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Hazelnut: the nut of a hazel tree; also known as a cob or filbert nut. Hazelnuts are rich in protein and unsaturated fat, which makes them a healthy food choice. More importantly, though, they are a great partner with chocolate. For instance, have you heard of Nutella? If not, go to the closest grocery store, buy a jar of the delicious chocolate-hazelnut spread, slather a scoop of it all over a piece of bread, and enjoy- you’ll be hooked. This perfect combination is also what made me decide to bake a chocolate-hazelnut tart for one of my family’s Christmas desserts. It was absolutely delicious (if I do say so myself), but I learned a very valuable lesson in the process: when a recipe calls for hazelnuts, buy a package of pre-shelled and skinless hazelnuts at the store! While I appreciate dishes made “from scratch,” I typically opt to use pre-made, ready-to-use ingredients available at the grocery store. However, due to my inexperience with hazelnuts and the fact that pre-shelled and pre-skinned hazelnuts are not always abundant in most local grocery stores (or at least the ones in my hometown), I had to do the process myself. And unfortunately, it was not the easiest process.
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Note from the Editor: 
This is a recipe from the cookbook we are currently reviewing, Freshman in the Kitchen. The recipe being reviewed is for Chicken Breasts with Rosemary, White Wine, and Lemon Juice made from scratch. Click the link above to read more about the book and let us know what you think!
If you’re looking for a couple of easy and delicious snacks or appetizers, look no further than these recipes from Freshmen in the Kitchen. Although the title of the cookbook suggests otherwise, a kitchen is not even really necessary with these recipes. For dorm-dwellers like me, this is especially important. Impossible to serve homemade hors d'oeuvres if you live in a dorm, you say? Read on.

First, the smoked salmon dip. This recipe has three ingredients, so it is vital to buy the highest quality ingredients possible. Although the recipe doesn’t specify which kind of salmon to use, I much prefer the flavor and texture of hot smoked salmon to cold (hot smoked is cooked thoroughly and has a smoky flavor, while cold smoked is perhaps more widely used, sometimes referred to as “Lox”…perhaps a comparison to elaborate further on in another blog post). Luckily, Ann Arbor residents have a fabulous smoked fish source right in their own backyard: Durham’s Tracklements and Smokery in Kerrytown. It is located on E. Kingsley, just a little ways down from Zingerman’s. They offer hot and cold smoked salmon. I recommend trying a sample of both if you’re not sure which you prefer, because the dip will only be as delicious as your salmon.
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Restaurant workers don’t get paid a lot.  In fact, considering the overwhelming stress, oppressive heat, and um...intellectual diversity they encounter, $60 a night can be far too little.  Many have experienced this phenomenon, but only the sly and ethically questionable decide to take matters into their own hands, often literally.  By stealing food from the kitchen, workers are simply boosting their wages to the level they feel is deserved.  The downside to this operation lies in the risk of a job loss (read zero wages).  That’s why I’m here to enlighten the darker path to job satisfaction and satiation.

Peril usually lies in stealing expensive items, so for the concerned or cowardly, bread and soup will be the best options.  Slicing bread and dousing it in olive oil or Frank’s Red Hot will rarely bring about punishment, and, if it does, simply throw it away until your manager’s not looking.  For soup, just walk back into the kitchen and fill a soufflé cup, taking care not to sear your throat while you guzzle down that luscious calm chowder.
As a cook, options are plentiful, and my personal favorite is to intentionally cook too much food during a rush.  Throw some extra shrimp into the sauté pan or cook two too many burgers.  

This is easy to pass off as a mistake and only the most principled of bastard managers will make you throw away food after having kicked out so much.
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Note from the Editor: 
This is a recipe from the cookbook we are currently reviewing, Freshman in the Kitchen. There are three recipes being reviewed in this case, all made from scratch. Click the link above to read more about the book and let us know what you think!
I reviewed 3 recipes from the new cookbook, Freshman in the Kitchen. A Potato Leek Soup, Spicy Rainbow Trout, and the Salmon and Goat Cheese Napoleon with Wild Rice Pilaf. Using these 3 recipes as a representative sample of the cookbook in general, this is a decent cook book, especially for college students (maybe not freshmen because of the dorms). It was also great that the recipe gave quantities of ingredients to serve 2, as this is more likely the case during college than standard recipes that are designed to serve 4. I made these recipes over 2 meals, serving the soup as an appetizer before the Salmon and Goat Cheese Napoleon, and the Rainbow Trout for lunch the next day. Overall the cost of the ingredients may make these not the most ideal “college cooking” recipes, as eve frozen salmon fillets cost 7 dollars for 12 oz. I’ll review each recipe separately:

Potato Leek Soup:

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This is a soup that I have made for dinners many times before, albeit with a different recipe. After trying this recipe I would say that it is really not the best Potato Leek Soup recipe around. The first flaw is that the soup is not blended. In my opinion, Potato Leek Soup is the best when creamy and smooth, with occasional chunks of potato speckled throughout. Although you can add heavy cream to get the “creamy” texture, I’ve made many other Potato Leek Soups that did not contain cream, but because the potato was blended, the starch made the soup thick and creamy. The soup was nicely flavored, although I would have preferred a specified quantity of salt, as it requires quite a bit to season “to taste”. In addition...
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Palio by Sarah H 
In my opinion, Palio had one of the best dinner deals for restaurant week. They offered soup/salad, choice between two pasta dishes, and a mini dessert trio for $12.50. I had the soup, minestrone, followed by a pesto pasta with grilled chicken, followed by a trio of canoli, tiramisu, and a brownie. While the soup was a bit over-salted, the large portion of pesto pasta was creamy and satisfying, and the canoli and tiramisu were delicious. Service was very attentive, making for a delightful restaurant week dinner. 

Grange by Zak K
My episode of restaurant week began at the North American International Auto Show. I skipped a few classes last Thursday (all of them) to relive what used to be an annual tradition:  scrutinizing every car at the auto show with my dad. Unfortunately, about halfway through our visit, Cobo Hall erupted into flames. We made it out in the knick of time, and I thank the restaurant deities that we got out early or my dad and I would still be sitting in Detroit traffic with tens of thousands of car nuts in their cars. Thankfully we made it to the Grange unscathed and on time.

I was wearing jeans, and to my surprise and relief our waitress was as well—I hate being underdressed at these Main Street restaurants. We opted for the 25-a-head dinner, starting with fresh greens and goat cheese or a potato and onion soup. These starters fit Grange nicely. They were both simple to the point of quintessence and they highlighted the fresh ingredients that are so carefully chosen at Grange. However, if you are not accustomed to eating raw greens with only the slightest dressing, you would be wise to stray toward the more complex dishes.
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