers. We were trying to get her to eat more healthfully rather than spending her paychecks at fast-food restaurants. These were a big hit, and we still make them even though our girls are on their own, and presumably making very healthy food choices at every meal.

By the way, if you want to annoy your teenager - and who doesn't, sooner or later - you can wait until they order chicken fingers and then whisper, "Chickens don't have fingers. What are you really eating?"

Ingredients

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/3 cup skim milk
1/3 cup nonfat dry bread crumbs or cereal crumbs
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp oregano

1 tsp parsley

1/2 tsp paprika

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Cut chicken breasts into thin strips and place on a plate or shallow bowl. Pour the milk over the chicken and refrigerate for 15 minutes, while the meat absorbs the milk.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a baking pan with cooking spray.

Stir together the rest of the ingredients and spread the mixture on a plate. Roll the strips in the crumbs and place them on a pan, not touching each other. Spray the tops of the strips with more cooking spray.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until the crumbs are crispy and the chicken is no longer pink in the middle.

Serves 4.

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Country-Style Strawberry Shortcake

A few years ago, my friend Talea had me over for lunch one summer day. This rustic, buttery shortcake was going to be our dessert, so she had to bake it first to be sure it would cool while we ate. When it came out of the oven, though, it was so fragrant and crumbly that we dived into it, and skipped "lunch" altogether. It was so good.

When I was growing up in the country in Southwestern Michigan, my parents grew strawberries and a lot of other produce. Every summer after school was out we'd be picking strawberries for our breakfasts and stirring big pots of jam. When I got older, I worked on other farms picking fruit in the summertime: berries, peaches, cherries. If you've never picked fruit, let me tell you that the people harvesting these lovely berries are probably crouched down or crawling along rows of short strawberry hills with aching backs. It's hard work. Please, treasure the little bites!

June and strawberries are always linked together in my mind - as strawberries and my birthday are. I made this for my birthday dinner last night after a big dinner of steak with brandy peppercorn-cream sauce and sweet potato fries. I'm surprised I had any room left for dessert.

Ingredients

2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar plus 1 tsp
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 c. butter

2 eggs, separated
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp lemon or orange zest
1 pint of strawberries, sliced
8 oz whipped cream

Directions

Combine all ingredients except egg whites. Form soft dough, then shape into 6 rounds 1/2 inch thick. Brush with egg white and sugar. Bake at 425 degrees for 12-15 minutes, until the tops are golden and the shortcake is cooked through. Cool slightly on rack. Cut in half and serve warm or at room temperature topped with berries and whipping cream.

Serves 6.

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