Author Archives: Stef

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About Stef

Family: Husband (Tom) and little man Lincoln James. Dwelling: A 1967 Ranch home that changes every day. Homemaker tip: Don’t be afraid to fail. A bad meal can always be fixed with a frozen pizza, a dead plant can be replaced and paint can cure a room. I consider my style: Contemporary with a vintage flair. I love a sleek piece of furniture with the contrast of an old vase or a stack of old used books. I cannot live without eating: Italian Beef sandwiches. I am Chicago-bred and love a good beef with sweet peppers. Pizza is a close second. Three foods you will always find in my pantry: Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Crushed Tomatoes and Chicken Broth. My cooking mantra: Even foods that were destined to be bad for you can be recreated in a healthy way.
by | May 13, 2011 · 7:53 am

Chicken Teriyaki Pita

Back in high school, I spent a considerable amount of time at Baker’s Square. If not scarfing down a piece of banana cream pie, I always ordered a chicken teriyaki pita. I’m not sure what it was about the dish, but that taste has always stuck in my mind. I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately, so I decided to create my own version of the throw back meal.

Chicken Teriyaki Pita
serves 2

1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into strips
1 TBSP olive oil
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 green bell pepper, sliced
1/2 yellow onion, sliced
1/2 C shredded carrots
4 slices Provolone cheese
1/2 C teriyaki sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
2 pitas

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a skillet pan or wok, heat olive oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to skillet. Cook chicken 3-4 minutes on each side. Add peppers, onion, carrots and garlic powder. Stir until vegetables soften, about 5-6 minutes.

Meanwhile, lay pitas on a baking sheet. Place two pieces of provolone cheese on each pita. Bake for 5 minutes or until cheese is melty and bubbly.

Add teriyaki sauce to pan, thoroughly coating all ingredients. Heat through, about 2 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon chicken and vegetable mixture on top of pita and serve.

This meal is best eaten with a knife and fork, though I am sure you could make it work with hands only.

An easy, weeknight meal you can whip up in 30 minutes or less! And it really did take me back to my high school days at Baker’s Square. Now for some banana cream pie…

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by | May 6, 2011 · 8:25 am

{Haute Destination} San Antonio

They say everything is bigger in Texas. After my last vacation, I tend to agree.

My family and I recently had the pleasure of traveling down south to San Antonio, Texas to visit some family. Not only was this vacation a wonderful break from the dismal, poor excuse we have had for a spring, but it was very pleasing on the tummy as well. It was, what I like to call, a foodcation.

We spent our first day in San Antonio visiting the Alamo, walking the RiverWalk and heading down to Market Square. If we didn’t have the little one in tow, we likely would have feasted on the fabulous smelling street fare. We decided to dine at Mi Tierra. This mole was one for the books. It is by far the largest restaurant I’ve ever dined in (again with the bigger in Texas saying) and it hosted a menu of delicious traditional Mexican dishes.

Upon arrival, I told my brother-in-law I was interested in visiting some of the places I’ve seen on various food shows on cable TV. He did not disappoint. The first food destination was La Hacienda, home of the puffy taco. Bobby Flay visited La Hacienda and threw down on this San Antonio favorite and lost! A puffy taco is made by frying corn tortilla dough for the shell. I ordered the puffy taco in both beef and chicken. If I had to do it all over again, I would just order the beef. But the meal was great and the ambiance was even better. We sat outside at the largest outdoor eating area I’ve ever sat in (again, the biggest) and listened to a local singer cover some good tunes on his guitar.

The following day we headed to Shiner, Texas to tour the brewery of one of our family favorite brews, Shiner Bock. Shiner, Texas is an adorable, quaint Texas town. The Spoetzel Brewery pops up right along side the road. A free, short tour of the facility lands you four tokens to sample these tasty beers. If you enjoy beer, adorable Southern towns and beer, Shiner is worth the trip.

The second of our food show stops was to Lockhart, Texas to visit Black’s BBQ. Black’s was featured on the Travel Channel’s Barbeque Paradise. A friendly, rustic place, the smell of Black’s invites you in. They do not add sauce to their brisket and there is a reason for that. It doesn’t need it. Smoky and savory, like nothing you can get in Wisconsin.

If that weren’t enough, the following morning we headed over to Lulu’s to complete the food trifecta. Lulu’s was visited by Man v. Food host Adam Richman, who conquered not only a whole chicken fried steak meal but topped it off with a small 3 lb. cinnamon roll dessert. Don’t go to Lulu’s looking to try a small cinnamon roll. This is Texas. They don’t have small ones. It’s 3 pounds or nothing. For only $7.99, we had to try it.

We thought that perhaps a cinnamon roll this large would be too dense and too sweet. Not the case! It was warm, fluffy, and bursting with ooey gooey cinnamon goodness.

Four adults and one Lincoln (who may have counted as two adults, quite frankly) finished about three-quarters of the roll. The rest was delicious the next morning zapped in the microwave. The other breakfast items at Lulu’s are to die for as well. The chorizo and egg breakfast taco helped balance the sweet taste buds in my mouth.

Overall, it was one fantastic foodcation. San Antonio does not disappoint when it comes to cuisine. The best part is, there are plenty more places we want to try the next time we visit! But I may be going back for the cinnamon roll.

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by | April 28, 2011 · 7:24 am

Going to the chapel…

Well, I’m off to a wedding this weekend. A wedding for my dear friend, Kate.

Okay, okay. I may not be whisking off to England, but rather, the royal utopia of Kansas City for my brother-in-law’s wedding this weekend to his lovely bride Kate. With all of this royal wedding buzz in the air, I had to dote on one of my favorite topics, weddings! Joe and Kate asked me to help design their invitations for their chic spring wedding. I was more than happy to oblige and wanted to share the final results with you. (The invitation is available in my Etsy Shop, Morning Star Designs).

I’m so excited to attend and be a bridesmaid for this fabulous occasion! I’m looking forward to all the wonderful details, but for now, I put together my own green and black modern wedding inspiration board. I’m sure Kate and Prince Wills will have nothing on this wedding. Who needs a glass carriage anyway?

Photo credits to: Studio Stems; Wedding Obsession; Weddings Place; C+S; Hem&Hers;  Monolo for the Brides; Libby James; Swanky Tables; I Love Photo Blogs

An early congrats to the bride and groom!

What would be your perfect royal wedding? If anyone is throwing a royal wedding viewing party, we’d love to hear about it!

Like what you see? Want it!? Visit my Etsy shop, Morning Star Designs, to purchase your own personalized downloadable file of this invite.

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by | April 22, 2011 · 9:52 am

Homemade Peeps

It is a long standing joke in my family: we can all expect Peeps at Easter, even though most of us do not like them. I am among the “not-so-fond of the sugar marshmallowy creatures” group, and am especially not a part of the “open the package to get them stale and eat them in a few weeks” group. I do, however, love sugar and marshmallows. So this year, I boldly went where no woman of my family has gone before. Homemade Peeps.

These Easter treats are really just homemade raspberry marshmallows with a little extra decorating. I used to be quite scared of any recipe that called for a candy thermometer, but I am not sure why. It is really very easy as long as you are not distracted. They make a great gift and would look pretty in all colors in an Easter basket.

Raspberry Marshmallows

non-stick cooking spray
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
3/4 C cold water
2/3 C light corn syrup
1/3 C refrigerated egg white product
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp raspberry extract
Food coloring (I used Wilton gel in Rose)
2/3 C powdered sugar
3 TBSP cornstarch
6 oz white baking chocolate
colored sanding sugar

Lightly coat an 8×8 baking dish with cooking spray. Cut parchment paper and line the bottom. Coat parchment paper with spray. Set aside.

In a large metal or glass bowl, add gelatin to 1/2 C of cold water. Mix and set aside.

In a large saucepan, stir together 1/2 C cold water, 1 3/4 C of sugar and corn syrup. Stir together and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pan, cook without stirring until mixture reaches hard-ball stage or 260 degrees. Remove from heat and add to gelatin mixture. Stir well to combine. The mixture will foam.

In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites and salt with an electric mixer on high speed until foamy. Slowly add remaining 1/4 C of sugar until stiff peaks form, about 4 minutes. Beat in raspberry extract, one teaspoon at a time. With the mixer still on high speed, very gradually pour gelatin mixture into egg white mixture. Mix until thick, about 5-7 minutes. Gently dab a spoon into the gel coloring. Carefully dab the coloring at the edges of the mixture, allowing it to pick up and mix the color into the batter. Continue until desired color is reached.

Quickly pour mixture into prepared dish. Cover the top of the marshmallow mix with another piece of sprayed parchment paper. Allow to sit for one to two hours or until firm.

Remove parchment from the marshmallows. In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar and cornstarch. Sprinkle a quarter of the mixture evenly over a large cutting board. Sprinkle another quarter of the mixture on top of the marshmallows and pour the rest of the mixture into a large sealable plastic bag.

Cut marshmallows into desired sizes using a sharp knife that has been held under hot water. Place the marshmallows in the bag and coat with mixture.

Line two baking pans with parchment paper. On stovetop, melt white chocolate. Pour into small bowl. Dip tip of marshmallow into the white chocolate and sprinkle sanding sugar on top. Lay on baking pan. Cool in refrigerator for 30 minutes to harden chocolate. Serve immediately, or keep in airtight container in refrigerator.

I have many plans for homemade marshmallows in the future that may or may not include things like rootbeer extract, graham cracker crumbs and vanilla bean. Those are my kind of peeps.

And for a bit more fun, check out this Peep Show.

Happy Earth Day and a blessed Easter to all!

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by | April 22, 2011 · 8:05 am

And the winner is…

Happy Earth day to all! To honor Mother Earth, today we are announcing the giveaway winner of the Organic Valley products for a year.

So….Congratulations to HAP reader Michelle of www.roamingyogi.blogspot.com who said, “Going to look into the CSA because I JUST found out there is a drop off program on the campus where I work! Also – hit up the numerous farmers markets – you can find one almost every single day in Sunny San Diego!! Love your blog – just found you recently and am your new biggest fan!”

Thanks to everyone for entering and sharing your plans with us on how you plan to eat local. Join us next week for yet another fabulous giveaway!

The winner was picked at random using a generator from random.org.

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by | April 15, 2011 · 8:00 am

{DIY} Rustic Monogrammed Wreath

Perhaps you can blame the lingering cool weather on me. Up until this week, I had yet to take my winter wreath off of my front door. This was mostly because I didn’t have anything to replace it with. So with a little trip to JoAnn, I bought a few materials for less than $15 that will take my front door through the warmer months.

I still incorporated the yarn that I loved from my winter wreath, but added more of a rustic element using a sage colored burlap. Super easy!

What you need:
1 yard of burlap
1 12 inch foam wreath form
1 package of yarn
1 wooden letter
chipboard letters
straight pins

1. Start by cutting a few strips of burlap, about 3-4 inches thick.

2. Wrap the burlap around the wreath form, holding it in place with a few stick pins as you pull it tightly around the form.

3. Wrap yarn around the wooden letter. Depending on the shape, this can be tricky in spots (like the bottoms of the W) but you should be able to move the yarn around to cover up any open spots.

4. Put 2-3 stick pins through the yarn on the back of the letter and insert the pins into the form.

5. Wrap yarn around the wreath form until you are pleased with look.

6. Using chipboard letters, spell out your last name and affix letters to the wreath using a small dab of Krazy Glue.

7. Either hang the wreath on a door hanger, straight to a nail, or twist a little floral wire into a loop and affix it to the back of the wreath with a pin.

Here’s to warmer days!

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by | April 8, 2011 · 8:19 am

{Haute Pie} Amaretto Apple & Peach Skillet Pie

A fun new tool joined my kitchen arsenal this Christmas: a cast iron skillet. So far, I have not been disappointed with the meals I have cooked up in this wonderful beast of a pan. I had to try to make something sweet after trying a few savory dishes. Naturally, I made a pie.

This apple and peach pie, laced with a little amaretto, is the perfect transition from winter to spring.

Amaretto Apple and Peach Skillet Pie

4-5 apples, peeled, cored and sliced (I used Gala)
3-4 peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced
2 TBSP cornstarch
1/3 C. sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 TBSP cinnamon
2 TBSP unsalted butter
1/4 C Amaretto liquor
1 refrigerated pie crust, or homemade pie dough
1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, mix apples and peaches. Softly stir in cornstarch, sugar, salt and cinnamon. In a cast iron skillet over medium high heat, melt butter. Add apple and peach mixture and stir. Pour in amaretto. Heat through until liquid reduces, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Place pie crust over top of the skillet, molding the dough to the apple and peach mixture. Brush egg lightly over the pie crust. Sprinkle with a few pinches of sugar. Bake for 35-38 minutes or until golden brown.

Cut or scoop pie out of pan. Serve warm, topped with cool whip or vanilla ice cream.

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by | April 1, 2011 · 7:46 am

The Art of Toddler Food: Breakfast Time

Baby food days are in the past. I now face a pint-sized man who creates a challenge much larger than himself. Meal time.

I’ve been working eagerly to develop meals and snacks our whole family can eat, while staying in the parameters of what Lincoln is able to chew with the few teeth he has. It can’t be too spicy, too crunchy, to hard, to messy or too bold.

For years, my go-to breakfast has been Quaker instant oatmeal. It was always easy to bring to work and eat at my desk. But as Lincoln started to transition from baby food to the real thing, he wanted to eat my oatmeal with me. I realized after days of hunger pangs by 9 a.m. that the half bowl of oatmeal I was eating would no longer cut it. I didn’t want to waste a whole packet on Lincoln, so I started making my own. And I tell you this: I will never go back!

After a few days of practice, I finally had my recipe for banana bread oatmeal. Making homemade oatmeal takes much less time than I previously thought. This recipe is quick, easy and healthy. We both gobble it up!

Banana Bread Oatmeal
makes 2 servings

1 1/4 C milk (whole, 2% or skim)
2 TBSP light brown sugar
1 whole banana, mashed
1 tsp vanilla
1 C old-fashioned oats
1/4 C chopped walnuts (adults only)

In a small sauce pan, mix together milk, brown sugar, vanilla and mashed bananas. Heat through to a low boil. Reduce to medium heat. Stir in oats, continuing until oats soften. If using regular old-fashioned oats, heat for approximately 3 minutes. If using quick oats, one minute will do. Remove from heat and serve. Top adult servings with chopped walnuts.

I’ve tried many variations on this recipe that are equally as tasty, depending on your mood:

Add one tablespoon peanut butter
Substitute vanilla with almond extract
Substitute one tablespoon of brown sugar with a drizzle of maple syrup
Substitute banana with 1/2 C natural applesauce

Whether this is for you, your toddler, or both, I think you’ll find it a nice way to start the day!

What do you feed your tiny tot for breakfast?

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by | March 25, 2011 · 8:09 am

{Inspired by} Blue & Gold

I never thought March could taste so sweet! If you didn’t watch the nail-biting game last weekend, our good old Golden Eagles of Marquette passed the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament, making it into the Sweet 16. I am not usually a superstitious kind of a girl, but since I posted about March Madness last week and ended up with good results, I couldn’t put a jinx on it!

Blue and gold were my high school and college colors, so they have been in my wardrobe for quite some time now. (Yes, I still wear my sweatshirt from college and maybe even from high school. Don’t judge.) There are so many great options for your home, wardrobe, parties and even your food in blue and gold. They give me that little pop of nostalgia I need.

Left to right, top to bottom: Pottery Barn Cooper Cotton Mat ($39-$169), Crate & Barrel Chloe Chair ($899), West Elm Bazaar Duvet Cover and Shams ($15-$85), Mario Batali Pepper Mill ($40), Marquette Birdhouse ($50), Anthropologie Oil Paints Cardigan ($118), Navy and Gold Cupcakes, Dualit 2-Slice Toaster ($225), Rumba Watch ($20), Yellow and Navy Destination Save-the-Dates, Daisy Jersey Tube Scarf ($28)

Even if Marquette is not your team, hopefully you can be inspired by some of these fab finds. And maybe even cheer us on?

Go Marquette!

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by | March 18, 2011 · 7:52 am

March Madness BBQ Beef Sliders

Get your pencils and brackets ready…It’s March Madness! I love this time of the year: nail-biting games, googling universities I’ve never heard of, healthy competition between friends and endless hours spent in my pajamas. When all you want to do is park it in front of the TV, a delicious easy recipe is a necessity. So tonight, while I am cheering on my alma mater (Go Marquette!), I’ll be feasting on these yummy BBQ Beef Sliders perfectly tender, no doubt due to my new masterbuilt smoker.

Slow Cooker Shredded BBQ Beef

3-4 lb boneless beef chuck roast
1 C ketchup
1 C BBQ sauce (I use Sweet Baby Rays)
1 C water
2 TBSP vinegar
2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
2 TBSP brown sugar
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Combine all ingredients except roast in slow cooker. Mix well. Add roast. Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours. Remove roast. Shred meat and discard excess fat. Return to sauce and heat through. Serve on small to medium buns.

I typically serve these sandwiches with sweet potato fries. One of my favorite parts of this meal is the leftovers. You can freeze the beef and reheat a few weeks later when you just aren’t (gasp!) in the mood to cook.

Let the madness begin. GO MARQUETTE, GO GO GO GO!

Who are you rooting for this March?

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