Cheapskating: Kronos spreads the gyros gospel with free food

kronos gyros

Kronos Foods, a company that supplies a bevvy of Chicago's far-flung gyros joints, is celebrating its self-invented holiday, "Free Gyros Day." The catch is relatively minor—the company will gladly accept your full name, address, and e-mail address in exchange for the opportunity to, according to the website, “EAT MORE GYROS!!!!!” Forty-four Chicago-area locations are participating, with 13 in the city proper, including Felony Franks and two The Works locations. Make sure to print a coupon before heading out today.

Baked flounder recipe with cracker topping

Baking flounder, sole or cod is a quick & easy way to prepare this mild white fish. Just a few simple ingredients, and tender baked flounder is ready to serve.

How to Buy Flounder

- The easiest way to purchase flounder is by ordering it at your favorite seafood restaurant! Flounder can be ordered battered and deep fried, or baked in the oven. Obviously, the baked flounder or cod will have less calories and be lower in fat. Easy Peasy, no mess or smelly kitchen. Don't forget to leave your waitress a good tip!
- The cheapest way to buy flounder will probably be from the frozen section in your local supermarket. The flounder is flash frozen, or IQF, which means individually quick frozen. You can take out and thaw as many pieces of fish as you need and return the rest to the freezer for later use.
- The freshest way to buy flounder is from your local fishmonger or the seafood section of your local store. Ask the manager when they receive their shipments and from where. Make sure the fish is the freshest possible, with little to no fishy smell. Keep refrigerate until ready to use.


Baked Flounder with Cracker Crumb Topping

- 2 flounder filets, about 1 pound, fresh or frozen
- Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup crushed Ritz Crackers
- 2-4 Tablespoons melted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon Mrs Dash or similar seasoning
- A few sprigs fresh parsley, minced
- 1/2 fresh lemon, quartered

How to Bake Flounder

- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray casserole dish with vegetable spray.
- Rinse the flounder and pat dry with paper towels. Place in the baking dish and season with salt & pepper.
- Mix cheese with Ritz Crackers and sprinkle evenly over the top of the flounder.
- Drizzle melted butter over the prepared fish. Sprinkle with Mrs Dash and bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Do not overbake.
- Remove from oven and plate. Garnish with minced parsley and a lemon wedge.
- Serves 2.

Rick Bayless wins 'Top Chef Masters'

rick bayless

Much-lauded Chicago chef Rick Bayless told the story of his career in food to win the finale of Bravo TV's "Top Chef Masters," which aired Wednesday night.

Bayless, chef and co-owner of Frontera Grill and Topolobampo, relied on his mastery of Mexican regional cooking to best competitors specializing in the cuisines of France (Hubert Keller of Fleur de Lys in San Francisco and Las Vegas) and Italy (Michael Chiarello of Bottega in California's Napa Valley).

His $100,000 prize goes to the charity he helped found, Frontera Farmer Foundation, which supports small Midwestern farms considered "sustainable."

This first season of "Top Chef Masters," a spinoff of Bravo's popular "Top Chef," pitted accomplished chefs against each other in the same types of stressful cooking challenges as the scrappier parent show. The so-called master chefs, though, exhibited more cooperative spirit than the often bickering younger contestants of "Top Chef."

Throughout the series, Bayless relied on the Mexican regional dishes that have made him famous, including a heck of a lot of guacamole, but also more unusual dishes such as beef tongue tacos. His appearances were also notable for his calm, composed approach to tackling challenges, even when producers threw twists at contestants.

Another Chicago chef, Art Smith of Table Fifty-Two, also made the finals but was sent packing in the second round, done in by rice ice cream that the judges hated.

Sangria Tea Recipes for Summer

Sweet summer is here with bountiful heat. Iced tea is always perfect for chilling out. But we also invite you to explore other ways of incorporating tea into summer thirst quenchers. A renaissance is occurring in the culinary world where tea is showing up for summer in unexpected places like on restaurant menus in cocktails or food . We decided to put a spin on sangria for summer and developed a Sangria Tea Collection with a variety of recipes to please any palate.

Enjoy our White Tea Sangria recipe below. And be sure to check out our Sangria Tea Collection for more sangria tea recipes (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) that also include Red Tea and Chamomile Citrus Sangria.mighty-leaf-sangria-tea-collection

White Tea Sangria

1 750-ml Bottle Dry White Wine

3/4 cup Peach Schnapps

18 oz. Brewed Mighty Leaf White Orchard Tea (2 Tea Pouches)

1/4 cup sugar

4 Peaches, cubed

1/2 Honeydew, cubed

Stir first 4 ingredients in large pitcher until sugar dissolves. Add peaches and honeydew. Chill for a couple of hours. Serve in wine glasses and spoon fruit over sangria in each glass.

-Serves 7 wine glasses.