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 | November 27, 2009 · 11:38 am

Coming Soon: Haute Holiday Shopping Guide

If you are like me, it is 10 a.m. and you are already done with braving the Black Friday shopping deals. You also most likely bought gifts for yourself, rather than those on your shopping list. If you are like most others, you are probably still recovering from your turkey hangover and would never dream of waking up at the crack of dawn to stand in line to shop.

Whatever the case, Christmas is less than a month away and HAP is here to help with the nagging question of “What do I get my Mom? Or my sister? Or my husband? Or my nephew?”

Next week, Haute Apple Pie will feature daily holiday gift ideas for the following categories: Women, Men, Children, Under $25 and, of course, gifts for the haute modern homemaker. The three of us have compiled a variety of gifts, ranging in price, to help you find the perfect gift for your loved ones. We look forward to sharing our ideas with you and hope that you will share your best holiday gift ideas with us.

We hope everyone had a blessed holiday! See you next week!

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by | November 13, 2009 · 8:00 am

Pumpkin Turkey Calzone

For our last installment of pumpkin week, I decided to aim for a recipe that is a bit more savory and indeed, nice and filling. Adding pumpkin to a close friend of pizza, the calzone, adds an extra splash of flavor on an otherwise classic dish.

Let me just start by saying, I thought that this recipe was going to be an epic fail when I started making the dough. However, it turned out hearty and delicious. My experience gave me a few pointers to pass along to you to make this much easier and less of a mess.

pumpkin turkey calzone

To make pumpkin pizza dough ingredients:
1/2 C. barely warm water
1 tsp. honey
1 Tbsp. active dry yeast
3 1/2 C. bread flour
1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling!)
2 Tbsp. olive oil, plus more for bowl
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder

Mix water, honey and yeast in small bowl. Set aside. In a stand mixer with a dough hook, add all ingredients, including yeast mixture and knead for several minutes. Flour a clean surface and knead the dough by hand for a few more minutes. Coat a large bowl with olive oil, toss in the dough, turning to coat and cover the bowl in plastic wrap. Let dough rise for about an hour.

Turkey filling ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground turkey
1 can diced tomatoes, drained well (or 2 fresh diced tomatoes)
1 green pepper, diced
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
black ground pepper and salt to taste
1 lb. shredded mozzarella
egg wash (one egg, beaten with 1 Tbsp. water)
garlic salt to taste

In large saute pan, brown ground turkey. Add green pepper, cook until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add diced tomatoes and spices. Let mixture cool, until no longer steaming.

pumpkin turkey calzone fillingTo make the calzone:

Either half or quarter the dough – depending on the amount of calzones you would like to make. Place on a well floured surface and roll out the dough. Transfer circle to baking sheet (***important as filling it on my board and transferring it afterward was not an easy task). Place turkey mixture on half the dough, top with large handful of mozzarella cheese, covering the filling. Fold dough over to form semi-circle. Press edges together with fork. Brush top of dough with egg wash. Sprinkle with garlic salt.

Bake in preheated oven at 450 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Top with homemade pizza sauce (see recipe below) or store-bought pizza sauce.

In medium sauce pan over medium high heat, add the following ingredients. Stir until heated through.

  • 1 can tomato sauce
  • 1 can tomato paste
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1 tsp. dried basil
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. onion powder
  • 1 tsp. paprika
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • cracked pepper to taste
  • 1 tsp. white vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

pumpkin turkey calzone baked

Enjoy!

stef

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by | November 10, 2009 · 3:22 pm

HAP Launch Party ~ Friday, November 13

launchInviteJoin Katie, Anne and Stef for the Haute Apple Pie Launch Party at The Home Market in Milwaukee’s Third Ward this Friday, November 13th from 6 pm – 8 pm. Cocktails and appetizers, created by the HAP girls, will be served. Sign up for fabulous giveaways and receive an exclusive 20% off of all Home Market goods!

The Home Market is located on 222 E. Erie St. in Milwaukee. For more on The Home Market, visit www.thehomemarket.net.

Giveaway winners will be announced on Monday, November 16, right here on Haute Apple Pie.

Don’t miss your chance for good food, great deals and lots of fun. We hope to see you all there!

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by | November 6, 2009 · 8:59 am

Amish Friendship Bread

Nothing says friendship like cinnamon sweet bread. While I cannot find anything in my Internet research truly validating the fact that this recipe was indeed started by the Amish, it is fun and delicious nonetheless.

Amish bread1

The bread recipe is a type of sourdough bread, made in a ten-day cycle, originally started through the old fashioned chain letter. To make this recipe, one must get a starter bag, which I was lucky enough to come across from my friend, Corinne. However, I was able to dig up the recipe to create a starter bag. I haven’t tried this myself, so don’t send blame this direction if it doesn’t work.

Starter Bag:

  • 1 package of active dry yeast
  • ¼ C. of warm water
  • 1 C. all-purpose flour
  • 1 C. white sugar
  • 1 C. milk

In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water. Let stand for 10 minutes. In large plastic, glass or ceramic bowl (NOT METAL!), combine flour and sugar. Mix thoroughly. Slowly stir in milk and yeast mixture. Transfer to one-gallon plastic bag.

Once you make your starter, or even better, receive one from a friend, its time to start the 10-day process. Please note that once you receive a starter in its first day, you can freeze the bag and use it when you want.

amish bread 2

Amish Friendship Bread Recipe:

  • Day 1 – receive the starter and do nothing
  • Day 2 – Mush the bag.
  • Day 3 – Mush the bag.
  • Day 4 – Mush the bag.
  • Day 5 – Mush the bag.
  • Day 6 – Add to the bag 1 cup each flour, sugar and milk. Mush the bag.
  • Day 7 – Mush the bag.
  • Day 8 – Mush the bag.
  • Day 9 – Mush the bag.
  • Day 10 – Follow these instructions:

Pour the entire contents of the bag into a non-metal bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1 1/2 cups milk and stir. Measure one cup batter into four 1-gallon Ziploc bags and give to friends along with a copy of the recipe. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Add to the remaining batter:

  • 3 eggs
  • 1 C. oil
(or 1/2 C. oil, 1/2 C. applesause)
  • 1 C. sugar
  • 2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/2 C. milk
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 2 C. flour
  • 1 large box instant vanilla pudding
  • 1/2 tsp. salt

Grease 2 large loaf pans. In a small bowl, mix together 1/2-cup sugar and 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon. Dust the greased pans with 1/2 of this mixture. Pour the batter evenly into the 2 pans and sprinkle the remaining sugar mixture over the top. Bake 1 hour. Cool the bread until it loosens evenly from the pan (about 10 minutes). Serve warm or cold.

amish bread 3

This recipe makes cinnamon sweet bread, however, a mess of other recipes exist using the same starter bag. With my next starter, I plan to make banana nut bread substituting the vanilla pudding for banana cream and adding 2 mushed bananas and walnuts. I also plan to add chocolate chips in the future. For more variations on this recipe, click here and scroll to the bottom.

All the HAP girls have starter bags, so contact us on our contact page if you are in the Milwaukee area and want to try this for yourself!

stef

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by | October 30, 2009 · 8:52 am

Chipotle Sloppy Joe with Simple Slaw

My husband is somewhat of an anomaly and does not particularly like your regular old lunch lady sloppy joe sandwich. So I decided to switch it up a little and create this Chipotle Sloppy Joe with Simple Slaw from Cooking Light.

Sloppyjoe

Ingredients:

  • Cooking spray
  • 1 small presliced Vidalia or other sweet onion
  • 1  (7-ounce) can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
  • 1  pound  lean ground sirloin
  • 1 prechopped green bell pepper
  • 2  tablespoons  tomato paste
  • 1  teaspoon  kosher salt
  • 1/2  teaspoon  ground cumin
  • 1  (8-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce
  • Whole wheat hamburger buns

 1. Heat a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion to pan; cover and cook until golden brown, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; set aside.

2. Remove 1 teaspoon adobo sauce from can; set aside. Remove 1 chipotle chile from can; chop and set aside. Reserve remaining chiles and adobo sauce for another use.

3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add beef to pan; cook until browned, stirring to crumble. Drain excess fat if necessary. Add bell pepper to pan; sauté 2 minutes. Stir in chopped chipotle chile, adobo sauce, tomato paste, and next 3 ingredients (through tomato sauce); cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spoon 1/2 cup beef mixture over bottom half of each bun, and top evenly with onions and top half of bun.

This meal tastes great with pickles and a simple slaw. To make the slaw, combine 1/3 cup light or olive-oil mayonnaise, 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar or the Splenda equivalent, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Add 3 cups packaged cabbage-and-carrot coleslaw, tossing well to combine.

sloppyjoe2

This dish received two thumbs up and the leftovers were even taken to work the next day for lunch!

***TODAY IS THE LAST DAY TO VOTE FOR THE NOVEMBER 3-WAY INGREDIENT! (10/30) Vote Today!!!***

stef

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by | October 22, 2009 · 8:04 am

Water & Earth: At Home with Stef

After “virtually” spending time in each of the HAP girls’ homes, their talent as modern homemakers is even more apparent to me than it already was from their fabulous blog posts day after day. Now that I have examined all of their decorating choices, I can safely say that each one of these women has done a spot-on job of honoring their essence with their domestic style, and they didn’t even know it!

Home1

Stef brings us a new element to have some fun with: Water (The Philosopher). When she told me she thought she was a Water with underlying Earth, I practically jumped for joy because I knew I wouldn’t have to do any reaching to find her essence in her home. I had already seen so much of those particular energies, so her tuned-in designing really made my job easy.

Home2

The first display of Water energy comes in the deep, dark tones throughout the house. There are consistent touches of black, deep brown, and even a little blue; colors that create the mysterious and serene vibe that Philosophers thrive in. Water energy is also present in ethnic accents that look like they have a story, like a few of Stef’s artistic pieces in the living room and library, I especially love the black vintage doctor’s satchel on the office shelves, which begs to be a topic of conversation. 

home3

There is also an inviting feeling of warmth in Stef’s home, thanks to a strong presence of Earth energy. Plush sofas, earthy wall décor, and boxy shaped coffee tables contribute to the cozy vibe. My favorite display of Earth comes via the rich orange accent pillows in the living room in a Watery-shaped paisley print. I also love the plethora of books stacked throughout the home, which serve as the perfect mix of Water and Earth energy – makes me want to cozy into the corner section of one of the fluffy sofas with the perfect thought provoking read.

Catherine’s Picks for Stef:

Water:

  • Flowy fabrics
  • Deep, cool tones like black and navy
  • Mysterious, interesting, and creative styling
  • Ethnic pieces

Earth:

  • Warm or earthy tones like brown, orange, and beige
  • Nubby textures
  • Square or boxy shapes
  • Traditional, vintage, or cozy styling

 Stores to try: Design Within Reach, Etsy

cat-picks-stef

Equestrian Saddle Hook , Morning Croissant Robe, Graceful Damask Chair, Design Within Reach Flocks Pouf, Weathered and Worldly Globe

 

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by | October 16, 2009 · 8:07 am

Sweet Potato Fries

While Anne’s husband moaned and groaned about sweet potatoes, mine voted for them! So this week, I am making one of his favorite side dishes (and mine) – Sweet Potato Fries. This dish is a simple, savory and a very healthy alternative to the greasy, oil soaked delicious devil of a French fry.

Ingredients:

  • One medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into thin strips
  • 1 Tbsp. of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Lemon juice – fresh or store bought
  • Sea Salt
  • Cracked Black Pepper

SPFries1

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Place the sweet potato strips onto a non-stick baking pan (I usually line mine with foil). Brush the olive oil over the fries. Squeeze lemon juice over the fries. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper, to taste.

Cook fries for 12-15 minutes. I love these fries nice and crispy. When they start to get dark edges, they are ready to eat.

One medium sweet potato serves 2-3 people.

SPFries2

Helpful Hints:

Sweet potatoes can be very hard to cut into. If yours requires too much elbow grease, peel it and stick it in the microwave for 2-3 minutes to soften it up.

The silicone basting brush is one of my favorite kitchen utensils. It is great for spreading olive oil on fries, bread for paninis, quesadillas and more. Get yours here.

Squeeze lemons cut-side up to prevent seeds from falling onto the pan.

This side is great with barbeque!

stef

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by | October 9, 2009 · 8:49 am

Fabulous Fall Finds

As the leaves begin to turn and I give my house the good Cleaning Sydney it deserves, I’ve realized it’s time to dig out (and purchase) the fall décor. I love accenting my house with small touches of autumn and with soft muted colors throughout my house, my house seems to love it back.

One could go nuts with jack-o-lanterns and cornucopias, but I’ve searched to find items that last all the way through the fall season.

I could take up residence at Crate and Barrel. I joked around the time of our wedding that we should have bought stock in the company, as it seemed every box we opened was a black and white Crate and Barrel box.

fall_place setting

This place setting can be used all year through but these C&B Leaf Napkin Rings create a subtle touch of autumn. The Acacia Salad Bowls look especially festive when paired with some fall table linens.

Fall Decor_plate

The embossed leaf charger can be used to spice up a place setting or as a serving platter for a Thanksgiving dish.

Fall Decor - tableThe Maggie Runner from Crate and Barrel creates a soft elegance to any dining area. The bright colors and comforting felt give a your table a whimsical fall face lift. Paired with the Taylor Hurricane and any rust orange, maroon or sage colored candle and candle accent, your table can be set from September through November. Fill up your hurricane with anything from a candle ring like the one pictured here to some smooth rocks or sand. Or leave it by itself for simple elegance.

Fall Decor_candles

Daylight is beginning to diminish in the early evening hours. This provides a great excuse to break out the candles! I just received this beautiful vintage inspired white pumpkin candle from Hallmark for my birthday. And, for only $4.95, this C&B Trix Candleholder is not only great to add some candy corn or one of your other favorite Halloween or fall treats, but you can use these all year round. Christmas time: Red and Green candy. Valentine’s Day: Conversation Hearts. Easter: Jelly Beans. And the list goes on…

Fall Decor_acornsAnother nice autumn touch comes from a HAP favorite website, Etsy. These felted acorns with real acorn tops are a great addition to a small autumn dish or scattered amongst a table setting.

Fall Decor_butterAnd while this next item may not be décor per se, it is a delicious treat and very festive for the fall. The Muirhead Pecan Pumpkin Butter from Williams-Sonoma is great when spread on a toasted bagel or scone. I also sampled and received a recipe to make dessert bars using the butter and look forward to making it for myself!

I get scared watching previews for horror movies, so scary is not my thing. But if you are into ghosts and ghouls, check out Pottery Barn’s Skull collection to create a chilling Halloween cocktail party.

Happy Decorating!

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by | October 2, 2009 · 8:19 am

The Ultimate Chicken Salad

I am always looking for recipes that last for more than one meal. This one I created a few years ago and it has been a favorite ever since. Not only is it easy to make, but versatile and healthy. Make this recipe for yourself or for a side or main dish for a luncheon or shower. 

Chicken Salad

 Ingredients:

 Approx 1 lbs. cooked chicken, cubed or shredded

2 stalks of chopped celery

1 chopped apple

½ small chopped red onion

½ c. dried cranberries

½ c. slivered almonds

Approx. 1 c. low-fat mayonnaise

Salt and pepper to taste

 Mix well and chill.

 Chicken Salad1A few notes:

For the chicken – I boil boneless skinless chicken breasts in a water/chicken broth mixture. You can also use the microwavable Tyson cubed chicken.

I typically use any type of green apple, but in the fall, use whatever you’ve picked at the orchard!

Mayo made with olive oil is a great lower fat mayo alternative. When adding the mayo, start with ½ cup and keep adding mayo until it reaches your desired consistency.

You can substitute grapes for apples and/or pecans or walnuts for almonds.

Serve it on a bed of lettuce, toasted bread, a croissant or baguette, or eat it by itself!

PS: TODAY (10/2/09)  is the LAST DAY to vote for the HAP Three-Way ingredient. Place your vote so you can view the recipes you want to see!

stef

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by | September 25, 2009 · 8:43 am

Old, New, Borrowed, Blue

These days, it seems there is always a wedding related activity to attend. So for any of you bridesmaids, mothers of the bride, Maids of Honor or friend or family member that will be in charge of throwing such an affair, this blog is for you.

My sister recently got married and I was lucky enough to be the Matron of Honor. This was my first stint as MOH and I wanted to make sure I did everything with a personal touch. I didn’t really have the “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue” items at my wedding, so I decided Lindsay should get them in an unique way. With the help of my mom, family and other bridesmaids, Lindsay received her four bridal functions in the form of Old, New, Borrowed and Blue.

 Something New

 something newThe first party was Something New, an engagement party for the happy couple and family at my house. An Evite was sent to the invitees with the following wording:

Come and celebrate with the NEWly engaged couple, Lindsay and Doug! Lindsay can show off her brand NEW shiny ring at the NEW house of her sister and brother-in-law, the NEWly Wades. So let us all toast the couple as they start this NEW journey together and with each NEW day may there be infinitely happy memories!

As an engagement gift I focused on my sister’s soon to be new last name and gave her stationary with her new initial.

Something Blue

blueLindsay’s bachelorette party was Something Blue and blue it was. The party was held at “Blue’s Bar” with blue decorations and candy dishes filled with blue candy around the room. Smoking blue martinis were served along with blue cupcakes. All guests were asked to dress in blue, with the bride clad in all white.

Something Borrowed

borrowedThe Something Blue party was followed the next day by the Something Borrowed shower, where guests submitted “borrowed” recipes on recipe cards sent out with the invitations. The cooking theme was brought throughout with wooden spoons as name cards and “Love Beyond Measure” measuring spoons as gifts. Prior to the party, I collected “borrowed advice” from all the women in Lindsay’s life and put together a digital book using MyPublisher with letters and advice to Lindsay on life and love. This brought a tear or two to the room!

Something Old

oldThe final party was the bridal luncheon at my parent’s house the morning of the wedding. Sandwiches and desserts were placed on family china, with old wedding pictures of family members on display. My mom pulled her wedding dress out of storage and it was placed neatly out on display.

Creating a theme that lasted throughout the wedding planning process was fun and added an extra element and personal touch to each party. Lindsay had a great time at each event and was a beautiful bride!

If you have any creative wedding party ideas, please share with our Haute Apple Readers!

stef

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