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 | June 10, 2010 · 8:43 am

Always a bridesmaid…has its perks!

Being a bridesmaid isn’t always angst and ill-fitting dresses. The fabulous Brooke of the Chicago Now blog Always A Bridesmaid is here to tell us why. A semi-professional wedding party participant has the skinny on all things wedding…from the non-bridal perspective.

We’ve asked her to share some thoughts with us on being a bridesmaid. Read on to hear what she has to say! You won’t be disappointed.

Why Being a Bridesmaid is Fabulous…

It’s the day every girl dreams of—the day she gets to wear the perfect white dress and walk down the aisle surrounded by loved ones towards the man she wants to be with forever. But what if you’re wearing color and you’re walking towards that guy before the bride? Life still rocks—and here are the top reasons why, coming from a nine-times-and-counting’s-a-charm bridesmaid.

1. Making Her Shine: Yes, you are there for the bride, and that means wearing the dress she wants, throwing her a bachelorette and possibly bridal shower, and being there for her to bustle her dress, pin up her hair, or get that drunk groomsman a “shot” that is actually water.  Sometimes this can be trying, but wow, can it be incredible too. Seeing a true friend glow on the biggest day in her life and knowing you helped make it great is not only rewarding, but a tale to tell your children together years down the road when you’re still friends. Plus, she owes you on your big day!

2.     More Party, Less Stress: Weddings are a blast. Typically there is an open bar, cute boys, dancing, and a good mix of people—old and young–looking to have a good time. Lucky for you, your main objective to make sure the bride is happy and beyond that, the night is yours to enjoy. When your wedding night comes, you’ll need to make sure to thank everyone and say hi to those guests that have come from far and wide, but for tonight, bridesmaid, get thyself to the dance floor…or the bar…or that cute boy.

3.     Playing Dress Up: Remember that scene in 27 Dresses with the closet full of horrors from weddings past? I’ve got good news—very rarely are brides going to make you look hideous. It’s their wedding, so of course they want their bridal party to look good. Have fun with what you’ve got. If your friend says to wear a bun, figure out what works on you—when else do you get to wear an up-do? Check out the latest Us Weekly or In Style and see what hair or makeup the celebs are rocking, and figure out how to work it on our makeup mirror at home at the salon.

4.     Solid Girl Time: Is this happening to anyone else? Every time my group of college or high school girls tries to get together, it takes about 20 emails and a span of two months to figure out a date that works and there is inevitably someone who can’t make it. Weddings are one event that everyone will try to make, and you get some quality girl time to boot—at the bridal shower, at the bachelorette party, and the precious hours before your friend forever ties her single self to her the guy she loves. Enjoy them.

5.     Practice Makes Perfect: Think of each wedding you attend as another inspiration for you to figure out what you love for your own big day. Getting married first is exciting, but it’s also a lot of pressure to be the guinea pig. Take notes, have fun, and knock their socks off when your big day comes. You’ve earned it.

Do you have any good bridesmaid tips or bridesmaid horror stories? Please share!



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by | June 4, 2010 · 7:56 am

Haute Wedding: Stef & Tom

It was Memorial Day weekend. The sun was shining in Chicago. It was the day I married my best friend. Tom and I got married after years of friendship and more years of dating throughout college and medical school.

I relished every moment of planning our wedding and every second of the actual day. I am happy to be reliving it through HAP wedding month!

Our wedding took place at my home church of St. Paul Lutheran in Mt. Prospect, IL and the reception was held at the Doubletree Hotel in Arlington Heights which I chose for its modern but blank canvas room.

I wore a Tara Keely dropped waist, sweetheart neck gown with sheered lace and silk organza with a simple cathedral length veil.
The bridal bouquet was made up of yellow roses and green orchids while the bridesmaids carried a spring green bouquet filled with hydrangea, spider mums and looped bear grass.

The bridesmaids donned yellow and black chiffon gowns in three different styles while the boys looked red carpet ready in their all black tuxes and spring green ties.

The fan-shaped programs were handmade with the help of my family in a labor of love. Cutting and tying ribbons took some time but it was worth it.

In between the ceremony and the reception, the wedding party stopped at our favorite Italian beef joint, Johnnies. We enjoyed a beef (dry, not juicy) and Italian ice and took some great pictures!

The tables were covered in yellow and black linens and the chairs with black slip covers and yellow sashes with a kimono knot tie.

Tall centerpieces with yellow roses, green hydrangea and spring greens decorated the table along with wine bottles with a personal monogram as table numbers.

Green and black name cards were inserted into cut wine corks, cut by the groom himself. Yes, he really does love me.

We honored all the wonderful marriages in our family’s history by displaying photos on the guest book table.

Tom and I cut into a fresh strawberry and banana cake while the rest of the guests enjoyed yellow and green cupcakes.

We enjoyed the talents of our friends by dancing our first dance to “In the Moment” by Sister Hazel, played and sung by the wedding party and walked in to the stand-up comedy of our great friend Jack.

Our beautiful three-week old niece was our tiny flower girl!

All photography props go to the fabulous Brian Kinyon of Brian Kinyon Photography.

It was truly an amazing day that we will cherish for the rest of our lives!

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by | June 3, 2010 · 7:09 am

Naughty or Nice Bachelorette Party

Before the big day, every girl has to have her last fling as a single lady. I recently celebrated with my friend Amanda before she gets hitched this July. We put together a “Naughty or Nice” themed bachelorette party with the angel bride and her vixen friends.

I designed a cloud and fire Naughty or Nice invitation that was emailed out to all of the ladies.

A treat table was set up at the pre-party in our hotel filled with red Twizzlers and Hot Tamales on the Naughty side of the table and white chocolate covered pretzels and Hershey Kisses on the Nice side.

Glasses of Rose sparkling wine were dusted with red sugar and decorated with a naughty tag. The “Nice” glasses held Brut and dazzled in the bride’s hand!

Guests were asked to bring “honeymoon” gifts that could be placed in either the “naughty” pile or the “nice” pile. The bride was asked to guess who each of the presents came from.

The bridesmaids were asked to wear black or red and were given little devil headbands while the bride donned a white dress, sparkling jewelry and a veil.

We then hit the town and indulged in good food, drinks and lots of laughs. We had a great time and we look forward to the big day in July, thanks to Henit hen parties!

Do you have any fun (and tasteful) bachelorette party ideas? Share them with us!

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by | May 28, 2010 · 7:56 am

Have you tried the grape salad?

I dedicate this post to the Spanny family.

Awhile back, my Grandma came across the recipe for a grape salad, whipped it up and brought it along to one of our many family gatherings. News traveled quickly and the grape salad was a hit.

“Have you tried this grape salad? It’s delicious.”

“Isn’t this new grape salad great?”

“Stef, did you try the grape salad.”

I do believe every person at the party asked every other person about the ever so delicious grape salad and it’s been legendary ever since.

I recently whipped it up for a little BBQ gathering I held at my house. And once again, the grape salad stole the show.

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs red seedless grapes
  • 4 oz low-fat cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 C. low-fat sour cream
  • 1/2 Tbsp. vanilla
  • 1/4 C. brown sugar
  • 1/2 C. chopped pecans

Wash, pluck and dry the grapes. Set aside. Mix cream cheese, sour cream and vanilla. Add mixture to grapes and mix thoroughly. Top with brown sugar and pecans.

This is a simple, delicious recipe that is easy to whip up in a pinch. You’ll have everyone asking, “Have you tried the grape salad?”

Have a great Memorial Day Weekend!

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by | May 21, 2010 · 7:45 am

Pretty in a Pot

The April showers have brought in the May flowers! I was so excited to get out in the sunshine this week and finally start to work on our garden. After hours of wandering aimlessly (in a good way) around the local garden center, my husband and I came home with the first of many rounds of flowers, shrubs and veggies to plant.

The past two years, my attempts at planting annuals alongside our front walkway have failed. I blame the failure on the poor soil, not my gardening skills, and I plan to keep it that way. I decided to ditch trying flowers alongside the bushes this year and bought a pretty pot to decorate the entryway to the front door.

I purchased a 15″ diameter ceramic pot in bright blue. Since the container is fairly tall, I didn’t want to waste too much potting soil, so I placed an empty plastic pot from one of the other shrubs we planted at the bottom of the large pot and placed potting soil around it. When potting plants, make sure to use potting soil and not garden soil. Potting soil is much lighter and not as moist as garden soil. You can tell the difference when you lift the bags.

When planting, I followed the rule that Better Homes & Gardens calls “Thriller, Filler, Spiller.” To create some height and depth to your pot, I purchased a tall Spike. I placed Zinnias in Profusion Orange and Profusion Cherry as well as Sorbet Orange Delight Violas and Red Picotee Dianthus to fill the pot and add color. I couldn’t resist planting Jade, one of our favorite succulents for the season, in the front of the pot. For the “Spill” I added Snowstorm Giant Snowflake (Sutera cordata) and Vinca.

To get your desired arrangement, lay your plants in the pot in their containers before planting them. I’ve placed some river rocks over the top of the pot to help with drainage. You can also add other decorative rocks or mulch. I’ve set this pot up to thrive in partial shade. When picking out your flowers and plants, make sure you read the labels. Lots of great information exists on that small little insert, including height, conditions and tips.

I can’t wait to watch as my pot grows and bursts with color throughout the summer! I will keep you updated as they bloom.

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by | May 14, 2010 · 8:06 am

Spring Home Workshop and HAP Dream House

Nestled amongst lush landscaping, set alongside a small bubbling creek in the enchanted land of the Village of Fox Point, Wisconsin lies a house. A house with imported French heated floors, granite slab countertops, arched doorways and skylights galore. A house we wouldn’t mind someday calling home. That someday will (probably) never happen unless the PowerBall numbers fall in our favor, but a girl can dream!

The HAP ladies recently attended the Spring Home Workshop hosted by The Home Market and Show and Tell Homes at a breathtaking home in Fox Point. Costing a mere $2.9 mil, this house is any haute homemakers dream. We were treated to pizza and wine as we toured the house, admiring not only the home itself, but the touches that Kate from the Home Market added to show off all of its possibilities.

The tile work throughout the house was something to be admired, and I love my husband for spending hours reading tile saw reviews – he was right, it was important. We love look of some simple sconces placed above a mantel to add some soft lighting to the room. It is all about elegant simplicity.

White or cream dishes are a great way to go if you are looking to buy a new set. You can make them work with any type of tablescape, from a soft summertime look to a fancy Thanksgiving dinner. Try the easy lighting option of adding some sand to a jar and placing a candlestick inside. And as always, fresh flowers add a natural and personal touch to any dining room. Pick up the freshest, in-season flowers at your local farmer’s market!

Shelving 101:

I always have a tendency to throw junk onto shelves instead of using them as a framework for an artistic piece in the house. I plan to use this picture as some inspiration to “de-junkifying” a bookshelf I have in my house.

It’s so simple! This shelf has a subtle worldly theme with map covered books and the globe. Stack a few of your favorite books to add some character.

Picture frames are always a staple item. The good news is, they don’t need to match! But they should create a cohesive look. Group your pictures similarly. Make some prints in sepia or black and white or use – of your family’s faces.

Expect to see more on shelf decorating from me in the near future! I’m excited to tackle this project.

With soft linens and a fully functional wood burning stove fireplace in the room, I sure wouldn’t mind cozying up at night with the latest issue of Vogue and a glass of wine. The peaked ceilings in this room gave it such an open, airy feeling. Ahhh….

I just about died when I walked into the kitchen. Give me a shack in the mud but with a kitchen like this one! Double ovens, wide open counter spaces, state-of-the-art appliances. If you are thinking of painting cabinets in your kitchen to give it an updated look (like I am), think about trying this clay gray color. It softens up the room and compliments any other color around it!

For the creme de la creme, around the corner at the end of the hallway in the back of the house lies a little room with access to the backyard. Yes friends, it was a POTTING SHED! We HAP ladies drooled and swooned over the thought of this beautiful little room with enough counter space to help you plant your succulents and a hose/shower area big enough to wash your dog or just rinse your Wellies!

So we may never live in this house but we sure can take inspiration from its beauty! Thanks to Kate at The Home Market for the invitation to this great event!

Well…off to the gas station to go pick up my lottery ticket…

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by | May 7, 2010 · 8:19 am

FRESH Farm to Table Dinner

“Buying local is nothing new. 100 even 50 years ago, buying and eating local wasn’t a choice. Everybody had to do it.”

When you put it that way, “local” is far from a new concept but the buy & eat local craze is sweeping the nation and the ladies of HAP are excited about it. We recently attended a “Farm to Table” dinner hosted at La Merenda, an international tapas restaurant and a true Milwaukee gem. The dinner was hosted in promotion of the movie “FRESH,” a documentary exploring the world of sustainable farming and shedding light on what has become the industrial agriculture market.

A member of Braise RSA, La Merenda is a local restaurant with a focus on buying local. With an eclectic mix of flavors from around the world, you would never guess many of the ingredients come from our own backyard. Local businesses like Sweet Water Organics, an urban farm that uses hydroponics to grow crops, make it possible for restaurants like La Merenda to support the cause.

Executive Chef Peter Sandroni prepared a four-course meal, with every ingredient hailing from Wisconsin…not an easy task for April in Wisconsin. Wisconsinites are lucky at this time of the year to escape spring snowfalls. But Sandroni mastered his courses with the freshest of ingredients and bold flavors that kept us wanting more. When we asked about our favorite seasonal dish, the Butternut Squash Ravioli, we found that not only does he buy local for that dish as well, but Sandroni houses the squash in the basement of his house to ensure he has enough! We were also treated to sustainably produced wine at each course, expertly paired by local sommelier, Nate Norfolk.

Don’t think that you can make a restaurant style meal using all local ingredients? Check out the menu and you’ll be amazed at what you can find.

Course 1: Toasted Goat Cheese Salad
Honey Goat Cheese: Montchevre Belmont, WI
Mixed Greens: Sweet Water Organics, Milwaukee
Pancetta: La Quercia Norwark, IA
Wine: 2008 Tangent Sauvignon Blanc – Edna Valley, CA

La Merenda Toasted Goat Cheese Salad

Course 2: Spinach Ravioli in Rosemary Cream Sauce
Spinach: Pinehold Gardens Oak Creek, WI
Ricotta: Grande Cheese Brownsville, WI
Cream: Sassy Cow Creamery Columbus, WI
Rosemary: from Peter’s house!
Parmesan: Sarveccio Plymouth, WI
Wine: 2005 Vitanza Chianti Colli Senesi – Tuscany, Italy

Course 3: Braised Pork with Mushroom and Blue Cornmeal Polenta
Pork: Wilson Farm Meats Elkhorn, WI
Prosciutto: La Quercia Norwark, IA
Carrots: Tipi Produce Evansville, WI
Onions and Mushrooms: River Valley Farm Burlington, WI
Blue Corn Meal: Pristine View Farm Hillsboro, WI
Half and Half: Sassy Cow Creamery Columbus, WI
Asiago: Belgioso Denmark, WI
Wine: 2008 Ecologica Syrah/Malbec – La Rioja, Argentina

La Merenda Milwaukee Braised Pork with Polenta

Course 4: Chocolate Hickory Nut Crème Brulee
Chocolate: Omahene Milwaukee, WI
Cream: Sasssy Cow Creamery, Columbus WI
Eggs: Yuppie Hill Farm Burlington, WI
Hickory Nuts: Twin Hawks Hillsboro, WI
Wine: NV Lautenback’s Orchard Country Sweet Black Cherry – Fish Creek, WI

La Merenda Chocolate Creme Brulee

Similar to Food Inc and The Omnivore’s Dilemma, FRESH digs in and asks viewers to reconsider where their food comes from and why they buy what they buy.  Without being all doomsday-style, FRESH will definitely make you think twice about what you eat and how even small decisions with your dollar might cause corporations to listen up.

We were also thrilled to see a fellow Milwaukeean, Will Allen of the Growing Power urban farming initiative, play a prominent and truly inspirational role in the film.  If you thought “farm” and “city” can’t go hand-in-hand, think again.  Based in a rough Milwaukee neighborhood, Growing Power’s two acre headquarters is home to 6 greenhouses, aquaponics stations, beehives, hen houses, goats, a compost center and more. We can’t wait to check out their goods at the Fox Point Farmer’s Market and hope to pop by HQ sometime soon.

How do you get involved with this Fresh movement? What are your favorite “fresh” places to eat? Share your ideas here or get more involved by hosting your own farm to table event with ideas from the FRESH community.

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by | May 6, 2010 · 7:55 am

HAP Featured on Milwaukee Moms

It has been an exciting week for us here on Haute Apple Pie, in addition to our Outpost Exchange cover, we’ve also been featured on MilwaukeeMoms.com for this fun Mother’s Day recipe.

Check out our rainbow pancakes recipe! Note: while this was written for kids to make for their moms, adults can have fun with it too!

Happy Mother’s Day!

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by | May 4, 2010 · 8:17 am

Here Comes the Bride (Month)!

To all brides, brides-to-be, bridesmaids, mothers-of-the-bride, mothers of the groom, grooms, groomsmen, wedding officiants, wedding photographers, wedding crashers or just lovers of all things wedding:

Haute Apple Pie  is happy to announce that next month is wedding month! For the entire month of June, we will be featuring everything wedding – from inspiration boards, to guest bloggers, to bridal party gifts, wedding showers, bachelorette parties, plus highlights from HAP weddings and HAP readers weddings!

That is where you come in.

We are asking our readers who are interested in having their wedding in the spotlight to submit photos and descriptions of your very own wedding. It doesn’t matter to us if your wedding was yesterday or 40 years ago, in the church or on the beach, as long as it was done in style.

Please submit 8-12 photos that highlight the style of your wedding, from your dress, to flowers, centerpieces, invitations, programs, venue, etc. Also, send us a few words about your wedding and your wedding style. If selected, we will contact you for some more details!

Submit your wedding to hauteapplepie@hotmail.com by Wednesday, May 26. We look forward to hearing about your haute weddings!

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by | April 30, 2010 · 8:34 am

Southwestern BBQ Ranch Salad

I love spring! No more boots, no more sweaters and as much as I love chili…no more chili for awhile! I am always inspired this time of year to make new salad creations. This Southwestern BBQ Ranch Salad is one of my favorites. The black beans and corn give it a great texture and the cilantro gives that burst of flavor that other boring salads lack. This is super easy and healthy! 

Ingredients:

  • Half a head of Romaine lettuce, chopped
  • One can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 1/2 C. frozen or fresh corn, cooked
  • 2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
  • Small bunch of cilantro, chopped (approx. 1/4 C. or less)
  • 1/2 C. shredded cheddar or mexican blend cheese
  • 1/4 C. fat free ranch dressing
  • 1/4 C. BBQ sauce (Sweet Baby Rays is my favorite!)

Mix ranch dressing and BBQ sauce, set aside. Mix together all ingredients. Drizzle dressing over salad and serve!

This salad is great with grilled chicken breast or shrimp. I grilled up my chicken with a rub of paprika, cumin, cracked black pepper and garlic salt. Add avocado to this salad for some extra flavor!

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