Ryan was in his carpenter era while he took some time off, helping his dad build some new shutters.
Val once again thanked all the "Windies" for wishing her a happy and fabulous 50th birthday.
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Jennifer Morrison
Jennifer Morrison joins 'Windy City Weekend' in studio
Actress Jennifer Morrison is best known for her roles in the drama series "House" and the hit ABC series "Once Upon a Time."
She joined Val and Ryan to talk about her latest venture.
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The Chicago-born actress is back in town to lead an all-woman cast in the Goodman Theatre's latest performance, "The Penolopiad."
"The Penolopiad," written by "The Handmaid's Tale" author Margaret Atwood, is a retelling of "The Odyssey" through the eyes of Odysseus' wife, Penelope.
You can see this riveting play now until March 31 at the Goodman Theatre. Tickets can be found at goodmantheatre.org.
Alessi in the Kitchen
Chef Mario Manfredini shares a recipe for braciole
Easter is just around the corner! Chef and friend of the show Mario Manfredini is at Pete's Fresh Market in Wheaton to share how to make an Italian staple for the holidays, braciole.
Ingredients:
-Alessi Extra Virgin Olive Oil
-Alessi Garlic Puree
-2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
-1/3 cup, plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, divided
-1/3 cup minced fresh Italian flat parsley
-1/3 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus extra for serving
-1/3 cup Alessi Italian Style Breadcrumbs
-3/4 cup fontina cheese, shredded
-2- to 2-1/2lb flank steak
-8 thin slices prosciutto
-1 teaspoon Alessi sea salt
-1/2 teaspoon Alessi black pepper
-1 large onion, chopped fine
-1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
-1/4 cup Alessi tomato paste
-3/4 cup dry red wine
-1 (28-ounce) can Alessi crushed Italian tomatoes
-2 cups beef broth
-16oz Alessi Organic Penne Pasta
Before you begin cooking:
Cut sixteen 10-inch lengths of kitchen twine before starting the recipe.
You can substitute sharp provolone for the fontina, if desired.
For the most tender braciole, be sure to roll the meat so that the grain runs parallel to the length of the roll.
Serve the braciole and sauce together, with pasta or polenta, or separately, as a pasta course with the sauce followed by the meat.
Recipe:
1. Stir three tablespoons of oil, six teaspoons of garlic puree, and lemon zest together in a medium bowl. Add 1/3 cup basil, parsley, Pecorino, and breadcrumbs. Stir to incorporate. Stir in fontina until evenly distributed and set aside filling.
2. Halve steak against the grain to create two smaller steaks. Lay one steak on the cutting board with grain running parallel to the counter edge. Holding the blade of your chef's knife parallel to the counter, halve the steak horizontally to create two thin pieces. Repeat with the remaining steak. Cover one piece with plastic wrap and, using a meat pounder, flatten into a rough rectangle measuring no more than 1/4-inch thick. Repeat pounding with remaining three pieces. Cut each piece in half, with grain, to create a total of eight pieces.
3. Lay four pieces on a cutting board with grain running parallel to the counter edge (if one side is shorter than the other, place the shorter side closer to you). Distribute half of filling evenly over pieces. Top filling on each piece with one slice of prosciutto, folding to fit, and press firmly. Keeping filling in place, roll each piece away from you to form a tight log. Tie each roll with two pieces of kitchen twine to secure. Repeat the process with remaining steak pieces, filling, and prosciutto. Sprinkle rolls on both sides with salt and pepper.
4. Heat remaining 1/4 cup of oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Brown rolls on two sides, eight to 10 minutes. Using tongs, transfer rolls to plates. Add onion to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, five to seven minutes. Stir in pepper flakes and remaining garlic; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato paste and cook until slightly darkened, three to four minutes. Add wine and cook, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in tomatoes and broth. Return braciole to pot; bring to simmer. Cover and keep at low-medium heat. Braise until meat is fork-tender, two to three hours, using tongs to flip braciole halfway through braising.
5. Transfer braciole to serving dish and discard twine. Stir remaining two tablespoons of basil into tomato sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour sauce over braciole and serve, passing extra Pecorino separately. Enjoy!
You can visit Pete's Fresh Market in Wheaton to gather quality ingredients and Alessi products.
You can find even more Alessi products by visiting the Alessi website, and on their socials @AlessiFoods.
Roeper's Reviews: Spend or Save?
Roeper's Reviews: Spend Or Save?
'Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire' - SPEND
The Ghostbusters return to the big screen with the new film "Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire," uniting old and new teams to stop an evil threat.
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'Road House' - SAVE
Jake Gyllenhaal stars in the film "Road House" as an ex-UFC fighter who begins working as a bouncer for a local roadhouse to make ends meet.
'Immaculate' - SAVE
Sydney Sweeney scares her way to the big screen with the new flick "Immaculate," where she plays a nun who joins a convent with sinister secrets.
'Sleeping Dogs' - SPEND
"Sleeping Dogs" stars Russell Crowe as a former detective facing memory loss issues as he tries to solve a brutal murder that he can't remember.
Ryan meets the Ryan's?!
Ryan gets invited to another 'Ryan meetup'
A few months ago, Ryan found a Facebook group of other people named Ryan who meet up often for events. Well, the organizers saw the segment, and want Ryan to come to their next meet up.