The Battle of the Chicago Donuts: Stan's Donuts & Coffee vs. Firecakes

“With a doughnut in each hand, anything is possible.” - Jameela Jamil

Before our wonderful trip to Chicago, one of the most suggested places G and I should visit were donut shops! I’ve visited Chicago many times growing up, but most recently this city has been boosting up some amazing donut and coffee shops! So, we did our homework on a few spots before traveling to the Windy City.

Firecakes has been featured on the Food Network, and received rave reviews from Chicago natives. Also, right outside out hotel, Stan’s Donuts was a hot place amongst locals and tourists.

My husband and I did the hard work for you guys, and visited two of the most popular spots for coffee and donuts - Stan’s Donuts & Coffee and Firecakes.

---

Stan's Donuts & Coffee

Stan’s has the cutest little location on Michigan Avenue, which was right by our hotel. This California based donut shop made its way to Chicago, and has made a huge impact on this city. When we arrived into town, this was one of the first places we popped into, and the line was so long - needless to say that Stan's was very popular. The service was quick, and they had an amazing variety of donuts! It was hard choosing just one donut, but G and I finally made some amazing selections. The donuts were a really good size, and were definitely filling, but most of all super delicious. Also, their coffee was amazing, my husband grabbed a cappuccino and was super impressed with it.

The most colorful and cutest donut and coffee shop.

The cutest little pink bag filled with goodies.

Enjoying the cinnamon sugar donut from Stan’s.

---

Firecakes

This quaint little shop is tucked away on W Hubbard Street, and away from all of the hustle and bustle. The shop is cozy and filled with some of the most unique donuts. Firecakes uses amazing ingredients in their baked goods, and you can taste the quality. The staff was super sweet, and patiently helped any customer that came in. This experience was much different than the popular Stan’s shop, and we were able to leisurely pick out donuts and chat with the staff. Also, there was no seating in this location, but a cute gazebo and patio was set up right outside the entryway for you to enjoy your baked goods.

Arriving to Firecakes first thing in the morning to pick out something super delicious for breakfast!

Firecakes Donuts’ entryway.

Enjoying the morning with Firecakes.

All of the amazing selections for the day.

My favorite pick, as well as G’s was Stan’s Donuts & Coffee. G preferred the coffee and donut combination much more at Stan’s. I loved Stan’s because their selection was much more vast than Firecakes. While I enjoyed both during my visit to Chicago, Stan’s won in my book!

Also, another popular donut spot in Chicago is Do-Rite Donuts. We did pass by a Do-Rite’s in Chicago, and honestly were not super impressed with them, which was a bummer.

If you are heading to Chicago anytime soon definitely give these sweet spots a try!

XO, Analise

Dining Out: Virginia Beach, VA

“I try to cook as much as possible, but I love to eat out.” - Karrueche Tran

Virginia Beach is totally bursting at the seams with amazing new restaurants - and today I’m sharing three of my faves.

One spot is right in my neighborhood, and I love being able to drive 5 minutes to an awesome restaurant. The second, is a place that is close to my heart, and instead of having to drive an hour to enjoy their delicious wine and fare, they’re now in my city! Last, and certainly not least is a cool little spot near the Oceanfront, and is full of warmth, delicious bites, and kind faces.

Today, I’m sharing my experiences at Civil Libation, The Williamsburg Winery Wine Bar, and Hearth.

---

Civil Libation - Virginia Beach, VA

Civil Libation is such a cool and eclectic place. The vibe in the restaurant is welcoming, and their menu is so unique. They specialize in hand crafted speciality cocktails that are very popular amongst the patrons visiting. Also, their menu has expanded since their opening a year ago, and they did not disappoint with the new additions. The meals we ordered were really delicious, and G absolutely raved about the Porkchop - many guests have gushed about how wonderful it is. What I personally truly loved, were the Squash Rings. The deep fried squash rings paired with the chipotle aioli was absolutely so delicious. I could literally eat the squash rings by themselves, they are that filling!

Civil Libation will definitely be a spot that I visit on a regular basis. The food, hospitality, and especially the close proximity to my house make it a total winner in my book.

Duroc Pork Chop - 12oz bone-in, Bourbon maple glaze, sautéed greens, and garlic mashed

Squash Rings - Crispy butternut squash, chipotle aioli

Pesto Chicken Sammy - Grilled chicken breast, basil pesto, provolone, bibb lettuce, vine ripe tomato, bacon all on a toasted brioche bun

---

The Williamsburg Winery Wine Bar - Virginia Beach, VA

Williamsburg Winery is a place that I love to visit several times a year. This past summer, they have set up shop, opened a cozy and darling wine bar in Virginia Beach. They are staying true to their roots, and serving up all of their wines, in addition to local favorites as well. Also, their menu is so delicious - their charcuterie board was so yummy, and had such a stellar variety available! The staff and Manager, Clay Hale were absolutely so nice. Clay was so attentive, and provided wonderful recommendations during our visit! This spot is now my new favorite wine bar in town, and I cannot wait to attend regularly now that they are open.

Virginia Sparking Flight

Specially curated charcuterie board

Artwork by local Hampton Roads artist, Reba

---

Hearth Wood Fired Cuisine & Craft Beer - Virginia Beach, VA

I have been hearing wonderful reviews from several people about Hearth. We were really excited to try out their food. They specialize in wood fired food - and G and I were pretty impressed with their options! First of all, the staff was very nice and so accommodating. Our waitress provided a great overview of the entire menu as it was our first time visiting. I opted for the Wood Fried Deviled Oysters, and they were so good! Also, their Garlic Herb Fries with the assortment of house made dipping sauces did not disappoint either! G’s order of the Steak Frites was a delight to him, and he absolutely enjoyed his dish. I honestly cannot wait to return back to this spot, especially to try their pizzas! Their pizza menu looked so good - and the variety was fantastic!

Wood Fired Deviled Oysters - East Coast Oysters, Apple Wood Smoked Bacon, Deviled Stuffing, Tabasco-Hollandaise

Steak Frites - Cast Iron 8oz Center Cut Sirloin, Hand Cut Truffle Fries, Baby Arugula Salad, Lemon, Veal Jus

Garlic Herb Fries - with their three signature sauces: Chipotle Ketchup, Kalamata Olive Aioli, Hearth Remoulade,

XO, Analise

Dining In: Pizza Night

“I would never win an award for not loving pizza.” - Dwayne Johnson

Pizza is something my hubby and I really love. When G posed the idea of making our own pies from scratch, I fell in love with him all over again, LOL. Seriously, it was such a cool weekend activity for us. We created two completely different pizzas, that were both equally delicious.

Today, I’m sharing our homemade pizzas, what we chose for our toppings, and how surprisingly easy it all was!

The dough for our pizzas.

The dough is the most important part, and creates the foundation for your pizza. I suggest preparing your dough either the night before, or the morning of when you’re eating your delicious pizza.

Here is what you’ll need for the crust:

• 3 1/2 to 4 cups bread flour (plus more for rolling)

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 1 envelope of instant dry yeast

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt

• 1 1/2 cups of hot water

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Once you combine all of your ingredients in a mixer, oil a glass bowl, and put your dough into it. This will make your dough super easy to get out of the bowl after it rises. Then use saran wrap to cover your bowl tightly with.

With the dough recipe provided above, G and I were able to have enough dough for two personal sized pizzas - approximately 10 inches, which yielded 4 slices each. If you want to make one larger pizza pie, this recipe is perfect!

Pro Tip #1: Your dough should be sticky, and not clumpy or hard. If your mixture doesn't have a sticky texture to it, add additional hot water until it has a better consistency.

The dough and all of the ingredients we selected for our personal pizzas.

Basil pesto + fresh mozzarella

Pepperoni pizza + spicy marinara

Once the dough was ready to go, and formed into molds, we began preparing for our pizzas. We oiled our cast iron pans, and put them into the oven at 500 degrees. Next, G and I gathered our ingredients for our individual pizza, while the cast irons were getting nice and hot in the oven.

G opted for a traditional pepperoni pizza, with a new twist. He added red pepper flakes to his marinara, layered mozzarella cheese on top, and later drizzled honey along with fresh chopped basil on top.

My pizza was a bit more simple. I added fresh basil pesto onto my dough, added mozzarella cheese on top, and cracked black pepper.

Pro tip #2: Once your cast irons are super hot and ready to go, put your dough in first, then layer your preferred ingredients on top. This will give your dough a nice crunch and crust in the cast iron.

Pro tip #3: Use low moisture mozzarella cheese - this is super important! Most mozzarella is high in moisture, and that particular cheese can water log your dough.

The pizzas looking amazing in the 500 degree oven.

Spicy Pepperoni Pizza + Fresh Basil and Hot Honey

Basil Pesto Pizza + Fresh Basil, Oregano, and Black Pepper

Our pizzas turned out amazing! I always had the preconceived notion that making homemade pizza would be super complicated, but I was oh so wrong. We prepped everything well in advance, and gathered all of our ingredients ahead of time to make these delicious pies. G and I will now opt for making pizzas at home, and it’s such a fun date night activity for us - we can’t wait to do this again soon!

XO, Analise

Recipe: Smoked Prime Rib

“I love the culture of grilling. It creates an atmosphere that is festive but casual.” - Bobby Flay

When my husband had the grand idea of smoking a Prime Rib I was super excited for him. He was able to put his grilling and smoking skills to the test. G loves experimenting with new recipes, and always loves including me in his process.

As many of you know, I no longer eat red meat, but watching my hubby dabble with a new recipe and smoking technique was super fun to watch, as well as be included in. We are really excited to include this dish for the upcoming holidays, and share it with our friends and family.

Without further ado, here is our experience and process of smoking a Prime Rib!

Step 1: Select a cut of Prime Rib from your local grocery or butchery

Choice 4lb. Prime Rib

It really all starts with selecting and purchasing a great cut of meat. G prefers going to a local butcher shop and preferably ordering a high USDA grade of meat. For this recipe, we went to our neighborhood grocery and purchased a Certified Choice Angus 4lb. cut of Prime Rib.

Step 2: Season and cook your protein

Seasoned Prime Rib - before the grill

Once, G was ready to smoke his Prime Rib, he removed it from the fridge, and took it out of the plastic. From there he placed it on a cutting board and began patting the Prime Rib dry. It is essential to remove any excess water from the cut of meat. Then, he generously added olive oil all over the Prime Rib, before placing his signature coffee dry rub on.

Once, the seasoning was evenly distributed along the protein, G topped it off with fresh herbs - rosemary and thyme. Then. he secured butcher’s twine on the Prime Rib. He tied each twine approximately 2 inches along cut of meat. You simply tie the twine like you’re tying your own pair of shoes.

After, everything was added, G placed the protein into the fridge, uncovered, and on a wire rack to marinate for 24 hours. If you are in a hurry you can shorten the timeline to 8 hours.

The next morning, G removed the Prime Rib from our fridge 2 hours before cooking time. This allows the meat to achieve the optimal room temperature. It is so important for your protein to be room temp as it will help the meat cook evenly throughout.

While, the Prime Rib was waiting to be cooked, it was the perfect time to setup our grill. The grill setup contain a “hot and cold side” in the grill. On the “hot side” was the fire, which G created using a mixture of charcoal and mesquite wood. On the opposite side, the “cold side”, he inserted an aluminum pan underneath the grill grates, so that the drippings from the Prime Rib had a safe place to fall. Also, he brushed olive oil on the grates, for the Prime Rib to be placed on. The purpose of the hot and cold sections, was to create an indirect smoke for his Prime Rib to cook at a consistent temperature.

Once, the temperature of the grill leveled at 300 degrees, G placed the Prime Rib directly on grill grates on the “cold side” of the grill. Then, he inserted a digital meat thermometer into the center of the Prime Rib, closed the grill, and let it smoke for about 3.5 hours. Once the digital meat thermometer reached an internal temp of 130 degrees, G knew he achieved the perfect medium rare cook. From there he removed the Prime Rib from the grill to begin the resting process.

Step 3: The finished product

Coffee Dry Rub Smoked Prime Rib

Next, he covered the pan with foil, and waited an additional 30 minutes to 1 hour. This step was crucial as it allowed time for the meat to be juicy and get the best flavor possible. During this time, the Prime Rib leveled off around 135 degrees for its internal temp.

After, the resting time was reached, G removed the foil, herbs, and twine. Then, he carved the Prime Rib, plated, and paired with desired sides, as well as, sauces.

Dinner is served: Smoked Prime Rib paired with au jus + horseradish sauces, Sautéed Kale, and Beer Battered Onion Rings

XO, Analise

Dining Out: Hampton Roads + Richmond, VA

“Eating good food is, to me, one of life's greatest joys, and I will never punish myself for it.” - Miriam Shor

It’s always so much fun finding and visiting local restaurants. Hampton Roads has so many wonderful local gems and it has been a blast uncovering them. Virginia Beach is my hometown, but Richmond, VA holds a special place in my heart. After graduating from college in 2011, I got an amazing job offer in RVA, and lived there for about 3 and a half years. Richmond has some amazing food, and anytime I’m able to visit I jump at the opportunity.

Today, I am sharing three favorites from both Hampton Roads and RVA.

---

Hampton Roads, VA

---

Redwood Smoke Shack - Norfolk, VA

Redwood Smoke Shack has been a favorite of mine ever since we tried their delicious food at Back Bay’s Farmhouse at the beginning of the summer. I was super excited to finally dine in at their new establishment a few weeks ago, and was not disappointed. My husband has been several times since their opening this summer, and has raved about their food, service, and overall experience.

Everything was super delicious and fresh. I do recommend getting to the restaurant earlier in the day, as some of their popular items do sell out really quickly. The staff is nothing short of amazing, and they are always recommending some wonderful options.

Top Tray

The Woody - sliced brisket, pulled pork, house BBQ sauce topped with cilantro slaw, between a Krispy Kreme donut

Sides - Cornbread, Greed Chile Mac & Cheese, and Pit Smoked Beans

Bottom Tray

OG Sammich - pulled chicken

Side - Cilantro Slaw

Town Center Cold Pressed / Town Center- Virginia Beach, VA

TCCP is my new favorite spot in Virginia Beach. The coffee shop is serving up some delicious food, and well as some of the best juices, smoothies, and of course java. I absolutely love how the shop allows their patrons the options to curate their own sandwiches, and are so flexible with creating the best meals possible. The environment is so cozy, and its the perfect place to relax or go with a small group of friends.

Matcha Lemonade

Shake Shack / Town Center - Virginia Beach, VA

If you have been following me for awhile, you’ll know that Shake Shack holds a special place in my heart. My hubby and I went to the new Town Center location on opening weekend, and to say the least it was a wild experience. Now that the new location has gotten it’s footing and the buzz has died down - our time there was so much better! We were pleasantly surprised with turnaround, and how wonderful the staff is.

Shack-cago Dog, Fries, and Chick’n Shack

---

Richmond, VA

---

Upper Shirley Vineyards - Charles City, VA

I am a huge fan of Upper Shirley, and have talked about them countless times, here and here. It is very rare for a winery to have knockout amazing wines, but also an onsite restaurant that’s simply phenomenal. Patrons literally come in for the food alone - it is that good! G & I visited for a wine tasting on a Saturday afternoon, and the staff offered the option to dine in afterwards, and prepared our table while we completed our tasting. The team at Upper Shirley is great, and everyone was super welcoming during our visit.

Crispy fried oysters with slaw and remoulade sauce + side of fries.

Richmond Wine Station - Richmond, VA

My first visit to Richmond Wine Station was great - the staff was so kind! At the station, you are able to get a re-loadable card to insert into several different wine machines for a self-serve tasting. I really enjoy this concept and so glad more places are doing this! During my visit, I went with a group of girlfriends who all enjoy different types of wines, so this experience was fantastic for everyone. You are able to as little or as much as you want, and select a budget that works for you. Also, during our visit they hosted a free wine tasting - and the wines were great, and the host recommended excellent selections.

Caprese flatbread + Grilled chicken flatbread

Brunch… - Richmond, VA

The popular phrase, “Worth the wait.” is totally about Brunch… and this is now my new go to brunch spot in RVA. Brunch…is sooooo good! The wait is quite long, for a group of 4 we did have a wait for about 30-45 minutes. I would recommend having a member from your party putting your name down as quickly as possible or going earlier in the day. Service was quick and our waiter ensured that we got exactly what we wanted during our visit. Everything was delicious and I was super impressed with our time there. My waiter was very accommodating and even help curate an off the menu dish for me which was so kind!

Custom order, and not on the menu - Maple bacon waffle

XO, Analise