Lao Sze Chuan

-By Keith 

All Photos Courtesy of LthForum

While there is something to be said for American comfort foods (Fried Chicken, Pot Roast, Chicken Noodle Soup, etc.) in the middle of a Chicago winter, when it gets really cold I can't help but crave Chinese food. There is nothing better than a big group of friends sitting around a lazy susan topped with steaming bowls of rice, passing around a variety of Chinese delicacies. Although there are a number of great Chinese options around the city, perhaps my very favorite is Lao Sze Chuan. Located right in the middle of Chinatown, Lao Sze Chuan is about 5-10 minutes from the Loop and easily accessible by the red line.

Perhaps the most impressive thing about Lao Sze Chuan is the sheer size of the menu. There are over 600 items comprised of excellent renditions of more familiar choices like egg rolls, hot and sour soup, and mongolian beef as more unique, regional dishes. Lao Sze Chuan specializes in Szechuan style cooking, characterized by the aggressive flavors of dried chili, garlic, and ginger. The addicting flavor of the Szechuan dry chilies in particular lend a kick to a number of dishes that are hot enough to make you sweat, but mild enough to not mask the other ingredients. As Lao Sze Chuan offers both the familiar and more exotic, it is one my favorite places to take both picky eaters and friends who are looking to try some of the most unique cuisine in Chicago.

So, what are the highlights of Lao Sze Chuan's massive menu? Below are some of my favorite dishes:

Kimchi - The Szechuan version of chips and dip, this spicy pickled cabbage is provided on the house to every table. The thick cut cabbage provides a fresh crunch that contrasts with the sharp tang of vinegar used during the pickling process. However, what puts this simple dish over the top is the ever building heat from the generous sprinkling of Szechuan pepper flakes. Even though I usually need three glasses of water to finish all of the kimchi, I can't help it but clean the plate every time.

Tony's 3 Chili Chicken - Affectionately known as "Chicken Crack" on LTHForum, this Szechuan version of popcorn chicken is always a crowd favorite. The dish is piled high with juicy chunks of chicken thighs (not indistinguishable chicken-like parts) that have been lightly battered and flash-fried with ginger, garlic and 3 chilies (jalepeno, dried Szechuan pepper, and red pepper flakes). Although the dish looks hot enough blow your head off, unless you eat a whole dried pepper it isn't overly spicy. An amazing combination of textures and flavors, I can't imagine a visit to Lao Sze Chuan without an order of Tony's 3 Chili Chicken.

 

Crispy Shrimp in Mayonnaise Sauce - I know. This dish sounds and looks like crazy on a plate but I promise it works beautifully. The shrimp and mayo at Lao Sze Chuan is possibly my favorite over the top indulgent dish in the city. Plump, fresh-tasting shrimp are very lightly battered and fried, then topped with a surprisingly light mayonnaise-based sauce with hints of orange that gently coats the shrimp's crispy exterior. The Crispy Shrimp in Mayonnaise Sauce is something of a culinary time bomb, the dish is at its best when it first arrives at the table. The longer the shrimp sit in the sauce, the less crispy they become so make sure everyone digs in as quickly as possible.

Sliced Beef and Maw - Szechuan Style - A little bit more on the exotic side, one look at this dish and you wont be able to fool a less adventurous eater to get it a try. The star of this cold appetizer is the Maw, a fancy word for stomach lining. Texturally the Maw is unique but not unappealing. It is has a slight chew but is also surprisingly tender, kind of like Chinese beef jerky. Combined with the thinly sliced beef and a healthy dose of chili oil, Beef and Maw is the perfect to start to every meal at Lao Sze Chuan.

Ma Po Tofu - I tried this for the first time during my last visit to Lao Sze Chuan and tasted what I previously thought to be impossible, a delicious and satisfying tofu dish. Too thick to be called a soup, this dish is unlike anything I have ever tasted. Although it looks incredibly spicy, the heat is surprisingly mild and pairs perfectly with the subtle sweetness from the tofu and fermented black beans. For those of you who can't stand the idea of not eating meat, delicious ground pork can be added to this dish for and extra $2.

Szechuan Green Beans - Flash fried with garlic and ginger, this is what the tempura green beans at your local chain restaurant wished they tasted like. Along with Tony's 3 Chili Chicken, these are a must order every visit.

Maybe its the sweat inducing heat of the Szechuan pepper, or the way the glass windows looking out onto the Chinatown mall fog up from the steam pouring out of the Chinese hotpots , but to me, Lao Sze Chuan is the perfect cold weather restaurant. Pricing is slightly higher than your neighborhood Chinese spot but still reasonable with most entrees ranging from $9 - $15. At the very least Lao Sze Chuan is worth a visit to take a stroll around china town and to taste excellent renditions of classic "American" Chinese food (the Orange Beef Tenderloin is particularly delicious). But with a little exploration into their massive menu, you can find some of the most unique and comforting Chinese food in the city.

Lao Sze Chuan - 4.5 Food Babies

Keith

Lao Sze Chuan
2172 South Archer Avenue - (312) 326-5040
Open Daily - 11:00am - 12:00am
For more information check out the thread on LTHForum.

Homemade Marshmallows

-By Bill

It’s holiday season, so home baking is in full swing.  If ever there was a time to give an edible gift, it is now.  Unfortunately that applies to everyone, so while you may be inclined to bust out the cookie cutters and knock out some gingerbread men, you won’t be the only one (put them over there with the other ones, Griswold!).

Fortunately you have other options: toffee, nut brittles, jams, fudge, but my personal favorite go-to-treat is homemade marshmallows.  They’re really quite simple (and fun) to make, dead cheap and are about 1 million times better than that 3 year old bag of Jet-Puffed you have sitting in the back of your pantry.

Needs:

1 cup (8oz) cold water

1.5 cups granulated sugar (I prefer cane sugar but beet sugar will work)

1 cup (8oz) corn syrup (yes, the dreaded stuff everyone fears)

3 packets gelatin(e)

Confectioner’s (powdered) sugar for dusting

Sauce pan

Candy thermometer

Stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment

Knife/Pizza cutter

Baking dish for molding

Ingriedients

Add ½ of the water (4oz) plus the 3 packets of gelatin to the bowl of the mixer.  This will ‘bloom’ the gelatin. 

"Blooming" Gelatin

Add the remaining water, sugar and corn syrup to a sauce pan with a candy thermometer clipped on the pan.  Bring this to a boil and let reach a temperate of 240 degrees.  This is the ‘soft ball’ stage of candy making.

Heat Water, Sugar, and Corn Syrup to 240 Degrees.

Turn the mixer on low speed and gradually add the sugar syrup to the bloomed gelatin.  Be VERY careful and stream the syrup down the side of the mixer bowl.  Hot syrup hitting an active whisk will A) make a mess and B) burn like hell.  Once all the syrup is added, turn the mixer on full speed and let go for a full 12 minutes.  The idea is to whip air into the mixture while it cools and the gelatin sets.  Your mixer will likely phase in and out, that’s just an internal safety to keep it from overheating, it’ll be okay.

Mix Syrup Mixture with Gelatin

After 12 minutes of you will have an enormous bowl full of white, fluffy, STICKY marshmallow.  I cannot overemphasize just how sticky it will be. 

12 Minutes of Mixing = Marshmallows

You’ll want to turn the mixture out (use a silicone spatula if you have one) into a dish sprinkled with powdered sugar.  Work quickly and form it into a single, even layer of marshmallow.  The longer it sits the less pliable it becomes, so do this right away.  Dust the top with more powdered sugar.

Fresh Marshmallows Setting Up

After a few hours you can begin cutting the individual marshmallows.  This is best done with a sharp, thin blade (I use a carving knife but a pizza cutter would work as well).  The marshmallows will not cut apart, but more so they will be perforated and you can pull them apart.  Make them as big or small as you care to, they make the best s’mores ever if made large.  Coat each individually with powdered sugar and keep in an air tight bag/canister.  They’ll keep for a while but are best fresh, plus they are awesome and you’ll just want to eat them all right away.

The Finished Product

 -Bill

My Top Ten BYOB Restaurants in Chicago

By Jess

A co-worker recently requested a run-down on some great BYOB’s in Chicago, so I’m offering up my top 10. This is merely meant as a quick snap-shot, so you can anticipate fuller reviews of each of these establishments in the future.

1.Sun Wah – 5039 N. Broadway

Although this list is for the most part in no particular order, Sun Wah is absolutely my favorite. They specialize in serving Peking duck table-side in multiple courses. Additionally, while the Peking duck service serves 4 people, the entire duck is only $32, not per-person! While Sun Wah has a great selection of cheap beers you are always welcome to bring your own wine.

Table-Side Peking Duck Service

2.Great Lake Pizza - 1477 W Balmoral Avenue

Recently sited in GQ as the best pizza in the country, this tiny little restaurant (only a few tables inside) specializes in neopolitan style pizza. They don’t take reservations, but I promise you, the über fresh pizza at Great Lake is worth the wait. 

Tomato, Fresh Mozzarella, Mona Cheese & Fresh Herb Pizza

3.Habana Libre – 1440 W Chicago Avenue

Nestled in the heart of West Town, Habana Libre offers delicious Cuban fare and décor that makes you feel like you’re not in the wintery throws of Chicago. May I suggest a Chicago original, the jibarito or the Cuban style friend chicken?

The Jibarito

 4.Butterfly – 1156 W Grand Avenue or  1421 W Chicago Avenue

Butterfly has the perfect balance of cheap yet pretty tasty sushi. There are actually two locations, both in West Town, with the exact same bright orange walls, dark leather booths, and low lighting. A fun place for a girl’s night out so you can eat light and not break the bank either. Oh, and more often than not you get a complimentary piece of cheesecake!

California Roll

5.Feed – 2803 West Chicago Avenue

Most often we take advantage of Feed’s take-out options, but it is also a terrific little BYOB spot. For just $15 dollars two people can split a whole chicken and share three sides from a variety of offerings! Stop in and experience the hipster version of a quaint down-on-the-farm type of meal.

Chicken Dinner w/Sides

 6.Marrakech – 1413 N Ashland

I dream of the melt-in-your-mouth lamb at Marrakech, but never fear, veggies lovers, because their couscous based dishes are also quite decadent. This Moroccan inspired restaurant also doubles as a trinket shop, so buy yourself a lamp while you wait for your briwat roles (don’t be afraid of the powdered sugar on top of these savory meat puffs!)

Briwat Rolls

7.Tac Quick – 3930 N Sheridan

Now that I think about it, Tac Quick may tie Sun Wah for my favorite in the city. While they do offer  ‘traditional’ Thai dishes (i.e. pad thai), I highly encourage you to be adventurous and ask for the ‘other’ menu. These authentic Thai meals are full of flavor, and sometimes have quite the kick. This is a great place to go with tons people so you can try many dishes. You really do have to try the preserved egg – I promise it’s not rotten! I also must insist that you take advantage of being in close proximity to dive bar extraordinaire, Wrigleyville North (this is not your average Wrigleyville bar…)

Stir Fried Chicken with Fried Basic and Preserved Egg

8.Sweets & Savories – 1534 W Fullerton

Sweets & Savories is a casual French restaurant that constantly smells like glorious truffles.  This is a perfect date spot as it is nice and quiet, and has a fairly romantic feel about it. If just smelling truffles isn’t enough for you, then definitely try the Sweets & Savories Burger which includes American Kobe beef, foie gras pate, and truffle mayonnaise, oh boy!

Kobe Burger w/Foie Gras

9.Nuevo Leon – 1515 W 18^th St

With their extensive menu of traditional and Americanized Mexican fare, Nuevo Leon has something for everyone in your group. Also, there are constantly several officers of the law dining there – are sure sign that you’re getting a good deal for delicious food. It’s also a wonderful winter joint because they kick you off with complimentary hot soup or pork and beans dish with house-made flour tortillas!

Tacos De Sabinas in Homemade Flour Tortillas

 10.Birrieria Zaragoza – 4852 S Pulaski

Never have I felt so loved and welcome at a restaurant, while at the same time being fed some of the most flavorful and humble dishes. Birrieria Zaragoza is family owned and operated by a husband and wife team, John and Norma, who make sure every visit is better than your last. Their very limited menu (although I don’t think I could handle them having anything more) is focused on their specialty of birrieria (John was trained by a birrieria master in Mexico for 5 years before opening up his own place) – a roasted goat stew served in a mouth watering tomato consomme, as well as quesadillas with homemade tortillas. Head on over and become part of the family.

Large Plate of Birreria

-Jess

40 Dishes - 40 Neighborhoods

Hello Food Babies,

I wanted to share a link with you to a piece put out recently by Chicago Magazine, detailing 40 dishes in 40 different Chicago neighborhoods.

They do a fantastic job of highlighting a mixture of popular places and some of the lesser known establishments around town that are serving some great food. As many of us have some extra time off over the holidays I highly suggest checking out this list and trying a few new places.

In particular, I suggest visiting number 37, Podhalanka, for some excellent winter comfort food. Podhalanka will be the subject of an upcoming Food Babies post that I will put up later in the week.

Happy Holidays,

Keith

The Aperitif

-By Bill

The holiday season is upon us, which for many means home entertaining with family and friends.  Nothing gets the spirits going (pun intended) like a pre-dinner cocktail, which in my experience is what everyone goes for the second they walk in the door.  Rather than the usual beer or glass of wine, why not plan ahead and offer something a little more thought out, the aperitif.

By definition, the aperitif is a before-dinner drink to stimulate the appetite.  There are no rules to it, so it’s an opportunity to be creative.  You could serve a warm drink, sparkling drink, something on ice, etc.  Ideally you can get a drink in the hand of your guests the minute they walk in, something to wash down some pre-dinner nibbles, so pitcher drinks are a great way to go.  A few ideas are listed below, very holiday-ish, but liberties should always be taken.

Wassail

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Wassail-102329

Mulled Wine/Glogg/Gluhwein

http://www.christmas-baking.com/gluehwein.html

Hot Toddy

http://www.drinksmixer.com/drink4355.html

Eggnog

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/eggnog-recipe2/index.html

Cocoa (or Chocolate) with Peppermint Scnhapps

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/michael-chiarello/hot-chocolate-with-peppermint-schnapps-recipe/index.html

Bourbon Maple Cider (Pictured):

3 oz Cider

1 oz Bourbon/Whiskey

1 t Maple Syrup

Cinnamon to top

Mix Cider, Bourbon and Syrup in a shaker/glass, serve over ice and top with a dash of cinnamon (or rim the glass with cinnamon).

-Bill

Pumpkin Galore

-By Jess

As the leaves begin to turn, and that Chicago breeze becomes a little cooler, I am always comforted by the sight of pumpkins everywhere. Wanting to find more use for pumpkins then cutting some up for Halloween, I was shocked to see how many recipes call for canned pumpkin puree, so I figured I would get a big ole’ pumpkin and roast it myself. Although canned puree is relatively tasty, the pumpkin in its whole form allowed me to make pumpkin pie, pumpkin cookies, and of course roasted the seeds.

Pumpkin Puree

The recipe I followed online for homemade pumpkin puree called for using one large pumpkin, but I will not go that route again due to the long cooking time, and will rather use many smaller pumpkins.

1) Heat oven to 325 degrees
2) Cut pumpkin into multiple pieces (in the picture below I used a large pumpkin and cut it into 8 slices) and remove seeds/fibers
3) Place pumpkin slices, rind side up, onto a tray covered with foil
4) Roast for 1.5 hours, or until tender

Roasted Pumpkins

5) Scrape “meat” of pumpkin off the rind, and blend in a food processor or blender until smooth.

Pumpkin Ready to be Pureed

After Pureeing

6) You must remove as much moisture as possible from the puree in order to use for baking. Use cheesecloth (preferable) or paper towel (like I did – not the best option but will work). Squeeze the liquid out of the puree into a separate bowl, then refrigerate the puree to use for later.

Puree out of Food Processor

Removing Moisture from Puree

Seeds

While you’re roasting the pumpkin you can get your seeds ready as well!

1) Rinse pumpkin seeds under cold water and pick out the pulp and strings. (This is easiest just after you've removed the seeds from the pumpkin, before the pulp has dried.)

2) Place the pumpkin seeds in a single layer on an oiled baking sheet, stirring to coat. If you prefer, omit the oil and coat with non-stick cooking spray.

3) Sprinkle with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder (or just salt…) and bake at 325 degrees F until toasted, about 25 minutes, checking and stirring after 10 minutes.

4) Let cool and store in an air-tight container.

5) Enjoy!

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Pie Crust

Once again, I defer to Thomas Keller’s “Ad Hoc” recipe book. His pie crust works so well for sweet and savory dishes, and is truly simple! Find it here. Note that pumpkin pie only calls for one half of the dough yielded by this recipe, however I find it convenient to make the full recipe and freeze the other half the dough for a later date.

Ingredients

1 cup butter (2 sticks), cubed and chilled
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
8 to 10 tablespoons ice water

Directions:

Put the butter, flour, and salt in the food processor, and pulse lightly just until the mixture resembles wet sand. Add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing briefly after each spoonful of water. Keep adding water until the dough just begins to gather into larger clumps.

Transfer equal amounts of the dough into 2 resealable plastic bags and pat each into a disk. Let rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Remove 1 of the disks from the bag to a flour coated surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to a 10-inch round. Gently fit the rolled dough into a 9-inch pie pan, and refrigerate while you prepare the other ingredients.

Yield: 2 (9-inch) pie crusts

Pie Crust Ready for Filling

Pie Filling

While your dough is chilling, you can pull out the puree and get the filling going. I adapted the recipe from the Magnolia Bakery cookbook, which was a fabulous birthday gift from my friend Sarah :).

Ingredients

2 cups of your homemade pumpkin puree

2 large eggs, at room temperature

½ cup sugar

¼ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

¼ tsp ginger

¼ tsp salt

1 ¼ cups evaporate milk

3 tablespoons of bourbon (as is with my banana bread recipe, I really like Wild Turkey’s American Honey)

Filling Crust with Puree

Directions

In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, combine the pumpkin and eggs, and beat well. Add the sugars and spices, combine until well mixed. Slowly stir in the milk and bourbon. Pour the filling into the pie crust and bake at 350 for 75 minutes, or until a tester comes out mostly clean.

After Baking

Finally, this pumpkin pie will be complete with some homemade whipped cream.

The Finished Pie

Whisk 2 cups heavy cream, 2 tsps sugar, and 2 tsps vanilla in a stand mixer until it forms stiff peaks. Yep, that’s all :)

Pumpkin Walnut Cookies with Brown Butter Frosting

There was a great deal of leftover puree, so I decided to keep the pumpkin party going and make these sweet and savory cookies. Find the recipe here as well.

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup chopped walnuts

Frosting

2 cups powdered sugar

3 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°;

1) In a bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt, allspice, cinnamon, and ginger; set aside.

2) In another bowl, cream the butter and sugar until evenly combined.

3) Add in the eggs, pumpkin, and vanilla; beat well.

4) Add the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly; stir in the walnuts.

5) Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets, leaving several inches between for    expansion.The batter will seem extremely soft compared with most cookie doughs, but it will firm up during baking.

6) Bake for 12 minutes; cool the cookies on the sheets for 10-12 minutes, then removed to a wire rack to cool completely.

7) To make the frosting: add sugar, milk, and vanilla to a bowl; set aside.

8) In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, cook the butter until lightly browned, about 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently.

9) Remove from the heat, add to the other ingredients and beat until smooth and creamy; cover until ready to use.

10) When the cookies are completely cool, spread a generous amount of frosting on each cookie, and top with a walnut half.

11) Let icing set before stacking the cookies or they will stick together.

Finished Cookies

-Jess

Stuffed

-By Scott 

          As I suspect most of you Food Babies readers will agree, Thanksgiving is by far the best holiday.  I love everything about the day.  I love spending time planning out how to cook the meal.  I love shopping for ingredients.  I love the smell of the kitchen at 11 o’clock in the morning as the turkey’s skin begins to brown under the heat of the oven.  I love watching football out of the corner of one eye while chopping garlic for the mashed potatoes with the other.  I love smelling the distinct sweetness of the candied yams as they come out of the oven.  But perhaps more than anything else, I love the stuffing.  Admittedly, as many people are, I’m a sides man when it comes to Thanksgiving.  And for me, stuffing is king. 

          In general, when it comes to Thanksgiving side dishes, I’m fairly traditional.  There needs to be mashed potatoes. There needs to be sweet potatoes or yams. There needs to be cranberry sauce.  There needs to be pumpkin pie.  And there most certainly needs to be stuffing.  On a side note, for the purposes of this post, “stuffing” and “dressing” are synonymous.  I know, I know, stuffing is cooked inside the turkey and dressing outside.  But I call them both stuffing.  My apologies to all of you stuffing purists out there.

          Stuffing can be an extremely versatile dish, but I have some ingredients that I almost always include in whatever version of stuffing I make.  I like to include a protein in the mix, preferably a forcemeat.  I’m partial to a spicy sausage in particular, which I like to play against a sweet, rich, eggy bread.  I also like to include toasted nuts to add both texture and flavor.  Cheese is another ingredient I often add to my stuffing.  It isn’t always suited to the dish, depending on the other ingredients, but it can really add depth of flavor and creaminess to the combination of ingredients. 

          As a test run for the big day, I put together a batch of stuffing recently.  The stuffing I serve will probably look a little different on Thanksgiving, but my wife and I were happy with the end result of my efforts.  And the method I used is pretty translatable to most stuffing preparations. 

          Half of the battle when making stuffing, I’ve found, is being organized with your ingredients.  Stuffing can be surprisingly labor intensive depending on how many items you use.  Prepping everything before you start mixing the ingredients together can prevent a stress headache.   

Bread - Ready to be Toasted

Start by cutting your bread – here I used a nothing-special loaf of white bread from the supermarket – into ½-1” cubes, and then toasting the cubes in the oven at 400 degrees.  You can use bread that is a day or two past its prime, or even store bought croutons, but I prefer to buy bread fresh and then dry it out in the oven.   

Toasted Pecans

Along with your bread, you can make double use of the oven by toasting your nuts.  In this case, I used pecans, a nut I find works well in sausage-centric stuffing.  While the bread and nuts are toasting in the oven, sear your hot (spicy-wise) Italian sausage in a hot (temperature-wise) pan.   

Saute Sausage

You need the pan to be hot enough to caramelize the sausage chunks, which will add great flavor to your stuffing.  After setting the sausage aside, sauté a mixture of onions, celery and leeks – in that order – on medium heat until all of the vegetables are cooked through.

Saute Onions, Celery, and Leeks

Now, it’s time to assemble the stuffing for baking.  Turn the oven to 375 degrees and butter your baking dish.  In a large bowl, combine the sausage with the onions, celery, and leeks.  Next, add two beaten eggs and a drizzle of heavy cream to the mixture.  Both add a nice richness to the finished product.  After crumbling in your now toasted pecans, sharp cheddar cheese, and chopped parsley, add the toasted bread.  Make sure everything is evenly distributed in the bowl.  Finally, it’s time for the last ingredient: stock (I used turkey).  You want to add enough to the concoction that the stuffing is sufficiently moist, but you need to be careful not to over-saturate the bread.  Then, it’s time for the oven to do its work – 20-30 minutes covered and 25-30 minutes uncovered.   

Stuffing Hot Out of the Oven

The stuffing is done when it’s cooked through and the top has developed a golden brown crust.  Timing will really depend on the amount of stuffing you make and the true temperature of your oven so watch it closely.

The Finished Product

Meaty, crunchy, moist, creamy, salty, and spicy, the perfect Thanksgiving side dish.  I can’t wait to try it again on Thanksgiving, sandwiched perfectly in between a few slices of turkey and a bevy of other side dishes.

-Scott

INGREDIENTS:

Loaf of white bread

Hot Italian Sausage

Celery

Onion

Leeks

Pecans

Heavy cream

Stock

Cheddar cheese

Eggs

Parsley

Salt and pepper for seasoning

Oil for sautéing

Butter for your baking dish