by | January 21, 2011 · 8:07 am

Bears v. Packers: Nacho Typical Rivalry Fare

While most of the people in this state will shout a resounding chorus of “Go Pack Go” on Sunday, I will be singing “Bear Down.” I am a displaced Bears fan in a land of Cheeseheads. It truly is a hard life. But the glares at the grocery store when I carry my Bears reusable grocery bag, the trash talking from my friends and the jeers from neighbors when I walk to the mailbox in my Bears jersey are all well worth it, for I am not ashamed. The Bears hold a very special spot in my heart.

The Bears have not played the Packers in the NFC Championship since 1941. (Sidebar: Bears won) So this rivalry game of epic proportions deserves the fare to back it up. For Sunday’s game, I am dishing up some rivalry nachos and football treats. All these dishes are a cinch to put together so you can focus your energy on the game.

Monsters of the Midway Nachos


Ingredients:

blue corn tortilla chips
sharp cheddar cheese
chorizo, de-cased and chopped
orange pepper, diced

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a small non-stick saute pan, cook chorizo on medium-high heat, approximately 8 minutes. Lay tortilla chips on a baking pan. Sprinkle with peppers, chorizo and cheese. Heat on top rack of oven for 5-6 minutes, until cheese is melted.

Green and Gold Nachos


Ingredients:

yellow corn tortilla chips
sharp cheddar cheese
bacon
green onions, diced
green pepper, diced
fresh or picked jalapeno, seeded and chopped

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cook bacon according to package directions. Cool and chop. Lay tortilla chips on a baking pan. Sprinkle with bacon. Next, sprinkle with cheese, green onion, green pepper and jalapeno. Bake on top rack of the oven for 5-6 minutes or until cheese is melted.

If you are looking to get even more festive, these iced Twinkies are an easy dessert and look great on a table. Guests can enjoy a throwback to their childhood with this little treat. Using gel icing, simply draw football lines and the logos of your favorite teams. For an added touch, lay them on a plate topped with green colored coconut and draw white icing yard lines.

Some other fun ideas: have a food rivalry with the Wisconsin brat and the Chicago-style hot dog. I’ve also seen this football stadium cake pan that is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Here at HAP, we are two to one, Packers to Bears fans. We hope you enjoy the game this weekend and may the best team win! And by the best team, I mean DA BEARS!


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by | January 19, 2011 · 9:02 am

Winter Salad with Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing

I consider myself extremely lucky because we have good neighbors.    No, let me rephrase that, we have great neighbors.  The kind of neighbors who help you shovel snow, share their yard and have really sweet kids.  We often swap dinners or head to each others house with homemade food in hand just so we can share it with one another.

My neighbor Devenee brought over this divine Winter Fruit Salad the other day.  It was so good that I found my husband sneaking some from the refrigerator after we already had dessert.  You read that right, my husband was sneaking salad.

The combination of the sweet apples and pears with swiss cheese and dried cranberries makes this salad irresistible.  Add some cashews for a salty crunch and the sweet poppy seed dressing and you are in salad heaven.

Winter Fruit Salad

Dressing
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 tsp onion, finely chopped
1 Tbsp poppy seeds
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup vegetable oil

Salad
1 large Romain lettuce, torn into pieces
4 oz freshly grated swiss cheese
1 cup cashews
1/2 cup crasins
1 apple, cubed
1 pear, cubed

In a blender or small food processes, blend all dressing ingredients except oil and poppy seeds.  Once well combined, continue  blending while adding the oil.  Add poppy seeds at the end and quickly blend until combined.

Mix salad ingredients together in a large bowl.  Pour dressing directly on top or serve on the side.

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by | January 17, 2011 · 8:21 am

{Inspired by} Apres-Ski

Now that the holiday buzz has worn off, the winter doldrums have set in. Those of you who live in the tundra like me can commiserate with the cabin fever and those of you who don’t, well, consider yourselves lucky! I’ve found that taking up an outdoor hobby is the only way I can really get myself to enjoy winter so a few years ago the hubs and I started cross-country skiing. Lately the cold temps and lack of lasting snow had been getting under my skin, but finally this week there was enough snow in my area to go!

Any time I go out I get all obsessive over anything that hints of “apres-ski”. Unfortunately my living room isn’t quite as chic as the Sundance chalet I picture in my head but hey, a girl can dream right?
apres skiClockwise from top left:1. Handmade Marshmallows ($9), 2. Red Wool Mittens ($22), 3. Resin Moose Antlers ($399), 4. Ski Sign ($165), 5. Grey Stag Cushion ($51), 6. Repurposed Frame ($20), 7. Leather Chair ($1445), 8. Vintage French Alps Ski Sweater ($31), 9. Merino Throw ($98), 10. Cate the Great boot ($200), 11. Burton Sly Vest ($99.95)

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by | January 14, 2011 · 8:08 am

{Haute Pie} Chorizo Cheeseburger Pie

Move over cupcakes, move over macaroons, move over cake balls, we’ve got pie. Here at HAP we like to believe that pies will be all the rage in 2011. Pies don’t have to be sweet, they can be spicy, savory, rich, creamy or whatever your palette desires. Today I am bringing you the first installment of Haute Pie of the Month with my Cheeseburger Chorizo Pie. As a child, my mom used to make us Cheeseburger Pie, so a bite of this is automatic comfort for me. I spiced up the recipe a bit by adding a little bit of chorizo and spice. The recipe is simple, quick and a crowd pleaser.

Chorizo Cheeseburger Pie

Ingredients:

1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 lb. chorizo, casing removed, chopped
1/c C chopped yellow onion
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp cracked black pepper
1 package Pillsbury crescent dough
2 C shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375. Brown ground beef and chorizo in large skillet. Remove grease and return meat to skillet.* Add onion and cook through until translucent. Mix in tomato paste, chili powder, garlic salt and pepper. Heat thoroughly, approximately 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Open and unroll crescent dough. In a pie dish, lay crescent dough, pressing to create a pie crust. Pour meat mixture into pie crust. Top with cheddar cheese.

Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

*A quick tip for draining grease from your beef. When I buy the lean ground beef, I find there is not too much grease in the pan, so I used the butt of my bread to soak up the grease. This way you do not have to deal with draining the beef and returning it to the pan. Who likes the butt of the bread anyway?

We hope you like pie as much as we do! Have you indulged in any innovative pies?

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by | January 12, 2011 · 8:59 am

Budget Friendly Bedroom Makeover

Eight months ago, we moved into our new house and frantically began trying to get each room set up and feeling like home. In the process, I seemed to neglect one very important room: our bedroom.  The room needed some major design love.  But with a tight budget and not a lot of time on my hands, I didn’t have many options for sprucing it up.

Enter Carmol-Transformed Interiors. Two fabulous ladies named Caroline and Molly in the interior redesign world who give you a home-sweet-home affordable. Their redesign recipe combines the items you already own with a few new pieces to up the “flavor factor.” They told me they could give me a bedroom makeover in one day for just $100 dollars. I was skeptical. Challenge accepted.

Fast forward to my room reveal as Caroline and Molly flung open my bedroom door. I saw a room I almost didn’t recognize. It felt homey, warm and inviting. I couldn’t have been happier and all for just $100!

Here are some of the new details that were added to the room:

Throw Pillows and Throw – They repositioned my bed on an angle which increased floor space and added visual interest in the room. The addition of throw pillows and the throw dressed up the bed and really made it the focal point of the room.

Night Stand Runner – Pushing our 2 small nightstands together created the illusion of a larger piece of furniture and a fabric remnant was placed on top as a runner that tied in the colors of the room.

Mirror – A large mirror was hung with some decorative rope and hooked to the top of our picture ledge, right above the night stand. This gave the allusion of a much larger room. (Carmol’s Budget Friendly Tip: The ladies actually found an inexpensive brown mirror and brushed it with silver paint to give it a more high-end look!)

Window Sheers – The addition of inexpensive window sheers soften the look and diffuse light for a more romantic master bedroom.

Colorful Vases with Branches – The decorative bottles were the perfect color for the room and the branches added a great organic (and free!) addition.

Antique Tabletop Mirror – The mirror was placed on the dresser and acts as a catchall for change, jewelry, and other special keepsakes.

Along with many new items, Carmol was also able to use other items I had laying around my house. One reason I love Carmol is they promote shopping in your own house – who knew moving an object from one room to another would make it feel new!

Here are a few more creative additions that are new to the room, but cost us nothing!

3 Gray Decorative Frames – These frames have been sitting in my front hall closet since we moved because I loved them, but didn’t know what to do with them. Carmol made them feel right at home in my bedroom.

Vintage Birdcage – This had been in my dining room, although it didn’t really fit in. Move it to the bedroom and it is one of my favorite decorative pieces.

Framed wedding picture – This was a Christmas gift from my husband after we were married, and I love that it now hangs in our bedroom.

All in all, the room has a brand new feel and it is so “us.” The ladies of Carmol were able to pinpoint my personal style exactly and perfectly pulled off a room redo in a day and with only $100.

Tips for redoing a room with just $100:

Shop, Shop, Shop. You will need to visit many different stores to compare prices, find the best merchandise and really find stuff you love. Shops like Marshalls, TJ Maxx and Tuesday Mornings always have great finds. But don’t forget to check out your local antique store or GoodWill. You never know what you might find!
Get Creative. Found the perfect picture frame, but it isn’t quite the right color? Paint it! Painting an object can give it a whole new look and feel.
Shop within your own house. Moving decorative objects around your home makes old spaces feel like new. Those throw pillows that are starting to look old on your sofa might just be perfect for your bedroom!

For more information on Carmol-Transformed Interiors and to see more of their exciting room makeovers, visit them on Facebook.

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by | January 10, 2011 · 8:13 am

Panfish Chowder & Cheddar-Bacon Biscuits

At my house, it’s currently ice fishing season, which for me equals panfish cooking season. And as much as I love having locally, sustainably caught fish delivered fresh to my table, there are only so many ways to cook the bite-sized perch, blue gills and crappies.

Yesterday with a free Sunday on my hands and nothing to do but watch the playoffs (Go Pack!), I detoured from our frequent fish fry and tested out a fish chowder. I based it on the tastes of a traditional New England Clam Chowder and was delighted with the results.

If you don’t have a fishing obsessed person in your house, you can easily substitute a variety of other white fishes such as tilapia, walleye, pike or even cod. Try to use whatever is local to your area to get the freshest catch and best flavor.
Fish Chowder

Panfish Chowder
6 strips bacon, chopped
1/2 yellow onion, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
4 Tbsp butter
3 large Yukon Gold potatoes, diced
1 lb panfish (see substitutions*)
2 bay leaves
thyme
2 C clam juice
2 C chicken broth
2 C half & half
2 tsp corn starch
kosher salt
pepper
* Ideal substitutes would be other white lake fish, such as perch or walleye, but you could also use a mild white fish such as tilapia.

Chop bacon into small pieces and place a large stockpot. Cook for 4-5 minutes, then add butter, onions and celery. Add bay leaves and season with thyme, salt and pepper. Cook until vegetables soften, about 5-7 minutes. Whisk in corn starch. Add clam juice, broth and potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes until potatoes cook.

Remove bay leaves. Add fish and half & half and cook for another 8-10 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper as needed to bring out flavors.

Panfish Chowder

I served my chowder with some tasty homemade buttermilk biscuits that I gussied up with some bacon and cheddar because, well, who doesn’t love bacon and cheddar!

Bacon Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuits


Cheddar-Bacon Biscuits
adapted from America’s Test Kitchen
3 3/4 C flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp sugar
4 Tbsp shortening, chilled
1 1/2 sticks butter, chilled & diced into small pieces
1 1/4 C buttermilk
1/2 C shredded sharp cheddar
4 strips bacon; cooked, cooled and diced

In a food processor, combine flour, sugar, salt, soda and powder. Pulse 4-5 times to combine. Add shortening and butter chunks, distributing evenly over flour. Pulse 15 or so times until mixture is slightly crumbly. Add bacon and cheddar and pulse 3-4 times. Transfer to a large both and slowly add buttermilk, working mixture together with a spatula until dough is slightly sticky.

Transfer to a clean, floured surface. Flour your hands and knead for 30-45 seconds so that dough becomes smooth. Reflour surface and roll dough into a large circle, about 1/2 inch thick. Use a 2 1/2″ round biscuit (cookie) cutter to cut each biscuit, taking care not to twist the cutter as you cut. This will prevent uneven biscuits. Place on a baking sheet.

Bake at 400 for 15-18 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes and serve warm.

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by | January 7, 2011 · 7:56 am

Creating a Writer’s Nook

My new year’s resolution: finish the novel.

I have a near complete novel that I’ve slowly been editing for over a year now. 2010 was supposed to end with a finished product, but the little bugger took up most of the year…and I am okay with that. So this year, I have one goal. Finish the novel. Amongst the chaos of brightly colored pieces of plastic that make unbearably loud noises, I decided I needed a little inspiration corner. A small space where I could clear my head and write.

I used to work from home, but my office was made over into a nursery. My desk and office supplies were moved to the basement and have been haphazardly piled over the past year. Slightly embarrassing to share, but I take comfort in knowing with near certainty that I am not the only one with a space like this one.

To be able to clear my head, I first needed to clear this space. Some things were put in storage, some were filed and many were thrown away. I cleared the desk leaving only a few things, leaving plenty of room to spread out if need be.

I moved the desk to the other side of the wall and angled it, creating a more private space. A soft bamboo throw covers the chair, along with a nice warm cup of coffee from my new Keurig coffee maker (sidebar: I love k-cups! Get one.)

A few writer’s tools: a dictionary, a baby name book and The Artist’s Way by Julie Cameron. A fresh vase of flowers lightens the dark basement mood as well as a winter scented candle. An iPod docking station can play some of my favorite writing music like Josh Groban (don’t judge me) and Death Cab for Cutie.

I used a cork and marker board to serve as inspiration boards and planning tools. I hung a favorite picture from my high school photo class and a few newspaper clippings, along with some other fun finishes.

And there it sits, the first draft with lots of scratches and notes. I look forward to tackling this big and exciting project this year and hope that 2011 concludes with a completed product!

Try creating a quiet corner in your house for whatever it is that lights your fire. No plastic noisemakers aloud.

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by | January 5, 2011 · 8:53 am

New Year’s Resolution: Declutter

“Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”      ~William Morris

The beginning of a new year brings new resolutions. For some reason, mine almost always deal with eliminating clutter in our house. I am not a hoarder type, however I do find myself always holding onto things “just in case” I might need them in the future. With this being my one major roadblock, I needed to create a solution that would allow me to get rid of things, without sending me into a “what if” panic attack. This is especially true when I think about creating extra space in my closet.

Therefore, I am using a new decluttering method that will help me to get rid of things, but still allow me to hold onto them in the event that I regret tossing it.

The steps are simple:

1. Grab a garbage bag and head over to your closet (or toy room, or office, or living room…)

2. Fill up your bag with items that you no longer use or wear on a regular basis

3. Close up the bag and mark it with a tag reading “Bedroom 2011” or “Toy Room 2011”

4. Stash the bag in your attic or basement where it will be out of sight.  Chances are you will forget you ever put that bag in the attic, however in the event that you regret getting rid of something, you can sneak into your attic and remove the item from the bag.  Just remember to tie it back up tight!

5. Next year, at this time, when 2012 rolls around dig out the 2011 bag.  Do NOT open the bag, simply toss it into your car and take it directly to your local GoodWill or Salvation Army.  They key here is not to look in the bag.  If you haven’t needed it in a year, chances are you don’t need it at all.  Peeking inside will only get you thinking, oh “I might want to hold onto this, just in case.”

Repeat this cycle every year and your clutter will slowly start to disappear.

I have finally reached a point in my life where I realized I cannot hold onto every single meaningful artifact in my life and save it for myself, my children, my future grandchildren…etc.  In fact, the more I hold onto, the less special it becomes.  I would rather have a few really meaningful items than bins full of things I didn’t have the heart to get rid of.

I read this quote once by someone named Stephanie on an organization board and it resonated with me:

“Present Me is tired of holding onto future Me’s crap. Future Me will just have to deal with it.”

Sorry, future me, your stuff just got sent to Goodwill.

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by | January 3, 2011 · 7:58 am

Tortellini Minestrone Soup

Woohoo! Another year is on the books and I have a feeling 2011 is going to be pretty great. I subscribe to the “everything in moderation” book of life but New Year’s always makes me want to focus on a more balanced diet. It can sometimes seem like a chore to plan and prep “healthy” meals so I’ve found that having easy go-to recipes in my arsenal is the key.

This minestrone soup is one of those kind of recipes. The tortellini makes it heartier than an everyday minestrone and it’s packed with healthy veggies that you can feel good about. It’s fast and easy enough for weeknight dinners and can easily be made vegetarian if that’s more your speed.

Tortellini Minestrone Soup

Tortellini Minestrone Soup
1/2 onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
3 carrots, chopped into coins
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 pkg frozen cheese tortellini
1 can cannellini beans
1 bunch kale, chopped
4-5 C broth (chicken or vegetable)
28 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
2 Tbsp tomato paste
red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 lb italian sausage (optional)

In a large stockpot, warm oil and add chopped onions, celery and carrots. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until vegetables soften and add garlic. Push vegetables to the side of the pot and add sausage (if using). Break sausage into large crumbles and cook until browned and mostly cooked through, about 6-8 minutes.

Add tomatoes and tomato paste and stir well. Add half of the broth and stir. Add cannellini beans, kale and remaining broth. Season well with salt and pepper. Add red pepper flakes if desired. Simmer on medium-low heat for 20 minutes and add in tortellini. Cook for another 5 minutes.

Serve with crusty french bread. Serves 6.

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by | December 31, 2010 · 8:45 am

Best Haute Posts of 2010

2010, what a great year it’s been! We are so grateful to have shared this past year with you. We’ve learned so much and plan to use that knowledge to bring you bigger, better ideas in 2011.

So to bid 2010 adieu, we thought we would leave your (and our) favorites:

Top 10 Posts of 2010

10. Babies, babies, babies! With the arrival of Lincoln James this year, Stef was lucky enough to experience these two fabulous baby showers: Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My! and the Bird’s Nest Baby Shower

9. Two words: goat cheese. Mix it up with Anne’s Goat Cheese, Apple and Pine Nut Pizza.

8. No need to spend mega bucks buying a wreath for your door. Katie’s Fall Berry Wreath or Stef’s Winter Sweater Wreath provide a great look on the cheap.

7. Who knew brussel sprouts were so hot right now? Braised Brussel Sprouts with Bacon.

6. Kiddos love the Pink and Brown Ladybug Party and the Campfire Birthday Party.

5. Apparently everyone is asking at parties around the country: Have you tried the grape salad?

4. Move over Pottery Barn. DIY Moss Topiary for a fraction of the cost.

3. Wedding bells took over June on Haute Apple Pie with a Naughty and Nice Bachelorette Party and a Summertime Lemonade Shower.

2. As featured with our friends over at Foodpress.com: Chicken and Black Bean Chili

1. We have some eager to learn readers. Katie’s How to: Refinish a Dresser and Anne’s How to: Painting Kitchen Cabinets (as seen on Freshly Pressed) were a big hit!

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