http://www.chicagodefender.com/blogs-1-1-1-6.html This is one of the quickest and easiest desserts to prepare and even in it's simplicity, it comes off as very sophisticated and decadent.  The bite-sized pieces go great when served with coffee for your dinner party.  Every time I serve this, people love to take some home, so there's never any left. You can crush it into smaller pieces and serve with frozen yogurt or ice cream.  Sure, you can buy premium chocolate with nuts and fru]]> The Bears ended pre-season play on a high note going 3 and 1 including a win over the New York Giants, Superbowl Champs from just two seasons ago. With the exception of losing running back Kevin Jones and defensive tackle Dusty Dvoracek to season ending injuries, the Bears looked good and seem poised to be a better team. Like most fans I’m excited about the acquisition of QB Jay Cutler. The former ProBowler is definitely an upgrade at the p]]> Movie Review Excerpt: There’s been plenty of buzz about the new documentary, “Pressure Cooker,” prior to seeing its final showing in Chicago on Aug. 25, so I was prepared to see a good movie at the Gene Siskel Film Center. This was my first time visiting the Gene Siskel Film Center, so I made sure I got there extra early. Good for me because the staff is extra pleasant and they serve beer, wine or latte with your popcorn. Any mo]]> I truly miss the days when it was commonplace for men to be clad in fine headwear. There was a time before when a well-dressed gentleman met the light of day, and he’d place a smart fedora or playful porkpie atop his head. Everyone wore hats, even children. However, like so many other accessories, what was once a necessity became a novelty and languished in relative obscurity. Kept alive by artists, musicians and eccentrics, lids worn by la]]> If you have a small patio or a window with direct sunlight, it would be a great idea to start a mini-garden. I started my garden a year ago, on my mom’s advice.  She said, “It’s a great exercise in discipline, and the rewards are fruitful, literally.”  Me having not so green a thumb and two tiny patios chuckled at the idea but decided to give it a try.  I went to the local hardware store and bought two fi]]> Contact Information: 2528 S. Kedzie, Chicago, IL 60623, 773-254-7722   When I drove down Kedzie and I reached the 2500 block, I knew at least two things.  First, it is as the sign above states, “ Mexico en Chicago.”  Secondly, the festive and vibrant colors from the exterior of the huge property of Mi Tierra clearly indicate a non-stop fiesta.  Walking into the restaurant for Saturday lunch, the wait staff was]]> As much as I enjoy entertaining friends with dishes cooked with different types of meat, I also like to keep a few recipes on hand for my vegan guests.  You will always get props for preparing a dish for your friends with special diets.  And as much as I love steak and chicken, there are some vegetarian meals that are the bomb.  So much so, that I’ve shared some of these recipes with all of my meat-loving friends and received]]> This is the most wonderful time of the year. I know it sounds corny, but it’s the truth. I even enjoyed it when it meant triple-sessions in the blistering sun during training camp while in high school and college. Back then I thought my coaches were demented demons bent upon doing us in. This was true in high school but not so much for college. We rarely got water breaks and if injured, you were promptly told to suck it up and walk it off. ]]> One of the things I've found while living in Chicago is the huge amount of Mediterranean restaurants in the city.  Gyros are one of my favorite fast foods, but lately in my effort to eat healthier, I've been trying to figure out what in the heck kinda "mystery meat" it is that the cook shaves from the gigantic, brown, well-seasoned mystery meat cylinder.  I mean, it tastes great, but I'm guessing if you can demystify the ingre]]> As I drive down the street, go to the grocery store, sometimes even in church, I see young men and some older cats that truly should know better, participating in a trend that really needs to die. I’m talking about sagging. Sagging is the practice of wearing your pants well below your waist down across the middle of your butt.  Not only does it look silly, but it shows the world that either you’ve done time, about to catch a case]]> Beef ribs are a little tricky to prepare. Many people run into the problem of overcooking, thus making the meat very dry and tough.  For this reason, whenever I dine out and see beef ribs on the menu, I'll usually opt out. After studying this dish, I found it quite simple to make this dish without fail. The key is a quick boil, then into a flavorful 4-hour marinade (I prefer overnight) and finish them off with a sear on the grill to make a t]]> Late Thursday afternoon on Aug. 13, the Philadelphia Eagles lay to rest all questions about where recently reinstated quarterback Michael Vick would play this season. Originally they were one of the 26 teams expressing no interest in the sullied QB, but by the end of the day, Michael Vick was an Eagle.  He signed a one-year deal for $1.6 million with a second year option valued at $5.2 million and can earn up to $3 million more in incentives]]> Last week, former superstar quarterback Michael Vick was conditionally reinstated by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after completing a 23-month sentence for bankrolling a dogfighting ring. The move clears the way for Vick, who at one time was the league’s highest paid player and most exciting signal caller for a return to the gridiron. For once, the NFL, or as it’s known in some circles, the “no fun league,” did the right ]]> This past Sunday, I had the opportunity to experience a motivational speaker that spends his time ministering to the Monsters of The Midway. Since March of 2008, former NFL defensive back Ray McElroy has been the Chaplain for the Chicago Bears, where he conducts weekly services and Bible Study for the team’s players, coaches and their spouses. “As great a player as Devin Hester is, he still has problems he needs to deal with. Brian]]> No summer wardrobe is complete unless you factor in a sizeable integer of shorts. Traditionally, men haven’t had very many options when it came to this seasonal essential. At one time our only choices were athletic, swim and Bermuda shorts. The latter came in a wide variety of fabrics, colors and patterns, but lacked the distinctive array of alternatives women have. Back in the day, there were three things that you could count on—they]]> As I envisaged, just like summer, the real White Sox have begun making their presence known. After earning bragging rights in this year’s Crosstown Classic and taking the overall lead in the series, the South Side Hitmen are on a roll. Sure they dropped the first game in their own park, but the men in black stormed back in the last two games, ripping open several cans of corn on the North Siders. The Sox completely shut down the Cubs laugha]]> Sadly, yesterday the world lost one of the most pivotal icons in entertainment history. When Michael Jackson passed away Thursday afternoon, a void was created that may never be filled. For many, not since Elvis has there been an artist that so captured the hearts and minds of a global audience. In that respect, he surpassed Elvis by leaps and bounds. Michael Jackson had a universal appeal that categorically transcended all entertainment genres. ]]> Last Sunday not only marked the annual celebration of fatherhood, but it also ushered in the first day of summer. The days and weeks leading up to it had few indications when or if the season would ever appear. It was as if summer was on the block with winter and spring playing double-dutch, mischievously dancing on the side, waiting for her chance to jump in. Summer made her move, gleefully skipping for a few beats then bounding out as swiftly a]]> “Everybody’s crazy ‘bout a dressed man” or so the song goes. There’s a lot of truth in that statement, and I’ve often tried to put it to the test. I can remember attending a writer’s conference in Atlanta back in 2000. I can see why it’s called “Hotlanta” because it was exactly that, very hot and very wet. Everyday was well over 85 degrees, and it poured the whole time I was there. To ma]]> I’m a die hard Sox fan, and with the exception of what I call “the years of transgression”, I always have been and always will be. During the “Y.OT.,” I rooted for the Cubs; I even had a hat and wore it all the time. I remember growing a really big ‘fro and stuffing it under this cap so it would mushroom out around the sides just like Jose Cardinal. I dreamed of being like Billy Williams, Fergie Jenkins or]]>