Author Archives: kkregel

by | April 25, 2011 · 8:02 am

{Giveaway!} Grilled Cheese, Please! Cookbooks

*** This giveaway is now closed. Thanks for participating! ***

We just can’t help it.  We’re out of control with giveaways this month!  This week HAP and our friends at the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board are giving away FIVE copies of Grilled Cheese, Please! by James Beard Award-winning author, Laura Werlin.

Grilled Cheese, Please! features 50 new recipes including nostalgic favorites, modern twists and ethnic ingredient combos. Werlin’s idea of grilled cheese extends way beyond your basic “two-slices-of-bread-and-some-cheese” to creative sandwiches that include everything from prosciutto to pears to potato chips. So get your spatula ready for flipping and test out her intriguing grilled cheese creations:

Enter to Win!

To win one of our five copies, leave a comment telling us your favorite way to make a grilled cheese OR the best grilled cheese sandwich you ever ate.
Want a bonus entry or two?
1. “Like” HAP on Facebook and let us know.
2. Tweet a link to the giveaway on HAP and be sure to let us know your Twitter handle so we can check it out!

Even if you don’t win, you can still celebrate National Grilled Cheese Month and head over to check out more grilled cheese recipes at www.eatwisconsincheese.com.

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by | April 19, 2011 · 7:53 am

Strawberry White Chocolate Cupcakes

Last weekend I made these pretty, spring-y Strawberry White Chocolate Cupcakes for my sister-in-law’s baby shower where they got rave reviews. They feel quite elegant making them a great dessert for a shower, luncheon or even a cocktail party.
strawberry white chocolate cupcakes

Strawberry White Chocolate Cupcakes
Strawberry Cupcakes
1 1/2 C self-rising flour
1 1/4 C all-purpose flour
1 C butter
2 C sugar
1 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
3/4 C pureed strawberries
1/4 C half & half

Strawberry Filling
1 C pureed strawberries (approx 2/3 pint)
1/4 C sugar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp cornstarch

White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz reduced fat cream cheese (room temp!)
6 Tbsp butter (room temp!)
2-3 C powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1-2 Tbsp half and half
8 oz white chocolate

For cupcakes, preheat oven to 350. Combine flours in a small bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time and beat in vanilla. Puree strawberries in a small food processor or blender and transfer to a glass measuring cup to get the right amount. Pour half and half into the measuring cup to equal one cup total and mix well. Alternately add one-third of flours and one-third of strawberry mixture, beating well after each addition until all ingredients have been added. Spoon mixture into lined muffin pans, filling each cup 3/4 full. Bake for 24-26 minutes for large cupcakes or 17-20 minutes for standard cupcakes. Let cool completely before filling or frosting.

strawberries in a bowl

For filling, puree strawberries and transfer to a small sauce pan. Over medium heat, whisk in sugar, lemon juice and cornstarch. Cook for about 10-13 minutes, stirring occasionally until mixture is moderately thickened – more like a jam. Refridgerate for about an hour until cool.

To fill cupcakes, use a paring knife to carve “cones” out of the center of each cupcake, going about half way down the cupcake. Remove the cone and trim off 2/3 of it so that only a thin cap of cake remains. Spoon filling into the hole and place the cake cap back on top.

For frosting, begin by melting white chocolate in a double boiler until melted but just warm. (Don’t have a double boiler? I just used a Pyrex bowl fitted on top of a large sauce pan containing about 1 1/2 C water). In a large bowl, beat together room temperature butter and cream cheese until well combined. Beat in vanilla. Beat in powdered sugar, one cup at a time until mixture is moderately sweet. Let chocolate cool just slightly but not so much that it begins to harden. Pour into frosting and beat well on high. Beat in additional powdered sugar if mixture is not sweet enough or half and half to get a creamier consistency. Warning: The white chocolate may clump slightly in the frosting. Beat really well to minimize them, however they’re not that noticeable once you’ve frosted the cakes. Frost cupcakes to cover the filling hole and top with a sliced strawberry for garnish.

cupcake close up

Makes 15 Texas size cupcakes or about 30 standard cupcakes.

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by | April 18, 2011 · 8:04 am

{Giveaway!} A Year of Organic Valley Products

*** This giveaway is now closed.  Thanks for participating! ***

Today we have an awesome giveaway from an equally awesome company, Organic Valley, an organic dairy cooperative which started in Wisconsin and is now the number one provider of organic milk in the nation.

In honor of Earth Day this week and Organic Valley’s general philosophy on food, they invited us to be a part of their Earth Dinner initiative.  The idea behind Earth Dinner is to get people thinking and talking about eating locally produced foods, centered around a meal where as many ingredients as possible are locally sourced.   Since 2004, Earth Dinner meals have spread to include college campuses, restaurants and individual families hosting Earth Dinners.

The awesome folks at Organic Valley are giving away a package that contains everything you would need to host your own Earth Dinner:
1) Coupons for One Year’s Worth of Free Organic Valley Products (a $520 value!)
2) 4 Earth Dinner Books
3) A reusable, packable shopping bag for carrying your bounty

Pretty covetable stuff! Just the idea of the Earth Dinner has us itching to get into our gardens and out to the farmers market to pick up local produce and dreaming of desserts that involve homemade whipped cream…because, seriously, Organic Valley’s heavy whipping cream is hands down the best we’ve found.  Try it on any of our pies, cobblers or other treats!

Belgian Shortbread with Whipped Cream

Ideas to get inspired and get involved:
Whether you’re the lucky winner or not, there are lots of ways to get involved in the Earth Dinner project and also easy ways to eat more locally sourced food this spring. Check out the links below for ideas:
Plan an Earth Dinner at Home
Check out Organic Valley’s Recipes – including Earth Dinner ideas, spring produce specialties, potluck & tailgate winners and gluten free options
Eat at a local restaurant hosting an Earth Dinner

Enter to Win!

First, show your support by heading over to “like” Earth Dinner on Facebook. Next, leave a comment below sharing one new thing you plan to do this year to eat more local food so that we can pick a winner!

The contest is now closed. 

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by | April 11, 2011 · 8:04 am

{Giveaway!} Double Dose of Pet Accessories

***This giveaway is no longer accepting entries***
And the winner is…Emily and her yellow lab, Murray, who will soon be sporting the Scout Tag and either the blue/brown harlequin pattern ribbon collar or the football collar – depending on if Emily let’s her husband make the pick or not! Congratulations!
(Winner chosen using random.org)

Today we have fun double dose giveaway for all you pet owners out there!  With all the blasé collars and ugly machine-made pet tags to be found at chain pet stores, Etsy turns out to be chock full of stylish options!  We featured some of our favorites in last year’s holiday gift guide – including the fabulous sequined collars made by Jen from RogueCollars and the super chic ID tags made by Tessa from MakeYourDogSmile.

One lucky reader will win a pet collar of their choice from Rogue Collars and a personalized pet ID tag of their choice from MakeYourDogSmile. Read on to meet these two crafty pet lovers and for details on how to win!

sequined dog collar by Rogue Collarsstylish dog ID tag

Name: Jen
Etsy store: RogueCollars.etsy.com
 Dogs or Cats?: definitely dogs, but I love all animals
Favorite breed?: Great Danes and Boxers (of course), as well as Boston Terriers, French Bulldogs and Dogue de Bordeaux (like Hooch in Turner & Hooch!)
Your pet(s): Rogue, 5, a Boxer, and Storm, 3, a Great Dane (yes, they are named after X-Men characters!)
Pet smooches – great OR gross?: great, just not on the mouth.  My dogs have learned to give me kisses under my chin.  🙂
Other crafty hobbies?: My latest have been just making additions to the dog collar line – including leashes and key fobs. Otherwise, I enjoy working on my wedding scrapbook.  It’s been a long drawn out process…I’ve been married 7.5 years and it’s still not done!  🙂
I started my Etsy shop because: Storm was in the typical puppy chewing phase and her latest fad was chewing collars.  She literally chewed a collar off of herself, as well as chewing collars off of Rogue too.  I got tired of buying new ones so I found a pattern online, bought a sewing machine and haven’t looked back!
Day-time gig besides Etsy?: I’m a nerd by day, as I work in IT for a large company, supporting their email environment.
Leader of the pack or wrapped around their paws?: Definitely leader of the pack – I trained both of the girls, so they follow me everywhere and obey me over my hubby!  But, on some occasions, I have to say, Rogue can be quite the princess…  I’ve taught her how to say “mom” (yes, literally), and she has learned to use it when she wants something.  How can you refuse a dog’s request when they call you by name?!  🙂
Rogue Collars

Name: Tessa
Etsy store: Makeyourdogsmile.etsy.com and HattieRex.etsy.com for people things
Dogs or Cats?: Dogs
Favorite breed?: Labrador Retreiver
Your pet(s): Hollie, black lab; Sofia, Westie; Ryder, mini Australian shepherd
Pet smooches – great OR gross?: Kinda gross, but it’s the thought that counts!
Leader of the pack or wrapped around their paws?: Leader of the pack! My husband is a different story!
Other crafty hobbies?: Refinishing antique junque, painting
I started my Etsy shop because: I had been making and selling at craft shows and one day I saw a mention of Etsy in a magazine.  I set up shop the same day.
Day-time gig besides Etsy?: Not anymore.  I was previously a high school Spanish teacher and also have a Master’s degree in technical communication.
Make Your Dog Smile Etsy

Enter to Win!

To win, just pop over to RogueCollars and MakeYourDogSmile to look for your favorites. Leave a comment telling us your pet’s name and which collar and ID tag you would pick for them!
Bonus! Get an extra entry by “liking” HAP on Facebook!

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by | April 4, 2011 · 8:02 am

Office/Guest Room Makeover

I never really liked the old “office” in our house.  With a mish-mash of clunky inherited furniture and drab green walls, it was never a place that I really wanted to work.  Now, with a baby on the way the old office is soon to become the nursery, which means the guest room has to serve a dual purpose. It was the perfect opportunity to create a space that was both functional and inspiring to work in.

BEFORE
When we bought our house, the guest bedroom was a buttery baby yellow. It was fine but not very sophisticated so the first step was to repaint.

AFTER
I swapped out the yellow for a calming grey on the walls, leaving all the moldings and trim bright white. Since I had already refinished the dresser and bed frame in a sleek black, the rest of the room started to take on a black, white and grey scheme with pops of yellow and gold for personality.  The gilded mirror is vintage. The flowers are dried cock’s comb from last year’s farmers market.

Besides repainting, I also rearranged the placement of the bed in the room.  Originally we had the head board placed against the other wall (right wall of this photo) so you could easily make the bed.  However, that would have left no space in the room for a desk.  By just rotating the bed and positioning it against the wall, it created enough space for a desk and chair, plus a much better flow for the room.

The same day I scored the gilded mirror, I found this awesome 1950s yellow chair at a different antique store.  The moment I laid eyes on it, I had to have it and at just $30 it was a steal of a deal.  The pillow cover is from The Home Centric on Etsy.

Since the room is not huge, I chose the slim, modern Parsons desk from West Elm and surrounded it with things that will inspire me while I work or blog, like my DIY idea board, fresh flowers and scented candles.  Every day supplies like pens and scissors look decidedly more chic in a vintage milk glass vase.



The closet got a major overhaul, organizing gift wrap and craft accessories into various storage bins, bags and shoe boxes. Reducing the extra clutter makes it much easier to find the items I need and make notes when I run out of supplies.


The final project will be to frame a very large world map for the large wall above the bed. Since framing something that large costs a fortune, I’m currently scheming ideas for a DIY framing project. Stay tuned!

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by | March 28, 2011 · 8:14 am

Super Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

Sometimes you find a recipe that’s just too good to mess with. My old peanut butter cookie recipe always seemed to dry out after just a day or two so when I recently had a craving for pb cookies I tested out the version from America’s Test Kitchen and found a new fave.

My inlaws got me hooked on America’s Test Kitchen‘s very reliable cookbooks and TV program awhile ago. ATK (as the inlaws call it) is a test kitchen that literally tests popular recipes hundreds of ways with real taste testers to find the absolute best version. It’s really no wonder that their peanut butter cookies are perfectly soft and chewy…plus they unbelievably stayed that way for almost a week!

I did decide to mix it up and throw in some extra M&Ms I had laying around into half the batter. Chocolate chips or Reese’s pieces would be tasty too.

Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
recipe from America’s Test Kitchen
1 C (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 C sugar
1 C brown sugar
1 C chunky peanut butter
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 C flour
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 C dry roasted peanuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350. Place parchment paper on a baking sheet and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugars until fluffy. Beat in peanut butter until well-combined. Add vanilla extract and beat. Beat in eggs one at a time. Gradually beat in dry mixture, scraping down edges of bowl to incorporate throughout the dough.

Use a small food processor to finely chop peanuts. Mix in 2/3 of peanuts into the dough until they are evenly dispersed. If using M&Ms or chocolate chips, fold in candy until evenly dispersed. Top cookies with remaining chopped nuts or candy.

Use a cookie scoop to scoop dough onto baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes.


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by | March 23, 2011 · 11:20 am

A Bun in the Oven

My mom used to always make monkey bread for special occasions and since I can’t resist a good pun, it seemed fitting to pull out this caramel sticky bun recipe to announce my own little “bun in the oven”! The hubs and I are expecting our first baby in August and we couldn’t be more excited.

But back to the monkey bread…if you have any affection for sticky rolls, you must try this. With just a little pre-planning (it needs to sit overnight) it’s a delicious and impressive pull-apart breakfast “bun” that only takes minutes of your time to prep.
monkey bread

Monkey Bread
1 pkg frozen white dinner rolls (2 dozen)
1 pkg non-instant butterscotch pudding mix
1/2 C chopped pecans
1/2 C butter
1/2 C brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla

Lightly butter a bundt pan. Sprinkle pecans in the bottom of the bundt pan. Sprinkle pudding mix on top. Place frozen dinner rolls evenly into the pan. In a large glass measuring cup or small bowl, microwave butter and brown sugar until melted. Whisk in cinnamon and vanilla until mixture is smooth, then pour over dinner rolls.

caramel breakfast rolls

Wrap pan with plastic wrap and set on the counter overnight to allow rolls to rise. Remove plastic wrap and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

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by | March 16, 2011 · 8:21 am

Slow Cooker Corned Beef Sandwiches

There are fancy ways to do corned beef and then there is the cheater way. By putting the slow cooker to work, these super easy corned beef sandwich melts may be using the cheater way but they are totally perfect for a weeknight St. Patty’s day meal. We left off the saukerkraut because neither the hubs or I are a fan, which means these aren’t technically Reubens but they’re just as tasty!

reuben rachel sandwich

Slow Cooker Corned Beef Sandwiches
1 packaged corned beef roast
baby swiss cheese
thousand island dressing
pumpernickel rye bread

Place corned beef roast in a slow cooker and season with seasoning packet and extra ground pepper. Add 2-3 cups of water until roast is submerged about 1/2 way. Cook on low heat for 5-6 hours. Remove from liquid and slice roast into thin cuts.

Toast two pieces of bread per person and slather toasted bread with dressing. Stack two layers of corned beef on one piece of bread and top with two pieces of cheese. Microwave for 30-40 seconds until cheese begins to melt. Top with other piece of bread.

corned beef sandwiches

And Now for Dessert!
Want a tasty Irish inspired dessert to round off your meal? Here’s ideas that range from easy to rich, in case you missed them:
Guinness Float
Irish Car Bomb Ice Cream
Chocolate Guinness Cake with Bailey’s Cream Cheese Frosting

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by | March 7, 2011 · 8:02 am

Creating an Eclectic Gallery Wall

I’ve been working on a gallery wall for our master bedroom for nearly a year now. That’s a long time and way longer than necessary but ending up with a wall of pieces that I love was worth the time. Like most gallery walls, it started with a piece of artwork or two that were great on their own but had no real place in our house. Since our master bedroom has a very large wall it was the ideal spot to get started with these prints.

The beauty of gallery walls is that you can do them a billion different ways, mixing and matching frame shapes & sizes or sticking with a consistent style. I wanted a mix of new and vintage frames for a look that seemed to be acquired over time (which it turned out to be!) but was unified by color. I spray painted two intricate empty frames found at flea markets and an old frame of my husband’s with white spray paint to use as my large foundation pieces.

empty white picture frame
The three empty frames didn’t have glass or backings so I bought framing glass at Michael’s. You can ask the framing counter there to cut glass down to size for you as needed for a nominal fee. Since no one will see the backs of the frames you don’t have to spend the money to professionally back them. I just attached a hanging hook and 1/8″ offset clips to keep the cardboard and glass backing in place. I’d recommend affixing these items while the frame is empty so you don’t break the glass when you apply pressure….which I may or may not have done!


Once you have all your pieces, try a test arrangement before you start banging holes into your wall. Somewhere in the past I had seen someone suggest mocking up a gallery with paper before you start. I traced the outside of each of my frames onto plain kraft paper and played with arrangements on the wall until I found the right placement and then left it up for awhile to be sure I liked it.

prepping a gallery wall
Finally, we hung them! Be sure to use a level when you’re hanging since it can be really obvious if something is off when you have multiple pieces that are straight.

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by | February 28, 2011 · 8:14 am

Easy Chicken Enchiladas

Giveaway Winner!

First off, congrats to HAP reader Stephanie who was our random winner in the Permanent Baggage wristlet giveaway! Stephanie will soon be receiving a wristlet of her choice…perhaps in the Vita Plaid pattern that she mentioned!

BONUS: Permanent Baggage is offering 20% off for anyone who entered the drawing! Just use the coupon code ILUVAPPLEPIE when you check out at the Etsy store.  A big thanks again to everyone who entered and to Kamryn at Permanent Baggage!

Easy Weeknight Enchiladas

This is one of those recipes that isn’t really a recipe at all. In fact, it’s by no means a traditional enchilada recipe but I love it because you can really play with the components based on what you like or what’s in your fridge. It’s versatile, seriously fast for weeknights and makes great lunch leftovers so the concept makes a regular appearance in our menu lineup.

Chicken Enchiladas
3 chicken breasts or 2 package of chicken tenders, cut into small chunks
cumin
garlic powder
chili powder or chipotle powder
dash of cayenne
dash of salt
2/3 can refried beans
3 green onions, diced
1 pkg low-fat ricotta cheese
1 large jar picante sauce, salsa or taco sauce
6-7 large flour tortillas
1 pkg shredded cheddar

Preheat oven to 375.  In a large saute pan, cook chicken chunks over medium heat with 1-2 Tbps olive oil.  As chicken begins to cook, season liberally with cumin, garlic and chili powder.  Sprinkle with salt and cayenne and toss chicken well to coat evenly.  Add green onions and 1/3 of the jar of salsa and stir well. Cook for 5-7 minutes until chicken is cooked through.

Meanwhile, working one tortilla at a time, paint the center of the tortilla with refried beans and then with ricotta. Spoon a portion of the chicken mixture over the ricotta. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese.

chicken enchiladas

Roll tortilla around filling, tucking the ends under, and place in a 13×9″ baking pan. Repeat with each tortilla (they’ll fit tightly in the pan). Pour remaining salsa over the enchiladas and top with remaining cheese. Bake for 25-28 minutes until cheese begins to turn a light golden brown.

easy enchilada recipes
Other Tasty Enchilada Combos:
Beef (or Venison) and Black Beans
Shredded Pork with Corn, Rice and Tomatillo Salsa
Roasted Vegetables and White Cheddar

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