Kelly Donlea for Menu Monday & Barrington EATS, Author at 365Barrington

325. Menu Monday: Barrington TasteFest Offers Local Tastes in One Place

The Great 2015 TasteFest hosted by the Barrington…

319. Menu Monday: The Gilligan Sandwich with Candied Bacon & Mango Salsa at Grassroots Barrington

A Classic Favorite with an Exciting Twist! Not…

295. Shakou Sushi Now Open for Lunch & Dinner in Barrington!

The much-anticipated opening of Shakou Barrington arrived Monday,…

30. Barrington Eats: BIG GAME XLVIII Chili Cookoff

The NFL’s Big Game is just hours away,…

327. Tasty Tuesday Inspires New Family Recipes in Barrington

The Tasty Tuesday initiative in Barrington 220 elementary…

266. New Season of Special Events at L’Eiffel Bistrot & Creperie

If you are looking for something to do…

215. Barrington EATS: Grape Tomatoes for Tasty Tuesday

Now that the new school year is in…

125. Barrington EATS: Extraordinary Dishes with Garden Fresh Herbs Cooking Demonstration

Coming up this Friday and Saturday is one…

120. Barrington EATS: Celebrate Dads with Ribs 2 Ways

At my church, Willow Creek this past Sunday, our pastor Bill Hybels was discussing the importance of celebrating Dads on Father’s Day. He claimed that being a Dad takes tremendous dedication and that, for years, the lack of attendance at church on Father’s Day weekend made him think we may not be appropriately celebrating the importance of this role. Willow Creek has changed Father’s Day to the most attended weekend of the year with an event called Dadfest.
This event includes a rib cooking contest, a car and chopper expo, and a performance by comedian Michael Jr. All are welcome and you can CLICK HERE to see Michael Jr.’s video invitation to Dadfest.
I included two recipes below for making delicious ribs at home, and you can also order ribs to go from Heinen’s or Ciao Baby, or dine-in on ribs at Pinstripes barbecue buffet, Coopers Pizza’s Iron Horse BBQ or Kelsey Road House.
As I was getting rib-crazy in this post, I began to wonder if ribs were really what it’s all about to the Dads out there or if that has become a cliché for Father’s Day. I decided to ask 365Barrington’s resident Dad-Around-Town and father of two, Carlos Randolph. Carlos says he finds “…that being there for the family is the most important thing on Father’s Day. Just make the day about spending time with the family. A card from the kids and a happy Father’s Day kiss is good enough. While I do like to eat out and love Barrington Bistro, I’m quite content having normal family meals, and cooking steak, fish or just soup myself.”
Whether you decided to go all-out rib crazy this Father’s Day, or just enjoy a simple meal at home, I think the most important thing is to remember Carlos Randolph’s tip and just be there for each other in your family. Thank you Carlos, and Happy Father’s Day to all you Barrington Dads!
Ribs Two Ways; Sauce or Rub
There are two very popular ways to eat ribs. One is with barbeque sauce, the other with a barbeque rub. Following are two easy and delicious recipes to enjoy ribs either way……

100. Barrington EATS: Al Fresco a la 60010!

Spring has finally sprung here in Barrington and…

94. Band Camp Concert TONIGHT at McGonigal’s Pub

This One Time…at Band Camp – A Great…

88. Barrington EATS: Give Mom the Day Off in the Kitchen

Mother’s Day is this weekend. As a mother…

71. Barrington EATS: Make the Most of Your Cinco de Mayo

With Cinco de Mayo right around the corner, we have a recipe duo to get you in the mood. Nothing says “fiesta” like fabulous food made with less money and time spent in the kitchen.

Yes, there is a lot to be said for cooking once and eating twice, especially when the second meal is as good as the first. And I can’t believe I’m still talking about soup in April, but this Spring, it’s unfortunately still on the menu. I’ve thrown in a mango margarita recipe to warm you up as well.

Using leftover fajitas to make tortilla soup is rewarding in the areas of both effort and taste. Make two great meals this week with the effort of one with Chicken Fajitas and Tortilla Soup. The same recipes can be made with steak by substituting 16 ounces of strip or flank steak for the chicken.
Flavorful chicken fajitas are marinated in delicious Mexican seasonings. So when there is some leftover, the seasonings infuse an added broth to make an incredible tasting soup with very little effort. Even more delicious is that the only other things you need to add besides a rich broth are the leftover rice and beans detailed in this recipe. Quick and easy food never tasted so satisfying.

The following recipe for chicken fajitas serves four with enough leftover to make four servings of hearty restaurant-quality soup. If you are cooking for more or less people, adjust amounts accordingly……