Summer in Chicago is a fickle mistress. It just so happens that it's hot this week, so let's hurry up and get some hot-weather food cooking. It'll probs start snowing next week anyway, so don't put your one-piece snowsuit, dibs chair, and crockpot too far back into the closet just yet. In the meantime, celebrate this heat, don your bikini, and try our spicy tequila shrimp for dinner. The cilantro-lime sauce we pair it with is a versatile option for just about any grilled meat or vegetable, and the citrusy kick is just what you need on a hot summer evening. Refrigerate the sauce in a tightly sealed container and it will keep for about a week. more ›

The USDA regularly tests produce for pesticides and other chemicals - and they were surprised to find cilantro (the first fresh herb tested) was absolutely loaded with pesticides. The Tribune's Monica Eng reported that 94% of the samples taken by the USDA tested positive for at least one pesticide, and 44% showed pesticides not approved for use in Cilantro - the number in apples was 2%. more ›

In today’s soup, we move onto an entirely different set of flavors. Rather than onions, celery, crushed red pepper or sausage, this soup has some new ingredients: curry paste, coriander seeds, coconut milk, ginger. The end result is a creamy broth that, depending on your taste, can be as spicy or as savory as you like. Play with the optional ingredients, try something new, or substitute something familiar - this is a very versatile soup and a good introduction to some basic Thai spices. We bought all of our ingredients at a normal grocery store - the “Thai Kitchen” brand is usually reliable. more ›