by | September 8, 2010 · 10:42 am

Chicken and Veggie Fried Rice

It may date back to my days as a waitress at P.F. Changs, but I am a sucker for ordering Chinese food. There is nothing better than eating some fried rice out of that cute little carton. I decided awhile back to try some of my own fried rice and have perfected a recipe that I love and I believe is much better for you than the old take-out standby. Peanut oil seems to be the trick to get that fresh out of the carton taste and sends the sweet aroma through your house. If you don’t have or like the vegetables I’ve listed, try the ones you like. Anything goes with this dish.

*Note: Make sure to chop everything ahead of time and have it ready. This dish moves quickly and if you don’t move with it, the dish will not turn out correctly.

Ingredients

2 C long grain white rice
2 TBSP peanut oil
1 tsp ginger
1/2 C chopped scallions
1/2 C chopped bok choy
1/2 C snow peas
1/2 C chopped asparagus
1 C cooked chicken breast
2 large eggs, beaten
2 TBSP low-sodium soy sauce
2 TBSP rice vinegar
2 TBSP hoisin sauce

Cook rice according to directions. Preheat wok at high heat. Add peanut oil. Stir fry scallions and ginger for 15 seconds. Add chicken and stir fry for 2 minutes. Add veggies and stir fry for 3 minutes. Push all ingredients to the side and add egg. Scramble eggs, scraping them off the hot surface. Cook egg through and add rice. Stir all ingredients together and heat through, about 2 minutes. Add soy sauce, rice vinegar and hoisin sauce. Mix thoroughly and remove from heat.

If you don’t have a wok, you can try a deep skillet. I often use leftover rotisserie chicken or shredded chicken from another meal. You could add uncooked chicken at the beginning and add an extra few minutes to the cooking process.

And if that doesn’t work…there is always take-out!

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by | September 7, 2010 · 8:19 am

Easy Pesto Salad

Ever since “secret ingredient: basil” a few weeks ago, I’ve been on a serious basil kick…mostly to the tune of this super easy pesto salad since it also uses up my garden tomatoes too. Now homemade pesto is not some revolutionary new dish but it’s just so tasty when the basil is fresh. Plus, it works great as a main dish with chicken or a crowd-pleasing BBQ/tailgate side dish and can easily be frozen for a little taste of summer come winter.
Pesto Ingredients
The pesto purists out there will probably scoff, but I prefer to use almonds instead of pine nuts in my pesto because of their health benefits and the fact that the leftovers can be used in more dishes.  Also, when I make this I don’t actually measure the ingredients, so take these estimations as a starting point for creating pesto to your taste.  I prefer my pesto to not be too oily but you can make it just the way you like it!

Easy Pesto Salad
2 C fresh basil
1/4 C (+) slivered almonds
1/4C (+) parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4C (+) olive oil
1/2 – 1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 pkg bocconcini (mini mozzerella balls)
1 C grape tomatoes
1 lb pasta (cavatappi or penne shape)

Wash and dry basil. In a small food processor (I use the 3 C size) add 2/3 of the basil leaves, almonds, parmesan, garlic and half of the olive oil. Pulse several times to break down items and blend well.  Add in salt and pepper and the remaining basil leaves.  Pulse again and drizzle in remaining olive oil until pesto is getting smooth and the oil consistency meets your taste.  If you accidentally add too much oil, add more basil and/or cheese and pulse again to soak it up.

How to Make Pesto

Cook pasta to al dente in boiling water. Meanwhile, slice tomatoes in half.  If you can find the itsy bitsy mozzarella balls, simply leave them as is.  If they’re slightly larger, like the ones pictured, slice them in half or quarters.

Drain noodles and rinse with cold water.  Put pasta in a bowl and mix in pesto sauce.  Add tomatoes and mozzarella.  Stir gently until pesto is coating everything well. Taste it.  If needed, sprinkle lightly with salt to bring out flavors, stirring salt in throughout. Serve warm or cold.

Pesto Salad

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by | September 2, 2010 · 2:03 pm

Organization {Bedroom Closet}

We moved into our new house 5 months ago and in the midst of kitchen remodels and massive amounts of painting,  I have completely neglected other areas of our home.  For example, my bedroom closet was a total disaster.  In fact, I am slightly embarrassed to share these pictures with you, but if you promise not to judge, I will let you take a peek.

With fall just around the corner, my tall boots and bulky sweaters were just dying to come down from the attic.  I took one look at this mess and realized I needed to do some major rearranging before my closet was fall ready.

I had just one day and a $50 budget to get it all done. Here’s how it turned out:

Reorganizing a closet takes just a few simple steps.  The hard part is getting motivated!

Step 1: Purge

Set up three piles: keep, throw and donate.  Go through each item in your closet and be brutally honest.  Do you like it?   Does it fit?  When was the last time you wore it?  Allow yourself to keep only things that make you feel good and that you enjoy wearing.  I think I cleared out about a quarter of my closet and haven’t missed any of it.

Step 2: Think about what you need to make your closet work for you

Some people might need a solution for organizing sweaters while others need more space for hangers.  For me, I needed some serious shoe organization and a way to stack things on my top self so they were easy to find and easy to put away.

Step 3: Organize, Organize, Organize

Purchase things that will help you organize or simply use things you already have!  I purchased 2 shoe organizers, on sale for $22/each  from target, that gave me plenty of storage and also added a low shelf for my boots.

I also grabbed some inexpensive box organizers from Ikea to help organize my odds and ends.

So much better!  Now, everything has its place and with a little effort, my closet looks clean and organized every day.

How do you keep your closet organized?

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by | September 1, 2010 · 8:28 am

Mexican Street Corn

Due to the abundance of inexpensive sweet corn at the grocery store, my family has been eating it constantly. Don’t get me wrong, I love corn on the cob with lots of butter and salt but lately my taste buds have been craving something a little different.  So, I decided to try a new and interesting recipe.

I once heard about Mexican Street Corn, corn on the cob brushed with mayo and sprinkled with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and ground chili powder.  Rumor has it this type of corn is served by street vendors in Mexico. Although, in all of my trips there I haven’t been lucky enough to come across this treat.

Mexican Street Corn

5 ears of corn, husks removed
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Chili powder to taste
Cooking Spray, such as PAM
Tin foil

Tear off 4 individual pieces of tin foil, large enough to wrap one ear of corn. Spray one side with cooking spray, to prevent the cheese from sticking, and set aside.

Lightly brush the corn with the mayonnaise. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and chili powder and wrap in the prepared foil. Grill on a medium high grill, turning occasionally, for about 15 minutes or until corn is tender and slightly browned.

Enjoy the last couple weeks of summer!

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by | August 30, 2010 · 8:16 am

Retail Replicate: Fall Berry Wreath

With hints of cool air making sneak appearances in the mornings lately, I’m getting antsy for fall. Enough with the humidity and mosquitos and onto apple cider, crackling fires and cozy sweaters!

Since that might be a little premature still, I satisfied my autumn itch by making a fall wreath for my front door. Every year I see pretty wreaths all over retail-land…for beaucoup bucks. I have a hard time justifying $50+ for a wreath, even if it is reusable. So with the fall florals on sale at the craft store last week I was suckered into a bagful of scarlet faux berry branches (which my nature-loving husband informed me are staghorn sumac replicates) and wreath supplies for a total of about $18. I had never tried to make a wreath before but it turned out to be SUPER easy.

fall wreath berries

What You’ll Need:
18″ grape vine wreath
10-12 floral branches*
1/2 yd burlap
needle & beige thread
wire cutters
2 small safety pins

Use the wire cutter to clip off the individual sumac branches from each bunch. Push each branch in between the branches of the wreath, working so that the branch tips point in the same direction. Try to push each branch in as tightly as possible.

Cut two strips of burlap, approximately 3-4 inches wide. Tie one into a large, loose bow and set aside. Wrap the other around the wreath as a hanger. Match up the ends of the strip and fold over. Use safety pins to affix the bow onto the burlap hanger strip, lining it up with the wreath itself. Then, use a simple running stitch to secure the fold, sewing about 1/2″ from the edge.

* Note: You may need more or fewer branches depending on the floral you use and the look you’re going for.

DIY autumn wreath

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by | August 27, 2010 · 8:01 am

Fresh Watermelon Margarita

Although cool fall nights are creeping on the horizon, I’m not ready to put away my white pants just yet. This fresh watermelon margarita is a great way to sip the last few weeks of summer. It is great for an evening dinner on the patio or a Labor Day BBQ.

Ingredients

2 C cubed, fresh watermelon
3/4 C. tequila
1/4 C. Triple Sec
1 Lime, juiced
1 TBSP powdered sugar
3 C ice

Add all ingredients except ice to a blender and blend until watermelon breaks down. Add ice and crush. Serve with a watermelon cube garnish.

What are you doing to soak up the remaining days of summer?

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by | August 25, 2010 · 8:18 am

A Bicycle Built for Two {Couple’s Shower}

My good friends, Lane and Craig, are getting married this September so my friend Angela and I  threw them a Bicycle Built for Two, couple’s shower.  They love the outdoors and are avid bikers, so the theme was a perfect fit for them!

The adorable invitations were created by fellow HAP blogger Katie.

Bicycle  planters and red balloons on the front porch welcomed guests to the party.

Guests were treated to White Sangria, vintage soda and a variety of beer.

The gift table had a bicycle basket for cards and a personalized print, created by one reverie,  for the couple.

A personalized cake topper, handmade of twisted metal by Heather Boyd, was a perfect touch.

For dessert, guests had vanilla cupcakes with cake toppers created by Lemon and Lavender.

As party favors, guests were asked to grab a bottle of personalized wine as they left.

The adorable labels were also created by Katie.

It was the perfect shower for a perfect couple.

Congratulations Lane and Craig!

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by | August 23, 2010 · 9:32 am

Zucchini, Prosciutto & Goat Cheese Tartelettes

Every year I find myself with an excessive amount of garden zucchini. Zucchini is at it’s best and most tender when it’s picked small – maybe 6-8 inches long and not too fat. However, every year I also inevitably miss a zucchini (or three) that was hidden under leaves or went crazy over a hot weekend, causing it to end up the size of a cave man’s club. Whoops!

Luckily, zucchinis of mammoth proportions are actually ideal for baking. While zucchini muffins/breads are delicious and I usually make multiple rounds of them, I like to play around with things like zucchini-fruit pie or this year’s Zucchini, Prosciutto & Goat Cheese Tartelettes.

I served them as a side dish for dinner but these little lovelies would be excellent for breakfast, as an appetizer or at a bridal/baby shower brunch. You could also double the recipe and make them as a full-size tart for a main dish.

Zucchini, Prosciutto & Goat Cheese Tartlettes

Prepping Your Zucchini
Small zucchini will work in this recipe but if you have a large one the best way to deal with it is to slice off the ends and core out the tough, seedy middle. Next, use a food processor or cheese grater to shred the zucchini. Finally, measure out the desired amount of zucchini for your recipe and place in the center of a paper towel. Carefully squeeze excess water out of the zucchini over the sink – this is key to not having soggy tartes or muffins!

Preparing ZucchiniShredded Zucchini

Zucchini, Prosciutto & Goat Cheese Tartelettes
Crust
1 C flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 C shortening
1 tsp vinegar
5-10 Tbsp ice water
OR pre-made pie crust

Filling
1 1/2 C zucchini, shredded & squeezed
3 oz goat cheese, crumbled
1/3 lb prosciutto
3 eggs
1 small shallot, minced
splash half & half
1 tsp dill, optional
kosher salt & black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375. Grease 12 cups of a muffin tin. Prep pie crust (see instructions here) or roll out pre-made crust. Use a round medium-large cookie cutter to cut thin circles out of the pie dough and press each circle into a muffin cup.

Core, shred and squeeze excess water from zucchini and transfer to a medium bowl. Mince shallot and add to bowl.  Crumble in goat cheese.  Slice 2/3 of your prosciutto into small pieces, and add to mixture.  Reserve remaining prosciutto.  Whisk in eggs, half and half, dill and salt & pepper.  Spoon mixture into crusts, filling the tin about half-way full or just slightly above the edge of the crust.  Tear small “squares” of remaining prosciutto and place on top of each tartelette.  Bake for 40 minutes or until filling is puffed and slightly golden.

Zucchini Tartlette

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by | August 20, 2010 · 7:31 am

Open-Faced Chicken Caprese Sandwich

I’m rounding out basil week with an easy, savory lunch or dinner option. My garden is exploding with basil over 2 feet tall. While I plan on making large batches of pesto and freezing it for those cold Wisconsin winter days, I also like to add some fresh basil leaves to sandwiches. This grilled sandwich, a take on the classic Caprese salad, is one of my recent faves.

Ingredients

Sourdough, French or any kind of thick, chewy bread, cut in half for sandwich portions
boneless, skinless chicken breast
tomatoes
basil
fresh mozzarella
balsamic vinegar
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Marinate chicken breast in equal parts olive oil and vinegar (enough to coat however many chicken breasts you plan to make). Refrigerate 1-2 hours. Preheat grill. Lightly brush bread with olive oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add chicken to the grill. Cook 7 minutes on each side, turning once. Five minutes before the chicken is finished, place bread on grill, not over the direct heat. Once chicken is complete and bread lightly toasted, place fresh mozzarella on bread. Then layer chicken, tomatoes and sprinkle with slices of fresh basil leaves. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Depending on how big your chicken, tomatoes and bread, this sandwich may need to be eaten with utensils!

We hope you’ve enjoyed basil week. We’d love to hear your innovations with basil!

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by | August 19, 2010 · 7:40 am

And The Great Big Cheese Cookbook winner is….

Thank you to everyone who submitted their cheese comments and recipes. We can’t wait to test some of them out!

We’ve chosen our winner using a random generator. While we wish everyone could win this cookbook, there can only be one winner, and that winner is….Lindsey. HAP reader Lindsey wrote the following comment:

“I could eat brie every day of my life. I have too many favorite cheese recipes my husband and I eat some sort of main cheese focused meal every day. I saw this giveaway and thought it would be such a great gift for him.”

We hope you and your husband enjoy this cookbook!

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